| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08684633B2 |
Modular block connecting techniques
One embodiment of a system of the present disclosure can be implemented as follows. A plurality of wall blocks are stacked to form at least a portion of a retaining wall, each wall block having an interior face, an exterior face; a top surface, and a bottom surface. The system further includes retaining means for securing at least one reinforcement member between stacked wall blocks, the retaining means including a pair of reinforcement member retaining bars that are positioned within a slot crossing the transverse length of the top surface of at least one wall block. A first of the retaining means secures the at least one reinforcement member against the bottom of the slot and a second of the retaining means secures the first retaining members against the side of the slot, such that the at least one reinforcement member is additionally secured between the pair of retaining means. Other systems and methods are also provided. |
| US08684630B2 |
Underwater reinforced concrete silo for oil drilling and production applications
Concrete silo for offshore drilling and production operations includes a reinforced concrete foundation secured at the seabed by steel piles and steel anchors embedded into the seabed. An exterior vertical reinforced concrete wall is supported by the foundation. An interior vertical reinforced concrete wall is supported by the foundation and houses a central cell. A series of radial shear walls extend between the exterior concrete wall and the interior concrete wall to form a series of perimeter cells. A roof and series of horizontally extending service platforms are supported off of the outer concrete wall and the interior concrete wall. A series of vertical well casings extend through the concrete foundation and down into the seabed for drilling operations. |
| US08684629B2 |
Sea floor anchoring apparatus
A sea floor anchoring apparatus including a first and second tube, the second tube extending through the first tube's hollow bore and forming an annulus between the first and second tubes; rotary bearings interconnecting the first and second tubes for rotation of the second tube within the first tube; sand agitating teeth attached to the second tube's lower end; a turbine pump connected to the first and second tubes for, upon the rotation of the second tube, driving the water downwardly through the annulus; and a motor and motor housing assembly further interconnecting the first and second tubes, the motor turning the second tube, the teeth, and the turbine. |
| US08684627B2 |
Decorative concrete and method of installing the same
A decorative concrete product and method of making the same is provided. The concrete surface carries a unique textural and visual decorative pattern that is troweled over the uncured surface. The decorative pattern strategically conceals any imperfections in the concrete surface. A decorative finishing tool is utilized to create a unique and consistent pattern throughout the exposed surface of the concrete. Unique visual patterns may include any aesthetic design including wood grain, or lightly finished honed or cut stone. The decorative finishing tool may be configured so that varying textures and contours may consistently be imprinted throughout the concrete. Advantageously, the cured concrete retains the durability of a concrete surface while carrying a visually and texturally appealing appearance. |
| US08684626B2 |
Permeable paver and manufacturing method therefor
A permeable paver that has water permeability of on average about 1 inch per hour and compressive strength of an average of about 8000 psi, the paver manufactured by forming a mixture comprising blast-furnace slag, sand, gravel and portland cement into predetermined sizes, shapes and colors as desired utilizing a hydraulic-type or equivalent compacting block forming machine. |
| US08684624B2 |
Tolerance ring
A tolerance ring includes a curved strip having first and second ends. Additionally, the tolerance ring includes a plurality of projections formed on the curved strip, and a physical connection between the first and second ends such that the curved strip forms a closed loop. |
| US08684623B2 |
Tool coupler having anti-release mechanism
A tool coupler for a machine is provided herein. In an embodiment, the tool coupler may have a coupler frame, a hook coupled to the coupler frame and configured to receive a first pin of a tool, and a wedge operatively connected to the coupler frame. The tool coupler may also have an actuator connected to move the wedge away from the hook to bias a second pin of the tool against the coupler frame, and a latch associated with the wedge. The latch may be movable between a first position at which the wedge is allowed to move away from the second pin, and a second position at which the wedge is constrained from moving away from the second pin. |
| US08684622B2 |
Coupling pin and method of use thereof
A coupling pin comprising a carriage member and a riding member longitudinally slidable over the carriage member. The carriage member and riding member being mutually inclined longitudinally, and together complementing each other to form a uniform pin. The pin may be inserted into an aperture such that the carriage member is first disposed therein, and a force subsequently applied to the riding member causing it to move longitudinally with respect to the carriage member, into a load-bearing position. |
| US08684619B2 |
Cleaning device having plural and customizable cleaning surfaces
A device for cleaning debris from a target surface. The device has a sole plate with permanent bristles and a removable/replaceable pad. The device also has a replaceable, on-board supply of cleanser. The pad/cleanser may be replaced when depleted and replaced with a new pad/cleanser or may simply be replaced with a new pad/cleanser when that pad/cleanser is more suitable for a particular cleaning task. |
| US08684616B2 |
Applicator for applying a composition to the eyelashes and/or the eyebrows
An applicator for applying a composition to human keratinous materials, in particular the eyelashes or the eyebrows includes a stem and an applicator member that is carried by the stem. The applicator member includes a support, made as a single part, including an internal branch and a second branch; and an applicator portion that is engaged, at least in part, between the internal branch and the second branch. The applicator portion extends all around the internal branch, over at least a fraction of the length of the applicator portion where it is engaged between the branches. |
| US08684615B2 |
Applicator device for fluid product
A fluid applicator device, comprising: a fluid reservoir (1) including a neck (11) defining an inside wall (12) defining an opening (10); a fastener collar (2) that is assembled in sealed manner on the neck (11) of the reservoir, the collar (2) defining an orifice (24); and a closure member (3) that is capable of closing the orifice (24) of the collar (2), the closure member including a fluid extractor and/or applicator element (31) that extends through the orifice of the collar and into the reservoir (1); the collar having wiper means (25) formed integrally therewith for wiping the extractor and/or applicator element (31) while it is being removed from the reservoir; the device being characterized in that the wiper means (25) are movable between an initial position prior to being assembled on the neck, and a final position after being assembled on the neck, the wiper means (25) being constrained in the final position by the neck (11) of the reservoir. |
| US08684614B2 |
Detergent dispensing and pre-treatment cap
A detergent dispensing cap for pre-treating a stained fabric. The cap can have a pour volume sized and dimensioned to provide for a unit dose of the detergent composition. A portion of the cap can be provided with surface irregularities for scrubbing a stain. |
| US08684607B2 |
Thrust sliding bearing and combination mechanism of the thrust sliding bearing and piston rod with coil spring
