| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07900638B2 |
Intermediate wrapper and method of making
A tobacco product is formed by perforated cigar or shell, the shell comprising a sheet of material with an intermediate sheet, the sheet comprising tobacco leaves and/or homogenized tobacco paper. The cigar or shell is packaged for shipment to an end user or consumer. The cigar or shell remains in the rolled, shaped tube form inside the package. After the cigar or shell is removed from the package, a consumer can fill the cigar or shell with crushed tobacco leaves or other tobacco filler material of a favorite blend, thereby eliminating some steps in the making of a “roll-your-own” tobacco product. A liquid can be added to the cigar or shell to moisturize same. The liquid can include flavoring. |
| US07900637B2 |
Device and method for the administration of a substance
The present invention relates to an aerosol spray device (10, 20, 30, 40) for administration of a substance, specifically a substance having a disagreeable taste, such as nicotine, to the oral cavity of a subject; to an actuator (16, 26, 36, 46) included in said spray device and to methods for delivering the substance. |
| US07900636B1 |
Finger sucking deterrent devise and method of use of same
A device to deter finger sucking is a partial cover for the hand with at least one finger stall encompassing the finger or fingers usually sucked. The device can also have individual finger stalls, each accommodating one finger. The device has a ribbed cuff that is elastic so the child can put the device on and take it off himself. The device is made of a knitted fabric that is stretchable throughout. This characteristic makes it possible for the child to remove his finger or fingers from the one or more finger stalls and move the device upward on his arm and out of the way when eating, washing, for personal hygiene and certain school activities and thereafter quickly replace it on the hand with the finger or fingers in the one or more finger stalls. The child has complete control over its use. This device should be maintained on the hand or arm at all times except when bathing. The device can be colorful and decorated in a manner that is attractive to the child. The knitted fabric provides a dry unpleasant mouth feel and allows air to pass through the fibers so that no suction is attained during sucking. Without suction there is no satisfaction and the child is deterred from sucking his finger or fingers until he stops altogether. |
| US07900634B2 |
Bronchus blocker and artificial respiration system
The bronchus blocker according to the invention comprises an insertion rod and a blocking means. The blocking means is provided near one end of the insertion rod in order to be inserted by means thereof into a bronchus. The bronchus blocker furthermore comprises a support, for supporting the bronchus blocker on a bronchial branching, such as the carina. By supporting the bronchus blocker on a bronchial branching using its support, the inflated balloon only has to seal the bronchus and does not also have to keep the bronchus blocker in its position at the same time. As a result, the risk of the bronchus blocker slipping out of its position is much smaller than with the prior art. |
| US07900632B2 |
Laryngeal mask with esophageal blocker and bite block
A supraglottic airway of the type used to facilitate lung ventilation and the insertion of endo-tracheal tubes or related medical instruments through a patient's laryngeal opening including a guide structure for use in deploying an esophageal blocker into the patient's esophagus and additionally or alternatively including a bite block for inhibiting a patient from biting an internal passageway in the respiratory tube of the airway closed. |
| US07900626B2 |
Method and system for controlling breathing
The present invention relates to a method and a system for controlling breathing of a patient. A system for controlling breathing of a patient includes a respiratory conduit. The respiratory conduit is configured to be coupled to a patient interface device and is further configured to be coupled to a pressurized air generating device. The respiratory conduit includes at least two air flow control devices, positioned between the patient interface device and the pressurized air generating device. The respiratory conduit includes at least two volumes, wherein one volume is positioned between a first air flow control device and a second air flow control device and another volume is positioned between a second air flow control device and a third air flow control device. |
| US07900622B2 |
Paintball marker with user selectable firing modes
A paintball marker with a barrel that is coupled to a receiver. The marker may include a grip assembly in which an electronic circuit is disposed. The electronic circuit is configured to actuate launching of a projectile responsive to the trigger moving to the firing position. |
| US07900620B1 |
Slingshot construction
A slingshot for delivering (firing) a fragile, easily breakable shelled pellet such as a gelatin shelled game scent ball to a target site in a woods, field, or the like, whereby the pellet breaks apart at impact at the target site and disperses the scent, wherein a pellet carrying breech structure is affixed to the slingshot pouch or firing bands and is provided with an axially oriented pellet receiving cavity partly defined by flexible fingers which can hold the pellet in place when cocking the slingshot but which easily releases the pellet on firing. |
| US07900615B2 |
Air-fuel imbalance detection based on zero-phase filtering
A control system comprising an oxygen sensor that generates an oxygen signal based on an oxygen concentration level in an exhaust gas of an engine, a filtering module that determines a filtered signal based on the oxygen signal, and an air-fuel imbalance detection module that detects an air-fuel imbalance in the engine based on the oxygen signal and the filtered signal. A method comprising generating an oxygen signal based on an oxygen concentration level in an exhaust gas of an engine, determining a filtered signal based on the oxygen signal, and detecting an air-fuel imbalance in the engine based on the oxygen signal and the filtered signal. |
| US07900613B2 |
High-frequency ignition system for motor vehicles
A high-frequency ignition system for spark ignition engines has a large ignition range with a cover measuring up to a plurality of square centimeters and enables the optional adjustment of the duration of the ignition. The combustion time can be minimized as a result of the large ignition range. Excellent degrees of efficacy can be obtained with this ignition using dielectric electrodes. The high-frequency ignition system can be very economically produced by means of high-frequency electronic components which are available at a very low cost as a result of the telecommunication market, and by means of standard spark plug technology. The high-voltage requirements are also significantly lower compared to classic ignition systems. |
| US07900607B2 |
Fuel vapor storage and recovery apparatus
A fuel vapor storage and recovery apparatus includes a fuel vapor storage canister, said fuel vapor storage canister comprising at least first and second vapor storage compartments filled with an absorbent material, for instance filled with activated carbon, at least a vapor inlet port, an atmospheric vent port and a purge port. Said fuel vapor storage canister defines an air flow path between said vapor inlet port and said atmospheric vent port during shut-off of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle. During purging cycles there is defined an air flow path between said atmospheric vent port and said purge port wherein said first and second vapor storage compartments are arranged in concentric relationship and wherein said first and second vapor storage compartments in flow direction are separated from each other by an air gap diffusion barrier. |
| US07900605B2 |
Fuel injector and method for controlling fuel injectors
A fuel injector for an internal combustion engine, the fuel injector comprising an injector body, a fuel supply passage defined in the injector body, the fuel supply passage containing fuel under high pressure in use of the injector, a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure of fuel in the passage in use, wherein the pressure sensor is situated within the injector body and is separated from fuel in the passage in use, and a method of fuel injection, comprising constructing an hydraulic behavior profile by fuel pressure measurement, using the hydraulic behavior profile to predict fuel pressure that will prevail in a fuel injector during an injection event, and supplying a control signal to the fuel injector to control the amount of fuel injected during the injection event in accordance with the predicted fuel pressure. By predicting the fuel pressure that will prevail during an injection event, the fuel delivered during the injection event can be accurately controlled. |
| US07900603B2 |
Automobile-use high pressure fuel injection accumulator-distributor and method of production of the same
An automobile-use high pressure fuel injection accumulator-distributor comprised of a body of an automobile-use high pressure fuel injection accumulator-distributor to which pipe attachment holders for attaching fuel distribution pipes for distributing fuel to injection nozzles at an equal pressure are joined by liquid phase diffusion bonding etc., wherein each holder is comprised of a tube part at the pipe side and a partial cone-shaped skirt at the end of the rail body side, each holder skirt has a shape spreading in a partial cone shape toward the joint face end with an angle from the holder tube part side face of 10° or more in a range of a length of 2 mm or more in the holder axial direction at the outer circumference of the end of the holder at the joint face side, the rail body has holder joint position determining guide grooves at its holder joint positions, each guide groove is comprised of a groove inner circumferential wall of a size enabling engagement with a holder joint inner circumference, a groove bottom forming a joint face with the holder, and a groove outer circumferential wall of a partial cone shape bulging out to the inner side parallel to the holder skirt from the groove bottom toward the holder side at a depth of 2 mm or more, and a metal ring is plastically deformed and press-fit into a clearance of 0.5 mm or more between each holder skirt and the groove outer circumferential wall and parallel to the joint face. |
| US07900595B2 |
Intake port structure for internal combustion engine
An intake port structure for an internal combustion engine according to the invention includes a valve shaft provided in an intake port; and an airflow control valve that is supported by the valve shaft at one end of the airflow control valve or at a position near the one end. A gap is formed between the airflow control valve and a wall surface of the intake port, which is positioned on one side of the valve shaft. Because intake airflow passes through the gap that is formed, the generation of a deposit is suppressed, and the locking of the airflow control valve is avoided. |
| US07900593B2 |
Thermal and acoustic valley shield for engine assembly
A valley shield operable as a noise, fluid, and heat barrier is provided for use with an engine assembly having an engine block with two cylinder banks defining an interbank valley therebetween, and two cylinder heads secured thereto. The valley shield has a unitary body including a base with two laterally spaced side portions extending angularly outward therefrom. The body is configured to pressably fit into place proximate to the valley, between the two cylinder banks, and be secured therein by the cylinder heads. The base is oriented immediately adjacent to the interbank valley and is contoured to define an air pocket therebetween. Each lateral side portion includes a flange extending laterally therefrom to directly engage with the perimeter of the interbank valley, providing an acoustic seal therebetween. The base defines two longitudinally displaced trough portions each defining drain holes and configured to allow for gravitational evacuation of fluid therefrom. |
| US07900590B2 |
Methods and lubricant and fuel compositions for two-stroke engine containing power valves
Methods, a lubricant composition, and a fuel composition for lubricating a two-stroke internal combustion engine include a lubricant composition that contains (A) an oil of lubricating viscosity, (B) an additive composition, and (C) a normally liquid solvent having a kinematic viscosity of less than 5 cSt at 100° C. The lubricant composition improves the cleanliness of a power valve of a two-stroke engine. |
| US07900587B2 |
Livestock moving system and method
A system and method for moving livestock includes a sequence of interconnected enclosures in which the periphery of each enclosure extends generally to the center of the next enclosure. At the center of each enclosure is a turret unit including a support frame, a turret frame and a panel. The panel extends generally to the edge of the enclosure. The turret frame and panel are capable of two modes of movement: a sweeping mode and a shuttle mode. In the sweeping mode, the turret frame rotates the extended panel as the panel sweeps around the semicircular enclosure. In the shuttle mode the panel is translated across the enclosure from one side of the turret frame to the other side of the turret frame. Panels can thus be alternately swept around their respective enclosures and shuttled across their respective enclosures to present translating enclosed areas for livestock as the livestock progress through a series of interconnected semicircular enclosures. |
| US07900586B2 |
Tether for use with autistic children
A tether for use with autistic children includes belts, one each for wear by an adult and a child for maintaining them side by side during a training session. Tether attached rings are confined by fabric closure members on the belts to maintain proximity of child and adult but can yield upon increased tensioning of the tether. The tether has spaced loops for adjusting tether length. A lock is provided to secure a tether end. |
| US07900582B2 |
Aquarium
Techniques and apparatus are disclosed for providing an aquarium. An aquarium includes a body that includes a rear wall. The aquarium body is shaped to form an opening at one end. The aquarium also includes an enclosure movably disposed over the opening of the body. The aquarium includes a connection device to connect the enclosure to the body and allow the enclosure to slide over the opening of the body so as to open and close the opening of the body. The connection device includes a support component that includes a vertical fitting component to mount to the rear wall of the body. The support component includes a shaft component disposed at one end of the vertical fitting part. The connection component includes a guide rail attached to the cover to slidably receive the shaft component so as to slide and rotate the cover with respect to the body. |
| US07900579B2 |
Heat treatment method wherein the substrate holder is composed of two holder constituting bodies that move relative to each other
A heat treatment method includes a substrate holder that holds a plurality of substrates at predetermined vertical intervals and is carried into a heat treating furnace for performing a predetermined heat treatment on the substrates. The substrate holder has two holder constituting bodies each having a plurality of columns and substrate holding sections. One of the holder constituting bodies holds the substrates at a first, vertically adjacent distance so that their front surfaces face each other, while the other of the holder constituting bodies holds the substrates at a second, vertically adjacent distance so that their back surfaces face each other wherein the second distance is smaller than the first distance to ensure uniformity of the heat treatment. At least one of the holder constituting bodies moves in the vertical direction to change the positions of the holder constituting bodies relative to each other. |
| US07900577B2 |
System and a method for starch-based, slow-release oral dosage forms
A system for producing a slow release oral dosage of medication includes a starch based media, and an oral dosage formulation jetted onto the starch based media. |
| US07900576B2 |
Process and device for treating and consolidating stone blocks and slabs
A system (10) is disclosed for treating and consolidating with hardenable resins stone blocks (1) comprising at least one liquid- and gas-tight sheet (2) adapted to form a containing housing (3) of a block (1); at least one permeable layer to the resin arranged between the block (1) and the sheet (2) adapted to create a distance between the block (1) and the sheet (2) through which resin can flow; at least one closing manifold (20), comprising a central body (5) and a cover (6), such closing manifold (20) being equipped with connecting means adapted to connect the interior of the containing housing (3) to at least one pressure control duct, at least one duct (15) connected to a first vacuum pump (21), at least one air inserting duct (19) inside the containing housing (3) and sealingly passing means of at least one resin supplying duct (17) supplied by resin storing, conditioning and mixing means; and an autoclave (13). A process using the system is further disclosed. |
| US07900572B2 |
Drag-inducing stabilizer plates with damping apertures
A floating vessel is equipped with perforated plates which exhibit both an added-mass effect and a damping effect. The addition of porosity to an added mass plate phase-shifts the added mass force so that it becomes at least partially a damping force which does not depend on large velocities to develop a large damping force. Preferred porosity is in the range of about 5% to about 15% of total plate area. A semi-submersible drilling rig may have damper plates fitted between its surface-piercing columns and/or extending from the sides of its pontoons. A truss spar offshore platform may have damper plates installed within its truss structure intermediate its hull and ballast tank. Drill ships and similar vessels may be equipped with damper plates extending from the sides of their hulls to reduce both heave and roll. In certain embodiments, the damper plates are retractable so as not to interfere with docking and to reduce drag while the vessel is underway. |
| US07900568B2 |
Seed and fertilizer opener and seeding implement featuring same
An opener for mounting on a shank of an agricultural implement features a central body to be mounted on the shank, furrowing portions carried on the central body to form a seed bed as the central body is pulled through ground on the shank in a forward working direction, a seed delivery passage operable to deliver seed onto the seed bed from a seed outlet on a first side of the central body, and a fertilizer delivery passage operable to deliver fertilizer onto the seed bed from a second side of the central body. In use, the opener delivers the seed and the fertilizer onto the same seed bed on opposite sides of the central body. A rubber cover seals closed an upper end of the central body to prevent moisture from anhydrous ammonia tubes from dripping into the body, and is adaptable to accommodate seed tubes of different diameters. |
| US07900567B2 |
Shielding arrangement for the smelt spout area of a recovery boiler
A method for improving the operation safety of the smelt spout area of a recovery boiler, which smelt spout area comprises a working area (6), as well as smelt spouts (2) connected to the lower part of the boiler for directing the smelt from the boiler to a dissolving tank (4). In the method the smelt spouts (2) are separated from the working area (6) by a shielding wall (8, 10) arranged movable in relation to the smelt spouts. The invention also relates to a smelt spout area of a recovery boiler. |
| US07900565B2 |
Passenger rail car
A passenger rail car includes a lower passenger compartment that includes a plurality of passenger seats. The passenger rail car also includes an upper passenger compartment that includes a plurality of passenger seats. A control cab for a rail car operator is elevated above the floor of the lower passenger compartment, and is located forward of the passenger seats and behind the crash energy management region. The front end of the passenger rail car may be slanted to provide a greater field of view for the rail car operator. |
| US07900562B2 |
Split rail trolley system
An apparatus for removing a wheelset from a railroad vehicle includes a frame configured for motion with respect to the railroad vehicle. The apparatus also includes a lifting yoke cooperatively associated with the frame. The yoke is configured to engage flanges of the wheelset. The apparatus further includes at least one lifting screw interposed between the frame and the lifting yoke, such that upon rotation of the at least one lifting screw, the yoke may be raised and lowered to selectively engage the flanges of the wheelset. A “universal” lifting yoke can include a first portion which engages the at least one lifting screw, a set of extendable transverse members having outward ends, and flange-engaging blocks secured to the outward ends of the extendable transverse members and configured to engage the flanges of the wheelset. The extendable transverse members and the flange-engaging blocks can be cooperatively configured and dimensioned to engage substantially all anticipated wheelsets expected to be encountered in a given application. The “universal yoke” can be employed with screw-actuation, or with other types of actuating members. |
| US07900560B1 |
Stacked pellet flare assembly and methods of making and using the same
The present invention relates to a flare pellet assembly for generating visual and/or infrared energy output, and to methods of making and using the same. The flare pellet assembly generally includes a stack of flare pellets, the individual pellets of which may exhibit an at least generally tapering geometry. These flare pellets may be stacked in a manner that substantially prevents motion of one flare pellet relative to another flare pellet. This stacked arrangement of the flare pellets, along with one or more grooves that may be defined in and/or between adjacent flare pellets, may be said to at least generally enable the resultant flare pellet assembly to provide one or both infrared and visual energy output that reaches desired countermeasure energy output specifications without sacrificing structural integrity of the flare pellet assembly. |
| US07900559B2 |
Mandrel locking unit for printing roller mandrels in a rotary printing machine
A mandrel-locking unit for a rotary printing machine has a mandrel-mounting element that surrounds print roller mandrels in an inner bearing for mounting a mandrel-supporting surface and into which the mandrel-mounting element can be slid such that the mandrel-supporting surface is released by the sliding movement. The unit has a pressurizing medium cylinder that provides the force required for the sliding movement and a piston, which delimits a pressure chamber of the pressurizing medium cylinder at a boundary surface and which is in contact with the mandrel-mounting element at a connecting point and conveys to the mandrel mounting element the pressure required for the sliding movement. A feature of the unit is that the distance between the boundary surface and the connecting point is smaller than the maximum stroke of the piston in the pressurizing medium cylinder. |
| US07900556B2 |
Method for automated application of inoculants onto forage materials and measurement of moisture for optimum application
Real time data measurements are taken for relative humidity and moisture content of the forage material in order to timely adjust the dispense rate of the inoculant applied to the forage material. Data gathering capabilities are provided with this system controller to enable an operator to view, adjust, and record various production records, as well as detailed information as to the amounts of inoculant applied. The components associated with the system of the present invention includes an inoculant bin or container including a dispense auger which dispenses a controlled amount of inoculant which is then conveyed to the intake opening of the baling machine the forage material enters the machine. The control system includes various sensors positioned at the intake opening of the baling machine which measures moisture content, and optionally the mass or volume of the incoming forage material. The control system provides a number of user interface options for controlling the dispensing of the inoculant product, as well as capturing data relating to the operation of the baling machine and the application of the inoculant product. |
| US07900555B2 |
Flywheel fan for supplying pressurized air for cleaning knotter table
A large square baler is equipped with a plunger drive incorporating a flywheel configured as a fan which creates a flow of air within a housing disposed about the flywheel. A duct arrangement is coupled between the housing and a knotter table housing so that air is directed across and maintains a plurality of knotters located at the knotter table free of debris. |
| US07900554B2 |
Method for controlling the roll weighting in roll shellers
A method for controlling the roll weighting in roll shellers, in particular in rubber roll shellers for shelling rice or other cereal grains, includes recipe values for the grains to be shelled making it possible to independently regulate motor current, feed quantity and pressure values for roll weighting. |
| US07900552B2 |
Piston for cold chamber die-casting machine
The object of the present invention is a piston for cold chamber die-casting machines comprising a body and at least one sealing band mounted around said body, wherein said body and said band are provided with coupling means suitable for concurrently obtaining both an angular locking and an axial locking of the band to the piston body. |
| US07900548B2 |
Protection system including a net
A net deployment system which, in one example, includes a manifold assembly including multiple weight ducts and a bladder port. A weight is disposed in each weight duct and each weight is tied to the net. A bladder is behind the net and is over the bladder port. At least one inflator charge is associated with the manifold for inflating the bladder and firing the weights out of the weight ducts to deploy the net in the path of an incoming threat. |
| US07900541B2 |
Detection system for power equipment
A machine is disclosed having a detection subsystem adapted to detect contact between a person and a specified portion of the machine, and to distinguish that contact from contact with other materials. The detection subsystem imparts an electrical signal to a specified portion of the machine, and distinguishes that contact based on a predetermined frequency response of the electrical signal. A reaction subsystem then causes a predetermined action to take place. The machine may be a power saw designed to minimize injury in the event a person accidentally contacts the blade. |
| US07900540B1 |
Foldable tool kit
A foldable tool kit including a case having two sideboards and several tools side by side arranged between the two sideboards. Each of the tools has a rod body, a pivoted end formed with a pivot hole and an operation end for driving a threaded member. The tools are pivotally disposed at least one end of the case via a pivot shaft. The foldable tool kit is flattened and lightweight and has beautified appearance. The volume of the foldable tool kit is minimized so that it is easy to carry and store the foldable tool kit. |
| US07900538B2 |
Packable battering ram
A packable battering ram quickly disassembled for transport by two or more persons. In the preferred embodiment, the invention has first and second body members that are symmetrical, but otherwise identically shaped and sized. When assembled, the first and second body members form a lower surface that has a concave portion that approximates the natural curvature of the back of an adult male. The packable battering may be disassembled to distribute the weight between multiple people, yet quickly assembled for use upon arrival at a emergency response location. |
| US07900537B2 |
Knife assembly for insulation stripping tools
A pliers-type insulation stripping tool includes a releasable fastening device for fastening a knife cassette to at least one of the knife carrier members that are longitudinally displaced by the pivotally connected tool handle members to remove a severed length of insulation from a longitudinally-arranged insulated conductor that is clamped between by the tool gripping jaws. A U-shaped resilient fastener spring wire has leg portions that are resiliently biased apart, at least one of the legs containing a laterally extending bulge portion that extends into a corresponding locking slot contained in a side wall of the knife cassette. To release and replace the knife cassette, the protruding free extremities of the leg portions of the spring wire are displaced together, thereby to remove the leg bulge portion from the slot contained in the cassette outer wall. |
| US07900534B2 |
Shifter for vehicle transmission
A shifter for a vehicle transmission has a lever with a base end. A holder holds the base end of the lever rotatably in first and second perpendicular directions. A shaft is coupled to the base end of the lever. A shift-cable connection has a shaft insertion hole and is held swingably by the holder. The shift-cable connection is connectable with a shift cable connected to a transmission. The follower shaft has a distal end connectable with a selection cable connected to the transmission, and is inserted into the shaft insertion hole to allow the distal end to protrude therefrom. Thus, the shaft swings when the lever is tilted in the first direction to press an inner surface of the shaft insertion hole to swing the shift-cable connection, and moves inside and along the shaft insertion hole when the lever is tilted in the second direction. |
| US07900532B2 |
Electric shifting device for a motor vehicle
An electric shifting device for a vehicle includes a shift lever, a gate channel, and a detent device. The detent device has a spring-loaded pin and a detent contour cooperating therewith. The detent contour includes first and second paths and a connection path therebetween. The detent contour is movable relative to the channel between a first position in which the first path is aligned with the channel and a second position in which the second path is aligned with the channel. The lever is connected to the pin such that the lever is movable within the channel along the first path when the detent contour is in the first position and within the channel along the second path when the detent contour is in the second position and such that the lever is movable along the connection path between the paths when the detent contour moves between the positions. |
| US07900531B2 |
Drive device
In a drive device for opening and or closing the hatch of a motor vehicle, the drive including a spindle drive with a threaded spindle and a nut, with a clutch arranged between the rotary drive and the spindle drive, the clutch includes a shifting element, a clutch element, and a clutch disk non-rotatably connected to the threaded spindle. The shifting element is rotatably drivably connected to the rotary drive. The shifting element has an axially oriented helical first ramp and the clutch element has an axially oriented helical second ramp in opposed contact with said first ramp. Relative rotation of the shifting element and the clutch element causes relative axial displacement of the shifting element and the clutch element against a spring force. The clutch element has a clutch area movable into non-rotatable engagement with the clutch disk in response to the relative axial displacement of the shifting element and the clutch element such that the rotary drive for the spindle drive also operates the clutch. |
| US07900527B1 |
Electrically deflected nanomechanical sensors
An electrically-induced deflective amplification sensor as an actively controlled and reconfigurable nanomechanical sensor for the detection and recognition of chemicals, biomolecules, and gaseous molecules. The electrically-induced deflective amplification sensors use electric fields to control the bending of transducers, have adjustable sensitivities that depend on electric field strength, and reconfigurable operation ranges for the detection of target molecules at ultra-low and ultra-high concentrations. The sensors are highly integrated, sensitive, provide real-time detection ability, and do not require labels. The electrically-induced deflective amplification transducers can be reconfigured to identify molecules in spectroscopy. A new type of electrophoresis is established using nanostructured transducers. The E-IDEA is applicable to optical fiber, nanomechanical cantilever, waveguide and nanowire or nanotube tranducers. These adaptive and reconfigurable sensors have application in the fields of national security, public health and economic development. |
| US07900524B2 |
Monitoring tools
Disclosed is a system for monitoring operation of a hand tool including an accelerometer coupled to the hand tool, a transmitter in data communication with the accelerometer, and a processor for receiving data from the transmitter and analyzing the data to detect an event associated with operation of the hand tool. |
| US07900523B2 |
Load detecting apparatus and load detecting method
The present invention provides a load detecting apparatus capable of detecting load and vibration applied to a support supporting a body of a human or an animal by a load sensor provided in the support, in particular such a load detecting apparatus capable of detecting micro vibration applied to the support, with a high noise immunity.The load detecting apparatus includes a plurality of load sensors 1 disposed in distribution within a detection target area of a support 7 , a selecting means 6 for selecting one or some of the plurality of load sensor(s) 1 , a detecting means 5 capable of detecting load and vibration applied to the support 7 , based on the output from the selected load sensor(s) 1. The selecting means 6 effects the selection, based on either the outputs S from the respective load sensors or the outputs S from the respective load sensors, plus disposing positions of the respective load sensors. |
| US07900520B2 |
Pressure sensor device
A semiconductor pressure sensor for a pressure sensor device has a pressure detection element which includes a membrane made of semiconductor material, particularly silicon. The sensor includes a support having a three-dimensional body passed through by a detection passage. The detection element is made integral with a first end face of the three-dimensional body, substantially at a respective end of the detection passage. The support is configured to serve the function of a mechanical and/or hydraulic adaptor or interface, with the aim of mounting the sensor into a pressure sensor device, particularly to allow mounting the pressure sensor into a pressure sensor device configured for mounting a sensor of the type referred to as monolithic or ceramic. |
| US07900519B2 |
Microfluidic measuring tool to measure through-silicon via depth
A tool to measure the depth of one or more through-silicon vias, the tool fabricated in silicon to include a microfluidic chamber that is positioned over the one or more through-silicon vias, further including a fluid actuation chamber to inject fluid into the microfluidic chamber and into the one or more through-silicon vias, and a pressure sensing chamber to sense the fluid pressure to indicate when the one or more through-silicon vias are filled with the fluid. |
| US07900516B2 |
Ultrasonic flaw detection apparatus and ultrasonic flaw detection method
To simply and accurately determine the position of an edge, the depth or the height of a flaw including a surface crack, a corroded portion near the surface layer of a thick specimen, and a minute damage.An ultrasonic flaw detection method causes an ultrasonic wave 16 to be incident on a specimen 6 from an oblique direction, detects a diffracted wave 17 generated at an edge of a flaw 20 in the specimen 6 above the flaw, and determines the position of the edge of the flaw 20 from a front surface 13 of the specimen 6 using a triangular method from an entire beam path Wt of a component 18, which directly propagates above the flaw 20, of the diffracted wave, the entire beam path passing through the flaw from the position of incidence of the component 18, and an interval S between the position of incidence and the position of detection of the ultrasonic wave or from the difference (tt−ts) between the propagation time of a surface wave 15, to which the above relations reflect, to reception and the propagation time of the diffracted wave 18, which directly propagates above the flaw, to reception. |
| US07900511B2 |
Device for locking-unlocking tired wheels of vehicles on a mandrel of a maintenance machine
A locking device for a maintenance machine such as a balancing machine, of a rotating body (5), having a fixed portion comprising a hollow fixed support element (2) borne by the maintenance machine, and a control system (59), and a movable portion comprising a bell-shaped member (12) with flange (13) mounted for rotation coaxial to said hollow support element (2) and designed to support the rotating body (5), and holding or locking means (68) arranged to removably fix the rotating body (5) against said flange (13) of the bell-shaped member (12), driving means suitable for driving, upon control, said movable portion in rotation. The movable portion comprises a sleeve element (9), which is operatively connected with the driving means, mounted for rotation on said fixed support element (2) and has one of its ends extending overhanging beyond said fixed support (2) and coaxially supporting at its head the bell-shaped member (12), thereby delimiting a work chamber (17) with said bell-shaped member (12); a piston element (19) slidably mounted in the work chamber (17) and designed to control said holding means. The fixed portion comprises pressurized fluid supply means (34, 32, 48) suitable for loading, upon control of the control system (59), the work chamber (17) with pressurized fluid, and for moving away from the movable portion before the movable portion is set in rotation by the driving means, and discharge means for discharging, upon control, the work chamber (17) once the rotation of the movable part has terminated. |
| US07900507B2 |
Device and method for monitoring the quality of an oil change and condition of engine oil from an oil change
A device and method for measuring the quality of a vehicle oil change and the condition of oil obtained during an oil change is provided which includes an oil measurement compartment and at least one coolant sensor. The oil measurement compartment includes a conductivity sensor including a pair of horizontal parallel wires and a pair of vertical parallel wires which are capable of measuring the quantity, temperature, and conductivity of the drained oil. The coolant sensor is comprised of a hydrophilic material in contact with a permanent surface comprised of two spaced apart metal wires or traces. The coolant sensor measures the viscosity, coolant concentration, and overall condition of the oil. |
| US07900506B2 |
Multi-dimensional standing wave probe for microscale and nanoscale measurement, manipulation, and surface modification
The present invention provides a multi-dimensional standing wave probe for microscale and nanoscale measurement, manipulation, and surface modification, including: a filament having a first free end and a second end that is attached to at least one actuator to apply oscillation cycles to the filament; wherein the oscillation of the filament during at least one complete cycle of oscillation of the actuator causes the free end to move in a multi-dimensional envelope, producing a defined virtual probe tip at the free end, wherein a shape of the virtual probe tip is defined by both a characteristic shape of the oscillation of the free end and a geometry of the filament. Optionally, the actuator includes a monolithic crystal actuator. Preferably, the monolithic crystal actuator includes a crystal having zero grain boundaries. The monolithic crystal actuator also includes a plurality of thin flexure structures. The monolithic crystal actuator further includes a plurality of metallic electrodes disposed on inside or outside surfaces, or a combination thereof, of the plurality of thin flexure structures. |
| US07900505B2 |
Acoustic assessment of fluids in a plurality of reservoirs
The invention provides devices and methods for acoustically assessing the contents in a plurality of reservoirs. Each reservoir has a portion adapted to contain a fluid, and an acoustic radiation generator is positioned in acoustic coupling relationship to each of the reservoirs. Acoustic radiation generated by the acoustic radiation generator is transmitted through at least the portion of each reservoir to an analyzer. The analyzer is capable of analyzing a characteristic of the transmitted acoustic radiation and optionally correlating the characteristic to a property of the reservoirs' contents. The invention is particularly suited for assessing the contents of a plurality of reservoirs to allow for accuracy and control over the dispensing of fluids therefrom. |
| US07900503B2 |
Method of high throughput viscometry
An apparatus and method for measuring or comparing rheological properties of fluid samples in parallel is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of sensing elements which are comprised of flow channels and reservoirs in fluid communication. The channels provide flow paths for the fluid samples which are initially contained within external reservoirs. The method includes flowing the fluid samples at variable rates and monitoring simultaneously sample flow rates from the reservoirs through a plurality elements for one or more increments of time. The disclosed method is capable of measuring or comparing rheological properties of at least two fluid samples simultaneously. Useful flow rates monitoring devices include optical array sensors and image analysis systems. |
| US07900496B2 |
Method and device for calibration sensors
A method and device are disclosed for calibrating sensors, which sensors are arranged on semiconductor chips and are e.g. to be used for detecting a substance in a fluid. The sensors are calibrated while they are still assembled on a semiconductor wafer by exposing the wafer to a calibration fluid containing a known amount of the substance to be measured. Hence, rather than first cutting the wafer, the sensors are calibrated at an early stage. For this purpose, they are placed on a chuck below a lid. The calibration fluid with known parameters is introduced between the wafer and the lid. This allows to test and calibrate a large number of sensors quickly. |
| US07900481B2 |
Method of making an optical fiber
According to one embodiment a method of making optical fibers comprises: (i) manufacturing a core cane; (ii) situating a plurality of microstructures selected from rods, air filled tubes and glass filed tubes and placing said microstructures adjacent to the core cane, said microstructures forming no more than 3 layers; (iii) placing the core cane with said adjacent microstructures inside a holding clad tube; and (iv) placing interstitial cladding rods inside the holding (clad) tube, thereby forming an assembly comprising a tube containing a core cane, a plurality of microstructures and interstitial cladding rods. The assembly is then drawn into a microstructured cane and an optical fiber is drawn from the microstructured cane. According to several embodiments, the method of making an optical fiber includes providing at least one air hole and at least one stress rod adjacent to the core. |
| US07900478B2 |
Method of manufacturing an ultrathin optical element
The present invention provides an ultra-thin high-precision glass optic and method of manufacturing the same. The optic has an axial thickness that is less than 1,000 microns. A pattern and/or coating is disposed on a surface of the optic to provide attenuation of light in an optical system. In an embodiment, the optic is manufactured by disposing a pattern on a surface of a reticle. The pattern is covered with a first protective coating to protect the pattern. Individual optics are cut from the reticle so that each optic includes a portion of the pattern. The optic is thinned by removing material until it has an axial thickness of less than 1,000 microns. The optic is cleaned after thinning and covered with an anti-reflective coating. |
| US07900477B2 |
Method of positioning a glass plate using pivoting rollers
There are the steps of conveying a glass plate by a roller conveyor including a plurality of rollers; and moving a roller in contact with the glass plate in conveyance to position the glass plate so as to conform a posture of the glass plate to a reference posture. |
| US07900474B2 |
Hollow glass microspheres comprising selenium oxide and method of making thereof
Hollow glass microspheres are made using selenium oxide as the blowing agent. The use of selenium oxide provides two unique advantages: lower density and smaller hollow microspheres are obtained because loss of selenium oxide gas out of the liquid glass bubble during formation is slow, and the hollow microspheres will contain a vacuum due to the condensation of selenium oxide gas blowing agent upon cooling of the spheres below 315 deg. C. |
| US07900471B2 |
Pre-packaged, flexible container of ice and air
A pre-packaged, flexible container of ice and air is disclosed. The pre-packaged, flexible container includes a first member having a hermetically sealed outer periphery which encloses a cavity. The cavity has a volume of less than about 20 cubic inches. The flexible container also includes ice and air contained within the cavity. The ice is present as an individual piece or as multiple pieces. The remainder of the cavity is occupied by air. The air fills at least about 50% of the volume of the cavity. Furthermore, the container, ice and air have a combined weight of less than about 5 ounces. |
| US07900470B2 |
Automatic icemaker
An icemaker includes a body including an ice mode for receiving water and freezing water to ice. The ice mold has a first side surface, a second side surface and an arcuate bottom surface indisposed between the first side surface and the second side surface. An ice ejector including an ejector member is rotatably connected to the body. The ice ejector defines an axis of rotation. A drive mechanism is operably coupled to the ice ejector. The drive mechanism is configured to reversibly rotate the ice ejector between a first position and a second position. A first cover is fixedly connected to the body for at least partially covering a front portion of the ice mold. A second cover is connected to one of the ice ejector and the body. The second cover is configured to reversibly rotate with the ice ejector between the first position and a third position. The second cover at least partially covers a back portion of the ice mold at the first position. The first and second covers prevent water slosh in the ice mold and buildup of frost on the surfaces. |
| US07900469B2 |
Evaporative cooler having a novel air flow pattern
An evaporative cooler and method of operating the evaporative cooler are described. The evaporative cooler comprises a reservoir configured to contain water, a frame, and panels. The panels together at least partially form a cooler housing and define an interior region of the cooler housing. The cooler housing has at least one inlet for the intake of ambient air and at least one outlet for the flow of cooled air out from the interior of the cooler housing. Media is positioned adjacent the at least one inlet such that the intake of ambient air passes through the media for heat exchange. A blower is positioned to receive air entering through the at least one inlet defined by the cooler housing and to exhaust cooled air toward the at least one outlet opening defined by the cooler housing. |
| US07900468B2 |
Method and apparatus for equalizing a pumped refrigerant system
A cooling system is provided that comprises: a refrigerant loop having a pump; an evaporator heat exchanger thermally coupled to a heat source, the evaporator plumbed in the loop; a condensing heat exchanger and a receiver plumbed in the loop; and an equalizing conduit plumbed between an inlet to the condenser and the receiver and comprising a flow regulating valve. |
| US07900467B2 |
