| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08424608B1 |
System and method for remediating hydrates
A system for remediating hydrates has a heat storage box with an interior volume, a heater for heating fluid flowing into the hot fluid inlet of the heat storage box, a heat exchanger positioned in the interior volume of the heat storage box so as to be in heat exchange relationship with heated water from the interior volume of the heat storage box, and a line connected to a heated water outlet of the heat exchanger so as to be manipulated toward a location of the hydrates for the purpose of delivering the heated water toward the hydrates. The heat exchanger is piping extends in a serpentine pattern within an upper portion of the heat storage box. The line can be connected to a hot stab suitable for a manipulation by an ROV. |
| US08424607B2 |
System and method for severing a tubular
The invention relates to techniques for severing a tubular. A blowout preventer is provided with a housing having a bore therethrough for receiving the tubular, an actuator positionable in the housing, and a plurality of cutting tools positionable in the housing and selectively movable into an actuated position with the actuator. Each of the cutting tools have a base supportable by the actuator and selectively movable thereby, and a cutting head supported by the base. The cutting head comprising a tip having a piecing point at an end thereof and at least one cutting surface. The piercing point pierces the tubular and the cutting surfaces taper away from the piercing point for cutting through the tubular whereby the cutting head passes through tubular. |
| US08424603B2 |
Multifunctional boronic crosslinkers and associated methods
A method of treating a subterranean formation comprises providing a treatment fluid comprising: an aqueous fluid; a gelling agent, and a multifunctional boronic crosslinker comprising two or more boronic functional groups; and introducing the viscosified fluid into a subterranean formation. |
| US08424595B2 |
Method and apparatus for releasing a coiled tubing internal conduit from a bottom hole assembly
A method and apparatus for releasing a coiled tubing internal line from a bottom hole assembly. The internal line may not have strength sufficient to permit the application of a tension force at the surface to disconnect the internal line from the bottom hole assembly. The bottom hole assembly may include a ball seat adapted to retain a ball permitting the application of a pressure differential above and below the ball seat. An anchor assembly connected to the internal line may be adapted to disconnect from the bottom hole assembly upon the application of predetermined pressure differential. A predetermined pressure differential may be used to shear a portion of the internal line releasing an upper portion of the internal line from the bottom hole assembly. |
| US08424594B2 |
Apparatus for thermal control in the analysis of electronic devices
A heat spreader comprising a sheet of transparent diamond with an aperture therein that accommodates a solid-immersion lens (SIL). The heat spreader may be mounted within a clamp which allows the heat spreader to move freely across the Device Under Test (DUT) while maintaining a very high degree of planarity and contact between the diamond and the silicon substrate of the DUT. The DUT is secured to its electrical interface with a low profile clamp, the DUT may be held within the clamp by a mechanism that applies a pressure to the sides of the DUT package. |
| US08424592B2 |
Heat exchanger having convoluted fin end and method of assembling the same
The present invention provides a heat exchanger for transferring heat between a first working fluid and a second working fluid. The heat exchanger can include a corrugated fin positionable along a flow path of the first working fluid between adjacent tube walls and being operable to increase heat transfer between the first working fluid and the second working fluid. The fin can include a leg defined between adjacent folds. The heat exchanger can also include a plurality of convolutions extending inwardly from a distal end of the leg and terminating at different distances from the end. |
| US08424588B2 |
Casting die
The present invention provides a casting die that can achieve the improved fluidity of molten metal and the improved ease release of castings from die. The casting die 10 comprises area of dimples D where a plurality of first dimples are formed in semispherical shape on the surface of the cavity 11 with no particular indication of direction and in a dispersed manner and where the ratio of communication is 80% or more, which ratio of communication is defined by the ratio of the number of the first dimples 12 that constitute the bound dimples 12b, which each comprise one or more of the dimples, to the total number of the first dimples 12. So, in the area of dimples D a number of bound dimples 12b that work as short flow-channels that have no particular indication of direction are randomly formed, thus improving the fluidity of the molten metal. |
| US08424587B1 |
Vacuum/vent block having non-uniform purge passage
A vacuum/vent passageway for use in injection molding and die casting systems comprises a first-side and a second-side. The first-side comprises a first corrugated cooling face having a series of longitudinally spaced channels, wherein channels of the series of longitudinally spaced channels have non-uniform longitudinal cross-sectional trough shapes across the series of longitudinally spaced channels. The second-side comprises a second corrugated cooling face having a series of longitudinally spaced ribs, wherein ribs of the series of longitudinally spaced ribs have non-uniform longitudinal cross-sectional tip shapes across the series of longitudinally spaced ribs. |
| US08424586B2 |
Process and apparatus for a combined casting and rolling installation
An apparatus for producing hot-rolled products in a combined casting-rolling installation designed to bridge a planned or unplanned interruption in production downstream of the cutting-up and delivering device. The installation cuts off a strand portion of the continuously produced preliminary material using first shears; raises the tail part of the strand portion from the roller table using a raising device; breaks up the preliminary material passing the first shears into pieces of scrap using the first shears into pieces of scrap using the first shears; delivers the pieces of scrap and removes the strand portion unit the operational readiness of the combined casting-rolling installation is restored. |
| US08424584B2 |
Unit for beading tires in tire changing machines or the like
The unit for beading tires in tire changing machines or the like includes a bearing structure associable with a tire changing machine or the like, a supporting element associated with the bearing structure and moving with respect to the rim of a wheel mounted on the tire changing machine, a first actuator arrangement for moving the supporting element on the bearing structure, a beading tool associated with a free extremity of the supporting element, and a second actuator arrangement and a transformation arrangement for transforming the movement generated by the second actuator arrangement in the translation movement of the beading tool along a substantially curvilinear trajectory between a first extreme position, in which the beading tool is substantially retracted with respect to the rim, and a second extreme position, in which the beading tool is substantially closer with respect to the rim. |
| US08424583B2 |
Tape removal apparatus and process for use with an automated composite tape laying machine
Apparatus are provided for attaching to a composite tape lamination machine in order to remove composite scrap tape material from a backing paper. When a moveable member is in one position composite non-scrap tape material on a backing paper is directed along a path to avoid a removing member and keep composite non-scrap tape material on a backing paper. When the moveable member is in another position composite scrap tape material on a backing paper is directed along a different path to contact the removing member and remove composite scrap tape material from a backing paper. Composite scrap tape material may be disposed in a scrap disposal member. Backing paper having attached composite non-scrap tape material and not having attached composite scrap tape material may be spooled using a spool roller. |
| US08424582B2 |
Method and device for producing a packaging material
Press roll for a laminating machine for producing a packaging material which comprises a carcass layer consisting of paper or carton, and which carcass layer exhibits crease lines, through holes, openings or slits, which carcass layer exhibits, on one of its sides, a barrier layer, a plastic lining which is arranged outside the barrier layer, and film of laminant thermoplast which is arranged between the carcass layer and the barrier layer, with the press roll exhibiting a circular-cylindrical jacket surface having a facing consisting of an elastic material. According to the invention, the facing comprises sections in the jacket surface, which sections exhibit local deformation ability in relation to the surrounding facing. The invention also relates to a method for producing packaging material and to packaging material which has been produced using this method. |
| US08424581B2 |
Air conveyor and apparatus for applying tab using the air conveyor
An air conveyor is positioned on a tabbing machine and includes a housing having an air chamber and a web entry and web exit and air port communicating with the air chamber. An air nozzle assembly is positioned within the air chamber and includes upper and lower nozzle plates that extend across the air chamber and spaced from each other to form a web delivery channel that is aligned with the web entry and web exit. Each of the nozzle plates includes a plurality of air nozzles extending through the nozzle plate and configured to pass pressurized air from the air chamber into the web delivery channel such that a web of material entering the web entry is drawn, for example, by venturi pressure, from the web entry through the web delivery channel and out the web exit. |
| US08424578B2 |
Pneumatic tire
A pneumatic tire that can be manufactured according to the conventional method without requiring special tire manufacturing steps and without needing addition of material members and production steps, and having excellent rolling resistance and wet properties, and having conductivity is to be provided. A pneumatic tire 10 comprises a carcass 14 having a ply which is turned back and locked around a bead core 12, a rim strip 19 provided in a bead part 11, and a wing 24 in which one edge thereof is contacted with the carcass 14 and the other edge is exposed to the surface of a ground contact edge region of a tread part 13, wherein a covering rubber of a carcass ply 25, the rim strip 19 and the wing 24 are formed into a continuous conductive path by a conductive rubber material, only the conductive path is used as a conducting path of the tire 10, and members other than the conducting path are selected and used from a conductive rubber material or a nonconductive rubber material. |
| US08424576B1 |
Lathe/mitre saw system
A bar has interior and exterior ends. The bar has a projection depending from the interior end. The projection is adapted to be slidably supported between the ways. The assembly also includes a support positioned above the exterior end. The support includes a recess positioned above the bar. The support is adapted to receive and support a base of a mitre saw. A spacer is adapted to couple the support with respect to the bar. |
| US08424574B2 |
Compressed gas transfer system
A compressed gas transfer system comprising at least one first pressure vessel able to hold a volume of gas; and a first gas line to allow gas to pass out of the at least one first pressure vessel wherein the volume of the first pressure vessel is able to be varied to maintain the gas within the pressure vessel at a constant pressure. |
| US08424573B2 |
Sulfur loading apparatus
A chemical loading system is used for loading a molten chemical into a tanker. The chemical loading system includes a source supplying a molten chemical and a tanker for receiving the molten chemical. The chemical loading system has a stationary feed line supplying a chemical from the source. An extendable loader has a feed passage that is in fluid communication with the feed line. The extendable loader has a retracted position and an extended position relative to the feed line. The feed passage is adapted to have at least a portion thereof inside the tanker when in the extendable loader is in the extended position. A hoist assembly selectively extends and retracts the extendable loader assembly between the retracted and extended positions. |
| US08424569B2 |
Spout assembly for an electronic faucet
An electronic faucet includes a spout assembly having a sensor configured to control the flow of water therethrough in response to the position of a spray head. |
| US08424556B2 |
Valve with a delta P-function and flow limiting function
A device for regulating the flow in a heating and cooling system. The flow is controlled by a complete valve realized as a combination of a difference pressure valve (5) and a flow controlling valve (6) where the complete valve construction allows flushing of the tube system where the valve is mounted. A first static pressure (P1) in the inlet (2), a second static pressure (P2) in the intermediate chamber (4) and a third static pressure (P3) in the outlet (3) are measured by the measuring nipples (27a, 27b) and the difference between the second and the third static pressures (P2, P3) is adjustable during operation. |
| US08424552B2 |
Inflation nozzle with valve-locating probe and pulsating air supply
An inflation nozzle for inflating an inflatable structure. The inflation nozzle includes a nozzle body, a probe, and a connection portion. The nozzle body defines a nozzle channel therethrough, and the channel has a channel outlet for expelling a fluid therefrom. The probe extends from the nozzle body adjacent and beyond the channel outlet, and is configured and dimensioned to facilitate positioning an inflation aperture of the flexible structure onto the nozzle body for directing fluid into the inflation aperture. The connection portion associates with the nozzle body for fluidly connecting the channel to a fluid source for delivering fluid through the channel to inflate the flexible structure. |
| US08424550B2 |
Fluid drainage system and methods
A method for operating a fluid drainage control system to drain a fluid from a fluid dispensation system is provided. The method includes determining a first ambient air temperature, determining if the first ambient air temperature is less than a predetermined drain set point temperature, isolating the fluid dispensation system from a fluid supply source by closing a supply valve located inside a temperature controlled area in response to the first ambient air temperature being less than the predetermined drain set point temperature, and draining the fluid from the fluid dispensation system by opening a drain valve subsequent to closing the supply valve. The method further includes determining a second ambient air temperature, determining if the second ambient air temperature is greater than a predetermined operation set point temperature, closing the drain valve in response to the second ambient air temperature being greater than the predetermined operation set point temperature, and opening the supply valve subsequent to closing the drain valve. |
| US08424549B1 |
Tent pole anchor apparatus
A tent pole anchor apparatus that includes a barrel member and a cover disposed on the barrel member. The barrel member and cover together form an internal chamber that is filled with water so as to provide a significant weight for anchoring the barrel member. The barrel member has at least one drain to enable liquid to be removed from the barrel member. At least one of the barrel member and cover has a passage for receiving an adjustment strap that interconnects the barrel member with the tent pole. |
| US08424546B2 |
Sump assembly for a dishwasher, and associated method
A sump assembly for a dishwasher and associated method are provided. The sump assembly comprises an integrally-formed sump member defining a circulation pump volute receptacle and a drain pump volute receptacle. The circulation pump volute receptacle and the drain pump volute receptacle are adapted to receive respective pump and motor assemblies. Each of the volute receptacles is configured to receive the respective pump and motor assembly along a respective horizontal axis defined thereby. The drain pump volute receptacle includes a washing fluid input in direct communication with the circulation pump volute receptacle for receiving the washing fluid therefrom. |
| US08424543B2 |
Red light emitting device for use with hair product and blow dryer
A red light emitting device for use with a hair product and a blow dryer. The device with composition is suitable for permanently reshaping human hair by non-chemical means. |
| US08424541B2 |
Tobacco-free oral flavor delivery pouch product
Provided is a tobacco-free oral flavor delivery pouch product that provides and engaging and flavorful experience to a user. The pouch product includes a porous pouch wrapper and an inner filling material. The inner filling material can include a non-tobacco, botanical component, at least one functional ingredient and a solid flavor component dispersed throughout the inner filling material. The pouch product delivers multiple textures to the user's mouth. |
| US08424534B2 |
Loading dilator with transition balloon
A loading dilator for positioning a medical apparatus across a stoma formed in a body wall of a patient. The medical apparatus, such as a tracheotomy tube, is sized to fit over a portion of the loading dilator during positioning of the apparatus across the stoma. The loading dilator includes an elongated dilator body having a tapered distal end for facilitating entry into the stoma. The dilator body has an inflatable balloon disposed along an outer surface at the distal end. The balloon is inflatable to a configuration such that a generally smooth diametrical transition is formed between the elongated dilator body and a leading end of the medical apparatus when the medical apparatus is fit over the loading dilator. |
| US08424533B2 |
Bolero-style strait jacket
A strait jacket is disclosed, which is adapted to fit wearers of more than one clothing size. The strait jacket has a jacket torso body comprising at least two panels, each panel terminating at a lower edge located adjacent to but below the wearer's underarms. Sleeves extend from the torso body to distal ends, and each sleeve has a length greater than the length of the wearer's arms. The distal end of each sleeve includes a fastening device to permit the sleeve to be fastened to the opposite sleeve and to a belt by suitable fasteners at a position behind the wearer's back. An annular jacket collar is located above the jacket torso body, and a strap extends downwardly from the collar. In one embodiment of the invention, the strap extends under the wearer's crotch. A belt strap is adapted to be secured about the wearer's mid rib cage and is further adapted to be attached to the chest strap at a posterior position; and, if desired, at an anterior position. |
| US08424532B2 |
Cranial surgical drape
A drape for use in cranial surgical procedures including a sterile sheet and a plurality of fluid-collection reservoirs surrounding a cranial region fenestration. The drape further can include a thoracic region fenestration for concurrent or directly subsequent thoracic surgical procedures. Advantageously, the drape allows for a superior aseptic surgical field and superior drainage facilitated by a multi-pouch configuration. |
| US08424531B2 |
Pharyngeal wall treatment
A patient's pharyngeal wall is treated by inserting an expander member into the airway and positioning an active portion of the expander member in opposition to portions of the pharyngeal wall to be treated. The expander member is activated to urge the wall portions outwardly to an outwardly displaced position. The expander member is then deactivated while leaving the wall portions in the outwardly placed position and the expander member is removed from said airway. A further aspect of the treatment includes stabilization of at least a portion of the pharyngeal wall after compression of portions of the wall. |
| US08424530B2 |
Nasal assembly
A nasal assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a frame having an integrally formed first connector portion. A nozzle assembly includes a gusset or base portion and a pair of nozzles. At least one inlet conduit is structured to deliver breathable gas into the frame and nozzle assembly for breathing by the patient. A pair of second connector portions are removably and rotatably connected to respective first connector portions of the frame and are in communication with respective inlet conduits, e.g., directly or via angle connectors. A headgear assembly is removably connected to the pair of second connector portions and/or the angle connectors so as to maintain the frame and the nozzle assembly in a desired adjusted position on the patient's face. |
| US08424529B2 |
Adjustment of endotracheal tube cuff filling
A method of intubating a subject is disclosed. The method comprises inserting an endotracheal tube into the tracheal airway of the subject; inflating a cuff associated with the endotracheal tube within the airway below the vocal cords; measuring a level of at least one measure being indicative of leakage of secretion past the cuff to the lungs; comparing the level of the measure with an optimal level of the measure; and adjusting inflation of the cuff based on the comparison so as to generally minimize leakage of secretion from above the cuff to the lungs, while minimizing pressure associated damages to the airway. The measure(s) can be carbon dioxide concentration, a proxy measure from which such concentration can be inferred, or the level of one or more additives delivered to a subject during intubation. |
| US08424522B2 |
Method for operating a rebreather
The invention relates to a method for operating a rebreather, wherein oxygen is metered to the breathing gas as a function of a signal of at least one oxygen sensor (11). The oxygen sensor (11) is checked automatically by rinsing it with a gas having a known oxygen concentration. The safety of the system is improved in that the check is triggered automatically. |
| US08424518B2 |
Dry powder inhaler and system for drug delivery
A breath-powered, dry powder inhaler, a cartridge, and a pulmonary drug delivery system are provided. The dry powder inhaler can be provided with or without a unit dose cartridge for using with the inhaler. The inhaler and/or cartridge can be provided with a drug delivery formulation comprising, for example, a diketopiperazine and an active ingredient, including, peptides and proteins such as insulin and glucagon-like peptide 1 for the treatment of diabetes and/or obesity. The dry powder inhaler is compact; can be provided in various shapes and sizes, colors, and comprises a housing, a mouthpiece, a cartridge placement area, and a mechanism for opening and closing the medicament cartridge. The device is easy to manufacture, provides a pre-metered single unit dose, it is relatively easy to use, and can be reusable or disposable. |
| US08424508B2 |
Fuel pressure regulating system
A fuel pressure regulating system for an internal combustion engine has a pressure accumulator which is used to store fuel under pressure and to feed the combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine by fuel-supplying injectors, a high-pressure pump which supplies a fuel mass flux to the pressure accumulator, a first valve via which the fuel can be guided out of the pressure accumulator, and a second valve for restricting the fuel mass flux. The system is provided with a first control loop having the first valve as an actuator for regulating the pressure in the pressure accumulator, and a second control loop having the second valve as an actuator for regulating the pressure in the pressure accumulator, and the two control loops are embodied as cascade regulators, the first control loop being a master regulator and the second control loop being a follower regulator. |
| US08424506B2 |
Direct-injection type engine
A plurality of convex portions are radially fanned and spaced apart from each other by a constant angle in a planar view on a tapered surface of a land portion formed on a bottom surface of a cavity formed in a top portion of a piston. Each convex portion is positioned such that the extending direction of the convex portion aligns with an axis X of a corresponding fuel spray. Thereby, each fuel spray moves forward through a space (convex portion space) between the corresponding convex portion and an inner wall of a cylinder head portion along the extending direction of the corresponding convex portion. When a fuel injection is performed during the latter half of a compression stroke, a pressure in a convex portion space is increased, compared with a pressure in a space of the other portion by the decrease of a ratio of the volume of the convex portion space relative to the volume of the space of the other portion by the proceeding of the compression by the piston. Each fuel spray is circumferentially expanded by the pressure difference. |
| US08424505B2 |
Variable-volume rotary device, an efficient two-stroke spherical engine
The subject of the invention is a variable-volume rotary device with a housing (1) comprising an inner spherical cavity, inlet and exhaust ports and a bypass flow path. Within the housing (1) a rotary displacement member with spherical outer configurations capable of revolving around the center point of the spherical inner surface of the housing is mounted. Said rotary displacement member is equipped with a centrally disposed, disc-shaped partition (6) that forms a mutually isolated division in the spherical inner cavity of the housing (1) and has two pivot vanes (7, 8), splitting the housing cavity further into four isolated quadrants, the volume of which vary during gyration. Vanes (7, 8) are similar in shape to orange segments. Vanes (7, 8) are connected to opposing sides of and along the diameters of the central disc (6), and extend in mutually perpendicular planes, allowing for rotary movement. Inlet- and exhaust ports are arranged on the housing (1) so that, when the rotary displacement member is in motion, the inlet port connects only to a quadrant represented by the smaller spherical projection of the disc (6) within the inner spherical cavity of the housing (1), whereas the exhaust port only meets a quadrant indicated by the larger spherical projection of the disc (6) within the inner spherical cavity of the housing (1). |
| US08424503B1 |
Enclosed rocker arm cover assembly for hemi engines having internal multi-coil mounting studs
An improved hemi engine rocker arm cover assembly having an enclosed, dry upper coil chamber and an open bottom, lower, wet rocker arm chamber that includes special seal and flange members to seal it to the engine head. The fully enclosed upper coil chamber includes a plurality of pairs of staggered coil mounting bosses, one pair per coil, and paired igniter boot apertures, one pair per coil. For performance engines, dual boot coils are mounted on the bosses with the boots extending into the wet chamber for sealingly engaging the igniters. For standard engines, single boot coils are used, and one of each pair of boot apertures is sealed with a special plug. |
| US08424501B2 |
Induction driven ignition system
An induction driven ignition system with a heating element located near the combustion chamber of a reciprocating internal combustion engine. The heating element is adjacent an electrical conductor which receives current at frequencies between 100 kHz to 500 kHz. The induction driven ignition system causes the heating element to rapidly and accurately heat up to very high temperatures. The heating element may be positioned and arranged to provide combustion initiation over a wide area. |
| US08424499B2 |
Pneumatic system for controlling the valves of an internal combustion engine
Pneumatic system for controlling the valves of an internal combustion engine; the pneumatic system is provided with: a pneumatic accumulator containing pressurized air; a pneumatic manifold; a control device to connect the pneumatic manifold alternatively to the pneumatic accumulator with the internal combustion engine in the high rpm range and to the atmosphere with the internal combustion engine in the low rpm range; a plurality of pneumatic springs, each of which has a variable volume actuating chamber and a piston mounted slidingly inside the actuating chamber; a plurality of connecting conduits, each of which connects the actuating chamber of a respective pneumatic spring to the pneumatic manifold; and a plurality of calibrated cross-sectional portions, each of which has a reduced cross-sectional area and is arranged along a respective connecting conduit. |
| US08424494B2 |
Head restraint for animal control chute
The present invention provides an improved head restraint that can be used in conjunction with conventional cattle chutes that are equipped with head gates. It provides the advantages of being humane by causing little or no discomfort to the cattle being restrained. Its implementation can reduce the human labor requirements associated with treating a herd of cattle and generally leads to savings in medication by virtue of being able to more accurately apply medications to the eyes of a cow having a stabilized head as compared to loss of medication when dealing with a struggling animal that is jerking its head around during the procedure. Its use greatly reduces the risk of injury to the animal and the person administering the treatment to the animal. Head restraints of this invention offer the advantage of being capable of being affixed to existing chutes of differing sizes. |
| US08424493B2 |
Method and composition for washing poultry during processing
The present invention relates to compositions including peroxyacetic acid and peroxyoctanoic acid and methods for reducing microbial contamination on poultry. The methods include the step of applying a mixed peroxycarboxylic acid composition to poultry. |
| US08424487B2 |
Roll-to-roll patterning apparatus and patterning system having the same
Disclosed herein is a roll-to-roll patterning apparatus and a patterning system using the same. The patterning system may include a supply roll to supply a film member, a recovery roll to recover the film member, and a roll-to-roll patterning apparatus forming a coating on the film member. The roll-to-roll patterning apparatus may include a pattern roller, a plurality of press rollers, and an alignment roller. The pattern roller may include an outer peripheral surface with a first pattern. The plurality of press rollers may press a film member against the pattern roller to form a second pattern on the film member. The alignment roller may be spaced apart from the pattern roller and may be arranged at an upstream position in a movement direction of the film member. The alignment roller may align the film member entering a region between the pattern roller and the plurality of press rollers. |
| US08424484B2 |
Paint-metering cylinder
Paint-metering cylinder for supplying a paint discharge nozzle with a paint material for painting plants, painting plants, and method for rinsing paint-metering cylinder. The paint-metering cylinder includes at least one rinsing device having at least two rinsing agent outlet openings. |
| US08424483B2 |
Painting apparatuses and methods
A paint edging apparatus includes a body having front and rear ends defining a longitudinal axis therebetween, the body receiving a paint reservoir for supplying paint to an applicator portion of the apparatus, the body including a handle extending rearwardly at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis. An urging mechanism selectively engages the paint reservoir to discharge paint therefrom. A vibrator mounted to the body and operatively connected to the paint applicator portion of the apparatus imparts an oscillatory motion to the paint applicator. A trigger is pivotally mounted to the handle for activating the vibrator, wherein a user can move the apparatus over a work surface to apply paint to the work surface and also pivot the trigger at the same time by grasping the handle with a single hand. |
| US08424482B2 |
Apparatus for coating web-shaped materials
An apparatus for coating web-shaped materials with a coating medium includes a rotating transfer roll that has depressions on its circumferential surface for transferring the coating medium, a coating chamber, and a nozzle carrier with several bored holes before the coating chamber in a motion direction of the transfer roll. Coating medium streams out of these bored holes in a free stream. The apparatus aims to achieve a uniform and reproducible coating of the web for various different application weights. |
| US08424480B2 |
Vehicle tire coating apparatus
A tire coating apparatus that is intended to apply coating fluid to vehicle tires in a vehicle washing system when selected by a patron. The tire coating apparatus includes a pair of mechanical applicators, which each include one or more coating applicators disposed thereon for contacting the vehicle tires to apply a coating fluid thereto when selected by a patron. One mechanical applicator includes one or more coating applicator members that are intended to contact the tires on a right side of a vehicle while the other mechanical applicator includes one or more coating applicators that are intended to contact the tires on a left side of the vehicle. The mechanical applicators also include a guide portion for contacting and guiding the vehicle wheel when a patron had elected not to have a coating fluid applied to the vehicle wheels. The mechanical applicators are rotatable between an initial position where the coating application brushes are in a non-coating position to a second position where the coating applicators are intended to contact a vehicle tire. After the coating applicators contact the vehicle tires, they then return to the initial non-coating position and a second position where the coating applicators are in a non-coating position. |
| US08424478B1 |
Device for temporary remediation of holes in ship hulls
A device is disclosed for temporary plugging of holes in ship hulls. The device has a shaft with a spring-loaded rod disposed therein. At one end of the shaft is a cylinder housing a piston that is connected to the rod for movement within the cylinder. The cylinder has pivoting levers that are movable via the piston between a stowed position, in which the levers are parallel to the shaft, and a deployed position, in which the levers are perpendicular to the shaft. A seal is connected to the levers. A second cylinder is slidably disposed along the shaft, and has a plurality of guide arms connected thereto. In operation, the device is pressed into the hole so the levers and cylinder housing are outside the ship. The spring is activated causing the rod and piston to move, which deploys the levers and unfolds the seal. Inrushing water forces the levers and seal to engage the outside of the hull surrounding the opening, inhibiting further flooding. To secure the device, the second cylinder is pushed along the shaft until the guide arms engaging the inside of the hull surrounding the opening. The ratchet and pawl assembly prevents the second cylinder and guide arm from reversing their movement. |
| US08424477B2 |
Sailing device for deep-sea vessels
A sailing device for efficient uses of wind energy which use at least one mast connected to the ship and two sail areas which are attached to the mast. The at least one mast is fitted with a top holder at the upper end facing away from the ship as well as a bottom holder at the lower end that is connected to the ship in order to maintain and adjust the sail areas, and ends of the sail areas are guided within the holders, adjustable in the longitudinal or transverse direction. |
| US08424475B2 |
Air bubble recovery device of ship
An air ejecting unit is configured to eject air into water from an air ejecting outlet provided in a ship bottom of a ship body. An air recovery device is configured to recover the air into the ship body from first to third air recovery inlets provided in the ship bottom. The first air recovery inlet is provided to cross the center line. The second air recovery inlet is provided to project on a port side from the first air recovery inlet. The third air recovery inlet is provided to project on a starboard side from the first air recovery inlet. The second and third air recovery inlets are arranged on a bow side from the first air recovery inlet. Each of the first to third air recovery inlets includes a plurality of air recovery holes. |
| US08424474B2 |
Nanoadhesion structures for sporting gear
An apparatus including a first surface configured to attach the apparatus to a second surface of another object, and a plurality of elongated nanofibers. Each nanofiber has one end connected to the first surface and an opposite end extending away from the first surface. The plurality of elongated nanofibers is configured to adhere to the second surface by nanoadhesion when brought into contact with the second surface. |
| US08424473B1 |
Blast energy absorbing security door panel
Methods and apparatus are provided for a blast resistant door assembly having a front surface exposed to potential explosive attack, the door assembly comprising a stack of alternating front and rear elongated flat plates, the front plates offset to the front of the panel relative to the rear plates such that only a portion of the front and rear plates overlap. A series of tension rods extends through stacked assembly, and compresses the assembly together. The door assembly may be used alone or in combination with another blast resistant panel of a different construction. |
| US08424469B2 |
Plastic pallet with twin-sheet deck and runner structures
A reinforced plastic pallet comprises a twin sheet deck structure and three twin sheet runner structures which are fused to the underside of the deck to create three parallel spaced-apart footprints, the spacing between them forming one set of forklift openings. The deck is fabricated from two thermoformed plastic sheets which are peripherally joined together. The lower sheet is formed with upwardly extending spacer knobs which are fused to the under surface of the top sheet to further join the two sheets together. A frame of reinforcing beams is encapsulated into the interior space of the upper deck. The runner structures are also of twin sheet construction and some of them contain reinforcing rods. The runner structures, although they have flat footprints, are generally “W” shaped to provide two additional forklift openings at 90° from the primary forklift openings between the runner structures. |
| US08424466B2 |
Shelving systems and components therefor
A shelf apparatus includes first and second upstanding posts each having a plurality of horizontally-extending grooves in an external surface thereof, the grooves spaced vertically from one another. First and second shelf support clamps are supported by the first and second posts, respectively. The clamps each have a clamp body received only partially about its corresponding post, and the clamps each include a horizontally-extending protuberance such as a rib received in one of the grooves of its respective post. The apparatus further includes first and second shelf brackets supported by the first and second clamps, respectively, and a shelf supported by the first and second shelf brackets. |
| US08424457B2 |
Sabot projectile
A sabot projectile with a subcaliber projectile body and a sabot, which includes a propulsion element that acts on the rear end of the projectile body and a segmented, essentially cylindrical metal guide cage, which is located at the front end of the propulsion element. The guide cage has a central opening that extends in the axial direction, through which the projectile body is passed. So that the sabot projectile is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, has a low weight, and ensures good detachment of the sabot from the projectile body after discharge, the guide cage is a hollow cylinder, on whose inside wall preferably several radial transverse ribs are arranged, which are spaced some distance apart and extend both in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the sabot and in the direction of the projectile body. |
| US08424454B2 |
Printing unit having a tubular blanket-changing throw-off configuration allowing the passage of a web of paper and corresponding printing press
A printing unit for printing a web of paper is provided. The printing unit includes a frame and an upper printing group and a lower printing group. The printing unit has at least one throw-on configuration and a blanket-changing throw-off configuration. The blanket cylinders are capable of each receiving at least one tubular blanket. The frame has, in at least one lateral wall, at least one opening to allow the passage of the tubular blankets. In the blanket-changing throw-off configuration, the blanket cylinder of the upper printing group has been moved upwards relative to the position which it occupies in the throw-on configuration and the blanket cylinder of the lower printing group has been moved downwards relative to the position which it occupies in the throw-on configuration, so that an adequate space is provided between the blanket cylinders to allow a web of paper printed by another printing unit to pass between them. |
| US08424450B2 |
Cooking apparatus
A cooking apparatus equipped with a heating device enabling uniform distribution of heat. The cooking apparatus includes a plate to put a cooker thereon, a heater disposed under the plate, and a guide member disposed between the plate and the heater to induce energy emitted from the heater toward the plate. |
| US08424448B2 |
Beverage dispenser
A beverage apparatus has a portable liquid container having a ledge detail within a top open end; a removable infuser with an annular support flange; and a gasket about the infuser below the annular support flange, where in use the gasket forms a seal with the container ledge detail and the infuser body, and further spaces the infuser annular support flange from the container ledge detail to define a liquid access gap. At least one vertical channel is defined through the gasket to communicate liquid through the gasket between the liquid container and the liquid access gap. A support base has an opening to receive and hold a bottom end of the portable liquid container and a heating element to heat liquid within the portable container when the container bottom end is inserted within the opening. |
| US08424446B2 |
Frothing device
The present invention relates to a frothing device for the frothing of milk, comprising a steam supply channel which opens into a mixing chamber, a milk supply channel which opens into the mixing chamber and comprising an air supply channel, wherein the mixing chamber is connected in communication with a froth chamber. It is essential to the invention that the air supply channel opens into the froth chamber, with the result that an almost identical dispensing temperature of milk froth and milk can be achieved. |
| US08424443B2 |
Vented armor V structure
An armor structure for a vehicle underbody. The armor structure includes an inner plate that is mounted proximate to the vehicle underbody, the inner plate having a plurality of first openings; and an outer plate that is mounted distal to the vehicle underbody, the outer plate having a plurality of second openings. The inner plate and the outer plate are substantially parallel and separated by a spacing. The inner plate and the outer plate each have substantially equal V bends at an obtuse angle, and the V bends in the inner plate and the outer plate are aligned. The first openings and the second openings are (i) aligned across the spacing from each other, and (ii) substantially equal in area. When an underbody blast event is encountered by the vehicle, the outer plate is forced towards, and substantially against the inner plate such that there is no longer fluid communication through the first openings. |
| US08424442B2 |
Tile grid substructure for pultruded ballistic screens
An armor component includes a plurality of tiles disposed on a rigid support. At least one spacer is disposed between the adjacent edges of the tiles to establish a minimum gap between the adjacent edges. The gap is filled with a gap filling material, which optionally includes a reinforcement additive. The spacers can be in the form of a spacer tray having a plurality of spacer segments and a plurality of tile cut-outs, with the tile cut-outs separated from adjacent tile cut-outs by a spacer segment, and tiles disposed one to each tile cut-out in the spacer tray. The armor component is in some embodiments placed between two fabric layers and fed into a pultruder, where it is impregnated with resin and heated to cure the resin to form a laminate armor. |
| US08424440B1 |
Low blast overpressure muzzle brake
A muzzle brake with reduced blast overpressure may include a body having a top, a bottom, and an attachment hub. Vanes may extend from the top to the bottom. A first vane may be located at a front of the bore in the attachment hub. The first vane may have a forward-angled internal surface. A second vane may be located axially forward of the first vane. The second vane may have a forward-angled rear surface and a forward-angled front surface. A third vane may be located axially forward of the second vane. The third vane may have a rearward-angled rear surface. The forward-angled internal surface of the first vane may include an inner surface adjacent the bore and an outer surface adjacent the inner surface. The inner and outer surfaces may be angled differently with respect to the longitudinal axis. |
| US08424439B2 |
Systems and methods for launching munitions
Systems and methods for launching munitions are provided. In some embodiments, a launcher configured to retain a munition during transport by a vehicle may comprise a first housing, circuitry, and a second housing. The first housing may define a tube configured to hold a munition for transportation. The circuitry may provide electrical communication with a munition present within the tube. The second housing may define a tube corresponding to the tube defined by the first housing. The second housing may be configured to mount to the first housing so that the tubes defined by the first housing and the second housing combine to house and launch a munition. |
| US08424431B1 |
Paper toweling dispenser with spring biased toweling support drum
A spring is utilized to exert variable tensional forces on a toweling support drum of a paper toweling dispenser. The spring is connected between a drum and a sliding spring mount which enables a long toweling tail to be presented externally of the dispenser. |
| US08424429B1 |
Pyrotechnic drop mechanism for power tools
A saw includes a surface defining an opening therein, a plate structure configured to be attached to the saw below the surface, and an arm attached to the plate structure about a first shaft. A blade is configured to be engaged with the arm at a location spaced from the first shaft. The blade extends through the opening when the saw is in a normal operating position. The saw includes a firing mechanism including a barrel end portion having a bore defined therein and an extendable piston at least partially positioned within the bore. The barrel end portion is attached to the plate structure. The extendable piston engages the arm during its extension and causes the arm to pivot about the first shaft when the firing mechanism is activated by an activation signal. The pivoting of the arm causes the blade to be moved downwardly below the surface. |
| US08424427B2 |
Method and apparatus for roll surface machining
There is provided a roll surface machining method and apparatus for using a cutting tool to carry out ultra-precision machining in the surface of a roll with a reduced amount of data. The apparatus and method for roll surface machining includes setting a machining start position of a cutting tool with respect to the surface of the roll by C-axis indexing of the roll and positioning of the roll in the axial direction (Z-axis direction) both with respect to the cutting tool. Also the cutting tool and the roll are moved relative to each other in the axial direction of the roll by position control using C-Z axis interpolation, thereby forming a three-dimensional pattern in the surface of the roll. |
| US08424424B1 |
Adaptor for interchangeable extention tool
A shaft has a driving end and a driven end. A plurality of driving adaptors with various handles are releasably connected to the shaft driving end. A plurality of driven adaptors with various tools for performing operations within a limited space work area, such as an inaccessible space, a confined space, or keyhole excavation, are releasably connected to the shaft driven end. The driving adaptors are positioned outside of the limited space work area. The driven adaptors are positioned within the limited space work area. The handle is manipulated at the shaft driving end to transmit selected rotational and translational movements through the shaft to the tool to perform operations in the limited space work area. |
| US08424423B2 |
Connecting rod assembly