A thrust sliding bearing 1 includes an synthetic resin-made annular bearing body 5 having an annular upper surface 2, an annular outer peripheral surface 3, and an annular lower surface 4; a synthetic resin-made annular bearing body 7 having an annular lower surface 6; a sheet metal-made reinforcement member 10 having an annular lower surface 8 and an annular upper surface 9; a synthetic resin-made thrust sliding bearing piece 11 interposed between the annular upper surface 9 of the reinforcement member 10 and the annular lower surface 6 of the bearing body 7; and a synthetic resin-made radial sliding bearing piece 16 disposed between an annular inner peripheral surface 13 of a hollow cylindrical portion 12 of the reinforcement member 10 and an annular outer peripheral surface 15 of a hollow cylindrical portion 14 of the bearing body 7. |
| US08684603B2 |
Sliding pulg and sliding element
The invention relates to a sliding plug and to a sliding element. The sliding plug, which is inserted into a carrier body of a sliding element, comprises a circumferential surface that has at least one rib extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the sliding plug. The sliding element, which is provided with such sliding plugs, preferably comprises a receiving hole having a small-diameter section and having a large-diameter section. |
| US08684598B2 |
Thermoelement
A thermoelement for measuring the temperature in gaseous or fluid media by means of one or more thermocouples comprising wires of different metals welded together which give off a resulting electrical voltage when heated and are configured as a measuring insert arranged in an insulating rod disposed in a heat-resistant protective tube that can be connected to a connection head, the protective tube being wholly or partially surrounded by a holding tube. To prevent a high input of heat which has an unfavourable effect on temperature measurement, the holding tube is supported against the protective tube at a radial distance from the protective tube, and a heat-resistant trace and optionally an insulating material are inserted between the protective tube and the holding tube, and the holding tube is attached to the connection head and/or the protective tube in one or both end areas and is provided with thermal insulation. |
| US08684593B2 |
Static mixer having a vane pair for the generation of a flow swirl in the direction of a passage flow
The static mixer (1) includes at least one vane pair (2; 2a, 2b) for the generation of a flow swirl (300) in the direction (30) of a passage flow (3). Edges of the vanes at the front at the leading side are perpendicular to the passage flow and parallel to a height of the passage (10). Onflow surfaces following downstream are bent out in a concave manner and in opposite senses. Each vane (2a, 2b) is formed as an aerodynamically designed body which includes an end wall (20), a convex side wall (21) and a concave side wall (22). The end wall has a convex shape or a shape of a leading edge. The vane cross-sections perpendicular to the side walls in particular have similar shapes to cross-sections of aeroplane wings. |
| US08684591B2 |
Automated laboratory system
An automated laboratory system, which includes a vessel supply rack for supplying vessels in a vessel supply position, a movable vessel pick-up table for picking up and moving a vessel from the vessel supply position to the vessel filling position, a movable metering table disposed above the vessel pick-up table and configured for picking up and moving at least two metering containers configured to hold chemical substances, the metering containers being able to be positioned above the vessel filling position to fill chemical substances into a vessel, a scale, disposed underneath the vessel filling position for determining a substance quantity filled into a vessel, and a stirrer, disposed above the vessel filling position, for mixing of substances filled into a vessel. Also described is a method for operating such a laboratory system. |
| US08684590B2 |
Device for mixing powder with a liquid, the device including a dispersion tube
A device for mixing powder of the like with a liquid, the device including both a dispersion tube having its bottom portion open and designed to be in the liquid and having a delivery orifice for powder or the like in its top portion, and a mixer located in the dispersion tube and including a first rotary stirrer disposed in the vicinity of the bottom end of the dispersion tube and suitable for creating a first downward stream in the dispersion tube. The mixer further includes a second rotary stirrer disposed between the delivery orifice for powder or the like and the first rotary stirrer, and suitable for creating a second downward stream in the dispersion tube. |
| US08684587B2 |
Backlight unit
A backlight unit is capable of preventing generation of mura such bright lines and dark lines. The backlight unit includes a light guide panel divided into a plurality of light guide blocks for local dimming driving, a first block partitioning unit formed as a groove between respective adjacent light guide blocks on a lower surface of the light guide panel, and a point light source received in the first block partitioning unit. |
| US08684585B2 |
Illumination device and lens thereof
An illumination device and a lens thereof are provided. The lens includes a surrounding sidewall, a light-incident surface, a light-incident structure, and a light-emitting surface. The surrounding sidewall includes two planar portions opposite to each other and two arc-surface portions opposite to each other to surround a reference axis. The light-incident surface is located at a side of the surrounding sidewall to receive a light emitted from a point light source. The light-incident structure located on the light-incident surface includes a plurality of bar-shaped protrusions. Each bar-shaped protrusion includes a plurality of first light-diffusing surfaces not parallel to the light-incident surface. The light-emitting surface is located at the other side of the surrounding sidewall and is opposite to the light-incident surface. The light-emitting surface is substantially circular. A cross-section area of the lens gradually increases from the light-incident surface to the light-emitting surface. |
| US08684583B2 |
Lighting device, display device and television receiver
A backlight unit 12 includes a chassis 14, a plurality of cold cathode tubes 18, an optical member 16 and a plurality of support members 20. The chassis 14 has an opening on a light exit side. The cold cathode tubes 18 are light sources arranged in a parallel layout and housed in the chassis 14. The optical member 16 is arranged on the light exit side outer than the cold cathode tubes 18 so as to cover the opening of the chassis 14. The support members 20 are arranged in a parallel layout along a parallel arrangement direction of the cold cathode tubes 18. The support members 20 are formed such that support positions of the optical member 16 are relatively closer to the cold cathode tubes 18 around the center and relatively farther from the cold cathode tubes 18 near the edges. The cold cathode tubes 18 are arranged at relatively smaller intervals around the center and at relatively larger intervals near the edges. |
| US08684577B2 |
Body cavity illumination system
A cavity illumination system according to the present disclosure may include one or more illumination elements composed of a transparent or semi-transparent, biocompatible sterilizable polymer and one or more illumination sources. The sterilizable polymer operates as a waveguide. An illumination element may incorporate micro structured optical components such as for example gratings, prisms and or diffusers to operate as precision optics for customized delivery of the light energy. The micro structured optical components may also be used to polarize and/or filter the light energy entering or exiting the illumination element. |
| US08684571B1 |
Bollard light with internal compression support system
A lighted bollard system that has significantly enhanced internal structural strength while providing for the replacement of the outer bollard cover and allows users to select from a plurality of different lighting fixtures suited for different applications. |
| US08684567B2 |
Lamp