Combined receiver and heat exchanger for a secondary refrigerant
A refrigeration system includes a first circuit configured to circulate a first refrigerant. The first circuit includes an evaporator. The refrigeration system also includes a second circuit configured to circulate a second refrigerant. The second circuit includes a receiver associated with the evaporator such that the second refrigerant within the receiver is in a heat exchange relationship with the first refrigerant within the evaporator. |
| US07900464B2 |
Humidity detecting apparatus and vehicular air conditioner having the same
A humidity detecting apparatus includes a humidity sensor for detecting a relative humidity of air on an inner side of a window glass, an air temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the air, a glass temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the window glass, and a glass surface relative humidity calculation unit for calculating a glass surface relative humidity based on output values of the humidity sensor, the air temperature sensor and the glass temperature sensor. A heat conductive member is disposed between the glass temperature sensor and the window glass. |
| US07900463B2 |
Method for controlling a food fast freezing process in a refrigerator and refrigerator in which such method is carried out
A method of fast freezing a food item using a freezing process that estimates a temperature value of a food item, selects from a plurality of freezing routines based on the estimated temperature, and activates the selected routine. This process is repeated until the temperature of the food item reaches a desired temperature. |
| US07900462B2 |
External noise reduction of HVAC system for a vehicle
A HVAC system for a vehicle that includes a propulsion system, a frame, a passenger compartment, and a door coupled to the frame. The HVAC system includes a refrigeration circuit that selectively controls the temperature of the passenger compartment based on a sensed temperature within the passenger compartment. The refrigeration circuit includes an exterior heat exchanger, a first air moving device coupled to the exterior heat exchanger, an interior heat exchanger, a second air moving device coupled to the interior heat exchanger, and a compressor. The HVAC system also includes a controller that is operable to detect a condition of the vehicle that includes at least one of a position of the door, a location of the vehicle, and a load of the propulsion system. The controller is programmed to adjust the refrigeration circuit in response to the sensed passenger compartment temperature and the detected vehicle condition. |
| US07900460B2 |
Outlet device for a jet engine and a jet engine comprising such an outlet device
An outlet device for a jet engine includes an outlet nozzle and a plurality of guide vanes arranged movably in the outlet nozzle for guiding a gas from the jet engine for the purpose of steering a craft equipped with the jet engine. At least one of the guide vanes can be adjusted into such a position that hot parts of the engine located inside the outlet nozzle are at least substantially concealed seen from the outlet side of the outlet nozzle. |
| US07900459B2 |
Inner plenum dual wall liner
An exhaust nozzle assembly includes an inner liner exposed to hot combustion gases and an outer liner spaced a radial distance from the inner liner to form an annular chamber. The inner liner includes a hot side that is directly exposed to the hot combustion gas flow and a cold side is exposed to cooling air within the chamber. The outer liner includes an outer surface exposed to cooling air flow up to a restriction preventing communication of cooling air flow. A plenum is attached to the outer liner to define a plenum chamber that extends into an end portion. The plenum chamber receives cooling air flow from a supply opening and communicates that air to an end portion through a plurality of impingement openings that provide impingement flow of cooling air outboard of the restriction. |
| US07900457B2 |
Method and apparatus to facilitate reducing NOx emissions in turbine engines
A method for fabricating a combustor liner for a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes providing an annular shell including a plurality of circumferentially extending panels, wherein the plurality of circumferentially extending panels includes a first panel positioned at an upstream end of the shell and a second panel positioned downstream from, and adjacent to, the first panel. The method also includes forming a plurality of primary dilution holes in the first panel and forming a plurality of secondary dilution holes in the second panel, wherein the primary and secondary dilution holes are configured to discharge dilution air into the shell. |
| US07900455B2 |
Method for the operation of a pressure accumulator plant, and pressure accumulator plant
A recuperative air storage plant comprising a gas turbine set and a heat exchanger. In the heat exchanger, exhaust gas heat from the gas turbine set can be transferred to a pressurized stored fluid which flows from a storage volume to a expansion machine. A flow junction with an exhaust gas damper which can be operated in a plurality of positions is arranged in the exhaust gas path of the gas turbine set, upstream of the heat exchanger. This exhaust gas damper makes it possible to divide the exhaust gas mass flow (m0) of the gas turbine set in a variable fashion between a stack and the heat exchanger. In this way it is possible to operate the gas turbine set quickly at high power in the electric power network independently of the heat exchanger and the expansion machine, while the thermal load of the air storage part is slowly increased by incrementally increasing the exhaust gas proportion (m1) which flows to the heat exchanger. |
| US07900454B2 |
Connecting rod journals and crankshaft spider bearing in an engine
In an engine having a crankshaft driven by reciprocating pistons in an arrangement of cylinders, a spider bearing is fixed to a crankshaft journal that is offset from the central axis of the crankshaft. Each piston is drivingly linked to the spider bearing by a connecting rod. Circular links at the opposite ends of each connecting rod are fitted with an inner bearing ring to provide low friction movement of the ends of each connecting rod relative to the piston and the spider bearing. Hubs equally spaced about the central axis of the spider bearing enable connection of the rod links to the spider bearing. In a preferred embodiment, the spider bearing is formed of a bearing material that surrounds the outer surface of the connecting rod links which, combined with the inner bearing rings, provides a double-backed bearing for carrying the piston load. |
| US07900448B2 |
Pulse generator and impulse machine for a cutting tool
The invention relates to a pulse generator (18) in an impulse generator (2) for a cutting tool (12), which pulse generator (18) is intended to transfer energy from a propulsion device (14) to impulses in the tool (12), where the pulse generator (18) comprises a rotatable cylinder drum (28) comprising at least one piston cylinder (30, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98), in which piston cylinder (30, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, 96, 98) is arranged at least one piston (32, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97, 99), which piston (32, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97, 99) is arranged to compress fluid (29) during rotation of the cylinder drum (28), and that the cylinder drum (28) is arranged to discharge the fluid (29) to the propulsion chamber (6) in the discharge position of the piston (32, 87, 89, 91, 93, 95, 97, 99) via at least one opening (31, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84) opening into the piston cylinder in order to produce an impulse in the tool (12). The invention also relates to an impulse machine comprising an impulse generator (2). |
| US07900443B2 |
Particle filter arrangement
A particle filter arrangement for filtering exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine such as a diesel internal combustion engine, includes an inlet and an outlet and at least one particle filter arranged in the flow path of the exhaust gases between the inlet and outlet. The exhaust gases are conducted in a line, with the line having a first segment in which the exhaust gases are conducted substantially in the direction of the outlet. The line has a second segment in which the exhaust gases are conducted substantially in the direction of the inlet. An operating temperature of the arrangement sufficiently high to prevent full loading of the filter is generated particularly quickly in that the line also includes a third segment in which the exhaust gases are conducted substantially in the direction of the outlet. |
| US07900440B2 |
Exhaust emission control device and method for internal combustion engine and engine control unit
An exhaust emission control device for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of completing a regeneration operation in a short time period, thereby making it possible to ensure excellent fuel economy. The exhaust emission control device includes a NOx catalyst, an ECU, and a NOx catalyst temperature sensor. The ECU sets a control parameter for controlling the operation of the engine to first to third predetermined values. The ECU selects the first predetermined value when the temperature of the NOx catalyst detected by the NOx catalyst temperature sensor is within a target temperature range, and selects the second predetermined value when the detected temperature of the NOx catalyst is lower than the target temperature range. Further, the ECU selects the third predetermined values when the detected temperature of the NOx catalyst is higher than the target temperature range. |
| US07900439B2 |
Exhaust system monitoring methods and systems
A diagnostic system for an exhaust system including a catalyst and a post-catalyst oxygen sensor is provided. The system generally includes a fuel control module that commands fuel to transition from a rich condition to a lean condition and that commands fuel to transition from the lean condition to the rich condition. A first diagnostic module monitors the post-catalyst oxygen sensor during the transition from the rich condition to the lean condition. A second diagnostic module monitors the catalyst during the transition from the lean condition to the rich condition. |
| US07900437B2 |
Heat transfer system and method for turbine engine using heat pipes
A heat transfer system is provided for a turbine engine of the type including an annular casing with an array of thermally conductive, generally radially-extending strut members disposed therein. The heat transfer system includes at least one arcuate heat pipe disposed in contact with an outer surface of the casing within fore-and-aft limits of the axial extent of the strut members. The heat pipe is thermally coupled to a heat source, such that heat from the heat source can be transferred through the heat pipe and the casing to the strut members. |
| US07900436B2 |
Gas-generator augmented expander cycle rocket engine
An augmented expander cycle rocket engine includes first and second turbopumps for respectively pumping fuel and oxidizer. A gas-generator receives a first portion of fuel output from the first turbopump and a first portion of oxidizer output from the second turbopump to ignite and discharge heated gas. A heat exchanger close-coupled to the gas-generator receives in a first conduit the discharged heated gas, and transfers heat to an adjacent second conduit carrying fuel exiting the cooling passages of a primary combustion chamber. Heat is transferred to the fuel passing through the cooling passages. The heated fuel enters the second conduit of the heat exchanger to absorb more heat from the first conduit, and then flows to drive a turbine of one or both of the turbopumps. The arrangement prevents the turbopumps exposure to combusted gas that could freeze in the turbomachinery and cause catastrophic failure upon attempted engine restart. |
| US07900431B2 |
Process and plant for power generation
The present invention provides process and plant for power generation comprising: providing a steam generator; first, second and third steam turbines; a reheater; a gas turbine; and at least one heat exchanger; supplying a first stream comprising steam from the steam generator to the first steam turbine to generate power in the first steam turbine; recovering from the first steam turbine a recovered stream comprising steam and supplying at least a part of the recovered stream to the reheater; supplying a second stream comprising steam from the steam generator to a first zone of the heat exchanger and heating the second stream therein by supplying at least one hot exhaust gas from the gas turbine to the first zone of the heat exchanger; supplying the heated second stream to the second steam turbine to generate power therein; supplying a third stream comprising steam from the steam generator to the reheater to heat the recovered stream from the first steam turbine; recovering from the reheater a heated recovered stream from the first turbine; and supplying at least part of the heated recovered stream from the first turbine to the third steam turbine to generate power therein. |
| US07900425B2 |
Method for handling a hot-filled container having a moveable portion to reduce a portion of a vacuum created therein
Systems and methods for vacuum compensation in hot-filled and cooled containers. Each container reduces, via one or more vacuum panels, a first portion of a vacuum created in the container. Each container also has a repositionable portion to reduce a second portion of the vacuum. During hot-filling, no portion of the repositionable portion extends below a standing or bearing surface of the container. |
| US07900424B2 |
Method and wrapping unit for folding a sheet of wrapping about a group of cigarettes
A method and wrapping unit for producing a package containing a group of cigarettes, and which include: feeding the group of cigarettes along a path; feeding a sheet of wrapping perpendicularly to the path of the group of cigarettes; feeding a tubular spindle along the path of the group of cigarettes to intercept the sheet of wrapping and fold the sheet of wrapping into a U about the tubular spindle; and feeding the group of cigarettes through the tubular spindle to slide the sheet of wrapping off the tubular spindle and apply the U-folded sheet of wrapping to the group of cigarettes. |
| US07900423B2 |
Method for the gastight packaging of objects using a film material fitting tightly on the objects and a device for the gastight packaging of objects
In the case of a method for the gastight packaging of objects using a film material fitting tightly on the objects using a vacuum, the object being placed in a tray and a deep-drawable film being attached to the tray for sealing, it is provided that a tray having at least one peripheral rim is used to form the packaging, the deep-drawable film is cut to the size of the peripheral rim, and that the deep-drawable film is subsequently and/or simultaneously applied to the peripheral rim in a gastight manner.A device preferably for carrying out this method has at least one cutting device for the deep-drawable film. |
| US07900421B2 |
Packaging tools
Packaging tools, which, in various embodiments, are adapted to assist a user in applying material from a roll of packaging material (e.g., packing tape, stretch wrap or shrink wrap) to an item or group of items. The packaging tool is typically adapted to move between: (1) a first orientation in which the packaging tool does not substantially restrict the rotation of the roll of packaging material adjacent the packaging tool; and (2) a second orientation in which the packaging tool does substantially restrict (e.g., prevent) the rotation of the roll of stretch wrap tool adjacent the packaging tool. A user typically maintains the packaging tool in the first orientation as the user wraps the packaging material about an item. The user may then move the packaging tool into the second orientation, which allows the user to pull the packaging material tight and separate the applied length of packaging material from the roll. |
| US07900418B2 |
Method for post-installation in-situ barrier creation
The present invention relates to a method for post-installation in-situ barrier creation by application of a multi-layered device. A multi-layered device provides a medium for of remedial substances such as waterproofing resins or cements, insecticides, mold preventatives, rust retardants and the like. The multi-layer device preferably consists of three conjoined layers: first layer, intermediate layer, and second layer, and at least one piping. The first layer is preferably semi-permeable; the second layer is a non-permeable layer; the intermediate layer is a void-inducing layer. The second layer, intermediate layer, and first layer are fixedly attached, with the intermediate layer interposed between the second layer and the first layer. The multi-layered device is fixedly attached to shoring system exterior surface. At least one piping is engagedly attached to a panel of the multi-layered device. A structural construction material is constructed exterior the multi-layer device. Thereafter, a free flowing substance can be pumped to the multi-layered device. |
| US07900415B2 |
Procedure to manufacture palm roof tiles for rustic roofs and the obtained product
Provided herein are compositions for palm tile, which consists of an assembly of leaves of the palm tree Brahea dulcis, previously torn, placed in a uniformly and symmetrically way and lengthwise sown, stapled or held to the part where the petiole meets the lamina to form a tile, board, panel or Hawaiian skirt. Also provided herein are methods to manufacture the tiles and elements for its elaboration and placement on crosspieces of a structure. |
| US07900414B2 |
Cladding sheet
A cladding sheet that is adapted to engage one or more than one concealed clip that is connected to an underlying structure is disclosed. The cladding sheet includes at least one lengthwise extending pan (3) and a lengthwise extending rib (5) on each side of the pan. The width of each rib is between 70% and 130% of the width of the pan. |
| US07900413B2 |
Method of securing flexible solar panel to PVC roofing membrane
There is disclosed a method of adhering a flexible solar panel to a PVC-based roofing membrane that interposes a certain plasticizer-containing PVC membrane between the solar panel and the roofing membrane. |
| US07900410B2 |
Constructing the large-span self-braced buildings of composite load-bearing wall-panels and floors
Large span buildings without ordinary beams and columns are formed of vertical load-bearing composite wall-panels and composite floors, both including two concrete layers interconnected by steel strip webs. The stiff horizontal plane formed of assembled roof/ceiling units, supported by wall-panels, connected to both gables restrains transversal movement of longitudinally arranged wall-panels attached tops, bracing them simultaneously against sideway forces and lessening their buckling lengths. Floors, if any applied, being rigidly connected to the vertical panels additionally improve stability of the global structure. The structure, being braced in that way, behaves as a rigid box made of slender panels. |
| US07900409B2 |
Lintel configuration
A timber wall frame for use in building construction has an opening for a door or window defined at each side by a vertically extending prop stud and jamb stud in side by side relation, and the opening is defined from above by a horizontally extending top plate of the wall frame. The prop stud and jamb stud are of the same length and extend to the underside of the top plate. A lintel of sheet metal spans the upper side of the opening, the lintel having a vertical wall and a horizontal flange along the upper edge of the wall. The lintel is applied to the frame so that its vertical wall overlies a face of each stud and a face of the top plate, with the horizontal flange of the lintel being above the top plate. |
| US07900407B2 |
Interconnected solar module design and system
A frame assembly is provided for a solar module. The frame assembly includes a plurality of frame members that are structured to collectively support and hold a first solar panel. At least one of the plurality of frame members is structured to adjoin a frame member of a second solar module in forming a joining with the frame member of the second solar module over a length where the frame member of the first and second solar module adjoin. |
| US07900406B2 |
Foundation apparatus for a wind turbine tower
A foundation for a structure comprises a plurality of segments. To build the foundation, a foundation bed is excavated, and a stable, substantially level and horizontal subbase is built in the foundation bed. A foundation segment of the structure is set down on the subbase, such that at least three vertically adjustable support poles fixedly attached to the foundation segment contact reinforced points of support on the subbase. A remainder of the foundation bed is then filled with foundation mass to a level above a bottom rim of the foundation segment. |
| US07900405B1 |
Spherical dome
The invention is a spherical dome consisting of continuous prismatic members in three layers, an outer layer, a middle layer, and an inner layer. The continuous prismatic members follow great circle arcs. The members of the three layers form a three-way grid, crossing at the vertices of contiguous spherical triangles. Three members, one from each layer, are connected together at each vertex with fasteners, such as bolts, rivets, or welds.The continuous prismatic members of each layer can be spaced as desired to provide structural integrity, economy, and simplicity of construction. A tension ring, when required structurally, is provided at the bottom periphery of the dome to resist the vertical and horizontal forces generated by the supported loads. The combined elements provide a simple and economical spherical dome. |
| US07900398B2 |
Security door system
A revolving security door includes a drum defining a secure zone between door openings controlled by a revolving door disposed within the drum and wherein light curtain sensors and active infrared sensors may detect an intruder moving from a non-secure side of the doorway to the secure side and detect objects left behind in a secure zone. Methods of operation prevent persons or objects from passing from the non-secure side to the secure side of the doorway. |
| US07900395B2 |
Landscape edging with improved mulch containment and improved drainage
The invention is for landscape edging with improved mulch containment and improved drainage. The landscape edging has a substantially vertical planar surface adjacent to a substantially horizontal surface. The vertical planar surface and the horizontal planar surface are adhered to a sidewalk or pavement that borders a flower bed or garden. A riser extends upward from a first end of the horizontal surface. A lip surface extends from the riser in a direction away from the horizontal planar surface. A curved canopy surface extends from the lip, back over the lip and the horizontal surface, until it intersects with a flower bed wall. The flower bed wall it is a curved surface that extends between a second end of the horizontal planar surface and the canopy surface. The flower bed wall has orifices disposed therein to allow water from the flower bed to enter the landscape edging. |
| US07900392B2 |
Stripping basket for fly fishing
An improved stripping basket for fly fishing is disclosed. The stripping basket is easily compacted for stowing while on board a boat, or for packing the stripping basket in a suitcase for travel to a fishing destination. The basket comprises multiple removable line separators and drainage holes in a base plate. The base plate folds towards the front wall of the stripping basket. The front wall has multiple slits that correspond to the arrangement of the line separators. With the line separators still attached to the base plate, the stripping basket can be quickly unfolded for use. This is convenient when on board a boat, awaiting a turn to fish. For longer term storage, such when packing in a suitcase for travel, the line separators can be removed for maximum portability. |
| US07900391B1 |
Bore sight apparatus
An apparatus is provided for traversing a barrel of a gun and disposing at a select position therein. The apparatus includes a bore-rider assembly and a sight-mount assembly. The bore-rider assembly enters a muzzle of the barrel, slides within a bore of the barrel, and anchors to the select position. The sight-mount assembly projects a line-of-sight from the select position to the muzzle. The bore-rider assembly includes a rod having wedges, first and second bore-riders with proximal and distal ends, a sleeve couple that joins at axial ends the bore-riders in tandem from their proximal ends. Each bore-rider has a rim at the distal end and an extension at the proximal end. The rim has an outer diameter adjustable by expansion. The sleeve couple joins in tandem at each axial end each bore-rider from the proximal end. The rod passes through each bore-rider and the couple. The rod includes first and second wedges that engage their corresponding bore-riders. The rim includes an angularly symmetric plurality of slits therethrough. The slits continuously extend into the extension. The extension includes an axial chamber through which a spring passes through to provide tension for the rod. Cables extend fore and aft of the device and at a slit of the nearest bore-rider and loop around the corresponding extension. |
| US07900389B2 |
Firearm having nonmetallic components and an ambidextrous cylinder release lever
A polymeric revolver including a frame, a cylinder mounted in a rectangular aperture in the frame, a cylinder retaining mechanism and a cylinder releasing mechanism is provided. The cylinder retaining mechanism includes two assemblies: (1) an extractor, locking bolt and locking bolt retainer that house an extractor rod spring, and (2) a ratchet hub driver, hub drive center pin and central pin plate that house a ratchet drive spring. The two assemblies are biased toward one another forming a locking engagement of the extractor and the ratchet hub driver. The locking engagement is enhanced by a star-shaped configuration of grooves and ridges on the extractor and ratchet hub driver, respectively. The cylinder releasing mechanism includes a cylinder release lever that actuates the hub drive center pin and ratchet hub driver out of locking engagement with the extractor, and an ambidextrous thumb piece that facilitates access to the cylinder release lever. |
| US07900388B2 |
Systems and methods for a user interface for electronic weaponry
An apparatus, according to various aspects of the present invention, produces contractions in skeletal muscles of a target to impede locomotion by the target. The apparatus is used with a provided deployment unit that deploys an electrode away from the apparatus. The electrode conducts a current through the target. The apparatus includes a terminal; a producing sub-system for producing an electric arc to warn the target without conducting a current through the target; a conducting sub-system for conducting the current in series through the terminal and through the target; an initiating sub-system for initiating deployment of the electrode; and an operator interface. The operator interface facilitates, prior to deployment of the electrode, repeated operation of any one or both of the producing sub-system and the conducting sub-system. The operator interface further facilitates, after deployment of the electrode, repeated operation of any one or both of the conducting sub-system and the initiating sub-system, each operation of the initiating sub-system being with a respective further electrode of the deployment unit. |
| US07900387B2 |
Price display apparatus
Provided is a price display apparatus including a plate-shaped label having a price displaying unit; and a holder coupled to one side of the label and having a fixing portion protruding outward from the label. |
| US07900386B2 |
Collapsible structures supported on a pole
A collapsible object is provided having a foldable frame member that has a folded and an unfolded orientation, and a material covering portions of the frame member when the frame member is in the unfolded orientation, with the material assuming the unfolded orientation of its associated frame member. A pole coupled to the panel to support the panel. |
| US07900376B2 |
Shoe spring and shock absorbing system
Footwear with a powerful arch spring made with spring boards that can be utilized by the heel and ball of the foot areas during impact for efficient energy storage and return during walking, running and other forms of self propelled locomotion. The spring boards can extend into the toe area of the footwear to create a toe spring with efficient energy storage and return. Embodiments of the present invention combine the spring boards which are excellent for storing and returning energy with a shock absorbing material which can also function as a secondary spring in order to achieve high efficiency energy returns while maintaining comfort and stability with the footwear. |
| US07900371B1 |
Personal dryer apparatus
The personal dryer apparatus provides a full personal enclosure. The apparatus can be positioned as chosen, whether next to a shower or bath or apart from. One door of the apparatus may be selectively removed if complete shower-to-apparatus joining is desired, as the apparatus provides opposite entry and exit. The cap design and interior air delivery and air exit designs provide optimal air flow into, through, and out of the apparatus. The spaced apart nozzles provide multi-levels of air delivery. The apparatus provides temperature controlled heated air. The selectively positioned nozzle openings and fan control provide selectively delivered air flow amounts. |
| US07900370B1 |
Tape measure attachment apparatus
An attachment apparatus is provided for a measuring tape having upwardly curving side edges, a downwardly, substantially perpendicular tab at a leading end, and a scale along the length between the side edges. The apparatus includes an end fitting piece and a medial fitting piece. The end fitting piece has a leg and a seat. The leg extends from the piece to provide a measuring edge. The seat is configured to secure with the tab at the leading end of the tape. The medial fitting piece has a leg and a seat. The leg extends from the piece to provide a measuring edge. The seat is configured to mount onto the tape for slidable movement relative to the end fitting leg to define a distance between the measuring edges readable from the scale on the tape. |
| US07900369B2 |
Electronic measuring tape and a length measuring device provided therewith
The invention relates to the simple and low-cost production of an electronic measuring tape (10) comprising an external housing (12) provided with a tape exit opening (14), a tape winding-up device (20), a tape (30) which is wound up in the tape winding-up device (20) and is withdrawable from the external housing (12) through the tape exit opening (14), wherein said tape is provided with first and second surfaces. A radiation source (50) is arranged between the tape exit opening (14) and the tape winding-up device (20) for sending a beam to the first surface of the tape (30). A detecting device (60) is placed at the side of the second surface of the tape (30) for receiving the beam and transmitting data representing the received radiation to an evaluation device (70) for determining, from these data, the length of the tape (30) extracted through the tape exit opening (14). According to said invention, the tape (30) is radiation-permeable and provided with a biunique code (40) on one of the two surfaces thereof. Said code represents the length of the tape (30) extracted through the tape exit opening (14) and consists of elements influencing the radiation-transmitting capacity of the tape (30).Said invention also relates to an electronic length-measuring device provided with display and evaluation means for determining a length according to received data and for generating visual data according to said length on the display means, wherein said measuring tape (10) is connected to the evaluation unit. |
| US07900364B2 |
Drawing apparatus utilizing measuring tape
Disclosed are an arc-drawing assisting apparatus and a tape measure including the arc-drawing assisting apparatus. The an arc-drawing assisting apparatus, which is disposed at a tape of a tape measure so as to allow a user to draw a circle or an arc by using the tape measure, includes an upper case having a graduation checking part for checking graduations of the tape, the graduations checking part being formed at one surface of an upper portion of the upper case and a center adjusting member which is rotatably assembled with the upper case and includes a lower case having an assembling protuberance, which has a center fixing pin protruding downward, formed at a lower end of the lower case. The an arc-drawing assisting apparatus includes a center adjusting member, which is movably disposed at a tape having graduations formed thereon and is also fixed in the tape when an arc is drawn, a center adjusting assisting member, which is assembled with the center adjusting member and has an angle indicator, and a writing instrument fixing member allowing a writing instrument to be fixed to a front end of the tape so that a circle and an arc in an accurate dimension can be drawn, and they can be drawn at a desire angle. |
| US07900362B2 |
Miniature disposable safety scalpel
A disposable safety scalpel comprises a handle and a blade carrier, which fit together such that the blade carrier can shift between a retracted position whereby a front portion of the handle covers or otherwise blocks contact with the sharp edge of the blade, and an extended position whereby the sharp edge of the blade protrudes beyond the handle. The handle has a substantially flat base portion that can be held by the forefinger of the surgeon for shifting of the carrier with the thumb between retracted and extended positions. When the carrier and blade are extended, the surgeon can hold only the base of the handle between the thumb and forefinger for cutting during surgery. The shifting between the retracted and deployed positions with only the fingers of one hand can be readily accomplished even in the presence of slippery fluids during surgery. |
| US07900356B2 |
Device for assembling tapered roller bearing
A device is provided for assembling a tapered roller bearing, which allows even a tapered roller having a large taper angle to be easily assembled to a pocket of a cage. The tapered roller (35) is inserted into the pocket (33) with the larger-diameter side of the tapered roller (35) in the lead from the inner side of the cage (30) and moreover from the smaller-diameter annular portion side of the cage (30), by which the tapered rollers (35) are assembled to the cage (30). |
| US07900355B2 |
Ink-jet head and method for manufacturing the same
A head main body includes a passage unit having nozzles and pressure chambers, and an actuator unit adhered to the passage unit to change the volume of the pressure chambers. On a piezoelectric sheet of the actuator unit, formed are not only individual electrodes corresponding to the respective pressure chambers, but also a land and a dummy land in a pair corresponding to each of the individual electrodes. The land is connected to the individual electrode, and the dummy land is spaced from the individual electrode. The land and the dummy land have substantially the same height from a surface of the piezoelectric sheet, which is higher than that of the individual electrodes. The individual electrodes are connected, through the land, to a cable member to supply a drive signal to the actuator unit. |
| US07900352B2 |
Method and apparatus for manufacturing a catalytic converter
A method and apparatus for manufacturing a catalytic converter is described where the catalytic converter is comprised of an outer tube member having a monolith substrate internally compressed therein with a wrapped mat material surrounding the monolith substrate and intermediate the outer tube. One or more monolith members can be applied within the outer tube and heat shields may also be applied internal to the outer tube and adjacent to the monolith substrate. The assembly of the catalytic converter includes measuring the sequence of compression of the mat material to the monolith substrate in order to understand the possible force characteristics that can be applied during the assembly thereof. The mat material is therefore compressed within the outer tube by way of compression jaws, by compression rollers, by spinning and/or by a shrinker including compression members. The compression of the mat material can be in single or multiple steps. |
| US07900348B2 |
Method of manufacturing an electronic component substrate
A method of manufacturing an electronic component substrate is provided, the method allowing manufacturing yield to be improved. The method of manufacturing an electronic component substrate in which a plurality of electronic components are mounted on a first substrate includes the steps of: aligning and disposing the plurality of electronic components on a second substrate; transferring the electronic components on the second substrate onto the first substrate; detecting an electronic component un-mounted portion on the first substrate; and repairing by selectively re-transferring the electronic component from the second substrate onto the detected un-mounted portion on the first substrate. |
| US07900346B2 |
Inspection sensor mounts and a method for mounting an inspection sensor
In non-limiting, exemplary embodiments a mount assembly is provided for mounting an inspection sensor to a surface of a workpiece. The mount assembly includes a mount having an attachment portion and an engagement portion. The attachment portion is arranged to attach the mount to the surface of the workpiece. The engagement portion is arranged to engage the inspection sensor with the mount. Exemplary mount assemblies may be arranged to mount pulse echo ultrasonic testing transducers, focused ultrasonic testing transducers, through transmission ultrasonic testing transducers, eddy current inspection sensors, or any type of inspection sensor as desired. |
| US07900344B2 |
Cable and connector assembly apparatus
A cable assembly apparatus for coupling a connector to a cable having a base supporting an interface pedestal dimensioned to receive the connector; an inductor coil coupled to an inductor coil actuator operable to move the inductor coil between a load position and an operation position proximate the interface pedestal; a grip clamp operable by a clamp actuator to move between an open position and a closed position above the interface pedestal; and a temperature sensor configured to read a temperature proximate the interface pedestal. A method for using the apparatus retains the pre-assembled connector and cable in an aligned orientation for controlled heating by the induction heater to heat a solder preform to solder the connector to an outer conductor of the cable. |
| US07900342B2 |
Methods of fabricating magnetoresistance sensors pinned by an etch induced magnetic anisotropy
Magnetoresistance sensors with magnetic pinned layers that are pinned by anisotropic etch induced magnetic anisotropies and methods for fabricating the magnetoresistance sensors are provided. The method comprises forming a seed layer structure. The seed layer is etched to form an anisotropic etch along a top surface of the seed layer. A magnetic pinned layer is formed on the top surface of the seed layer structure. The anisotropic etch on the top surface of the seed layer structure induces a magnetic anisotropy in the magnetic pinned layer, which pins the magnetization of the magnetic pinned layer structure. |
| US07900341B2 |
Method of manufacturing hard disk recording device using patterned medium
A high yield in a manufacture of an HDD having a high recording density and using a patterned medium by a trench-like or a dot-like pattern is realized. In this HDD manufacturing method, a magnetic field size (writing and reading) of a head in a head manufacturing process is measured in a head unit inspection process. According to the result of the measurement, the head is classified into a plurality of groups in a head classifying process. In a patterned medium manufacturing process, a plurality of types of the patterned media which are designed so as to correspond to the classified head groups are manufactured. In an HDD assembly process, the HDD is manufactured by combining the plurality of head groups and the plurality of patterned media following a predetermined rule. |
| US07900339B2 |
Method of making a motor including an insulating spacer
In a motor, an insulator covering an armature core has a lid covering an end surface of the armature core. The lid has an inner ring disposed radially inside slots of the armature core and an outer ring disposed radially outside the slots. Each of a plurality of slot insulators inserted into the slots has a blocking portion at a position in the inner ring. |
| US07900338B2 |
Method of making a transducer having a plastic matching layer
Making a transducer having a plastic matching layer which includes providing a transducer housing having a proximal end and a distal end, and bonding a plastic to the distal end of the transducer housing (the plastic fluidly sealing and occluding the distal end). The bonding further includes inserting a cylinder comprising a mold-release chemical into the transducer housing, bonding plastic onto the distal end of the transducer housing, and removing the cylinder when the plastic has hardened. |
| US07900333B2 |
Sealing bladderless system and method
Apparatus and methods are provided to minimize the escape of fuel out of a fuel tank when a tank wall is penetrated by a bullet. In one embodiment, a pressure differential may be maintained between a pressure within a fuel tank cavity and another pressure outside the fuel tank cavity in order to minimize the loss of fuel upon penetration of the fuel tank. In another embodiment, a compressed rubber layer of fuel-reactive rubber may be provided which is adapted to be attached to a fuel tank wall and to swell upon contact with fuel in order to substantially seal a penetrated hole in the fuel tank wall. |
| US07900330B2 |
Method and device for changing a fabric in a paper or board machine
A device has two units placed one on top of the other, each unit comprising a first side frame (101), a second side frame (102) spaced from the first side frame, and a band (130) running between the side frames (101, 102). Each unit (100, 200) has a pressure chamber (300) attached to the side frames (101, 102) and positioned in a sealed manner against the inner surface of the band (130). |
| US07900329B2 |
Spatula blade changing apparatus and method
An apparatus and method for changing a spatula blade is provided. The apparatus has a restraining element for engaging the blade to restrain the blade on a blade support surface. A restraining member is movable from a first position spaced from the blade support surface, and a second position for limiting movement of the blade while restrained by the restraining element at the blade support surface. To remove a blade from a spatula body, the restraining member is moved to the second position. In the second position, movement of the blade is limited to prevent disengagement from the restraining element. A force is applied to the spatula body to separate the body from the blade. To install a blade to a spatula body, the blade is restrained by the restraining element and the restraining member and the spatula body is advanced toward the blade to mount the blade to the body. |
| US07900327B2 |
Broken heart shaped vault
A vault having a rectangular cover, and a rectangular enclosure assembly having a rectangular bottom and a vertical side wall attached to the bottom essentially around the periphery thereof, a curved support base adapted to hold a heart shaped coffin, and four curved support members attached to the bottom and being adapted to support the curved support base vertically above the bottom. |
| US07900326B2 |
Broken heart shaped coffin
A coffin with a removable 2 piece cover that accommodates bodies of differing lengths having, within an enclosure, a 2 piece platform that adjusts so as to allow the body to form a v-shape by bending the body at the hip whereby the longitudinal length of the body can be adjusted. |
| US07900320B2 |
Opening/closing device for document pressing device
An original cover closer is described in which a compression coil spring can stably and surely work, an original cover can expeditiously and smoothly be operated, and the compression amount of the compression coil spring can be set and changed in an extremely easy manner. The cover closer comprises: a mounting member mounted to the main body of a copying machine; a supporting member pivotally attached to the mounting member and operable to support the original cover; a first slider and a second slider which are slidably installed in the supporting member; and a compression coil spring inserted between these sliders and operable to urge the original cover in the direction to open, wherein at least one of the sliders is formed integrally with a spring cover which covers the compression coil spring even when the original cover is opened. |
| US07900314B2 |
Device for drying or wetting a mop
A device for drying and/or wetting a mop with a removable container for receiving a liquid. The device has a receiver for the container with a collecting base which is located underneath the container when the container is disposed in the receiver, and the device has liquid conveying devices for removing or feeding the liquid. The collecting base extends underneath the liquid conveying devices. The liquid conveying devices have a motor for driving a pump for wetting the mop with liquid from the container and for driving a drying device for removing liquid from the mop. The drying device and the motor are fixedly connected to the device and the pump is arranged in the container. The pump is operatively connected to the motor via a separable coupling in a driving manner. |
| US07900312B2 |
Windshield wiper with scrubber assembly
A scrubber assembly (14) for a windshield wiper (10) having a wiper arm (12) includes a scrubber housing (22) attached to the wiper arm. The scrubber housing (22) has an interior volume (66) and at least one opening (58). A rod (68) is at least partially disposed in the interior volume (66) and is displaceable from a first position to a second position. A brush assembly (42) is attached to the rod (68) with at least one flexible connecting member (76) that extends through the at least one opening (58) to the brush assembly. When the rod (68) is in the first position, a first portion of the flexible connecting member (76) protrudes from the opening (58), and when the rod is displaced to the second position, a second portion of the flexible connecting member that is larger than the first portion protrudes from the opening. |
| US07900309B2 |
Powered toothbrush
The head of a powered toothbrush includes a first tuft block mounted for rotational oscillation about an axis generally perpendicular to the outer surface of the head, and a second tuft block having fixed bristles or bristles independently movable by being mounted on an elastomeric base. The second tuft block oscillates perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the head and in an in and out direction perpendicular to the outer surface of the head. A third stationary block may also be mounted on the head of the powered toothbrush. The bristles on the first, second, and third tuft blocks may be of various lengths, colors and stiffness, and may be mounted perpendicularly to or at an angle to the outer surface of the head. |
| US07900300B1 |
Mattress foundation corner connector and assembly method
A corner connector for a mattress foundation assembly and a mattress foundation assembly, wherein the corner connector includes a main body portion extending from a bottom surface to a top surface; a first corner abutment surface extending from a terminating edge of the top surface; a second corner abutment surface extending from a terminating edge of the top surface; a first side surface of the main body portion; a second side surface of the main body portion, wherein the first side surface and the second side surface are formed at substantially 90° relative to one another; a first abutment surface extending from a terminating edge of the first side surface; a second abutment surface extending from a terminating edge of the second side surface; and a radiused surface extending from a terminating edge of the first abutment surface to a terminating edge of the second abutment surface. |