A connecting rod assembly comprises a connecting element, a pivot element, a connecting rod, a spring and an engaging element. The connecting element is provided at both ends thereof with a connecting portion and a driving portion. The pivot element is provided at a first end thereof with a connecting pillar formed with a pivot hole, and the connecting pillar is further formed in an outer surface thereof with a moving hole in communication with the pivot hole. The connecting rod has a first end thereof connected to the connecting element, and a second end of the connecting rod is pivotally disposed in the pivot hole. The connecting rod is formed with an evasion groove for cooperating with the engaging element. The spring is disposed in the driving groove with both ends thereof pushed against an inner surface of the driving groove and the connecting element. |
| US08424421B1 |
Jog-shuttle type ratchet wrench
Disclosed therein is a jog-shuttle type ratchet wrench. The jog-shuttle type ratchet wrench includes: a body part having a round hole formed at one side thereof and a stopper embedded therein; a head part rotatably mounted in the round hole; a bevel gear having a first gear portion rotatably joined to one end portion of the control roller inside the housing and a second gear portion rotatably geared with the first gear portion in interlock with the rotation of the first gear portion; a rotary shaft located inside the housing and joined to the second gear portion; and a pair of jaws having an end portion inserted into the housing, wherein the head part is selectively rotated only in one direction when the ratchet gear engages with the stopper. |
| US08424420B2 |
Fastener tool and feeder assembly therefor
A feeder assembly is provided for a fastener tool, such as a screw driver, structured to install a number of fasteners, such as screws, in a work piece. The screw driver includes a driver assembly having a driver bit. The screws have a predetermined shape. The feeder assembly includes a nose assembly operatively coupled to the driver assembly, and a conduit. The nose assembly receives the screws and retains them in a predetermined orientation below the driver bit. The conduit is coupled to the nose assembly, and includes a passageway. The passageway aligns and delivers the screws to the nose assembly in the predetermined orientation. The passageway has a predetermined shape substantially similar to the predetermined shape of the screws. A fastener tool and an associated method of using the fastener tool are also disclosed. |
| US08424417B1 |
Gripper for opening lumen and vial closures
A gripper having a pair of straps for safely opening a narrow cylindrical article, by wrapping a closure on a narrow cylindrical article with a first strap and wrapping the narrow cylindrical article with a second strap, grasping each and rotating each in opposing directions, releasing the friction holding the closure on the article. The gripper is made from a sterilizable elastomeric material for use in a medical setting such as a hospital or a laboratory. The pair of identical straps are connected by a band attached to a middle portion on each strap. The gripper opens a connector on a central venous catheter (CVC) lumen, a pair of clasps on CVC stabilization device, a connector on a urine collection bag to a Foley catheter, and a cap on a laboratory sample vial as non-limiting examples. |
| US08424413B2 |
Coupling means, in particular for a furniture adjustment means
An adjustment mechanism for adjustable pieces of furniture is provided with a coupling including a transmission and sub-coupling structure, where the transmission and sub-coupling structure is constructed in such a way that at least one secondary transmission is always adjusted whether one primary transmission is actuated or whether the another primary transmission is actuated. At least two catch decouplers are provided in such a way that when the at least one primary transmission is adjusted, and disengaged by an adjustment of an associated actuator, the transmission and sub-coupling structure is always also entrained and adjusted, while one of the catch decouplers cooperates with the transmission and sub-coupling structure in such a way that the adjusting or pivoting transmission and sub-coupling structure leaves a second secondary transmission and/or the second actuator unchanged in position. |
| US08424411B2 |
Parallel robot
A parallel robot includes a base, a movable platform, an actuator, and four control arms. The actuator is positioned on the movable platform. The control arms are interconnected between the base and the movable platform. Each control arm includes a driving member connected to the base, an action pole driven by the driving member, and a four-rod linkage assembly interconnected between the action pole and the movable platform. One end of the four-rod linkage assembly is connected to the action pole via a first rotary joint, and the other end of the four-rod linkage assembly is connected to the movable platform via a second rotary joint. An axis of the first rotary joint is substantially parallel to an axis of the second rotary joint. |
| US08424406B2 |
Actuator having a reduction gear for a final controlling element for regulating a stream of gas or fluid
An actuator is described with a prestressed reduction gear, which acts via a drive organ, particularly in the form of a drive segment, of a linear drive or a drive spindle upon an actuator for regulating a gas or fluid flow, particularly in the fields of heating ventilation, air-conditioning and fire and smoke protection. Actuating movement is limited by end stops. At least one inner end stop on the housing side limits the rotational freedom of an end wheel, which is in a positive fit with the drive organ, up to more than a full rotation. In a prestressed reduction gear, a switching device g can comprise two spur gears which have identical diameter and can be driven in the opposite direction for changing the M direction of movement of the drive organ, each of which have a pinion which can be displaced in the axial direction. The pinions are in each axial position in a positive fit with the drive organ. One of the two pinions, respectively, can be locked in a torque fixed manner with one of the two pinions having the same diameter. |
| US08424404B2 |
Eight speed dual clutch transmissions
An eight forward speed dual clutch transmission includes a pair of input clutches which selectively provide drive torque to a pair of concentric input shafts. Gears coupled to and driven by the input shafts are in constant mesh with gears freely rotatably disposed on a pair of parallel countershafts or layshafts. A plurality of synchronizer clutches selectively synchronize and connect the various gears to the countershafts or layshafts to provide a desired gear ratio in the proper sequence. Reverse gear is similarly provided through a three gear gear train. Upon the synchronization and engagement of a particular gear, the associated input clutch is activated or engaged to supply drive torque to the input shaft, through the synchronized and engaged gear pair and out the countershaft or layshaft. An additional gear on each countershaft or layshaft engages a common gear that directly drives a differential which, in turn, drives a pair of drive axles. |
| US08424403B2 |
Multi-gear powershift transmission
A multi-gear powershift transmission for a working machine, in particular a forklift truck, which has a driveshaft (2) driven by a torque converter (1) such that, by way of fixed wheels (8, 13, 18, 23), loose wheels (10, 15, 20, 27) and shift clutches (4, 9, 19) arranged on countershafts (7, 12, 22) in a first transmission, at least two forward gears and two reverse gears can be engaged. The powershift transmission can be supplemented with a further countershaft (24) having a fixed wheel (25), a clutch (26) and a loose wheel (27) in order to produce a second powershift transmission in which three gears in the forward driving direction and three gears in the reverse driving direction are engageable. |
| US08424402B2 |
Ball screw unit
The outer diameter of a spline nut and the inner diameter of a nut body holding portion of a housing gradually decrease in the downward direction. A ball screw protection unit includes a nut body taper face that is formed in the outer peripheral face of the spline nut, a holding portion taper face that is formed in the nut body holding portion, and a disc spring that is provided at the upper end of the spline nut and that biases the spline nut in such a direction that a friction force between the nut body taper face and the holding portion taper face increases (downward direction). |
| US08424399B2 |
Probe holder assembly for an end to end test of adhesives and sealants
A test assembly is provided having a platform with an indentation. A probe holder assembly is placed in the indentation of the platform. The probe holder assembly includes a base with an indentation configured to receive a tissue specimen, a plate configured to secure the tissue specimen to the base, and a probe holder configured to hold a probe in contact with an adhesive placed on the tissue specimen. |
| US08424397B2 |
Particle counter apparatus
The invention relates to a particle counter apparatus for counting particles in a fluid flowing in a pipe or a pipeline. The particle counter apparatus comprises a pipe portion through which the fluid flows, where the pipe portion is provided with a fluid sample outlet for withdrawal of a fluid sample. Furthermore the particle counter apparatus also comprises a first fluid transfer body extending from the fluid sample outlet to a particle counter, and a second fluid transfer body extending from the particle counter to a fluid return outlet mounted in the pipe portion downstream of the fluid sample outlet. In the pipe portion there is mounted a propeller unit comprising a propeller and a generator, with the result that particles are distributed uniformly in the fluid before the withdrawal of fluid samples, and electric power is provided for operation of the particle counter apparatus. |
| US08424396B2 |
Gas probes
A thermowell or gas sampling probe comprising an elongated tube with one or more helical fins wound longitudinally along and around at least part of the outer surface of said tube where the width of the fin is in the range 0.005 D to 0.2D; and the depth of the fin is in the range 0.05D to 0.5D; where D is the external diameter or width of the tube. The gas sampling probe comprising an elongate main tubular member having an inlet end and an outlet end and a sampling tube housed within said main tubular member extending from the inlet end to the outlet end. |
| US08424392B2 |
Housing arrangement for ultrasound flow meter and ultrasound flow meter
The present invention relates to a housing arrangement for an ultrasound flow meter, comprising a unipartite or multipartite housing (2) provided to be connected to a fluid line, comprising an ultrasonic transducer having an ultrasonic transducer body and a housing or covering which at least partially surrounds the ultrasonic transducer body, comprising a housing opening provided in the housing (2) for positioning the ultrasonic transducer at the housing arrangement, comprising a sealing element arranged between the housing (2) and the ultrasonic transducer, wherein a housing insert (5) can be inserted in the housing opening (16) as a module, the housing insert (5) is adapted to receive at least two ultrasonic transducer bodies (4, 7) which are positioned separately, without the ultrasonic transducer body (4, 7) coming into contact with the fluid, and the housing insert (5) is connected to the housing (2) via a sealing element (13) which is common to the ultrasonic transducer bodies (4, 7) which are positioned in the housing insert (5). The present invention furthermore relates to an ultrasound flow meter with a corresponding housing arrangement. |
| US08424385B2 |
Inspecting device including detachable probe
An inspecting device including a detachable probe has a link structure, and thus a subject having various diameters is tested. In addition, since various probes are changeably used in a scanner housing, ultrasonic wave testing and eddy current testing are simultaneously performed. |
| US08424384B2 |
System for continuous wave, pulsed, and pulsed-echo parameter measurement
A measurement system for capturing a transit time, phase, or frequency of energy waves propagating through a propagation medium is disclosed. The measurement system comprises two different closed-loop feedback paths. The first path includes a driver circuit (628), a transducer (604), a propagation medium (602), a transducer (606), and a zero-crossing receiver (640). The zero-crossing receiver (640) detects transition states of propagated energy waves in the propagation medium including the transition of each energy wave through a mid-point of a symmetrical or cyclical waveform. A second path includes the driver circuit (1228), a transducer (1204), a propagation medium (1202), a reflecting surface (1206), and an edge-detect receiver (1240). Energy waves in the propagating medium (1202) are reflected at least once. The edge-detect receiver (1240) detects a wave front of an energy wave. Each positive closed-loop path maintains the emission, propagation, and detection of energy waves in the propagation medium. |
| US08424383B2 |
Mass for use in a micro-electro-mechanical-system sensor and 3-dimensional micro-electro-mechanical-system sensor using same
A 3-dimensional MEMS sensor, comprising: a first axis fixed electrode; a second axis fixed electrode; a third axis fixed electrode; a movable electrode frame including a first axis movable electrode, a second axis movable electrode, a third axis movable electrode, and a connection part connecting the movable electrodes, wherein the first axis movable electrode and the first axis fixed electrode form a first capacitor along the first axis, the second axis movable electrode and the second axis fixed electrode form a second capacitor along the second axis, and the third axis movable electrode and the third axis fixed electrode form a third capacitor along the third axis, the connection part including a center mass, wherein the center mass is at least connected with one of the first, second and third axis movable electrodes, and has an outer periphery and a first interconnecting segment connecting at least two adjacent sides of the outer periphery; at least one spring connecting with the movable electrode frame; and at least one anchor connecting with the spring, wherein the first, second and third axes are not parallel to one another such that they define a 3-dimensional coordinate system. |
| US08424381B1 |
Fluid level measuring device
A device (15) for measuring the level of a fluid (24) in a container (17) comprising a frame assembly having a first arm (18) and a second arm (19), the first and second arms configured to move from a first folded position (20) to a second expanded position (21), a probe element (22) supported between the first arm and the second arm, the probe element having a sensing portion (34, 35) between the arms when the arms are in the second expanded position, the sensing portion configured to have a length (25) in contact with the fluid, an electrical circuit (26, 29) connected to the probe element, the probe element and the circuit forming a capacitor having a capacitance which is a function of the length of the probe that is in contact with the fluid, and the circuit configured to produce an output signal as a function of the capacitance. |
| US08424378B2 |
Wind sensor with threshold for each group
Wind safety sensor, comprising a physical device for measuring at least one parameter associated with the action of the wind, comprising a bidirectional radiofrequency communication means, capable of transmitting a signal to at least one mobile home automation element when the parameter exceeds a threshold, comprising an assignment table for at least one first threshold and one second threshold relating to distinct types of mobile home automation elements and such that the transmitted signal comprises an identifier of the type for which the threshold has been exceeded, a code controlling a safety action and/or an identifier of the safety sensor. Home automation installation comprising such a sensor and control device for such a home automation installation. |
| US08424377B2 |
Monitoring the water tables in multi-level ground water sampling systems
An apparatus and method for monitoring the water tables in boreholes, such as boreholes used as sampling wells for sampling contaminants in ground water. Fluctuations in one or more ground water levels can be monitored and recorded using transducers, and the changes in the water levels evaluated and considered, particularly in the context of sampling for contaminants where subsurface pollution remediation is contemplated or ongoing. The changes in ground water levels can be tracked in time and correlated, as desired, with the water sampling regime. The transducers used for monitoring pressure changes attributable to water table changes are located advantageously above the surface of the ground, where they are accessible for re-use, replacement, or repair. Apparatus and method for providing an air-coupling between the transducers and subsurface sampling points is disclosed. |
| US08424365B2 |
Screening system and method for operating the same
A method of operating a screening system includes applying an electromagnetic field to a subject in a region at least partially enclosed by electromagnetic shielding, and measuring an output from a sensor. The output is representative of an interaction of the electromagnetic field and the subject. A trace vapor is collected from the subject within the region, and the trace vapor is identified. Based on the measured sensor output and the identified trace vapor, whether a target material is associated with the subject is determined. |
| US08424362B2 |
Methods and apparatus for calibrating a vacuum component of a phacoemulsification system
Methods and apparatuses are provided for calibrating a vacuum component of a phacoemulsification system at different elevations. The design comprises running a vacuum component to be calibrated at an elevation; determining a maximum vacuum pressure available at the elevation; determining a range of vacuum pressure available from running the vacuum component at the elevation; calibrating the vacuum component based at least in part on a the maximum vacuum pressure available and the range of vacuum pressure available. The design also comprises a to be calibrated vacuum component; a pressure delivery device; an altimeter configured to determine the elevation of the vacuum component; component reading hardware configured to read at least one measured value from the pressure sensing components of the vacuum component when exposed to at least one pressure value from the pressure delivery device; and a computer configured to correlate a plurality of measured values to the elevation. |
| US08424359B2 |
Bending press with a loading device and method for its operation
The invention describes a manufacturing device (1) and a method for bending blanks (4) or workpieces (5), having a bending press (2) and having a manipulator (3), which can be displaced in a raceway parallel to a longitudinal extent of a table and bending beam (10, 14), for workpiece transfer between a feeding or removal apparatus for the blanks (4) or the workpieces (5) and a forming region between bending tools (21). The manipulator (3) has an articulated-arm arrangement (33) having preferably three arms (34, 35, 36) which can be pivoted via pivoting bearing arrangements (37) about pivot axes (39) which are oriented parallel to the raceway, and said manipulator has a rotary unit (41), having a rotational axis (42) which extends perpendicularly with respect to the pivot axes (39), at one distal end of the articulated-arm arrangement (33). At least one detection device (50) which has a communications link to the control and monitoring device (25) is arranged on the articulated-arm arrangement (33), for a physical value which brings about a state change of an arm (34, 35, 36) of the articulated-arm arrangement (33) upon loading. |
| US08424356B2 |
Deep-drawing device
A deep drawing apparatus is provided in which a sheet material is subjected to optimal heating and cooling, whereby the limiting draw ratio is increased and a product can be worked more deeply, and uniformity of the sheet thickness of the product can be controlled. This apparatus includes: a punch 2 for subjecting a sheet material 9 to deep drawing; a die 3, used along with the punch, for forming the sheet material and subject the same to deep drawing; an anti-wrinkling component 4 for preventing wrinkling around the periphery of the forming portion in the sheet material; an induction heating coil 5 for directly heating the sheet material at a portion supported by the anti-wrinkling component; a heating controller 6 for controlling the amount of heating of the sheet material by the induction heating coil; and cooling means 21 to 23 for cooling the sheet material at the portion formed by the punch. |
| US08424352B2 |
Apparatus and method for manufacturing barrel coil spring
An apparatus and method for manufacturing a barrel coil spring make it possible to coil opposite sides of a spring material at the same time so as to considerably reduce manufacturing processing, thereby remarkably reducing the time required to manufacture the coil barrel spring, thus improving productivity. |
| US08424351B2 |
Automated monitoring for clinching joints
A system for monitoring clinched joints performed by an apparatus that moves a punch relative to a die. The system determines acceptability of a clinched joint by correlating the amount of punch advancement toward the die in the formation of the joint and the diameter of a button formed by the joint. |
| US08424350B2 |
Personal security key holder
A key holder for personal security including a L-shaped body having a main elongated portion and a secondary elongated portion joined to the main elongated portion at a junction end of the main elongated portion, the secondary elongated portion being one of equal and shorter than the main elongated portion; an enlarged head at a head end of the secondary elongated portion, the enlarged head being larger than a width of the secondary elongated portion, the head end being opposed to the junction end; a key attachment provided on an outside of the junction end, the key attachment adapted to attach keys to the key holder, the secondary elongated portion being adapted to be received between two fingers of a single hand of a user, the main elongated portion being adapted to be received in a palm of the single hand. Additionally, a whistle can be provided at a whistle end of the main elongated portion, the whistle end being opposed to the junction end. Additionally, a light can be provided on the enlarged head. |
| US08424342B2 |
Melting and refining in tanks with cooled walls
A method for melting inorganic materials, preferably glasses and glass-ceramics, in a melting unit with cooled walls is provided. The method includes selecting the temperature of at least one region of the melt is selected in such a way as to be in a range from Teff−20% to Teff+20%, where the temperature Teff is given by the temperature at which the energy consumption per unit weight of the material to be melted is at a minimum, with the throughput having been selected in such a way as to be suitably adapted to the required residence time. |
| US08424336B2 |
Modular ice storage for uninterruptible chilled water
A backup cooling storage system comprising at least one cooling and storage unit configured to cool a liquid supply using a quantity of cooled material when a main chiller of the liquid supply is not operational, and at least one chilling element configured to generate the quantity of cooled material for the at least one cooling and storage unit when the main chiller of the liquid supply is operational. Additional embodiments and methods are further disclosed. |
| US08424335B2 |
Cascading series of thermally insulated passive temperature controlled containers
A modular collection of components from which a variety of thermally insulated and thermal controlled containers can be assembled. The collection includes at least two differently sized sleeves of thermal insulation, and at least two differently sized sleeves of phase change material that are nestable with one another to form various thermally insulated and thermally controlled containers with various combinations of available payload, target temperature, guaranteed duration of thermal control, size of container and weight of container. |
| US08424333B2 |
Air conditioner
An air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner includes: an outdoor heat exchange unit in which a plurality of refrigerant tubes are disposed to be separated in a plurality of columns in a vertical direction to exchange heat of outdoor air and a refrigerant; a first refrigerant distribution device having branch pipes connected to a plurality of refrigerant tubes, respectively, of an upper part among the plurality of refrigerant tubes; a second refrigerant distribution device having branch pipes connected to a plurality of refrigerant tubes, respectively, of a lower part among the plurality of refrigerant tubes; and a communication pipe for communicating one of the branch pipes of the first refrigerant distribution device and one of the branch pipes of the second refrigerant distribution device. Therefore, when performing divisional defrost of an upper part and divisional defrost of a lower part of the outdoor heat exchange unit, the remaining frost of a central portion of the outdoor heat exchange unit can be also removed. |
| US08424332B2 |
Modular refrigerator installed by hooks
An object is to improve an assembly operability while enhancing disconnecting and connecting properties between a main body and a refrigerating unit of a refrigerating device, and there is disclosed a refrigerating device (showcase) which is provided with a refrigerating unit including a refrigerant circuit constituted of a compressor, a radiator as a high-pressure-side heat exchanger, an evaporator as a low-pressure-side heat exchanger and the like and which supplies, by a blower, cold air subjected to heat exchange with the evaporator to a storage chamber as a space to be cooled constituted in a main body by a blower to cool the chamber, wherein a mechanical chamber is constituted under a bottom surface of the main body, the compressor and the radiator are installed on a unit base on the bottom surface of the mechanical chamber, and a refrigerating box in which the evaporator and the blower are stored is attached to the bottom surface of the main body via hooks so as to communicate with the storage chamber. |
| US08424330B2 |
Portable auxiliary refrigeration unit for temporary, emergency refrigeration of refrigerated trucks/trailers
A method and apparatus for temporarily refrigerating perishable items contained in a refrigerated truck or trailer whose refrigeration unit is not functioning properly or at all. The apparatus comprises a portable, auxiliary refrigeration unit adapted to be transported to the refrigerated truck or trailer and includes a sealing element configured and adapted for placement in or adjacent a door opening of the refrigerated truck or trailer to provide at least a partial seal thereat. A chilled air duct is provided for delivering chilled air through/across the sealing element to the perishable items inside the refrigerated truck or trailer and the portable, auxiliary refrigeration unit is operable to deliver chilled air through the chilled air duct and into the interior of the refrigerated truck or trailer. |
| US08424329B2 |
Method and apparatus for making and preserving an outdoor frozen surface
The invention is an apparatus and method of creating and preserving an outdoor frozen surface by covering a defined outdoor ground surface with a layer of white base paper after clearing debris, litter, and other objects from the defined surface which may present a hazardous condition on an ice surface. The layer of white base paper is saturated with water at near freezing or under freezing conditions to allow the water to freeze and hold the white base paper to the defined outdoor ground surface. Thereafter, water is continuously dispensed under freezing conditions to build up a predefined thickness ice layer on the defined outdoor ground surface. |
| US08424328B2 |
Suction valve pulse width modulation control based on evaporator or condenser pressure
A refrigerant system is provided with a suction pulse width modulation valve, and a pulse width modulation control for controlling this valve. System pressures, such as the pressure on the evaporator and the condenser are monitored. The measured system pressures are maintained within a band of acceptable lower and upper limits. As the pulse width modulation control cycles the valve, the refrigerant pressures in the evaporator and the condenser tend to fluctuate. The control ensures those fluctuations are within the limits by controlling the duty cycle of the valve. |
| US08424327B2 |
Compressor and refrigeration apparatus using the same
A compressor includes a casing accommodating a refrigerant passageway, a compression mechanism and a pipe. The compression mechanism is disposed in the interior of the casing to discharge compressed refrigerant into the refrigerant passageway. The pipe extends from inside of the casing to outside of the casing. The pipe includes two ends. One end is a closed end disposed in a predetermined position inside the refrigerant passageway. The other end of the pipe is an opened end disposed outside the casing. The pipe is preferably sized so that a measuring instrument can be inserted into the pipe through the opened end. |
| US08424323B2 |
Ice level sensing system
An ice level sensing system for an appliance having a cavity with a cavity wall. An ice storage bin and an ice maker are disposed within the cavity. The ice storage bin is configured to hold ice discharged from the ice maker. The ice level sensing system includes a transmitter for transmitting a light beam and a detector for detecting the light beam. The transmitter and the detector are disposed on the cavity wall. A reflector is disposed relatively remote from the transmitter. The transmitter is operative to project the light beam toward the reflector. The transmitter and the detector are angled relative to each other so that the light beam reflected by the reflector is directed toward the detector. |
| US08424322B2 |
Air conditioner with estimation of energy efficiency, energy charge efficiency and CO2 emission efficiency
An air conditioner that can present information on a predicted value of stored energy usage per unit time, a predicted value of the electricity charge per unit time, and a predicted value of the amount of CO2 emission per unit time, at the start of operation. The air conditioner includes a predicted electricity efficiency speculating unit that speculates on electricity efficiency, which is stored energy usage per unit time predicted from a set parameter set by the user at the present time, based on a stored value of the recent stored energy usage storing unit, a calculated result of the actual usage electricity efficiency calculating unit, and a compared result of the setting comparing unit, a predicted electricity efficiency calculating unit that calculates an electricity charge per unit time or a predicted amount of CO2 emission efficiency calculating unit that calculates an amount of CO2 emission per unit time, and a displaying unit that displays the calculated information stored energy usage at the start of air conditioner operation. |
| US08424317B2 |
Thermal insulation technique for ultra low temperature cryogenic processor
Systems and methods are disclosed to provide an ultra low temperature (ULT) cryogenic processor apparatus. The apparatus includes an external housing with flat sides; an inner housing coupled to the external housing to define a vacuum region there between; material disposed in the vacuum region to provide redundant insulation and structural support; and a cryogenic heat exchanger contained in the inner housing. |
| US08424316B2 |
Portable cooled merchandizing unit
A portable cooled merchandizing unit including a product container assembly and a thermoelectric assembly. The product container assembly includes an exterior frame and an interior container forming a floor and side panels defining an interior region. Openings to the interior region are defined opposite the floor. Airflow paths are defined at an exterior of the panels and are fluidly connected to the interior region via the opening. The thermoelectric assembly includes a thermoelectric device connected to a heat sink that is fluidly connected to the airflow path away from the opening. A fan is positioned to circulate air from the thermoelectric device and into the interior region via the airflow paths. |
| US08424314B2 |
Intermetallic compounds, their use and a process for preparing the same
The present invention relates to new intermetallic compounds having a crystalline structure of Ni3Sn2 type for the magnetic refrigeration, their use and a process for preparing the same. The present invention further relates to new magnetocaloric compositions for the magnetic refrigeration and their use. |
| US08424313B1 |
Gas turbine engine mid turbine frame with flow turning features
A gas turbine engine includes first and second stages having a rotational axis. A mid turbine frame is arranged axially between the first and second stages. The mid turbine frame includes a circumferential array of airfoils, and the airfoils each have a curvature provided equidistantly between pressure and suction sides. The airfoils extend from a leading edge to a trailing edge at a midspan plane along the airfoil. An angle is defined between first and second lines respectively tangent to the intersection of the plane and the curvature at airfoil leading and trailing edges. The angle is equal to or greater than about 10°, for example. In one example, an airfoil aspect ratio is less than 1.5. |
| US08424311B2 |
Premixed direct injection disk
A fuel/air mixing disk for use in a fuel/air mixing combustor assembly is provided. The disk includes a first face, a second face, and at least one fuel plenum disposed therebetween. A plurality of fuel/air mixing tubes extend through the pre-mixing disk, each mixing tube including an outer tube wall extending axially along a tube axis and in fluid communication with the at least one fuel plenum. At least a portion of the plurality of fuel/air mixing tubes further includes at least one fuel injection hole have a fuel injection hole diameter extending through said outer tube wall, the fuel injection hole having an injection angle relative to the tube axis. The invention provides good fuel air mixing with low combustion generated NOx and low flow pressure loss translating to a high gas turbine efficiency, that is durable, and resistant to flame holding and flash back. |
| US08424310B2 |
Mixing chamber
A mixing chamber with a wall and at least one vortex generating element arranged on the wall is provided. The vortex generating element has at least three surfaces, at least one of the surfaces forming a top surface and the other surfaces forming at least first and second side surfaces, the first and second side surfaces arranged not in parallel, the top surface being in contact with the wall via a front edge of the top surface, the front edge extending traverse to a flow direction, the top surface further abutting the first and second side faces forming first and second edges, the first side surface extending in parallel to the flow direction so that the first edge does not contribute to generating a vortex, and the second side surface extending not in parallel to the flow direction so that the second edge contributes to generating the vortex. |
| US08424308B2 |
Co-production of synthesis gas and power
A process (10) for co-producing synthesis gas and power includes in a synthesis gas generation stage, producing a hot synthesis gas and, in a nuclear power generation stage (12), heating a working fluid with heat generated by a nuclear reaction to produce a heated working fluid and generating power by expanding the heated working fluid using one or more turbines (16), with additional heating (14) of the heated working fluid by indirect transfer of heat from the hot synthesis gas to the heated working fluid. |
| US08424307B2 |
Ocean thermal energy conversion system and condenser thereof
An ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) system includes a working fluid pump, an evaporator, a turbine, a condenser, and a working fluid. The evaporator is connected to the working fluid pump. The turbine is connected to the evaporator. The condenser is respectively connected to the turbine and the working fluid pump, and located in a sea area below sea surface. The condenser includes a condenser main body and a deep sea water pipe. The condenser main body is respectively connected to the turbine and the working fluid pump. The deep sea water pipe is connected to the condenser main body, and has an inlet end and an outlet end. The deep sea water pipe is connected to the condenser main body via the outlet end. The working fluid flows between the working fluid pump, the evaporator, the turbine, and the condenser under the driven of the working fluid pump. |
| US08424304B2 |
Turbine assembly for a turbocharger, having two asymmetric volutes that are sequentially activated, and associated method
A turbine assembly for an exhaust gas turbocharger has separate first and second volutes that are sequentially activated via a valve that receives exhaust gases from an engine. In a first position of the valve, only the first volute receives exhaust gas; in a second position, both volutes receive exhaust gases. In a third position, a bypass passage is also opened so that some exhaust gas bypasses the turbine wheel. Unlike conventional twin-scroll turbines, each volute receives exhaust gases from all engine cylinders, and the first volute feeds gas into the B-width portion of the wheel, while the second volute feeds gas into the wheel after the contour portion. |
| US08424303B2 |
Cooling arrangement for a supercharged internal combustion engine
An arrangement for a supercharged combustion engine (2) including a first cooling system with a circulating coolant, a second cooling system with a circulating coolant which is at a lower temperature than the coolant in the first cooling system, and a cooler (10, 15) in which a gaseous medium which contains water vapor is to be cooled by the coolant in the second cooling system. A first valve (32) which can be placed in a first position whereby it prevents coolant from the first cooling system from being led to the second cooling system via a first connecting line (30), and a second position whereby it allows warm coolant from the first cooling system to be led to the second cooling system via the first connecting line (30). The warm coolant from the first cooling system is intended to circulate at least a certain distance (26b, c) in the second cooling system so that it passes through the cooler (10, 15). |
| US08424301B2 |
Hydraulic flow sharing system for excavating and pipe laying work
A hydraulic flow sharing system for excavating and pipe laying work is provided, which can prevent the abrupt change of a traveling speed during traveling through compulsory sharing of the flow rate applied to a working device and a traveling apparatus when a combined operation, in which the traveling apparatus and the working device such as a boom are simultaneously driven, is performed. |
| US08424299B2 |
Hydraulic drive device for large hydraulic excavator
A large hydraulic excavator permits an easy change from a machine mode corresponding to a backhoe excavator to a machine mode corresponding to a loader excavator, and vice versa. A hydraulic circuit is provided with hydraulic pumps and directional control valves, solenoid valves for controlling the hydraulic pumps and the directional control valves, and a controller for controlling the solenoid valves in accordance with operation of control lever devices and control pedal devices. The controller performs its control in a backhoe mode or loader mode selectively instructed by a mode instruction unit. Control of the solenoid valves in the backhoe mode makes the hydraulic circuit function as a backhoe hydraulic drive circuit, while control in the loader mode makes the hydraulic circuit function as a loader hydraulic drive circuit. |
| US08424295B2 |
Particulate filter regeneration during engine shutdown
Systems and methods for controlling regeneration of a particulate filter downstream of an engine in a vehicle are provided herein. One exemplary method includes, during first engine shutdown conditions, increasing excess oxygen to the particulate filter, and regenerating the particulate filter at least during a portion of engine shutdown. The method further includes during second engine shutdown conditions, decreasing the excess oxygen to the particulate filter at least during a portion of engine shutdown. |
| US08424291B2 |
Flame glow plug
The present invention relates to a flame glow plug having a combustion chamber which has an outlet opening for the flame, a fuel supply, in particular a blockable fuel supply, for the provision of a fuel flow to the combustion chamber, an air supply for the provision of an air flow to the combustion chamber and an ignition device, in particular an electrically operated heating element, which is arranged in the combustion chamber or which extends into the combustion chamber and which is made to ignite the air/fuel mixture arising from the provided fuel flow and the provided air flow. The air supply is made controllable in quantity to selectively operate the flame glow plug as a torch or as a secondary fuel injection apparatus. The invention furthermore relates to a regeneration apparatus for a particulate filter of an exhaust gas system, to an exhaust gas system for a combustion engine as well as to a method for the operation of a regeneration apparatus. |
| US08424287B2 |
Electric preheating of a catalytic convertor using a solar cell array
An internal combustion engine vehicle or hybrid-electric vehicle is provided with a vehicle-mounted solar cell array capable of generating electrical power. The solar cell array and other elements, including a metal substrate catalytic convertor form a system for reducing exhaust gas emissions from the vehicle in which the power from the array is applied to minimize exhaust emissions. A primary application of the solar cell array-generated power is to preheat the catalytic convertor to a preferred operating temperature prior to engine start. But the power from the solar cells, directed by a controller, may also be applied to charge the battery or to power electric power receiving devices, for example, to control cabin temperatures. The preferred allocation of the solar power available depends on a number of factors including the state of charge of the batteries, and the time of anticipated next use of the vehicle. |
| US08424286B2 |
Vehicle relocatable exhaust system components
Modification of reductant (e.g., diesel exhaust fluid, DEF) tank location, for example during vehicle up-fitting may result in less than optimal operation of the DEF system due to inaccurate DEF system calibration. In one example approach, the above issue can be at least partially addressed by adjusting control system parameters for system control and diagnostics based on an input indicative of, or any modification to, the DEF tank location. In this way, DEF tank location flexibility is maintained, while also maintaining emission control and diagnostic accuracy. |
| US08424283B2 |
System for recirculating the exhaust of a turbomachine
A portion of the exhaust generated by a turbomachine is recirculated through an inlet portion by an exhaust gas recirculation system. The system reduces the level of harmful constituents within the exhaust before the exhaust is recirculated. |
| US08424282B2 |
Combined-cycle power plant with exhaust gas recycling and CO2 separation, and method for operating a combined cycle power plant
A combined cycle power plant (10) has a gas turbine (11), a heat recovery steam generator (16) which is connected downstream to the gas turbine (11) and delivers steam to a steam turbine (19), an exhaust gas recycling line (28) which returns some of the exhaust gases, which flow from the exhaust of the gas turbine (11) through the heat recovery steam generator (16), to the inlet of the gas turbine (11), and also a CO2 separating plant (25) which separates from the non-returned part of the exhaust gases the CO2 which is contained therein and delivers it to a CO2 outlet. A reduction of the equipment cost or a flexible adaptation of the operation can be achieved by a supplementary firing (17) being associated with the heat recovery steam generator (16), which by combusting a carbonaceous fuel produces additional exhaust gases with CO2 content and transmits them through the heat recovery steam generator (16). |
| US08424281B2 |
Method and apparatus for facilitating cooling of a steam turbine component
A method of operating a power plant is provided. The method includes channeling saturated steam at a first pressure to a pressure control device, superheating the steam by decreasing the pressure of the saturated steam from the first pressure to a second pressure using the pressure control valve, and channeling the superheated steam towards a steam turbine component to facilitate cooling the component. |
| US08424276B2 |
Product multi-pack
A product multi-pack is provided with a plurality of elongate product containers. The containers each include a bottom, an open top that is closed by a cap and a wall extending there between. The wall includes a label having a front portion extending about a limited section of the wall circumference. A carton is provided that is sized to display the plurality of product containers. A locator web is provided that is formed of a thin sheet of plastic having a plurality of spaced apart apertures. The apertures are sized to be at least partially elastically deformed when installed over the caps of the product containers. Additionally, the locator web provides frictional resistance to rotation of the product containers, which enables the containers to be positioned and held in place relative to the carton open face so that the label front portions are visible. |
| US08424274B2 |
Packaging apparatus for handling pills and associated method
A packaging apparatus and method for depositing pills into a series of containers is provided. A cylindrical rotary slat is rotatable about a first axis and comprises radially inward and outward portions, the radially outward portion defining pill apertures for receiving pills therein at a first angular position. A negative pressure system is configured to apply a negative pressure to the pill apertures to retain the pills therein. An ejection device is in communication with the pill apertures at a second angular position of the rotary slat to eject the respective pills outwardly from the pill apertures. A collection mechanism is disposed adjacent to the radially outward portion about the second angular position, and is configured to collect the pills ejected from the pill apertures and to direct the pills toward the series of containers for deposition therein. |
| US08424273B2 |
Thermoformable, heat-sealable and heat-shrinkable multilayer film and method of using the film for producing packaging trays and packages
Sealable, thermoformable, heat-shrinkable multi-layer film having a symmetrical construction around a two-ply inner layer, and having a heat shrinkability in machine direction and in cross direction of in each case at least 20% at 93° C., the heat-shrinkability being substantially unaffected by thermoforming, and use thereof with specially equipped packaging machines. |
| US08424272B2 |
Apparatus and process for wrapping an article with a heat shrink film having a strip that acts as a handle
The objective of this invention is to provide a handle for carrying an article or a bundle of bottles that is more resistant to tearing and delaminating and has the ability to carry heavy loads. This is accomplished by placing a strip on the inside of the wrapping material and wrapping an article, so that the strip that forms the handle is enclosed within the wrapping material. By placing the handle inside the wrapping material so that the strip overlaps when the wrapping material covers the article, the handle is capable of carrying heavy loads. |
| US08424265B2 |
Shape-shifting surfaces
Shape-shifting surfaces that retain their effectiveness as physical barriers while undergoing changes in shape. The shape changes include any motion that makes the surface more effective at performing its function, such as expansion, shrinkage, twisting, encircling, wiggling, swallowing or constricting. The shape-shifting surfaces include tiled arrays of polygonal cells, each cell including specifically-designed compliant flexures attached to specifically-shaped overlapping thin plates or shells. Applications for such surfaces include micro-scale cellular engineering and macro-scale biomedical applications, recreational uses, national security, and environmental protection. |
| US08424255B2 |
PV module mounting method and mounting assembly