A lamp including a first housing, a second housing assembled with the first housing to form a housing assembly and a bulb base is provided. The second housing includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall perpendicularly connected to the first sidewall. The first sidewall has a first stop portion extending along a normal direction. The bulb base is inserted into a first opening of the housing assembly to be assembled to the housing assembly. The bulb base has a second opening, multiple catches arranged on an outer sidewall of the second opening in a circumference direction and a second stop portion. The second stop portion disposed on the catches is located on a rotation path of the first stop portion when the bulb base rotates relative to the housing assembly for limiting a rotation angle between the housing assembly and the bulb base. |
| US08684564B2 |
Light-emitting diode illumination apparatuses
The present invention relates to an LED illumination apparatus. The apparatus includes a body having a lower portion adapted for coupling to a power socket and an upper portion provided with a power source module accommodating chamber. A heat-dissipating module includes a funnel-shaped hollow case disposed at a top end of the upper portion and filled with a coolant fluid, wherein the hollow case has a small diameter open end adjacent to the body and a large diameter open end remote from the body. A light source module includes amounting substrate disposed at the small diameter open end, an LED mounted on the mounting substrate, and a power source module disposed within the power source module accommodating chamber in a manner electrically connected to and supplying working power to the LED. |
| US08684561B2 |
Stage lighting fixture
A stage lighting fixture having: a casing having a closed first end and an open second end; 5 a light source housed inside the casing, close to the first end, and which emits a light beam along an optical axis; an optical assembly positioned to intercept the light beam, and having a focal point located between the light source and the optical assembly; and a reflector coupled to the light source; the reflector and the light source being designed and coupled to concentrate the light beam substantially at a work point substantially coincident with the focal point of the optical assembly; and the light source being defined by a short-arc lamp to project a light bar. |
| US08684558B2 |
Light bar structure
A light bar structure including a base, a flexible circuit board (FCB), a first circuit, a second circuit, and a first connector is provided. The base has first and second surfaces. The FCB is on the first surface. The first circuit on the FCB includes N+1 serial first conductive contact pads, N light-emitting elements, and a first conductive wire. N≧1 and N is a positive integer. The second circuit on the FCB includes N+1 serial second conductive contact pads, and a second conductive wire. To form a closed loop, the first connector connects a first one of the first conductive contact pads and a first one of the second conductive contact pads and the second connector connects a (i+1)-th one of the first conductive contact pads and a (i+1)-th one of the second conductive contact pads. 1≦i≦N and i is a positive integer. |
| US08684557B2 |
LED lamp
An LED lamp includes a heat dissipator, a socket mounted on one end of the dissipator, a glove formed of a light-transmissive glass or plastic material and attached to the other end of the dissipator, a module substrate on which an LED chip is mounted, the substrate being mounted on the dissipator, the LED chip being covered with the glove, a lighting circuit supplying electric power to the LED chip and mounted in the dissipater, the lighting circuit being connected to the socket, a light-transmissive sheet having a surface formed with a character, a symbol or a pattern, the light-transmissive sheet being fixed in the dissipater or in the glove so as to be located right in front of the LED chip, and a lens located on a top of the glove so that an enlarged image of the character, the symbol or the pattern is projected through the lens. |
| US08684556B2 |
Light emitting diode (LED) lighting systems including low absorption, controlled reflectance and diffusion layers
LED lighting systems include LEDs of at least two different colors, a reflective layer and a diffusion layer. The reflective layer has a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that is configured to homogenize intensity of the light emitted from the LEDs. The diffusion layer is configured to homogenize color uniformity of the light. |
| US08684553B2 |
Outdoor solar light with multi-panel solar array
A solar powered lighting fixture having a multi-paneled solar array that maximizes the generation of solar energy during the course of a day. The outdoor lighting fixture of the present invention includes a multi-paneled solar array housing positioned on an extension rod that includes a plurality of solar panels arranged in a slanted configuration about the periphery of the housing unit. The housing unit is positioned on the extension rod so as to be elevated above the ground but below the actual light fixture. Employing a housing unit separate from the light fixture permits a greater variety of shapes to be used for the light fixture. Moreover, it allows the individual solar panels to be positioned at an optimal angle for maximizing exposure to solar radiation. Each of the solar panels is independent of the others, charging the battery separately so as not interfere with the other solar panels. |
| US08684550B2 |
Light source, light-emitting module having the same and backlight unit have the same
A light source includes a heat-dissipating plate, a heat-dissipating pin protruding from the heat-dissipating plate, a light emitting chip for emitting light, and a housing surrounding the light emitting chip, the housing having a receiving space spanning from a top surface to a bottom surface of the housing, wherein the heat-dissipating plate is disposed on the bottom surface of the housing, wherein the light emitting chip is disposed on the heat-dissipating plate exposed by the receiving space. |
| US08684549B2 |
Illumination device and display apparatus
An illumination device includes: a substrate; a first transparent electrode covering approximately an entire surface of a display region of the substrate; a second transparent electrode which overlaps with the first transparent electrode when seen in plan view and covers approximately the entire surface of the display region; and a plurality of island shaped light emitting elements disposed between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode. The first and second transparent electrodes are formed as single continuous films. |
| US08684548B2 |
Back frame and backlight system
The present invention provides a back frame of flat panel display device, which includes primary assembling pieces, secondary assembling pieces, and a bracing piece for fixing a circuit board. The primary assembling pieces have a number of at least two, and the at least two primary assembling pieces are connected through joining to form a main frame structure of the back frame. The secondary assembling pieces are joined to the primary assembling pieces. According to practical needs of the main frame structure, different materials are used for different parts at different locations. The back frame is provided with the bracing piece for fixing a circuit board, and the bracing piece includes a bracing body, a first suspension section, a first bearing section, and a first resilient bent section. The present invention also provides a backlight system. The back frame and the backlight system of the present invention have a back frame having a simple structure, overcome the problem that a circuit cannot be easily fixed, reduce the expenditure of a back frame mold, and save the material used for back frame so as to lower down the cost of flat panel display device. |
| US08684546B2 |
Quantum dot modulation for displays
Modulated light sources are described. A modulated light source may have first light sources that are configured to emit first light, which has first color components that occupy a range that is beyond one or more prescribed ranges of light wavelengths. The modulated light source may also have a light converter that is configured to be illuminated by the first light. The light converter converts the first light into second light. The second light has one or more second color components that are within the one or more prescribed ranges of light wavelengths. Strengths of the one or more second color components in the second light are monitored and regulated to produce a particular point within a specific color gamut. |