| US07900296B2 |
Bath apparatus with handle and auxiliary features
The present invention discloses a bath apparatus having auxiliary features. The auxiliary features include a handle for providing ergonomic manual transportation of the bath apparatus. Additionally, improvements to conventional therapeutic effects are provided for enhancing the overall therapeutic bathing experience. Further, a bath apparatus is disclosed having a pedicure apparatus for providing a motorized rotary pedicure effect to the user. Even further, a bath apparatus having a fluid dispenser is disclosed for dispensing therapeutic additives. |
| US07900295B2 |
Shower handle water supply diverter system
A shower handle water supply diverter system includes a water supply in fluid communication with a hose. A handle sprayer is in fluid communication with and extends from the hose. A water diverter is provided within the handle sprayer and is in fluid communication with the showerhead. The water diverter can be operated in three modes: handle sprayer only water expulsion, shower head only water expulsion, and simultaneous handle sprayer and shower head water expulsion. By placement of the first hose and second hose in proximity to provide thermal contact therebetween, stagnant water in one hose at ambient temperature exchanges heat with water flow at a particular temperature in a second hose to change stagnant water temperature towards the temperature of the water flow. |
| US07900294B2 |
Shower tray access ramp
A shower tray access ramp comprises a ramp part and a transition part selectively attachable to the ramp part. The ramp part has a first edge for connection to a shower tray, a second edge which is opposite the first edge and which is engagable with the transition part, and a ramp portion intermediate the first and second edges. The second edge includes a flange which is spaced from an upper ramp surface of the ramp portion and which is fastenable to a ramp supporting surface. The transition part has a first transition edge which is seatable on the flange of the ramp part, a second transition edge which is opposite the first transition edge and which tapers to or substantially to a point to provide a transition from the ramp supporting surface onto the access ramp, and a transition ramp portion intermediate the first and second transition edges. |
| US07900293B2 |
Shower bathing apparatus
A shower bathing apparatus includes: a concave seat; and a water discharger provided rearwardly and upwardly to the seat and configured to discharge water in a forward direction of the seat. A water discharge direction from the water discharger and positional relationship between the water discharger and the seat are adjusted so that at least part of the discharged water directly reaches the seat with no seat occupant seated on the seat. |
| US07900291B2 |
Blower system for health booth
A blower system in a booth including a hollow base, an internal space, and an air outlet is disclosed and includes at least one blower assembly in the base, each blower assembly including a heating element and a motor driven fan; and a pipe assembly communicating with both the base and the space. In response to activating the at least one blower assembly, the fan of each blower assembly is adapted to blow ambient air past the hot heating element for heating the air, and the hot air is adapted to enter the space through the pipe assembly. An occupant can relax in a heat environment. |
| US07900286B2 |
Support for wall-mounted toilet
An adjustable toilet support designed to be installed under wall mounted toilets in order to increase their load bearing capacities is disclosed. The toilet support comprises a base which rests on the floor below the toilet, a sleeve surrounding an upper portion of the base, and a contact member that contacts the underside of the toilet bowl. The sleeve and swivel ball are height adjustable with respect to the base by means of a support rod connected to the contact member and threaded into a nut contained inside the base. The support rod has an upper ball that fits within a socket under the contact member. The contact member may be in the shape of a swivel ball having a generally spherical side surface that contacts and holds the upper rim of the sleeve. During installation, the toilet support is positioned under the toilet, and the base is rotated while the sleeve, contact member and support rod are held against rotation, which causes the contact member to rise and contact the toilet bowl. |
| US07900285B2 |
Protective cup and method of manufacturing the protective cup
A protective cup includes a cage member and a peripheral lip. The cage member includes upper, lower, and side portions. The upper portion may include a plurality of slots. At least one slot may be oriented so that a direction defined by a largest dimension of the at least one slot extends toward one or more of the lower portion and the side portions. The cup may also include linking portions. The lip is operatively connected to the upper and lower portions. The lip may be operatively connected to the side portions or it may be distanced from the cage member at openings between the lip and side portions. If the lip is distanced from the cage member, the linking portions operatively connect the lip to the side portions to fill the openings or one or more parts of the openings. A method of manufacturing the cup is also disclosed. |
| US07900282B2 |
Inflatable protection valve
A device for protecting against impact. The device includes an inflatable valve made of sheets of high-strength PVC (1) provided with an inflating end (3). Fitted within this valve using a method of thermal bonding (4) are walls (2) configured as a labyrinth in order to better regulate the air flow. |
| US07900280B2 |
Goggles
Goggles are provided having a lens cup with a seal portion extending around its peripheral rear edge. The seal portion is adapted to seal against the face of a wearer of the goggles via a face contact surface. The face contact surface is preformed to follow substantially the contours of the wearer's face around the wearer's eye socket, so that little force between the seal portion and the wearer's face is required to achieve sealing. The face contact surface may be preformed in accordance with the average wearer from a demographic group or preformed bespoke for the wearer. |
| US07900271B2 |
Ballistic elbow and knee guards
Elbow and knee guards for providing protection from fragments, bullets, projectiles, and blunt force trauma injuries. The guards contain ballistic material that is incorporated or inserted into the appropriate carriers. A rigid or semi-rigid ballistic or non-ballistic cap can also be attached to the outer portion of the guards to increase the overall protection provided. Non-ballistic energy absorption material can also be added to increase the overall protection against blunt force trauma injuries. |
| US07900270B2 |
Shin guard
The invention relates to a shin guard, in particular for footballers, having a stiff shield element (3) arranged in front of the shin, and having means of fastening the shield element (3) on the lower leg (1). According to the invention, the fastening means have a strapping device (2) running around the lower leg (1), and the shield element (3) is connected to the strapping device (2) over much of its inner surface (18), which is directed towards the shin. |
| US07900269B2 |
No-slip protector
A protector for protecting a wearer is disclosed herein. The protector includes a protection element extending along an axis between first and second ends. The protection element has an inner surface for at least partially contacting a wearer, an outer surface opposite the inner surface, and an outer edge. The protector also includes at least one elastic band arrangement connected to the outer edge at two places and overlaying the inner surface and being operable to allow at least a portion of the wearer to be received between the at least one elastic band and the inner surface. The protector also includes at least one friction element coupled to the inner surface and discreet from the at least one elastic band. The at least one friction element defines a greater coefficient of friction than the inner surface and is thereby more operable to minimize movement of the protection element relative to the wearer than the inner surface. The at least one friction element and the at least one elastic band are spaced from one another along the axis such that either the at least one friction element or the at least one elastic band can tend to limit sliding movement of the protector as the portion of the wearer expands or contracts during use. |
| US07900268B2 |
Armored face guard
A ballistic face guard (100) for providing additional protection to a wearer's face and neck. A ballistic face guard (100) in combination with a ballistic visor (1000) for providing additional protection to a wearer's face, neck, and eyes. A ballistic face guard (100) in combination with a ballistic visor (1000) and a military helmet (140) for providing protection to a wearer's face, neck, eyes and head. |
| US07904963B2 |
Generating code to validate input data
Input data is validated by generating code based on the input data. A schema is generated based on the input data indicating conditions for the input file. The schema may then be customized based on a type of application to consume the input data. A validator executable code is generated based on the schema and checks the input file for compliance with the conditions determined by the schema. Results of validation may be provided to the application in yes or no form, or as number of non-compliances. In the latter case, the application may decide to accept or reject the data based on predetermined non-compliance levels. |
| US07904962B1 |
Network attack modeling, analysis, and response
Disclosed is a system for modeling, analyzing, and responding to network attacks. Machines are mapped to components, components are mapped to vulnerabilities, and vulnerabilities are mapped to exploits. Each of the exploits includes at least one precondition mapped to at least one postcondition. An attack graph which defines inter-exploit distances is generated using at least one of the exploits. The attack graph is aggregated. At least one hardening option is determined using the aggregated attack graph. Hardening options include applying at least one corrective measure to at least one initial condition, where the initial condition is the initial state of a precondition. |
| US07904960B2 |
Source/destination operating system type-based IDS virtualization
Systems and methods for virtualizing network intrusion detection system (IDS) functions based on each packet's source and/or destination host computer operating system (OS) type and characteristics are described. Virtualization is accomplished by fingerprinting each packet to determine the packet's target OS and then vetting each packet in a virtual IDS against a reduced set of threat signatures specific to the target OS. Each virtual IDS, whether operating on a separate computer or operating as a logically distinct process or separate thread running on a single computer processor, may also operate in parallel with other virtual IDS processes. IDS processing efficiency and speed are greatly increased by the fact that a much smaller subset of threat signature universe is used for each OS-specific packet threat vetting operation. |
| US07904950B2 |
Dynamic network security
In a dynamic network security system and method for networks using a firewall, in judging whether packets using unfixed IPs and ports, such as VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) packets, are to be passed or blocked by a firewall, a current communication condition is reflected, thereby enhancing QoS (Quality of Service) of networks. |
| US07904942B2 |
Method of updating intrusion detection rules through link data packet
A method of updating intrusion detection rules through a link data packet is used to dynamically update rules storages of Snort system hosts. Firstly, an update sponsor in the network transmits a link data packet with an intrusion detection rule to the Snort system host. The Snort system host acquires the intrusion detection rule from the received link data packet, and parses an operation type of the intrusion detection rule. Then, the Snort system host verifies the validity of the intrusion detection rule. Subsequently, the rules storage is updated according to the type of the valid intrusion detection rule and a rules tree. |
| US07904941B2 |
Adaptive system for content monitoring
A content monitoring system applies policies to data transfers, and adapts the policies based on violations. Each policy includes a rule that detects violations and actions performed when the rule is violated. Policies may be adapted by, for example: enabling an inactive policy; modifying a parameter within a rule or an action; generating a new policy by combining a policy macro with the violating content block or with associated meta-data, for example, a user ID or IP address. An optional rolling buffer can be used to hold the most recent transfers, and newly adapted policies can be reapplied to the buffered content. Some content blocks are reassembled from a stream of terminal control protocol (TCP) packets that are transferred across a network barrier point. Other content blocks come from writes to removable media. Some content must be decoded, for example, a word processor file. |
| US07904940B1 |
Automated environmental policy awareness
Configuring a device operating in a network environment comprises receiving a network policy from a policy authority, classifying the network policy based on the identity of the policy authority, determining a local policy according to the classification, and determining a device configuration change to comply with the network policy in accordance with the local policy. Configuring a device joining a network environment includes detecting that a device has joined the network environment, sending a network policy from a policy authority to the device, the network policy including authentication information for the policy authority, and notifying the presence of the device to a policy monitor. |
| US07904939B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for automated control of devices
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for automated control of devices. A tag is received with Electronic Programming Guide data, and the tag includes control data. The tag is stripped from the Electronic Programming Guide data and communicated to a device. |
| US07904933B2 |
Generating and managing DTV application signaling based on asset definition
An implementation is described herein that generally pertains to digital video television technology. At least one implementation, described herein, provides an asset definition framework for digital television (DTV) managed applications. This abstract itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. The scope of the present invention is pointed out in the appending claims. |
| US07904932B2 |
Wideband node in a CATV network
A novel node device enables transmission of a wideband signal, in compliance with various acceptable transmission standards and protocols. The signal consists of the legacy spectrum of about 5-860 MHz as well as a new downstream spectrum of about 1000-2000 MHz and a new upstream spectrum of about 2000-3000 MHz or about 930-1100 MHz. The novel device enables transfer of additional data in the upstream direction employing multiple upstream bands without making substantial investment in upstream physical node splitting thus providing networking services to residential subscribers, as well as to small and medium-sized businesses (SMB), which may operate under existing DOCSIS protocols and controlled by standard DOCSIS routers (CMTSs). |
| US07904931B2 |
Efficient software bitstream rate generator for video server
An apparatus and a method for constraining the delivery rate of a plurality of bitstreams, such as MPEG bitstreams using a single software process. |
| US07904930B2 |
Broadcast content delivery systems and methods
In an implementation of broadcast content delivery, content is broadcast to television-based client devices via a broadcast communication link. The content can be generated for display to include a user-selectable control to initiate a request for additional content that includes broadcast content and/or on-demand content. A content provider receives the request for the on-demand content from a client device via a two-way communication link, and broadcasts the on-demand content to the television-based client devices via a channel of the broadcast communication link. The content provider also communicates an identifier via the two-way communication link to the client device such that the client device can identify the channel of the broadcast communication link and receive the on-demand content via the broadcast communication link. |
| US07904928B2 |
Content delivery system, content delivery apparatus, content recording and reproduction apparatus and content recording and reproduction method, and computer program
The invention relates to properly protecting broadcast contents stored on a receiver side from copying without permission and illegal use in server type broadcasting. According to the invention, contents are sent from a broadcast sending side in a state in which copyright information for the contents is added to the contents. On the other hand, on a receiving client side applicable to server type digital broadcasting, it is possible to perform appropriate control for reproduction of contents and recording reservation on the basis of copyright information for contents such as the number of times of reproduction of contents, restriction of display resolution at the time of reproduction of contents, and an expiration date of content reproduction. According to this copyright information, it is possible to perform detailed control for a display device incorporated in or connected to a receiver. |
| US07904927B2 |
Mobile terminal, TV program recording system for mobile terminal, and TV program recording program
A mobile terminal 10, which includes a TV receiver to receive a broadcast of a TV program and which is provided with the function of recording and pre-programming a received TV program, uses the detection parts (151, 152, 153) to detect the occurrence of an event which will preclude the operation of the TV program recording function, and uses the message transmission/reception part 155 to instruct the recording or pre-programming of an in-recording or pre-programmed TV program, based on an instruction from the event occurrence detection part 154, to a server device 20 or a video recorder 30, which is an external recording device having the TV program recording function and connected with the mobile terminal via a communication line (50). |
| US07904922B1 |
Template creation and editing for a message campaign
A system and method for dynamically creating individualized, multi-media messages and to deliver the messages to specific target groups or individual viewers. A message, story, or advertisement is assembled on demand, based upon rules applied to each viewer's profile and a library of media segments. The framework for the final personalized message is a story or message template designed for a campaign. A set of viewer profiles is assembled from designated databases for each of the targeted entities. A collection of media segments is also created or selected and then made available to produce the final personalized message at assembly time. Specific media segments are selected and merged according to the message template and information about the viewer derived from each viewer's profile. The information from the viewer profile is interpreted by a rule system to determine which of several potential media segments to select for use in the personalized message. The merged composite is then encoded to match the distribution media and forwarded to the viewer. |
| US07904921B2 |
Method of processing broadcast signal associated with emergency alert system in terrestrial broadcasting and broadcast receiver for the same
A broadcast signal associated with an emergency alert system in terrestrial broadcasting, a processing method thereof, and a broadcast receiver for the same are disclosed, by which information on a channel for carrying emergency alert news can be completely prevented from being overlapped with information on other general channels in a terrestrial broadcasting environment. |
| US07904920B2 |
Method for skipping advertisement broadcasting
A method for skipping advertisement broadcasting is provided. Whether or not it is advertisement broadcasting is determined using an program ID of received broadcasting contents. When it is advertisement broadcasting, the advertisement is skipped. During the advertisement broadcasting skipping, a multi tasking environment other than broadcasting viewing is provided. By skipping advertisement broadcasting during the broadcasting content recording, the recording results not including the advertisement is obtained. |
| US07904911B2 |
Management of multiple network devices using unsigned java applets
Remote management of a plurality of network devices is described wherein each device is managed with its own unsigned Java™ applet. Unsigned applets launched from different devices operate within the same shared environment of a webpage. Furthermore, a transmitting applet communicates with a recipient applet. In one embodiment, the recipient applet is a central management applet that combines data from 10 a plurality of devices into one data pool, which can then be used to provide higher level management capabilities. A combination of centralized management and distributed management is allowed within the Java security model, without having to resort to signed Java applets or Java applications. |
| US07904909B1 |
Architecture for using a model-based approach for managing resources in a networked environment
An architecture including a model-based management layer for managing resources and applications, and a method of software and resource management enabled by such an architecture. |
| US07904907B2 |
Processing architecture having passive threads and active semaphores
Multiple parallel passive threads of instructions coordinate access to shared resources using “active” semaphores. The semaphores are referred to as active because the semaphores send messages to execution and/or control circuitry to cause the state of a thread to change. A thread can be placed in an inactive state by a thread scheduler in response to an unresolved dependency, which can be indicated by a semaphore. A thread state variable corresponding to the dependency is used to indicate that the thread is in inactive mode. When the dependency is resolved a message is passed to control circuitry causing the dependency variable to be cleared. In response to the cleared dependency variable the thread is placed in an active state. Execution can proceed on the threads in the active state. |
| US07904906B2 |
Tracking modified pages on a computer system
A method for tracking modified pages is provided. The method is utilized in a fault-tolerant system, the fault-tolerant system comprising a first computer system and a second computer system. The method involves copying a memory from the first computer system to the second computer system at a first point in time. Between the first point in time and a second point in time, a scheduler tracks processes that execute on the first computer system in a harvest list. After the second point in time, the processes that made changes to the memory between the first and second points in time are retrieved. The changes to the memory are then copied to the second computer system and the changes are applied to the memory of the second computer system. |
| US07904900B2 |
Method in a network of the delivery of files
A method in a network of the delivery of files from a server computer (101) to a client computer (102) in which the client computer is polling the server computer looking to see in the server if at least one new file associated with this client computer is available. If yes, then the client computer is downloading the files associated with this client computer at specific intervals. The client computer is all by itself polling the server computer at specific intervals and it itself controls the downloading of the updates which occurs at times during which the downloading does not disturb the working of the client computer. |
| US07904899B2 |
Third-party customization of a configuration file
Systems and methods for customizing a configuration file. A system includes a configuror client that generates and exports a configuration file, a configuration sharing server that makes the configuration file assessable, and a configuree client that imports the configuration file. The configuration sharing server provides a community-based collection of configuration files for access by the public or by a specific organization. The configuree client can detect when a new profile is being used (e.g., the first time that the financial management application is executed after installation). In response, the configuration client begins an interview process for customizing the financial management application (e.g., by presenting a series of user interfaces). Part of the interview process allows an end-user to select a particular configuration file stored on the configuration sharing client or on a local memory device. |
| US07904887B2 |
Learning and cache management in software defined contexts
A method of optimizing a computer program includes executing a program including a hint defined as a variable in program and providing within the program, and a marker instruction that receives the hint as a parameter. The marker instruction marks a section of the computer program for a subsequent optimization. During the execution of the computer program, and in response to the marker instruction being executed, a hardware engine monitors data accesses associated with execution of instructions in the marked section and stores the data accesses in the storage of the hint. A subsequent execution of the marked section of the computer program is optimized using the data stored in the storage of the hint. |
| US07904879B2 |
Reorganized storing of applications to improve execution
Storing an application onto a system includes receiving the application, determining specifications of the system, and reorganizing the application in accordance with the specifications of the system so as to improve execution of the application. The reorganized application is stored on the system. |
| US07904876B1 |
Interactive graphics format model
The present invention provides a graphical model that can be viewed without a graphical modeling environment. An interactive graphic version of the model is generated from the model of the graphical modeling environment. The interactive graphic version can then be viewed using an interactive graphic viewer, such as a plug in to a web browser. The use of an interactive graphic version of the model allows the user to interact with the model. For example the user may pan, zoom, or view properties or subsystems of elements of the model. |
| US07904873B2 |
System-on-chip (SOC), design structure and method
Disclosed is a system-on-chip (SOC) structure that allows for automated integration of multiple intellectual cores. The SOC structure incorporates a plurality of cells connected to a common bus on a chip. Each cell incorporates a functional core and an automated integration unit (AIU) connected to the functional core. Each AIU communicates integration information for its functional core over the common bus to the AIUs in the other cells. The exchange of information between the AIUs is controlled either by the integration units themselves or by a controller. Based on received integration information, each AIU can automatically make any required configuration adjustments for integration. Furthermore, based on this exchange of information, the functional cores can interact, as necessary, during SOC operation. Also disclosed are an associated method of forming such a SOC structure and a design structure for such an SOC structure. |
| US07904870B2 |
Method and apparatus for integrated circuit design model performance evaluation using basic block vector clustering and fly-by vector clustering
A test system or simulator includes an enhanced IC test application sampling software program that executes test application software on a semiconductor die IC design model. The enhanced test application sampling software may include trace, simulation point, CPI error, clustering, instruction budgeting, and other programs. The enhanced test application sampling software generates basic block vectors (BBVs) and fly-by vectors (FBVs) from instruction trace analysis of test application software workloads. The enhanced test application sampling software utilizes the microarchitecture dependent information to generate the FBVs to select representative instruction intervals from the test application software. The enhanced test application sampling software generates a reduced representative test application software program from the BBV and FBV data utilizing a global instruction budgeting analysis method. Designers use the test system with enhanced test application sampling software to evaluate IC design models by using the representative test application software program. |
| US07904866B2 |
Computer readable recording medium with a wiring design program stored thereon and wiring design device
An apex is extracted from a designed wiring layout. In start/end portion circular arc processing a circular arc is added to the apex-containing portion, and the layout data file is rewritten so that a portion, representing a region surrounded by circular arc and two lines, is added to the wiring line. In bend portion circular arc processing circular arcs are added to the respective apex-containing portions, and the layout data file is rewritten so that: a portion corresponding to a region surrounded by the circular arc and two lines is added to the apex-containing portion of the layout when the determined angle is less than 180 degrees; a portion corresponding to a region surrounded by the circular arc and two lines is removed from the apex-containing portion of the layout when the determined angle exceeds 180 degrees. |
| US07904864B2 |
Interconnect layer of a modularly designed analog integrated circuit
A method of constructing an integrated circuit involves selecting modular tiles and then generating a functional circuit layout using the tiles. Modular tiles that perform predetermined functions and that have approximately the same length and width dimensions are selected from a library of validated tiles. The tiles have input-output terminals embedded in their upper active layers. A functional circuit layout for the integrated circuit is generated using the tiles. In many implementations, the physical layout of the integrated circuit does not include the step of routing. Then an interconnect layer is added over the functional circuitry of the tiles and connects the input-output terminals to bond pads located at the perimeter of the functional circuit layout. Chip data corresponding to the functional circuit layout is generated, and then mask reticles corresponding to the chip data are generated. The integrated circuit is formed on a wafer based on the mask reticles. |
| US07904863B2 |
Circuit-design supporting apparatus, circuit-design supporting method, computer product, and printed-circuit-board manufacturing method
An FPGA-information managing unit included in a circuit-designing CAD apparatus retrieves FPGA information, such as pin assignment information and attribute information, that is created by an FPGA-designing CAD apparatus. A library creating unit creates a symbol library by using the FPGA information. When creating a symbol library, if an FPGA subjected to create the symbol library is arranged in the circuit diagram, the library creating unit manages not to change a portion dividing and a pin layout of the existing symbol library arranged in the circuit diagram as much as possible. When arranging a symbol of the FPGA that a symbol library is newly created, a circuit-diagram reflecting unit arranges the symbol without changing the existing layout. |
| US07904858B2 |
Logic synthesis apparatus
According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for executing logic synthesis for a module having a plurality of clock domains, having: an input unit which inputs circuit description data about a circuit function and a constraint in logic synthesis; a path selection unit which selects a path included in the module using a result obtained by analyzing the circuit description data; a recognition unit which recognizes a start point and an end point of the selected path and recognizes clock domains to which the start point and the end point belong; and a technology library setting unit which sets a technology library for the selected path in accordance with the clock domains to which the start point and the end point belong. |
| US07904857B2 |
Computer-aided design system to automate scan synthesis at register-transfer level
A method and system to automate scan synthesis at register-transfer level (RTL). The method and system will produce scan HDL code modeled at RTL for an integrated circuit modeled at RTL. The method and system comprise computer-implemented steps of performing RTL testability analysis, clock-domain minimization, scan selection, test point selection, scan repair and test point insertion, scan replacement and scan stitching, scan extraction, interactive scan debug, interactive scan repair, and flush/random test bench generation. In addition, the present invention further comprises a method and system for hierarchical scan synthesis by performing scan synthesis module-by-module and then stitching these scanned modules together at top-level. The present invention further comprises integrating and verifying the scan HDL code with other design-for-test (DFT) HDL code, including boundary-scan and logic BIST (built-in self-test). |
| US07904847B2 |
CMOS circuit leakage current calculator
This invention provides a method for determining leakage current in a CMOS circuit having several devices. It includes the steps of reading a netlist which describes the circuit and includes information on both these devices in the circuit and how these devices are interconnected. Next, an input signal state data file is generated which provides all of the possible input states for the circuit. A determination is made of which devices in the circuit are in an OFF state for each of the input signal states provided. Then the leakage current for each of these devices in the OFF state is computed for each of the input signal states. |
| US07904845B2 |
Determining locations on a wafer to be reviewed during defect review
Various methods, designs, defect review tools, and systems for determining locations on a wafer to be reviewed during defect review are provided. One computer-implemented method includes acquiring coordinates of defects detected by two or more inspection systems. The defects do not include defects detected on the wafer. The method also includes determining coordinates of the locations on the wafer to be reviewed during the defect review by translating the coordinates of the defects into the coordinates on the wafer such that results of the defect review performed at the locations can be used to determine if the defects cause systematic defects on the wafer. |
| US07904842B1 |
Modifying a logic implementation by swapping inputs of fanout-free cones
An implementation of a logic description is improved. The implementation has two signals coupled to two inputs of a fanout-free cone. A swap function is determined of the inputs of the fanout-free cone. The swap function indicates whether there is a difference at an output of the fanout free cone between the fanout-free cone with and without swapping the two signals between the two inputs of the fanout-free cone. A do-not-care function of the inputs of the fanout-free cone is determined for the logic description. The do-not-care function indicates that a modification of the output of the fanout-free cone is not observable at the primary outputs of the logic description. A modified implementation of the logic description is output in response to the do-not-care function covering the swap function. The modified implementation of the logic description has the two signals swapped between the two inputs of the fanout-free cone. |
| US07904841B1 |
Method and system for optimizing digital filters
A method and system is described for optimizing a digital filter defined by coefficients that are multiplied by input data and accumulated to generate output data. A factorization set of candidate factors is compiled based on the coefficients. For each of the candidate factors, an optimized solution is generated. To generate the optimized solution, the candidate factor is applied to the coefficients and a working set of terms is compiled. Terms in the working set are converted to power-of-two representations and grouped with other terms that have a common partial sum, or multiple of the partial sum, within their respective power-of-two representations. A reduction set is compiled from the grouped terms and an order of application is selected based on optimization objectives. The reduction set is then applied to the working set of terms to generate the optimized solution, which is ranked and stored based on the optimization objectives. |
| US07904840B2 |
Method and system to redistribute white space for minimizing wire length
Disclosed are a method and a system for redistributing white space on an integrated circuit. The method comprises the steps of providing a series of circuit blocks for the integrated circuit, and placing the blocks on the integrated circuit to obtain a predefined optimal wire length. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, we first show that the problem of placing the blocks to obtain an optimal wire length, can be formulated as linear programming. Then, we find it can be solved by efficient min-cost flow implementation instead of general and slow linear programming. The approach guarantees to obtain the minimum total wire length for a given floorplan topology. We also show that the approach is capable of handling various constraints such as fixed-frame (fixed area), IO pins, pre-placed blocks, boundary blocks, range placement, alignment and abutment, rectilinear blocks, cluster placement, and bounded net delay, without loss of optimality. |
| US07904837B2 |
Information processing apparatus and GUI component display method for performing display operation on document data
An information processing apparatus includes an interpretation unit configured to interpret a command written on computerized document data, a creation unit configured to create a graphical user interface (GUI) component used to perform execution of the command interpreted by the interpretation unit, and a display control unit configured to cause a display apparatus to display document data corresponding to target data that represents a target of the execution and to display the created GUI component at a position corresponding to the command written on the document data. |
| US07904835B1 |
Synchronizing keyboard cursor and mouse cursor movements
A system and method for moving a mouse cursor along with the keyboard cursor on a display. The method extracts a location of the keyboard cursor on a display, and locates the mouse cursor into the location of keyboard cursor automatically. The method of an embodiment of the invention saves the mouse dragging time on the display while performing a mouse operation at the location of the keyboard cursor. |
| US07904831B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image displaying method, and computer-readable recording medium storing program of the method
An image processing apparatus which displays a thumbnail image of a stored image is disclosed. When a thumbnail image of a stored image is displayed, it is determined whether the stored image is open or secret by using an attribute attached to the stored image. When the stored image is open, the thumbnail image of the stored image is displayed, and when the stored image is secret, a dummy thumbnail image is displayed. |
| US07904828B2 |
Computer system with graphical user interface including drawer-like windows
A window management mechanism allows a user to open a window as a drawer or, perhaps more appropriately named, a pop-up window. The drawer is an opened window that a user has dragged down to a drawer region at the bottom of the screen such that only the title bar or some drawer handle illustration is left showing. When the user does this, the window remains open but is kept offscreen. The user may momentarily pop the window back onto the screen by clicking on the window title bar or drawer handle, or by dragging the cursor into the window icon during a drag. The window stays onscreen as long as no other windows are selected. As soon as a user selects another window, or opens a file with a double click within the drawer, the window slides back offscreen. This allows the user to set up easy access windows. Another feature of a drawer window allows the user to open them during a drag. To do so, the user drags an object or the cursor into the drawer window that is desired to be opened. When the cursor touches the bottom of the screen, or an area within a threshold of the bottom of the screen, the drawer window slides open a notch at a time. As long as the user pushes against the bottom or remains in this threshold region, the drawer slides open. |
| US07904826B2 |
Peek around user interface
An operating system shell has an underlying desktop object that is rendered according to different views. The operating system shell renders on a display screen a desktop graphical user interface with windows, tools, icons, etc. that are within a segment of the desktop object that can be observed (i.e., rendered) from one of the views. In illustrated implementations, the desktop object is of an extent that is greater than can be rendered from a single view. Allowing a user to select or access different views of the desktop object effectively provides an extended desktop that overcomes the fixed and limited display capabilities of conventional operating system shells. |
| US07904825B2 |
Graphical user interface for gathering image evaluation information
A method is disclosed for operating a computer to gather input from respondents to electronic surveys and to evaluate preferences related to digital two dimensional and three dimensional images. The method includes providing a drawing tool for enabling survey respondent(s) to designate areas of interest on digital two dimensional and three dimensional images within an electronic survey. A graphical user interface enables the survey respondent(s) to utilize the drawing tool to create data files, which may include designated area data, attributes, and survey respondent opinions for designated area(s) of interest within an image. The data files are saved in a machine-readable file for analysis. |
| US07904824B2 |
Medical imaging programmable custom user interface system and method
Methods and systems for a user to create a custom menu for medical imaging are provided. To maximize the ease of use and increase user efficiency, the user interface is tailored to a particular user or for a certain application. The user selects from various imaging parameters in a preprogrammed user interface displayed on a monitor or other display device. The selection is by collecting the desired items or by discarding undesired items. After selection, the desired items are displayed in a customized display state. This customized display state can be labeled and stored for later use. An assignable key is also provided. Imaging functions, such as a type of B-mode or Doppler imaging, are assigned to the key. Different or new functions may be later assigned to the key as the most used imaging functions change. Any customization may be different for different users of the same system, such as by saving the customization related to a log-on procedure. |
| US07904813B1 |
Method for editing video information and editing device
A regular edition video of a video title is split into shots or scenes with time codes, and provided information, which is the semantic evaluation of the story, is added to the respective scenes to organize the scene score. Necessary scenes for each purpose are extracted on the basis of the scene score and a threshold value (process Pr14). Video characteristic evaluation information is added for each shot constituting each of the extracted scenes so as to organize the shot score (process Pr16). Optimum shots for each of the extracted scenes are selected on the basis of a predetermined rule suitable for the purpose (process Pr16). The optimum shots are sequentially cut out from the regular edition video (process Pr21), thus automatically organizing a preview video suitable for the purpose (process Pr22). |
| US07904811B2 |
Text/image storage device, image reading device, and image forming apparatus
A storage device is disclosed. The storage device includes a text/image information memory unit, a unit that converts the data format of text/image information, a unit that communicates with a user terminal having a display, and a delivery unit configured to, in response to a request for the property of a file stored in the memory unit from the user terminal through the communication unit, show the property of the corresponding file stored in the memory unit on the display of the user terminal. When the user terminal requests a download of the file by selecting a file format applicable to binary image data, the conversion unit converts text/image information contained in the file into binary image data if the data format of the text/image information is not binary image data but is multilevel image data (color image). Then, the delivery unit sends the binary image data in the selected file format to the user terminal. |
| US07904810B2 |
System and method for editing a hand-drawn list in ink input
A system and method for editing ink objects recognized in ink input is provided. An ink parser may recognize an ink object in ink input and then an ink editing user interface may edit the ink object recognized by the ink parser. The ink parser may include a chart detector, shape recognizer, and various ink object recognizers such as a chart recognizer, a list detector and a table detector. The various ink object recognizers may recognize particular ink objects. The ink editing user interface may edit the ink object recognized by the ink parser. The ink editing user interface may include a chart editor, list editor, table editor, mode switcher, and a visualizer. The mode switcher may switch the ink editing system between inking mode and ink editing mode. |
| US07904809B2 |
Model-based editors for dynamic validation
Tools and techniques for dynamically validating editors are described herein. The tools may provide machine-readable storage media containing machine-readable instructions for receiving indications of user edits to a portion of a document, and for determining whether a customized editor is available for the edited portion of the document. The tools may also provide systems that include at least the dynamically validating editor. |
| US07904804B1 |
System and method for web sites in hierarchical relationship to share assets
Systems and methods for enabling the parent in a hierarchically organized pair of objects to allow the child to share access to selected assets. In one embodiment, the assets are shared in one of three modes: an IMPOSE mode; an INHERIT mode; and a CO-OWN mode. In the IMPOSE mode, the parent allows the child to utilize the asset, but not to modify it. In the CO-OWN mode, the parent and child have equal rights to access the asset, including the right to modify it. In the INHERIT mode, both the parent and child have equal rights to access the asset, including the right to modify it, but if the child attempts to modify the asset, it actually gets a copy of the asset, which it then modifies. The asset is no longer a single asset shared between the parent and child. |
| US07904800B2 |
Transforming a portion of a database into a custom spreadsheet
A method and computer system for transforming a portion (e.g., a view) of a database into a custom spreadsheet. The transforming includes determining whether to omit in the custom spreadsheet a column that is in the view, determining whether to add to the custom spreadsheet a column that is not in the view, or both. The transforming may also include implementation of rules that control how various portions of the custom spreadsheet are configured. |