A method for mounting PV modules to a deck includes selecting PV module layout pattern so that adjacent PV module edges are spaced apart. PV mounting and support assemblies are secured to the deck according to the layout pattern using fasteners extending into the deck. The PV modules are placed on the PV mounting and support assemblies. Retaining elements are located over and secured against the upper peripheral edge surfaces of the PV modules so to secure them to the deck with the peripheral edges of the PV modules spaced apart from the deck. In some examples a PV module mounting assembly, for use on a shingled deck, comprises flashing, a base mountable on the flashing, a deck-penetrating fastener engageable with the base and securable to the deck so to secure the flashing and the base to the shingled deck, and PV module mounting hardware securable to the base. |
| US08424254B2 |
Loading bay
This loading bay comprises a compact structure carrying at least one fold-away ramp and a shelter for closing off the space between the shed and the truck box body at the side and at the top during loading or unloading operations. Said compact structure adjoins the wall (P) of the shed on the outside and is set up with the possibility of being removed longitudinally on guide means for positioning the movable assembly in a position opposite any one of the openings (H) providing access to the shed. The loading bay comprises, additionally, motorized actuating means, at least one bar of sensors for detecting the position of the truck while said truck is being moved closer into position, a light-signalling device and a light and/or acoustic signal warning of the approach of a truck. |
| US08424252B2 |
Buckling restrained brace
A buckling restrained brace includes an axial member and a restraining unit. The axial member extends along an axial direction, and has two coupling sections for connecting respectively to two connecting plates of a framework of a building, and a middle section connected between the coupling sections. Each coupling section has a supplying plate portion coplanar with an elongated plate body of the middle section, and a contacting plate portion extending perpendicularly from the supporting plate portion. An outer end of the supplying plate portion of each coupling section has a groove formed therethrough along a transverse direction of the axial member, extending along the axial direction, and permitting a respective one of the connecting plates to engage fittingly therewith and contact the corresponding contacting plate portion. |
| US08424250B2 |
Method and apparatus for retrofit connection of roof to wall
An apparatus for retrofit connection of a roof frame to a support member therebelow includes a claw member having a load bearing flange to be driven into an interface between a roof sheathing and a top edge of the roof frame, and a tie-down member to be mounted to a vertical surface of the support member. The tie-down member is connected to the claw member to allow various angular positions of the load bearing flange depending on roof slopes. |
| US08424245B1 |
Window construction utilizing sash spacer assemblies
A window sash installed into a window frame, wherein the window sash assumes an operable position where the vertical sides of the window sash are aligned with the side jambs of the window frame. A gap space exists between each of the vertical sides of the window sash and the side jambs of the window frame. This gap space is utilized by a counterbalance system. Spacer assemblies are attached to the window sash. Each spacer assembly has a base that mounts to the window sash and a slide that selectively extends from the base. The slides are extended across the gap spaces between the sash and the side jambs. The slides are brought into close proximity with the side jambs. The presence of the slides prevents the window sash from being able to cock out of the intended operational orientation of the window sash. |
| US08424244B2 |
Simultaneous displacement device for sliding doors
Simultaneous displacement device for sliding doors, being a first sliding leaf (7) joined to a first cogged belt (9) established between a first set of cogged pulleys (11) and (12) which rotate freely on a first axis (13) and second axis (14) respectively, and a second sliding leaf (8) joined to a second cogged belt (10) established between a second set of cogged pulleys (15) and (16) which rotate freely on said first axis (13) and second axis (14) respectively, said device comprising clutching means (2) which enable to adopt a first position where the first cogged belt (9) and the second cogged belt (10) move independently, and a second position where the first cogged belt (9) and the second cogged belt (10) move integrally to enable the simultaneous displacement of the first sliding leaf (7) and of the second sliding leaf (8). |
| US08424237B2 |
Angling rig
An angling rig comprises a pebble of natural stone and, secured to the pebble, an attachment ring for attaching the pebble to a fishing line. The attachment ring is secured to the pebble by means of a swivel bonded by epoxy resin adhesive in a bore formed in the pebble. The invention provides an alternative to a lead weight which is non-toxic (and therefore ecologically desirable) and also of natural form (and therefore not perceived as threatening by fish), whereby anglers may both help the environment and expect better catches. |
| US08424224B2 |
Shoe heel cover
A shoe heel cover is designed to be selectively positioned and removed from a heel of a shoe. The heel cover is configured as a resilient flexible compressible hollow body having a plurality of concave indentations formed in its outer wall. A plurality of concave parts, each corresponding to the concave indentations extends inwardly toward the center of the opening formed in the hollow body. In one aspect, the heel cover body has an hour-glass cross-section. The middle portion of the body has the smallest diameter opening, such that the convex parts exert a bias and gripping action on the heel, preventing the heel cover from slipping from the shoe heel. |
| US08424223B2 |
High-performance sports shoe
According to one aspect, the shoe sole (10) comprises at least one main ground engagement section (22) specifically designed to respond to certain modes of solicitation by the foot of the player. Such section is provided with a sculpted pattern having recesses (102) and solid areas (100). The recesses and solid areas are distributed to minimize pressures or stress differences throughout the ground engagement section concerned so as to provide better adherence and lower wear by abrasion in response to such mode of solicitations. Preferably this arrangement is applied to more than one main ground engagement section (22, 24, 42, 44) in the shoe sole, each of which offers a specific response to a particular mode of solicitation by a player in action. According to a preferred embodiment the recesses are made of elongated cells opening (102) in a corresponding solid area through an elongated aperture (101) with rounded ends (108). The application of these principles to the production of a tennis shoe is described. |
| US08424221B2 |
Training footwear
An article of footwear includes a sole having a forefoot portion, a heel portion and an outsole having a bottom surface including a primary ground contacting surface. The bottom surface of the outsole includes a forefoot bulge and a heel bulge which provide the footwear with controlled instability for providing dynamic conditioning of the wearer's muscles during the gait cycle. |
| US08424219B2 |
Drying apparatus for drying pellets
One or more embodiments of a drying apparatus for drying pellets from a process fluid are provided. The drying apparatus can include at least one screen device. The at least one screen device can have a screen area with screen openings. The drying apparatus can also have an oscillating device that sets at least the screen area of the screen device into oscillation. The oscillations can move the pellets relative to the screen openings, and the process fluid can drain off through the screen openings. |
| US08424218B2 |
Hair-care appliance with ionization device
An ionizing hair-care appliance includes a voltage source, an electrical conductor electrically connected to the voltage source, and an ionization electrode comprising a tip and electrically connected to the voltage source by the electrical conductor. The electrode is disposed within an ionization chamber defined by the hair-care appliance and defining an unobstructed opening through which the electrode tip is exposed. |
| US08424216B2 |
Dual-side engraving system
An engraving system operable to engrave user-loaded items is provided. The engraving system may have a housing, an engraver located within the housing, and a carrier configured to receive from a user a cartridge holding then item to be engraved and to position the cartridge relative to the engraver. The carrier may be configured to engrave the item via windows in the cartridge, and to flip the cartridge relative to the engraver for engraving on multiple sides of the item. |
| US08424208B2 |
Manufacturing method for bearing outer ring
Provided is a manufacturing method of an outer ring (3) of a back-to-back arrangement double-row angular ball bearing from a raw material (10) comprising a upsetting (A to B), a backward extrusion process (C to D), a punching (D to E), a rolling (E to F) and a finishing, wherein an outer diameter of a first intermediate material (11a) produced by the upsetting is equal to or smaller than an inside diameter of an inner periphery large diameter portion (18) of the inner circumference of a die (13) used in the backward extrusion process and larger than an inside diameter of an inner periphery small portion (19) of the die (13), and in a condition with the first intermediate material (11a) sitting on the inner periphery inclined portion (20) of the die (13), the intermediate material (11a) is pushed toward a base of the die (13) by a punch (14), to thereby the middle metal material (29) with the highest cleanliness of the raw material (10) is exposed to the two outer ring raceways (2) of the outer ring (3). |
| US08424204B2 |
Method of forming composite powder metal gear
A forged composite gear and a method of making a forged composite powder metal gear. The forged composite gear includes a plurality of teeth extending from a core, a first section having a first powder metal material, a second section having a second powder metal material and a variable boundary profile. The variable boundary profile is formed between the first section and the second section, whereby said variable boundary profile exhibits greater tooth wear resistance on the teeth and greater impact resistance in the core. |
| US08424203B2 |
Heat pipe apparatus and method
In one embodiment, a thermal protection device for dissipating heat includes a shell having an outer shell surface and an inner shell surface defining a hollow inner shell chamber. A plurality of porous wick structures are disposed against each other within the hollow inner shell chamber. Each porous wick structure comprises an outer wick surface which is disposed at least one of against and near the inner shell surface and a porous inner wick surface defining a hollow inner wick chamber. A plurality of porous wick lid members are provided. The porous wick lid members are disposed between the porous wick structures within the hollow inner shell chamber of the shell. A cooling substance is disposed within the plurality of porous wick structures. |
| US08424198B2 |
Wire positioning tool
A wire positioning tool is provided having a handle and a positioning member operably coupled to the handle. The positioning member has a plurality of notches, and a wire retention member is retractably slidingly coupled to the handle between a load position and an unload position. The wire retention member has a plurality of wire engagement slots, wherein in the load position, the wire retention member selectively secures each of the plurality of wires in a respective one of the plurality of wire engagement slots. When placed in the unload position, the wire retention member is retracted with respect to the positioning member, therein transferring the plurality of wires from the wire retention member to a plurality of terminals of a termination block via the plurality of notches in the positioning member. The handle further has a cable guidance member for engaging a cable comprising the plurality of wires. |
| US08424191B2 |
Method for manufacturing thermally-assisted magnetic recording head by semi-active alignment
A method for manufacturing a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head is provided, in which joined are: a light source unit that includes a light source having a surface including a light-emission center on the joining surface side of a unit substrate; and a slider that includes an optical system having a light-receiving end surface reaching a back surface opposite to the opposed-to-medium surface. This method utilizes “semi-active alignment” that uses an alignment light, and comprises steps of: causing a light to enter the light source from a surface opposite to the light-emission center; detecting the light that has passed through the light source and is emitted from the light-emission center to align the light-emission center with the light-receiving end surface of the slider; and bonding the light source unit to the slider. This manufacturing method can achieve the alignment with a sufficiently high alignment accuracy in a short processing time. |
| US08424190B1 |
Method of providing electrostatic discharge protection for a read element in a magnetic storage system
A method of providing electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection for a read element in a magnetic storage system comprises coupling a first terminal of a shunting device to a first terminal of the read element; coupling a second terminal of the shunting device to a second terminal of the read element; providing a conductive path between the first and second terminals of the shunting device when the read element is disabled; and providing a nonconductive path between the first and second terminals of the shunting device when the read element is enabled. |
| US08424189B2 |
Rotary table for permanent magnet rotating machine and method for manufacturing permanent magnet rotating machine
A method for assembling rotors which is applicable to a large axial gap type permanent magnet rotating machine. A permanent magnet rotating machine comprising: a rotating shaft; at least two rotors comprising a table-like structure and permanent magnets attached thereto, the table-like structures being connected to the rotating shaft and being disposed in an axial direction of the rotating shaft; and a stator comprising a table-like structure and stator coils around which a copper wire is wound, said stator being disposed in a gap formed by the rotors so that the stator being separated from the rotating shaft, is manufactured by the following steps of assembling the two rotors such that a predetermined gap is formed therebetween; and mounting the magnets on the table-like structures by inserting the magnet from the radially outer side of the table-like structures towards the center of the rotation. |
| US08424183B2 |
Porous titanium femoral sleeves and their use in revision knee surgery
The invention concerns monolithic foam sleeves that comprises titanium or titanium alloy foam having a porosity of 50 to 85% and possess a proximal end, a distal end, an interior wall that defines an interior channel and extends from the proximal end to the distal end; and a terraced outer surface that tapers such that said sleeve is widest at the distal end and most narrow at the proximal end. |
| US08424180B2 |
Wedge anchor setting apparatus
Objects of the present invention provide an attachment for power tools that places and set wedge anchors. One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a new and improved attachment apparatus for a rotary-hammer type drill, the attachment including a first anchor setting end, a second attachment end, and a handle portion connecting the setting end to the attachment end. The attachment apparatus can be efficiently and easily mounted to the rotary-hammer type drill to simplify the installation of wedge anchors. |
| US08424179B2 |
Insertion and release tool for pipe fitting arrangement and method using such tool
A tool (20) for a pipe fitting arrangement in which a pipe is retainable arranged within a housing (1) by teeth (13) of a grip ring (12) placed within the housing, the tool comprising: first engagement means for engaging the pipe, said first engagement means having at least one part (12) adapted to enter the housing around the pipe in order to force the teeth of the grip ring out of engagement with the pipe, second engagement means for engaging the first engagement means as well as the housing in order to locate the housing relative to the tool, and a handle connected or connectable with the second engagement means. The first engagement means being connected to the second engagement means via at least one first joint being in form of a pivot (24f) and/or at least one first spring means (38) in order to be at least partly displaceable relative to the second engagement means, and a method using such a tool. |
| US08424178B2 |
Jig for mounting a stack of belleville springs
The invention relates to mounting of a stack of Belleville springs about a shaft. The individual springs of the stack are first positioned over the shaft. A jig is then placed over the shaft and the springs and has at least one axially extending pressure bar that is radially inwardly biased to urge the inner circumferences of all the springs into contact with axially aligned points on the surface of the shaft. The springs are then compressed using a compression element while they are still urged by the pressure bar against the shaft. Finally, to retain the springs on the shaft and maintain the springs in compression, a split retaining clip is pressed onto to the shaft until it engages in a groove. |
| US08424177B2 |
MIM capacitor with enhanced capacitance
A method of forming a metal-insulator-metal capacitor having top and bottom plates separated by a dielectric layer, one of the top and bottom plates having at least one protrusion extending into a corresponding cavity in the other of the top and bottom plates, the method including the steps of growing one or more nanofibers on a base surface. |
| US08424172B2 |
Male touch fastener element
A touch fastener has a base and an array of discrete fastener elements each extending from the base and together forming with the base a contiguous mass of resin. Each discrete fastener element includes a stem rising from the base, and a head overhanging the base from a front side of the stem to a distal edge, the front side of the stem, an underside of the head, and an upper surface of the base together forming, in side profile, a generally curved retention space boundary surface such that the boundary surface forms, at its innermost extent, a retention cavity defined between curvature discontinuities spaced from both the base and the distal edge. |
| US08424171B2 |
Inverted T-shaped endstops for reclosable package
A length of flanged zipper material for reclosable packages or bags is provided with inverted T-shape endstops wherein the zipper profiles are crushed and the flanges are fused together. The reclosable packages or bags are separated at the mid-point of the inverted T-shaped endstops thereby forming L-shaped and reversed L-shaped endstops. The zipper flanges are fused together in the lower cross elements of the endstop thereby providing an area for the slider to be placed wherein the forces from distension of the package or bag walls are unlikely to exert forces to separate the slider from the zipper. This is particularly applicable to slider zippers wherein the flanges are attached to or substantially co-planar with the exterior sidewalls of the interlocking elements of the zipper profiles. |
| US08424169B2 |
Cord lock assembly
A cord lock assembly is configured to selectively tighten and loosen a draw cord of an article. The cord lock assembly may include a shell, a piston and a spring member. The shell defines an interior chamber and includes aligned shell cord passages. The piston is slidably retained within the interior chamber. The piston includes a piston cord passage formed therethrough. The spring member exerts a force into the piston within the shell so that the piston cord passage is misaligned with respect to the shell cord passages in a locked position. A cord may be operatively secured to the piston and may be configured to be pulled to move the piston to align the piston cord passage with the shell cord passages in an unlocked position so that a draw cord may freely pass therethrough. |
| US08424165B1 |
Extension handle for rolling luggage
A handle extension for increasing the effective length of a luggage handle includes an elongated tubular shaft having an upper end and a lower end. At the lower end are a pair of oppositely extending hooks that surround and engage opposing portions of the luggage handle. A pivotal lever is positioned on an intermediate portion of the shaft that engages the luggage handle handgrip to prevent the shaft from slipping through the handle assembly in the event that the shaft is released. |
| US08424156B2 |
Double suction type sterilizing vacuum cleaner
A double suction type sterilizing vacuum cleaner includes a base seat and an upper cover mounted on an upper side of the base seat. A main suction port is provided in the base seat. A hitting device is mounted on the base seat and adapted to hit a cleaning object under the base seat. A sterilizing lamp is mounted in the base seat for sterilizing purposes. A dust collecting box is detachably mounted to the upper cover and defines an air channel in communication with the main suction port. A secondary suction port is provided in the dust collecting box and in communication with the air channel. When the main suction port is blocked, an ambient air can be supplied to the air channel through the secondary suction port, facilitating the release of the blocking situation in the main suction port. |
| US08424154B2 |
Vacuum cleaner with filter cleaning means
A vacuum cleaner having a housing with a dust container having an inlet for dust laden air, a filter unit comprising a flexible filter body, a motor fan unit for generating a flow of air through the inlet and through the filter unit, and a dust removing means configured to agitate the flexible filter body in response to a force applied to the dust removing means. |
| US08424153B2 |
Vacuum cleaner and filters therefor
An upright vacuum cleaner has a compact, cylindrical exhaust filter assembly that is easily accessible by a user. The filter is removably mounted in a housing between an exhaust outlet aperture and a suction source outlet. A filter locking lug is associated with the filter element and the housing for removably securing the filter element to the housing to the filter frame. An upright vacuum cleaner has a pre-motor filter assembly that is highly visible to a user and accessible thereby. |
| US08424151B2 |
Vacuum cleaner having safety apparatus of auxiliary brush assembly
A vacuum cleaner having a safety apparatus of an auxiliary brush assembly is provided. The vacuum cleaner includes a main body having an extension pipe mounting portion, a main brush assembly connected to the main body, an extension pipe attached and detached to the main body, and an auxiliary brush assembly connected to an end of the extension pipe. The auxiliary brush assembly may have a brush and a driving means for rotating the brush, wherein the rotation of the brush may be automatically stopped when the extension pipe is mounted in the extension pipe mounting portion. |
| US08424146B2 |
Oral care implement with mechanical energy harvesting
A mechanical energy harvesting toothbrush may employ circuits and devices to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. Such conversion can be done using piezoelectric devices to convert stresses and strains from bending of the toothbrush head and/or bristles during use, and can be done using electromagnetic generators involving passing a magnet through a coil to induce current. The resulting electric energy may be rectified, and stored in a storage device, such as a capacitor or rechargeable battery. A switching circuit may be configured to detect the level of energy stored in the storage device, and to close an electrical connection when a predetermined level of energy (e.g., a charge) has been reached. The predetermined level may correspond to a desired amount of brushing. The closing of the electrical connection may be used to power output devices when that desired amount of brushing has been reached. |
| US08424145B2 |
Toothbrush having needle-shaped bristles with various end points and manufacturing method thereof
Disclosed is a toothbrush having needle-shaped bristles with various end points and a method of manufacturing the same. The needle-shaped toothbrush bristle, folded in an asymmetric U-shape to outwardly expose both ends thereof at a height difference ranging from 0.5 to 2 mm and disposed on a head portion of the toothbrush, has a tapered length of 3-7 mm and a blunt end point with a diameter of 0.01-0.07 mm The toothbrush is advantageous in terms of high insertion function into the periodontal pockets of the user while leaving the user with a refreshed feeling after brushing his/her teeth. |
| US08424141B2 |
Cloth treating apparatus and controlling method thereof
The present disclosure generally relates to cloth treating machines and methods for operating a cloth treating machine. The controls can supply an appropriate amount of water initially and subsequently based on one or more selected courses or modes of operating the cloth treating machine. For example, the cloth treating machine can supply an appropriate amount of water to a steam generator initially based on a selected course. The steam generator can use the water to generate steam to sanitize and de-wrinkle clothes placed inside a cabinet of the cloth treating machine. During operation, a sensor can sense the level of the water inside the steam generator. An appropriate amount of water can then be re-supplied subsequently based on the selected course or sensed water level, repeatedly. The operation of the cloth treating machine can improve efficiency by reducing the time taken to supply water and generate steam. |
| US08424138B1 |
Portable infant seat
A portable infant seat that rests between opposing sides of a shopping cart includes a sling made of flexible material and shaped to cradle an infant or an infant car seat. The ends of the sling cover a top rail portion of the shopping cart and stiffening means prevent the sling from folding over on itself when in use. The sling also includes attachment means that easily and releaseably secure the sling to the top rail the cart without any need for adjustment. The attachment means may be a J-style hook extending the entire length of each end. A safety strap may be provided at each end of the sling to provide a redundant or secondary level of safety should one or both of the attachment means fail. |
| US08424134B2 |
Medical bed
A medical bed has developed, comprising a lifting unit extended to the lower body unit with an insertion unit mounted on an elastic spring for applying pressure to a lifting member, a water collection unit positioned at inner room of the bed frame forming sloped bottom surface, an angle adjustment unit installed at the bed frame for angular movement of the bed frame, a plural of the loess bed units, a separation preventing unit for preventing separation of the loess bed unit and a support plate for supporting the loess bed unit. The body unit extends the lower head unit and guides vertical movement of the loess bed. The lifting member installed on a fastening bar for controlling the lifting unit. The elastic spring is arranged inside of the lifting member, and an inlet-outlet for injecting and discharging pneumatic and hydraulic pressure formed at the upper lifting member. |
| US08424132B2 |
Retractable bunk
A retractable bunk or bed is disclosed. The retractable bunk can be used in a sleeper compartment so as to optimize space within the cab. The innovation can include a shaft around which a suitably strong, yet flexible, material bunk can be wound. Thus, in a closed or “hidden” state, the material can be rolled up around the shaft and stowed, for example behind a door or within a compartment as desired. In an open position, the material is extended in a horizontal manner and affixed to retain the “bunk” position. |
| US08424128B2 |
Drawer containing a sink
A drawer is disclosed which is installed in a cabinet structure containing plumbing comprising water lines and a waste line. The drawer comprises a sink which is disposed in the drawer proximate the top of the drawer near one side of the drawer and the sink comprises a fold-down faucet, valves and a drain. The drawer also comprises a plumbing mount plate for connection to the water and a waste line in the cabinet structure. Flexible tubing connects the valves and drain of the sink to the plumbing mount plate. |
| US08424126B2 |
Controllable toilet flushing apparatus
A controllable toilet flushing apparatus comprises an activating handle mechanism configured in a hollow housing assembly positioned under a toilet tank to be placed directly or indirectly over a toilet bowl; a hollow housing assembly where the activating handle mechanism and an outlet funnel are configured from within is manufactured to work with a mating sealed toilet tank or an open-top toilet tank; the activating handle mechanism comprises a horizontal shaft loaded with at least one torsion spring, a lift arm positioned under the outlet valve opening is attached to the horizontal shaft at the pivotal end and the other end can be attached to the outlet valve cap, at least one activating handle attached to the horizontal shaft end thereof to activate a flush by forcing the outlet valve cap lifted upwardly which allows water from the toilet tank to be discharged into the toilet bowl. |
| US08424119B2 |
Patterned heat management material
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to body gear having designed performance characteristics, and in particular to methods and apparatuses that utilize an array of heat managing elements coupled to a base material to direct body heat while also maintaining the desired transfer properties of the base material. In some embodiments, the heat managing material elements include heat management elements that reflect heat or conduct heat, and may be directed towards the body of a user or away from the body of the user. |
| US08424117B2 |
Garment including ankle cushion and method of making same
A hosiery garment is provided including a main body adapted to enclose at least a foot of a wearer, the main body having an outside and an inside, wherein the inside is configured to be in contact with the foot of the wearer. The hosiery garment includes a multi-layered cushion, the multi-layered cushion comprising an adhesive layer configured to adhere the multi-layered cushion to the inside of the main body, a synthetic rubber layer adhered to the adhesive layer, and a fabric layer adhered to the synthetic rubber layer and configured to be in contact with the foot of the wearer. Furthermore, the multi-layered cushion wraps partially around a back side of an ankle portion of the hosiery garment such that the multi-layered cushion protects an Achilles heel of the wearer from abrasion caused by a heel of a footwear. |
| US08424114B2 |
Convertible garment
A convertible garment that is reconfigurable from a garment to a neck pillow. The neck pillow may be generally U-shaped to fit about the neck of a wearer. The garment may include a pocket generally corresponding in shape to desired shape of the neck pillow. The pocket is of sufficient size to receive the remainder of the garment so that the remainder of the garment can be inserted into the pocket. The pocket may be sized so that the remainder of the garment substantially fills the pocket, thereby providing a relatively firm neck pillow capable of providing the desired level of neck support. The pocket may have a closure, such as a zipper, to retain the remainder of the garment in the pocket. The garment may be a jacket with the pocket located in the lower back that opens to the inside of the garment. The pocket may be manufactured from or lined with a soft material, such as a brushed tricot or a fleece. |
| US08424113B2 |
Convertible sleep shell
A sleep shell is provided comprising a flexibly foldable sheet material having complementary engageable side enclosures enabled to surround at least a user's torso. The sheet material has aligned recessed neck openings to form a neck hole when folded and at least a pair of complementary fasteners engageable with one another and disposed substantially toward the top side of the sheet material. An arm opening is also provided disposed selectively between top and bottom of the sheet material. The shell can be used for sleeping or as a blanket and allows a user to become ambulatory while wearing it. |
| US08424112B2 |
Protective rib and lower back pads with release mechanism
This invention concerns improved protective rib and lower back pads (2) for protecting an individual wearing the protective rib and lower back pads (2) against impact to the ribs and/or lower back region of the human body. The improvement comprises protective rib and lower back pads (2) with release mechanism (1) that allows the protective rib and lower back pads (2) to be safely and easily detached from its corresponding pair of protective shoulder pads (4) while the individual wearing the protective rib and lower back pads (2) is maintained in the supine position, thus decreasing the risk of a secondary injury to the individual wearing the protective rib and lower back pads (2) as the protective rib and lower back pads (2) and associated protective shoulder pads (4) are removed. |
| US08429760B2 |
System and method for storing a password recovery secret
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for storing a password recovery secret on a peripheral such as a power adapter by receiving a password recovery secret at the power adapter via an interface with the computing device, and storing the password recovery secret on a memory in the power adapter. The password recovery secret can be recovered by requesting the password recovery secret from the power adapter, wherein the password recovery secret is associated with a computing device, receiving the password recovery secret from the memory of the power adapter, and recovering a password based on the password recovery secret. The power adapter can include an electrical source interface, an electronic device interface, an intermediate module to adapt electricity between the interfaces, a memory, and a memory interface through which a password recovery secret is received for storage in the memory. |
| US08429755B2 |
System and method for receiving digital content
A method and system for conducting a transaction involving digital content is provided. The system includes, a first user of a first mobile device connected to a network; a second user of a second mobile device connected to the network; a MNO that is functionally coupled to the first mobile device and the second mobile device and to a digital content provider and a rights issuing authority. The MNO receives a request for digital content from the first user, searches for the requested digital content and if the second user has the requested digital content, then the MNO obtains any rights to re-distribute/access the requested digital content; and the second user, the digital content provider and the MNO are compensated for distributing the requested digital content from the second mobile device to the first mobile device. |
| US08429750B2 |
Search engine with webpage rating feedback based Internet search operation
The system and methods herein provide feedback of a web page quality/legitimacy factor, various user interaction parameters, a contact address correlation factor, and an explicit web page rating on the reverse path from the client to the severs for Internet search operations. This operation facilitates to improve the quality of websites/web pages and enhances the efficiency of the Internet search operation. This reverse communication also allows for the automatic blockage of any illegitimate websites due to poor “contact address correlation factor” and poor “web page quality factor.” The rating of the websites is based on a computed number called “web page quality factor.” The “web page quality factor” is communicated in the reverse path of Internet search operation back to various whois servers, domain registrars, and web servers on the Internet to further improve quality. This facilitates the filtering of scammers, squatters, illegal/unwanted sites, etc., which have low “web page quality factor” rating resulting in high efficiency of search operations. |
| US08429748B2 |
Network traffic analysis using a dynamically updating ontological network description
Network traffic analysis is performed by deploying, across a network having a plurality of network nodes, at least one data collection agent, on at least two of the plurality of network nodes. Each data collection agent may monitor at each network node, a plurality of network connections instantiated during a monitoring time period. Data resulting from the monitoring is acquired from the data collection agents and an ontological description of the network is automatically created from the acquired data. The ontological description is dynamically updated and network traffic analysis is performed using the dynamically updating ontological description. |
| US08429741B2 |
Altered token sandboxing
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to application security. In an embodiment, a method for altered token sandboxing includes creating a process based on a naked token and suspending the process. The method further includes obtaining an impersonation token and resuming the process with the impersonation token. The method further includes acquiring resources needed for the process with the impersonation token. The method also includes replacing the impersonation token with the naked token. In a further embodiment, the method further includes executing the suspended process with the naked token and the acquired resources. In another embodiment, a system for user-mode, altered token sandboxing includes a security module, an acquisition module and a replacement module. In a further embodiment, the system may include an execution module. In another embodiment, the system may include a request module. |
| US08429739B2 |
Authorizing communications between computing nodes
Techniques are described for managing communications between multiple computing nodes, such as computing nodes that are separated by one or more physical networks. In some situations, the techniques may be used to provide a virtual network between multiple computing nodes that are separated by one or more intermediate physical networks, such as from the edge of the one or more intermediate physical networks by modifying communications that enter and/or leave the intermediate physical networks. In some situations, the computing nodes may include virtual machine nodes hosted on one or more physical computing machines or systems, such as by or on behalf of one or more users (e.g., users of a program execution service). The managing of the communications may include determining whether communications sent to managed computing nodes are authorized, and providing the communications to the computing nodes only if they are determined to be authorized. |
| US08429738B1 |
Method and system for performing asynchronous cryptographic operations
A system and method for performing asynchronous cryptographic operations. A cryptographic toolkit receives requests for cryptographic operations, and initiates the cryptographic operations within a thread of execution. The toolkit detects when the cryptographic operations are complete, retrieves the results, and returns the results to a calling program. The cryptographic operations are performed in an asynchronous manner, without blocking a calling program. The calling program can specify whether the requested operations are to be performed without blocking. |
| US08429737B2 |
Method and apparatuses for end-to-edge media protection in an IMS system
An IMS system includes an IMS initiator user entity. The system includes an IMS responder user entity that is called by the initiator user entity. The system includes a calling side S-CSCF in communication with the caller entity which receives an INVITE having a first protection offer and parameters for key establishment from the caller entity, removes the first protection offer from the INVITE and forwards the INVITE without the first protection offer. The system includes a receiving end S-CSCF in communication with the responder user entity and the calling side S-CSCF which receives the INVITE without the first protection offer and checks that the responder user entity supports the protection, inserts a second protection offer into the INVITE and forwards the INVITE to the responder user entity, wherein the responder user entity accepts the INVITE including the second protection offer and answers with an acknowledgment having a first protection accept. A method for supporting a call by a telecommunications node. |
| US08429730B2 |
Authenticating users and on-line sites
A method and system enables a user and/or an on-line site to be authenticated by comparing a received password with an expected password, transmitting a new password if the received and expected passwords match, and authenticating a communication if the new password matches what is expected by the on-line site. The initially received password may be distorted, such as with CAPTCHA. |
| US08429725B2 |
System and method for providing a secure connection between networked computers
Embodiments disclosed herein provide a system, method, and computer program product for establishing a secure network connection between a client and a server. The client may send a connection request over a public network to the server. The server may prepare a response containing a controller and session-specific credentials. The controller may be selected to configure a tunneling protocol on the client. After being downloaded to the client, the controller configures the tunneling protocol and establishes a secure network connection with the server without user intervention. The session-specific credentials are valid until the secure network connection between the client and the server is severed. |
| US08429719B2 |
Interworking between first and second authentication domains
To interwork between a first authentication domain and a second authentication domain, a bridge module performs a first authentication procedure in the first authentication domain for a mobile station, wherein the first authentication domain is part of a wireless access network. Based on information collected in the first authentication procedure, the bridge module performs a second authentication procedure is performed, on behalf of the mobile station, in the second authentication domain. |
| US08429717B2 |
Method for activating virtual machine, apparatus for simulating computing device and supervising device
A method for activating a virtual machine, an apparatus for simulating a computing device and a device for supervising activation of the apparatus. The method includes: activating a network interface of the virtual machine, and activating other components of the virtual machine, where the network interface of the virtual machine is capable of communicating with the outside world so activation of the other components of the virtual machine can be supervised. The simulation apparatus includes a network interface and an operating system having a security sub-system, where the network interface is configured to be first activated during activation of the simulation apparatus so the network interface can communicate with the outside world, and activation of the other components of the apparatus can be supervised during the activation of the other components of the apparatus. |
| US08429716B2 |
System and method for transparent access and management of user accessible cloud assets
System and method for enabling user access of cloud assets are described. In one embodiment, a method comprises authenticating a user to a system comprising a cloud computing environment in which a plurality of cloud assets are hosted; assembling a deployment associated with the authenticated user in accordance with a policy, the deployment comprising designated ones of the cloud assets; and providing a secure mechanism by which the designated ones of the cloud assets comprising the deployment are accessible by the authenticated user. |
| US08429712B2 |
Centralized user authentication system apparatus and method
An identification module receives a password request for a specified user and communicates an encrypted password field in response thereto, wherein the encrypted password field references a directory object corresponding to the specified user. The present invention also teaches an authentication module that communicates the password request to the identification module and receives the encrypted password field therefrom. Upon receiving the encrypted password field, the authentication module authenticates the specified user against the referenced directory object. In some embodiments, the encrypted password field is stored in an identification data store of an identification server and the directory object is stored in an authentication data store of an authentication server. |
| US08429711B2 |
System and method for executing interactive applications with minimal privileges
A mechanism for running interactive applications with a minimal set of privileges is disclosed. The privileges form a subset of the privileges afforded to the user requesting the application and are allocated consistent with the principle of least privilege. The application runs with the minimal amount of permissions necessary to accomplish its assigned tasks. A new user account is created and provisioned or identified for each application to which a user requests access. The accounts have a subset or superset of the access rights and operating system privileges that the user who is logged on to the system and requesting access to the application ordinarily enjoys. The subset/superset of the user's privileges is determined by a policy-based decision system. The policy-based decision system makes its determination based on an analysis of the application requirements, an analysis of the data security and privacy concerns associated with the execution of the application, the identity of the user and user's role and any other policy considerations previously specified by an administrator. Once the determination as to the appropriate set of privileges to be afforded in the execution environment has been made, the execution environment is created and provisioned or a pre-existing execution environment possessing the requisite privileges is identified and the remote user is logged into the server-side account. The application-specific accounts may be audited by audit trail tools that provide evidence of policy enforcement. |
| US08429709B2 |
Privacy ontology for identifying and classifying personally identifiable information and a related GUI
Method and system of providing an association between a system's meta-tagged data objects and a list of terms, the association indicating which objects are and are not covered by a given policy, in one aspect, may comprise obtaining a list of terms and a policy that includes one or more of the terms; identifying a plurality of meta-tags used in a system; developing one or more mappings between the terms and the meta-tags; identifying system data objects in the system having one or more meta-tags; creating for each meta-tag of each system data object identified, an association between the system data object and the one or more terms to which the meta-tag is mapped, the association indicating whether the system data object is or is not covered by the policy. |
| US08429706B2 |
Method and device for transmitting data
This method of transmitting coded data, representing a digital video, from a server to a plurality of clients, at least one subset of the clients using congestion control algorithms, uses a plurality of signals for passing from a coded representation of the video at a given quality level to a coded representation at least one quality level different from the given level. The sending (E618) of at least one of the passage signals at least to the subset of clients depends on information representing the behavior of the congestion control algorithms used by the subset of clients. |
| US08429704B2 |
System architecture and method for composing and directing participant experiences
The present invention contemplates providing an experience platform within a CDN, as well as sentio or experience codecs, and experience agents for supporting the experience platform. The experience platform may be provided by a service provider to enable an experience provider to compose and direct a participant experience. The service provider monetizes the experience by charging the experience provider and/or the participants for services. Alternatively, the experience platform may be provided by the CDN, either as an integrated component of the CDN, or a supplemental complimentary aspect. The participant experience can involve one or more experience participants. The experience provider can create an experience with a variety of dimensions and features. As will be appreciated, the following description provides one paradigm for understanding the multi-dimensional experience available to the participants. There are many suitable ways of describing, characterizing and implementing the experience platform contemplated herein. |
| US08429702B2 |