| US08684531B2 |
Stereoscopic display device projecting parallax image and adjusting amount of parallax
An image signal storing unit stores an image signal provided from the outside. An image processing unit appropriately processes the image signal stored in the image signal storing unit in accordance with the instruction from an adjusting unit. A projecting unit projects, onto a display area, light corresponding to an image created by the image processing unit. A display size determination unit computes the display size of the picture plane displayed on a screen based on an image captured by the camera provided adjacent to the projection-type video-image display device. The display size determination unit then determines whether or not the display size of the picture plane is equal to or larger than a predetermined upper-limit size. |
| US08684530B2 |
Camera crane mobile base
A camera crane has a telescoping arm on a mobile base. The mobile base has a drive motor assembly at each corner of a chassis. The drive motor assemblies may have an electric motor linked to an axle via gearing, and two or more wheels attached to the axle. The wheels can be set to free wheel, so that the mobile base may be pushed or towed, without back driving the electric motor. The wheels may also be linked to the axle, so that the electric motor can provide torque to each of the wheels. The electric motors may be separately controlled to propel and steer the mobile base. |
| US08684527B2 |
Ophthalmic diagnostic instrument
An eye simulation system for testing wavefront sensor systems, the eye stimulation system comprising a housing having a chamber with an opening for allowing light to enter said chamber, a fluid located in the chamber, said fluid having a known index of refraction, a lens positioned relative to said housing such that light entering the opening of the chamber passes through said lens, and a rotatable imaging surface positioned in said chamber such that light passing through said lens propagates through said fluid and is incident on said rotatable imaging surface. |
| US08684526B2 |
Compact binocular adaptive optics phoropter
A binocular vision apparatus allows a patient to view objects through the apparatus with polychromatic light and monochromatic aberration correction, such that the chromatic aberration of the eye can be combined with the monochromatic aberration correction, so as to provide a more accurate determination of vision quality. The binocular vision apparatus provides left and right viewing optics that can substantially maintain the line of sight of each eye, such that objects can be viewed in a room with 3D depth perception corresponding to the distance of the object from the patient. As both near and far objects can be viewed with binocular aberration correction, the patient can alternate binocular viewing between near and far vision with chromatic aberration so as to evaluate a proposed treatment such as a presbyopia correction. |
| US08684525B2 |
Method for machining an eyeglass lens blank and eyeglass lens blank comprising a connecting material and block piece
A machining method for an eyeglass lens blank in which a bock piece is connected, by way of a connecting material, to a first side of the eyeglass lens blank for holding and supporting the eyeglass lens blank in a processing machine, wherein to this end a cavity is made between the block piece and the first side, at least using a sealing or supporting means, wherein the sealing or supporting means has an inner diameter Dd, Ds and sits against the first side in a sealing manner, the connecting material is filled into the cavity or connecting material is provided in the cavity and then the connecting material is cured, the eyeglass lens blank is placed into a milling and/or turning or grinding machine by way of the block piece cast on by way of the connecting material, wherein the eyeglass lens blank is supported on the first side by the connecting material across a diameter Dv that corresponds to the diameter Dd, Ds and wherein the blank and the connecting material are worked off in one of the following machining processes. An eyeglass lens blank having a diameter Dr, said blank being fastened to a block piece through the cast-on connecting material, wherein the connecting material has an outer diameter Dv. The diameter Dv is at most 2 mm to 6 mm, in particular at most 4 mm and is less than diameter Dr. |
| US08684522B2 |
Progressive-power lens and progressive-power lens design method
A progressive-power lens having an eyeball-side surface including a distance portion and a near portion having different values of dioptric power and an intermediate portion that connects the distance portion and the near portion to each other, and an object-side surface including a spherical first region having a first curvature and extending along a principal meridian, a spherical second region having a second curvature equal to the first curvature and facing the distance portion, and a third region located outside the first region and below the second region and having a third curvature smaller than the first curvature. |
| US08684520B2 |
Lens design and method for preventing or slowing the progression of myopia
A lens is provided that is capable of preventing or slowing the progression of myopia when worn by a person. The lens has a power profile that reduces on-axis and off-axis hyperopic defocus created by the optics of the eye by creating on-axis and off-axis myopic defocus. The on-axis and off-axis myopic defocus is created by providing light rays that pass through a central vision region of the optical portion and light rays that pass through a peripheral region of the optical portion an increase in positive (plus) power. The overall effect is to prevent or slow the progression of myopia without any perceptible degradation in the person's central vision. |
| US08684508B2 |
Treatment solution for ink-jet recording, water-based ink set for ink-jet recording, ink-jet recording method and ink-jet recording apparatus
There is provided a treatment solution used for ink-jet recording, including: quaternary alkylammonium hydroxide represented by general formula (1); an acid including at least one of dicarboxylic acid and tricarboxylic acid; and water; wherein the quaternary alkylammonium hydroxide is neutralized, to be a quaternary alkylammonium salt, by the at least one of the dicarboxylic acid and the tricarboxylic acid to have a degree of neutralization which is not less than 50% and not more than 110%; wherein each of R1, R2, R3 and R4 is an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; the alkyl group is a substituted alkyl group or an unsubstituted alkyl group, and is a straight chain alkyl group or a branched chain alkyl group; and the R1 to R4 are same with or different from one another. |
| US08684505B2 |
Vent path for a liquid container
In one example, a structure for supporting a printhead includes: a substrate having a first side and a second side; multiple inlets each protruding from the first side of the substrate through which liquids may be introduced into the structure from the outlets of liquid containers that can be attached to the structure; multiple openings through the substrate from the first side to the second side, each opening positioned near one of the inlets at a location exposed to the outlet of a corresponding one of the containers when the container is attached to the structure; and an air channel on the second side of the substrate connecting each of one or more of the openings to another opening. |
| US08684504B2 |
Ink jet Printing