| US07904799B1 |
Method and apparatus for generating a link to a presented web page
A technique for generating links to a web page by: presenting a web page; defining one or more other web pages to include a link to the presented web page; and placing a link on at least one of the other web pages linking to the presented web page. A prompt for an acceptance of the link may be presented to the other web pages whereby a link is not added until the corresponding acceptance of the link is received. |
| US07904798B2 |
Method of generating a presentation with background music and related system
To improve precision when generating multimedia presentations synchronized to background music, number of beats of the background music is determined. The beats of the background music are grouped to form presentation segments, and digital images are assigned to the presentation segments. Presentation display templates that further segment display of the digital images for synchronization with beats of the background music are also provided. |
| US07904791B2 |
Information recording medium to which extra ECC is applied, and method and apparatus for managing the information recording medium
An information recording medium to which data extra ECC is applied, and a method and apparatus for managing the information storage medium is provided. The method includes: determining whether extra ECC is applied with respect to data that is to be recorded on the information recording medium, and deciding an extra ECC application rate; assigning an area for recording a data block including an extra parity generated by applying the extra ECC to the data that is to be recorded on the information recording medium, to the information recording medium; assigning an extra ECC management information area for recording extra ECC management information for managing the extra ECC, to the information recording medium; and recording or updating the extra ECC management information in the extra ECC management information area. Therefore, it is possible to improve reproduction reliability while maintaining reproduction compatibility with conventional apparatuses. |
| US07904790B2 |
Flash memory device error correction code controllers and related methods and memory systems
An ECC controller for a flash memory device storing M-bit data (M: a positive integer equal to or greater than 2) includes an encoder and a decoder. The encoder generates first ECC data for input data to be stored in the flash memory device using a first error correction scheme and generates second ECC data for the input data using a second error correction scheme. The input data, the first ECC data, and the second ECC data are stored in the flash memory device. The decoder calculates the number of errors in data read from the flash memory device and corrects the errors in the read data using one of the first ECC data and the second ECC data selectively based on the number of the errors. |
| US07904787B2 |
Pipelined cyclic redundancy check for high bandwidth interfaces
Techniques for validating the integrity of a data communications link are provided. By executing error correction/detection calculations, such as CRC calculations, in a pipelined manner, logic may be distributed over multiple machine cycles. As a result, delay involved in the logic for each cycle may be reduced, allowing calculations in systems with higher clock frequencies. |
| US07904784B2 |
Serial concatenated convolutional code decoder
A serial concatenated convolutional code (SCCC) decoder is provided. The SCCC decoder includes an input buffer memory one or more processing loop modules, and an output buffer memory. Each processing loop module includes a permutation module, inner decoding engines, a depermutation module, and outer decoding engines. The depermutation module includes a concatenating device and two or more depermutation buffer memories. The concatenating device is configured for writing a codeword segment containing a plurality of soft-decision bits to each of the depermutation buffer memories in a single write operation. The permutation module also includes a concatenating device and two or more permutation buffer memories. The concatenating device is configured for writing a codeword segment containing a plurality of soft-decision bits to each of the depermutation buffer memories in a single write operation. |
| US07904780B2 |
Methods of modulating error correction coding
Data is stored in a nonvolatile memory so that different pages of data stored in the same memory cells are encoded according to different encoding schemes. A first page is decoded according to its encoding scheme and an output is provided based on the decoding of the first page that is subsequently used in decoding a second page. |
| US07904779B2 |
Forward error correction and automatic repeat request joint operation for a data link layer
A method and apparatus are provided for error correction of a communication signal. Joint operation of forward error correction (FEC) techniques and automatic repeat request (ARQ) techniques are conducted above a physical layer of a communication network. Forward error correction is applied if the number of errors is equal to or less than an error threshold. Automatic repeat request techniques are applied if errors remain in the data decoding using the forward error correction or if an error correcting module reports a failure in the data. In an embodiment, the error threshold is two errors or less. In an embodiment, information is encoded in a data link layer using a forward error correction module providing a code rate of 0.98 or greater. |
| US07904775B2 |
Microprocessor comprising signature means for detecting an attack by error injection
A method for monitoring the execution of a sequence of instruction codes in an integrated circuit comprising a central processing unit provided for executing such instruction codes. Current cumulative signatures are produced using deterministic address, control or data logic signals involved in the execution of the sequence and taken off at various points of the integrated circuit. A final cumulative signature is compared with an expected signature and an error signal is produced if the two signatures are not identical. Particularly useful to secure integrated circuits for smart cards. |
| US07904774B2 |
Wafer scale testing using a 2 signal JTAG interface
Testing of die on wafer is achieved by; (1) providing a tester with the capability of externally communicating JTAG test signals using simultaneously bidirectional transceiver circuitry, (2) providing die on wafer with the capability of externally communicating JTAG test signals using simultaneously bidirectional transceiver circuity, and (3) providing a connectivity mechanism between the bidirectional transceiver circuitry's of the tester and a selected group or all of the die on wafer for communication of the JTAG signals. |
| US07904773B2 |
Multiple-capture DFT system for scan-based integrated circuits
A method and apparatus for providing ordered capture clocks to detect or locate faults within N clock domains and faults crossing any two clock domains in a scan-based integrated circuit or circuit assembly in self-test or scan-test mode, where N>1 and each domain has a plurality of scan cells. The method and apparatus will apply an ordered sequence of capture clocks to all scan cells within N clock domains where one or more capture clocks must contain one or more shift clock pulses during the capture operation. A computer-aided design (CAD) method is further developed to realize the method and synthesize the apparatus. In order to further improve the circuit's fault coverage, a CAD method and apparatus are further developed to minimize the memory usage and generate scan patterns for full-scan and feed-forward partial-scan designs containing transparent storage cells, asynchronous set/reset signals, tri-state busses, and low-power gated clocks. |
| US07904769B2 |
Debugging system and method including an emulator for debugging a target device
A debugging system includes an emulator connected via a communication line for two-way communication and a target device to be debugged by the emulator. The emulator includes a serial signal transmitting unit to transmit a control signal as serial data to the target device and an A/D converter to convert an analog signal into a digital signal and to output the digital signal, the analog signal is input from the target device via the communication line. The target device includes a trace circuit, a serial signal receiving unit to receive the serial data and a D/A converter to convert, in response to the control signal received, trace information into an analog signal, and to output the analog signal, the trace information is output by the trace circuit. |
| US07904768B2 |
Probing system for integrated circuit devices
A probing system for an integrated circuit device, which transmits a testing data/signal between an automatic test equipment (ATE) and an integrated circuit device, is disclosed. The probing system includes a test head having a first transceiving module. There is a test station having a test unit coupled to the test head to perform a test operation. A communication module has a second transceiving module configured to exchange data with the first transceiving module in a wireless manner. There is an integrated circuit device having a core circuit being tested, and a test module having a self-test circuit coupled to the core circuit and the communication module for performing the core circuit self-testing. |
| US07904764B2 |
Memory lifetime gauging system, method and computer program product
An apparatus, method, and computer program product are provided for identifying at least one aspect associated with a lifetime of memory. Further, an indicia is visually displayed reflecting the at least one aspect. |
| US07904755B2 |
Embedded software testing using a single output
An integrated circuit includes a processor and a circuit. The processor is configured to execute software. The software includes a plurality of software events. The circuit is configured to output a pulse on a single pin or pad of the integrated circuit in response to executing each software event. A pulse width of each pulse identifies a software event. |
| US07904754B2 |
Systems and methods for automated determination of out of memory handling
Systems and methods for automatic determination of out of memory handling situations are provided. A system and method can include receiving data that includes one or more memory allocations or one or more pool heaps and running a test on the data to capture one or more tracebacks. If the one or more tracebacks are unique, then the one or more unique tracebacks are added to a list. The test is run a second time on the first traceback on the list to determine a result that indicates correct execution or incorrect execution with respect to memory handling. The result is stored in a computer-readable storage medium. |
| US07904753B2 |
Method and system to eliminate disruptions in enterprises
A method is implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions. The programming instructions are operable to receive disruption data for an enterprise and determine optimal selected disruption data from the received disruption data. Additionally, the programming instructions are operable to correlate triggering events of the optimal selected disruption data to one or more systemic root cause categories and identify a systemic root cause based on the triggering events of the optimal selected disruption data. Furthermore, the programming instructions are operable to determine an optimal enterprise solution set based on the identified systemic root cause and determine an optimal enterprise transformation set based on the optimal enterprise solution set. Moreover, the programming instructions are operable to output the optimal enterprise transformation set for implementing the optimal enterprise transformation set in the enterprise. |
| US07904749B2 |
Fast data recovery from HDD failure
A storage system comprises a first storage device having a first plurality of hard disk drives and a first controller. The first controller stores data in the first plurality of hard disk drives by stripes. Each stripe includes M data and N parity data allocated to M+N hard disk drives of the first plurality of hard disk drives. A first hard disk drive includes data or parity data of both a first stripe of the stripes and a second stripe of the stripes, while a second hard disk drive includes data or parity data of only one of the first stripe or the second stripe. During data recovery involving failure of one of the first plurality of hard disk drives, the data in the failed hard disk drive is recovered for each stripe by calculation using data and parity data in other hard disk drives for each stripe. |
| US07904739B2 |
Managing a power state for a peripheral
A method for managing a power state for a peripheral includes listening for activity packets communicated from one or more of a plurality of clients configured to utilize the peripheral. Activity packets received during a selected period are examined. Each activity packet, if any, includes activity data representative of a likelihood that one of the plurality of clients will utilize the peripheral. A power state is selected according to the examination of the activity packets received during the selected period and the peripheral is caused to enter the selected power state. |
| US07904737B2 |
Remote control save and sleep override
An approach is provided that handles a power down signal received by a device. Other types of signals, such as suspend or save and sleep, may also be handled. A device, such as a parent device, sends a power down signal to another device, such as a child device. The power down signal is received by the child device and acted upon, based on the activities currently being executed by the child device. Each activity currently being executed by the child device is handled according to its corresponding setting in an activity list. For example, if the child device is currently executing a preferred activity, the power down signal is ignored. A user of the child device may also send an explanation (or explanations) to the parent device. |
| US07904733B2 |
Computer system and control method thereof, and remote control system
A computer system including a system unit that performs a predetermined operation; a remote control signal receiving unit that receives a user setting from a remote controller, the user setting including at least one of a lock setting and a unlock setting of the system unit for security; and a controller that controls the system unit to perform a locking function of the system unit according to the user setting that is received by the remote control signal receiving unit. |
| US07904731B2 |
Integrated circuit that uses a dynamic characteristic of the circuit
An integrated circuit has a first component that has a dynamic characteristic that varies among like integrated circuits, for example, among integrated circuits fabricated using the same lithography mask. Operating the first component produces an output that is dependent on the dynamic characteristic of the first component. A digital value associated with the integrated circuit is generated using the output of the first component, and then the generated digital value is used in operation of the integrated circuit. |
| US07904729B2 |
Specifying a set of forbidden passwords
Various embodiments are described for providing password approval on a device. The password approval includes getting the user password, generating at least one symbolically equivalent password and then comparing the at least one symbolically equivalent password with at least one specified forbidden password. The user password is disapproved if one of the symbolically equivalent passwords corresponds to the at least one forbidden password. |
| US07904728B2 |
Consumable resource access control
A consumable resource access control unit includes a consumable resource and an authorization interface coupled to the consumable resource. The interface is configured to limit use of the resource. |
| US07904727B2 |
Method to control access between network endpoints based on trust scores calculated from information system component analysis
Signatures are generated for modules in a computer system. The signatures can be assembled into an integrity log. The signatures are compared with signatures in a database in an integrity validator. Once signatures are either validated or invalidated, a trust score can be generated. The trust score can then be used to determine whether the computer system should be granted access to a resource using a policy. |
| US07904722B2 |
Method for securely using digital signatures in a commercial cryptographic system
A system for securely using digital signatures in a commercial cryptographic system that allows industry-wide security policy and authorization information to be encoded into the signatures and certificates by employing attribute certificates to enforce policy and authorization requirements. Verification of policy and authorization requirements is enforced in the system by restricting access to public keys to users who have digitally signed and agreed to follow rules of the system. These rules can also ensure that payment is made for public and private key usage. Additionally, users can impose their own rules and policy requirements on transactions in the system. |
| US07904715B2 |
Method for authenticating dual-mode access terminals
A method is provided for operating a dual-mode access terminal such that a CAVE based authentication process may be used in both an IS-2000 and an HRPD mode of operation. Generally, the access terminal receives a CHAP challenge from an access network, and then derives a RAND challenge based on at least a portion of the CHAP challenge. The CAVE based authentication process is then performed using the RAND challenge to produce a SMEKEY and a PLCM. Thereafter a secret CHAP key is derived from the SMEKEY and PLCM and provided to the access network for purposes of authenticating the access terminal in the HRPD mode of operation. |
| US07904710B2 |
Method and system for providing a secure message transfer within a network system
Secure message transfer of at least one message from a sender to a receiver within a network system may be provided. For example, a message structure information regarding the at least one message may be computed on a sender-side and according to a pre-given scheme. The computed message structure information may be added as message account information into the at least one message to be sent. The message account information may be protected by a signature. The at least one message may be transferred through the network system to the receiver. On a receiver-side, the message account information may be validated after reception of the at least one message and according to the pre-given scheme. |
| US07904708B2 |
Remote management of UEFI BIOS settings and configuration
In an information handling system (IHS), remote management of basic input/output system (BIOS) settings and configuration includes maintaining a BIOS setting/configuration database, providing an application to communicate a BIOS setting/configuration from the database to a BIOS system, determining whether the BIOS setting/configuration communicated from the database to the BIOS system is a special BIOS configuration capsule packet, and validating BIOS setting/configuration. |
| US07904707B2 |
Systems and methods using cryptography to protect secure computing environments
Secure computation environments are protected from bogus or rogue load modules, executables and other data elements through use of digital signatures, seals and certificates issued by a verifying authority. A verifying authority—which may be a trusted independent third party—tests the load modules or other executables to verify that their corresponding specifications are accurate and complete, and then digitally signs the load module or other executable based on tamper resistance work factor classification. Secure computation environments with different tamper resistance work factors use different verification digital signature authentication techniques (e.g., different signature algorithms and/or signature verification keys)—allowing one tamper resistance work factor environment to protect itself against load modules from another, different tamper resistance work factor environment. Several dissimilar digital signature algorithms may be used to reduce vulnerability from algorithm compromise, and subsets of multiple digital signatures may be used to reduce the scope of any specific compromise. |
| US07904705B2 |
System and method for repairing a speculative global history record
A system and method are provided for updating a speculative global history prediction record in a microprocessor system using pipelined instruction processing. The method accepts microprocessor instructions with consecutive operations, including a conditional branch operation with an associated first branch address. A speculative global history record (SGHR) of conditional branch resolutions and predictions is accessed and hashed with the first branch address, creating a first hash result. The first hash result is used to index a branch history table (BHT) of previous first branch resolutions. As a result, a first branch prediction is made, and the SGHR is updated with the first branch prediction. A non-speculative global history record (NSGHR) of branch resolutions is updated with the resolution of the first branch operation, and if the first branch prediction is incorrect, the SGHR is corrected using the NSGHR. |
| US07904703B1 |
Method and apparatus for idling and waking threads by a multithread processor
A system, apparatus and method for idling and waking threads by a multithread processing device are described herein. Embodiments of the present invention provide a multithread processing device for idling and waking threads including a scheduler configured to determine a bandwidth request mode of a first instruction execution thread and allocate zero execution cycles of an instruction execution period to the first instruction execution thread if the bandwidth request mode is an idle mode. In various embodiments, the multithread processing device may be configured to wake the first instruction thread by allocating one or more execution cycles to the first instruction execution thread if the bandwidth request mode is modified to a wake mode. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US07904699B2 |
Processing unit incorporating instruction-based persistent vector multiplexer control
Persistent vector multiplexer control is used in a vector-based execution unit to control the shuffling of words in operand vectors processed by the execution unit. In addition, a persistent swizzle instruction is defined in an instruction set for the vector-based execution unit and is used to cause state information to be persisted such that the operand vectors processed by subsequent vector instructions executed by the vector-based execution unit will be selectively shuffled using the persisted state information. As a result, when multiple vector instructions require a common custom word ordering for one or more operand vectors, a single persistent swizzle instruction may be used to select the desired custom word ordering for all of the vector instructions. |
| US07904697B2 |
Load register instruction short circuiting method
An apparatus and method for executing a Load Register instruction in which the source data of the Load Register instruction is retained in its original physical register while the architected target register is mapped to this same physical target register. In this state the two architected registers alias to one physical register. When the source register of the Load Address instruction is specified as the target address of a subsequent instruction, a free physical register is assigned to the Load Registers source register. And with this assignment the alias is thus broken. Similarly when the target register of the Load Address instruction is the target address of a subsequent instruction, a new physical register is assigned to the Load Registers target address. And with this assignment the alias is thus broken. |
| US07904689B1 |
Just in time storage allocation analysis systems and methods
A method for storage allocation analysis is provided. Storage usage is measured for a file system to determine a burn rate. A date is calculated when the storage usage is projected to exceed allocated storage for the file system based on the burn rate. Whether the calculated date is less than an allocation period from the current date is determined. An amount of additional storage is requested in response to determining that the calculated date is less than the allocation period from the current date. The amount of additional storage is based on projecting the burn rate for at least one storage procurement cycle. |
| US07904686B2 |
Data security for use with a file system
An embodiment of the invention provides an apparatus and method for providing data security for use with a file system. The apparatus and method performs acts including: applying a mapping function to data block numbers that are associated with a file; and obtaining mapped data block numbers after applying the mapping function, wherein the mapped data block numbers are addresses of data of the file in a storage device. |
| US07904683B2 |
Storage system
Provided is a storage system enabling the addition of a storage apparatus without going offline. When a first storage apparatus receives from a host system a command for writing first data in any one of the primary volumes in a primary volume group, it writes the first data in the relevant primary volume and sends to a second storage apparatus a first command for writing the first data in a secondary volume specified using first mapping information. When the second storage apparatus receives from the host system a command for writing second data in any one of the secondary volume groups in a secondary volume group, it writes the second data in the relevant secondary volume and sends to the first storage apparatus a second command for writing the second data in a primary volume specified using second mapping information. |
| US07904679B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing backup data
A method and apparatus for managing backup data is disclosed. A data backup system defines a plurality of time windows for creating and maintaining backup data in accordance with a data backup policy. Each of the time windows is assigned a predetermined amount of storage space. When the data backup system creates backup data, the system determines whether a storage space assigned to a time window is large enough to accommodate new backup data. If the storage space is large enough, the new backup data is stored. However, if the storage space is not large enough, the system deletes the oldest backup data until enough storage space is obtained. |
| US07904676B2 |
Method and system for achieving varying manners of memory access
A method and system for operating a computer system are disclosed. In at least some embodiments, the present invention relates to a method of operating a computer system that includes operating a first cell of the system in accordance with a first memory access configuration, and migrating a first attribute of a first core of the first cell to a second cell of the system. The method additionally includes configuring a portion of the first cell so that the first cell is capable of operating in accordance with a second memory access configuration, and migrating at least one of the first attribute and a second attribute from the second cell back to the first core of the first cell, whereby subsequently the first cell operates in the second mode of operation. In at least some embodiments, the first and second configurations are direct and agent access memory configurations, or vice-versa. |
| US07904675B2 |
Cache memory, system, and method of storing data
A cache memory has a set associative scheme and includes a plurality of ways made up of entries, each entry holding data and a tag; a first holding unit holds, for each way, a priority attribute that indicates a type of data to be preferentially stored in that way; a second holding unit, included in a first way among the ways, holds, for each entry of the first way, a data attribute that indicates a type of data held in that entry; and a control unit replaces control on the entries by prioritizing a way whose priority attribute held by the first holding unit matches a data attribute outputted from a processor, wherein the control unit is further operable to store data into the entry of the way other than the first way. |
| US07904674B2 |
Method for controlling semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of independently accessible memory cores. Each memory core includes at least one flag cell storing a flag value and a plurality of data cells storing data. An access control circuit included in the semiconductor memory device selects an access-control subject memory core from the memory cores based on the flag value of the at least one flag cell of each memory core. |
| US07904671B2 |
Method regarding a memory device for a programmable logic controller (PLC)
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a method for utilizing a memory cartridge connected to a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). The memory cartridge can comprise a plurality of memory segments. The method can comprise a plurality of activities comprising: providing a default identifying stamp for records in a data log file, a structure for the data log file stored separately from the data log file in the memory cartridge, and obtaining a request to provide the data log file. |
| US07904670B2 |
Methods for conversion of update blocks based on comparison with a threshold size
A method for operating a memory system is provided. In this method, a write command is received to write data following a previous write command. The write command and the previous write command have a discontinuity in logical addresses and the discontinuity in logical addresses defines a gap between a logical address of the write command and a logical address of the previous write command. Here, a sequential update block and preexisting data associated with the sequential update block are provided. The gap is compared with a threshold size and the data are written to the sequential update block if the gap is less than the threshold size. |
| US07904665B2 |
Multiprocessor system and its operational method
The multiprocessor system includes multiple cells having identical functions, and each of the multiple cells has a processor, a cache memory, and a main memory. The multiple cells include the first cell as a request cell, the second cell as a home cell, and the third cell as an owner cell. The latest version of the target data stored in the main memory of the second cell is stored in the cache memory of the third cell. When the first cell issues a read request for the target data to the second cell, the second cell issues a snoop request to the third cell in response to the read request. The third cell directly transmits the target data to the first cell in response to the snoop request. Also, the third cell issues the reply write back to the second cell in response to the snoop request. The first cell issues a request write back to the same address as that of the target data in the second cell. The second cell discards the reply write back when the reply write back from the third cell is received later than the request write back from the first cell. |
| US07904659B2 |
Power conservation via DRAM access reduction
Power conservation via DRAM access reduction is provided by a buffer/mini-cache selectively operable in a normal mode and a buffer mode. In the buffer mode, entered when CPUs begin operating in low-power states, non-cacheable accesses (such as generated by a DMA device) matching specified physical address ranges are processed by the buffer/mini-cache, instead of by a memory controller and DRAM. The buffer/mini-cache processing includes allocating lines when references miss, and returning cached data from the buffer/mini-cache when references hit. Lines are replaced in the buffer/mini-cache according to one of a plurality of replacement policies, including ceasing replacement when there are no available free lines. In the normal mode, entered when CPUs begin operating in high-power states, the buffer/mini-cache operates akin to a conventional cache and non-cacheable accesses are not processed therein. In one usage scenario, data retained in the buffer/mini-cache is graphics refresh data maintained in a compressed format. |
| US07904653B2 |
Disk order examination system for dual-controller redundant storage system and method thereof
A disk order examining system for a dual-controller redundant storage device and method thereof, implementing in a dual-controller redundant device with a master controller and a slave controller. Examining if the linkage orders of the disks to the master controller are the same as those of the slave controller by sequentially writing random values into each disk of a disk concatenation, and then reading out to discriminate their sequence. |
| US07904647B2 |
System for optimizing the performance and reliability of a storage controller cache offload circuit
A method for offloading a cache memory is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) reading all of a plurality of cache lines from the cache memory in response to an assertion of a signal to offload of the cache memory, (B) generating a plurality of blocks by dividing the cache lines in accordance with a RAID configuration and (C) writing the blocks among a plurality of nonvolatile memories in the RAID configuration, wherein each of the nonvolatile memories has a write bandwidth less than a read bandwidth of the cache memory. |
| US07904643B1 |
Range code compression method and apparatus for ternary content addressable memory (CAM) devices
A content addressable memory (CAM) device, method, and method of generating entries for range matching are disclosed. A CAM device (800) according to one embodiment can include a pre-encoder (806) that encodes range bit values W into additional bits E. Additional bits E can indicate compression of range rules according to particular bit pairs. A CAM array (802) can include entries that store compressed range code values (RANGE) with corresponding additional bit values (ENC). Alternate embodiments can include pre-encoders that encode portions of range values (K1 to Ki) in a “one-hot” fashion. Corresponding CAM entries can include encoded value having sections that each represent increasingly finer divisions of a range space. |
| US07904635B2 |
Power cut data recovery and data management method for flash media
The present invention provides a method of data management for a flash memory medium, characterized in that the status flag of the memory block of said flash memory medium is set as an unfinished state during operating the memory block; after finishing the manipulation, the status flag is set from the unfinished to a finished state. This method ensures that the original data in the flash memory medium will not be lost even if the false power cut occurs when writing the data into the flash memory medium. The present invention also provides a method of writing and a method of recovering the data in the flash memory medium using the above-mentioned data management method. |
| US07904633B2 |
Switch providing external access to computer-system components and computer-system peripherals
Embodiments of the present invention include a switch component, incorporated within a computer system, that receives switch commands from users and that controls internal switches to direct output to, and receive input from, either components of the computer system or one or more external-access ports. The switch component allows one or more external computers to access internal components of, or external peripherals attached to, a computer system that includes the switch component. |
| US07904631B2 |
Protocol independent bridge
A wireless bridge includes a first universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) for coupling to a serial bus that receives data packets. A protocol independent module has a timer set to a desired time to detect a start and/or an end of a data packet received from the serial bus. A wireless transceiver is coupled to the universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter for sending and receiving data packets. |
| US07904629B2 |
Virtualized bus device
A virtualization of the internal interconnection bus, which results in a virtualized switch or virtualized multi-ported bridge. In the case of a PCI Express switch, one embodiment includes virtualization of the undefined interconnection bus. In the case of a Multi-ported bridge, one embodiment includes virtualization of the internal PCI/PCI-X bus. Through virtualization of the internal interconnection bus, the integrated circuit topology (the physical bridges and ports) may advantageously be spatially separated and remotely distributed far a field from the host computer, yet appear to the host system and host system software as single physical device (i.e. a normal PCIe switch or a normal multi-ported bridge). |
| US07904623B2 |
Ethernet controller
An Ethernet controller semiconductor chip has a system control unit, a media access control layer coupled with the system control unit, a physical layer coupled with the media access control layer, wherein the physical layer comprises a receiving port and a transmitting port, a switch control unit for providing a control signal for auto media device interface switching, and a plurality of external pins, wherein four pins are coupled with the receiving and transmitting port of the physical layer and one pin is coupled with the switch control unit for providing external access to the control signal for auto media device interface switching. |
| US07904622B2 |
Device for wireless transmission of digital information
Disclosed is to a USB device for receiving data from other data transmitting devices. The inventive USB device comprises a printed circuit board having a microprocessor and memory, a USB controller connected to the microprocessor, a USB connector connected to the printed circuit board, and wireless receiving means connected to the printer circuit board for receiving external data to be stored in the memory. The data stored in the memory include, but are not limited to, unique identifiers from external devices. The inventive USB device may further comprise means for transmitting data from the device to external devices. The inventive USB has a power source to provide power for it to work for an extended period of time. The above inventive USB device may further provide means for a user to initiate the device to transmit the ID to other receiving devices within the proximity. |
| US07904617B2 |
Indicating data buffer by last bit flag
A method and structure for determining when a frame of information comprised of one or more buffers of data being transmitted in a network processor has completed transmission is provided. The network processor includes several control blocks, one for each data buffer, each containing control information linking one buffer to another. Each control block has a last bit feature which is a single bit settable to “one” or “zero” and indicates when the data buffer having the last bit is transmitted. The last bit is in a first position when an additional data buffer is to be chained to a previous data buffer indicating an additional data buffer is to be transmitted and a second position when no additional data buffer is to be chained to a previous data buffer. The position of the last bit is communicated to the network processor indicating the ending of a particular frame. |
| US07904614B1 |
Direct memory access controller with multiple transaction functionality
A direct memory access controller is set forth. The direct memory access controller includes first and second registers storing various values that are used to set the parameters of DMA transfers that take place during a single data transaction. The first register stores a start address location value used to define a start address at which direct memory access transfers for the transaction are to begin. The second register stores a value used to end data transfers of the data transaction. The DMA controller also includes transfer control circuitry for executing the data transaction. The transfer control circuitry is adapted to automatically execute multiple, consecutive data transactions using the values stored in the first and second registers. |
| US07904611B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and control method for the same
According to one embodiment, a wireless communication apparatus includes a receptacle, a power supply controller and a control module. The receptacle is adapted to receive an audio and visual (AV) signal in which a video signal and an audio signal are superimposed on each other, and various commands for operation control. These various commands may be defined in a HDMI-CEC standard. The power supply controller is configured to supply drive power to the wireless communication module. The control module is configured to control the power supply controller, to acquire setting information showing whether the electronic equipment is set to be activated in response to an activation command. The setting information is acquired based on expansion commands, which are vendor specific commands, transmitted and received through the receptacle. |
| US07904609B2 |
Device and file transfer system
A device is connectable to a computer and recognized by the computer as a USB multi function device capable of functioning as a USB storage device and an additional device. The device includes a mode switching section configured to switch the device to one of a first mode and a second mode in which an access from the computer to a USB storage device is permitted and prohibited, respectively. When the device is in the first mode, the device accesses the physical storage area of the data storage section. When the device is in the second mode, the device transmits a pseudo response to the computer. The pseudo response indicates that no storage medium is mounted to the data storage section. When a particular data string different from the standard data string is received, the device accesses a file through a file system provided in the device. |
| US07904605B2 |
Computer command and response for determining the state of an I/O operation
A computer program product, apparatus, and method are provided for determining a state of an input/output (I/O) operation in an I/O processing system. A request from a channel subsystem is received at a control unit for performing the I/O operation. After a predetermined amount of time passes without the I/O operation completing, an interrogation request is received from the channel subsystem at the control unit for determining the state of the I/O operation. A response is sent from the control unit to the channel subsystem indicating the state of the I/O operation in response to the interrogation request. The response also includes information regarding a state of an I/O device executing the I/O operation and information indicating a state of the control unit controlling the I/O device executing the I/O operation. |
| US07904604B2 |
Expedited and low power command sequence servicing
Method and apparatus for servicing commands such as the type issued by a host device to load an operating system from an associated data storage device. A controller is adapted to, upon receipt of a selected command sequence comprising a first command followed by a second command, determine an elapsed time interval between the first and second commands. The controller further uses the elapsed time interval to subsequently service the first and second commands during a subsequent receipt of the selected command sequence. Preferably, a command history table is generated to list the commands in the command sequence and the associated time intervals, and to use the time intervals to predict when the next command will occur. Readback data are pre-fetched to a buffer to expedite servicing of the commands, and the controller selectively enters one or more reduced power modes between successive commands to reduce power consumption levels. |
| US07904603B2 |
Adaptable datapath for a digital processing system
The present invention includes an adaptable high-performance node (RXN) with several features that enable it to provide high performance along with adaptability. A preferred embodiment of the RXN includes a run-time configurable data path and control path. The RXN supports multi-precision arithmetic including 8, 16, 24, and 32 bit codes. Data flow can be reconfigured to minimize register accesses for different operations. For example, multiply-accumulate operations can be performed with minimal, or no, register stores by reconfiguration of the data path. Predetermined kernels can be configured during a setup phase so that the RXN can efficiently execute, e.g., Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT), Fast-Fourier Transform (FFT) and other operations. Other features are provided. |
| US07904589B2 |
Intelligent computer network routing using logically centralized, physically distributed servers distinct from network routers
A route control architecture allows a network operator to flexibly control routing between the traffic ingresses and egresses in a computer network, without modifying existing routers. An intelligent route service control point (IRSCP) replaces distributed BGP decision processes of conventional network routers with a route computation that is flexible and logically centralized but physically distributed. One embodiment supplements the traditional BGP decision process with a ranking decision process that allows route-control applications to explicitly rank traffic egresses on a per-destination, per-router basis. A straightforward set of correctness requirements prevents routing anomalies in implementations that are scalable and fault-tolerant. |
| US07904588B2 |
Method and system for creating an overlay structure for management information bases
A method, a system, and an apparatus are provided for organizing management information bases (MIB) in a network. A table, associated with an overlay MIB structure, is populated with entries. Each entry defines an object identifier (OID) of a mount point and an OID of a mount target. A selection is made between the existing OIDs and OIDs corresponding to a MIB overlay. When management communication refers to managed objects, they can be referred to in terms of OIDs defined by the MIB overlay, as an alternative to their existing OIDs. An agent infrastructure is defined to support the MIB overlay structure. |
| US07904586B1 |
Traffic engineering method with tunable inter-domain egress selection
A flexible mechanism for routers to select the egress point for each destination prefix, herein referred to as tunable inter-domain egress (TIE) selection, comprises the step of ranking possible points of egress according to a metric, allowing network administrators to satisfy diverse goals, such as traffic engineering and robustness to equipment failures. A weighting function is discussed whereby known hot potato routing can be weighted against a fixed ranking scheme. TIE has been applied to data of two different autonomous systems posing different problems solved using integer-programming and multi-commodity flow techniques, respectively, to tune the TIE according to the weighting function to satisfy network-wide objectives. Experiments with traffic, topology and routing data from two different backbone networks demonstrate that TIE is both simple (for the routers) and expressive (for the network administrators) and can be practically applied in traffic engineering. |
| US07904585B1 |
Predictive browser and protocol package
The present invention provides transparent proxies for random access channels. Client proxies and server proxies are provided at opposite ends of random access channels. The Predictive Browser (PB) of the present invention replicates many of the client browser functions at the Server Proxy in order to predict and encode the client traffic flowing in an ALOHA channel to the server. The replication moves the browser function away from the user into the Server Proxy on the other side of the random access channel. Several methods have been developed to reduce ALOHA channel HTTP traffic. These methods are Proxy Recursion and Page Caching, Request Tokenizing, Predictive Tokenizing and Request Compression. These methods, collectively integrated into the invention, reduce the amount of data required to be sent across the ALOHA channel. |