Methods and apparatus for selecting and pushing customized electronic media content
Methods and an apparatus for selecting and pushing customized electronic media content are disclosed. An example method selects a piece of electronic media content based on user characteristic data associated with a user; identifies a storage capacity of a user device associated with the user; and pushes at least a first portion of the selected piece of electronic media content to a user device associated with the user prior to the user demanding the selected piece of electronic media content, the first portion being selected based on the storage capacity of the user device. |
| US08429701B2 |
System and method to deliver video content
A method of delivering video content includes identifying a television program scheduled to be broadcast at a time during a peak viewing period, and identifying a recipient multimedia storage device that is to receive video content associated with the television program. The method also includes sending the video content associated with the television program to the recipient multimedia storage device during a non-peak viewing period that precedes the peak viewing period. The video content includes data to prevent viewing of the video content prior to the time when the television program is scheduled to be broadcast. |
| US08429699B2 |
Systems and methods for resource-adaptive processing of scaled video and graphics
An embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for adaptive video decoding. A method for adaptive video decoding includes determining whether a resource constrained mode is to be initiated, and responsive to a determination that the resource constrained mode is to be initiated, initiating the resource constrained mode, including foregoing the decoding of portions of received video input. For example, adaptive video decoding may include foregoing the decompression and reconstruction of selected video frames during intervals of high demand for memory and/or bus bandwidth resources. |
| US08429691B2 |
Computational recommendation engine
A computational recommendation engine is described. In embodiment(s), identifiers of ranked programs can be distributed to television client devices, and then a viewing vector from each of the television client devices can be received where the viewing vectors indicate which of the ranked programs have been displayed for viewing at different ones of the television client devices. A client devices group can be created that includes a subset of the television client devices based on the viewing vectors that are received from respective ones of the television client devices. A ranked program can be determined that has not been displayed for viewing by some of the television client devices in the client devices group, and a recommendation of the ranked program can be communicated to the television client devices in the client devices group that have not had the ranked program displayed for viewing. |
| US08429690B2 |
TV program search apparatus
Record history record processing accumulates all user operations relating to program recording in a storage as a recording history. Preference change analysis processing extracts recorded programs in the most recent period from the recording history, obtains the weight of a word in the recorded program from an index from an EPG, adds the weight of the word to a preference in a period. The preference in programs for a period immediately preceding the most recent period is normalized, and a degree of similarity to the preference in the most recent period is calculated. Preference query generation processing emphasizes (five-fold) the weight of the words contained in the recorded programs in the period (June) and generates a preference query. |
| US08429686B2 |
Systems and methods for providing a scan
Systems and methods for a video scan are provided. The scan may be dynamically interactive and a function of characteristics of the programs in the scan (e.g., commercial breaks or the end of a program approaching) The scan may simultaneously display multiple scan windows for a plurality of programs, for example in a scan wizard. The scan wizard allows the user to simultaneously view a scan window and an information panel, select criteria for the scan from a criteria panel, and control the scan using a scan control panel. The scan may allow the user to record a program displayed in the scan without interrupting the scan (e.g., by using an additional tuner). The scan may display, within the scan interface, trick-play functions for appropriate scanned programs (e.g., recorded, cached and on-demand programs). The user may select and perform trick-play functions for a scanned program without exiting the scan mode. |
| US08429685B2 |
System and method for privacy-preserving advertisement selection
Methods and systems to provide targeted advertising in a subscription television setting, wherein the households that receive the targeted advertisement may retain anonymity. This may be achieved by marrying an anonymization protocol and infrastructure with a mechanism for STB selection and reporting. This anonymizes the set of households that are selected to play an ad, by ensuring that when an STB meets defined criteria and sends a ‘criteria met’ message (during the selection process) or ‘ad shown’ message (during a validation or counting process) to a head end, an STB or household identifier is not revealed, thus anonymizing the household information from the head end. In addition, this allows the head end to control the ad campaign process by advertising only to those households that meet specified criteria, and to count the number of actual instances in which an ad was displayed. The head end is able to count the number of times an ad was displayed, without knowing which particular household(s) viewed the ad. |
| US08429682B2 |
Disc with embedded flash memory and disc drive
A disc has an outer section on which digital media can be recorded and a core in its center in which a flash memory is embedded with the core having a central hole and electrical contacts to the flash memory. A disc drive has a drive spindle that is to extend into the disc core central hole with one of the spindle or spindle hub having electrical contacts to engage with the core electrical contacts so that data can be written into and/or read from the core flash memory by electronic components of the drive. |
| US08429681B2 |
Optical disc apparatus which includes an optical pickup apparatus that includes an optical member driving apparatus
An optical member driving apparatus comprising: a holding member configured to have an optical member mounted thereon; a driving unit assembly configured to be capable of driving the holding member; a connecting member configured to connect the holding member and the driving unit assembly; and a jointing member configured to joint the connecting member and either or both of the holding member and the driving unit assembly. |
| US08429676B2 |
Integrated trading platform architecture
A system and method that provides a JPeX client that opens up a socket on which it listens for connections from the local host. External applications on the desktop are able to connect to the server socket in the client and use XML to execute commands on the client. |
| US08429674B2 |
Maintaining data states upon forced exit
Methods, program products, and systems of maintaining data states upon forced exit are disclosed. In one aspect, an application program executing on the mobile device can maintain a connection to a remote data store and retrieve and cache data from the data store. When the mobile device receives an event that forces the application program to terminate, the mobile device can provide a time window in which the mobile device can perform various state preservation actions. During the time window, the mobile device can store data states, including states of the connection and states of the cached data. When the application program is re-launched, the mobile device can use the stored data states to restore a connection and a displayed view. |
| US08429673B2 |
Systems and methods of accessing information across distributed computing components
In one embodiment the present invention includes a systems and methods of accessing information across distributed computing components. In one embodiment, a first software component has associated information and references to information associated with other software components that provide inputs to the first software component. Information about downstream software components may be accessed through the references. In one embodiment, a first software service such as a web service may include metadata that describes the service and pointers to other services consumed by the first software service. Embodiments of the invention provide automated auditing and searching across related software components. |
| US08429671B2 |
Integrated workflow builder for disparate computer programs
A method of communicating between hydrocarbon management-related computer programs having non-identical data formats. Tools associated with each of the computer programs are obtained. Each tool represents a functionality of its respective computer program. Representations of the tools are displayed in a toolbox. A plurality of the displayed representations are selected such that the displayed representations are placed in a displayed workspace to establish a graphical representation of a workflow. Displayed representations from more than one computer program are selected. The displayed representations are positioned in the graphical representation of the workflow in a sequence corresponding to a desired workflow sequence. The workflow is executed according to the desired workflow sequence. Inter-program communications is facilitated between the computer programs to enable the workflow to execute by transferring messages and data between the computer programs in a common data format. |
| US08429666B2 |
Computing platform with resource constraint negotiation
Various techniques are described for resource management on a computing platform. A computing platform can receive a query message that specifies an amount of a resource proposed for allocation. The computing platform can select a selected recommendation level from a plurality of recommendation levels, based on an evaluation of a request for the amount of the resource proposed for allocation. The computing platform can generate a resource allocation recommendation that includes the selected recommendation level with respect to the amount of the resource proposed for allocation. The computing platform can send the resource allocation recommendation. |
| US08429661B1 |
Managing multi-threaded FIFO memory by determining whether issued credit count for dedicated class of threads is less than limit
Systems and methods storing data for multi-threaded processing permit multiple execution threads to store data in a single first-in first-out (FIFO) memory. Threads are assigned to classes, with each class including one or more threads. Each class may be allocated dedicated entries in the FIFO memory. A class may also be allocated shared entries in the FIFO memory. The shared entries may be used by any thread. Data for a first thread may be stored in the FIFO memory while data for a second thread is read from the FIFO memory, even when the first thread and the second thread are not in the same class. The FIFO memory is shared between the threads to conserve die area, however each thread may be executed independently, as if each thread has a dedicated FIFO memory. |
| US08429657B2 |
Global avoidance of hang states via priority inheritance in multi-node computing system
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with avoiding resource blockages and hang states are described. One example computer-implemented method for a clustered computing system includes determining that a first process is waiting for a resource and is in a blocked state. The resource that the first process is waiting for is identified. A blocking process that is holding the resource is then identified. A priority of the blocking process is compared with a priority the first process. If the priority of the blocking process is lower than the priority of the first process, the priority of the blocking process is increase. In this manner the blocking process can be scheduled for execution sooner and thus release the resource. |
| US08429655B2 |
System and method for asynchronous processing in page lifecycle
System and methods for asynchronous processing within a web page lifecycle, enabling web page developers to integrate asynchronous work within the web page implementation that can store state inside the page and is applied to requests to the particular page. Handlers initiate event-based or task-based asynchronous operations without keeping a dedicated thread while waiting for a response. The thread is returned to a pool of available threads upon initiation of the process. Results are received on other threads and provided to the page before rendering. Timeout errors are also provided, if a particular result is not received within specified period. The events are delivered in a serial manner so that the page developer uses request instance data without explicit synchronization. This makes a high-scale, asynchronous processing model less complex and more accessible to developers accustomed to web scripting, which is traditionally synchronous. |
| US08429653B2 |
Process model control flow with multiple synchronizations
Activations of a plurality of incoming branches may be detected at a synchronization point having a plurality of outgoing branches. A first synchronization may be executed after a first number of activations is detected, and at least one of a plurality of outgoing branches from the synchronization point may be activated, based on the first synchronization. A second synchronization may be executed after a second number of activations is detected, and at least a second one of the plurality of outgoing branches from the synchronization point may be activated, based on the second synchronization. |
| US08429651B2 |
Enablement and acceleration of live and near-live migration of virtual machines and their associated storage across networks
A virtual machine is migrated between a source cloud and a destination cloud. A temporary storage is mounted to a partition management firmware of the source cloud and to a partition management firmware of the destination cloud. A first storage location migration migrates the virtual machine from the source cloud to the at least one temporary storage. A second storage location migration migrates the virtual machine from the at least one temporary storage to final destination storage of the destination cloud. The temporary storage is then unmounted from the partition management firmware of the source cloud and from the partition management firmware of the destination cloud. |
| US08429645B2 |
Method for optimizing migration of software applications to address needs
An exemplary method (which can be computer implemented) for enhancing migration of software applications from a source system environment to a destination system environment includes the steps of translating needs into requirements for the destination system, capturing deployment and configuration of the software applications in the source system environment and the destination system environment in a centralized model, analyzing dependencies between the systems in the source and destination systems to construct a mapping between the requirements and elements of the model, and generating enhanced migration rules, based, at least in part, on the mapping. |
| US08429643B2 |
Secure upgrade of firmware update in constrained memory
A hardware-based security module may contain executable code used to manage the electronic device in which the security module resides. Because the security module may have limited memory, a memory update process is used that allows individual blocks to be separately downloaded and verified. Verification data is sent in a header block prior to sending the individual data blocks. |
| US08429640B2 |
System and method for modifying firmware
A system and method for updating software in an information handling system are disclosed. One or more relationships between a firmware package and a set of components associated with the information handling system are generated. A first storage partition identifier is generated based, at least in part, on the relationships. A second storage partition identifier generate is based, at least in part, on one or more parameters of the set of components, where the second storage partition identifier is associated with the first storage partition identifier. A first storage partition having the first storage partition identifier is generated. A second storage partition having the second storage partition identifier is generated. A copy of the firmware information is stored so that the firmware information is associated with the second storage partition. Firmware for at least one of the set of components is modified based, at least in part, on firmware information. |
| US08429639B2 |
Image-based software update
State data can be separated from an existing software stack stored in one or more computer storage units in a computer system. The existing software stack can include operating system software and application software, and the state data can represent one or more states of the existing software stack. An image can be stored in one or more computer storage units in the computer system, and the stored image can form an updated software stack including operating system and application software. In addition, the updated software stack can be configured using the state data. |
| US08429638B2 |
Instruction exploitation through loader late fix-up
A method, computer program product, and data processing system for substituting a candidate instruction in application code being loaded during load time. Responsive to identifying the candidate instruction, a determination is made whether a hardware facility of the data processing system is present to execute the candidate instruction. If the hardware facility is absent from the data processing system, the candidate instruction is substituted with a second set of instructions. |
| US08429633B2 |
Managing memory to support large-scale interprocedural static analysis for security problems
Embodiments of the invention describe systems and methods for application level management of virtual address space. A static analysis application can model and analyze a large and complex source code listing to determine whether it has vulnerabilities without exhausting the virtual memory resources provided to it by the operating system. In one embodiment of the invention, the method includes analyzing the source code listing to create a call graph model to represent the expected sequences of routine calls as a result of the inherent control flow of the source code listing. The method also includes monitoring the amount of virtual memory resources consumed by the dynamic state, and swapping out to a storage medium a portion of the dynamic state. The method includes reusing the virtual memory resources corresponding to the swapped out portion of the dynamic state to continue analyzing the source code listing. |
| US08429628B2 |
System and method for comparing partially decompiled software
A method and computer program product for generating a suspect abstract syntax tree by partially decompiling a compiled software module. The suspect abstract syntax tree is compared to one or more reference abstract syntax trees. |
| US08429627B2 |
Asynchronous preemptive edit time semantic analysis of a graphical program
System and method for analyzing a graphical program. A graphical program is displayed on a display. A semantic edit operation is performed on the graphical program in response to user input. The semantic edit operation is performed by a first process. Semantic analysis of the graphical program is performed by a second process in response to performing the semantic edit operation, where the second process is asynchronous with respect to the first process. Results from the semantic analysis of the graphical program are displayed in response to completion of the semantic analysis. If during the semantic analysis, another semantic edit operation is performed on the graphical program, the semantic analysis may be preemptively terminated and re-initiated. Displaying results from the semantic analysis of the graphical program may then include displaying results from the re-initiated semantic analysis of the graphical program in response to completion of the re-initiated semantic analysis. |
| US08429626B2 |
Packaging content updates
Aspects of the present invention are directed at obtaining user feedback and causing a package of content updates to be created and distributed based on the received feedback. In accordance with one embodiment, a method is provided for creating a package that contains one or more content updates configured to change the content that is displayed by default when a program executes. More specifically, the method includes obtaining input that describes one or more content updates. In this regard, the input received may include the user-defined content that will be displayed when the program executes and the identity of the content displayed by default. Then, the method assembles selected content updates into a package that is suitable for transmission over a network connection. When the package is assembled, processing is provided that allows the content updates in the package to be implemented on a remote computing device. |
| US08429619B2 |
Executable high-level trace file generation system
An executable high-level trace file generation system provides reduced debugging effort and time, particularly on initial startup of new or modified hardware. An executable program invokes high-level application programming interfaces (APIs), to perform various tasks. Instructions within the APIs generate a trace file documenting the invoked sequence of APIs by writing a line to a trace file that documents the API and input parameters received by the API. Upon completion of execution of the API, the return value may be documented as a comment line in the trace file. The resulting trace file is then re-executable as a script and may be edited to alter the sequence of APIs invoked and/or the arguments provided. The script interpreter may be a command line interface through which the APIs are invoked, and trace files may be similarly generated that document sequences of manually entered commands. |
| US08429616B2 |
Orthogonal experimentation in a computing environment
Various embodiments include at least one of systems, methods, and software to receive input configuring tests within a computing environment to expose users to standard application or website experiences or test experiences. In some embodiments, multiple tests may be configured to run orthogonally within user experiences without affecting the results of one another. Some such embodiments preserve the ability to execute certain tests in a non-orthogonal manner while other tests are allowed to execute orthogonally. |
| US08429611B2 |
Method and system for generating a source code for a computer program
A method for the generation of a source code for a computer program for the execution or simulation of a complex process in which a multiplicity of subjects communicate with one another. In this method, the processes are described, the description of the processes is stored in a process file, and with the aid of the process file a source code for a computer program is generated, with a separate source code file being generated for each subject. Through the provision of a source code file for each subject, a complex process may be easily and therefore automatically split into several sub-programs, the source code files, which may be generated automatically. In this way it is possible to generate automatically a computer program for a very complex process. A further benefit of the method according to the invention is that it may be executed after automatic generation, i.e. it may be validated by an execution immediately after generation. |
| US08429606B2 |
Transactional object container
A computing device receives an object at runtime of a compiled application, wherein the object is a component of the application. The computing device generates a transactional proxy for the object, the transactional proxy including transactional logic, a transactional marker and a pointer to the object. The transactional proxy is passed to the application, wherein the application to make calls on the transactional proxy instead of on the object. |
| US08429604B1 |
System and method for extracting behavioral code from a software code file
Systems and methods for extracting behavioral code from a software code file are disclosed. A behavioral code extractor logic accesses an existing software code file that comprises structural code and behavioral code. The behavioral code extractor logic extracts, from the software code file, at least a portion of the behavioral code into a separate file. And, the behavioral code extractor logic generates binding code for referencing the extracted behavioral code to maintain run-time behavior of the software code file consistent with its run-time behavior before the extracting. In certain embodiments, the software code file is a source file for a web page, and the structural code comprises markup language code. The behavioral code may comprise scripting language code and/or event attributes code defined by markup language. |
| US08429603B2 |
Virtual typing executables
Computer program product, apparatus, and data processing system for modifying a computer program. According to one embodiment, a new value to replace a value associated with a virtual type in a computer program is received. The new value is received during execution of the computer program by a processor unit. The replacement of the value by the new value modifies the computer program while the computer program is executed by the processor. |
| US08429602B2 |
Identification of user interface controls
A mechanism is disclosed for identifying non-standard user interface controls in a target application. The mechanism includes an accelerator, an agent, and a dialog. The agent is configured to be installed into the target application and to interface with the accelerator. The dialog is configured to select non-standard controls in the target application where each non-standard control includes a set of properties. The agent is configured to provide the properties of the selected non-standard controls to the accelerator. The accelerator is configured to determine a set of common properties for the selected non-standard controls and to automatically generate an identification rule for the determined set of common properties. |
| US08429601B2 |
Code completion for object relational mapping query language (OQL) queries
Techniques for developing database applications are described herein. According to one embodiment, an object-relational mapping (ORM) query language (OQL) statement is received via a first window which is entered from a user for querying an underlying database, where the OQL statement is written in a customized query language that is incompatible with the underlying database. In response, a SQL statement compatible with the underlying database is dynamically displayed in a second window, where the SQL statement is automatically translated from the OQL statement displayed in the first window. Other methods and apparatuses are also described. |
| US08429600B2 |
Distributed collaborative environment definition system and method
A system and method for generating a reusable virtual environment item to be integrated into a visual computer simulation using data gathered from a plurality of developers, comprising a centralized knowledge management module, a plurality of distributed workspaces, a content repository, and a content production tool. |
| US08429599B2 |
Computer method and system for enforcing derived union constraints
A computer method and system preserves derived union constraints and enforces the same in generated target code. The method includes (a) providing a model element having one or more derived union properties, (b) tracking derived union constraints from the derived union properties of the model element, and (c) interpreting the tracked derived union constraints and generating therefrom an implementation that enforces the derived union constraint. Tracking may be by annotating the model element accordingly. |
| US08429595B1 |
Software development tool that supports use of a design-time data feed
A software application development tool supports a specified design-time data feed. A software application developer can interact with the development tool to specify a design-time data feed that is to be used during development of an application in place of a given run-time data feed that is not available for access by the application. For instance, a software application developer may code the application with reference(s) to the unavailable run-time data feed, and the developer may specify to the development tool a design-time data feed for such referenced run-time data feed. The development tool then manages correlation of the specified design-time feed to the run-time feed such that references to the run-time feed in the application under development instead trigger access to the specified design-time feed by the development tool. When deployed in a run-time environment, the software application's references to the run-time feed trigger access to such run-time feed. |
| US08429594B2 |
Via design apparatus and via design method based on impedance calculations
A via design apparatus includes a determination section that determines a value of a shape parameter indicating a shape of a via in a multilayer board. The via has a hole passing through the plurality of layers and a conductive section on a side wall of the hole. The apparatus also includes a calculation section that calculates a value of impedance of the via according to the value of the shape parameter. |
| US08429589B2 |
Generating net routing constraints for place and route
A method of generating net routing constraints for nets of an IC design includes generating a file with hashes organized by nets. Each hash has attributes of a net, e.g. net name, length, fanout, total actual route (AR) resistance, a corresponding virtual route (VR) resistance, and a number of vias. A wire only AR resistance for each net can be calculated. Wire scaling factors can be calculated using the wire only AR resistances and their corresponding VR resistances. Wire scaling factors can be binned by one or more net characteristics. An average wire scaling factor can be calculated for each bin. Code used by a place and route tool can then be generated, wherein the code applies the average wire scaling factors to nets of the design to improve pre-route and post-route correlation. |
| US08429588B2 |
Method and mechanism for extraction and recognition of polygons in an IC design
Disclosed is an improved approach for organizing, analyzing, and operating upon polygon data which significantly reduces the amount of data required for processing while keeping elements non-interfacing with each other. According to one approach, clusters of elements are extracted which are then handled separately. In some approaches, a set of polygons forms a cluster if for any two polygons from the set of polygons there exists a sequence of polygons from the set such that the distance between any sequential polygons are less than or equal to a given threshold number. Rather than analyzing each and every polygon in the design, repetitive unique patterns are analyzed once, which are then replicated for all clusters which have the same repetitive pattern. |
| US08429586B2 |
Basic cell architecture for structured ASICs
A basic cell circuit architecture having plurality of cells with fixed transistors configurable for the formation of logic devices and single and dual port memory devices within a structured ASIC is provided. Different configurations of ensuing integrated circuits are achieved by forming variable interconnect layers above the fixed structures. The circuit architecture can achieve interconnection of transistors within a single cell or across multiple cells. The interconnection can be configured to form basic logic gates as well as more complex digital and analog subsystems. In addition, each cell contains a layout of transistors that can be variably coupled to achieve a memory device, such as a SRAM device. By having the capability of forming a logic circuit element, a memory device, or both, the circuit architecture is both memory-centric and logic-centric, and more fully adaptable to modern-day SoCs. |
| US08429579B2 |
Translating a user design in a configurable IC for debugging the user design
Some embodiments provide a method of monitoring the implementation of a user design in a configurable integrated circuit (IC). The method receives a user design for an IC and optimizes the user design to produce a second IC design. The optimization results in the elimination of circuit element(s). The method defines the second IC design for the configurable IC and generates output data for the eliminated circuit element(s) to allow for monitoring the user design. |
| US08429576B2 |
Methods and system for analysis and management of parametric yield
Impact on parametric performance of physical design choices for transistors is scored for on-current and off-current of the transistors. The impact of the design parameters are incorporated into parameters that measure predicted shift in mean on-current and mean off-current and parameters that measure predicted increase in deviations in the distribution of on-current and the off-current. Statistics may be taken at a cell level, a block level, or a chip level to optimize a chip design in a design phase, or to predict changes in parametric yield during manufacturing or after a depressed parametric yield is observed. Further, parametric yield and current level may be predicted region by region and compared with observed thermal emission to pinpoint any anomaly region in a chip to facilitate detection and correction in any mistakes in chip design. |
| US08429574B2 |
Dual-pattern coloring technique for mask design
A hierarchical schematic design editor displays mask layers for each shape as mask specific colors and alerts a user to mask layer conflicts during the design and editing process. According to an embodiment, mask colors may be assigned at the time the shapes or geometries and cells are placed in a circuit design layout, or when a mask layer condition indicating that two or more shapes should be set to different mask layers is detected. In an embodiment, if the distance between two shapes is less than a predetermined threshold, those shapes may cause a mask layer condition. Shapes may be grouped to facilitate mask layer condition detection and mask layer assignment. |
| US08429572B2 |
Method and system for implementing controlled breaks between features using sub-resolution assist features
Disclosed is a method, system, and computer program product for implementing controlled breaks using sub-resolution assist features. Sub-resolution bridging features are added to implement controlled breaks between features on the layout. The bridging features may also be used to facilitate or optimize multiple mask/exposure techniques that split a layout or features on a layout to address pitch problems. |
| US08429571B2 |
Method of etch proximity correction and method of creating photomask layout using the same
Provided is an etch proximity correction method in which an accurate etch bias value is calculated. The etch proximity correction method includes creating an etch bias value from a project area corresponding to an area blocked by a pattern region within a linear distance projected from a target position selected in a target layout to an outermost portion of the proximity region and a non-project area corresponding to an area projected into an edge linear distance from an edge of the pattern region blocked in the linear distance to the outermost portion of the proximity region and correcting the target position in the layout using the etch bias value. Since an etch bias model includes the project area and the non-project area, the accurate etch bias value may be calculated. |
| US08429570B2 |
Pattern recognition with edge correction for design based metrology
Exemplary embodiments include a method for edge correction in pattern recognition, the method including receiving a design layout, receiving a sample plan based on the design layout, receiving user-generated edge input and generating a recipe output from the design layout, the sample plan and the user-generated edge input. The incorporation of the edge input results in SEM recipes that are much more successful in recognizing patterns that have tendency to deviate in appearance from design by, for example, moderate to severe sidewall angle. |
| US08429569B2 |
Method and system for feed-forward advanced process control
A method including providing a present wafer to be processed by a photolithography tool, selecting a processed wafer having a past chip design from a plurality of processed wafers, the processed wafer being previously processed by the photolithography tool, selecting a plurality of critical dimension (CD) data points extracted from a plurality of fields on the processed wafer, modeling the plurality of CD data points with a function relating CD to position on the processed wafer, creating a field layout on the present wafer for a new chip design, creating an initial exposure dose map for the new chip design using the function and the field layout, and controlling the exposure of the photolithography tool according to the initial exposure dose map to form the new chip design on the present wafer. |
| US08429568B2 |
Graphical user interface for large-scale, multi-user, multi-touch systems
A method implemented on the graphical user interface device to invoke an independent, user-localized menu in an application environment, by making a predetermined gesture with a pointing device on an arbitrary part of a display screen or surface, especially when applied in a multi-touch, multi-user environment, and in environments where multiple concurrent pointing devices are present. As an example, the user may trace out a closed loop of a specific size that invokes a default system menu at any location on the surface, even when a second user may be operating a different portion of the system elsewhere on the same surface. As an additional aspect of the invention, the method allows the user to smoothly transition between the menu-invocation and menu control. |
| US08429562B2 |
Graphical user interface for computers having variable size icons
A computer user interface is provided which allows a user to adjust the size of icons based upon a user's preference or based upon a characteristic of the objects that the icons represent. When the icon sizing is performed according to a user preference, a relative sizing scheme or an arbitrary icon sizing scheme can be employed to variably size icons. Providing the ability to size icons in such a manner allows users to represent a user's categorization of object importance, for example. |
| US08429561B2 |
Information search method and apparatus
Names of pieces of information to be searched are arranged in a predetermined order, and a range display bar that is divided into sections is formed on a screen. A detailed-name-of-information display section is formed adjacent to the range display bar to display detailed information associated with the names in a scrollable manner. An arbitrary range on the range display bar may be designated as a range of the names to be searched. Preferably, the names corresponding to the divided sections are searched with respect to the designated range for the names. Predetermined portions of the names obtained through the search are displayed on the divided sections. Preferably, the portions of the names include at least the initial letter of the names. The detailed information associated with the names in the designated range is displayed on the detailed-name-of-information display section in the arrangement order. |
| US08429560B2 |
Methods and systems for displaying input items on a display
Methods and systems are described for displaying input items on a display. In one embodiment, a first activation of a button representing a displayable input item is detected. Responsive to the first activation of the button, the displayable input item is displayed on a display at an initial display size without accepting selection of the displayable input item. The displayable input item is incrementally enlarged on the display over time until detecting a second activation of the button. Selection of the displayable input item is accepted responsive to the second activation of the button. The initial display size is set for the displayable input item based on a display size of the displayable input item when the second activation of the button is detected. |
| US08429557B2 |
Application programming interfaces for scrolling operations
At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include an environment with user interface software interacting with a software application. A method for operating through an application programming interface (API) in this environment includes transferring a set bounce call. The method further includes setting at least one of maximum and minimum bounce values. The set bounce call causes a bounce of a scrolled region in an opposite direction of a scroll based on a region past an edge of the scrolled region being visible in a display region at the end of the scroll. |
| US08429556B2 |
Chunking data records
Methods, program products, and systems of chunking data records are described. In general, in one aspect, a mobile device can provide for display on a display screen a scrollable window. The scrollable window can display first display content (e.g., a first segment of formatted data) stored in a first display buffer. The mobile device can determine that the scrollable window will cross a boundary of the first display buffer. Upon the determining, the mobile device can create second display content (e.g., a second segment of formatted data) in a second display buffer. The second display content can include display content that borders the first display content at the boundary. The mobile device can provide for display the second display content when the scrollable window crosses the boundary. |
| US08429555B2 |
Apparatus and method of providing items based on scrolling
Disclosed is an apparatus and method of providing items based on scrolling.An apparatus for processing data of a non-volatile memory according to an aspect of the invention includes a scrolling detecting unit detecting scrolling for one or more items that are displayed on a screen, a screen region control unit dividing the screen into one or more regions according to the detected scrolling, and controlling the sizes of the divided regions, and an item control unit controlling at least one of the sizes and the number of items according to the sizes of the divided regions. |
| US08429547B2 |
Generation and data management of a medical study using instruments in an integrated media and medical system
In general, a computer-implemented method is described for receiving one or more requests to generate a medical study, retrieving from one or more data repositories one or more medical study instruments, receiving a selection of a particular medical study instrument to use in the medical study, generating by one or more computers a list of one or more research collaborators invited to review the medical study, and generating by one or more computers a list of one of more participants invited to join the medical study. |
| US08429546B2 |
Creating task sessions
Various embodiments provide a mechanism to allow end users to install web applications and websites onto their desktop. In accordance with one or more embodiments, client-side code can be utilized to allow developers associated with a website to define boundaries associated with user interaction, and have those boundaries enforced by a run-time engine. In at least some embodiments, developers can provide, through JavaScript code and/or HTML markup, various configurations for the creation of a start menu shortcut, navigation, and so-called jumplist integration. |
| US08429544B2 |
Content server latency demonstration
A first portion of a content page can be loaded in a first user interface, where the first portion includes content received from a publisher server. A second user interface can then be displayed. A second portion of the content page can be loaded in the second user interface, where the second portion includes one or more content items received from one or more content servers. In addition, one or more attributes associated with the one or more content items can be displayed in the second user interface. |
| US08429540B1 |
End user created collaborative and non-collaborative workspace application container system and method
A computer-implemented method includes: receiving a command from a first workspace participant to create a new workspace and creating a workspace identifier for the workspace, where an application container having a user interface can instantiate the workspace; receiving one or more applications to execute in the workspace and creating an application identifier for each application that refers to an application provider for the application, and where each application is configured to execute in the application container and where each executing application has a visual representation in the user interface. A command to publish the workspace as a shared workspace is received. A command is received from a second workspace participant to join the shared workspace. A workspace definition is stored. Commands are received to create and store a private view of the shared workspace. A command is received to add a customization to the private view of the shared workspace. |
| US08429537B2 |
Remote controller supporting system and method for displaying function of key being mapped with remote controller
Provided is a remote controller supporting system and method that may display, on objects included in a webpage, keys of a remote controller corresponding to the objects and manipulation schemes, respectively. The remote controller supporting system may include: a profile storage unit to store a plurality of profiles containing functions of the remote controller and information associated with the functions of the remote controller; a receiver to receive an input signal from the remote controller, and to interpret a meaning of the input signal based on a profile corresponding to the remote controller; an event unit to transform the meaning of the input signal to an event form; and a presentation unit to access a web server to display a webpage, to transform, to a predetermined behavior, at least one event transformed by the event unit, and to request the web server for an operation corresponding to the behavior. |
| US08429531B2 |
Object selecting apparatus, object selecting program, integrated circuit used for the object selecting apparatus, and object selecting method
In an object selecting apparatus for allowing a user to select an object in a video image: when the object sought to be selected by the user moves, the user selects the desired object intuitively and without feeling uncomfortable; an input operation from the user is received and anticipated paths of the respective objects are estimated based on path information occurring during the certain period of time prior to a point in time which is the start of a predetermined period of time before a time of receipt; and an appropriate object is determined as the object selected by the user when the anticipated position on the anticipated path, which corresponds to the time of receipt, is close to an inputted position. |
| US08429525B2 |
Method and system for reversible design tree transformations
A method and system for transforming versions of a design tree and transforming identity-descriptions relating to the versions of a design tree. The transformation system provides a pipeline of transforms for sequentially transforming versions of a design tree and transforming identity-descriptions relating to the versions of the design tree. Each transform may provide a command interface for manipulating the input version of the design tree or for setting parameters to control the transformations of a transform. |
| US08429518B2 |
Data mining and reporting
An integrated system is described that allows a user to easily mine and report data maintained by a customer relationship management (CRM) application. In general, the system automates the process of creating electronic reports, such as an electronic worksheet, in a format that can be directly manipulated and viewed from spreadsheet application. In one embodiment, the report is automatically generated to include a pivot table for displaying the data. The system includes a database adapted to store the CRM data. First and second reporting modules execute within the CRM software application and the worksheet software application, respectively. The reporting modules cooperate in order to integrate CRM application and spreadsheet application, thereby automating the process of generating a worksheet based on the CRM database. |
| US08429510B2 |
Simplified parallel address-generation for interleaver