A continuous ink jet printer has a line (69a) for venting at least some of the air that has been sucked along the gutter line (17), and a line (69b) for recirculating back to the printhead (25) at least some of the air that has been sucked down the gutter line (17). Preferably the relative proportions of vented air and recirculated air can be varied, so as to reduce solvent loss during normal operation but allow increased solvent loss if the ink is over-dilute. Preferably the air recirculated to the printhead is connected directly into the flow path from the gutter orifice to the source of gutter suction, without opening into the space containing the ink jet. This reduces the tendency of solvent in the recirculated air condense on the printhead electrodes. |
| US08684502B2 |
Liquid-discharging head for producing toner
A liquid-discharging head including a reservoir for a spray liquid, a nozzle plate having a plurality of nozzles from which the spray liquid reserved in the reservoir can be discharged, and a vibration generating unit having a vibrating surface facing the nozzle plate, wherein the reservoir is divided into a plurality of liquid chambers, wherein the vibration generating unit has elongated convex portions in a plurality of rows, the elongated convex portions being made of a piezoelectric element, wherein each of the liquid chambers is provided so as to correspond to one of the elongated convex portions, and wherein the liquid-discharging head is used in a method for producing particles, and the method comprises periodically discharging liquid droplets of the spray liquid from the nozzles and solidifying the liquid droplets so as to form particles. |
| US08684499B2 |
Method for forming an aperture and actuator layer for an inkjet printhead
A method enables multiple inkjet printhead dies to be manufactured by bonding a single wafer to a single polymer layer. Multiple die sites on the single wafer are arranged in a predetermined pattern that corresponds to the pattern in which a plurality of aperture arrays are arranged in the polymer layer. The die sites on the wafer and the aperture arrays in polymer layer are aligned, the wafer and polymer layer are bonded, and the bonded wafer and polymer layer are cut to form a plurality of inkjet printhead dies. |
| US08684496B2 |
Ink-jet head having passage unit and actuator units attached to the passage unit, and ink-jet printer having the ink-jet head
A printhead module includes a plurality of rows of printhead nozzles, at least some of the rows including at least one displaced row portion, the displacement of the row portion including a component in a direction normal to that of a pagewidth to be printed, wherein the displaced row portions of at least some of the rows are different in length than the displaced row portions of at least some of the other rows. |
| US08684495B2 |
Liquid ejection head and method of manufacturing the same
A liquid ejection head includes: a plate base material; and an actuator; wherein the plate base material has: ejection holes having recessed portions; and an ejection face having ejection openings. The recessed portions include pairs each constituted by two recessed portions located side by side and at least one of which has the ejection openings. A shortest line segment of a certain pair is equal to or shorter than that of another pair, an average value of lengths of the respective recessed portions constituting the certain pair is not larger than that of lengths of the respective recessed portions constituting another pair. |
| US08684492B2 |
Recording apparatus and recording method
A recording apparatus includes: a transport unit that unrolls and transports a recording medium being wound in a roll to the downstream side along a transport path of the recording medium; a recording unit that performs recording processing on the recording medium in a recording region positioned halfway on the transport path; and a control unit that controls the transport unit so that an amount of protrusion of the leading edge portion of the recording medium from the recording region to the downstream side is varied based on an amount of curling of the leading edge portion of the recording medium due to the curling tendency of the recording medium having been unrolled by the transport unit when the recording processing is performed on the recording medium by the recording unit. |
| US08684491B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image correcting method, and computer-readable storage medium
An image forming apparatus includes a recording head including a plurality of nozzles for ejecting recording liquid to perform image formation on a recording medium; and a correcting unit. The correcting unit is configured to divide the recording head by different division patterns each indicating that the recording head is divided into a plurality of segments by at least one different dividing point, correct input and output characteristics for each of the segments in each division pattern to calculate correction effect of the each division pattern, and determine one of the division patterns based on the calculated correction effects of the division patterns as a specified division pattern to correct input and output characteristics of the recording head. |
| US08684476B2 |
Protective cabinet with angled deflection bracket for uninterruptible power supplies and the like
A protective cabinet having an angled deflection bracket, the angled deflection bracket can include a first surface for catching falling debris, wherein said first surface is attached to an uninterruptible power supply, wherein said first surface is positioned at such an angle so as to make the debris impacting it, slide downward along its surface and reach a second surface configured to stop said sliding debris, wherein said second surface is attached to said first surface by a first corner. |
| US08684475B2 |
Components of track-type machines having a metallurgically bonded coating
Undercarriage assembly components of track-type machines having a metallurgically bonded wear-resistant coating and methods for forming such coated undercarriage assembly components is taught herein. The bodies of the undercarriage assembly components, formed of an iron-based alloy, have a hard metal alloy slurry disposed on a surface or into an undercut or channel and then fused to form a metallurgical bond with the iron-based alloy. The wear-resistant coating comprises a fused, metal alloy comprising at least 60% iron, cobalt, nickel, or alloys thereof. The portion of the outer surface of the undercarriage assembly components having the wear-resistant coating corresponds to a wear surface of the component during operation of the endless track of the track-type vehicle. |
| US08684471B2 |
Bicycle rim
A bicycle rim includes a body having an axis defining a center thereof. The body includes an outer periphery and an inner periphery. The outer periphery and the axis have an outer radius therebetween, and the outer radius is constant. The inner periphery includes a first portion having a non-constant diameter. |
| US08684470B2 |
Drill head for a tunneling apparatus
The present disclosure relates to a tunneling apparatus including a drill head having a main body and a drive stem rotatably mounted within the main body. The main body defines a vacuum passage offset from the drive stem that extends through the main body from a proximal end to a distal end of the main body. The tunneling apparatus also includes an axial bearing structure for transferring axial load between the drive stem and the main body of the drill head. The axial bearing structure is proximally offset from the distal end of the main body of the drill head. The tunneling apparatus further includes a first radial bearing structure for transferring radial load between the drive stem and the main body of the drill head. The first radial bearing structure is positioned between the axial bearing structure and the distal end of the main body of the drill head and is distally offset from the axial bearing structure. |
| US08684469B2 |
Vehicle seat belt apparatus
A vehicle seat belt apparatus includes: a webbing; a lap anchor to which one end portion of the webbing is fixed and that is pivotable in a vehicle longitudinal direction; and a position retaining member that allows the webbing to be slidably inserted therethrough, and that is rigid in the vehicle longitudinal direction and is flexible and elastic in a vehicle transverse direction. In a seat belt retracted state, the position retaining member extends obliquely forward and upward from a lower end portion, and an upper end portion is located ahead of a side support of a seat back and above a seat shield. |