| US07904584B2 |
Source identifier-based trunking for systems of network devices
A method of handling frames in a network device is disclosed. The steps include receiving a frame by a network device of an assembly of network devices, with the assembly of devices divided into a first side and a second side and the network device being on the first side, examining the received frame to determine whether the frame is destined for a member of a specific trunking group, determining whether a destination device identifier for the frame corresponds to one of the network devices on the second side and forwarding the frame to a destination port based on the specific trunk group membership and the destination device identifier. |
| US07904582B2 |
Network relay apparatus
A network relay apparatus which conducts data transfer by using a plurality of network LSIs includes a transfer engine unit having at least two network LSIs and a central control unit which controls the operation state of the network relay apparatus. The transfer engine unit includes the network LSIs capable of changing over at least one of a clock and an operation which differ every function block, a load judgment unit for judging a load laid upon each of function blocks in the network LSI, and a frequency voltage control unit for individually changing over at least one of the clock and operation voltage supplied to each function block on the basis of the load judged by the load judgment unit. |
| US07904581B2 |
Fast channel change with conditional return to multicasting
In a digital video network that is capable of distributing digital video content to a client via multicasting and unicasting, servicing a channel change request from a client involves switching from providing the digital video content to the client via multicasting to providing the digital video content to the client via unicasting and continuing to provide digital video content to the client via unicasting until a pre-established condition is met. Continuing to provide digital video content to the client via unicasting until a pre-established condition is met allows the network to opportunistically switch the client from unicasting back to multicasting. |
| US07904579B2 |
System and method for using a webpad to control a data stream
A system and method for using a webpad to select a target device which is to receive from a source device a stream of digital media. The webpad is used to send a transmission to the source device to cause the source device to route the stream of digital media to the target device. |
| US07904578B1 |
Bandwidth and topology management device for home networks
Systems, methods, and equipment for use in the management of network topology and bandwidth for computing networks are provided. In an illustrative implementation of a device acting as a patch panel is provided. The patch panel works on both the physical wire and on the frequencies of the wire to route data to appropriate destination points. For example, both ADSL and telephony could be bridged among copper wires, using several independent busses. Home Phone Network Alliance Association (HPNA) standardized data could either be bridged among wires, or connected to an internal switching device, that would store and forward the native Ethernet packets used by HomePNA in a way similar to that done by Ethernet switches today. Additionally, an Ethernet uplink could attach the HPNA ports to a larger network or to a DSL Modem, and HPNA/ADSL could be removed from wires that might have privacy concerns or otherwise need filters to perform properly. |
| US07904577B2 |
Data transmission protocol and visual display for a networked computer system
An on-line multi-player virtual reality game is provided. The multi-player game system is capable of handling many simultaneous players connected to a computer system using personal computers or other gaming consoles via the Internet or other telecommunications network. A unique retransmission transport protocol is used for transmitting and retransmitting data of the multi-player game. A visual display is also provided having a network transmission status display bar. |
| US07904574B1 |
Managing locally stored web-based database data
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for locally storing Web-based database data in a local relational database at a computer system and for managing and modifying the web-based database data from a web server. Embodiments of the present invention permit Web-based database data to be locally stored at a computer system to increase the efficiency of rendering the Web-based database data within a Web browser at the computer system. Web-based database data can be sandboxed per domain to mitigate (and possibly eliminate) the exposure of the Web-based database data to malicious computer systems. The local relational database may be managed and modified by a statement processor according to database statements generated by a statement generator on a web server. |
| US07904573B1 |
Temporal access control for computer virus prevention
An access control system (200) enables a computer network (1) to prevent execution of computer code that may contain computer viruses. An access control console (201) generates an access control message (260) including control parameters such as a time limit (255). Said time limit (255) is disseminated to computers (2, 3) on the network (1). Said computers (2, 3) use the time limit (255) to determine the executability of computer code. Access control system (200) also enables blocking data communications with suspicious or susceptible programs in network (1) during virus outbreaks. |
| US07904571B1 |
Method and apparatus for generating a set of aggregates
A method and apparatus for generating at least one aggregate (e.g., a set of aggregates) for a given area of a network such that the number of aggregates is minimized subject to a maximum acceptable path selection error are disclosed. One operational benefit of the present method is that network administrators can select aggregates for an area based solely on the topology of the area without worrying about remaining areas of the OSPF network. Another benefit is that the present method enables trade-offs between the number of aggregates and the bound on the path selection error. |
| US07904570B1 |
Configurable file placement
In publishing to a Web server, a set of placement rules are entered by a user. These placement rules set a location on the Web server for storing the various files supporting a request to publish to the Web server. Type identifiers, such as file extensions, Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) types, and the like, are used in the rules to assign certain types of files to the desired locations. When a developer or designer requests to publish to the Web server, all of the files supporting this publication request are read to determine their file type identifiers. Using the type identifiers, a location is assigned to each of the files that corresponds to the location assigned in the placement rules. |
| US07904568B2 |
Systems and methods for managing the distribution of electronic content
The present invention provides systems and methods for transferring electronic information from one location to another such that only one original work exists at a given time. The methods and systems of the present invention allow distribution of originals without requiring a registration authority or other entity to vouch for what constitutes an “original” piece of information, thus reducing (or eliminating entirely) the need to centrally record changes in ownership each time originals change hands. |
| US07904567B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program product for integrating heterogeneous systems
Disclosed are a method, computer program product and apparatus for integrating resource and coordinator components in a heterogeneous computer system. The technique disclosed involves the introduction of a negotiation phase into the resource enlistment or registration process wherein the resource component and coordinator component request and respond with indicators showing the quality of service that each supports, thus jointly establishing at runtime a quality of service to be supported for the resource and coordinator pairing. The qualities of service may include commit phase support and recovery support. |
| US07904563B2 |
Establishing and utilizing terminal server dynamic virtual channels
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for establishing and utilizing terminal server dynamic virtual channels. In some embodiments, a terminal server sends a new channel request to a terminal server. The client receives the new channel request and forwards the new channel request to a listener for a plug-in. The listener creates an instance of the client side plug-in and sends a channel accept to the terminal server. The terminal server receives the channel accept and creates an instance of a server side plug-in. The server and the client agree to use a unique identifier for identifying the established dynamic virtual channel. In other embodiments, data for a dynamic virtual channel is tunneled between computers over a static virtual channel. |
| US07904561B2 |
Brokering mobile web services
The invention provides a novel mobile web services discovery method that is capable of fulfilling the requirements from both the clients and providers. It allows the provider to balance the cost to performance ratios and utilize the network bandwidth more effectively, while also attaining the quality levels expected by the client. |
| US07904559B2 |
HTTP-based publish-subscribe service
Resources are retrieved asynchronous through the use of resource requests to a feed server. When the feed server returns an initial requested resource, a URI for a next resource is sent to the requesting subscriber. The URI for the next resource was pre-generated by the feed server before the next resource was created, thus allowing the subscriber to have a pending asynchronous resource request at the feed server. This resource request persists on the feed server until the new resource becomes available. |
| US07904557B1 |
Granting access to a content unit stored on an object addressable storage system
Aspects of the invention relate to sharing content stored on an object addressable storage (OAS) system among a plurality of users of the OAS system and authenticating users to an OAS system. In some embodiments, a user may store content units on the OAS system and control access by other users to these content units. In some embodiments, when a user grants one or more other users access to a content unit stored on the OAS system, the OAS system may send a notification of grant of access to the other user(s). |
| US07904555B2 |
Systems and methods for flow signature formation and use
An embodiment of a method for use in performing interoperability testing between two network architectures includes forming multiple transaction signatures that each characterizes a communication transaction conducted over the two networks and analyzing each of the transaction signatures to determine if the transaction signature matches a previously classified pattern. The method may further include generating a report identifying each of the communication transactions and indicating that each of the communication transactions is classified with a classification associated with a previously classified pattern or are of unknown classification. Another method includes receiving a transaction signature composed of multiple transaction elements, and determining whether the received transaction signature corresponds to a previously identified transaction signature pattern. If the transaction signature does not correspond to a previously identified transaction signature pattern, a new transaction signature pattern is created, and classified as one of a plurality of classifications indicative of completion or failure of the communication transaction. |
| US07904553B1 |
Translating network data into customer availability
A system is provided for translating network data into customer availability. The system includes a processor, a user interface, and a database manager. The database manager, when executed by the processor, parses router configurations to determine port data for each port on each router in a network, and integrates the port data with customer data to create an integrated database. The database manager also determines a planned port availability for the customer based on the integrated database and port state data, and determines port outages based on port outage data, card outage data, and router outage data. Additionally, the database manager determines an actual port availability for a customer based on the integrated database and concurrent outages identified for the port outages, and outputs a customer availability to the user interface, wherein the customer availability is based on the actual port availability and the planned port availability. |
| US07904551B2 |
Unicast clustering messaging
A system for clustering messaging in application server specific environment can comprise group leader application server nodes that are inter-connected to each other directly and with group member application server nodes. A group can include at least one group leader application server node and at least one group member server nodes. The group member application server nodes can send and receive messages through associated group leader application server nodes. |
| US07904547B2 |
Method, system, and program product for optimizing monitoring and discovery services for a grid computing environment
Under the present invention, a stability and updateability (SUP) ratio for a grid computing environment is generated. Thereafter, a size of a set (e.g., at least one) of scale free graphs for the grid computing environment is estimated. Then, based on at least one predetermined parameter such as a quantity of nodes in the grid computing environment, the set of scale free graphs is actually generated. Based on the set of scale free graphs a set of perturbed scale free graphs is generated. In one example, this may be accomplished using a preferential rewiring technique. This process is repeated for each of the monitoring and discovery services, which will yield at least two sets of perturbed scale free graphs. Using these sets of graphs, a set of monitoring and discovery service (MDS) topology graphs for the grid computing environment will be generated and deployed for optimization. |
| US07904542B1 |
Probe device for testing broadband wireless system
A probe device tests a broadband wireless system. The probe device receives an instruction to execute a plurality of tests. The probe device then executes the plurality of tests to measure performance of the broadband wireless communication system based on the instruction. The probe device determines performance information from the plurality of tests. The probe device stores the performance information in a memory of the probe device. |
| US07904528B2 |
Apparatus and associated method for downloading an application with a variable lifetime to a mobile terminal
Apparatus, and associated method, provides for downloading an application with a selectable lifetime from an application database to a mobile terminal. The mobile terminal user's identification information and the selected lifetime for the application are stored in an application-license database. When the user seeks to download the same application on a subsequent occasion the user is able to download that application for a reduced fee if lifetime remains from when the application was first downloaded. In addition, the application may be configured to delete or uninstall itself from the mobile terminal when the selected lifetime for the application expires. |
| US07904527B2 |
System and method for remote servicing of embedded devices
A service system permits remote personnel to service a local embedded device. In an exemplary application, the device being diagnosed communicates with a local computer system that interfaces to a remote computer system via, for example, the Internet. A service program may be downloaded to the local computer system that enables diagnostic interaction with the device by the remote computer system. In some instances, the device is automatically queried for model number and/or other identifying information such that the service program is matched to the particular device being diagnosed. In other embodiments, a local user might, for example, visit a designated Web page, enter identifying information, and the appropriate diagnostic program, such as a JAVA applet, downloads to the local system. The downloaded applet may be used by the remote computer system to, for example, query the device, control its operation, re-program it, receive real-time operational data, etc. |
| US07904523B2 |
Intelligent delayed broadcast method and apparatus
A method, system, and article of manufacture that improves the chance of getting an answer to a broadcast chat by sending the messages in subscribers in periodically delayed groups. If a group of subscribers does not produce enough suitable answers, the present invention will then rebroadcast the inquiry to another group of subscribers. This process will continue until enough suitable answers are received. |
| US07904522B2 |
Method, system, and storage medium for providing search and reference functions for a messaging system
An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method, system, and storage medium for providing search and reference functions for a messaging system. The method comprises receiving a request to search a data archive for reference information relating to at least one keyword selected by a messaging system user while the messaging system user is actively engaged in composing a message or a response to a message. The keyword is selected from the body of text contained in the message. The method further includes searching the data archive and, if a reference is found, presenting the reference to the messaging system user within the message. The data archive includes information gathered from the messaging system user's message folder and at least one of a local data storage system, and a shared online repository. Embodiments of the invention also include a system and a storage medium. |
| US07904520B2 |
First party advertisement serving
Adservers with the ability to access advertiser cookies and vice versa when both are serving from the advertiser's domain are provided, thereby avoiding the overhead and delay in backend cookie synchronization efforts. Further, advertising cookie data can be gathered regardless of whether a user is browsing a publisher's web site with an advertisement served by an adserver, or browsing the advertiser's web site, because the cookies were previously set when the user visited the advertiser's web site in the context of a first-party cookie. Even if the user has configured his or her browser to limit the setting of third-party cookies, the cookies can still be read by the adserver. By making cookie and advertising data immediately available in real time to both the advertiser and the adserver, the solution also provides for instantaneous and accurate targeting of web advertising to allow an educated ad selection process by either party. |
| US07904518B2 |
Apparatus and method for analyzing and filtering email and for providing web related services
The inventive methodology provides an integrated plug and play solution designed to protect home networks against spam, phishing emails, viruses, spyware as well as other similar threats. The described content filtering appliance can be used for processing of web and email traffic implemented and can be deployed as a stand-alone appliance. In one implementation, the content processing appliance utilizes backend content filtering provided by a remote scanning service accessed via a network. The system employs network level analysis and translation of content and executes various procedures to handle the network traffic. In an embodiment of the invention, the appliance is provided with an automatic remote updating capability, wherein the software and data used by the appliance can be updated remotely via a network. Finally, the appliance may also implement parental controls. |
| US07904517B2 |
Challenge response systems
Disclosed are systems and methods that facilitate securing communication channels used in a challenge-response system to mitigate spammer intrusion or deception. The systems and methods make use of unique IDs that can be added to outbound messages originating from a sender, a recipient, and a third-party server. The IDs can be correlated according to the relevant parties. Thus, for example, a sender can add a signed ID to an outgoing message. A challenge sent back to the sender for that particular message can echo the same ID or a new ID derived from the original ID to allow a sender to verify that the challenge corresponds to an actual message. The IDs can include cookies as well to facilitate correlation of messages and to facilitate the retrieval of messages once a sender is determined to be legitimate. |
| US07904516B2 |
Voice attachment to an email using a wireless communication device
The present invention is directed to a multimedia electronic (mail) system and method for sending a voice message to an email recipient. The multimedia mail system includes a wireless communications network, at least one wireless communication device, an interactive voice response server for converting the voice message to a digitally stored audio file, and an email server for sending the audio file to the email recipient. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of communicatively connecting to a first server over the wireless communications network, selecting an option to send the audio file to the email recipient, communicatively connecting to a second server over the wireless communications network, recording the audio file on the second server, and sending the audio file to the email recipient. |
| US07904514B2 |
Online graphical message service
A system and method for achieving an electronic information service (also called an online graphical message service) hosted by a computer system (e.g., a server) connected to a network. Remote users can write information into and read information from the information service over the network. In response to a request from a first user, the service may create a first information object that comprises a virtual whiteboard. The virtual whiteboard may include information written by the remote users. Then, the service may transmit the first information object via the network to the first user. Later, the service may receive a second information object from the first user corresponding to part of the virtual whiteboard. The second information object may include modifications the first user made to the virtual whiteboard. The service may then update the virtual whiteboard utilizing the received second information object. |
| US07904512B2 |
Methods and systems for computer based collaboration
An exemplary method for computer based collaboration between a plurality of participants communicating over a data network comprises steps of receiving communications data with the computer, using a text analysis tool to identify at least a plurality of k-words from the communications data and a plurality of relations linking at least a portion of the plurality of k-words, and displaying the k-words and relations to the plurality of participants over the computer network. |
| US07904507B2 |
Determination of extent of congruity between observation of authoring user and observation of receiving user
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: acquiring a result of an observation of an authoring user; acquiring a result of an observation of a receiving user; comparing the result of the observation of the authoring user with the result of the observation of the receiving user; and presenting data indicative of an extent of congruity between the result of the observation of the authoring user and the result of the observation of the receiving user based at least in part on said comparing. In addition to the foregoing, other related method/system aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure. |
| US07904504B2 |
Policy enforcement and access control for distributed networked services
Apparatus for controlling cross-organizational access by end users associated with a plurality of organizations to one or more distributed object services available via a resource server across an information technology communications network. The apparatus comprises at least one Requesting Organization (RO) having access to services via the resource server, the Requesting Organization being adapted to issue enrollments to one or more end users upon request and electronically transmitting the enrollments to the respective end users. The apparatus further comprises at least one Servicing Organization (SO) communicating with the Requesting Organization and defining the credentials required for access to a service via the resource server by end users associated with each of the organizations. A Clearance Service (CS) is provided in which is stored one or more mappings of enrollments to credentials, the end user being adapted to transmit to the resource server a request for access to a resource together with data relating to their respective enrollment, in response to receipt of which request, the Requesting Organization is adapted to transmit the data relating to the enrollment to the Clearance Service which is adapted to map the enrollment to one or more respective credentials and return data representative of the credentials to the resource server which in turn is adapted to compare the data representative of the credentials to the original resource request and to comply (or otherwise) with the request. The Requesting Organization the resource server and the Clearance Service are all implemented as web or e-services. |
| US07904503B2 |
Method of enhancing rendering of content item, client system and server system
A client system (200, 220) receives a content item. The user can mark the received content item as being of interest. In response to said marking, tracking means (204, 224) automatically provide identifying data for the marked content item to a remote server system (250). The server receives a portion of the content item from a client system (200, 220), processes the received portion to obtain an identifier for the content item, obtains further information on the content item using the identifier, and transmits the further information back to the client system (200, 220). The tracking means (204, 224) subsequently receive further information on the content item from the remote server system (250). An identifier for the content item can be used in an e-commerce system (160), for example by putting it on a shopping list (161) or to obtain a list of related items. |
| US07904499B2 |
Methods and apparatus for carry generation in a binary look ahead system
Methods and apparatus provide for a carry generation tree for a carry look-ahead binary adder, which includes N stages of operators, reducers, and/or repeaters, wherein: a first of the stages receives binary outputs from a series of binary adders; a last of the stages produces a carry out signal representing the carry state of the series of binary adders; and any operator in a given stage does not receive signals from more than one operator in a preceding stage. |
| US07904492B2 |
Method and apparatus for concurrent read-only access to filesystem
A storage server obtains metadata to describe a filesystem, then processes the metadata to locate a data block and reads the data block from a remote storage subsystem. Apparatus and software implementing embodiments of the invention are also described and claimed. |
| US07904488B2 |
Time stamp methods for unified plant model
A system that facilitates generation of a unique identifier comprises a random number generator. A unique identifier creator receives a number generated by the random number generator and object instance data associated with an object. The unique identifier creator utilizes the object instance data and the random number to generate a unique identifier for an object associated with the object instance data. |
| US07904487B2 |
Translating data access requests
A system is disclosed for translating access requests between a format suitable for a relational database and a different format used by an application. When the system receives a data access request from the application, the system accesses a mapping catalog and translates the request based on the mapping catalog. The translated request is then provided to the relational database. |
| US07904483B2 |
System and method for presenting geo-located objects
A system and method for presenting digital information is described. The system comprises a local client, a plurality of geo-located objects (GLOBs), a GLOB Data Sheet, a grouping of GLOBS, and a display device are described. The local client is configured to collect a plurality of objects, in which each object is composed of digital information. Each of the geo-located objects (GLOBs) comprises a location component that is associated with each object. One GLOB Data Sheet (GDS) is associated with each GLOB and each GDS is configured as a data structure that comprises one or more auxiliary data fields that are searchable and store auxiliary information associated with each GLOB. The grouping of GLOBs is organized as a function of time and location information that is gathered from each GDS. The display device is configured to present the organized grouping of GLOBs. The display device is also configured to receive at least one computer instruction that allows additional information that is extracted from the associated GDS to be presented on the display device. |
| US07904481B1 |
Workforce management system
A system and method for collecting work volume data where a work process is modeled into work queues. A link is created between one of the modeled work queues and an implied work queue. Upon the receipt of a first work event, information is updated that is associated with the first work queue. Based upon the receipt of the fist work event and the link, a first implied work event is generated. Based on the first implied work event, information associated with the first implied work queue is updated. |
| US07904479B2 |
Detection of network security breaches based on analysis of network record logs
Computer program products and methods of inspecting a log of security records in a computer network are provided. The method includes retrieving a log record, processing the log record including deriving a key to a table, determining a data value from information in the log record and adding the data value to a list of data values associated with the key if the data value is unique. One or more entries of the table are evaluated based on predetermined criteria to detect attempted security breaches. |
| US07904477B2 |
Object verification enabled network (OVEN)
The present invention is a method and system for handling a plurality of information units in an information processing system, such as a multimodal human computer interaction (HCI) system, through verification process for the plurality of information units. The present invention converts each information unit in the plurality of information units into verified object by augmenting the first meaning in the information unit with a second meaning and expresses the verified objects by object representation for each verified object. The present invention utilizes a processing structure, called polymorphic operator, which is capable of applying a plurality of relationships among the verified objects based on a set of predefined rules in a particular application domain for governing the operation among the verified objects. The present invention is named Object Verification Enabled Network (OVEN). The OVEN provides a computational framework for the information processing system that needs to handle complex data and event in the system, such as handling a huge amount of data in a database, correlating information pieces from multiple sources, applying contextual information to the recognition of inputs in a specific domain, processing fusion of the multiple inputs from different modalities, handling unforeseen challenges in deploying a commercially working information processing system in a real-world environment, and handling collaboration among multiple users. |
| US07904474B2 |
Entry based access control cache
A method and apparatus for retrieving data from a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) repository. In one embodiment, the method includes retrieving a list of lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) access control instructions (ACIs) for an LDAP entry, and storing the list in a cache of an LDAP server as an entry associated with the LDAP entry. |
| US07904473B2 |
Community-based parental controls
According to a general aspect, a method includes maintaining rating groups, each rating group providing a rating for content compiled based on information received from a user evaluating the content. The method also includes receiving, from a first user, a selection of a first rating group, from among the rating groups, to be applied to a set of users associated with the first user. The method also includes receiving, from a user, a request for a piece of content from the content. The method also includes determining that the user from which the request was received belongs to the set of users associated with the first user. The method also includes, based upon the determination that the user belonged to the set of users associated with the first user, accessing information associated with the first rating group and determining whether the first rating group includes a rating for the requested piece of content. The method also includes determining whether or not to provide information to the requesting user conditioned on the indication or absence of a rating for the requested piece of content within the first rating group. |
| US07904471B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program product for preserving privacy in data mining
Privacy in data mining of sparse high dimensional data records is preserved by transforming the data records into anonymized data records. This transformation involves creating a sketch-based private representation of each data record, each data record containing only a small number of non-zero attribute value in relation to the high dimensionality of the data records. |
| US07904470B2 |
Discovery service for electronic data environment
A method includes storing, at a discovery service, address information for each of a plurality of information services providers. For each of the plurality of information services, product data of a respective information provider and access right data (defining access rights to the product data) are also stored. At the discovery service, a query is received from an information requester, the query being related to specific product data for a product identifier included in the query. A first information service, of the plurality of information services, is identified as an information provider of the specific product data, and first address information for the first information service is retrieved. The query is routed from the discovery service to the first information service using the first address information. The first information service selectively responds directly to the information requester in accordance with the access right data of the first information service. |
| US07904465B2 |
Network-extensible reconfigurable media appliance
Extensible reconfigurable media appliance for security and entertainment captures images digitally for storage. Digital effects and filters are applied to incoming video stream on-the-fly or to video data stored in memory. Digital effects and filters are dynamically stored, modified, updated or deleted, providing extensible reconfigurable effects studio. Digital media appliance communicates wirelessly with other media appliances, computers, security systems, video storage, email, chat, cellular services or PDAs to provide seamless integration of captured video stream. |
| US07904463B2 |
Information display apparatus and method
An information display apparatus which reproduces images stored in a detachable recording medium acquires file identifying information which identifies a file stored in the recording medium. Also, it determines whether or not specific attribute information about the file identified by the file identifying information exists and acquires attribute information existence information which indicates the presence or absence of the attribute information. Then, the information display apparatus generates an image file list which associates the file identifying information with the attribute information existence information. The information display apparatus acquires, from the recording medium, specific attribute information about files determined to have attribute information by the attribute information existence information among files recorded in the image file list and determines a reproducing method of files stored in the recording medium based on the file identifying information and the attribute information. |
| US07904461B2 |
Advertiser and user association
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes generating content-based keywords based on content generated by users of a social network. The method includes labeling nodes comprising user nodes, which are representations of the users, with advertising labels comprising content-based keywords that coincide with advertiser-selected keywords that are based on one or more terms specified by an advertiser. The method also includes outputting, for each node, weights for the advertising labels based on weights of advertising labels associated with neighboring nodes, which are related to the node by a relationship. |
| US07904458B2 |
Method and apparatus for optimizing queries under parametric aggregation constraints
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for optimizing queries. The present invention discloses an efficient method for providing answers to queries under parametric aggregation constraints. |
| US07904456B2 |
Security monitoring tool for computer network
A security monitoring tool and method for a computer network receives data and determines whether the data is associated with a host already stored in a database. Based on the determination, the tool stores the data as a new host or associates it with an existing host. The tool also uses the received data to improve how previously stored data is associated with hosts. In one aspect, the tool determines whether the received data indicates that data currently associated with a stored host represents data for at least two hosts. If so, the tool splits the data into two hosts and associates the received data to the appropriate host. In another aspect, the tool determines whether the received data indicates that data currently associated with two or more hosts represent data for only one host. If so, the tool merges the data into one host and associates the received data with that host. |
| US07904452B2 |
Information providing server, information providing method, and information providing system
According to one embodiment, a record information storage module stores record information related to content recorded by an external apparatus in association with a keyword representing the content and user information. A search information storage module stores a search phrase used for searching in an external apparatus in association with user information. A search word handler extracts a predetermined number of words having high search frequency from search phrases stored in association with specific user information to generate a word list. A record information handler extracts keywords stored in association with the specific user information to generate a keyword list. A ranking processor generates ranking information indicating a word in the word list which matches a keyword in the keyword list. A communicator provides the ranking information to an external apparatus corresponding to the specific user information. |
| US07904446B1 |
Searchable menu system via keyword search
Displaying a visual cue is disclosed. One or more search criteria is/are received. One or more objects that are associated with a user interface is/are searched based at least in part on the one or more search criteria to obtain a search result. A sequence of one or more choices associated with accessing the search result is/are obtained. A visual cue is displayed for at least a portion of the sequence of one or more choices. |
| US07904441B2 |
Apparatus and method for recovering final display
An apparatus and method of recovering a final display are provided. The apparatus includes a query-string-creating module creating query strings in response to a cursor-request message, a query-string-controlling module creating a first cursor as a result of processing the query strings, and returning the created first cursor to the query-string-creating module, and a cursor-recovery module storing information about the first cursor and recovering information about a second cursor in response to the cursor-request message. |
| US07904438B2 |
Updating first data value before second data value
A flag and a wait period are used to guarantee that readers of two data values see the updated first value before they see the updated second value, where the second value has to be updated after the first value is updated and thus is dependent on the first value. The first value is updated, and a flag associated with the first data value is set. The flag effectively prevents further updating of the first data value until it has been cleared. A length of time is waited for, such that any reading of the first data value and the second data value is guaranteed to not see the second data value as updated unless the first data value is also seen as updated. The flag is then cleared, such that further updating of the first data value can again occur. The second data value is finally updated. |
| US07904435B2 |
System and method for resource lock acquisition and reclamation in a network file system environment
Systems and methods for acquiring, releasing, and reclaiming a lock of a data structure in a network file system (“NFS”) are discussed. Generally, a text file is created in a management library of the data structure. The name of the text file includes an identifier of the lock, an identifier of a process attempting to acquire the lock, and an identifier of a machine on which the process attempting to acquire the lock is running. The identifier of the process attempting to acquire the lock and the identifier of the machine on which the process attempting to acquire the lock is running are is saved in the contents of the text file and a hard line is created pointing to the text file. Finally, a lock of the data structure is granted based on a number of links pointing to the text file. |
| US07904434B2 |
Framework for handling business transactions
Techniques are provided for freeing up resources before operations that change the resources have successfully completed. Resources are freed up by committing database transactions that perform portions of operations before the operations themselves have successfully completed. If the operations fail to complete successfully, then “compensation information” is used to remove the effects of the committed changes that were performed as part of the operation. Techniques are also provided for allowing database transactions to update values without retaining exclusive locks on those values. Operational constraints set forth conditions that must be satisfied before an update is allowed to proceed. If an attempt is made to update a particular value that has changes that may be undone, then the database server determines a plurality of “possible result values” for the particular value. If the possible result values satisfy the operational constraint conditions, then the update is allowed to proceed. |
| US07904432B2 |
Compressed data structure for extracted changes to a database and method of generating the data structure
A method of identifying and storing data changes of a first compressed database compared with a previous compressed database and updating a second compressed database on a user device based on the stored data changes. Data changes are stored in a compressed data structure and data in the first, second, and previous compressed databases is stored in compressed form in one or more uniquely identified data pages. A data page of the first compressed database and the previous compressed database are decompressed and an entry from the first and previous compressed databases is read and compared. If the read entries differ, a type of action performed on the previous entry is identified and an entry in a delta file based on the read entry comparison is stored. The delta file is then compressed. The second compressed database is updated based on the delta file. |
| US07904430B2 |
End-user portal session logging by portlets
A portal uses portlets to provide a session to a user. Based on portlet events that occur in the session, portlet log entries are sent from the portlets to a log server. The log server stores log entries comprising the portlet log entries and the portal log entries. A customer service representative in communication with the user is provided a display of an activity of the user in the session based on the log entries from the log server. |
| US07904429B2 |
System and method for searching strings of records
System and method for detecting the inclusion of strings of words (records) in an input string of words. In a preparation phase, the records are pre-processed. Each record is represented by a string of chunks, each chunk composed of a pre-defined number of words. Each chunk found in at least one record is assigned a number of attributes, such as a “Begin of Record” attribute and an “End of Record” attribute. In the searching phase the input string is also divided in chunks, and for each input chunk, an Incremental Hash Function (IHF) is calculated for comparing with a prerecorded value ΔI. If the two values IHF and ΔI coincide for matching chunks with certain predefined attributes, a “probable match” is set, indicating a very high probability that a chunk was found in the records. |
| US07904425B2 |
Generating backup sets to a specific point in time
Generating backup sets for a specific point in time from backup data stored in a backup storage device is provided. A backup set, in accordance with an illustrative embodiment, is a collection of the files and data that would have been the most recently backed-up version of a computer's files and data at the particular point in time if the backup set had been created at that point in time. In order to generate the backup set, versions of data objects are identified in the backup storage system that have backup timestamps equal to or prior to the designated point in time and that have deactivation times that are after the designated point in time. In addition, a mechanism for deleting versions of data objects based on a retention time and an inactive version limit is provided. |
| US07904417B2 |
Recursive metadata templating
A computer-implemented method and system are provided for retrieving a metadata instance defining at least part of an application. In the method, a first metadata instance is loaded. Then, one or more templates specified in the first metadata instance are identified. The identified templates are recursively loaded, and metadata from the first metadata instance is applied to the recursively loaded templates to produce a new metadata instance. The new metadata instance is returned. |
| US07904415B2 |
Systems and computer program products to manage the display of data entities and relational database structures
Systems and computer products that present typically large amounts of entity information with a graphical display that efficiently maps the display of a large number of OLAP objects to related relational database tables thereby retaining contextual information about the data associated with the objects and tables. The efficient mapping is enabled by the use of areas that contain and include objects. The preferred embodiment of the present invention enhances analysis, by OLAP techniques, of the objects and the associated relational database information. An embodiment of the present invention further operates in a recursive manner by enabling the objects to include and contain additional objects. |