An apparatus including a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to store a block of data values arranged in a first order. The first circuit may be further configured to present a plurality of the data values in parallel in response to a plurality of address signals, where the data values are presented in a second order. The second circuit may be configured to generate the plurality of address signals in response to a first signal, a second signal and a third signal. The second circuit generally includes an even number of address generators configured to generate the plurality of address signals in parallel. |
| US08429509B2 |
Apparatus and method for determining reliability of decoded data in communication system
A method and apparatus for determining the reliability of decoded data in a communication system. The method includes calculating a total sum of absolute values corresponding to Log Likelihood Ratio (LLR) values of received data, generating a first value obtained by multiplying the total sum of the absolute values by a predetermined threshold value, performing iterative decoding with respect to the LLR values of the received data, generating a survived path metric value having a maximum value among all path metric values as a decoded result and generating decoded data, comparing the first value with the survived path metric value, and determining whether the decoded data has suitable reliability according to the compared result. |
| US08429508B2 |
Data storage apparatus with encoder and decoder
According to one embodiment, an encoder/decoder apparatus includes an encoder module, a decoder module, and a transposing module. The encoder module is configured to generate a Hamming code from the input data, in accordance with a check matrix having a specific regularity. The decoder module is configured to detect an error position in the output data composed of the Hamming code, in accordance with the check matrix. The transposing module is configured to perform a transposing process of transposing some of the columns of the check matrix, while maintaining the regularity of the check matrix, and to change the error position in accordance with the transposing process, during the decoding process. |
| US08429504B2 |
DTV transmitting system and method of processing broadcast data
A DTV transmitting system includes an encoder, a randomizer, a block processor, a group formatter, a deinterleaver, and a packet formatter. The encoder codes enhanced data for error correction, permutes the coded data, and further codes the permuted data for error detection. The randomizer randomizes the coded enhanced data, and the block processor codes the randomized data at an effective coding rate of 1/H. The group formatter forms a group of enhanced data having data regions, and inserts the coded enhanced data into at least one of the data regions. The deinterleaver deinterleaves the group of enhanced data, and the packet formatter formats the deinterleaved data into corresponding data bytes. |
| US08429502B2 |
Frame format for millimeter-wave systems
A single frame format is employed by a millimeter wave communication system for single-carrier and OFDM signaling. A Golay-coded sequence in the start frame delimiter (SFD) field identifies the data transmission as single carrier or OFDM. Complementary Golay codes are employed in a channel estimation field to allow a perfect estimate of the multipath channel to be made. Marker codes generated from Golay codes are inserted periodically between slots for tracking and/or for reacquiring timing, frequency, and multipath channel estimates. The length of the marker codes may be adapted relative to the multipath delay spread. |
| US08429488B1 |
System and method for using pilot signals in non-volatile memory devices
A memory system including a memory and, to perform a writing operation to store user data among a plurality of cells of the memory, a pilot generator module, a multiplexer module, and a write module. The pilot generator module is configured to randomly alternate between selection of a first scheme by which pilot data is to be stored, along with the user data, among the plurality of cells of the memory, and a second scheme by which the pilot data is to be stored, along with the user data, among the plurality of cells. The pilot data comprises a known predetermined sequence. The multiplexer module is configured to combine the pilot data and the user data in accordance with the selection of the first scheme and the second scheme. The write module is configured to write the pilot data and the user data among the plurality of cells. |
| US08429486B2 |
Decoding device, data storage device, data communication system, and decoding method
A data converting means generates first interim data held in one-to-one correspondence to columns vectors from data stored in a first storage means and data stored in a second storage means. A check node processing means generates second interim data for updating the data stored in the first storage means based on the sum of the first interim data and received data. The data converting means updates the data stored in the second storage means using the first interim data, and updates the data stored in the first storage means using the second interim data generated by the check node processing means. Decoded data are generated by a process carried out by the data converting means and the check node processing means. |
| US08429484B2 |
Digitized radar information redundancy method and system
The present invention relates to a real time radar data transmission system and process for transmitting forward error correctable data to a plurality of parallel communication channels. |
| US08429482B1 |
Multi-stage forward error correction decoding
In one embodiment, a multi-stage decoder circuit is provided. Each stage of the decoder circuit is configured to perform one or more decoding iterations and produce an error mask indicating errors detected in the decoding stage. A compression circuit is coupled to one or more of the decoder stages and is configured to generate, for each of one or more of the plurality of decoder stages, a respective compressed error mask from the error mask produced by the decoder stage. A buffer circuit is coupled to the compression circuit and is configured to buffer the compressed error masks. A decompression circuit is coupled to the buffer circuit and is configured to decompress each of the compressed error masks. A combination circuit is coupled to the decompression circuit and is configured to combine the decompressed error masks into a single error mask. |
| US08429477B2 |
Hybrid automatic repeat request associations for downlink semi-persistent scheduling
Disclosed is a user equipment in a wireless communication system, configured to receive a first initial transmission associated with a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) process; receive a second initial transmission associated with a second HARQ process; and receive at least one retransmission associated with the first HARQ process, wherein when the second initial transmission occurs before the at least one retransmission, the second HARQ process assigned an HARQ process ID that is different from an HARQ process ID assigned to the first HARQ, and wherein when the second initial transmission occurs after the at least one retransmission, the second HARQ process assigned an HARQ process ID that is the same as an HARQ process ID assigned to the first HARQ process. |
| US08429474B2 |
Multiple protocol data transport
Methods, media and systems are disclosed in which data is transferred from a data source apparatus to an application of a data receiving apparatus using both a first protocol and a second protocol. The data receiving apparatus identifies data received via the second protocol that has not been received via the first protocol, and delivers the identified data received via the second protocol to the application. |
| US08429469B2 |
Method and apparatus for remotely verifying memory integrity of a device
A device and method for verifying the integrity of a memory in a remote device are provided. An exemplary memory integrity verification method compares, based on a verification parameter received from a verifier, the time for retrieving data block of a memory of a remote device with a maximum threshold time allowed to read the memory, and transmits to the verifier a remote verification code and a data status according to the result of comparison so that the verifier can verify the integrity of the memory. Instead of relying on the verifier, the remote device provides data status information for integrity verification by using the memory retrieval time. As a result, accurate integrity verification is provided, and no independent hardware is required to verify integrity. |
| US08429467B2 |
User-triggered diagnostic data gathering
An infrastructure is provided for gathering diagnostic data that is relevant to an error or other conditions detected in a monitored system. A diagnosability framework is provided that automates the gathering of relevant diagnostic data upon occurrence of the condition in the monitored system. In one embodiment, context data is determined for the condition detected in the monitored system. A rule-based engine is provided that is configured to automatically determine one or more actions to be performed for the condition detected in the monitored system based on the determined context data. The actions may include performing tasks that gather diagnostic data that is relevant to the detected condition, store the gathered diagnostic data in a repository, recommend one or more diagnostic actions to a user, and other diagnostic related actions. |
| US08429466B2 |
XML-schema-based automated test procedure for enterprise service pairs
The testing of services techniques include a method, a system, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. In some embodiments of these techniques, the method includes receiving a first payload generated by a first service. The first service transmits the first payload to a system. The method further includes receiving a second payload from a second service. The second payload is generated based on data received from the first service. The method further includes receiving a schema associated with the second payload. The schema is configured to define the structure of the second payload. The method further includes determining one or more discrepancies between the second payload and the first payload using the schema associated with the second payload. The method further includes determining a testing result based on the one or more discrepancies.This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims. |
| US08429463B2 |
Log management method and apparatus, information processing apparatus with log management apparatus and storage medium
One system monitors components constituting an information apparatus and a program in execution. The system classifies logs outputted from the information processing apparatus for each monitor target, divides the monitor targets into categories of hardware and software, refers to relationship definition information indicating the combination of monitor targets in which an operational relationship exists between monitor targets belonging to different categories and specifies a combination indicated in the relationship definition information among monitor targets whose logs are classified. The system relates logs arranged for each monitor target on the basis of the specified combination and outputs the logs on a display device. |
| US08429460B2 |
Methods and systems for first occurence debugging
An embodiment relates generally to an apparatus for debugging. The apparatus includes a memory configured to store data and an arithmetic logic unit configured to perform logical and arithmetic operations. The apparatus also includes a control unit configured to interface with the memory and arithmetic logic unit and to decode instructions. The control unit is configured to write a data state designated to be overwritten by a currently executing instruction to a buffer allocated in the memory in response to a trace debug flag being set. |
| US08429459B2 |
Use of attribute sets for test entity identification during software testing
An attribute collector may collect an attribute set for each test entity of a plurality of test entities associated with a software test executed in a software environment. An attribute analysis signal handler may receive an attribute analysis signal associated with a change in the software environment, and a view generator may provide an attribute-based view associated with an affected attribute set associated with the change, the attribute-based view identifying an affected test entity that is affected by the change. |
| US08429457B2 |
Use of statistical representations of traffic flow in a data processing system
An apparatus and method are provided for performing verification tests for a design of a data processing system. The apparatus comprises a system under verification representing at least part of the design of the data processing system, and a transactor for connecting to an interface of the system under verification, and for generating signals for input to the system under verification via the interface during performance of the verification tests. Profile storage stores a profile providing a statistical representation of desired traffic flow at the interface, the statistical representation providing statistical information for a plurality of traffic attributes and also identifying at least one dependency between such traffic attributes. The transactor then references the profile in order to determine the signals to be generated, such that the signals generated take account of the specified dependencies identified in the profile. Such a mechanism enables the transactor to more realistically replicate the traffic flow that will be observed in the real system. Another aspect to the present invention provides a mechanism for generating such profiles. |
| US08429456B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing intelligent error messaging
A method and apparatus for providing intelligent error messaging is disclosed wherein a user of a mobile communications device is provided with descriptive error messaging information to assist the user in overcoming errors associated with the processing of electronic messages and data. |
| US08429452B2 |
Failover and load balancing
Also provided are techniques for failover when a network adapter fails, wherein the network adapter is connected to a miniport driver that is connected to a filter driver. With the miniport driver, it is determined that at least one of the network adapter and a data path through the network adapter has failed. With the miniport driver, the filter driver is notified that at least one of the network adapter and the data path through the network adapter has failed. |
| US08429450B2 |
Method and system for coordinated multiple cluster failover
Hyperclusters are a cluster of clusters. Each cluster has associated with it one or more resource groups, and independent node failures within the clusters are handled by platform specific clustering software. The management of coordinated failovers across dependent or independent resources running on heterogeneous platforms is contemplated. A hypercluster manager running on all of the nodes in a cluster communicates with platform specific clustering software regarding any failure conditions, and utilizing a rule-based decision making system, determines actions to take on the node. A plug-in extends exit points definable in non-hypercluster clustering technologies. The failure notification is passed to other affected resource groups in the hypercluster. |
| US08429449B2 |
Optimized placement of virtual machines in a network environment
Systems and methods for reducing risk of service interruptions for one or more virtual machines (VMs) in a computing environment are provided. The method comprises computing a placement scheme for placing at least one VM on one or more hosts according to a set of placement constraints defined for the VM, wherein the set of placement constraints comprises at least one availability constraint defined for the VM, wherein the availability constraint designates a N resiliency level, wherein N corresponds to number of host failures that may occur before the services provided by the VM are interrupted. |
| US08429447B2 |
System and method for providing indexing with high availability in a network based suite of services
A suite of network-based services, such as the services corresponding to Microsoft® SharePoint™, are provided to users with high availability. The suite of network-based services may include browser-based collaboration functions, process management functions, index and search functions, document-management functions, and/or other functions. In particular, the indexing service associated with the suite of network-based services may be provided with high availability. |
| US08429441B2 |
Operating processor below maximum turbo mode frequency by sending higher than actual current amount signal to monitor
A method, computer program product and system for controlling the maximum turbo mode of a processor in a turbo boost state. The method comprises limiting a maximum turbo mode available to the processor by over-reporting the amount of current drawn by the processor to the current monitoring feedback line to the processor, wherein the processor uses the over-reported current to maintain operation of the processor within performance specifications of the processor. An automatic calibration routine may be used to determine nominal amounts of current over-reporting that may be used to prevent the processor performance from exceeding the maximum turbo mode. In one embodiment, a digital potentiometer is included in the voltage regulator circuit to over-report the current as instructed. |
| US08429436B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for power reduction in a storage device
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for managing power consumption in a data storage device. An audit module monitors a power consumption rate of the data storage device relative to a power consumption target. A throttle module adjusts execution of one or more operations on the data storage device in response to the power consumption rate of the data storage device failing to satisfy the power consumption target. A verification module verifies whether the power consumption rate of the data storage device satisfies the power consumption target in response to adjusting the execution of the one or more operations. |
| US08429435B1 |
Automation devices, systems, architectures, and methods for energy management and other applications
An automation system including a plurality of peripheral devices, each configured to perform at least one function relating to energy consumption in a facility and an automation controller in communication with the plurality of peripheral devices and providing for the control of the performance of the function by each device, wherein the automation controller includes a compiler configured to take high level rules and information about the peripheral devices and produce at least one program that will respond to data from the peripheral devices and to timer, calendar, clock, and preprogrammed events and a server component that provides the data as input to the at least one program and takes actions based on the output of the program. |
| US08429430B2 |
Information processor, computer readable recording medium which records data evacuation program, and data evacuation method
An information processor includes a set information storage unit storing evacuation residual quantity information representing an evacuation residual quantity as a residual quantity of the battery that corresponds to electric power necessary for executing a data evacuation process for storing data, stored in a memory of the information processor, onto a nonvolatile recording medium, a battery residual quantity detecting unit detecting the battery residual quantity of the battery, a load information collecting unit acquiring load information representing an electric load of the information processor, an evacuation residual quantity setting unit setting the evacuation residual quantity based on the load information collected by the load information collecting unit, and controls the set information storage unit to store the evacuation residual quantity information representing the set evacuation residual quantity, and an evacuation control unit controlling execution of the data evacuation process. |
| US08429428B2 |
System and method for providing encryption in storage operations in a storage network, such as for use by application service providers that provide data storage services
In accordance with embodiments of the invention, a method is provided for performing a storage operation in a pipeline storage system in which one or more data streams containing data to be stored are written into data chunks. The method includes generating an encryption key associated with a first archive file to be stored when encryption is requested for the storage operation, encrypting the archive data from the data stream using the encryption key to create an encrypted data chunk when a data stream containing the archive file is processed in the pipeline storage system, storing the encrypted data chunk on a storage medium, and storing the encryption key in a manner accessible during a restore operation of the encrypted data chunk. |
| US08429427B2 |
Storage device
The storage device used in connection with an information processing apparatus is provided. The storage device includes: an authentication storage area storing an authentication program in advance, wherein the authentication program is executed to authenticate whether each user operating the information processing apparatus is an approved user; an operating system storage area storing an operating system in advance, wherein the operating system is encrypted and is used by the information processing apparatus; an access controller configured to control accesses the authentication storage area and the operating system storage area from the information processing apparatus; and a decoder configured to decrypt the encrypted operating system, wherein upon notification of successful authentication representing that the user is authenticated as the approved user by the authentication program, the access controller allows an access the operating system storage area from the information processing apparatus. |
| US08429426B2 |
Secure pipeline manager
A method for data storage includes supplying data to and from a host to a storage memory via a secure data path. A first CPU is employed to control operation of the storage memory, and a second CPU is employed to control operation of the secure data path. |
| US08429425B2 |
Electronic backup and restoration of encrypted data
Systems and methods are provided for storing and restoring digital data. In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes identifying an encrypted source disk image to be included in a backup operation, the encrypted disk image being encrypted with a first key and generating an encrypted backup disk image, the encrypted backup disk image being encrypted with a second key protected with a randomly generated password. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, computer program products, and computer readable media. |
| US08429424B2 |
Method and system for encrypting files based on security rules
The present disclosure is directed to a method and system for encrypting files based on security rules. In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present disclosure, a request to store a file on a storage device is received. At least one security parameter associated with a security profile of the file is identified. It is determined whether to encrypt the file by applying at least one security rule to the security parameter. The security rule includes selection criteria. The file is encrypted if the security rule indicates the file should be encrypted. The file is stored on the storage device. |
| US08429423B1 |
Trusted platform modules
A method of porting of trust data includes a computer system extracting trust data from the trust module using a manufacturer key. The trust data and the manufacturer key are then stored, encrypted with a control key, on a removable storage medium. |
| US08429421B2 |
Server-side encrypted pattern matching
Server-side encrypted pattern matching may minimize the risk of data theft due to server breach and/or unauthorized data access. In various implementations, a server for performing the server-side encrypted pattern matching may include an interface component to receive an encrypted query token. The server may further include a query component to find a match for the encrypted query token in the encrypted data string. The query component may find such a match without decrypting the encrypted data string and the encrypted query token by using an encrypted dictionary that includes information on the edges of the encrypted suffix tree. |
| US08429417B2 |
Protection against side channel attacks with an integrity check
The invention relates to a method for protecting a sensitive operation by checking the integrity of at least a subset of the data manipulated by the sensitive operation. Data to be checked are divided into blocks, an intermediate integrity check value being computed for each block, the intermediate integrity check values being computed in random order. The invention also relates to a cryptographic device wherein at least one sensitive operation of the cryptographic device is protected by a method according to the invention. |
| US08429411B2 |
Automated selection and inclusion of a message signature
A system and method for the creation and automated selection and inclusion an automated signature text with an electronic message, wherein the automated selection of the automated signature text is dependent on attributes of the message, the designated recipients, or attributes of the designated recipients as compared to the sender's attributes, such as the encoding type and/or transport method selected for the electronic message or the location of the recipient without the need for multiple user profiles or manual editing by the sender. At least one of a plurality of automated signature texts is associated with at least one encoding type of a plurality of encoding types, at least one message transport type, or with at least one predeterined recipient attribute or the outcome of a comparison of the recipient attribute with the sender's attributes. The appropriate automated signature text is inserted prior to encoding of the message for transport. |
| US08429409B1 |
Secure reset of personal and service provider information on mobile devices
Systems and methods are described herein for supporting end users of a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, to reset a secure element associated with the communication device. The reset process may include clearing the secure element, associated memories, and storage devices of any user specific or personalized information associated with the user. The reset process may also include removing or resetting keys or other identifiers within the secure element that associate the mobile device with a particular secure service provider. According to various embodiments, a computer-implemented method for resetting a secure element within a network device may include receiving an encrypted reset request message at the secure element, decrypting the encrypted reset request message using a communication key, verifying authorization for the reset request message, and atomically clearing parameters associated with the secure element. |
| US08429408B2 |
Masking the output of random number generators in key generation protocols
To mitigate the effects of a weak random number generator (RNG) in a public key cryptosystem, a public key obtained from the RNG is encrypted using a deterministic cryptographic scheme before being made publicly available. A trusted party receiving the encrypted public key can recover the public key and combine it with other information so it is not subject to direct scrutiny. In one embodiment, the trusted party incorporates the public key in a certificate, such as an implicit certificate, for use by the correspondents in other communications. |
| US08429403B2 |
Systems and methods for provisioning network devices
A method performed by a network device may include generating and storing a first public key and a first private key in a first device, transmitting a serial number and the first public key from the first device to a second device, generating, by the second device, a second public key and a second private key, transmitting the second public key from the second device to the first device and transmitting the serial number, the first public key, the second public key and the second private key to a third device, establishing and authenticating a connection between the first device and the third device using the first public key and the second public key and transmitting encrypted configuration information with the two key pairs from the third device to the first device. |
| US08429398B2 |
Method and apparatus of providing personalized virtual environment
An approach is provided for providing a personalized virtual environment for a visitor of a service community. A comparison is made of identification information of the visitor with contact entries of a plurality of registered users of a service community. Additionally, an identification is made of content of one or more of the plurality of registered users having a contact entry that matches the identification information of the visitor to provide a personalized virtual environment of the visitor in the service community. |
| US08429389B2 |
ROM BIOS based trusted encrypted operating system
There is disclosed a device, system, and method for a ROM BIOS based trusted encrypted operating system for use in a gaming environment. The gaming device includes a ROM storing a BIOS, a secure loader, an encrypted operating system, and a decryption key for decrypting the encrypted operating system. The decryption key is partitioned and scattered about the secure loader. The method includes initializing the BIOS, locating the decryption key, decrypting the encrypted operating system with the encryption key, verifying a plurality of check codes, and transferring control to the operating system. The check codes are verified responsive to decrypting the encrypted operating system. The check codes are dispersed about the operating system and are unrelated to the operating system. Control is transferred to the operating system responsive to verifying the check codes. |
| US08429385B2 |
Device including a field having function cells and information providing cells controlled by the function cells
A cell element field for data processing having function cells for execution of algebraic and/or logic functions and memory cells for receiving, storing and/or outputting information is described. A control connection may lead from the function cells to the memory cells. |
| US08429382B2 |
Information handling system including a multiple compute element processor with distributed data on-ramp data-off ramp topology
A symmetric multi-processing (SMP) processor includes a primary interconnect trunk for communication of information between multiple compute elements situated along the primary interconnect trunk. The processor also includes a secondary interconnected trunk that may be oriented perpendicular with respect to the primary interconnect trunk. The processor distributes data on-ramps and data off-ramps across the data lanes of a data trunk of the primary interconnect trunk to enable communication with compute elements and other structures both on-chip and off-chip. |
| US08429380B2 |
Disabling redundant subfunctional units receiving same input value and outputting same output value for the disabled units in SIMD processor
A processor includes a plurality of subfunctional units provided corresponding to respective slots of one or more pieces of operation result data including a plurality of slots for an SIMD operation; and an enable generating unit configured to, in each of the one or more pieces of the operation result data, compare a value of a predetermined slot with a value of a slot other than the predetermined slot, and disable one or more subfunctional units to which the value equal to the value of the predetermined slot is inputted, and the processor outputs the value of the predetermined slot as the value of the one or more subfunctional units which have been disabled. |
| US08429373B2 |
Method for implementing on demand configuration changes
A method for implementing on-demand configuration of a logical volume, wherein the method monitors the amount of available storage capacity of the logical storage volume and determines whether the available storage capacity exceeds a predetermined threshold, such as a percentage of available logical storage space. If the method determines that the storage capacity of the logical storage volume is nearing full capacity, the method determines whether configured physical storage space is available. If the method determines that configured physical storage space is available, the method then reconfigures the logical storage volume to include the configured physical storage space. If configured physical storage space is not available, the method locates unconfigured physical storage space, configures the available physical storage space, and reconfigures the logical volume using the configured physical storage space. |
| US08429367B2 |
Systems, methods and apparatuses for clock enable (CKE) coordination
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems, methods, and apparatuses for clock enable (CKE) coordination. In some embodiments, a memory controller includes logic to predict whether a scheduled request will be issued to a rank. The memory controller may also include logic to predict whether a scheduled request will not be issued to the rank. In some embodiments, the clock enable (CKE) is asserted or de-asserted to a rank based, at least in part, on the predictions. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08429365B2 |
Memory device and method for embedding host-identification information into content
A memory device and method for embedding host-identification information into content are disclosed. In one embodiment, a memory device is provided comprising a memory operative to store content and a controller in communication with the memory. The controller is operative to receive a credential comprising host-identification information from a host in communication with the memory device, authenticate the host using the credential, receive a request from the host to play content stored in the memory, embed the host-identification information into the content, and send the content with the embedded host-identification information to the host. |
| US08429364B1 |
Systems and methods for identifying the presence of sensitive data in backups
A computer-implemented method for identifying the presence of sensitive data in a backup may comprise identifying a backup, identifying sensitive data in the backup, creating metadata that identifies the presence of the sensitive data in the backup, and associating the metadata with the backup. In addition, a method for preventing sensitive data from being placed in a backup may comprise identifying a file, identifying sensitive data in the file, and preventing the file from being placed in a backup. Corresponding systems and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08429357B2 |
Device management apparatus, device initialization method, and device system
A device management apparatus that executes an initialization processing to a device that stores user data includes a first initialization processing section for executing a first initialization processing in which a progress status of an initialization is notified to another device management apparatus every time when the initialization equivalent to a processing unit of the initialization processing is executed to the device, a second initialization processing section for executing a second initialization processing in which a progress status of an initialization is notified to the another device management apparatus every time when the initialization for the predetermined number of processing units is executed to the device, a monitoring unit for monitoring a status of access to the device and an operation state of the device, and a changeover section for changing over the first initialization processing and the second initialization processing based on a monitoring result. |
| US08429352B2 |
Method and system for memory block flushing
A method and system for flushing physical memory blocks in a memory device is disclosed. The method includes detecting a quantity of available memory, background flushing partially obsolete memory blocks if the quantity decreases to a background activation threshold, disabling the background flushing if the quantity increases to a background deactivation threshold, foreground flushing the partially obsolete memory blocks if the quantity decreases to a foreground activation threshold, and disabling the foreground flushing if the quantity increases to a foreground deactivation threshold. The thresholds may be adaptively defined. The background flushing may occur when the host interface is idle. The foreground flushing may interleave writing operations with flushing operations while a write command is unfinished. The system includes a memory for receiving data with a host write command, and a controller for detecting a quantity of available memory and enabling and disabling background and foreground flushing depending on adaptive thresholds. |
| US08429351B1 |
Techniques for determining an amount of data to prefetch
Described are techniques for processing a data operation in a data storage system. A front-end component receives the data operation to read a data portion. In response to receiving the data operation, the front-end component performs first processing. The first processing includes determining whether the data operation is a read operation resulting in a cache hit to a prefetched data portion of a sequential stream, and if said determining determines that said data operation results in a cache hit to a prefetched data portion, performing processing in connection with prefetching additional data for said sequential stream. The processing includes determining whether to prefetch additional data for said sequential stream and, if so, an amount of additional data to prefetch. The processing uses one or more criteria to determine one or more of an amount of data to prefetch in a single prefetch request and a track ahead parameter. |
| US08429346B1 |
Automated data relocation among storage tiers based on storage load
Methods and systems are disclosed for relocating data in a physical storage pool comprising a plurality of storage tiers having differing performance characteristics, the physical storage pool being mapped into one or more logical units, each logical unit comprising a plurality of logical slices of data storage. The methods and systems can involve receiving a relocation list, the relocation list including, for each of a plurality of logical slices, a slice identifier, a temperature value, and a current physical location, determining a destination tier for each logical slice on the relocation list, evaluating for each logical slice on the relocation list a performance gain expected to be achieved by moving the logical slice from its current physical location to a new location in the destination tier, and relocating data in a logical slice from its current physical location to the new location based on the evaluation. |
| US08429344B2 |
Storage apparatus, relay device, and method of controlling operating state
Each time any one of HDDs is accessed, a corresponding relationship between the disk address of the accessed HDD and the time information indicating a time at which the HDD is accessed is added to a first operating-state management table. When a corresponding relationship with the same disk address already exists in the first operating-state management table, the time information is updated. When the first operating-state management table has no space available for new entry, corresponding relationships are deleted from the one having the oldest time information. Only HDDs of which disk address is recorded in the first operating-state management table is turned on. |
| US08429343B1 |
Hybrid drive employing non-volatile semiconductor memory to facilitate refreshing disk
A hybrid drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of data sectors, and a non-volatile semiconductor memory (NVSM). A plurality of refresh zones are defined, wherein each refresh zone comprises a plurality of the data sectors on the disk, and a refresh monitor is maintained for each refresh zone. When a write command is received from a host comprising data and the data is targeted to the NVSM, the data is written to the NVSM. When the data is targeted to a first refresh zone on the disk, and a first refresh monitor has not reached a refresh limit, the data is written to the first refresh zone. When the data is targeted to the first refresh zone on the disk, and the first refresh monitor has reached the refresh limit, the data is written to the NVSM. |
| US08429341B2 |
Method and system for responding to file system requests
A system and method for responding to file system requests having file IDs comprising V, a volume identifier specifying the file system being accessed, and R, an integer, specifying the file within the file system being accessed. The system and method also include D disk elements, where D is greater than or equal to 1 and is an integer, a switching fabric connected to the D disk elements to route requests to a corresponding disk element, and N network elements connected to the switching fabric. Each network element has a mapping function that for every value of V, specifies one or more elements from the set D that store the data specified by volume V, where N is greater than or equal to 1 and is an integer and N+D is greater than or equal to 3. |
| US08429339B2 |
Storage device utilizing free pages in compressed blocks
According to one embodiment, a storage device comprises a first storage unit having blocks, each including pages, a second storage unit having a free block list, and a free page list, and a control unit. In write data in units of blocks, the control unit generates compressed data blocks by compressing the data in units of blocks, writes the compressed data blocks to the blocks which can be written in accordance with the information held in the free block list, holds, in the free page list, the information about pages existing in free areas which are provided in the blocks holding compressed data blocks and which holds no compressed data blocks. In write data in units of pages, the control unit writes the data in units of pages to pages existing in the free areas, in accordance with the information held in the free page list. |
| US08429338B2 |
Method and apparatus for emulating byte wise programmable functionality into sector wise erasable memory
A method and system for emulating a byte-wise programmable memory in a sector-wise erasable memory, where emulating a byte-wise programmable memory in a sector-wise erasable memory is based on dividing the sector-wise erasable memory in a plurality of sectors, dividing each of the sectors into several memory locations suitable to store containers, with each container having a header and a payload portion, and storing a data value relating to an application in the payload portion of one of the containers and header information identifying the application in the header in an available container. The containers can be block containers, and the data portion can have two or more payload values. The storing action can be performed in such a way that the two or more payload values in the payload portion together uniquely represent the data value. |
| US08429337B2 |
Apparatus for controlling NAND flash memory
The apparatus includes: a register unit in which a start address of a macro-command to be executed, is selected from macro-commands included in a command script in which at least one macro-command in which a plurality of micro-commands for controlling a unit operation of NAND flash memory are arranged in an array shape, is recorded; a command fetch unit accessing first memory connected based on the start address of the macro-command to be executed and sequentially reading the plurality of micro-commands from the start address of the macro-command to be executed; a command interpretation unit interpreting the read micro-commands and outputting the result of interpretation including types of the micro-commands and command parameters; and a command execution unit generating interface signals for controlling an operation of NAND flash memory according to each of the micro-commands based on the result of interpretation. |
| US08429336B2 |
Disk drive and method of changing a program therefor
A method of changing a program for controlling a disk drive that includes an EEPROM. The method includes storing a program block to a disk area such that the program block is associated with a second area for storing the program block that is not utilized for a read operation from the disk area. The method also includes storing a program block that is associated with a first area to an area that includes at least a portion of the second area in the EEPROM such that the first area contained a program block that is utilized for a read operation from the disk area. In addition, the method includes changing the program block in the first area after storing to the second area. Moreover, the method includes storing to the second area the program block that is not utilized for a read operation from the disk area after storing to the first area. |
| US08429335B2 |
Memory device and operation method to selectively invert data
Provided is a MLC (Multi-level cell) memory device, comprising: a memory array, including a plurality of groups each storing a plurality of bits; and an inverse bit storage section, storing a first inverse bit data including a plurality of inverse bits, the plurality of bits in the same group in the memory array being related to a respective inverse bit. |
| US08429334B2 |
Method for preventing data loss during solder reflow process and memory device using the same
The invention provides a method for preventing data loss in a flash memory during a solder reflow process. The flash memory includes a plurality of memory blocks and each memory block includes a plurality of strong pages and weak pages. Preloading data is first received and stored into the strong pages of at least one of first memory block within the flash memory. Then, the flash memory is heated for the solder reflow process. Next, the preloading data is reorganized according to a trigger signal and the strong pages and weak pages of at least one of second memory block within the flash memory are provided for storing the reorganized preloading data. |
| US08429331B2 |
Storage optimizations by directory compaction in a fat file system
Storage optimizations by directory compaction in a file allocation table (FAT) file system. The method comprises determining if a cluster comprises a deleted content, indicating that the deleted content is deleted, and updating an entry of a FAT associated with the cluster to indicate that the cluster is free. The method may also comprise indicating that the deleted content is deleted and modifying a metadata of at least one of a file of the cluster and a directory of the cluster according to a specified protocol. |
| US08429329B2 |
Serial interface NAND
Embodiments are provided that include operating a NAND memory device via an SPI interface. One such method includes cache loading a NAND memory device including loading data into a cache of the NAND memory device, writing data from the cache of the NAND memory device to an address of a memory array of the NAND memory device, and polling to determine the status of the data being written. Further one such method includes caching of data in a NAND memory device via an SPI interface comprising loading first data to a cache of the NAND memory device, writing the first data to a first address of a NAND memory array of the NAND memory device, polling the status of the cache, if polling indicates that the cache is ready, then loading a portion of the cache with second data, polling the status of the cache and the NAND memory device, and if polling indicates that the cache is ready and the device is ready, writing the second data to a second address of the NAND memory array of the NAND memory device. |
| US08429328B2 |
System for communicating with a non-volatile memory storage device
A storage device is provided. The storage device includes a command parser module for interpreting a command from a host system in a platform independent format; and for extracting information regarding an operation from the command, wherein the command parser module interfaces with the host system. |
| US08429326B2 |
Method and system for NAND-flash identification without reading device ID table
A method and system for identifying a NAND-Flash without reading a device ID. The method includes: executing an identification flow for setting a first page of a block as a target block, utilizing a combinations table to query a target block, evaluating a result by comparing a identifying information in the target block with the combinations table, trying all combinations in the combinations table until correctly identifying the NAND-Flash by having a positive match result or returning an error if none of the combinations match. |
| US08429324B2 |
Bus-protocol converting device and bus-protocol converting method