| US08684467B1 |
Method and apparatus for configurable ottoman
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for a novel configurable ottoman. The configurable ottoman comprises a pair of rear legs, a pair of leg connectors each coupled to a rear leg, a pair of stub front legs each coupled to a leg connector, a pair of hinged front legs each coupled to a stub front leg to form an ottoman frame, and a support surface coupled to the ottoman frame having the pair of rear legs coupled to the support surface and the pair of hinged front legs coupled to the support surface. |
| US08684459B2 |
Vehicle seat, especially utility vehicle seat
A vehicle seat, especially a utility vehicle seat, includes a seat frame (16) and a seat shell (22) which is mounted so as to be displaceable relative to the seat frame (16) in the longitudinal direction of the seat (x) to adjust the seat depth. The seat depth can be adjusted by means of a motor (25) which is mounted on the seat shell (22). |
| US08684458B2 |
Swing with a folding back that automatically locks the swing
A swing assembly has a seat with a folding back that locks the swing automatically when the back folds from an upright configuration to a flat configuration so the swing is stable. The swing assembly includes an upper cross bar having two ends, a lower cross bar having two ends and a lateral support attached to each end of the upper cross bar and the lower cross bar, respectively. The swing assembly has a seat with two ends and a back. The back foldably attaches to the seat. A pair of seat supports attached to each end of the seat and moveably attach to a hanging support mounted on the upper cross bar adjacent each lateral support. A lower back support hangs from the seat back to automatically aligns with and lock with the lower cross bar when the swing moves from the upright configuration to the flat configuration. |
| US08684455B2 |
Backrest of seat or a bench with an integrated wind defector
A motor vehicle seat including a seat portion having a wind deflector provided in a storage compartment thereof, the wind deflector being mounted for movement between a rest position in the storage compartment and an active position out of the storage compartment. The seat portion also has a rotational joint configured to permit rotation of the seat portion between a first orientation in which the seat portion permits a user to assume a seated position, and a second orientation in which the seat portion permits the wind deflector to assume the active position. |
| US08684454B2 |
Infant car seat
An infant car seat including a seat shell that forms a seat capable of receiving and retaining an infant, a hip contour defined by the seat shell, and a lifting handle rotatably attached to a connection point on the seat shell. A method of carrying the infant car seat by one carrier. A method of carrying the infant car seat by two carriers. |
| US08684451B1 |
Front vehicle body structure
A front vehicle body structure may include a front side member extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, a fender apron upper member disposed in an outer direction of the front side member in a traverse direction of the vehicle, and a fender apron front reinforcement member extending in the traverse direction of the vehicle and connecting the fender apron upper member and the front side member. |
| US08684449B2 |
B-pillar for a vehicle
The invention relates to a B-pillar for a vehicle including a main section (20) with a hat-shaped section (21) comprising a central flange (22), two web portions (23, 24) and two side flanges (25, 26). At least the hat-shaped section (21) is press-hardened and has a breaking strength in excess of 1400 MPa and the side flanges (25, 26) of the hat-shaped section (21) have a breaking strength below 1100 MPa along at least part of the length of the side flanges (25, 26). The B-pillar (13) includes a cover plate (40) welded to the side flanges (25, 26) of the hat-shaped section (21) so as to form a closed profile, the cover plate (40) having a breaking strength below 1100 MPa at least in the region in which it bears against the side flanges (25, 26). The side flanges (25, 26) of the hat-shaped section have a breaking strength below 1100 MPa in the region in which the side flanges bear against the cover plate (40). |
| US08684445B2 |
Vehicle door arrangement
A vehicle door arrangement having a vehicle door for closing a door opening in a bodywork of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, and having a pivoting device, which comprises a carrier arm bearing the weight of the vehicle door and at least one guide arm controlling the movement of the vehicle door, wherein the carrier arm and the guide arm are of the same length and are arranged pivotally mounted on the vehicle door and the bodywork in such a way that the arms form a parallelogram. The support arm is pivotally mounted level with a horizontal bodywork section defining a lower limit of the door opening. |
| US08684443B2 |
Vehicular bezel mounting structure
The present invention provides a vehicular bezel mounting structure in which an annular bezel 114 is mounted to a hole 106 formed in a vehicle body, the edge of the hole includes: an arcuate part 108 provided along a base circle; a concave part 110 cut off to the outside in the radial direction with respect to the base circle; and a projecting part 112a formed with a projecting piece 112 projecting to the inside in the radial direction within the range of the concave part, the bezel 114 comprising: a body part 114b inserted into the hole; an annular flange part which covers the edge of the hole from the outside; and a plurality of claw parts (116, 112) which are projectingly provided on the outer peripheral surface of the body part, wherein one claw part 116 of the plurality of claw parts can hold the projecting piece 112 of the hole between the one claw part 116 and the back surface of the flange part 114a; and when the bezel 114 is mounted to the hole 106, the projecting piece 112 can be elastically deformed by being pushed by the tip end of the flange part 114 adjacent to the one claw part 116. |
| US08684440B2 |
Stowable vehicle console panel
A vehicle console includes a panel that has a closed position and a stowed position. The panel at least partly covers a utility area when in the closed position, and an end of the panel is concealed from view in the stowed position. The panel pivots about a pivot point and is coupled with a movement mechanism. The movement mechanism includes one or more gears and a pivot arm with dimensional relationships that define a line of movement for the pivot arm as it moves between the closed and stowed positions. A planetary gear set may be used to define a curvilinear path, such as an elliptical path, or a rectilinear path for the pivot point. |
| US08684439B1 |
Telescoping side rails for a pickup truck
Telescoping side rails for a pickup truck are extensible, hidden vertical pillars within each side wall of a pickup truck. The extensible vertical pillars are connected at the top by the side rail sitting atop the side walls. A set of telescoping pillars is added to each of the two side walls bordering the bed of the pickup truck. When extended, either manually or via a powered option, the vertical pillars, which are joined at the top by the side rail, form a skeleton structure of a tall side wall. The side rail is an added stabilizing connection. The skeleton structure can be used alone or with added horizontal beams inserted through horizontal access ports in the extended pillars. Preferably, the access ports allow passage of a standard 2×4 or other stake through the pillars to create added structural stability to each set of telescoping pillars. |
| US08684438B2 |
Brace for the outer skin reinforcement for a sheet metal outer skin of a motor vehicle
Disclosed is an outer skin reinforcement for an outer skin of a motor vehicle, wherein the outer skin reinforcement is formed of a brace, which extends parallel to the outer skin and is connected on connecting points in the vehicle in a rotationally fixed manner, wherein the brace is connected to the outer skin via an adhesive layer. |
| US08684434B2 |
End effector with internal valve