| US07904414B2 |
Adaptive multi-channel answering service for knowledge management systems
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to inquiry resolution for KM systems and provide a method, system and computer program product for multi-channel answering services for inquiry resolution in a KM system. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method for multi-channel answering services for inquiry resolution in a KM system can include receiving a request for interaction with an answering server of the KM system, extracting question text from the request along with question text meta-data, and deducing a context for the question text from the question text meta-data. Thereafter, the context can be analyzed to determine a preferred channel of communication, a preferred mode of interaction and a preferred delivery format for interacting with the answering server. Finally, the answer content can be provided for the question text according to the preferred channel of communication, the preferred mode of interaction and the preferred delivery format. |
| US07904413B2 |
Method and system to segment an OLAP set
A segmentation management system manages segmentation of a set of members in a multi-dimensionally modeled data source. The segmentation management system comprises a segment definition manager, a segmentation engine and a segment application manager. The segment definition manager manages definitions of identifiable non-overlapping segments for a given base set of members in a multi-dimensionally modeled data source. The segmentation engine divides the base set of members into the segments based on the definitions of the segments. The segment application manager allows the segments to be used as objects. |
| US07904410B1 |
Constrained dynamic time warping
A method for processing data in two data sets may include executing a constrained time domain warping (CDTW) algorithm to compare the data in the two data sets. The CDTW algorithm may use a band constraint that defines a function used to identify potential matches between observations in the two data sets. The CDTW algorithm may also use a width constraint that defines a number of matched observations that are to be scored. |
| US07904406B2 |
Enabling validation of data stored on a server system
Enabling validation of data stored on a server system. According to an aspect of the invention, a portion of the data is received at a client system and processed based on a rule to generate a result. The generated result is used to determine the compliance of the received portion of data with a requirement and thus validate the portion of data. According to another aspect, a user is provided a convenient interface to generate rules (including the requirement) for validating data stored on a server system. |
| US07904403B2 |
Method for solving application failures using social collaboration
A computer-implemented method, system and computer usable program code for solving an application failure using social collaboration are provided. A search request to search a central repository of knowledge is received. The search request comprises a user identity and an application failure problem to be solved. The central repository of knowledge comprises data regarding attempts to solve an application failure problem compiled from registered users of the central repository of knowledge. A determination is made as to whether the application failure problem to be solved exists in the central repository. If the application failure problem to be solved exists within the central repository, search results for previous attempts at solving the application failure problem are collected. The search results are ranked based on a frequency of access and feedback from users and are grouped according to social groupings defined by the requester. The results are displayed to a requester. |
| US07904402B2 |
Pluggable dialects for a rule engine
Some embodiments of pluggable dialects for a rule engine have been presented. In one embodiment, a rule file substantially written in a rule language is compiled. The rule file may include a set of rules, each rule having one or more semantic code blocks written in a dialect different from the rule language. Further, each rule may include a dialect parameter indicative of the dialect. The compiled rule file is input to a core engine of a rule engine for execution. |
| US07904400B2 |
Help system with an online help facility and an offline help facility, an automation device with such a help system and a method for providing help data
A help system, an automation device with such a help system and a method for providing help data are disclosed. The help system includes a first offline help facility which is installed as part of an application on a data processing device, the first help facility providing a user with help data based upon context data defined by the user, the help data being stored in the first help facility and thus on the data processing device. A second online help facility is provided which is accessed by the data processing device via the internet such that the context data defined by the user in relation to the first help facility is automatically adopted in the second help facility as context data, the second help facility providing the user with additional help data based on this context data, the help data being stored in the second help facility. |
| US07904399B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining decision points for streaming conversational data
A method for determining a decision point in real-time for a data stream from a conversation includes receiving streaming conversational data; and determining when to classify the streaming conversational data, using a measure of certainty, by performing certainty calculations at a plurality of time instances during the conversation and by selecting a decision point in response to the certainty calculations, the decision point not being based on a fixed window of conversational data but being based on accumulated conversational data available at different ones of the plurality of time instances. Systems and computer program products are also provided. |
| US07904398B1 |
Artificial synapse component using multiple distinct learning means with distinct predetermined learning acquisition times
Neuron component and method for use in artificial neural networks (ANNs) with input synapses (204, 204b . . . 204n), each synapse includes multiple weights called synapse weights (206-1, 206-2, 206-3). Each synapse further includes a facility to modulate, or gate, an input signal connected to the synapses, by each of the respective synapse weights within the synapse, supplying the result of each modulating operation. The neuron also sums the results of all modulating operations, and subjects the results to a transfer function. Each of the multiple weights associated with a given synapse, may be specified to have its own weight-adjustment facility (214, 214b, 214c), with its own error-values (216, 216b, 216c), and its own specified learning and aspect (1000) includes a separate sum (1018, 1018b) and transfer function (1020, 1020b) for each synapse weight. |
| US07904395B2 |
Consumer rating and customer service based thereon within a virtual universe
The present invention is directed to providing consumer ratings and customer service based thereon within a virtual universe. A method for providing a consumer rating and customer service within a virtual universe includes: determining a consumer habit(s) of a customer in the virtual universe and then calculating a consumer rating, based on the determination of the consumer habit(s). From the calculated consumer rating, a particular consumer service is selectively providing in the virtual universe. |
| US07904391B2 |
Methods of returning merchandise purchased by a customer from a vendor, computer implemented methods performed by a vendor, and return of merchandise processing apparatuses
A currency distribution system and method. In accordance with the invention, a first transaction is facilitated by which currency is transferred electronically between a first entity and a second entity, and whereby a first balance of currency is maintained by said second entity. A second transaction is facilitated by which at least a portion of the first balance of currency is transferred electronically between the second entity and a third entity. In particular, the second transaction is facilitated by a processor that includes code for ascertaining data with respect to the third entity, the data pertaining to goods or services unrelated to the currency, and providing a qualification in response thereto. A second processor included for enabling the second transaction in response to the qualification. A database is employed and a query is made to determine the qualification for the second transaction. In an illustrative embodiment, the first entity is a postal service, the second entity is a vendor, and the third entity is a customer of the vendor. In the illustrative application, the currency is postage and the processor communicates the ability to print and utilize postage to the customer. The postage is used to return goods from the customer to the vendor. |
| US07904388B1 |
Method and system for processing recurring payments
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a computer implemented method and system for processing payments may involve receiving a payment file from a paying entity; identifying at least one payee from the payment file; identifying a payment amount for the at least one payee for a contribution based on a pre-existing contract between the paying entity and the at least one payee for recurring payments to the at least one payee; identifying a payment method for the at least one payee from a payee profile; and distributing the payment amount via the payment method to the at least one payee; wherein a group manages the recurring payments for the at least one payee. |
| US07904386B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for saving and investing through use of transaction cards
A system, method, and computer program product are used for saving through use of transaction cards. This is done through associating a transaction account of the transaction card with one or more deposit accounts. An amount of funds to be deposited from the transaction account into the deposit account is established. A number of times a deposit will be made is established. A time duration between the deposits when more than one deposit will be made is established. An event that initiates at least a first one of the deposits is established. The amount of funds from the transaction card account is deposited into the deposit account based on the above criteria. |
| US07904384B2 |
System and method for providing extra lines of credit
A system and method for upgrading existing credit cards with additional lines of credit is disclosed. Credit information associated with customers holding credit cards issued by a credit card issuer are analyzed to determine a level of risk associated with each customer. One or more extra line of credit may be established for selected customers based on the determined level of risk associated with each customer. Each extra credit line may be exclusively associated with a selected set of vendors that have a partnership agreement with the credit card issuer. The credit card issuer may allow customers to select vendors to be associated with the extra credit line or may automatically choose vendors for selected customers. Customers with established extra credit lines may purchase goods and/or service directly from vendor sites or at the credit card issuer's web sites. Purchases at selected vendor sites may be automatically applied to a customer's newly established extra credit line. Additionally, a customer may choose to apply purchases to their extra credit lines or their primary line of credit. |
| US07904383B2 |
Method and system for monitoring for and reporting of lien distress events
A computer-based method of monitoring for and reporting of a lien distress event relatable to a lien against a property includes the steps of extracting loan data from a client loan portfolio, defining the lien distress event relatable to the loan data by using one or more lien distress event criterion, detecting an occurrence of the lien distress event iteratively, and notifying a client of the occurrence of the lien distress event. |
| US07904382B2 |
Methods for financing renewable energy systems
A business method for financing renewable energy systems includes offering a home loan to a homeowner in which the interest payable by the homeowner are tax deductable. A lease is also offered to the homeowner for the installation and use of a renewable energy system. A deposit of cash proceeds from the home loan is put into a trust held by an escrow agent for the single purpose of paying lease payments for the lease as each payment becomes due. Such that the proceeds from the home loan are effectively used to defease the debt represented by the lease. |
| US07904378B2 |
Auction result prediction with auction insurance
An auction result prediction system predicts auction results. The system may determine item, seller, or auction characteristics from prior or pending auctions. The system also obtains item characteristics of an item for which a result prediction is sought, either by a buyer or by a seller. A price predictor in the system accepts the auction and item characteristics and predicts an auction result based on the characteristics. The system also determines insurance parameters for insuring online auctions, and the insurance parameters may be based on predicted auction results. An insurance policy reflecting the insurance parameters may be offered to an online auction buyer, seller, or other market participant. The insurance policy may insure, for example, that an item for sale will obtain at least a price specified by the insurance policy. |
| US07904374B2 |
Click based trading with intuitive grid display of market depth
A method and system for reducing the time it takes for a trader to place a trade when electronically trading on an exchange, thus increasing the likelihood that the trader will have orders filled at desirable prices and quantities. The “Mercury” display and trading method of the present invention ensure fast and accurate execution of trades by displaying market depth on a vertical or horizontal plane, which fluctuates logically up or down, left or right across the plane as the market prices fluctuates. This allows the trader to trade quickly and efficiently. |
| US07904373B2 |
Method for electronically initiating and managing agricultural production contracts
A method of facilitating the contracting of agricultural products using the Internet is used for providing buyers and sellers with real time information relating to the type and amount of agricultural products available for contract. The invention includes a relational database for the storage and retrieval of information. One or more end use buyers can store information in the database relating to a desired type and quantity of agricultural products. Agricultural producers, such as farmers, can view listings of agricultural products desired and the system can facilitate the contracting between the buyers and producers for the agricultural products. The system can display in real time the quantity and types of agricultural products under contract and available for contract. The system can manage delivery preferences, quality data and determine contract pricing based on these criteria. |
| US07904370B2 |
System and method for variably regulating order entry in an electronic trading system
A system and method are provided to intelligently limit the frequency at which automated or semi-automated trading tools move or re-price orders in an exchange order book. A tolerance may be input that limits when one or more orders in the exchange order book are moved from one price to another. The system and method assist in reducing the number of orders that are entered into the system which can lead to reduced exchange transaction fees, lost queue position, and reduce network bandwidth consumption. |
| US07904364B2 |
Systems and methods for auctioning access to securities research resources
Methods and systems for auctioning units of securities research resources from a supplier of securities research services to potential consumers of the supplier's securities research are disclosed. According to various embodiments, the method includes the steps of receiving from a plurality of the potential consumers at least one bid for at least one unit of the securities research resources services of the supplier in at least one bidding stage, and allocating units of securities research resources services of the supplier to certain of the potential consumers (i.e., winning bidders) based on the received bids of the potential consumers. The units may be, for example, research time units of a research team of the supplier of the securities research. Also, the units may be a preferred service access level to a member of a research team of the supplier of the securities research. The preferred access level may entitle a holder thereof to direct enhanced consultative contact with the member of the research team. |
| US07904361B2 |
Risk management customer registry
Methods and systems are provided for managing Risk associated with a financial account initiated by an intermediary institution. Risk related information descriptive of a customer of the intermediary can be registered with a neutral entity and a certification can be generated that is associated with the customer and includes the registered information. An instruction can be received to convey the certification associated with the customer to a Primary Financial Institution after which the certification can be conveyed to the Primary Financial Institution. |
| US07904357B2 |
System, method and apparatus for monitoring and billing food preparation equipment and product
A system, method and apparatus for monitoring and billing beverage preparation equipment and product. The system includes a controller for monitoring the use of beverage preparation equipment. The beverage preparation equipment or apparatus includes a dilution source and a product source connected to the controller and controllably dispenses a dilution component and product component to mix these two components to produce a resultant combination. Information is provided from the dilution source, product source or both to the controller which relates to the dilution material, product or both used by the apparatus. The information is provided to a data collection portion, also connected to the controller, which uses the information for billing purposes. The method includes a method of billing, servicing and resupplying of the apparatus. Information may be provided to a supplier to periodically deliver a product to the operator of the apparatus. |
| US07904356B1 |
Icon based data management
A financial computer program includes an icon representing a financial circumstance within the financial computer program, where the icon is selectable by a user to indicate the financial circumstance relevant to the user and manipulatable by the user to support a financial operation, data associated with the icon, and a software module configured to perform the financial operation at least partly dependent on the data associated with the icon. |
| US07904355B1 |
Systems and methods for a revenue causality analyzer
A revenue causality analyzer that provides attribution of causality effects for changes in revenue. The analyzer includes a selector for selecting a reference time period and a comparison time period, a receiver configured to receive transaction data including pricing data and volume data about the products at reference and comparison times, a preparer that includes a missing data exchanger and data error corrector, an attributor for attributing causality effects including a price effect, a volume effect, a mix effect an exchange effect, a cost effect, a dividend effect, a loss effect, and an inventory appreciation effect, by analyzing transaction data through a causality equation; and an output. Price effect sums the product of change in price and volume of the products across the products and currencies. Volume effect multiplies change in volume by the revenue per product sold. Mix effect multiplies percent revenue change by the volume of products sold. |
| US07904354B2 |
Web based auto bill analysis method
Method for automatically analyzing customer's bill, such as cell phone bill, received in electronic format for errors and utilization against company's published plan by third-party on third-party's website for customer. The company's published plan is previously stored on third-party's website. Third-party advises customer of results, in real-time, and provides blind feedback to billing company by type error and utilization. Results and feedback are specific to each customer and billing company, and also provides security for both. Promotional materials are provided to customer for revenue to third-party. |
| US07904353B2 |
Method and system for processing payments
A payment processing method and system is described which involves serially processing remittance documents, e.g. financial instruments, remittances, and associated documents obtained from diverse sources, electronically scanning the financial instruments and other remittance documents, thereby converting the information contained thereon into a digital format. The digital information is passed through a series of software programs and associated hardware that read the scanned financial instruments, remittances, and other documents, and compares the information obtained with preexisting information about the payor, detects errors, and the like automatically, with minimal human intervention. It also allows the information to be corrected and passed to a check encoding machine or process which imparts desired information on said checks before they are sent to a bank for deposit.The system is a plurality of electronically interconnected machines and computer servers having unique software programs installed therein, thereby allowing the remittances, financial instruments, and other documents to be processed automatically with a minimum of human interactions. |
| US07904350B2 |
Network-based supply chain management method
An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method for facilitating supply chain collaboration in a network environment, said supply chain including an enterprise and at least one supplier. The method includes generating and transmitting an unconstrained forecast to a supplier; receiving a supplier capability statement in response; and generating a constrained forecast utilizing the supplier capability statement. The constrained forecast is transmitted to the supplier which responds with a formal commitment to product a needed supply indicated in the constrained forecast.The method also comprises monitoring inventory levels at a replenishment service center by a supplier based upon a formal commitment; refilling inventory items at the replenishment service center; and facilitating delivery of the inventory items to the enterprise site by transmitting a pull signal to the replenishment service center whereby inventory items are delivered in response to the pull signal. |
| US07904348B2 |
System and method for eCatalog supplier portal
A Supplier Portal is provided to allow a Supplier to self-author the business process elements (BPEs) of a business process (BP) to create, manage and publish rich-content for use in eCatalogs, Data Pools, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, and other knowledge management situations. The resulting business process (BP) for content management incorporates the Supplier's business process (BP) model. At the business process (BP) level, self-authoring allows users to adapt business process elements (BPEs) such as workflows, approval rules and approver roles and permissions, event notification and metrics. At the activity level, self-authoring allows users to adapt business process elements (BPEs) such as user interaction templates, business process (BP) rules and user roles and permissions that relate to the input, configuration, rationalization, classification, value extraction, quality control, publication, and ongoing management of rich-content. The resulting published rich-content incorporates a supplier's unique way of doing business while adhering to the quality, integrity and consistency imposed by the Supplier Portal to achieve a seamless published rich-content such as an ecatalog. The Supplier Portal can be any and all of a hosted behind a firewall solution, accessible via a browser on at least one of a Personal Computer, hand held, or wireless/wired networked communication or standalone device. |
| US07904341B2 |
Adaptive commerce systems and methods
A system and method for adaptive commerce is disclosed. Adaptive commerce enables recommendations of products or services based on usage behaviors and commercial contextual information. Commercial contextual information may include the business environment of the recommendation recipient, purchase histories, and product or service attributes. Bundles of products and/or services, or specific product or service configurations may be recommended. Corresponding prices may be determined in accordance with behavioral inferences and commercial contextual information. |
| US07904338B2 |
Display device and funds transaction device including the display device
A display device is disclosed which may be used in a mobile telephone or other article which is intended to make secure transactions such as financial transactions, as well as other personal transactions such as telephone calls. The device includes a display (24) for displaying information, a financial transaction controller (26) including a processor (28), a display driver (30) for driving the display (24) and a secure memory (32). The financial transaction controller allows the display section (24), and an input keypad (12), to operate under the control of the device to enable personal functions other than financial transactions to be performed. However, in the event of a financial transaction, the financial transaction controller takes over control of the display section (24) and the input keypad (12) so that the financial transaction can be performed while the device is under the control of the financial transaction controller to thereby prevent tampering with or tapping off of data, and also the display of information other than under the control of the financial controller. |
| US07904337B2 |
Match engine marketing
Enabling advertisers using a computer network such as the Internet and a match engine to submit their offerings to product, service, benefit seeking entities. In some embodiments, a database having accounts for the providers is made available. Accounts contain contact and billing information for an advertiser; and at least one offering having at least a description, a criteria set comprising one or more criterion factors, and a bid amount. An advertiser influences a position of an offering in the advertiser's account by first selecting offering relevant criteria. The advertiser enters the criteria and the description into a listing; influencing at least in part the position for the listing within a results page through an online bidding process. This results page is generated in response to a seeking entity query of the match engine. Pay for performance demographic, geographic, psychographic criteria/characteristics targeted directly advertising (frictionless advertising) is enabled. |
| US07904334B2 |
System and method for reducing excess capacity for restaurants and other industries during off-peak or other times
A system and method for reducing excess capacity for restaurants and other industries during off-peak hours is provided. Customers or potential customers may bid on gift certificates redeemable at restaurants during a predetermined time. Users may register with the system and provide identification and demographic information which may be used by restaurants for targeted marketing strategies, promotions, and special offers. The system may include a registration module, an auction module, a restaurant guide module, a restaurant manager module, rewards and referral center module, restaurant reservation module, and advertisement displays. |
| US07904333B1 |
Web-based electronic commerce (EC) enabled shopping network configured to allow members of a consumer product management team and authorized parties to communicate directly with consumers shopping at EC-enabled websites along the world wide web (WWW), using multi-mode virtual kiosks (MMVKS) driven by server-side components and managed by product team members
A Web-based electronic commerce (EC) enabled shopping network configured to allow members of a consumer product management team and authorized parties to communicate directly with consumers shopping at EC-enabled WWW-sites along the World Wide Web (WWW), serviced by programmable Multi-Mode Virtual Kiosks (MMVKs) driven by server-side components and managed by product management team members and authorized parties. When generated by the first Internet-enabled information server, each MMVK has a graphical user interface (GUI) that is characterized by a plurality of independently programmable display modes. Upon the Web-browser of each consumer encountering an installed MMVK tag along an EC-enabled Website, the corresponding server-side driven MMVK is automatically generated by the first Internet-enabled information server and served to the Web browser for display and review by the consumer. |
| US07904332B1 |
Integrated financial processing system and method for facilitating an incentive program
A library of available incentive programs is established for an agricultural product. Input is accepted from an agricultural producer or a crop planner to facilitate tailoring the library of incentive programs to the requirements (e.g., needs, objectives, and resources) of a particular producer. The library of available incentive programs is searched based upon the accepted input to select a tailored list of candidate incentive programs from the library. Information on the tailored candidate incentive programs is made accessible to the agricultural producer. The agricultural producer may select a preferential incentive program between or among the candidate incentive programs. Further, the producer may readily seek financing via electronic communications to purchase or otherwise conduct a transaction under the preferential incentive program. If the producer applies for a financial product for financing the transaction under the preferential incentive program, the previously gathered input (e.g., background data on the particular producer) is transferred to a financial screening process to reduce duplicative reentry of data and to reduce or eliminate potential clerical errors. |
| US07904330B2 |
Event type estimation system, event type estimation method, and event type estimation program stored in recording media
An event type estimation system includes a log aggregation unit that generates time-series data representing the fluctuation in traffic to a site from log data, a deviation testing unit that extracts an interval showing an anomalous fluctuation from the time-series data, a waveform decomposition unit that optimizes a peak waveform, a normal waveform and a vertical waveform set by a waveform setting unit, in order to approximate the fluctuation in traffic in the interval extracted by the deviation testing unit with a composite of the peak waveform, the normal waveform and the vertical waveform, and an event determination unit that determines the type of event that caused the anomalous fluctuation, based on the waveforms optimized by the waveform decomposition unit and the rules of a rule recording unit. The event type estimation system is thereby able to extract access fluctuation anomalies from log data and estimate the type of event that caused the anomalous fluctuation. |
| US07904324B2 |
Method and system for assessing schedule performance issues of a project
A computer-implemented method and system for assessing schedule performance issues of a project. A Behind Schedule Performance Index (BSPI), an ahead/behind trend graph, a behind schedule report or an ahead of schedule report is generated. The BSPI excludes an ahead of schedule component from the project's scheduled performance index. The ahead/behind trend graph has ahead of schedule and behind schedule indicators indicating that a portion of the project is behind schedule while the project, as a whole, is ahead of schedule. The behind schedule report filters out ahead of schedule tasks and includes only behind schedule tasks. The ahead of schedule report filters out behind schedule tasks and includes only ahead of schedule tasks. |
| US07904321B2 |
Systems, methods and computer program products for user-selected calendar and task alerts
A method for electronic information transfer by a sender. The method includes composing an electronic message, typically a calendar and/or task event, on a sender terminal. At least one announcement file is associated with an attribute of the electronic message, the announcement file configured for playing at a recipient terminal upon the recipient terminal receiving the electronic message. The electronic message and the association to the announcement file is sent over a network to a recipient at the recipient terminal. Embodiments include a computer program product for implementing the method. |
| US07904319B1 |
Computer-implemented systems and methods for warranty analysis
Computer-implemented systems and methods for providing warranty analysis. A system and method can be configured to receive claims data and products data and to perform statistical analysis of the received claims data and products data. The statistical analysis includes performing a statistical comparison of current claims activity levels in the received claims data with expected claims activity levels. One or more claim issues are detected based upon the statistical analysis. The detected one or more claim issues are provided to a user. |
| US07904318B2 |
Computerized method and system of determining right of way and liability for an accident
Methods and systems are provided for estimating liability and right of way in an accident. In one embodiment, liability estimation in a vehicle accident may be based on a plurality of characteristics that describe the accident. In addition, right of way estimation in a vehicle accident may be based on the plurality of characteristics that describe the accident. These characteristics may include: the configuration of the roadway, the type of accident, the traffic controls at the vehicle accident scene, and impact points of each vehicle. The characteristics from an actual accident may be compared to those in a past or theoretical accident. Liability may be estimated from a preassigned liability associated with a nearest matching past or theoretical accident. Right of way may be estimated from a predetermined right of way associated with the nearest matching past or theoretical accident. The liability estimate may include a base liability and one or more adjustments due to various factors. |
| US07904316B2 |
System and method for gathering, managing, and analyzing patient recruitment
A system and method for gathering, managing, and analyzing patient recruitment contains logic configured to receive patient marketing material from a source and logic configured to determine whether the patient marketing material is approved for use by a system administrator. The system also contains logic configured to provide the patient marketing material to a sponsor of a clinical study requiring patient recruitment, where the patient marketing material is provided to the sponsor for approval by the sponsor, and the system contains logic configured to determine if regulatory approval of the patient marketing material is required. Further, the system contains logic configured to make the patient marketing material available to a patient investigatory site for use in recruiting a patient for the clinical study. |
| US07904314B2 |
System and method for ordering patient specific healthcare services
A system and method for ordering healthcare services wherein a list of selectable orders for medical services for a given patient is dynamically generated based on medical information of the patient (e.g., the patient's condition or set of conditions) and presented to a user (e.g., a physician). In one aspect, a system for ordering patient specific healthcare services comprises a user interface that enables a user to input a medical condition of a patient and to select desired medical services from a list of orderable medical services presented to the user; a services database comprising a plurality of predetermined medical services that are each associated with a medical condition; and an engine for compiling the list of orderable medical services from one or more predetermined medical services in the services database that are associated with the input medical conditions of the patient. A clinical knowledge model is used by the engine to identify a medical condition that is potentially associated with a known or identified medical condition of the patient, based upon potential etiology, potential complication, clinical associations, or any combination thereof. |
| US07904312B2 |
Patient communication method and system
A healthcare communication system can include a patient terminal having a keyboard unit with message keys for transmitting different ones of one or more programmed messages, and alphanumeric keys for composing messages. The patient terminal can be communicatively linked to a patient terminal display for presenting the programmed messages and composed messages. Each of the message keys can include identifying indicia associated with a programmed message transmitted upon selection of the message key. The patient terminal keyboard also can include one or more destination keys for specifying one of multiple destination addresses within the healthcare communication system for delivering individual ones of the messages. |
| US07904307B2 |
Health-care e-commerce systems and methods
A virtual health-care electronic commerce community includes a network to communicate information relating to the community; one or more patients coupled to the network; one or more treating professionals coupled to the network; and a server coupled to the network, the server storing data for each patient and performing patient data visualization in response to a user request. |
| US07904301B2 |
Processing digital data
An original digital audio signal represents unimpaired audio information. The digital audio signal is compressed and encrypted without substantial impairment to produce a first audio signal. A second, unencrypted, audio signal is produced. The first and second audio signals are combined. Preferably the first audio signal is losslessy compressed. The second audio signal may be an impaired version of the original digital audio signal. |
| US07904299B2 |
Method, system, and apparatus for monitoring security events using speech recognition
A method of monitoring for security events using a speech recognition system can include receiving a sound signal within the speech recognition system and determining at least one attribute of the sound signal. The attribute of the sound signal can be compared with one or more acoustic models associated with a security event. The method can further include identifying the sound signal as a security event according to the comparing step. |
| US07904297B2 |
Dialogue management using scripts and combined confidence scores
Representation-neutral dialogue systems and methods (“RNDS”) are described that include multi-application, multi-device spoken-language dialogue systems based on the information-state update approach. The RNDS includes representation-neutral core components of a dialogue system that provide scripted domain-specific extensions to routines such as dialogue move modeling and reference resolution, easy substitution of specific semantic representations and associated routines, and clean interfaces to external components for language-understanding (i.e., speech-recognition and parsing) and language-generation, and to domain-specific knowledge sources. The RNDS also resolves multi-device dialogue by evaluating and selecting among candidate dialogue moves based on features at multiple levels. Multiple sources of information are combined, multiple speech recognition and parsing hypotheses tested, and multiple device and moves considered to choose the highest scoring hypothesis overall. Confirmation and clarification behavior can be governed by the overall score. |
| US07904292B2 |
Scalable encoding device, scalable decoding device, and method thereof
A scalable encoding device for realizing scalable encoding by CELP encoding of a stereo sound signal and improving the encoding efficiency. In this device, an adder and a multiplier obtain an average of a first channel signal CH1 and a second channel signal CH2 as a monaural signal M. A CELP encoder for a monaural signal subjects the monaural signal M to CELP encoding, outputs the obtained encoded parameter to outside, and outputs a synthesized monaural signal M′ synthesized by using the encoded parameter to a first channel signal encoder. By using the synthesized monaural signal M′ and the second channel signal CH2, the first channel signal encoder subjects the first channel signal CH1 to CELP encoding to minimize the sum of the encoding distortion of the first channel signal CH1 and the encoding distortion of the second channel signal CH2. |
| US07904287B2 |
Method and system for real-time prediction of power usage for a change to another performance state
A method and system for real-time prediction of power usage for a change to another performance state provides input data for power management decision-making processes or for display to system operators. The unit(s) for which power usage is predicted may be a single processor in a uni-processor system or may extend up to the level of facilities within a complex of processing facilities. The method and system gather real-time data on the power consumption of the unit(s) and create a model, such as a regression model, of power versus performance. A resulting power usage change required by a prospective nominal performance state change is shown as display data, or is transmitted to a power budgeting controller to inform the controller as to potential changes that can enhance system operation, such as managing tradeoffs of power allocated to various sub-units of a processing system. |
| US07904284B2 |
System and method for optimizing animal production based on empirical feedback
A system for generating optimized values for variable inputs to an animal production system. The system includes a simulator engine configured to receive a plurality of animal information inputs and generate a performance projection. At least one of the animal information inputs is designated as a variable input. The system further includes an enterprise supervisor engine configured to generate first and second optimized values for the at least one variable input. The first optimized value is generated based on an optimization criteria and the second optimized value is generated based on empirical feedback after application of the first variable input. |
| US07904278B2 |
Methods and system for program execution integrity measurement
The present disclosure is directed towards methods and systems and methods for measuring the integrity of an operating system's execution and ensuring that the system's code is performing its intended functionality. This includes examining the integrity of the code that the operating system is executing as well as the data that the operating system accesses. Integrity violations can be detected in the dynamic portions of the code being executed. |
| US07904273B2 |
In-line depth measurement for thru silicon via
A system, method and device for measuring a depth of a Through-Silicon-Via (TSV) in a semiconductor device region on a wafer during in-line semiconductor fabrication, includes a resistance measurement trench structure having length and width dimensions in a substrate, ohmic contacts on a surface of the substrate disposed on opposite sides of the resistance measurement trench structure, and an unfilled TSV structure in semiconductor device region having an unknown depth. A testing circuit makes contact with the ohmic contacts and measures a resistance therebetween, and a processor connected to the testing circuit calculates a depth of the trench structure and the unfilled TSV structure based on the resistance measurement. The resistance measurement trench structure and the unfilled TSV are created simultaneously during fabrication. |
| US07904269B2 |
Overhead traveling vehicle testing and calibration
A method, system and test fixture for allowing testing and calibration of various operation parameters of an overhead traveling vehicle (hereinafter “OTV”) are disclosed. The invention implements a test fixture that includes a rotatable bearing set for rotatably engaging a wheel of the OTV such that the wheel can rotate but the OTV remains stationary. The bearing set is held in a raised position, similar to the operational position of the OTV, by a raised support. The test fixture may also include a reflective tape for use with an optical sensor(s) of the OTV. In this fashion, operation parameters of the OTV such as drive servomotor velocity, current gain, current offset, OTV travel profile, optical sensor op-amp gain, etc., can be tested and calibrated. |
| US07904266B2 |
Method and apparatus for calculating the separation time of arcing contacts of a high-volume switchgear
A method and an apparatus for calculating the separation time of the arcing contacts of a high-voltage switchgear which is operatively coupled to a synchronous switching device and to an auxiliary switch having auxiliary contacts operatively connected to the arcing contacts. During execution of a predefined test condition the separation time of the arcing contacts and of the auxiliary contacts is measured. The time delay between the measured separation time of the arcing contacts and of the auxiliary contacts is calculated. Upon separation of the arcing contacts under an operating condition other than the predefined test condition, the separation time of the auxiliary contacts is measured. Then, the separation time of the arcing contacts is calculated as the difference between the separation time of the auxiliary contacts measured during the operating condition other than the predefined test condition and the calculated time delay. |
| US07904261B2 |
Method and system for using phasor measurements in state estimation of power systems
A method of state estimation is provided, including: (a) acquiring a plurality of positive sequence voltage and current phasor measurements; (b) designating a reference positive sequence voltage phasor measurement from the acquired phasor measurements; (c) correcting the acquired phasor measurements to account for the reference phasor measurement; (d) calculating complex power having a real component and an imaginary component, using the corrected positive sequence voltage and current phasor measurement; (e) using the real component of said complex power as a calculated mega-watt and the imaginary component of the complex power as a calculated mega-volt-ampere; and (f) using the mega-watt and mega volt-ampere calculations in a state estimation algorithm. |
| US07904259B2 |
Waterproof testing device, waterproof testing method, and waterproof test program
A waterproof testing device tests waterproof performance of a waterproof component. The testing device includes an input unit, a storing unit and a determining unit. The input unit inputs permeability of one or more test objects with waterproof components disposed thereon and an air flow rate that is a volume of gas passing through the test object per unit time for each test object. The storing unit stores, in a data pair, the permeability and the air flow rate of each test object input by the input unit. The determining unit determines a range of permeability in which no water leakage occurs in the waterproof component based on a range of air flow rate in which no water leakage occurs and the stored permeability and air flow rate. |
| US07904256B2 |
Startup techniques for a digital flowmeter