A bus-protocol converting device includes: a command detecting unit that detects a command sent from an external-memory control device, connected to a primary bus, to a primary bus interface controller; a command converting unit that converts the detected command into a command to be sent from a secondary bus interface controller to an external memory device through a secondary bus; a status detecting unit that detects a status sent from the external memory device; a status converting unit that converts the detected status into a status to be sent from the primary-bus interface controller to the external-memory control device through the primary bus; and a data transfer controller that is provided between the primary bus interface controller and the secondary bus interface controller to perform data transfer between the external-memory control device and the external memory device through a DMA bus. |
| US08429312B2 |
System and method for archiving of data
The invention relates to a method, a system and a computer program for archiving of data. An announcement signal, which identifies the data, which have to be archived, is sent from a source system to a destination system. A feedback signal, which identifies the announcement signal received by the destination system, is sent from the destination system to the source system, wherein it is determined from the feedback signal whether the announcement signal has been received by the destination system correctly. If it has been determined that the announcement signal has not been correctly received, at least parts of the announcement signal are resent from the source system to the destination system. The data identified by the announcement signal are sent from the source system to the destination system for archiving of data. |
| US08429311B2 |
Process for the transfer of data into several control devices
A process is provided for transferring a first sequence control and/or first data into a first control device and a second sequence control and/or second data into a second control device in a motor vehicle. The transfer is carried out by way of a first data bus while using a first transmission protocol which has a data frame with a predetermined frame format or message format, and the transfer as a whole takes place by the transmission of a plurality of data frames. In a first step, by way of a first data frame, a portion of the first sequence control and/or of the first data is transmitted to the first control device. In a second step, by way of the second data frame, a portion of the second sequence control and/or of the second data is transmitted to the second control device. |
| US08429308B2 |
System and method for migrating data from a storage device
According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for migrating data from a storage device includes accessing data on a storage device. The method also includes providing at least one interface that allows for selecting a first operating system stored on the storage device. The interface further allows for selecting one or more settings stored on the storage device. The method further includes initiating a migration of the one or more settings from the storage device. The method further includes storing the one or more settings. |
| US08429306B2 |
Systems and methods for automatic assignment of identification codes to devices
A system and method for automatically and uniquely assigning identification codes to a plurality of slave processors. A master processor having communication port is linked to a first slave processor, which, itself, has first and second communication ports. The first communication port is used in support of the aforementioned link to the computer. A second slave processor, also having first and second serial ports, is linked by its first communication port to the second communication port of the first slave processor. The slave processors are programmed to read designated pins on their first communication ports. The read values determine the identification code of each processor. Thereafter, each slave processor outputs to its second port a value one greater than the value read from its first port. Therefore, each slave processor assigns itself a particular identification code and directs the next slave processor to assign itself an identification code one greater. |
| US08429303B2 |
Run-time engine implemented on a computing device allowing synchronization of records during application execution
A first database implemented on a remote device such as a handheld computer may be reconciled with a corresponding second database implemented on a host computer during execution of an application program on the handheld device. In addition, the application program may be executed according to program instructions stored in an application program file located in the remote device. The databases may be reconciled by first commencing execution of the application program. Then, during the course of program execution, a synchronization instruction located in said application program file is retrieved. The synchronization instruction is executed by establishing a communications link between the handheld computer and the host computer. Subsequently, any differences between the first database and the second database are reconciled. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention contemplate that in addition to reconciling all of the databases located on the handheld and host computers, less than all of the databases may be reconciled to reduce the amount of time required to execute the reconciliation process. In addition, after reconciliation control may be returned to the calling application program, or to another application, as determined by the application designer. |
| US08429300B2 |
Data transferring method
A method of transferring data in which a secure authenticated channel is established with a receiving entity corresponding to receiver information included in a received control message, when receiving the control message from a control entity, a format of received plurality of data is transformed according to content format transformation information included in the control message, when receiving the plurality of data from a predetermined transmission entity in a chain constructed by a control of the control entity, the transformed plurality of data is transmitted to the receiving entity through the established secure authenticated channel, and an event message for representing a transmission status of the data is transmitted to the control entity. Accordingly, it is possible to transmit the plurality of data through a single transmission session and provide a transmission status of each data through an event. |
| US08429299B2 |
Distributed audio and video processing
A method of distributing audio and video processing tasks among devices interconnected to a display device via a local network is disclosed. In one embodiment, the display device offloads some processing tasks to a computing device on the local network to achieve improved processing performance. The computing device receives audiovisual data, decodes, processes, encodes and transmits the encoded data to the display device in a suitable data format. The processing in the computing device is complementary to any processing to be performed in the display device. In another embodiment, the display device utilizes a plurality of devices on the local network to perform particular signal processing tasks. The other devices in network perform the processing tasks indicated by the display, and send processed data back to the display device for presentation, which helps improve the overall audiovisual data processing performance. |
| US08429296B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributing routing instructions over multiple interfaces of a data router
A software application in a multi-processor data router in which a forwarding information base for the router is maintained is provided with a server module and one or more client modules, each client module associated with one or more communication interfaces of the data router. The application is characterized in that the server module sends to each client module only that portion of the forwarding information base specific to the communication interfaces associated with the client module. |
| US08429294B2 |
Enabling simultaneous use of home network and foreign network by a multihomed mobile node
The invention relates to a method performed by a home agent serving a mobile node in a home network upon attachment of a mobile node to the home network as well as to the home agent. The invention also relates to a method for enabling simultaneous use of a plurality of interfaces by a mobile node being attached to a home network through one of the plurality of interfaces and to at least one foreign network through at least another interface of the plurality of interfaces. Moreover, the invention provides a mobile node and a proxy acting on behalf of the mobile node. To enable a mobile node to use a home network and at least one foreign network for communications the invention suggests the registration of the mobile node's home address or of a network node's address within its home network as a care-of address in the home network. |
| US08429293B2 |
IP server facilitating network communications between devices utilizing virtual network connections
A method includes, first, communicating by first and second devices, to a server, network contact information; and thereafter, communicating data from the first device to the second device by communicating, by the first device, a request to the server to engage in communications with the second device, communicating, by the server, the request received from the first device, communicating, by the second device, acceptance to the server of the request to engage in communications with the first device, communicating connection information, by the server, to one or more of the first and second devices for enabling an open network connection between the first and second devices, using virtualized network capabilities of a virtual machine of the first device, establishing a network connection with the second device using the connection information, and communicating data, from the first device using the virtualized network capabilities of the virtual machine, to the second device. |
| US08429288B2 |
Massive terminals access of a streaming media server including setting maximum count of file handles allowed to be opened
The present invention relates to IPTV technical field, and discloses a method and system for implementing access of a large number of terminals to a streaming media server to solve the technical problems of the streaming media server having low processing efficiency and not supporting the access of a large number of terminals by TCP short connections when there are a large number of terminals accessing to the streaming media server in the prior art. The present invention uses EPOLL/POLL event polling interface to poll the events in the established link, thereby improving the capability of the system to accept the access of a large number of terminals. A socket file descriptor is used as an index entry of the polling list in the present invention such that the link retrieval efficiency is improved when there are a large number of terminals accessing. |
| US08429286B2 |
Methods and systems for rapid data acquisition over the internet
The present invention includes apparatuses, methods, computer readable media and systems comprising means for rapid data acquisition from a server are discussed herein. This rapid data acquisition can be achieved using a combination of bulk data requests and small data requests. A hybrid approach that uses simultaneous bulk and small data requests can provide random access to data files while achieving the high download speeds of a large data transfer. |
| US08429285B2 |
Method and device for data transmission and reception with dropped stable data elements
A method of transmitting data from a first node to a second node in a communication network includes receiving a signal; dividing the signal into data elements arranged in a first data stream comprising active and inactive data elements; analysing at least one characteristic of the signal to determine if the signal is stable; dropping at least one active data element from a plurality of data elements of the first data stream if it is determined that the portion of the signal included in the plurality of data elements is stable; inputting the data elements that are not dropped from the first data stream into a core stream; and transmitting the core stream from the first node to the second node. |
| US08429283B2 |
Communication control unit and communication control method applied for multi-cast supporting LAN
A multicast processing section constructs, when it is determined that a received packet is a packet on a multicast packet and multicast group management protocol, a table showing a correlation between a host device and a multicast group in a port number-multicast physical address correlation storing section as well as in a multicast router-connected port storing section according to the received packet, and controls to transfer a packet for each multicast group between a multicast router and host devices according to the table. |
| US08429279B2 |
Method and device for connecting packet-oriented communication terminals
The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for connecting packet-oriented communication terminals, wherein a first communication terminal (P1) is arranged in a first network (LAN), the first network (LAN) being connected to a second network (INT) via a network address-translating unit (NAT), a second communication terminal (P2) being arranged in said second network. For this purpose, a proxy (P) is provided in the gateway (GW) for intercepting or listening to messages, in that a STUN, ICE, or TURN protocol is implemented. The concept of the invention is to implement, on a case by case basis, IP address spoofing or port number spoofing and a “RESPONSE ADDRESS” STUN field in the proxy, thereby performing the STUN or ICE protocol not on the respective communication terminals, but at a third part on another unit. A performance takes place even if the central unit is not located in the user data path between the STUN server STUN and the respective communication terminal. |
| US08429277B2 |
Cross social network data aggregation
Disclosed in some examples is a method of aggregating social networking data by receiving first authentication information for a first social networking service, the first authentication information being associated with a user and being received from a first social networking application, receiving second authentication information for a second social networking service, the second authentication information being associated with the user and being received from a second social networking application, requesting first information regarding the user from the first social networking service using the first authentication information, receiving the first information regarding the user from the first social networking service and storing the received first information, requesting second information regarding the user from the second social networking service using the second authentication information; and receiving the second information regarding the user from the second social networking service and storing the received second information. |
| US08429276B1 |
Dynamic resource allocation in virtual environments
In general, techniques are described for dynamic resource allocation in virtual environments. A network device comprising physical resources, a first virtual machine (VM), a second VM and a hypervisor may implement these techniques. The first VM executes within a first partition of the physical resources to process a first portion of received network traffic, while the second MV executes within a second partition of the physical resources to process a second portion of the received network traffic. The first VM determines whether physical resources in addition to those allocated by way of the first partition are required to process the incoming network traffic and issues a request requesting additional physical resources based on the determination. Either the second VM or the hypervisor, in response to the request, dynamically reallocates at least a portion of the physical resources allocated to the second partition to the first partition. |
| US08429273B2 |
Network management system accelerated event desktop client
A method, a system, and a computer program product associated with a network management system are disclosed. The method includes storing event data associated with a system event in a network as an event item at a database. The method also includes processing the event item at a control system of a collection server when a fast track flag is identified in the stored event item of the database. Processing the event item by the control system includes generating processing data to send a first notification associated with the event item to a first client. The first notification includes an identifier enabling the first client to obtain the stored event data from the database. Processing the event item by the control system also includes purging the processing data from the control system after sending the first notification. |
| US08429272B2 |
Network resource management with prediction
An indicator for a device may provide an indication that a threshold associated with a budget for a network resource has or will be reached. When a user requests a network operation that will consume the network resource, an amount of the network resource to be consumed by the operation is predicted, if possible. If the prior use of the network resource and the amount to be used to complete the network operation exceeds a threshold the user may be warned and given an opportunity to cancel the operation or adjust the way in which the operation will be performed. If the amount of network resource a network operation will consume is unknown, a rate of use of the network resource is determined and a time until the budget is reached is estimated. |
| US08429270B2 |
Network usage collection system
A system includes a first database to associate a sub-interface identifier with customer information, a second database to store a history of customer usage records, and a first device. The first device may receive information from a routing device, where the information includes the sub-interface identifier for a sub-interface of the routing device and information identifying an amount of network traffic received at or transmitted from the sub-interface over a time period, use the sub-interface identifier to obtain the associated customer information from the first database, associate the customer information with the information identifying an amount of network traffic received at or transmitted from the sub-interface over a time period to create a new customer usage record, and store the new customer usage record in the second database. |
| US08429267B2 |
Web services enabled device and browser gadgets coupled with data storage service and web portal
A method of presenting structured information, via software gadgets, based on monitored data in a utility monitoring system. First monitored data is exposed to a network to produce, via a first web service, first structured data. The first monitored data is indicative of utility characteristics measured by a first IED in the utility monitoring system. The first structured data is received over the network and second structured data is received from a network-accessible data storage service. The data storage service has a second web service that exposes second monitored data to produce the second structured data. The first structured data is manipulated, in at least one of the software gadgets, to produce structured information based on the first monitored data, and the structured information is communicated from the at least one software gadget to a web browser for display in a web page by the web browser. |
| US08429266B2 |
System for measuring audience of media on at least one internet communication network
The present invention relates to a system for measuring audience of media on at least one communication network like an Internet communication network.The audience measurement system operates on a collection of networks comprising at least one communication network. A plurality of predetermined users is associated with a first suite of machines (D, LT) connected to a network of the said collection of networks, in a first zone of use and with at least one second suite of machines (AL) connected to a network of the said collection of networks, in a second zone of use.The system of the invention consists in that a calculation means (M1-M5) is designed to produce, on the basis of the first suite of machines, user counterparts for at least one other zone of use (AL) so as to reconstitute the plurality of the users. |
| US08429263B2 |
File content distribution method, device, and system for an interactive network television system
The present invention discloses file content distribution method, device and system, wherein, the method includes: a content preparing means selecting one or more content location and distribution global controlling means, and sending a file content distributing requests to the selected content location and distribution global controlling means; after receiving the file content distributing request, the content location and distribution global controlling means selecting one or more content delivery and storage controlling means according to a predetermined distributing strategy, and transmitting the file content distributing requests to the selected content delivery and storage controlling means; after receiving the file content distributing request, the content delivery and storage controlling means selecting one or more content delivering and storing means according to the predetermined distributing strategy, and transmitting the file content distributing request to the selected content delivering and storing means; and after receiving the file content distributing request, the content delivering and storing means establishing a link to the content preparing means and distributing file content. |
| US08429262B2 |
Communication system using multiple types of communication modes, communication terminal, computer program, and communication method
A communication system includes multiple communication terminals that are used by multiple users; and a management unit that holds management information expressing which type of communication mode corresponding to which communication address information is used by which user and by which communication terminal, and connection information including communication address information of one communication terminal that has communicated and communication address information of the other communication terminal that has communicated. The management unit holds connection information corresponding to an instance of communication even if that instance of communication has ended. Each communication terminal can communicate with other communication terminals in one or more types of communication modes, and includes a communication support unit. |
| US08429260B2 |
Methods and apparatus for user persona management
Systems and techniques for managing a user persona presented in a communication session. In response to a request from an originating user for a communication session, a persona manager for the originating user is invoked, examining request details and the nature and context of the requested communication session and selecting a persona for the user, selection of the persona being employed to indicate services associated with the communication. Similarly, in response to a request from an originating user for a communication session, a persona manager for the receiving user to whom the request is directed examines details of the request and the nature and context of the communication session and makes decisions relating to persona selection for the receiving user. The decision may involve accepting a persona indicated in the originating user's request, or selecting a different persona and creating routing a request to be routed to the receiving user. |
| US08429259B2 |
Network management system
A network management system includes a plurality of terminal devices, and a network to which the plurality of terminal devices are connected. At least one of the plurality of terminal devices includes a management setting information changing system configured to change management setting information for managing network use by the plurality of terminal devices, and a management setting information restoring system configured to perform a restoring operation for restoring the management setting information changed by the management setting information changing system, in response to a predetermined restoring condition being satisfied. The present arrangement enables use of at least one peripheral device by the plurality of terminal devices according to different management settings. |
| US08429258B2 |
Using unique local unicast addresses in a global domain name server by providing a centralized registry
Mechanisms are provided for assigning addresses for use in communications between computing devices. With these mechanisms, a centralized domain name registrar server assigns a unique global identifier to a domain of a site such that the unique global identifier uniquely identifies the domain. The unique global identifier is received in a data processing system from the centralized domain name registrar server. The site is divided into a plurality of sub-domains and a unique sub-domain identifier is assigned to each sub-domain in the site such that the unique sub-domain identifier uniquely identifies a corresponding sub-domain in the site. The global identifier for the domain of the site and the sub-domain identifiers of the sub-domains in the plurality of sub-domains are provided by the data processing system to routers of the site for use in associating addresses with devices of the site. |
| US08429257B2 |
Optimizing use of internet protocol addresses
A network device receives a connection request from a user device. The network device determines whether an Internet Protocol (IP) address is assigned to the user device. The network device identifies the IP address when the IP address is assigned to the user device. Otherwise, the network device assigns the IP address to the user device. The network device also assigns a virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier (ID) associated with the IP address to use to satisfy the connection request. |
| US08429256B2 |
Systems and methods for generating cached representations of host package inventories in remote package repositories
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for generating cached representations of host package inventories in remote package repositories. A physical or virtual client machine can host a set of installed software packages, including operating system, application, and/or other software. A package manager installed on the client reports an inventory of the installed packages to one or more package servers. The package server(s) can receive the inventory from machines populating the managed network, and generate an encoded identification for each constituent package, such as a hash-based output based on package attributes. The encoded identification and other data can be stored to an aggregate package cache in the one or more package servers, for more efficient management of the host machines in the managed network. In embodiments, the package update files for each identifier can also be stored in the cache for even more efficient inventorying and package update operations. |
| US08429252B2 |
System and method to identify devices employing point-to-point-over ethernet encapsulation
A method may include transmitting, during a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) discovery stage, a PPPoE active discovery (PAD) packet from a customer premises equipment (CPE) device to an access concentrator. The PAD packet may include a tag that is associated with a device type of the CPE device. The method may include receiving a PPPoE active discovery session (PADS) confirmation packet from the access concentrator. The PADS confirmation packet may be associated with conclusion of the PPPoE discovery stage and establishment of an Ethernet communication session between the CPE device and the access concentrator. |
| US08429245B2 |
Networked computer system for communicating and operating in a virtual reality environment
The present invention relates to interactive virtual reality networked computer systems and methods that facilitate communication and operation in a virtual reality environment. The virtual reality networked computer system has an infrastructure that includes a number of users, hosts and servers. The interconnected hosts and servers allow users to effectively locate, activate, access and interact within virtual reality environments in a variety of different ways. For example, users can establish user groups such that interaction within the virtual reality environment occurs between hosts (accessed by users) without the need of a central or dedicated server. |
| US08429243B1 |
Web analytics event tracking system
Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer program products are described for formatting and sending data corresponding to web page events and user interactions with content displayed by on a web page to a web analytics system for storage and reporting. |
| US08429242B1 |
Methods and apparatus for providing content
One embodiment of the invention relates to the transfer of content between a host computer that issues OAS access requests and a block I/O storage system. Specifically, a host computer may issue an access request for a content unit that identifies the content unit is an object identifier. The request may be received by a second server, which may determine the block address(es) on the block I/O storage system at which the content unit is stored. A request may then be sent to the block I/O storage system to retrieve the content stored at the requested block address(es) and the block I/O storage system may return the content. |
| US08429241B2 |
Image data transmitting apparatus and image data transmitting method
Provided is an image data transmitting apparatus capable of transmitting an image data in a given form according to a command from the receiving side. The image data transmitting apparatus is an image data transmitting apparatus transmitting image data to a receiving apparatus through a network, and includes: image data converting unit not only converting the image data to a converted image data file but also preparing file information of the converted image data file; posting unit posting the file information to the receiving apparatus; receiving unit receiving command information concerning a transmitting method for the converted image data file; and transmission controlling unit transmitting the converted image data file to the receiving apparatus based on the command information. |
| US08429236B2 |
Transmission of status updates responsive to status of recipient application
Selecting and modifying the transmission rates and sizes of status update messages transmitted by a mobile communications device to a recipient application based on use of the updates by the recipient application improves resource utilization or accuracy. During one mode of operation, a mobile communications device transmits status messages using a conservative message transmission mode. This allows the mobile communications device to transmit a greater number of status updates for future processing by the recipient application while conserving resources. When the recipient application is actively processing status updates from the mobile communications device, the mobile communications device transmits the status messages using an accelerated message transmission mode with a different number of status updates in each status message and different delay between status messages, which may reduce delay or improve accuracy. Similarly, the mobile communications device may reduce the number of status updates transmitted by applying algorithm-based filters described herein based on the expected usage by the recipient application. |
| US08429235B2 |
Apparatus and method for precluding e-mail distribution
E-mail addresses are converted by a hashing function into hash codes. An e-mail mass mailer that can have millions of addresses hash codes all addresses to which a message might be sent to form a first list. An entity that wishes to exclude delivery of a message to various e-mail addresses, hash codes such addresses to form a second list. Hash codes in the first list that are also in the second list are purged from the first list to yield a third list of hash codes, each of which represents an e-mail address to which a message may be sent. |
| US08429230B2 |
Method for transmitting a communication invitation relating to a medical DICOM image
A method for transmitting an invitation to a communication relating to a medical image in a DICOM data record from a person who has access to the image to a partner is proposed. The invitation is stored as information in the DICOM data record of the image. The DICOM data record is transmitted to a server. With reference to the invitation, the server determines a message channel which leads to the partner. The server transmits the invitation to the partner via the message channel. |
| US08429228B1 |
Method for creating manipulating exchanging and distributing information messages of organized data structure
The present invention provides a system for creating, manipulating, g and distributing information message of organized data structure. The system is comprised of: an application installed on a terminal, said application includes: an information module for receiving and transmitting update information messages and an organizing data module enabling organizing information data into structured table format, the organizing include searching, sorting, filtering manipulating and editing the information data, a message distribution module for defining a query which represents the organized information in the structure format based on a user operations and associating the query with and information message having predefined format and transmit the information messages according to user distribution list, a web server application including: a table data management module enabling online creating, manipulating filtering, sorting and searching of information data tables and a data exchange module for managing distribution information messages between information sources and target mobile users. |
| US08429227B2 |
Image display device and method of announcing a presence of an image display device over a network
In an image display device, a method of communicating over a network an invitation to use the image display device to at least one image source connected to the network is provided. The method may include forming an invitation message, wherein the invitation message contains an invitation for an image source to connect to the image display device to use a service on the image display device, and sending the invitation message to a multicasting address on the network. |
| US08429222B2 |
Remote access and automated dialog building for remote processing
Geophysical data processing is remotely controlled and monitored over a wide-area network such as the Internet. A customer using a client computer builds geophysical data processing flows (concatenations of geophysical data processing modules or filters) and enters parameter values required for flow execution. The flow descriptions and associated parameter values are then transferred from the client to a geophysical data processing server, for example a parallel supercomputer. The flows (jobs) are executed on the server, typically over periods ranging from hours to weeks. Intermediate or partial results are made available to the customer for visualization before the processing of a flow is complete. The customer can then modify the flow before its complete execution. Data-entry windows are automatically generated for geophysical processing modules by parsing the source code of the modules. The automatic generation of data-entry windows allows relatively simple integration of new seismic interpretation packages with a given graphical user interface. |
| US08429219B2 |
Data alteration prevention system
A method, system and computer program product for controlling a processing unit connected to a network. The method includes providing information to the network by the processing unit via plural communication channels; sending a reset signal from a controller to a reset unit of the processing unit after a specified amount of time, the reset unit being connected only to a communication channel of the controller and being isolated from the plural communication channels; and rebooting the processor unit when the reset signal is received by the reset unit. |
| US08429217B2 |
Executing fixed point divide operations using a floating point multiply-add pipeline
A mechanism for executing fixed point divide operations using a floating point multiply-add pipeline are provided. With the mechanism, the floating point execution unit in a processor is modified to include elements that may be used to perform fixed point divide operations. These additional elements include a leading zero counter, a leading one counter, an estimate table unit, and a state machine. The fixed point divide operands are converted to a floating point format and an estimate of the reciprocal of the divisor is generated using estimate tables. These values are used in multiple passes through the floating point unit for calculating estimates of the quotient and corresponding error values. The estimates of the quotient are based on previous estimates of the quotient in a prior pass through the floating point unit and a corresponding error value. The final quotient estimate is truncated. |
| US08429214B2 |
Programmable logic systems and methods employing configurable floating point units
A programmable system is disclosed having multiple configurable floating point units (“FPU”) that are coupled to multiple programmable logic and routing blocks and multiple memories. Each floating point unit has static configuration blocks and dynamic configuration blocks, where the dynamic configuration blocks can be reconfigured to perform a different floating point unit function. A floating point unit includes a pre-normalization for shifting an exponent calculation as well as shifting and aligning a mantissa, and a post-normalization for normalizing and rounding a received input. The post-normalization receives an input Z and realigns the input, normalizes the input and rounds the input Z. |
| US08429211B1 |
System and method for controlling computer originated audio file transmission
A system and method for controlling computer originated audio file transmission includes a server having a communications module operable to communicate with a terminal unit over a path of communication. The server may also include a storage module operable to store at least one file. A processor may be provided to separate the file into a plurality of packets. In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, the communications module is operable to establish a control channel between the server and the terminal unit. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the control channel may include an out of band channel with regard to the path of communication. Commands may be transmitted over the control channel using the VoIP. |
| US08429210B2 |
Method and computer-readable medium for providing an official file repository
A method and computer-readable medium are provided for storing files in an official file repository. According to the method, a generic interface is exposed that includes a first method for requesting that a file be stored in a file vault. A record series is maintained that identifies one or more document types that may be stored in the file vault along with a location for each file type within the file vault where files of the type should be stored. A call may be made to the first method including the file to be stored in the file vault. In response to the call, a location for storing the file in the file vault may be identified based on the contents of the record series. Once the location has been identified, the file is stored in the identified location if the file type is in the record series. If the file type is not in the record series or the necessary property values are not received with the call, the file is placed in a holding zone portion of the file vault. The generic interface may further expose a second method for retrieving the file types identified in the record series and a third method for retrieving one or more properties associated with a file type identified in the record series. |
| US08429209B2 |
Method and system for efficiently reading a partitioned directory incident to a serialized process
A method of reading data from a partitioned directory incident to a serialized process. A first read and an offset value are received. A first data block in a modeled fully partitioned directory is identified based on the offset value and a predetermined number of entries associated with a buffer. It is determined whether the first data block in the fully partitioned directory is present in the actual partitioned directory. Zeros are written in the buffer if the first data block in the fully partitioned directory is not present in the actual partitioned directory otherwise the first data block associated with the actual partitioned directory is written to the buffer. A second data block is similarly read by a second read operation and written. The second data block is associated with a second subdirectory, selected based on a horizontal node traversal at a node level of said first subdirectory. |
| US08429208B2 |
Methods and systems for managing data
Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata. In one exemplary method, metadata from files created by several different software applications are captured, and the captured metadata is searched. The type of information in metadata for one type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for another type of file. Other methods are described and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described. |
| US08429207B2 |
Methods for implementation of information audit trail tracking and reporting in a storage system
Embodiments of archival storage system are disclosed. The archival storage system includes one or more removable disk drives that provide random access and are readily expandable. One or more application servers can store archival data to the one or more removable disk drives. Further, the archival storage system provides an audit trail that stores information about actions taken on the archival data. The audit trail data providing a list of the actions and information about the actions that can be used to determine changes to the archival data. |
| US08429201B2 |
Updating a database from a browser
Techniques are provided to update a database, in which a browser communicates changes to the database. A change request is received from a browser, and a database update program is executed in response to the change request. The change request may be a page redirect request from a first network address to a second network address, and the database update program replaces the first network address with the second network address in one or more data tables in the database. The change request may also be a web page change request, and the database update program is a trigger program for determining additional programs to be run to update the database. |
| US08429199B2 |
Load on demand network analysis
Systems, methodologies, media, and other embodiments associated with load on demand network analysis are described. One method embodiment includes accessing a network analysis request and data associated with a set of network partitions associated with a network. The request describes a function to be performed on the network. A set of partitions subdivides the network and a data model stores data describing the network and its partitions. Thus, the example method may include identifying a member of the set of network partitions associated with the network analysis request and selectively loading data associated that member. The method may then perform the network analysis function on the data associated with the member rather than on data describing the entire network. |
| US08429198B1 |
Method of creating hierarchical indices for a distributed object system
A data management system or “DMS” provides data services to data sources associated with a set of application host servers. The DMS typically comprises one or more regions, with each region having one or more clusters. A given cluster has one or more nodes that share storage. When providing continuous data protection and data distribution, the DMS nodes create distributed active object storage to provide the necessary real-time data management services. The distributed object store can be built above raw storage devices, a traditional file system, a special purpose file system, a clustered file system, and a database. The DMS active object store provides an indexing service to the active objects. In an illustrative embodiment, any object property that has a given attribute is indexed and, as a result, the attribute becomes searchable. The DMS provides hierarchical distributed indexing using index trees to facilitate searching. |
| US08429192B2 |
System and method for supporting a plurality of access control list types for a file system in an operating system
System, method and computer program product for supporting a plurality of Access Control List types for a file system in an operating system in a data processing system. An Access Control List supporting system for managing access to a file system in a data processing system has at least one file system in an operating system of the data processing system, and an Access Control List management framework in the operating system and external to the at least one file system for managing access to the at least one file system. The Access Control List supporting system of the invention removes ACL management and access check-related functions from the at least one file system to an external Access Control List management framework, thus enabling an operating system to support a plurality of Access Control List types using the same Access Control List management framework and enabling new Access Control List types to be added to the operating system dynamically while the operating system is running. |
| US08429186B2 |
System and method for rapid assessment of lab value distributions
System and methods for rapid assessment of lab value distributions are provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a data storage device and a server. The data storage device may be configured to store a database comprising one or more records, wherein the records are identified by one or more test codes. The server may receive a medical code, search the database to obtain a first group of records associated with individuals having the medical code, wherein each record of the first group of records is identified by a test code, search the database to obtain a second group of records associated with a control population, wherein each record of the second group of records is identified by the test code, and generate an output comprising a distribution graph on a shared scale from the first and second group of records. |
| US08429185B2 |
Using structured data for online research
Various embodiments utilize structured data contained within a resource, such as a web page, to enable a user to define collections of data. Individual constituent parts of a collection or “links” are collected within a collection. In one or more embodiments, a full page viewing experience can be provided which enables users to not only view more details for a given link, but to view multiple different links at a time. Other viewing options and collection interactions are provided. |
| US08429183B2 |
Support for international search terms
A search engine server supports delivery of search results using an international search string option by identifying websites that provide support in English as well as the language of the international search string. The international search string is a search string in any of the languages that are listed/supported by the search engine server. The search engine server delivers web links of websites that provide support in both English as well the language of the international search string by identifying conjugate English terms, strings or phrases for the international search string, that provide exact or approximate equivalent meaning for searching. In addition, the search engine server also provides web links of websites that provide international language support by utilizing a thesaurus in English that provides synonyms for the conjugate English terms. The search engine server also translates websites where there is no support in the language of the search string. |
| US08429182B2 |
Populating a task directed community in a complex heterogeneous environment based on non-linear attributes of a paradigmatic cohort member