A valve 28 is positioned in the upper portion of the interior space of the bellows 10. A flow of low pressure air is induced inside the bellows when the valve elements 40 move away from the air inlet openings 38. When high pressure air is moved into the central portion of the valve housing 30, the valve elements 40 tend to move radially outwardly to block the air passages 38 and 42, thereby terminating the suction applied to the bellows. |
| US08684432B2 |
Robot hand, robot, and holding mechanism
Fingers for holding a target project from shift members, and shift in accordance with the movement of the shift members shifted in predetermined axial directions by a shift mechanism to hold the target. Sliding members for shifting the shift members in the predetermined axial directions project from the shift members, and guide the shift members by sliding. According to this structure, a robot hand becomes smaller in size by decreasing the clearances between the fingers (moving the shift members closer to each other). Thus, the robot hand can hold a small target object within a small work space even though the robot hand conducts a parallel shift of the fingers. |
| US08684429B1 |
Debris collection and disposal tool
A portable waste disposal tool uses recycled plastic merchandise bags secured to a frame by an adjustable tensioning bag clamp and sliding lock assembly, including a sliding lock and a bag clamp, the frame holding the bag in an open position to contain debris from an indoor or outdoor hard surface, a yard or other ground surface, including dirt, dust, yard waste and pet waste. The frame is attached to the lower end of an elongated extension handle wherein the waste is maintained within the plastic bag until deposited in a trash receptacle by a simple single handed release of the bag clamp. |
| US08684426B2 |
Method and apparatus for installing alarm systems and door locks
A method and apparatus for marking positions for burglar alarm sensor elements on a door, the door attached to a frame having a header including comprising the steps of providing a marking apparatus the marking apparatus including an arm, a positioning member with a longitudinal centerline attached to the arm, and punch point attached to the positioning member, the punch point being aligned with the longitudinal centerline of the positioning member; at least partially opening the door; placing the positioning member in a hole in the header and closing the door; while the door is closed causing the positioning member to make a mark on the top of the door; and opening the door and removing the positioning member from the hole in the header; and causing an opening to be made in the door at the location of the mark. |
| US08684424B2 |
Closing assisted electric lock for opening of automobile
The invention relates to a closing assisted electric lock for the opening of an automobile, that comprises: a bolt (5) including first (19) and second (20) notches, said bolt (5) interacting with a strike and being capable of rotating between an open position, a position closed at the first notch of the lock and a position closed at the second notch of the lock; a pivoting ratchet (13) capable of interacting with said bolt (5) for preventing the rotation thereof (5) into a closed position at the first and second notches of the lock; a bolt (5) driving lever for rotatingly driving the bolt (5) between the closed position at the first notch and the closed position at the second notch of the lock; characterized in that the driving lever (9) includes a protrusion (37) provided so that said bolt (5) is capable of pivoting the lever (9) when said bolt (5) rotates from the open position to the closed position at the second notch of the lock. |
| US08684421B2 |
Lock system for a container
A locking system includes a carrier member at least one locking member extending from the rod. The carrier member is movable between a first locked position in which the locking member engages a locking receptacle to maintain a container cover in a closed position and a second unlocked position in which the locking member disengages from the locking receptacle and the cover is movable between the closed and open position. The locking system includes a blocking member at a second end of the carrier member. The blocking member is movable between a first engaged position in which the rod abuts a portion of the blocking member and maintains the elongate rod in the first locked position and a second disengaged position in which the rod disengages from the blocking member and a biasing unit urges the rod in the second unlocked position. |
| US08684419B2 |
Tubular connector having a secondary shoulder
A tubular connector secures two coaxial tubulars using a box and pin connection. A pin end tubular member having an axis and a pin end inserts into a box end tubular member having a box end. A pin end flange formed on an outer diameter of the pin end tubular member receives an end of the box end of the box end tubular member. An inwardly depending flange is disposed on the inner diameter of the box end portion. The inwardly depending flange is spaced apart from the box end planar surface and has a box end shoulder formed at an angle to the axis facing a same direction as the box end planar surface of the box end tubular member. An end of the pin end of the pin end tubular member engages with the inwardly depending flange for compressive load transfer. |
| US08684417B2 |
Security element having a digitised mark and security support or document comprising same
The invention relates to a security element comprising a carrier substrate comprising a transparent or translucent area carrying at least one digitised mark made of at least one set of dots appearing as a three dimensional mark when viewed in transmitted light. The invention relates to a security support or document or article comprising the said security element and to the method of identification and/or authentication of this security support or document or article. |
| US08684414B1 |
Vehicle passenger seat restraint
A multi-point seat restraint system configured to provide restraint for a passenger superposed a seat in a supine position. The multi-point seat restraint system includes a plurality of upper belts having a first end anchored behind the seat back of the associated seat. A junction bar is further included wherein the junction bar is configured to releasably secure the upper belts proximate the second end of the plurality of upper belts. The junction bar further includes a first belt portion and a second belt portion integrally secured thereto. The first belt portion and second belt portion and configured to be releasably secured to a first lower belt and a second lower belt. The first lower belt and second lower belt are retractably mounted to the floorboard of the vehicle. In an alternative embodiment of the second lower belt, the second lower belt includes a first portion and a second portion being angularly mounted. |
| US08684405B2 |
Grain retainer construction for air bag inflator
A propellant grain retainer for an air bag inflator having a pressure vessel. A cantilevered finger is mounted in the pressure vessel and a propellant grain is mounted thereon. Upon assembly of the pressure vessel, the finger is deformed inwardly away from an adjacent wall of the pressure vessel to increase the air gap between the pressure vessel wall and the propellant grain to reduce heat transfer therebetween and increase the safety of the inflator. |
| US08684402B2 |
Airbag control apparatus
An airbag control apparatus of a vehicle includes an occupant determination device, a deployment determination device, a storage device, an airbag controller, and a voltage variation detector. The airbag controller is configured to control deployment of an airbag based on the deployment/non-deployment information. The voltage variation detector is configured to detect a variation in a voltage of an in-vehicle battery and configured to output voltage variation information to the airbag controller. If the voltage variation information indicates that the voltage detected by the voltage variation detector varies, the airbag controller controls the airbag based on deployment/non-deployment information stored in the storage device immediately before the airbag controller receives the voltage variation information indicating that the voltage detected by voltage variation detector varies. |