Startup and operational techniques for a digital flowmeter are described. The techniques select an optimal mode of operation for the digital flowmeter, depending on a current environment of the flowmeter. For example, during a startup operation of the flowmeter, the mode of operation might include a random sequence mode, in which filtered, random frequencies are applied as a drive signal to a flowtube associated with the digital flowmeter. Once the flowtube reaches a resonant mode of vibration, the digital flowmeter may transition to a positive feedback mode, in which a sensor signal representing a motion of the flowtube is fed back to the flowtube as a drive signal, as part of a feedback loop. Once an oscillation of the flowtube is achieved and analyzed, a digital synthesis mode of operation may be implemented, in which the analyzed sensor signals are used to synthesize the drive signal. In either the positive feedback mode or the digital synthesis mode, the digital flowmeter may revert to a previous mode to regain stable and desired oscillation of the flowtube, such as might be required during a recovery operation associated with a disturbance to an operation of the digital flowmeter. |
| US07904253B2 |
Determination of chemical composition and isotope distribution with mass spectrometry
A method for determining elemental composition of ions from mass spectral data, comprising obtaining at least one mass measurement from mass spectral data; obtaining a search list of candidate elemental compositions whose exact masses fall within a given mass tolerance range from the accurate mass; reporting a probability measure based on a mass error; calculating an isotope pattern for each candidate elemental composition from the search list; constructing a peak component matrix including at least one of the isotope pattern and mass spectral data; performing a regression against at least one of isotope pattern, mass spectral data, and the peak component matrix; reporting a second probability measure for at least one candidate elemental composition based on the isotope pattern regression; and combining the two the probability measures into an overall probability measure. A method for determining elemental isotope ratios from mass spectral data. |
| US07904247B2 |
Drive assist system for vehicle
An in-vehicle drive assist system adjusts a viewing angle of a camera mounted in a vehicle using environmental information obtained from outside the vehicle. An early risk determination is thus allowed to be made in the vehicle, while maintaining reliability. |
| US07904239B2 |
Travel route display system
A travel route display system executes a searching step of searching a database based on a given search condition; a numerical data calculating step of executing a predetermined calculation on a result obtained at the searching step to calculate numerical data displayed together with a travel route; an image data generating step of generating a plurality of kinds of image data for displaying the travel route on a screen, the generation being based on results obtained at the searching and calculating steps; a display image controlling step of so controlling the plurality of kinds of image data that an individual piece of image data or a synthesis of a plurality of image data can be displayed on the same screen, the plurality of kinds of image data being obtained at the generating step; and an image data displaying step of displaying the image data controlled at the controlling step. |
| US07904238B2 |
Presenting a travel route using more than one presentation style
Techniques are provided for presenting a route in a manner that emphasizes the route and provides context information. For example, a vivid color or vivid colors may be used to display the route, and pastel colors or other desaturated colors may be used for non-route context information. This may result in a map in which the vivid colors of the route stand out over the faded style of the non-route context information to emphasize the route. In this manner, the map may both emphasize the route and provide context information for the route. |
| US07904237B2 |
Electronic device and electronic device operation control method
Disclosed herein is an electronic device including: a reader configured to read information from a noncontact-type communications device storing unique identification information; and a controller configured to determine whether the identification information read by the reader is already registered or not yet registered and, if the identification information is found already registered, get user setting information corresponding to the identification information to execute setting processing on the basis of the user setting information and, if the identification information is found not yet registered, execute processing for registering the identification information. |
| US07904234B2 |
Method for determining fuel volatility and consequently performing cold starting of an internal combustion engine
A method for determining fuel volatility and consequently performing cold starting of an internal combustion engine; in the event of cold starting, the method provides for the determination of an enrichment percentage as a function of a stored value for fuel volatility; the determination of a predicted value for starting quality before performing starting; the starting of the engine using the previously determined enrichment percentage; the determination of a measured value for starting quality; the determination of a correction value of the stored value for fuel volatility as a function of the comparison between the measured value for starting quality and the predicted value for starting quality; and the updating of the stored value for fuel volatility by applying the correction value to said stored value, so consequently modifying the amount of enrichment in force. |
| US07904232B2 |
Method for operating an internal combustion engine
An internal combustion engine includes a plurality of cylinders, into whose combustion chambers the fuel is introduced individually for each cylinder. It is proposed that, during a time period a setpoint fuel quantity is varied individually for each cylinder in such a way that the average formed over the time period equals, at least approximately, a normal setpoint fuel quantity which would have to be injected without the above-mentioned variation for inducing or maintaining a setpoint operating state of the internal combustion engine. |
| US07904230B2 |
Control apparatus and control method for vehicle
A control apparatus for a vehicle is equipped with a detection portion that detects a required output of an internal combustion engine, an acquisition portion that acquires an ignition timing of the internal combustion engine, a setting portion that sets an operation curve of the internal combustion engine such that the operation curve approaches an optimal fuel consumption operation curve as the acquired ignition timing is retarded with respect to a set ignition timing, a decision portion that decides a target power of the internal combustion engine on the basis of the detected required output and the set operation curve, and a control portion for controlling the internal combustion engine on the basis of the decided target power. |
| US07904228B2 |
Distance related cruise control system and method
A distance-related cruise control system and method for a motor vehicle performs a speed control to a predefined desired speed during free travel of the motor vehicle and performs a distance regulation to a predefined distance to the vehicle traveling ahead during following travel. After deactivation of the distance regulation during following travel, the system performs a speed control, not to the previously defined speed, but rather to the current speed of the motor vehicle at the instant of the deactivation of the distance regulation as the desired speed. |
| US07904223B2 |
Post impact safety system with vehicle contact information
A system for providing post-impact signals in a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes at least one impact zone with a passive safety sensor positioned at designated sections of the vehicle. The system comprises a plurality of passive safety sensors, a passive safety controller, and an active safety controller. The passive safety controller determines the impact location, impact direction and intensity. The passive safety controller transmits a passive output signal indicative of the impact intensity, impact direction and impact location. The active safety controller stabilizes the vehicle post-impact in response to the passive output signal. |
| US07904217B2 |
Battery pack management strategy in a hybrid electric motor vehicle
A software algorithm (FIG. 3) determines the strategy by which a controller (34) will manage state of charge (SOC) of a battery pack (32) in a hybrid electric vehicle but always gives the driver the opportunity to make his/her own selection instead. The algorithm causes one of two strategies to be selected each time that the ignition switch is operated from “off” position to “on” position. The manner in which the algorithm executes depends on the value of a calibratable parameter electronically programmed into the controller of the particular vehicle when the vehicle is being built at the factory. |
| US07904216B2 |
Electric train control apparatus
According to one embodiment, an electric train control apparatus having a plurality of electric motors and a plurality of inverters configured to control electric motors, independently of one another, including shaft speed calculating units respectively, and configured to calculate shaft speeds of electric motors, reference speed calculating unit configured to calculate a reference speed from shaft speeds of electric motors, acceleration detection control units configured to calculate torque reduction values from rates at which shaft speeds calculated, slip speed control units configured to reduce torques in accordance with a difference between shaft speeds of electric motors, state monitoring units configured to monitor states of detecting shaft speeds and output state signals, and changeover unit configured to switch control of inverters, between control performed by acceleration detection control units and control performed by slip speed control units, in accordance with state signals received from state monitoring units. |
| US07904205B2 |
Network opening method in manufacturing robots to a second network from a first network
A method of opening a network in a manufacturing system, the system including a plurality of robots, a plurality of robot controllers individually controlling the robots and a plurality of networks connecting the robot controllers with each other. The method includes the steps of opening a first network to the plurality of robot controllers, by setting, in each of the plurality of robot controllers, conditions, including addresses, required for opening the first network; designating an address range prepared in the first network for robot controllers to which a second network is opened and which is selected from among the plurality of robot controllers; and opening the second network to the robot controllers addressed within the address range designated in the first network, by setting, through the first network, conditions required for opening the second network. |
| US07904203B2 |
Apparatus and method for robot control
A robot control apparatus for controlling walking of a robot includes a control information generating unit that generates control information based on a posture of a robot at a plurality of different points of time including at least a reference posture when the robot is independently standing without falling down, a feedback control unit that, with respect to the robot controlled according to the control information generated by the control information generating unit, performs a gyro feedback control based on a rotation angle measured at two points of time when rolling to left and right becomes maximum by a gyro sensor installed in the robot, and a rolling amplitude correcting unit that, while the robot is in motion, corrects a rolling amplitude that is used by the control information generating unit in generating the control information so that the gyro feedback control performed by the feedback control unit is reduced. |
| US07904197B2 |
Methods and systems for providing one code address correction service
One code address correction service. A carrier of items provides a sender of an item an address change service for an undeliverable address. The item includes a human readable address and a machine readable code. The machine readable code identifies at least the sender. The carrier scans the machine readable code to identify the sender and creates an address change record for the sender. The address change record includes the undeliverable address. The carrier then sends the address change record to the sender. |
| US07904195B2 |
Method for prognostic maintenance in semiconductor manufacturing equipments
A method for prognostic maintenance in semiconductor manufacturing equipments is disclosed. The said method comprising: collecting a plurality of raw data from the default detection and classification system for equipments, preprocessing the raw data, using the neural network model (NN model) to find a plurality of health indices, generating health information by using the principal component analysis (PCA) to identify the health indices, and using the partial least square discriminated analysis (PLS-DA) to find a health report. The health report provides the engineers with current risk levels of equipments. By the health report, the engineers can initiate prognostic maintenance and repair the equipments early. |
| US07904189B2 |
Programmable audio system
An audio system and method. The audio system comprises a sensing device and a memory device. The memory device comprises a list of groups of gesture types. A first specified audio sound is stored within the memory device. A user programs a first association between the first specified audio sound and a first specified gesture received by the sensing device. The first specified gesture is associated with a first group from the list of groups. The first association is stored within the memory device. The audio file is amplified by the audio system. The user uses the sensing device to perform the first specified gesture. The audio system recognizes the first specified gesture as a gesture from the first group. The audio system enables and amplifies the first specified audio sound and integrates the first specified audio sound with the audio file. |
| US07904183B2 |
Methods and apparatus for implementing manual and hybrid control modes in automated graphical indicators and controls
The present invention concerns methods and apparatus for enabling manual control over selection of a value for at least one operating parameter of a computer system resource. Manual control is enabled by de-coupling a pointer of a graphical indicator and control from an automated system advisor. During automated operation, the automated system advisor selects the value for the parameter of the computer system resource as indicated on a scale of the graphical indicator and control by the pointer. When the pointer of the graphical indicator is under manual control, a user can select the value of the at least one operating parameter of the computer system resource using the pointer of the graphical indicator and control. The present invention also concerns methods and apparatus for disabling manual control over selection of a value for at least one operating parameter of a computer system resource by re-coupling the pointer to an automated system advisor. The present invention further concerns hybrid control modes that permit users to exercise a degree of control over operations of an automated selection process in a graphical indicator and control. |
| US07904179B2 |
Implantable medical device system with fixation member
A fixation device for a subcutaneous implantable medical device includes a deformable tip portion that reduces in width when coupled with a fixation tool such that implantation of the implantable medical device through tissue is facilitated. Upon release from the fixation tool, the fixation device returns to its initial shape and stably secures the position of the implantable medical device. |
| US07904178B2 |
Medical electrical lead body designs incorporating energy dissipating shunt
An elongate body of a medical electrical lead includes at least one conductor formed into a coil that includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion extends within an outer insulation sheath and the second portion extends outside the outer insulation sheath to be exposed to an environment external to the lead body as an energy dissipating shunt. |
| US07904173B2 |
Functional metallicity ion band
A pair of functional metal ion bands are provided. The pair of functional metal ion bands are attached to meridians and acupoints of the human body in a simple manner to induce a smooth flow of current in the body, thereby rapidly changing a disease condition to a normal state. The pair of functional metal ion bands comprise a gold-colored thin metal plate as a positive electrode and a silver-colored thin metal plate as a negative electrode wherein the gold-colored thin metal plate is composed of Cu and a metal selected from Ag, Au and Pt and the silver-colored thin metal plate is made of an alloy of Al, Si, Fe, Cu, Mn, Mg and Zn. The pair of functional metal ion bands are manufactured by processing each of the thin metal plates to have a thickness of 1 μm to 1 cm and a diameter of 1 mm to 50 cm, and attaching the processed metal plate to one side of a soft adhesive fabric using an adhesive. |
| US07904172B2 |
Programmable apparatus and method for optimizing and real time monitoring of gene transfection based on user configured arbitrary waveform pulsing train
The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for generating and applying an electric field according to a user configured arbitrary waveform pulsing train. A control module allows the user to input operation parameters and configure the arbitrary waveform pulsing train for the electroporation process. A micro-controller unit coupled to the control module controls an arbitrary waveform generator unit and a customized power module. During the electroporation process, the arbitrary waveform generator unit produces the arbitrary waveform pulsing train that is amplified by the customized power module. The customized power module is coupled to at least two electrodes, wherein the at least two electrodes will produce an electric field across a target media. |
| US07904152B2 |
External defibrillator with charge advisory algorithm
A method of delivering electrical therapy to a patient by a medical device includes activating the medical device and performing a first analysis of a first set of data signals sensed by the medical device. If the first analysis shows the first set of data signals meets a first criterion, then charging of an energy delivery circuit is commenced upon completion of the first analysis. A second analysis of a second set of data signals from the patient is performed, and if the second analysis determines that the second set of data signals meet a second criterion, the therapy is delivered. The steps of performing the first analysis and performing the second analysis may be begun at substantially the same time. The step of charging may overlap in time with the step of performing a second analysis. The medical device may be an external defibrillator and the therapy may be a defibrillating shock. |
| US07904150B2 |
Biofeedback electronic stimulation device
A biofeedback electronic stimulation device includes a processor for generating a first control signal and a plurality of second control signals responsive to at least one input signal. Transformer circuitry generates a stimulation signal including packets of at least one pulse responsive to the first control signal. Pulse circuitry configures the at least one pulse in the packet to a selected one of a plurality of configurations responsive to the plurality of second control signals. Output electrodes apply the at least one pulse in the packet to a user and detector circuitry detects zero crossings of the at least one pulse in the packet. The processor further causes generation of an indicator responsive to the detected zero crossings. |
| US07904137B2 |
Medical device guidance system
The present invention realizes a medical device guidance system capable of improving propulsion control characteristic. The capsule guidance system 1 includes a rotating electromagnetic field generating device 4 for generating a rotating electromagnetic field for applying from the outside of a subject into the subject; a capsule 3 to be inserted into the body cavity of the subject; a magnet 16 provided in this capsule 3 and acting on the rotating electromagnetic field generated by the rotating electromagnetic field generating device 4; a spiral projection portion 12 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the capsule 3 and converting the rotational movement generated by the magnet 16 into a thrust; a controller 6 for controlling the rotating electromagnetic field generating device 4 to continuously change the state of the rotating electromagnetic field generated by rotating electromagnetic field generating device 4; and a capsule rotational direction pattern generator 41 for interchanging the rotational directions of the rotating electromagnetic field generated by the rotating electromagnetic field generating device 4 for each set rotational direction. |
| US07904135B2 |
Magnetic resonance spatial risk map for tissue outcome prediction
Diffusion weighted images and perfusion weighted images are acquired with an MRI system and used to produce low b, DWI, ADC, CBV, CBF, and MTT images of brain tissues following an ischemic event. These MRI physiological measurements are input along with a spatial location measurement to a generalized linear model that predicts the outcome of tissues surrounding a lesion. |
| US07904125B2 |
Slide module for portable terminal
A slide module of a portable terminal that provides relative sliding movement in longitudinal and transverse directions between a first body and a second body. The portable terminal includes a first body, a second body positioned facing the first body, and a slide module provided between the first body and the second body to guide the first body in sliding movement in longitudinal and transverse directions relative to the second body. The slide module includes a first slide member fixed to the first body, a second slide member fixed to the second body, and a guide unit provided between the first slide member and the second slide member to guide the first slide member in sliding movement in longitudinal and transverse directions. |
| US07904115B2 |
Adaptive power management for a node of a mobile telecommunications network
A telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a radio base station in a mobile telecommunications network, comprises a plurality of traffic handling units and a plurality of power supply units powering the traffic handling units. Control means are provided for determining a power budget based on a power criterion. The control means activate an amount of traffic handling units and power supply units having a total power consumption equal to or less than the power budget. The power criterion for determining the power budget can comprise any power related parameter, such as an amount of solar cell generated power, a charging condition of a backup battery, a value of a mains voltage, a failure of a power supply unit of the apparatus, etc. |
| US07904114B2 |
Method and system for automated planning using geographical data
A portable device for collecting data at a geographic location and providing accurate, comprehensive, efficient and timely work prints. The portable device for collecting data at a geographic location, the device including a memory that stores preliminary site information associated with the geographic location; a receiver that receives geographic position data of at least one point at the geographic location; an interface that enables a user to input data corresponding to the received geographic position data; and a processor that supplements the preliminary site information with the received geographic position data and the corresponding input data. |
| US07904113B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting and selectively utilizing peripheral devices
A method and apparatus for providing a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) with access to at least one peripheral device, and/or at least one peripheral device associated with an available auxiliary device. The current peripheral device requirements of the WTRU are determined. The radio frequency (RF) environment of the WTRU is scanned to determine if there are any available wireless peripheral devices or wireless auxiliary devices proximate to the WTRU. A determination is also made as to whether there is a wired peripheral device or a wired auxiliary device available. A list of currently available peripheral devices is compiled by scanning at least one peripheral device registry associated with at least one of a wireless auxiliary device and a wired auxiliary device. The list is presented on the WTRU's display and a user selects at least one of the available peripheral devices from the list. |
| US07904112B2 |
Simultaneous operation of wireless LAN and long-range wireless connections
A method for communication includes establishing a first connection between a wireless terminal and a base station of a long-range wireless data network, which operates in accordance with a first protocol that defines a sequence of time frames for transmission of data between the wireless terminal and the base station. A signal is sent from the wireless terminal to the base station identifying an interval including one or more of the time frames during which the wireless terminal will not receive data from the base station. During the interval, a second connection is established between the wireless terminal and an access point of a wireless local area network (WLAN) in accordance with a second protocol, different from the first protocol. |
| US07904108B2 |
Double transformer balun for maximum power amplifier power
Double transformer balun for maximum PA (Power Amplifier) power. A novel approach is presented herein by which conversion from a differential signal to single-ended signal may be achieved using a double transformer balun design. The secondary coils of the double transformer balun also operate as a choke for the PA supply voltage. The secondary coils can operate as an RF (Radio Frequency) trap or choke to keep any AC (Alternating Current) signal components and to pass any DC (Direct Current) components. By using a double transformer balun design, relatively thinner tracks may be employed thereby ensuring a high degree of electromagnetic coupling efficiency and high performance. Also, these relatively thinner tracks consume a relatively small amount of space on the die. The double transformer balun design also includes a matching Z (impedance) block that is operable to math the Z of an antenna or line that the PA is driving. |
| US07904102B2 |
Mobile communication system and control method thereof and radio network controller and base station used for the same
In a mobile communication system, the information on a downlink DCH actually not used is regarded as removable from the construction target of a TFI and a TFCI, so that a discrepancy of the perception regarding the TFI and the TFCI is not occurred between a base station and a UE (User Equipment). An indicator information in terms of an “Unidirectional DCH Indicator” is generated in an Indicator processing portion of a RNC so that the base station can remove the information regarding the downlink DCH actually not used from the construction target of the TFI and the TFCI, and the information, which is included in the NBAP message, is transmitted to the base station from the NBAP message composition portion. When, at the NBAP message analyzing portion of the base station, it is determined that the “Unidirectional DCH Indicator” is included in this message, the information regarding the downlink DCH actually not used in a TFCI construction portion is removed from the construction target of the TFI and the TFCI. |
| US07904098B2 |
Method of assigning transmission channels in a telecommunications network and user station
A method of assigning transmission channels in a telecommunications network and a user station are provided, which facilitate an increase in the capacity of a telecommunications network. The telecommunications network may include multiple base stations and mobile stations, the transmission channels being provided for transmitting signals between the base stations and the mobile stations. In uncoordinated operation of the base stations, at least one of the transmission channels is assigned for transmitting signals between one of the base stations and one of the mobile stations as a function of a channel measurement, in which the transmission power on all possible transmission channels is measured, if the previously measured transmission power on this transmission channel is minimal. |
| US07904097B2 |
Location determination techniques
A method for estimating a target object properties, including location, in an environment. A topology model indicates permissible locations and transitions and a data model models a location-dependent physical quantity which is observed by the target object's sensing device. Motion models model specific target object types, obeying the permissible locations and transitions. The target object is assigned a set of particles, each having a set of attributes, including location in relation to the topology model. The attributes estimate the target object properties The particles' update cycles include: determining a degree of belief for each particle to estimate the target object properties; determining a weight for each particle based on at least the determined degree of belief and generating new particles for update cycle n+1 in an evolutionary process. |
| US07904094B2 |
Method for reducing wireless communication procedure failure
A method for reducing wireless communication procedure failure. The method can include initiating a procedure over an existing radio resource control connection on a universal mobile telecommunication system. The method can also include receiving a connection release signal prior to receiving a response from a core network regarding the initiated procedure. The method can further include immediately retrying the procedure. |
| US07904093B2 |
Method and apparatus for allocating a pilot signal adapted to the channel characteristics
A set of different pilot structures are designed for use in different environments and/or different user behaviours that are expected to occur in a cell. The radio conditions for a user are estimated. Each user is then assigned an area (108A-E) in resource space for its communication, which has a suitable pilot configuration. In one embodiment, the entire resource space is provided with different pilot structures in different parts (110A-D) In advance and allocation of resources to the users are then performed in order to match estimated radio conditions to the provided pilot structure. In another embodiment, allocation is performed first, and then the actual pilot structure is adapted within the allocated resource space area to suit the environmental conditions. |
| US07904086B2 |
Method and computer program for handoff of mobile devices between wireless systems
A method and computer program are provided for handing off a mobile device in communication with a first wireless system having a first network address to one or more other wireless systems within communication range of the mobile device. The method and computer program include periodically monitoring by the mobile device of communications from the first wireless system and the other wireless systems, calculating a signal strength associated with each of the monitored communications, selecting one of the other wireless systems, and transferring communication to the selected wireless system upon detection of a predetermined threshold of the signal strength associated with the first wireless system. |
| US07904085B2 |
Mobile device and radio interface arrangement method
A transmitter/receiver 101 on a mobile body 10 utilizes a plurality of antennas 100. It is assumed that a plurality of the antennas 100 are distributed and arranged in a moving direction of the mobile body, and the antennas at both ends are away from each other at an extent that a distance between the antennas is not negligible as compared with an interval of the base station. A radio wave from the base station 102-1 is stronger in intensity in 100-1 than in the center, and the radio wave from the base station 102-2 is stronger in intensity in 100-2 than in the center, respectively, whereby the communication stabilization effect, which is larger as compared with the case that the antennas are locally located in the center, is expected. This enables the interval of the base station, which is broader than the conventional one, to be employed, yet both of a speed and a frequency of a hand-over process to be lowered, and in addition hereto, the bandwidth utilization efficiency, which is higher as compared with that of the conventional example, to be realized. |
| US07904084B2 |
Intelligent access point scanning with self-learning capability
A method and apparatus for intelligent access point scanning with self-learning capability enables a wireless handset to conserve power while scanning for unlicensed mobile access. |
| US07904082B2 |
ACARS messages over iridium
A system in a method are provided for sending and receiving messages between a point located on the ground and a point located on an aircraft via an Iridium Short Burst Data Service. The messages may conform to Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee (AEEC) Specification 618. The messages may be ground-to-air messages or air-to-ground messages. The messages may be ACARS messages and at least some of the messages may have a length exceeding a maximum payload of the Iridium Short Burst Data Service. ACARS messages, which exceed the maximum payload of the Iridium Short Burst Data Service may be segmented and each of the segments may be sent in respective Iridium Short Burst Data messages via the Iridium Short Burst Data Service. When the separate Iridium Short Burst Data messages are received, the segments may be combined to reconstruct the ACARS message for delivery to an intended destination. |
| US07904078B2 |
Mobile peer-to-peer networks
Mobile terminals may connect to one another of dynamically formed local networks to exchange certain files, such as bandwidth intensive files. Licensing or payment information for these files may be exchanged via a wide-area network, such as the cellular network to which the mobile terminals normally connect. In one embodiment, a mobile terminal includes logic to join a local network in response to the mobile terminal coming into range of the local network; logic to request a file from the local network; logic to receive the file from the local network when the file is available from another mobile terminal in the local network; and logic to exchange payment or license information for the file over a cellular network. |
| US07904074B2 |
Remote configuration and control of local devices via a broadband access gateway
A system and method for the remote configuration and control of a access devices via a broadband access gateway is disclosed. The broadband access gateway may comprise a wireless interface and a broadband network connection for exchanging information via, for example, a digital subscriber loop, a cable connection, a T1 connection, and T3 network connection. A user using any of a plurality of access devices may communicate with the broadband access gateway via the wireless interface or the broadband network connection to make remote requests of another of the access devices. Such requests may comprise, for example, accessing, recording, playing, exchanging, transmitting, receiving, converting, translating of multimedia information. The remote requests may include enabling, disabling, configuring, monitoring, administering, and scheduling of smart appliances and premise systems such as, for example, security, heating, and cooling systems. |
| US07904071B2 |
Determining presence of radio frequency communication device
A RF data communication device operates in at least two states. In a first state, the device transmits a response to an RF transmission if specific data therein represents an inquiry as to the presence of one or more RF data communication devices and if specific data therein corresponds to a class maintained by the device. The device does not transmit a response if specific data in the RF transmission is not representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more RF data communication devices, or if specific data therein does not correspond to at least one maintained class. In a second state, the device does not transmit a response when specific data is included therein that is representative of an inquiry as to the presence of one or more RF data communication devices and specific data therein corresponds to at least one maintained class. |
| US07904065B2 |
Serving data/applications from a wireless mobile phone
Various methods and apparatuses associated with the serving of data from a wireless mobile phone, including a wireless mobile phone, are described herein. |
| US07904064B2 |
Methods and systems for targeted delivery of information based on current location of wireless device
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for delivering targeted information to a mobile wireless device based on proximity of the wireless device to a given destination location. The information may include travel or routing information directing the user of the mobile device to the destination location, and other information concerning the sponsor of a destination. The travel information may be tailored to the mode of locomotion inferred from movement information determined for a mobile wireless device carried by the user. |
| US07904062B2 |
Scrolling mobile advertisements
A mobile device, system, and method are directed towards displaying an advertisement within a navigable view on a mobile device. In one embodiment, the navigable view employs a scrollable list. In one embodiment, a capability of the mobile device is employed to determine the mechanism for displaying of the advertisement within the navigable view. In one embodiment, the display mechanism may enable the advertisement to disappear from the mobile device's display after scrolling past the advertisement. In another embodiment, the advertisement is treated as a fixed entry within the scrollable view. As a fixed entry, scrolling past the advertisement results in the advertisement disappearing from the display of the mobile device. In still another embodiment, the advertisement is treated as a continually viewable entry within the navigable view, and in another embodiment, the advertisement may bounce to a top or a bottom of the navigable view as it is scrolled. |
| US07904060B2 |
Dynamic PRL assignment system
A system for selectively providing an updated PRL to a remote wireless device reduces airtime requirements by determining the PRL to be loaded based on a collection of information relating to the wireless device. Depending upon the nature, connectivity and location of the device, the system loads a partial or full PRL, and may in certain circumstances decline to load any PRL, instead flagging the existing PRL as out-of-date. |
| US07904059B2 |
Method and mobile terminal for implementing vector animation interactive service on mobile phone browser
Disclosed is a method for implementing a vector animation interactive service on a mobile communication terminal browser. The method includes the steps of: a) requesting a supply of a WAP page through a wireless Internet; b) downloading a WML script constituting the WAP page; c) transferring the WML script to an embedded plug-in, and processing a portion, which includes information for an image and a dynamic image or execution information for a game in the WML script, at a variable value for conversion in the embedded plug-in; d) transferring the information processed at the variable value to a vector graphic engine; and e) displaying or executing the image, the dynamic image or the game through the vector graphic engine. According to the method, it is possible to provide users with various multimedia services such as interactive menus, games, advertisements and content reproduction even in a state where a browser is not closed, so that browser capacity can be minimized and a resource such as a memory of the mobile communication terminal can be saved. Consequently, it is possible to promote interest of the user for use of a wireless Internet. |
| US07904046B2 |
Radio equipment having an attenuator between antenna and radio module
A radio equipment, wherein an attenuator (10) is inserted between antennas (91, 92) and a radio module (2), and output and input sensitivities are raised and lowered simultaneously so as to keep the balance of a radio covering range with an input receiver coverage at a constant, and the antenna (91) and the antenna (92) with attenuator are switched over by a switch (8) to increase and decrease the radio coverage range and input receiver coverage while keeping the balance of the dynamic radio coverage range with the input receiver coverage. |
| US07904044B2 |
Automatic gain control apparatus and method in mobile communication system
The present invention relates to an automatic gain control apparatus and method in a mobile communication system. According to the automatic gain control apparatus of an embodiment of the invention, when downlink signals include both directional beam signals and beam signals traveling in all directions due to the antenna system, different reception gain reference values are used according to whether downlink signals including only the beam signals traveling in all directions are received or downlink signals including the directional beam signals are received, thereby controlling the gain of the received signal. When the downlink signals including the directional beam signals are received, the automatic gain control apparatus can appropriately control the gain of the received signal on the basis of the directional beam signals to prevent saturation of the received signal. Further, in a place where the channel condition between the terminal and the base station is bad, such as the boundaries between the cells, the reception gain is controlled on the basis of the reception gain reference value that is set in correspondence with the beam signal traveling in all directions, which makes it possible to reduce the loss of a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). |
| US07904039B2 |
Multi-user adaptive array receiver and method
An array receiver which reduces complexity and cost by exploiting multiuser information in signals received from a plurality of transmitting users preprocesses (40) samples of antenna signals (x1, x2 . . . , xN) from the antenna elements (22/1, . . . , 22/N) to form basis signals (yO, . . . , yM) together having fewer space-time dimensions than the space-time dimensions of the combined antenna signals. The receiver processes and combines the basis signals to produce sets of estimated received signals (z0, . . . , zM), each for a corresponding one of the users. Each of the basis signals comprises a different combination of the antenna signals. The receiver combines the basis signals to provide a user-specific output signal, and periodically updates parameters of the filters (40/0, . . . , 40/M) used for deriving each particular basis signal such that each user-specific output signal will exhibit a desired optimized concentration of energy of that user's received signal as received by the array antenna. |
| US07904037B2 |
Adaptive radio transceiver with offset PLL with subsampling mixers
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention described and shown in the specification and drawings is a transceiver with a receiver, a transmitter, a local oscillator (LO) generator, a controller, and a self-testing unit. All of these components can be packaged for integration into a single IC including components such as filters and inductors. The controller for adaptive programming and calibration of the receiver, transmitter and LO generator. The self-testing unit generates is used to determine the gain, frequency characteristics, selectivity, noise floor, and distortion behavior of the receiver, transmitter and LO generator. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims. |
| US07904035B2 |
Calibration system and method in a communications device
A radio frequency (RF) communications device is provided. The RF communications device includes transmitter circuitry configured to generate a calibration signal on a signal line coupled to an antenna port in a calibration mode of operation and an RF output signal for broadcast across the antenna port subsequent to the calibration mode of operation, tuning circuitry coupled to the signal line and configured to receive the calibration signal, and a controller configured to adjust a signal level of the calibration signal generated by the transmitter circuitry and a tuning of the tuning circuitry during the calibration mode of operation. The transmitter circuitry, the tuning circuitry, and the controller are at least partially integrated on the same integrated circuit. |
| US07904034B2 |
Method and system for providing an interference cancellation in a wireless communication system
A system, a receiver apparatus, a transmitter apparatus and a method for inter-user interference cancellation when simultaneous transmissions from two wireless users to the same base station are repeated using the same time-frequency resource. The percentage of interference cancellation is pre-set and phase shifts of the first and repeated transmitted symbols for each mobile user are determined in accordance with this pre-set percentage. The receiver uses a pre-determined technique for estimating the received symbols in accordance with the pre-set percentage and phase shifts. |
| US07904033B1 |
Constant gain digital predistortion controller for linearization of non-linear amplifiers
The invention is related to methods and apparatus for controlling and adapting a digital predistortion linearizer for amplification of bandlimited signals using non-linear amplifiers. The control method advantageously permits the predistortion function applied by a predistortion entity to provide a relatively constant gain. This attribute is advantageous for operation within cellular radio systems, which often employ digital power control systems. However, the disclosed techniques can also be applicable to virtually any type of digital predistortion for which an input signal or reference signal to be amplified is predistorted in a manner that is complementary to the distortion induced by a non-linear amplifier. Embodiments of the invention advantageously enhance the practicality of using digital linearization and predistortion amplification techniques. Embodiments of the invention can automatically adjust the characteristics of a predistorted signal so that a deviation from overall linearity is compensated and subsequently reduced while maintaining a nearly constant gain attribute. |
| US07904031B2 |
High-frequency module for transmitting and receiving transmission-reception signals of at least three communication systems using a single antenna
A high-frequency module includes a GaAs switch defining an FET switch for selectively connecting one of four RF input-output terminals to an antenna input-output terminal to be connected to an antenna. A GSM transmission signal input terminal is connected to the RF input-output terminal of the GaAsSW through a low-pass filter, and a DCS/PCS transmission signal input terminal is connected to the RF input-output terminal through a low-pass filter. A GSM 850 reception signal output terminal and a PCS reception signal output terminal are connected to the RF input-output terminal through a diplexer, and a GSM 900 reception signal output terminal and a PCS reception signal output terminal are connected to the RF input-output terminal through a diplexer. |
| US07904028B2 |
Wireless communication device
A device peripheral is disclosed. The device peripheral comprises a controller having a plurality of converters, a transceiver controllable by the controller for performing a signaling operation, the signaling operation being one of receiving reception signals, transmitting transmission signals and simultaneously receiving the reception signals and transmitting the transmission signals, and a data interface couplable to a device for communicating the controller with the device, the controller for identifying one of the plurality of converters for use during data communication with the device. More specifically, first media data provided by the device to the controller is converted by the identified one of the plurality of converters into transmission data for transmission by the transceiver as the transmission signals, and reception data received by the transceiver as the reception signals is converted by the identified one of the plurality of converters for into second media data for provision to the device. |