A computer implemented method, system, and/or computer program product defines a paradigmatic member of a first task directed community. Non-linear attributes of each member of the first task directed community having a first agenda are identified. Each of the non-linear attributes is individually unrelated to the first agenda. Common non-linear attributes shared by multiple members of the first task directed community are identified for use in defining the paradigmatic member of the first task directed community. A second task directed community, which has an agenda that substantially matches the first agenda of the first task directed community, is then presented with candidate members that match the paradigmatic member of the first task directed community. |
| US08429181B2 |
System and method for providing music
A system, method, and computer program product for providing music is disclosed. A method in accordance with one particular embodiment may include storing a plurality of cues in a memory, each of the plurality of cues having a plurality of tags associated therewith. The plurality of tags may include both musical and non-musical tags. The method may further include receiving an input at a computing device, the input corresponding to at least one of the plurality of tags. The method may also include searching the memory of the computing device to locate at least one of the plurality of cues having at least one tag that corresponds to the input. The method may further include providing a cue having the at least one tag that corresponds to the input to a client device. Numerous other embodiments are also within the scope of the present disclosure. |
| US08429156B2 |
Spatial attribute ranking value index
A request may be received that includes an indicator associated with a geographic location and scope. A database search may be initiated, based on the geographic location and scope. A list of one or more tags may be received, the tags associated with the geographic location, ordered based on relevance within the geographic scope, based on tag locale rankings associated with each of the tags included in the list of tags, the tag locale rankings based on comparisons of relative frequencies of occurrence of the tags, based on first bounded geographic areas, compared with second relative frequencies of occurrence of the tags based on second bounded geographic areas that are respectively larger than the first bounded geographic areas, the request geographic scope indicating one of a plurality of hierarchical geographic analysis levels associated with a plurality of geographic locations. |
| US08429153B2 |
Method and apparatus for classifying known specimens and media using spectral properties and identifying unknown specimens and media
Method and apparatus for determining a metric for use in predicting properties of an unknown specimen belonging to a group of reference specimen electrical devices comprises application of a network analyzer for collecting impedance spectra for the reference specimens and determining centroids and thresholds for the group of reference specimens so that an unknown specimen may be confidently classified as a member of the reference group using the metric. If a trait is stored with the reference group of electrical device specimens, then, the trait may be predictably associated with the unknown specimen along with any traits identified with the unknown specimen associated with the reference group. |
| US08429151B2 |
Highly adaptable query optimizer search space generation process
Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for determining at least one algorithm from a pool of algorithms to optimize a query. An embodiment includes building optimization blocks for the subplan, determining the complexity of the subplan based on the optimization blocks and selecting an algorithm from a pool of search space generation algorithms based on complexity of the subplan and characteristics of the selected algorithm, and optimizing the subplan with the selected algorithm. |
| US08429149B2 |
System, method and computer program products for determining O*NET codes from job descriptions
Systems, methods and computer program products include job bots that are configured to periodically visit network sites that have stored therein one or more job postings. During each visit, the one or more job postings are analyzed and a searchable job post database is updated to add new job postings, modify changed job postings and delete any removed job postings. A search engine is provided for job seekers to search the searchable job post database where a consolidate list of job postings from the network sites is stored. |
| US08429147B1 |
Federation for parallel searching
A search engine can be configured to improve search times by implementing a parallel computing architecture. The index is split across a plurality of independent search nodes. A query is communicated to each of the parallel nodes and the query is searched in each independent node. The results from each node are routed to a federator that is configured to aggregate the results to a result set. The federator is configured to determine a subset of intermediate results to retrieve and aggregate from each of the independent nodes. The federator determines a number of results to retrieve from each of the nodes based at least in part on the number of nodes and the number of search results desired in the results set. |
| US08429146B2 |
Predicting future queries from log data
A system, media, and method for selecting future queries are provided. The selected future queries are used to transmit appropriate online advertising to a user that issues queries to a search engine. The search engine is coupled to a prediction component that predicts what subject the user is going to be interested in and when the user will be interested in the subject. The prediction component returns a future query using statistical language models representing a query history of the user and aggregate query histories for a community of users. |
| US08429143B2 |
Methods and systems for improving hash table performance
Methods and systems for generating a hashcode for a hash table are provided to improve the hash table performance. A particular method includes receiving an input of a key; applying a hash function to the key to generate an incoming hashcode of the key; encoding a key type into the incoming hashcode to generate a first hashcode; and storing the first hashcode. A particular method includes encoding the key type into at least one bit of a bucket index portion of the incoming hashcode. |
| US08429141B2 |
Linguistically enhanced email detector
A computer-implemented system and method are provided for warning a user of a missing attachment to an email. The method may include automatically recognizing a natural language of text of an email and selecting a keyword list from a plurality of keyword lists, based on the recognized natural language. Each keyword list is associated with a respective natural language and includes at least one keyword. At least one of the keyword lists includes a multi-sense keyword having a plurality of senses. A first of the plurality of senses is recognized as referring to an attachment and a second of the plurality of senses is recognized as not referring to an attachment. The text of the email is processed to identify an instance, where present, of a keyword that is in the selected keyword list and, for a keyword which is a multi-sense keyword, at least one sense-related rule is applied to a portion of the text which includes the instance of the multi-sense keyword. Based on the application of the at least one sense-related rule, where the email lacks an attachment, a notification is provided to the user. |
| US08429138B2 |
Method and apparatus for data exchange in a distributed system
An encoding module generates metadata descriptions for unique combinations of subset of fields of data structures that define for the receiver how to decode data in the corresponding subset of fields of that data structure included in messages; generates a unique metadata description identification for each different metadata description; includes metadata descriptions in the messages as well as the corresponding metadata description identifications when the receiver has not previously received those metadata descriptions. A decoding module stores metadata descriptions in a metadata description data structure as they are received, where each metadata description is associated with a metadata description identification, whereby the metadata description data structure is progressively populated with metadata for data structures as messages are received that include metadata descriptions; and decodes those messages received that do not include metadata descriptions based on the stored metadata descriptions that correspond with the metadata description identifications included in these messages. |
| US08429133B2 |
Partial key indexes
A partial reverse key index is described, which allows distributed contention as resources vie to insert data into an index as well as allows range scans to be performed on the index. To do so, before an index entry for a key value is inserted into an index, the key value is transformed using a transformation operation that affects a subset of the order of the key value. The index entry is then inserted based on the transformed key value. Because the transformation operation affects the order of the key value, the transformed values associated with two consecutive key values will not necessarily be consecutive. Therefore, the index entries associated with the consecutive key values may be inserted into unrelated portions of the index. |
| US08429132B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for database table aggregation
Database table aggregation is implemented by a method that includes encoding first and second components via a waveform definition, the first and second components specifying criteria for aggregating data. The method also includes generating a complex waveform representing the components in a pattern corresponding to the waveform definition and criteria, which spans a first axis indicative of a time period for aggregating the data. The method further includes providing a byte count for aggregated data stored in a first table defined by the criteria, aggregating the data for the time period, and creating a second table for overflow data when the count is exceeded. The method also includes updating the complex waveform to reflect results of the aggregation that includes generating a waveform representing the second table along a second axis depicted at a location corresponding to a time in which the data aggregation for the first table was initiated. |
| US08429130B2 |
Optimized prefetching for wide area networks
A data prefetching technique uses predefined prefetching criteria and prefetching models to identify and retrieve prefetched data. A prefetching model that defines data to be prefetched via a network may be stored. It may be determined whether prefetching initiation criteria have been satisfied. Data for prefetching may be identified based on the prefetching model when the prefetching initiation criteria have been satisfied. The identified data may be prefetched, via the network, based on the prefetching model. |
| US08429126B2 |
Object graph editing context and methods of use
The present invention comprises a novel system for managing changes to a graph of data bearing objects. In one embodiment, an object graph manager object referred to as an editing context is used to identify changes made to data bearing enterprise objects and to notify other interested objects when changes occur. As a result, data bearing objects need not themselves contain code necessary for monitoring changes. In another embodiment of the invention, the editing context is used to provide event-based “undo” capabilities. In another embodiment of the invention, each enterprise object has a primary key that is used to maintain the identification between an enterprise object instance and a corresponding database row. In another embodiment of the invention, multiple levels of editing contexts are used to provide multiple isolated object graphs, each of which allows independent manipulation of the underlying data bearing objects. |
| US08429125B2 |
Conversion of physical computers to virtualized environments method and system
A method for converting a physical file system to a virtual file system of a virtual machine. The method includes initiating a new incremental physical to virtual conversion process, and analyzing a history of a plurality of prior incremental conversions to determine whether there exists at least one prior incremental conversion that failed. Upon determination that a prior failed incremental conversion occurred, the method further includes determining a correct chronological order of the plurality of prior incremental conversions, and determining an original failure point and any subsequent failure points. The prior incremental conversions are re-applied from each of said original failure point and said subsequent failure points in the correct chronological order with the most recent incremental conversion re-applied last. |
| US08429122B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for remote data searching
A method and apparatus for remote searching of data stored on a communication device is provided. The communication device is generally in communication with a server for tracking data associated with the communication device and data associated with a synchronizable computing device, synchronizable with the communication device. An index of data stored at the communication device is maintained at the server, the index for distinguishing the data stored at the communication device from data stored at the synchronizable computing device. A searchable copy of data stored on the communication device cross-referenced to the index is maintained, the searchable copy searchable using search parameter data received from the communication device to produce search results transmittable back to the communication device. |
| US08429120B1 |
System and method for distributed back-off in a database-oriented environment
Embodiments may include a system configured to, for each of multiple database partitions, generate a respective value of commit latency dependent on the latency of one or more previous commit operations directed to that database partition. The system may also be configured to, for a given work item that includes a commit operation to be initiated on a given database partition of said multiple database partitions, determine whether the value of the commit latency for the given database partition exceeds a configurable commit latency threshold. The system may be configured to, in response to determining that the value of the commit latency for the given database partition exceeds the commit latency threshold, postpone the given work item to reduce load on the database partitions and perform the given work item after the postponement. If the commit latency does not exceed the threshold, the work may be performed without the postponement. |
| US08429119B2 |
System and method of determining relationship information
A method includes classifying a relationship between a first party and each of one or more additional parties based on at least one of a number of communications between the first party and each of the one or more additional parties over a time period and a frequency of the communications between the first party and each of the one or more additional parties over the time period. The method includes generating first social network data based on the relationship between the first party and each of the one or more additional parties. |
| US08429118B2 |
Embedding and retrieving data in an application file format
Third party data embedding may be provided. Data associated with a third party provider may be saved in a native application save file. If a save file opened by the application is determined to comprise third party data, the application may determine whether an appropriate data provider is available. The application may connect to the data provider and provide on-demand, asynchronous access to the third party data upon request from a user. |
| US08429117B2 |
Data loading method for a data warehouse
Provided is a method of loading data in a data warehouse. Two types of work tables are generated, namely, a first work table and a second work table. The data is loaded into the first work table and prepared for loading, using the second work table as temporary table for data preparation. The prepared data is loaded into the data warehouse. |
| US08429115B1 |
Measuring change distance of a factor in a decision
An analytic network process (ANP) storage memory stores an ANP weighted supermatrix representing an ANP model. A processor is in communication with the ANP storage memory. The processor fixes each one of plural nodes one at a time in the ANP model and measures a row sensitivity of each of the nodes as it is fixed, the row sensitivity being measured using one or both of (i) a predetermined increase value and (ii) a predetermined decrease value. Also, it scores how much synthesized alternatives scores found by doing ANP row sensitivity on each of the fixed nodes change from original values thereof, to generate a value indicating a change distance for each of the nodes. A same proportionality is maintained in the stored ANP weighted supermatrix as the fixed node is changed by the predetermined increase and/or decrease values. |
| US08429114B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing low cost programmable pattern recognition
An apparatus for providing pattern recognition may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least receive an indication of sensor data descriptive of movement of a user terminal, provide for expansion of the sensor data in a predetermined manner to define outcome values, apply a logical mask to the outcome values to generate selected outcome values for provision to a finite state machine, and utilize a pattern recognition algorithm associated with the finite state machine to determine whether the sensor data corresponds to a pattern identified by proceeding through defined transitions to a final state of the finite state machine. A corresponding computer program product and method are also provided. |
| US08429113B2 |
Framework and system for identifying partners in nefarious activities
The invention is a method and a system for discovering collusion among a network of interacting entities. Collusion is defined as a conspiracy among two or more interacting entities to use deception or an unfair advantage for private gain above their peers or other stakeholders in their network. The invention comprises a mathematical framework for measuring the collusion propensity of two or more entities in a network. |
| US08429106B2 |
Providing recommendations using information determined for domains of interest
Techniques are described for determining and using information related to domains of interest, such as by automatically analyzing documents and other information related to a domain in order to automatically determine relationships between particular terms within the domain. Such automatically determined information may then be used to assist users in obtaining information from the domain that is of interest (e.g., documents with contents that are relevant to user-specified terms and/or to other terms that are determined to be sufficiently related to the user-specified terms). For example, recommendations may be automatically generated for a user by using information about specified preferences or other interests of the user with respect to one or more terms and identifying other particular terms that are sufficiently probable to be of interest to that user, such as based on a generated probabilistic representation of relationships between particular terms for the domain. |
| US08429100B2 |
Method for building adaptive soft sensor
The invention discloses a method for building adaptive soft sensor. The method comprises the following steps. The input and schedule vectors are constructed, and a novel learning algorithm that uses online subtractive clustering is used to recursively update the structure and parameters of a local model network. Three rules are proposed for updating centers and local model coefficients of existing clusters, for generating new clusters and new models as well as for merging existing clusters and their corresponding models. Once verified, the online inferential model can be created to generate the predicted value of process. Thus, it does not need much memory space to process the method and can be easily applied to any other machine. |
| US08429098B1 |
Classification confidence estimating tool
Disclosed is a tool that assesses and classifies data in a data set to and compares those assessments with nominal attributes and text attributes of data present in a new record to assign a classification to the new record. The classification assigned to the new record is provided a confidence level based on both a qualitative factor and a quantitative factor. The qualitative factor may be calculated by forming of a list of important words for each class and comparing the list to data in the new record and converting the comparison into a confidence level; the quantitative factor may be calculated by estimating the importance or weight of several factors, ratios of certain probabilities related to the most likely class and to the second most likely class, and using the importance of the factors and matchfactors to scale the resulting ratio, then transforming the resulting ratio into a confidence level. |
| US08429095B1 |
Fluid delivery control nozzle
A fluid delivery nozzle for wireless communication to either an active or a passive device located on a vehicle and for wireless communication from the fluid delivery nozzle to a central location for storage of vehicle data. Upon initiation of a fluid delivery transaction, a communication link is established between a vehicle communication device and the central location and between a fluid container of the vehicle and the fluid delivery nozzle. The information received from the vehicle and container is relayed to the central location to authorize delivery of a fluid to the vehicle. Information is also transferred from the central location back and forth to the fluid delivery nozzle to update and store information regarding the fluid delivery transaction. A keyboard and display are provided on the fluid delivery nozzle to provide an operator interface during the fluid delivery transaction. Using the keyboard, the operator may directly control the delivery of fluid to the container or may respond to information displayed on the nozzle during the fluid delivery transaction. |
| US08429094B2 |
Method of franking as a function of mail category
A method of franking mailpieces including the following steps: an operator loads a mailpiece on a feed deck of the machine; the width of the mailpiece is determined automatically by a plurality of presence detectors mounted on the feed deck; the length of the mailpiece is estimated by a processor, on the basis of the width of the mailpiece; an initial franking amount to be applied to the mailpiece is computed by the processor; the mailpiece is extracted automatically from the feed deck, and a postal imprint is printed; the real length of the mailpiece is determined; the real length is compared with the previously estimated length; if these two lengths do not match, an audible or visible alarm is generated by a warning device; the processor computes a corrected franking amount; and a new postal imprint making it possible to correct the initial franking amount is printed. |
| US08429093B2 |
System and method for providing information to a recipient of a physical mail object
A system and method is provided for transmitting information (e.g., an advertisement, content data, etc.) over a wide area network, such as the Internet, in response to receiving at least a portion of mail data. In one embodiment of the present invention, information is stored in a memory. Mail data is then affixed to a mail object (e.g., on the object itself, on an envelope encasing the object, etc.). The mail object is then manually delivered to a recipient. The mail data is then provided to a reception device. The reception device then uses the mail data to retrieve the information from a mail device in communication with the memory. In a preferred embodiment, the mail data includes data corresponding to the recipient of the mail object, and the information corresponds to a content of the mail object. |
| US08429092B2 |
Method and system for career management assessment matching
A method for system for career matching assessment matching. One or more electronic questionnaires that are designed to reflect models of working environments, problem solving, communication and inter-personal skills are presented via a communications network. Each candidate and/or employer fills in a separate questionnaire. The job seeker answers questions as if the job seeker was the employer and the employer answers questions as if the employer were the job seeker. The particular pattern of their answers provides a profile for both the job seeker and the employer. A matching process then assesses the amount of overlap between the profiles of different candidates and employers. Greater candidate-employer overlap yields superior job performance, higher levels of job satisfaction and longer retention. |
| US08429091B2 |
Methods and systems for the display and navigation of a social network
Systems and methods for the display and navigation of a social network or set forth. According to one embodiment a method comprising identifying a first profile in a social network, identifying associated profiles associated with the first profile, ranking the associated profiles, wherein ranking is not based exclusively on a degree of separation, and outputting the associated profiles based at least in part on the ranking is set forth. According to another embodiment a method comprising identifying a user profile, identifying a member profile, determining an association path for the user profile and the member profile, and outputting the association path is set forth. |
| US08429088B2 |
On-location electronics troubleshooting services system
A method and system for providing on-location troubleshooting services to homeowners and businesses for low-voltage electronic equipment and other on-location services. It employs the use of an Internet-based system for recording customer requests for service and subsequently automatically dispatching technicians and managing provision of the requested services. It also provides functions to support customer and technician recruitment and sign up. Additionally, it provides functions for recording customer satisfaction, requesting repair services and links to low-voltage electronics equipment suppliers for purchasing desired low-voltage electronics equipment. Service areas, work cells are established for groups of customers which are closely located geographically. Technicians are recruited and assigned responsibility for work cells based on whether their residence is in or close to a particular work cell or group of work cells. Customers and technicians may also access certain functions of the Internet-based system through telephones and telephone interface to the Internet-based system. |
| US08429083B2 |
Messaging stamp authority
Electronic messages may be processed using a stamp authority by receiving an electronic message, identifying a stamp associated the message, determining if the stamp is valid, and, if the stamp is determined to be valid, distinguishing the message from messages with which a valid stamp is not identified. |
| US08429079B1 |
Overdraft protection and forgiveness
Various aspects relate to systems, methods or devices for processing overdrafts made by customers. A particular embodiment is directed towards, a system that is configured to receive transaction data from customer-oriented terminals. The transaction data includes requests for monetary transfers on behalf of customers that hold a checking or savings account at a financial institution. In response to receiving the transaction data, the system accesses customer account information, which can include the amount of funds in the checking or savings accounts. The system determines whether sufficient funds exist in the accounts to cover the financial transactions. In response to a potential overdraft of one or more customer accounts, stored customer information is accessed to determine and authorize overdraft deferment eligibility of the customer based upon the stored customer information. The system defers an overdraft fee by providing a grace period during which funds can be transferred to cover the overdraft. |
| US08429078B2 |
Payment processing device signature verification
Devices and methods for signature authentication of a bearer of a payment processing device during financial transactions are provided. The payment processing device is provided with a signature input panel configured to receive user input signature information for the purpose of authenticating the signature. After the bearer of the payment processing device writes her signature into the signature input panel, the input signature information is compared to a pre-stored signature profile stored in the payment processing device for authentication. |
| US08429077B2 |
Web enabled bank teller machine
A system and method is provided for an ATM having a display, a logic server coupled to the display, and a memory coupled to the logic server. The logic server dynamically controls the content of screens to be displayed on the display. The memory, which is accessible to the logic server, contains a profile of at least one user.In operation, the ATM detects the swipe of a user's card and requests the profile of the user whose card was swiped from a host. The ATM then receives the user's profile and stores the user's profile in the ATM. |
| US08429073B2 |
Method and apparatus for configuring and establishing a secure credential-based network link between a client and a service over a data-packet-network
A bill-paying service has an internet-connected server executing software from a non-transitory, machine-readable medium, the software providing functionality accessing, on behalf of a user, a plurality of billing servers, logging in with credentials supplied by the user, and downloading information concerning one or more bills which the user is responsible to pay, functionality receiving a selection by the end user, indicating a bill the user wishes to pay, and functionality transmitting to the user a deep-link plug-in (DLP) for the billing server where the bill selected by the client is associated, the DLP redirecting the user to a page at the billing server where the user is enabled to pay the bill selected. |
| US08429072B1 |
System and method for processing microtransactions
Methods and systems of the invention provide a variety of techniques for processing microtransactions. In accordance with the invention, the method starts with a customer initiating a purchase through interaction with a merchant. The purchase is associated with purchase information, which includes the particulars of the purchase, such as the purchase price. In the purchase, the customer uses a transaction account, obtained from a payment enabler. The purchase is classified as a microtransaction, if the purchase price is below a predetermined monetary amount. Thereafter, the purchase information is forwarded for processing based on the classifying, i.e., either as a regular transaction or as a microtransaction. Then, upon receipt of the purchase information by an appropriate recipient, such as an interchange entity or an alternate interchange entity, the purchase information is processed to effect the microtransaction, if so classified, between the customer and the merchant. |
| US08429069B1 |
System and method for processing microtransactions
Methods and systems of the invention provide a variety of techniques for processing microtransactions. In accordance with the invention, the method starts with a customer initiating a purchase through interaction with a merchant. The purchase is associated with purchase information, which includes the particulars of the purchase, such as the purchase price. In the purchase, the customer uses a transaction account, obtained from a payment enabler. The purchase is classified as a microtransaction, if the purchase price is below a predetermined monetary amount. Thereafter, the purchase information is forwarded for processing based on the classifying, i.e., either as a regular transaction or as a microtransaction. Then, upon receipt of the purchase information by an appropriate recipient, such as an interchange entity or an alternate interchange entity, the purchase information is processed to effect the microtransaction, if so classified, between the customer and the merchant. |
| US08429068B1 |
Data aggregation for transaction banking partnerships
A system and method to assign a score to an entity involved in a transaction where the score is used to manage risk for a transaction underwriter. In particular, the score represents the ability of the entity to fulfill a financial obligation separate from the transaction where failure to fulfill the financial obligation by the entity results in defaulting on the transaction. The score assigned to the entity may be determined by aggregating data obtained from multiple sources, such as accounting application, payroll application, inventory management application, personal financial management application, and/or tax preparation application used by the entity. |
| US08429067B1 |
System and method for detecting changes in business stability
A system for detecting changes in business stability is provided. The system includes a merchant system that receives periodic payment data from one or more users, such as credit card transaction data. A credit processor coupled to the merchant system receives the periodic payment data from the merchant system and stores the periodic payment data, such as when the credit processor is compiling the credit card transaction data for submission to a credit card company. A merchant credit/risk system coupled to the credit processor generates business stability data from the periodic payment data, such as by determining when changes in the periodic payment data exceed allowable variations for such changes. |
| US08429064B2 |
Model-based selection of trade execution strategies
Effective selection of trade execution strategies using a multi-dimensional model is disclosed. A relationship exists between order difficulty and execution strategy. Execution strategy depends on order difficulty, and order difficulty has many dimensions. The multi-dimensional model classifies trade orders according to the dimensions, and then maps these classified trade orders into suitable execution strategies. For each trade order, one or more appropriate strategies are automatically selected and presented to the trader to assist the trader in making an informed and timely decision. |
| US08429057B1 |
Systems and methods for creation, issuance, redemption, conversion, offering, trading, and clearing a debt obligation convertible into cash plus a spot foreign exchange contract that is priced to reflect the value of the debt obligation in a base currency in relation to the value of a reference currency
Securities trading systems and methods for creating, issuing, offering, trading, redeeming, converting, and clearing a novel debt obligation convertible into cash plus a foreign exchange spot or forward contract that is priced to reflect the value of the debt obligation in a base currency in relation to the value of a reference currency. In the system, an order book server aggregates bid and offer information for the debt obligations. Best bid and offer information is communicated to one or more trading terminals. The trading terminals are capable of displaying best bid and offer and other information relevant to trading, redeeming, and converting the debt obligations in real time and allow a trader to trade, redeem, and convert C-Notes™ by interacting with the display on the trading terminal. The order book server and issuer calculate and track accrued interest on the debt obligations. |
| US08429056B2 |
Systems and methods for sharing excess profits
Systems and methods for trading commodity, an item or instrument are provided. The market prices and trading may be monitored to detect a spike in the market price or artificially high market price. Excess profits resulting from the sale at an artificially high market price may be distributed to market participants based upon the participant's trading record in the market or upon some other suitable method. |
| US08429053B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method and program product for fast computation of risk measures and risk contributions
An information processing apparatus includes: a rating threshold calculating unit obtaining a probability psk of transition from a rating s to a rating k stored in the storage device, and calculating a rating threshold θir at which the rating of a obligor i becomes a rating r or lower based on the obtained psk, a conditional probability calculating unit obtaining a constant ai of each obligor i stored in the storage device, and calculating a probability psir(z) that the rating of the obligor i becomes the rating r or lower under a condition that z is fixed based on the obtained ai, z calculated in the z calculating unit, and the θir calculated in the rating threshold calculating unit, and a wir calculating unit calculating a difference wir in exposure value between adjacent ratings of the obligor i based on an exposure value Vir of the obligor i when transition from a current rating to the rating r occurs, which is stored in the storage device. |
| US08429046B2 |
System and methods for servicing electronic transactions
A service transaction provider for administering a plurality of accounts for a client includes a computer having a processor, a data storage medium, and a network port. The storage medium is configured to store the clients' personal information, account information, and transactional information. The processor configured to create a database of client information including the client's personal information, account information corresponding to a plurality of accounts associated with the client, and transactional information corresponding to a plurality of transactions conducted by the client; designate as confidential a predetermined first portion of the database client information; designate as non-confidential a predetermined second portion of the database of client information non-confidential; and provide the client with access to the first and second portions of the database of client information via the network port. |
| US08429045B1 |
System and method to provide an email account
Disclosed are systems and methods to provide an email account. The systems and methods provide techniques wherein an email account is provided by a provider to a member, the system having at least one subsystem to provide a financial account for the member, provide an email account to the member, and integrate the financial account and the email account on an Internet site, thereby allowing the member to have access to the email account and the financial account on the Internet site. |
| US08429044B2 |
Lifting partner groups for allocation of lifted product consistent with production sharing contracts
An embodiment of the invention regards allocating lifted product volumes to specific entities of a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) through the use of Lifting Partner Groups (LPG) and an Entitlement Percentage (EP), which is itself calculated, consistent with the terms of the PSC. Through this system, specific PSC members no longer need to be identified for each specific terminal lift to allocate the lift back to the PSC entity. Rather, the EP is used in conjunction with the Lifting Product Groups to split up the portion of each lift attributable to each entity for actual accounting purposes, and further to determine the average sales price(s) to be used in calculating total production revenue. |
| US08429040B2 |
Facilitating compensation arrangements for data brokering
Systems and methods for data brokering, and more specifically, data brokering regarding a data provider's search-related activities, are described. In particular implementations, various aspects of facilitating a compensation arrangement between a data provider and a data consumer regarding one or more data-provider-related search activities are described. |
| US08429034B2 |
Inventory control over pharmaceutical sample distributions software, systems and methodologies
Methods for managing the distribution of samples in support of activities of field representatives which differentiate on-hand and in-storage inventories of samples that have been previously allocated from a master inventory, for example, from the inventory of a pharmaceutical company. Field representatives are assisted in managing an inventory of samples known to a database through an interface including one or more charts or tables that distinguish an on-hand quantity from an in-storage quantity, and a mechanism to identify a quantity of a particular product in the chart or table for distribution, with the database being updated to track changes at least in the on-hand quantity information. The interface can be further configured to capture the signature of a sample recipient over that person's name, presented in a signature block as a watermark in a cursive-font to deter unauthorized sample acceptance. |
| US08429028B2 |
Electronic book having electronic commerce features of recommending products and providing samples
A viewer for displaying an electronic book and providing for electronic commerce. In conjunction with viewing an electronic book, a user can view information about products and services, view an on-line electronic catalog, and receive samples of products available for purchase. By entering a purchase request, the user can purchase products or services. In the case of a digital product, the user can download the purchased product directly into the viewer. The viewer also records statistics concerning purchase and information requests in order to recommend related products or services, or for directing particular types of advertisements to the user. |
| US08429022B2 |
Method and apparatus for authorizing a payment via a remote device
A method of and system for authorizing a transaction remotely is disclosed. A customer uses a computer to browse for a product displayed on the internet. The customer may enter a unique number into the computer. The unique number is authorized and an authorization code is sent to the customer's communication device. The customer enters the authorization code into the computer to complete the transaction. |
| US08429018B2 |
System and method for detecting a possible error in a customer provided product order quantity
Prior ordering history of a product is examined to determine an historical ordering quantity distribution for a product. A customer specified, to-be-purchased quantity of a product is then compared against the determined historical ordering-quantity frequency distribution for the product. When the customer specified, to-be-purchased quantity of the product falls below a certain probability threshold determined using the historical ordering-quantity frequency distribution, or is otherwise suspicious, the customer is notified of a suspected error in the provided product order quantity and/or asked to verify if the provided product quantity is correct. |
| US08429015B2 |
Method and apparatus for varying the amount of advertising content
The illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method, an apparatus, and a computer usable program product for varying the amount of received advertising content. A content editor provides a portion of a plurality of levels of advertising to a user, wherein the portion of the plurality of levels indicates an amount of advertising content to be received by the user. Responsive to receiving a user input selecting the portion of the plurality of levels, the content editor inserts the amount of advertising content into a media content to form a modified media content, wherein the amount of advertising content corresponds to the portion of the plurality of levels selected by the user. The content editor then transmits the modified media content to the user. |
| US08429014B2 |
Method and system for providing advertising through content specific nodes over the internet
Methods and systems for providing advertising content over the Internet through a hierarchical content-specific node structure and pricing advertising delivery over each node independently. Independent delivery and pricing allows an advertiser to pay more for advertisements delivered to a narrowly targeted audience likely to be interested in the goods or services offered by the advertising entity and to pay less for advertisements directed at a more general audience who may or may not have an interest in the goods or services offered. The less content specific the node is, the less targeted the advertisement will be, and therefore, the less valuable the advertisement will be to the advertising entity. Targeted advertising to multiple levels of content specific nodes is enabled. |
| US08429007B1 |
Telecommunications service provisioning and banking of customer credits
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for providing telecommunication services based on customer groups. A customer group is offered a service plan that provides an incentive to early subscribers in the form of a more attractive pricing plan (i.e., discounts). For example, a particular subscriber may be provided a discount for each customer in the group who becomes a subscriber after the particular subscriber. The discounts and pricing plan may also be based, at least in part, on the total number of customers in the group that become subscribers. Further, in order to reduce customer churn, customer discounts or other incentives may be applied toward the end of a subscription plan period. Further, subscriber discounts and/or credits may be banked in a subscriber account. |
| US08429004B2 |
Method and system for automatically measuring retail store display compliance
Methods and systems for measuring retail store display compliance are provided. One or more images of one or more retail store conditions are captured and associated with related information. The one or more captured images and the related information are transmitted to a processing location for storage and processing. The one or more captured images and the related information are received at the processing location, stored in a repository and processed. The one or more retail store conditions in the one or more captured images are compared with a library to identify them and obtain identification information. The one or more identified captured images and identification information for the one or more retail store conditions are stored in the repository. The one or more retail store conditions in the one or more captured images and identification information are analyzed and one or more summary reports or one or more alerts are generated based upon the analysis. |
| US08429001B2 |
Limited lottery insurance
A system and method for conducting a lottery for at least one item are provided. The method includes, for each of a plurality of buyers, receiving a buyer's declared valuation for each of at least one item being offered in a lottery by a seller, the item having an assigned non-deterministic probability of being allocated to the buyer, providing insured prices for outcomes of the lottery which are a function of the buyer's declared valuation of the at least one item, randomly drawing an allocation of each of the at least one item to a respective one of the buyers, based on its assigned non-deterministic probability, and allocating the insured prices to the buyers based on respective outcomes of the random drawing. |
| US08429000B2 |
Special-ordered-set-based cost minimization
An embodiment of the invention is directed toward determining a solution to an objective function that is to be maximized or minimized. An initial feasible basis is determined. An entering variable is determined to enter the initial feasible basis. It is determined if there is an exiting variable. While there is an exiting variable, the exiting variable is removed from the feasible basis, the entering variable is added to the feasible basis, and a new entering variable is determined. |
| US08428997B2 |
Customer profitability and value analysis system
Systems and methods are provided for analyzing a business's profitability. A system for analyzing customer profitability includes an interface for receiving customer, revenue and cost data from external business operating systems. Customer, revenue, and cost data are stored on a database. A data transformation module operates on the customer data, allocating revenue and costs to individual customers. A customer profitability engine calculates the profitability of customers based on the allocated revenue and cost data. A report module generates reports illustrating the profitability results and other key performance indicators. Optionally, an average customer lifetime value may be calculated based on the customer profitability results. A method for analyzing customer profitability includes identifying sources of revenue, identifying sources of costs, and establishing rules for allocating revenue and costs to individual customers. The method further includes receiving actual customer, revenue and cost data and allocating revenue and costs to individual customers according to the allocation rules. Customer profitability and KPI values are calculated for individual customers and reports are generated illustrating the profitability results and various KPIs for individual customers or groups of customers sharing a common characteristic. |
| US08428996B2 |