| US07904027B2 |
Branching filter and multiplex transceiver
Disclosed herein are branching filter suitable for connection with a transmission/reception integrated radio device, and a multiplex transceiver which utilizes the branching filter. A band pass filter unit separates an outgoing wave from an incoming wave. An antenna duplexer transmits an outgoing wave from the band pass filter unit to an antenna, and transmits an incoming wave from the antenna to the band pass filter unit. The band pass filter unit has two ports on the antenna side, and one port on the radio device side. A transmission/reception integrated radio device is connected to the port of the branching filter on the radio device side. |
| US07904026B2 |
Dynamic channel quality measurement procedure implemented in a wireless digital communication system to prioritize the forwarding of downlink data
A wireless digital communication system includes a base station in communication with a plurality of user equipment mobile terminals (UEs). The system prioritizes the forwarding of blocks of downlink data to designated ones of the UEs. The system employs adaptive modulation and coding (AM&C) to achieve improved radio resource utilization and provides optimum data rates for user services. Blocks of downlink (DL) data are received by the base station which requests downlink (DL) channel quality measurements only from those mobile terminals (UEs) with pending downlink transmissions. The UEs respond to the request by measuring and reporting DL channel quality to the base station, which then allocates resources such that the UEs will make best use of radio resources. The base station notifies the UEs of the physical channel allocation indicating the modulation/coding rate and allocated slots followed by transmission of blocks of downlink data which are transmitted to the UEs. |
| US07904021B2 |
Selecting carriers for modulating signals in a communication network
Communicating over a network of communication stations includes monitoring for reception of an electromagnetic wave that has a power above a threshold and a frequency in a predetermined frequency interval, and selecting carrier frequencies for modulating information onto signals transmitted over the network. The carrier frequencies are selected based at least in part on whether an electromagnetic wave having a power above the threshold and a frequency in the frequency interval has been received in a predetermined time interval, and based at least in part on a demand by one or more stations in the network for capacity for communicating over the network. |
| US07904020B2 |
Downstream broad beam diversity with interference cancellation
Downstream satellite communication systems and methods are disclosed according to embodiments of the invention. According to embodiments of the invention, a composite signal may be received by a subscriber terminal that includes at least a first signal that is transmitted from a first user through a first satellite, a second signal that is transmitted from the first user through a second satellite, and a third signal that is transmitted from a second user through the second satellite. The first signal and the second signal are transmitted to the first and second satellites as the same signal from a gateway, transmitter or subscriber terminal. The third signal is isolated from the composite signal and the subtracted from the composite signal. |
| US07904018B2 |
Digital multimedia broadcast receiver and user interface method thereof
A digital multimedia broadcast (DMB) receiver and a user interface including a processor that processes the received DMB signal and extracts information regarding ensembles and services from the DMB signal so that the user interface can display received services using the extracted information regarding the ensembles and services. The user interface can be a grid-type interface which includes an ensemble axis and a service axis to display multiple services linked to an ensemble along with the total duration of each service and the duration that each service has been viewed so that a user can easily determine the current status of each service. |
| US07904017B2 |
Process for automated assessment of problem solving skill
A process for using a computer to assess problem-solving skill includes a computer program that grades multi-step problems and is made aware of several different but equally valid formulas or methods that use answers to one or more prior steps to arrive at a correct answer to any problem step for which such choices exist. The user is allowed to submit answers, repeatedly if necessary, to any or all of a problem's steps, in any desired order, until all steps are either graded as correct or the correct answer was requested and given. A user's problem-solving skill level is assessed by compiling how many times answers to each step were submitted and on which Tries; if graded as correct, the Try on which credit was given and whether credit was given for a submitted answer, a submitted formula, or an unsubmitted answer for which prior-answer credit was given; if the correct answer was requested, the Try for which the request was made; and if hints are provided, a summary of their use. This data is stored and used to assess a user's skill level. |
| US07904015B2 |
Cut sheet media handling transport
A media handling transport includes first and second device halves. Each of the device halves includes first, second and third body members, with the first end portion of the second body member disposed adjacent the first end portion of the first body member, the first end portion of the third body member disposed adjacent the second end portion of the first body member, and the second end portion of the third body member disposed adjacent the second end portion of the second body member. An inner body member defines a first media transport passageway with the second body member define, a second media transport passageway with the third body member, and a third media transport passageway with the first body member. The second end portions of the second and third body members define an abutting end of the device half, with the abutting end of the first device half disposed adjacent the abutting end of the second device half in an installed transport. |
| US07904013B2 |
Image-forming apparatus
An image-forming apparatus that is provided with an intermediate transfer member that has a hard releasing layer formed on the surface thereof, supports a toner image primary-transferred onto the hard releasing layer from a latent-image supporting member, and secondary-transfers the supported toner image onto an image-receiving medium, and a cleaning blade that is arranged in contact with the intermediate transfer member, and removes residual toner from the hard releasing layer of the intermediate transfer member, wherein the cleaning blade has an impact resilience in the range from 20 to 50% at 20° C. |
| US07904011B2 |
Temperature control unit and image forming apparatus including same
A temperature control unit that maintains a temperature of a fixing liquid includes a container, some or all of which is formed of a heat conservation member, configured to store the fixing liquid that dissolves or causes a toner to swell, a heater provided to an image forming apparatus for heating the container through the heat conservation member, a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of the fixing liquid in the container, a controller for controlling an amount of heat that is transferred from the heater to the heat conservation member of the container based on a detection result provided by the temperature sensor, and a fixing liquid applicator for supplying the fixing liquid in the container to a toner on a recording medium so as to fix the toner onto the recording medium. The image forming apparatus includes the temperature control unit. |
| US07904007B2 |
Developer storage container and image forming apparatus
A toner cartridge is a developer storage container for storing toner (developer) in a hollow cylindrical section that is driven to rotate on its axis so that the stored toner is discharged from an outlet. The cylindrical section has an inner circumferential surface provided with a plurality of liner protruding portions that extend in a direction tilted with respect to a rotation direction of the cylindrical section. Moreover, the toner cartridge includes a stirring member capable of moving in the cylindrical section so as to collide with the protruding portions. This makes it possible to stably supply a developer and to realize an inexpensive developer storage container whose size can be reduced. |
| US07904006B2 |
Developer replenishing device for image forming apparatus
A toner replenishing device that provides a container and a device having a high toner volumetric efficiency and a low cost, suppresses vibration during replenishment to a minimum, and stores recovered toner without impairing the volumetric efficiency of unused toner is constituted by a developer replenishing device which is provided with a developer container storing a developer used in an image forming apparatus and replenishes a developing device of the image forming apparatus with the developer in the developer container. The developer container is rectangular in a horizontal direction, and comprises an outside container storing unused developer and a deformable inside container enveloped by the outside container. The developer replenishing device comprises a developer discharging mouthpiece portion for discharging the developer from the interior of the container, which is provided in a lengthwise direction end portion of the outside container, an air supply nozzle, provided in an opposite side end portion to the developer discharging mouthpiece portion in the lengthwise direction, for introducing air into the inside container, and an air pump for supplying air to the supply nozzle. |
| US07904005B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming apparatus body that includes a container attaching portion to which a developer container is removably attached; a container put-on member on which the developer container is put; and a support member to which the container put-on member is attached, the support member supporting the container put-on member to perform a movement between a first position in which the container put-on member is at the container attaching portion and a second position in which the container put-on member is pulled out from the container attaching portion, wherein at the second position, at least a part of the container put-on member is displaced downward through a rotating shaft provided on the support member to a lower position than a height of the container put-on member at the second position in the direction of gravity. |
| US07904002B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus with a flow guide plate
A developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearer with a dual-component developer, includes: a developing hopper for storing the developer; an agitation and conveying member for conveying the developer while agitating; a developer support which supports the developer that has been mixed and agitated inside the developing hopper and supplies the developer to a developing area located opposing the image bearer; a layer thickness-regulating member for regulating the layer thickness of the developer being conveyed by the developer support; a flow-guide plate member for flowing down the surplus developer that was rejected and conveyed away from the layer thickness-regulating member; a multiple number of diffusing elements arranged upright on the flow-guided plate member for flowing down the surplus developer in a predetermined direction whilst diffusing the developer with respect to the longitudinal direction of the developer support; and a downflow direction turning mechanism for periodically turning the downflow direction of the surplus developer regulated by the diffusing elements. |
| US07904000B2 |
Image forming apparatus with deceleration measuring section
An image forming apparatus including: a first and a second photoconductor groups constituted of one or more photoconductors respectively; a first and a second drive control sections for controlling the drive of the first and second photoconductor groups respectively to rotate the photoconductors thereof, and a deceleration measuring section for measuring respective degrees of deceleration when the first and second photoconductor groups rotate under their own inertias with a drive thereof being stopped, wherein the rotational phases of the first photoconductor group and the second photoconductor group are adjusted to be matched therebetween; and the first and second drive control sections determine a control pattern for decelerating so that a degree of deceleration to be applied at the stage of stopping drive of the first and second photoconductor groups become equal to or slower than the slowest one among the degrees of deceleration being measured. |
| US07903999B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member; a developing device for developing an electrostatic image formed on said photosensitive member into a toner image; a transfer charger for transferring a toner image from said photosensitive member onto an image receiving member; a non-rotational brush and a rotatable brush for electrically charging toner, which remains on said photosensitive member after image transfer by said transfer charger, to collect the remaining toner into said developing device; a driving mechanism provided with a driving source for rotating said rotatable brush; and a moving mechanism for reciprocating said non-rotational brush by a driving force through said rotatable brush in a direction along an axis of said photosensitive member. |
| US07903991B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring nip width in an image production device
A method and apparatus for measuring nip width in an image production device is disclosed. The method may include receiving a signal to measure the nip width, the nip width being the distance of an arc length created by an intersection of a fuser roll and a pressure roll, positioning a nip width measuring device into the nip, measuring the nip width, determining if the measured nip width meets a required nip width, wherein if the measured nip width does not meet the required nip width, adjusting the nip width. |
| US07903987B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method therefor
An image forming apparatus includes an exposure mechanism to form a latent image by exposure, a latent-image carrier to hold the latent image, a charging mechanism to charge the latent-image carrier evenly, a development device to develop a latent image on the latent-image carrier into a toner image, a transfer mechanism to transfer the toner image formed on the latent-image carrier onto a transfer material, at least one asperity profile reading mechanism to read an asperity of an entire image area of the transfer material at least in a width direction thereof onto which a toner image is to be transferred, and a control mechanism to adjust a toner adhesion amount of the toner image transferred to the transfer material in accordance with a localized asperity of a surface of the transfer material read by the asperity profile reading mechanism. |
| US07903983B2 |
Optical receiver and control method for optical receiver
An optical receiver converting an optical signal modulated by differential phase shift keying to electrical first and second data signals; generating a clock signal from the first data signal; demultiplexing the first data signal into two signals; latching the two signals using the clock signal; delaying the clock signal by a certain amount; latching the two signals using the delayed clock signal; demultiplexing the second data signal into two additional signals; generating an inverted clock signal by inverting the clock signal; latching the two additional signals using the inverted clock signal or the clock signal; and further latching the two additional signals using the delayed clock signal. |
| US07903979B2 |
Low-cost WDM source with an incoherent light injected Fabry-Perot laser diode
The present invention discloses a low-cost light source for optical transmission systems and optical networks based on wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) technology. A light source in accordance with the present invention is implemented by externally injecting a narrow-band incoherent light into a Fabry-Perot laser diode (F-P LD). After injection of narrow-band incoherent light, the output of F-P LD becomes wavelength-selective rather than multi-mode and the output wavelength of F-P LD coincide with the peak wavelength of the injected incoherent light.Multi-channel WDM light sources according to the present invention can be implemented using a single broadband incoherent light source and plurality of F-P LDs. An optical transmission system for upstream signal transmission in an passive optical network using the light source according the present invention is also disclosed. |
| US07903976B2 |
Optical element integrated module
In an optical element integrated module, first through n-th optical data signals are externally input to first ports of first through n-th optical circulators and are input to first through n-th optical/optical converters via second ports. The first through n-th optical/optical converters modulate first through n-th optical short pulse trains in accordance with the first through n-th optical data signals. First through n-th modulated optical data signals are input to the second ports of the first through n-th optical circulators and are input to an optical time division multiplexing section. The optical time division multiplexing section generates optical time division multiplexed signals by time division multiplexing the first through n-th modulated optical data signals. |
| US07903975B2 |
Optical add-drop multiplexer
A problem to be solved in an optical communication system for carrying out bidirectional transmission between communication nodes by wavelength-division-multiplexed optical signals is that a plurality of optical add-drop multiplexers installed in the communication nodes are required for each transmission direction, and therefore, the communication cost is increased. An optical circulator or an optical coupler is arranged at an input/output port of the optical add-drop multiplexer and the wavelength-division-multiplexed optical signals are assembled for each transmission direction, whereby optical signals transmitted bidirectionally can be handled by one optical add-drop multiplexer. |
| US07903974B2 |
Optical transmission system for transmitting signal of E-band with other bands
Disclosed is an optical transmission system capable of transmitting optical signals of E-band and other bands through one optical fiber. The system includes a first thin film filter for receiving optical signals of E-band and other bands at both sides thereof respectively, and multiplexing the optical signals of both E-band and other bands by selectively transmitting wavelength ranges received at one side, reflecting wavelength ranges received at the other side, and then coupling the optical signals of both E-band and other bands; an optical fiber for transmitting the optical signals multiplexed by the first thin film filter to a receiving portion; and a second thin film filter for selectively separating and demultiplexing the E-band and other bands from the optical signals transmitted through the optical fiber. |
| US07903969B2 |
Link connectivity verification method
A link connectivity verification message to recognize a physical link connection state is transmitted from the WDM to the PXC on a C-plane. The PXC transmits a link connectivity verification ACK message including information representing a physical link connection state, and the WDM transmits a cross-connect instruction message to cross-connect a transmission side and a reception side of a port (port 1) of the PXC. Probe light transmitted from the port (port a) of the WDM is turned back by a cross-connect of the port (port 1) of the PXC. The WDM receives the probe light to verify a link connectivity. |
| US07903965B2 |
Safety apparatus for controlling operation of functional equipment having movable parts
The safety apparatus for controlling operation of functional equipment having movable parts is configured to use a camera to view and cause detection of a safety related event in a field of view of the camera. The device is useful in a reverse vending machine (RVM) for receiving, handling, sorting and storing returnable items or objects. The RVM includes an item supporting, rotating, sorting and conveyor unit, an upwardly oriented storage chamber for such items, the safety apparatus to avoid operational hazards, a camera aided detection device for detecting at least one of a bar code on and other characteristics, e.g. contour of an item, a simplified token system, and a drive system with a releasable power coupling for operating the sorting device and a further storage device. |
| US07903958B2 |
Hanging water heater
A hanging water heater includes a machine body installed inside with plural quartz heating tubes respectively composed of a quartz external tube having its opposite ends sealed, and a quartz internal tube positioned in the quartz external tube, installed therein with a remote-infrared-ray heating member and having one end connected with an electrode terminal. Each quartz external tube has its lower sidewall bored with water intakes and its upper wall bored with a vapor vent. The machine body is further provided with a water inlet and a water outlet communicating with a circulating tube. The circulating tube communicates with the vapor vent of the quartz external tube, having its wall bored with lots of through holes. The hanging water heater performs heat conduction by vapor, and light and heat radiation, impossible to produce water stains and able to economize energy. |
| US07903953B2 |
Image recording and reproducing apparatus and method
An image recording and reproducing apparatus and method are provided, in which a current broadcasting and a previous broadcasting with respect to one image content can be viewed at the same time using multi-decoding. One embodiment of the apparatus includes mode setup unit for users to select a time shift mode. |
| US07903950B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903949B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903948B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903947B2 |
Recording apparatus and method, playback apparatus and method, recording medium, and computer-readable medium for recording and playing back moving images
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and a method, a playback apparatus and a method, a recording medium, and a program capable of quickly playing back a picture associated with a unit in which a moving image is encoded. An extraction section 51 extracts one picture from each GOP. A number-of-pixels conversion section 40 reduces the amount of information of the extracted picture by thinning out pixels. A static-image compression section 41 encodes the picture whose amount of information has been reduced by a JPEG technique. A microcomputer 31 associates the encoded picture with the GOP from which the picture has been extracted and controls recording of the picture associated with the GOP onto a disk 45 on which the moving image is to be recorded. The present invention can be applied to a recording apparatus for recording a moving image onto a data recording medium. |
| US07903945B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903944B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903942B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903939B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903938B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903935B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903934B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903933B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07903924B2 |
Connector for splicing and hanging cable trays
A connector that can function as a cable tray splice is provided. The connector may have a frame that is configured for being placed against first and second portions of cable tray. The connector may also have a flange located at an end of the frame that is capable of being shaped by a user. The flange and the frame define an aperture. A connector that may be a configured as a cable tray hanger and a method of securing a connector to the cable tray are also provided. |
| US07903923B2 |
Drop terminal releasable engagement mechanism
A terminal for mounting to a fiber distribution cable includes a base and a cover releasably engaged to the base by a releasable engagement mechanism. The releasable engagement mechanism includes a resilient latch having a base end and a free end. The free end defines a plurality of openings. The releasable engagement mechanism further includes a plurality of protrusions having a lip and a sloped surface. The plurality of protrusions is adapted for engagement with the plurality of openings of the resilient latch. |
| US07903920B2 |
Implementation of one or more optical waveguides in reduced optical material
One or more first portions of a reduced optical material wafer are covered with a masking layer that leaves uncovered one or more second portions of the reduced optical material wafer. The reduced optical material wafer is exposed to an oxidizing atmosphere to reverse a reduction of the one or more second portions of the reduced optical material wafer that makes the one or more second portions receptive for implementation of one or more optical waveguides. |
| US07903917B2 |
Low bend loss single mode optical fiber
Optical waveguide fiber that is bend resistant and single mode at 1260 nm and at higher wavelengths. The optical fiber includes a core of radius R1 and cladding, the cladding having an annular inner region of radius R2, an annular ring region, and an annular outer region. The annular ring region starts at R2, and the ratio R1/R2 is greater than 0.40. |
| US07903914B2 |
Method and apparatus for manufacture of a non-helical subsea umbilical
A method and apparatus to produce a non-helically wound subsea umbilical is disclosed. The apparatus to produce a non-helically wound umbilical may be portable to facilitate manufacturing of subsea umbilicals in remote locations. This apparatus is smaller and more economical to build and operate than conventional cabling machines that currently are used by many manufactures to produce helically wound subsea umbilicals. |
| US07903912B2 |
Optical connector
In an embodiment of the invention, an optical connector for optically coupling respective end faces of two optical fiber cables including an optical fiber composed of a core and a cladding includes a beat shrinkable tube, a cable insertion tube disposed in the heat shrinkable tube for inserting thereinto and butting the respective end faces of the two optical fiber cables, an uncured refractive index matching resin disposed between the beat shrinkable tube and the cable insertion tube, and a resin supply hole formed in the cable insertion tube for supplying the uncured refractive index matching resin to an inside of the cable insertion tube. In an alternative embodiment, an optical connector includes a protection sleeve, a cable insertion tube disposed in the protection sleeve for inserting thereinto and butting the respective end faces of the two optical fiber cables, an optical instantaneous adhesive material disposed between the protection sleeve and the cable insertion tube, and an adhesive material supply hole formed in the cable insertion tube for supplying the optical instantaneous adhesive material to an inside of the cable insertion tube. |
| US07903911B2 |
Optical link module, optical interconnection method, information processor including the optical link module, signal transfer method, prism and method of manufacturing the prism
An optical link module of the present invention for connecting light beams by deflection and including light-emitting devices arranged in a planar manner; an optical fiber bundle that is an optical waveguide for receiving the light beams from the light-emitting devices, and an optical turn which includes a plurality of aspherical lenses which are disposed between the light-emitting devices and the optical fiber bundle and are formed while corresponding to the number of the light-emitting devices and the number of optical fibers. |
| US07903910B2 |
Coupled optical waveguide resonators with heaters for thermo-optic control of wavelength and compound filter shape
An integrated optical device is disclosed comprising a substrate, optical waveguide, and compound optical resonator having a temperature sensor, at least two coupled optical resonators, and a heater localized to each optical resonator. An optical input signal is coupled to one of the resonators making up the compound resonator to form an optical output signal. The center wavelength and shape of the output signal is optimized with a feedback loop using the temperature sensor to control the power dissipated in at least one of the localized heaters. The power dissipated in the remaining resonator heaters is set according to a predetermined function having as an input variable the power dissipated in the resonant heater under control of the said feedback loop. |
| US07903909B2 |
Low-loss bloch wave guiding in open structures and highly compact efficient waveguide-crossing arrays
Low-loss waveguide structures may comprise a multimode waveguide supporting a periodic light intensity pattern, and attachments disposed at the waveguide adjacent low-intensity regions of the light intensity pattern. |
| US07903907B1 |
Force and deflection sensor with shell membrane and optical gratings and method of manufacture
A sensor for force is formed from an elastomeric cylinder having a region with apertures. The apertures have passageways formed between them, and an optical fiber is introduced into these passageways, where the optical fiber has a grating for measurement of tension positioned in the passageways between apertures. Optionally, a temperature measurement sensor is placed in or around the elastomer for temperature correction, and if required, a copper film may be deposited in the elastomer for reduced sensitivity to spot temperature variations in the elastomer near the sensors. |
| US07903906B2 |
Optical sensing devices and methods
An optical sensing system and method of using it includes a light source and a first bus waveguide having an input port that is in optical communication with the light source. The system further includes a microresonator configured so that the light source excites at least first and second resonant guided optical modes of the microresonator. The microresonator includes a first location on a surface of a core of the microresonator where a field intensity of the first mode is greater than a field intensity of the second mode. The microresonator core has a first cladding at the first location. The microresonator also has a second location on a surface of the core of the microresonator where a field intensity of the first mode is less than or equal to a field intensity of the second mode, the microresonator core having a second cladding at the second location. The first cladding is different than the second cladding. |
| US07903905B2 |
Pen-shaped scanning device having a region identity sensor
Provided is a pen-shaped scanning device for scanning a surface having coded data disposed thereon which is substantially invisible to the average unaided human eye. The device is configured to determine at least two dimensions of a rotational orientation of the sensing device relative to the surface, the coded data being indicative of at least two dimensions of the rotational orientation of the sensing device. The device includes an orientation sensor configured to generate, when positioned or moved relative to the surface, using at least some of the coded data, orientation data indicative of the at least two dimensions of the orientation of the sensing device relative to the surface. The device also includes a transmitter for transmitting the orientation data to a computer system, as well as a region identity sensor configured to sense, when the sensing device is positioned or moved relative to a region of the surface, and using at least some of the coded data, region identity data indicative of an identity of the region, the transmitter being configured to transmit the region identity data to the computer system. |
| US07903903B1 |
Integrated live video production system
Techniques are described for processing one or more input sources. One or more frames are received which are to be combined into a composite result frame. Each of the one or more frames corresponds to one of the input sources. For each of the one or more frames, processing is performed to mathematically combine desired video effects to be applied to each frame for a current frame time. For each frame, a set of control settings including scaling and positioning settings is determined. Another set of control settings used to combine one or more transformed frames is determined. Each of the one or more frames is processed to generate a corresponding one of the transformed frames in accordance with the set of control settings associated with each frame. The one or more transformed frames are combined into the composite result frame in accordance with the other set of control settings. |
| US07903901B2 |
Recursive filter system for a video signal
A recursive filter system and method is provided. A weighted value of luminance and chrominance of a stored picture element is generated by summing weighted values of luminance and chrominance of a picture element and neighboring picture elements. A first proportional parameter for the stored picture element is generated with a sum of differences between the luminance and chrominance of the stored picture element and surrounding picture elements. A weighted picture element is generated from a proportion of the stored picture element and a complimentary proportion of the weighted value. Picture elements of the next image and a second proportional parameter are inputted. A filtered image is generated by combining a proportion of each input picture element of the next image with a complementary proportion of the weighted stored picture element of the first image. The filtered image is stored for corresponding combination with a succeeding image. |
| US07903898B2 |
Visual processing apparatus, visual processing method, program, recording medium, display device, and integrated circuit
It is possible to inhibit side effects even when an image that has sharp edge regions has been input, using a spatial processing portion (10) outputting surrounding image information US from an input image signal, a control signal generation portion (40) outputting an effect adjustment signal MOD according to a degree of flatness of an edge proximal region, and an effect adjustment portion (20) outputting a synthesized signal MUS that is synthesized by changing a ratio of the image signal IS and the surrounding image information US according to the effect adjustment signal MOD. Further, the side effects are inhibited using a visual processing portion (30) visually processing the image signal IS based on the synthesized signal MUS and the image signal IS. |
| US07903895B2 |
Data transformation device for image processing
A data transformation device including a pre-processing unit, a calculating unit and a post-processing unit is disclosed. The pre-processing unit performs a first pre-process with received image data to generate pre-processed image data, and performs a second pre-process with received result data to generate pre-processed result data. The calculating unit generates first calculated data and second calculated data according to the pre-processed image data and the pre-processed result data, by both a first calculating component and a second calculating component respectively. The post-processing unit performs a first post-process to generate the result data according to the first calculating data, and performs a second post-process to generate the image data according to the second calculating data. |
| US07903890B2 |
Image processing device, learning device, and coefficient generating device and method
A target-pixel-setting section (31) sets a target pixel in a target image to be predicted. A motion-direction-detecting section (32) detects a motion direction corresponding to the target pixel. A pixel-value-extracting section (36) extracts from peripheral images corresponding to the target image, in order to extract a main term that mainly contains component of the target pixel in a moving object that encounters a motion blur in the peripheral images, at least pixel values of pixels in the peripheral images whose space position roughly agree with space position of the target pixel. A processing-coefficient-setting section (37a) sets a specific motion-blur-removing-processing coefficient. A pixel-value-generating section (38a) newly generates pixel values for processing from the pixel values extracted by the pixel-value-extracting section (36) corresponding to the motion direction and generates pixel values corresponding to the target pixel based on the pixel values for processing and the specific motion-blur-removing-processing coefficients. It is possible to perform a robust motion-blur-removing processing on any shifts of motion vector. |
| US07903886B2 |
Partial precision compression scheme for transmitting data to a display over a limited-bandwidth transmission path
An image display system includes a data processing device that processes image data, an image display device that displays an image, and a transmission path that transmits data between the data processing device and the image display device. The data processing device generates compensated image data, a partial precision data generating unit divides the compensated image data into a plurality of partial precision data according to precisions, a transmission data judging unit judges whether or not the individual partial precision data are to be transmitted, and a transmitting unit transmits data. The image display device includes a receiving unit, a storage unit, a data synthesizing unit that synthesizes the partial precision data for the individual precisions stored in the storage unit, and an image display unit that displays image data synthesized by the data synthesizing unit. |
| US07903883B2 |
Local bi-gram model for object recognition
A local bi-gram model object recognition system and method for constructing a local bi-gram model and using the model to recognize objects in a query image. In a learning phase, the local bi-gram model is constructed that represents objects found in a set of training images. The local bi-gram model is a local spatial model that only models the relationship of neighboring features without any knowledge of their global context. Object recognition is performed by finding a set of matching primitives in the query image. A tree structure of matching primitives is generated and a search is performed to find a tree structure of matching primitives that obeys the local bi-gram model. The local bi-gram model can be found using unsupervised learning. The system and method also can be used to recognize objects unsupervised that are undergoing non-rigid transformations for both object instance recognition and category recognition. |
| US07903878B2 |
Capturing and presenting text during optical character recognition
A method of presenting text found on a substantially planar object. The method comprises positioning the substantially planar object for imaging; capturing an image from the substantially planar object; converting the image to a digital text; associating a media type with the text found on the substantially planar object; organizing the digital text according to the media type; and converting the digital text to an output format. |
| US07903869B2 |
Automatic color removal in digitally captured image technical field
In general, this disclosure relates to processing techniques for processing images captured by an image capture device. More particularly, the techniques relate to automatic color removal in digitally captured images. In accordance with this disclosure, an image processing apparatus dynamically determines whether a color component of an image is likely to be considered important by a human viewer based on color information associated with the image, and removes at least a portion of the color component of the image during image processing when it is not likely to be considered important. |
| US07903866B2 |
Measurement system, lithographic apparatus and method for measuring a position dependent signal of a movable object
An encoder-type measurement system is configured to measure a position dependent signal of a movable object, the measurement system including at least one sensor mountable on the movable object a sensor target object mountable on a substantially stationary frame, and a mounting device configured to mount the sensor target object on the substantially stationary frame. The measurement system further includes a compensation device configured to compensate movements and/or deformations of the sensor target object with respect to the substantially stationary frame. The compensation device may include a passive or an active damping device and/or a feedback position control system. In an alternative embodiment, the compensation device includes a gripping device which fixes the position of the sensor target object during a high accuracy movement of the movable object. |
| US07903865B2 |
Automatic optical inspection system and method
An automatic optical inspection system includes a rotary device for driving an object to rotate. At least one line-scan camera is implemented for generating two-dimensional planar images of cylindrical surfaces of the object. A device for detecting defects is operable to generate the two-dimensional planar images of the cylindrical surfaces of the object according to a normalized grayscale absolute difference inspection method. |
| US07903858B2 |
Practical image reconstruction for magnetic resonance imaging
A set of image-space data is reconstructed from a set of k-space data. The set of image-space data is generated by minimizing a cost functional by an iterative non-linear conjugate gradient process. The iterative process may be accelerated by introducing k-space weighting to the cost functional. With proper choice of k-space weighting, a block-Toeplitz matrix is generated which permits use of Fast Fourier Transform techniques. An image is rendered from the set of image-space data. |
| US07903857B2 |
Robust click-point linking with geometric configuration context: interactive localized registration approach
Disclosed is robust click-point linking, defined as estimating a single point-wise correspondence between data domains given a user-specified point in one domain or as an interactive localized registration of a monomodal data pair. To link visually dissimilar local regions, Geometric Configuration Context (GCC) is introduced. GCC represents the spatial likelihood of the point corresponding to the click-point in the other domain. A set of scale-invariant saliency features are pre-computed for both data. GCC is modeled by a Gaussian mixture whose component mean and width are determined as a function of the neighboring saliency features and their correspondences. This allows correspondence of dissimilar parts using only geometrical relations without comparing the local appearances. GCC models are derived for three transformation classes: pure translation, scaling and translation, and similarity transformation. For solving the linking problem, a variable-bandwidth mean shift method is adapted for estimating the maximum likelihood solution of the GCC. |
| US07903854B2 |
Image transmission method, image transmission apparatus, and image transmission program
Volume data formed of tomographic images (medical images) is stored in a storage unit of a data center. Recorded in a tag area of each tomographic image is site information indicating the site contained in each tomographic image. A data server of the data center reads the volume data from the storage unit in response to a transmission request from a medical facility. Then, the data server extracts from the volume data the tomographic images of the same site as designated by the transmission request. The data server transmits the extracted tomographic images to the medical facility which made the transmission request. |
| US07903846B2 |
Method for using an electronic lock box with a biometric identification device
An improved electronic lock box system is provided for more secure control over the accessibility of a secure compartment in the electronic lock box, which is typically used to store a dwelling key. The new system uses biometric identification sensors to determine if the correct, authorized user is attempting to access the secure compartment of the electronic lock box. In one embodiment, the biometric identification sensor uses thermal scanning to detect a person's fingerprint pattern. This is compared to previously stored (enrollment) biometric identification information/data, and if the “live” (observed) biometric identification information/data sufficiently correlates to the stored enrollment biometric identification information/data, access will be granted. |
| US07903845B2 |
Electronic apparatus and program storage medium
There is provided an electronic apparatus that can scroll an image on a display screen with a simple operation and in various modes. A glide point is provided and a fingerprint sensor is provided adjacently to the glide point. Scroll mode is changed in response to a touch of a finger or thumb on the glide point and a vertical or horizontal movement of the finger or thumb on the glide point and an image on the display screen is scrolled in response to an upward or downward movement of a finger or thumb on the fingerprint sensor. |
| US07903842B2 |
Target position setting device and parking assist device with the same
A target position setting device includes a distance meter, an imager, first and second calculating portions, a determination portion, and a setting portion. The distance meter measures a distance to an object around a vehicle. The imager takes an image of an environment around the vehicle. The first calculating portion calculates a first candidate of a target position of the vehicle according to a measuring result of the distance meter. The second calculating portion calculates a second candidate of the target position of the vehicle according to an imaging result of the imager. The determination portion determines whether a relationship between the first candidate and the second candidate meets a given condition. The setting portion sets the target position according to the second candidate of the target position when the determination portion determines that the relationship between the first candidate and the second candidate meets the given condition. |
| US07903838B2 |
Vision-enabled household appliances
The invention is generally related to the systems and methods through which household appliances can provide intuitive and enhanced interactivity through visual inputs. In particular, the disclosure presents methods relating to control of a household appliance, such as a microwave or a refrigerator, via recognition of visual indicia, such as graphics, text, and the like, using a visual sensor such as a camera. |
| US07903836B2 |
Implantable microphone with shaped chamber
An implantable microphone is disclosed having an external diaphragm and housing that forming chamber capable of being pressurized by deformational movement of the diaphragm induced by pressure waves (e.g., acoustic signals) propagating through overlying tissue. The chamber is shaped such that the volume of the chamber upon deflection of the diaphragm is reduced compared to a static volume of the chamber (i.e., volume of the chamber with no diaphragm deflection). As a result, the change in pressure within the chamber for a given diaphragm displacement is greater than it would be within a chamber having a cylindrical volume, leading to greater microphone sensitivity. In one arrangement, the chamber is shaped such that it is deeper at its center than at its edges, for example, to form a conical or paraboloidal volume. |