Method and system automatically to support multiple transaction types, and to display seller-specific transactions of various transaction types in an integrated, commingled listing
This invention provides for a method of (or apparatus for) facilitating the display of items of multiple transaction types in a commingled listing. The display of items of multiple transaction types in a commingled listing may include items which are being offered by a specific Seller at a network based commerce facility. |
| US08428995B2 |
System and method for automating customer-validated statement of work for a data storage environment
Computer systems and methods are disclosed for improving professional services delivery, such as services in a data management environment. In certain examples, computer systems comprise portals for transmitting and receiving information from parties involved in the performance and receipt of professional services. For instance, a first portal can receive data (e.g., from sales personnel) descriptive of a customer's product environment. A manager module populates a record with the data, and a second portal provides the customer with access to the record for review, correction and/or validation prior to the generation of a Statement of Work or other like project description. The second portal can also request additional information from the customer regarding the product environment. The manager module compares the data received through the first portal with the customer-entered information to identify and/or address discrepancies between the sets of data and customize the generation of the Statement of Work. |
| US08428992B2 |
Estimating training development hours
In one aspect, a method to estimate training development hours includes receiving data on factors selected by a user using a user interface and using a computer processor to estimate training development hours based on the data on the factors. The method may further include determining the training development hours based on the data on the factors an assigned base development hours, estimated contact hours and an analysis percentage. |
| US08428991B1 |
System and method for scheduling
A method and system for scheduling is disclosed. A computer generated generic matrix is provided allowing for creation of discrete pairs of discrete elements in combination, permutation, and the like. Applications of the method and system include, but are not limited to, sports scheduling, labor scheduling, manufacturing scheduling, laboratory experiments scheduling, sales performance scheduling. |
| US08428987B2 |
Determining order lead time for a supply chain using a probability distribution of order lead time
A system and method is disclosed for estimating demand of a supply chain including accessing a probability distribution of order lead time of the supply chain. The supply chain has nodes including a starting node and an ending node and a path from the starting node to the ending node. The probability distribution of order lead time describes ending node demand of the ending node versus order lead time. The path is divided into order lead time segments which are associated with the probability distribution of order lead time by associating each order lead time segment with an order lead time range of the probability distribution of order lead time. A demand percentage is estimated for each order lead time segment in accordance with the probability distribution of order lead time, such that each demand percentage describes a percentage of a total ending node demand of an order lead time segment. |
| US08428982B2 |
Monitoring business performance
A performance monitoring system receives data from one or more data sources. It transforms the received data into the performance information relating to predefined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs); and stores it into a KPI store. The system also calculates scores based on the received data and the performance information stored in the KPI store. Thus, the system can indicate changes in the KPIs through an information presentation unit. |
| US08428980B2 |
Device and method for reserving travel products
A central computer system for processing user travel requests including an outbound journey and an inbound journey, includes elements for calculating and returning information on travel products to user, including sale prices, the central computer system being accessible from at least one user terminal, and including: A travel solutions search engine that can access at least one travel segment database (FDB) and having elements for determining outbound segments and inbound segments that comply with input criteria; A fare search engine having elements to determine the fare associated with possible travel solutions; A travel products grouping engine that applies grouping criteria which include at least one fare equivalence criterion; Elements for extracting the outbound and inbound segments from each group of travel products; Elements for displaying information on at least one group of travel products on the user terminal, separating the outbound segments and inbound segments. |
| US08428979B1 |
Digital processing machine, article, and method for an entity holding insurance
A digital data processing method, machine, and article for an entity holding insurance. The machine is configured to transform, by digital processing, data into an accounting for an entity and allocations among parties contributing permanent life insurance to the entity in producing digital output which includes the accounting and at least one of the allocations. |
| US08428978B1 |
Systems and methods for providing enhanced service using public records
Systems and methods for providing enhanced service using public records are described. A financial institution may obtain property data from public records regarding a property associated with a customer. The retrieved property data may be compared with existing customer data. The customer may be alerted and financial data associated with the customer may be modified based on the retrieved property data. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08428977B1 |
Method and apparatus for a lifetime security and protection scheme
Method and apparatus to facilitate managing a lifetime security and protection scheme for one or more cooperative members and one or more health care providers; the apparatus controls a computer system with a processor programmed so as to facilitate managing a captive insurer arrangement where each cooperative member retains ownership in a separate and independent captive risk insurance pool from which each owner cooperative member acquires annuity income benefits, health insurance, or other security or protection insurance; where the system facilitates by providing payment calculations to be made from one cooperative member's captive risk insurance pool to another cooperative member's captive risk insurance pool or to the one or more health care providers to meet the value and purpose of the cooperating entity and provide each cooperative member with lifetime security and protection; and some of the output data includes the calculated payments. |
| US08428972B1 |
Systems and methods for providing umbrella insurance policies
A system implemented on one or more computer processors for providing an umbrella insurance policy may comprise at least one subsystem configured for collecting information regarding a customer's household, at least one subsystem configured for automatically accessing existing underlying insurance policy records of the customer, and at least one subsystem configured for automatically deciding a disposition of the customer's umbrella policy application based on the information collected regarding the customer's household and information from the automatically accessing of the customer's existing underlying insurance policy records. |
| US08428967B2 |
Spot check monitor credit system
A spot check credit system advantageously includes various embodiments for obtaining authorization or payment for each measurement, groups of measurements, times of measurement or the like. In an embodiment, the system utilizes a server that communicates web pages over a computer network. In an embodiment, the system utilizes a digital communication device such as a photocommunicative key. |
| US08428957B2 |
Spectral noise shaping in audio coding based on spectral dynamics in frequency sub-bands
A technique of spectral noise shaping in an audio coding system is disclosed. Frequency decomposition of an input audio signal is performed to obtain multiple frequency sub-bands that closely follow critical bands of human auditory system decomposition. The tonality of each sub-band is determined. If a sub-band is tonal, time domain linear prediction (TDLP) processing is applied to the sub-band, yielding a residual signal and linear predictive coding (LPC) coefficients of an all-pole model representing the sub-band signal. The residual signal is further processed using a frequency domain linear prediction (FDLP) method. The FDLP parameters and LPC coefficients are transferred to a decoder. At the decoder, an inverse-FDLP process is applied to the encoded residual signal followed by an inverse TDLP process, which shapes the quantization noise according to the power spectral density of the original sub-band signal. Non-tonal sub-band signals bypass the TDLP process. |
| US08428950B2 |
Recognizer weight learning apparatus, speech recognition apparatus, and system
A speech recognition apparatus (110) selects an optimum recognition result from recognition results output from a set of speech recognizers (s1-sM) based on a majority decision. This decision is implemented with taking into account weight values, as to the set of the speech recognizers, learned by a learning apparatus (100). The learning apparatus includes a unit (103) selecting speech recognizers corresponding to characteristics of speech for learning (101), a unit (104) finding recognition results of the speech for learning by using the selected speech recognizers, a unit (105) unifying the recognition results and generating a word string network, and a unit (106) finding weight values concerning a set of the speech recognizers by implementing learning processing. When finding weight values, the learning apparatus selects a word from each arc set in the word string network based on a majority decision which is taken into account candidates of weight value, and outputs weight value candidates which minimize a recognition error rate of a word string formed of the selected words, as a learning result. |
| US08428948B1 |
Usage based query response
It is possible to provide meaningful responses to queries using systems which consider usage of words in the queries when analyzing those queries and determining what information is possibly relevant. This approach can be applied in online shopping systems by identification of nouns or noun phrases reflecting products available through the system. |
| US08428944B2 |
System and method for performing compensated speech recognition
A speech recognition system prompts a user to provide a first utterance, which is recorded. Speech recognition is performed on the first user utterance to yield a recognition result. The user is prompted to provide a second user utterance, which is recorded, processed and compared to the first utterance to detect a plurality of acoustic differences for each acoustic parameter. The acoustic model used by the speech recognition engine is modified as a function of the acoustic difference. |
| US08428942B2 |
Method and apparatus for re-encoding signals
At the time of encoding audio content, the finally required data rate for delivery to the customer may be unknown. A data format is disclosed that is optimized for serving as Intermediate Format for efficient and fast recoding, to obtain one or more standard complying lossy encoded data streams with flexible data rates. Encoding can be performed in two steps that are inter-coordinated for cooperating, but may be locally and/or temporally separate. Between the partial encoders encoding parameters and/or auxiliary data are transmitted in a separate parameter enhancement layer, which complements a lossy data stream and can be used by the second encoder or transcoder for fast and computationally efficient implementation of the second encoding step. An additional lossless enhancement layer allows lossless reconstruction. |
| US08428941B2 |
Method and apparatus for lossless encoding of a source signal using a lossy encoded data stream and a lossless extension data stream
In lossy based lossless coding a PCM audio signal passes through a lossy encoder to a lossy decoder. The lossy encoder provides a lossy bit stream. The difference signal between the PCM signal and the lossy decoder output is lossless encoded, providing an extension bit stream. The invention facilitates enhancing a lossy perceptual audio encoding/decoding by an extension that enables mathematically exact reproduction of the original waveform using enhanced de-correlation, and provides additional data for reconstructing at decoder site an intermediate-quality audio signal. The lossless extension can be used to extend the widely used mp3 encoding/decoding to lossless encoding/decoding and superior quality mp3 encoding/de-coding. |
| US08428936B2 |
Decoder for audio signal including generic audio and speech frames
A method for decoding audio frames includes producing a first frame of coded audio samples, producing at least a portion of a second frame of coded audio samples, generating audio gap filler samples based on parameters representative of a weighted segment of the first frame of coded audio samples or a weighted segment of the portion of the second frame of coded audio samples, and forming a sequence including the audio gap filler samples and the portion of the second frame of coded audio samples. |
| US08428935B2 |
Neural network for classifying speech and textural data based on agglomerates in a taxonomy table
A speech and textual analysis device and method for forming a search and/or classification catalog. The device is based on a linguistic database and includes a taxonomy table containing variable taxon nodes. The speech and textual analysis device includes a weighting module, a weighting parameter being additionally assigned to each stored taxon node to register recurrence frequency of terms in the linguistic and/or textual data that is to be classified and/or sorted. The speech and/or textual analysis device includes an integration module for determining a predefinable number of agglomerates based on the weighting parameters of the taxon nodes in the taxonomy table and at least one neuronal network module for classifying and/or sorting the speech and/or textual data based on the agglomerates in the taxonomy table. |
| US08428934B2 |
Prose style morphing
This invention is a method for incrementally and multi-dimensionally adjusting prose style in the following steps: creating a database of sets of phrase synonyms; assigning rankings and/or values to phrases in the database for each phrase's ranking and/or value with respect to a selected dimension of prose style, for at least two different dimensions of prose style; receiving input prose from a user; receiving a style adjustment preference from a user for at least one dimension of prose style through a multi-dimensional style-adjusting interface; and making adjustments to the style of the input prose using the database of phrase synonyms and phrase rankings and/or values in order to achieve the style adjustment preference specified by the user. |
| US08428931B2 |
Mainframe data stream proxy and method for caching communication between emulators and mainframes
The present invention concerns a mainframe data stream proxy (MDSP) (1) for caching communication of at least one emulator (2) directed to at least one mainframe (3), wherein the MDSP (1) comprises: a. a runtime application server (10), adapted for receiving (101, 201) at least one emulator action from the at least one emulator (2) and for sending (105, 209) at least one corresponding mainframe action to the at least one emulator (2); b. wherein the runtime application server (10) is further adapted for retrieving (102, 103) the at least one corresponding mainframe action to be sent to the at least one emulator (2) from a cache (20) of the MDSP (1). |
| US08428928B1 |
System and method for dynamically representing repetitive loads of a circuit during simulation
A system for dynamically representing repetitive loads of a circuit during simulation includes a simulator module having one or more computer programs for 1) identifying one or more driver circuits for driving a plurality of repetitive receiver circuits, where each driver circuit has an output port and each repetitive receiver circuit has an input port, 2) creating a branch node driver for connecting the input ports of the plurality of repetitive receiver circuits and the output ports of the one or more driver circuits, 3) creating a shared load for representing aggregated input port loads of the plurality of receiver circuits having a substantially same isomorphic behavior, 4) creating a port connectivity interface for communicating changes of signal conditions between the output ports of the one or more driver circuits and the corresponding input ports of the plurality of repetitive receiver circuits, and 5) simulating the one or more driver circuits and the plurality of repetitive receiver circuits in accordance with the branch node driver, the shared load and the port connectivity interface. |
| US08428927B2 |
Simulation method and simulation apparatus
A simulation method includes obtaining an execution log generated while a predetermined processing is executed by simulating a series of operations in a test model that is a modeled version of a test target device by causing a predetermined processing to be executed in the test model, extracting a processing unit log constituted by a predetermined processing unit from the execution log obtained in the obtaining, and simulating an operation in which processing corresponding to the processing unit log extracted in the extracting is executed in a test model in which a part of function of the test target device is modified, the operation being simulated on the basis of a setting condition set by a user. |
| US08428926B2 |
Virtual simulator method and system for neuromuscular training and certification via a communication network
A virtual simulator method and system via a communication network with possible physics law respect is used to create a virtual skill training environment for dexterity fulfillment of physical activities such as professional work, labor or craft activities, sport or even physical rehabilitation requirements where the skills or neuromuscular ability is required to be performed in a precise environment. All information required insuring a code of conduct, state-of-the-art, physic laws, technical code and technique for physical activities training certification for a member are managed and maintained in a database by an online processor. This database is maintained for continuous neuromuscular training improvement updates. Access to a third party witness in this training program is allowed to ensure code, law and state-of-the-art integrity when certification is required. |
| US08428920B2 |
Methods and systems for dynamic wrinkle prediction
Systems and methods for predicting a dynamic wrinkle property are provided. In one embodiment, a method of predicting a dynamic wrinkle property of a material for incorporation with an upholstered article includes selecting a plurality of material property categories and determining a material property for each selected material property category of a material. A dynamic wrinkle factor is assigned for each material property category based at least in part on the material property associated with the material property category. A dynamic wrinkle weight value is applied to each dynamic wrinkle factor to generate a weighted dynamic wrinkle factor for each material property category. The method further includes determining a predicted dynamic wrinkle score based at least in part on the weighted dynamic wrinkle factors and altering one or more material properties of the material if the predicted dynamic wrinkle score is below a benchmark value. |
| US08428918B2 |
System and method for occupancy estimation
A system generates occupancy estimates based on a Kinetic-Motion (KM)-based model that predicts the movements of occupants through a region divided into a plurality of segments. The system includes a controller for executing an algorithm representing the KM-based model. The KM-based model includes state equations that define each of the plurality of segments as containing congested portions and uncongested portions. The state equations define the movement of occupants based, in part, on the distinctions made between congested and uncongested portions of each segment. |
| US08428917B2 |
Signal processing device and signal processing method
A signal processing device includes a transformer simulator for simulating transfer characteristic of a transformer which changes in frequency characteristic depending on a load connected to the transformer and processing an input signal with the transfer characteristic to output the processed signal, and a load impedance simulator for simulating impedance characteristic of a predetermined load to output the impedance characteristic. The transformer simulator simulates the transfer characteristic of the transformer to which the load having the load impedance which is simulated by the load impedance simulator is connected. |
| US08428914B2 |
Method and simulator for real-time calculation of state variables of a process model
A method for real-time calculation of state variables (xM) of a process model on a process computer with a first calculating unit and a process interface, wherein the computer is designed so that at least one state variable of a physical process can be received by the computer using the interface and/or at least one output variable for controlling the process can be issued by the computer, wherein the model is calculated by the first calculating unit with an explicit integration method for determining the state variables. According to this method, a second calculating unit is provided, the model is carried out with the second calculating unit using an implicit integration method essentially simultaneously with the calculation of the model with the first calculating unit and the state variables (xM,i) calculated with the second calculating unit and the implicit method are used as state variables (xM) of the model. |
| US08428905B2 |
System and method for auto triggering of a data acquisition device
A data acquisition device for an auto triggering thereof includes a movement detector, a distance detector, a processor, and a data acquiring component. The movement detector detects movement data of the data acquisition device. The movement data indicates a state of movement for the data acquisition device. The state of movement is one of static and dynamic. The distance detector detects distance data between the data acquisition device and an object to which data is to be acquired. The processor receives the movement data to determine the state of movement and, when the state of movement is determined to be static, receives the distance data to determine the distance of the object from the data acquisition device. The data acquiring component acquires the data from the object when the processor initially determines that the state of movement is static and subsequently determines the distance is within a predetermined range. |
| US08428902B2 |
System and method for measuring fiber temperatures using OTDR measurements
Described herein are systems and methods for calculating a relative temperature of a fiber-optic cable using bi-directional analysis traces with an optical time-domain reflectometer (“OTDR”). Analysis of bi-directional traces along a length of fiber-optic cable yields a scaled local backscatter coefficient of the fiber. Accordingly, an initial set of measurement data is collected at a first time interval and a base scaled local backscatter along a fiber is calculated. A subsequent set of measurement data is collected at a second time interval and a subsequent scaled local backscatter along the fiber is calculated. The exemplary systems and methods described herein determines a change in scaled local backscatter as a function of a difference between the base scaled local backscatter and at least the subsequent scaled local scaled local backscatter along the fiber, and then determines a relative temperature variation of the fiber as a function of the change in scaled local backscatter. |
| US08428896B2 |
Malfunction detecting apparatus
A malfunction detecting apparatus for detecting a malfunction of a voltage detecting device accurately, including a low-voltage-system CPU which controls voltage detecting circuits to detect voltage between both terminals of one unit cell from among unit cells included in blocks corresponding to voltage detecting circuits. When variation of the voltage between both terminals detecting by the low-voltage-system CPU is at least an allowable error determined by a detection accuracy of the voltage detecting circuits, an abnormal condition of the voltage detecting circuits is detected. |
| US08428894B2 |
Measuring and monitoring a power source
Battery testing sensors, and systems and methods for testing batteries, are disclosed. Each battery sensor has a microcontroller programmed to analyze the frequencies of noise or other undesirable signals (“background noise”) present at a battery to be tested, and to determine the duty cycle of a desired pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to be applied to the battery in view of the background noise. Duty cycles of desired PWM signals are selected such that, when applied to the battery, they will at least approximate an AC signal having a frequency that has been determined to provide optimal test results in view of the background noise. The microcontroller analyzes the battery's response from application of the PWM signal thereto. Consequently, measurement errors from background noise present at the battery are minimized. Based on the response, attributes of the battery, such as internal admittance, voltage, current, and temperature, are determined. |
| US08428892B2 |
Viscous fluid flow measurement using a differential pressure measurement and a SONAR measured velocity
A method and apparatus for determining a parameter of fluid flow within a piping system is provided. The method includes the steps of: determining a measured velocity of the fluid flow using a fluid flow meter; determining a measured difference in pressure value within the fluid flow using a differential pressure meter; selecting an estimated Reynolds number of the fluid flow; determining a calculated difference in pressure value using a model which relates the calculated difference in pressure value to the measured velocity and the estimated Reynolds number of the fluid flow; determining a degree of inaccuracy of the estimated Reynolds number using the measured difference in pressure and the calculated difference in pressure; and iteratively adjusting the estimated Reynolds number, determining the calculated difference in pressure, and determining the degree of inaccuracy using the adjusted Reynolds number, until the degree of inaccuracy is within an acceptable range. |
| US08428891B2 |
Systems and methods for apportioning usage of a utility in a multi-unit building
Usage of a utility in a multi-unit building is apportioned to a single unit by measuring the total usage of the utility using a meter unit to produce a total usage measurement, then positioning at least one sensor unit in a single unit of the multi-unit building and monitoring usage of the utility by the single unit using the at least one sensor unit to produce monitoring data. Then a processor unit receives the total usage measurement and the monitoring data and correlates them to generate correlated data. Finally, the processor unit apportions the total usage measurement to the single unit based on the correlated data. |
| US08428883B2 |
Multi-component medicine evaluation method
A method for evaluation of a multi-component medicine by judging the degree of difference of the multi-component medicine to be evaluated from a group of multi-component medicines selected as a reference group by using a Mahalanobis distance obtained by combining the 3D-HPLC fingerprint data of a multi-component medicine with fingerprint data of 3D-HPLC of other multi-component medicines of the same kind forming a reference group, allocating variable axes in the MT method to the number of multi-component medicine and the elution time or detection wavelength of the fingerprint data, obtaining a unit space from the signal strength, and obtaining the Mahalanobis distance of the multi-component medicine from the unit space. |
| US08428880B2 |
Method of processing data obtained from seismic prospecting
A method of processing data obtained from seismic prospecting of an earth formation, comprises obtaining data representing a multicomponent seismic signal from a multicomponent seismic receiver at a receiver location in an earth formation, in response to transmitting seismic waves into the earth formation; performing a wave-equation migration of the multicomponent seismic signal to obtain a seismic image of the earth formation, wherein the polarization of the seismic wave at the receiver location is taken into account and wherein a seismic image value at a point in the earth formation is calculated from a sum of products of a source field component for a particular dimension and a complex conjugated back propagated wave field component for the same dimension, summed over a plurality of dimensions. |
| US08428878B2 |
Lightning strike simulation apparatus, method thereof, and program
A lightning strike simulation apparatus includes a storage device for storing lightning strike data, a setting unit for setting a simulation target in a simulation space, a downward leader advancing unit for advancing a downward leader from a lightning strike start position set by the setting unit, an upward leader advancing unit for advancing upward leaders from lightning strike-receiving candidate points set in the simulation space when a distance between a leading edge of the downward leader and a reference point is within a first threshold value, and a lightning strike point determination unit for, when a distance between a leading edge of the downward leader and a leading edge of any one of the upward leaders is within a second threshold value, determining that the lightning strike-receiving candidate point corresponding to the any one of the upward leaders is a lightning strike point. |
| US08428875B2 |
GPS management system
A method applied to a mobile device having a GPS receiver having access to a network interface is disclosed. When transmitting via the network interface a first command to edit a user location information on the network interface based on a first geo-information from the GPS receiver to update location information displayed on a website, a destination list stored in the mobile device is updated with transmission destination network address and current GPS receiver location information. Stored location information is periodically compared to current GPS receiver locations and when determined that the GPS receiver has moved at least a predetermined distance from the location stored in the destination list, the method transmits via the network interface a second command to edit a user location information on the network interface based on a second geo-information from the GPS receiver to the website to update or invalidate displayed location information. |
| US08428873B2 |
Panoramic images within driving directions
Embodiments of the present invention enable displaying a plurality of driving direction steps that form a driving directions path between a start address and a destination address; receiving input selecting a driving direction step of said plurality of driving direction steps; and displaying a panoramic image of a geographic area where a driving action associated with said selected driving direction step would be performed by a driver. In other embodiments, the panoramic image is replaced and/or complemented with one or more of 3D models, full-motion video, full-motion video of 360 degrees images, and live feeds from video cameras to provide enhanced driving directions. |
| US08428872B2 |
System and method for entry of taxi route on control display unit
A system and method is provided for receiving and displaying a taxiway navigation route on a control display unit having at least one entry field and a plurality of display lines. A plurality of taxi route segments are received from an entry field. The plurality of taxi route segments include at least a first taxi route segment and a second taxi route segment. The taxi route segments are assigned to separate display lines in the order in which the taxi route segments were received to form a taxiway navigation route. The taxi route segments are displayed on the control display unit in the order in which the taxi route segments were received. The display line in which the first taxi route segment is to be assigned can be selected. In addition, navigation data corresponding to the taxi route segments can be identified, retrieved, and assigned to the respective taxi route segment. |
| US08428865B2 |
Navigation system and roadway search method
The present invention provides a navigation system and roadway search method capable of easily searching for a roadway even if a user does not accurately know the name of the roadway. The navigation system includes an icon display unit that displays roadway icons by road type on a screen, and a search key setting unit that specifies a road type corresponding to the icon selected from the icons displayed on the screen, and sets a roadway name corresponding to the icon selected from the icons displayed on the screen as a search key through a user operation. The navigation system displays icons on the screen that are constituted by marks that are similar to marks actually used for roadways in paper maps or road signs. Thus the user is able to search for a roadway without needing to know the complete name of the desired roadway. |
| US08428864B2 |
Devices, systems, and methods for testing crash avoidance technologies
A Guided Soft Target (GST) system and method provides a versatile test system and methodology for the evaluation of various crash avoidance technologies. This system and method can be used to replicate the pre-crash motions of the CP in a wide variety of crash scenarios while minimizing physical risk, all while consistently providing radar and other sensor signatures substantially identical to that of the item being simulated. The GST system in various example embodiments may comprise a soft target vehicle or pedestrian form removably attached to a programmable, autonomously guided, self-propelled Dynamic Motion Element (DME), which may be operated in connection with a wireless computer network operating on a plurality of complimentary communication networks. Specific DME geometries are provided to minimize ride disturbance and observability by radar and other sensors. Computer controlled DME braking systems are disclosed as well as break-away and retractable antenna systems. |
| US08428862B2 |
Collision detecting device
An object is to be able to accurately discriminate an object of a collision. A device has a collision detection to which are connected a pressure sensor that detects pressure within a pressure chamber, and a vehicle speed sensor that detects vehicle speed, and the collision detection determines effective mass of a collided object on the basis of an integrated value obtained by integrating, at a predetermined sectional integration width, detection results of the pressure sensor, and a converted vehicle speed signal obtained by subtracting a predetermined value α from a vehicle speed signal of the vehicle speed sensor by using a predetermined vehicle speed converting map or the like. Then, when the determined effective mass exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the collided object is discriminated as a pedestrian. |
| US08428860B2 |
Vehicle driving assistance
A vehicle (2) comprises sensor units (10) for collecting sensor data, and a processing unit (11) for processing the sensor data. A method of providing driving assistance information comprises the steps of: determining the cost (c) of pairs (30, 31, 32) of acceleration values on the basis of the sensor data, each pair of acceleration values representing a longitudinal (a lon) and a lateral (a lat) acceleration of the vehicle, —selecting a pair (32) of least cost acceleration values, and—providing driving assistance information including the pair of least cost acceleration values. The processing unit (10) may be arranged for providing visible, audible and/or haptic driving assistance information to the driver of the vehicle, and/or for providing steering assistance. |
| US08428858B2 |
Traffic-jam state calculation systems, methods, and programs
Systems, methods, and programs obtain probe information, the probe information comprising an average speed of probe cars traveling on each of a plurality of links in a predetermined area. The systems, methods, and programs detect, for each of the plurality of links, a first degree of a traffic jam corresponding to the link for each of a plurality of different thresholds by comparing the average speed with each of the thresholds. The systems, methods, and programs obtain traffic-jam information concerning the plurality of links, the obtained traffic information comprising a second degree of the traffic jam corresponding to each of the plurality of links. The systems, methods, and programs compare, for each of the plurality of links, the second degree of the traffic jam with the first degree of the traffic jam for each of the thresholds. The systems, methods, and programs select, for the predetermined area, a threshold from the plurality of thresholds for which the first degree of the traffic jam most matches the second degree of the traffic jam and utilize the selected threshold to determine a severity of the traffic jam for each of the plurality of links. |
| US08428857B2 |
Method and apparatus matching incoming to outgoing vehicle signatures to estimate arterial vehicular movement
A roadway information system is disclosed with components generating and using vehicle signatures for vehicles passing near sensor pods located on or near lanes. Means and/or processors for matching incoming and outgoing vehicle signatures are disclosed creating an in-out vehicle match table used to generate a vehicle movement estimate or its components including a travel time and/or vehicle count. |
| US08428853B2 |
Malfunction diagnostic apparatus and malfunction diagnostic method for intake air temperature sensors
A malfunction diagnostic apparatus for intake air temperature sensors includes a coolant temperature sensor; a first determination portion that determines that a precondition for performing a malfunction diagnosis is satisfied when a process of starting an engine is started, if a detected coolant temperature is determined to be equal to an intake air temperature detected by an intake air temperature sensor provided at a portion that is likely to be cooled, and a decrease amount, by which the detected coolant temperature decreases, is equal to or larger than a preset value; a second determination portion that makes a tentative determination based on a difference between the detected intake air temperatures, if the precondition is satisfied; and a third determination portion that determines whether the tentative determination is an invalid determination or a valid determination, based on a change in the detected intake air temperatures during a given time period. |
| US08428850B2 |
Fuel injection control apparatus of internal combustion engine
In one embodiment, a total fuel injection amount is calculated from a torque required by an engine. A division ratio of a pre-injection amount that achieves both suppression of ignition delay of fuel from a main injection and suppression of a peak value of a heat production ratio of combustion from the main injection is calculated. Upper and lower limit guards are given to the obtained divided amount, and the divided injection amount is calculated. The injection amount of the main injection is obtained by subtracting the divided injection amount from the total fuel injection amount. |
| US08428844B2 |
Vehicle pneumatic booster system operating method and apparatus
An apparatus and method for improving vehicle performance by application of pneumatic boost to vehicle engines, including diesel engines having at least one turbocharger supplying air to the engine, in a manner which increases engine torque output while minimizing the potential for exceed various operating limits to the maximum practicable extent. The vehicle's pneumatic booster system controller implements strategies for shaping the rate of the air injection during a boost event, tailoring the air injection to obtain maximum engine torque output while respecting the operating limits, by controlling the timing, duration, quantity and/or injection pattern during a boost event to achieve a refined distribution of compressed air injection over the course of the boost event to provide desired engine torque output and fuel efficiency while minimizing the potential for exceeding a wide variety of operation limits, regulatory, engineering and passenger comfort limits. |
| US08428840B2 |
Method for controlling torque at one or more wheels of a vehicle
An exemplary method for controlling torque at one or more wheels of a vehicle, including controlling both positive torque (acceleration) and negative torque (braking) with a single torque command. According to one embodiment, the method interprets the acceleration and braking intent of the driver, takes into consideration certain special conditions (e.g., vehicle dynamic conditions like wheel slip, over- and under-steer, etc.), and generates one or more individual torque commands that are sent to individual wheels or corners of the vehicle. The individual torque commands may address certain chassis and powertrain functions like acceleration and braking, and may provide full-feature torque control (i.e., acceleration, braking, vehicle dynamics, etc.) on an individual wheel basis. It is also possible for the method to be used in a system where a number of the common chassis, powertrain and/or vehicle dynamic modules have been integrated into a single torque control module or the like. |
| US08428836B2 |
Driveline protection systems and methods using measured steering angle
An engine control system comprises a limit determination module and a torque control module. The limit determination module selectively varies a torque limit based on a steering angle. The torque control module selectively limits torque output by an engine to the torque limit. |
| US08428834B2 |
Control system of automatic transmission
A control system of an automatic transmission including a stepwise variable transmission section and a continuously variable transmission section makes a speed change control of the continuously variable transmission section cooperate with a change of an input rotation speed of the stepwise variable transmission section and is configured to judge, during the shift change of the stepwise variable transmission section, whether a delivery of a torque from one of a plurality of disengaging side frictional elements to one of a plurality of engaging side frictional elements is completed, and to start the speed change control of the continuously variable transmission section upon judgment that the delivery of the torque is completed and that an inertial phase has started. |
| US08428833B2 |
Method and device for controlling power output of engine for working machine
An engine control device detects the state of work of a working vehicle such as a construction machine or the like, and controls the power output capacity of an engine automatically. A determination is made as to whether excavation or uphill traveling is being performed, based upon the detection signals from a hydraulic oil pressure detector for a hydraulic cylinder of an arm, detectors for arm and bucket operation commands, a shift operation detector for a transmission, a pitch angle detector for the vehicle body, a traveling acceleration detector, and an accelerator opening degree detector. When the result of this determination is that excavation or uphill traveling is being performed, the engine is controlled to operate at a high power capacity, while at other times it is controlled to operate at a low power output capacity. |
| US08428832B2 |
Method and apparatus for calculating payload weight
An apparatus for determining the weight of a payload in a bucket of a machine where the bucket is attached to a chassis of the machine by a linkage. The apparatus comprises an energy storage device for storing potential energy of the bucket, payload, and linkage when the bucket is moved from a first suspended position to a second suspended position. A mechanism provides physical data corresponding to a physical change in the energy storage device caused by storage of the potential energy and a processor calculates the weight of the payload using the physical data. |
| US08428827B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling rotational movement of a vehicle turret
An apparatus for controlling rotational movement of a turret of a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a first communication port that is adapted to receive input signals from a first input device for controlling rotation of the turret. A second communication port is adapted to receive input signals from a second input device for controlling rotation of the turret. A controller generates control signals for operational control of the vehicle turret in response to receipt of an input signal from at least one of the first and second input devices. |
| US08428825B2 |
Seatbelt control device
In the case of a severe collision, the severity of the collision exceeds a first threshold value at which a pretensioner mechanism starts to activate, and then exceeds a second threshold value within a collision-discriminating time range T following the start of the activation; therefore, the force limiter mechanism unit is set at a high load. In the case of a gentle collision, the severity of the collision exceeds the first threshold value, at which the pretensioner mechanism starts to activate, but does not exceed the second threshold value within the collision-discriminating time range T following the start of the activation; therefore the force limiter mechanism unit is set at a low load. Therefore, without a determination delay, the switching of the force limiter mechanism can be appropriately selected. |
| US08428822B2 |
Method of determining a steering angle in a motor vehicle
A method for determining a steering angle of a steering shaft in a motor vehicle is disclosed. The method uses a rotation sensor associated with an electric motor of a power steering system to determine the relative steering angle of the steering column. The relative steering angle is measured relative to an initial position of the steering column during vehicle startup. The relative steering angle is reset each time the motor vehicle is turned on. |
| US08428819B2 |
Suspension system with optimized damper response for wide range of events
An analytical methodology for the specification of progressive optimal compression damping of a damper of a suspension system to negotiate a multiplicity of severe events, yet provides very acceptable ride quality and handling during routine events. The damping response of the damper is optimized based upon a progressive optimal constrained events damping function derived from a low envelope curve incorporated with a predetermined damper force acting on the wheel center below a predetermined wheel center velocity, u1, based on ride and handling considerations for a given vehicle or vehicle model according to the prior art methodology, whereby the low envelope curve is constructed utilizing a one degree of freedom nonlinear mechanical system model or a quarter car nonlinear mechanical system model. |
| US08428818B2 |
Lubricant oil state warning device for a working vehicle
When the drive of a lubricant pump (46) is stopped to prevent the lubricant pump (46) from assuming an idling state, a determination is made as to whether or not a temperature difference (ΔT) between the temperature (T) of a lubricant oil detected earlier by a temperature sensor (51) and a warning temperature (Toh) is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold value (α). When the temperature difference (ΔT) is within the threshold value (α), an “overheat” warning is issued to an operator of a dump truck (1). In consequence, even in a case where a temperature sensor (51) is provided on the output side of the lubricant pump (46) by being located on an outer side of a wheel mounting case (19), planetary gear reduction mechanisms (23), (31) inside the wheel mounting case (19) can be prevented from overheating by warning the operator of the vehicle. |
| US08428817B2 |
Vehicle cooling fan control system and vehicle cooling fan control method
Vehicle cooling fan control system and method which prevent an occupant from hearing peculiar sounds from a cooling fan due to a decrease in rotation speed are provided. The vehicle cooling fan control system according to the present invention is configured not to stop the rotation of a fan motor for a predetermined time even upon satisfaction of an air conditioner stoppage condition as long as a vehicle interior is quiet. |