| US08684401B2 |
Side airbag apparatus
The airbag has a front portion, in which a front chamber is formed, a rear portion, in which a rear chamber is formed, and a partition, which partitions the front and rear chambers from each other. The partition has a communication passage for connecting the front and rear chambers to communicate to each other. A pressure regulating valve is located in the passage. At an early stage of a supply period during which an inflator supplies inflation gas to the airbag, the valve is closed to restrict flow of the inflation gas from the rear chamber to the front chamber via the passage. The valve is opened during the supply period to permit the inflation gas to flow therethrough. A front portion of the airbag is roll-folded, while a rear portion is accordion-folded. The airbag front portion and the airbag rear portion are located in front of the inflator. |
| US08684397B2 |
Personalizable sport-themed ice chest, and methods of constructing and utilizing same
A personalizable sports-themed ice chest including a main housing having a lid pivotably secured to the main housing. The main housing and lid form a prolate spheroidal structure. The lid forms a first portion of the prolate spheroidal structure and is provided with design football laces. A rectangularized base contiguous with the prolate spheroidal structure has an upper portion which has a prolate spheroidal surface to mate with the prolate spheroidal structure. Two ring-like components form football stripes, each having a prolate spheroidal surface to mate with the prolate spheroidal structure to assist in holding together the upper and lower body members. Two recessed handle structures are provided in the lower body member. One or more structures are provided on the prolate spheroidal structure for the placement of logos or emblems. |
| US08684395B2 |
Child stroller and stand platform assembly thereof
A child stroller and a stand platform assembly thereof are disclosed. The child stroller includes a frame, a brake assembly connected to the frame, two rear wheels connected to the brake assembly, and the stand platform assembly. The stand platform assembly includes a platform connected to a rear cross bar of the frame, and two sidewalls connected to two opposite sides of the platform. When the child stroller is folded, the folded child stroller is capable of being supported by the sidewalls and the rear wheels, which solves the inconvenience in placing a folded conventional stroller. |
| US08684392B2 |
Ski or snowboard and method for the production thereof
The invention relates to a ski or a snowboard, comprising a multilayered sliding board body comprising at least one strength-providing upper strap, at least one strength-providing lower strap, at least one strip-like core element arranged in between which is delimited essentially by a first and a second flat side and by lateral side surfaces, and which core element comprises at least in sections of its longitudinal extension an essentially trapezoidal cross section with a first base side with a first length and a second base side essentially parallel thereto with a second comparatively shorter length. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a prefabricated semi-finished product for the production of such a ski or snowboard, a suitably assembled semi-finished product, as well as a method for producing the ski or snowboard according to the invention by using the prefabricated semi-finished product. |
| US08684391B2 |
Hook coupling
A hook coupling with a hook body (12), which has a hook-in opening (14), and with a closure latch (16) which can be adjusted between an open position and a closed position furthermore comprises: a blocking lever (26) which is displaceable between a blocking position, in which it blocks an adjustment of the closure latch (16) from the closed position towards the open position, and a release position in which it permits an adjustment of the closure latch (16) from the closed position towards the open position, and a triggering device (36) which, in its basic position, whenever blocking lever (26) is in the blocking position, prevents displacement of the blocking lever (26) into the release position, and which, when actuated out of its basic position, permits displacement of the blocking lever (26) into the release position. The triggering device (36) furthermore comprises a triggering component (38) which is mounted moveably on the closure latch (16) or preferably on the hook body (12) or on a component connected rigidly to the hook body (12) or the closure latch (16) and which is moveable between the basic position and a triggering position in which it permits the displacement of the blocking lever (26) into the release position. |
| US08684389B2 |
Tow hitch
A tow hitch comprises an elongated tubular shank of rectangular cross-section having four side walls; and at least one tow ball mounted to an adjacent side wall of the shank with a mounting shank extending from a base of the tow ball through a first hole in the adjacent side wall and a second hole in a side wall opposite the adjacent side wall. |
| US08684388B1 |
Head tube weld joint
A bicycle having a first tube with a first tube portion and a first weld portion. The first tube portion has a first tube portion thickness and the first weld portion has a first weld portion thickness. The first weld portion has a first mating surface. A second tube having a second tube portion and a second weld portion. The second tube portion has a second tube portion thickness and the second weld portion has a second weld portion thickness. The second weld portion has a second mating surface. The first mating surface is positioned adjacent to the second mating surface, forming a weld interface between the first tube and the second tube. A weld bead formed along the weld interface coupling the first weld portion and the second weld portion. |
| US08684385B2 |
Steering damper device for saddle riding vehicle
A steering damper device for a saddle riding vehicle includes a tubular damper including a cylindrical damper cylinder and a piston rod slidably passed through the damper cylinder. Either the damper cylinder or the piston rod is supported on an upper frame or a down frame of the saddle riding vehicle. The upper frame extends rearwardly from a head pipe through which a steering shaft passes and which holds the steering shaft therein rotatably about an axis thereof. The down frame extends downwardly from the head pipe. The steering shaft rotates with a bottom bridge. The tubular damper is disposed such that an axis thereof is disposed on a vehicle width direction central plane. The tubular damper extends or contracts as the bottom bridge rotates. The tubular damper extends or contracts within a space between the upper frame and the down frames in a side view. |
| US08684384B2 |
Process for cracking a heavy hydrocarbon feedstream
A process for cracking a hydrocarbon feedstream containing non-volatile components in a hydrocarbon cracking furnace having upper and lower convection heating sections within a flue of the furnace, a radiant heating section downstream of and connected to said lower convection heating section, a transfer line exchanger downstream of and connected to said radiant heating section, a furnace box containing furnace burners and said radiant heating section, and a vapor/liquid separator vessel connected between the upper and lower convection heating sections, the process comprising (a) passing said hydrocarbon feedstream into said upper convection section to heat said hydrocarbon feedstream to a first temperature sufficient to flash at least a portion of the hydrocarbons within said hydrocarbon feedstream into a vapor phase to form a vapor/liquid stream; (b) passing said vapor/liquid stream out of said upper convection section and into said vapor/liquid separator to separate said vapor/liquid stream into a hydrocarbon-containing vapor phase and a hydrocarbon-containing liquid phase within said vapor/liquid separator; (c) collecting said liquid phase into a bottoms liquid within said vapor/liquid separator; (d) passing said vapor phase into said radiant heating section and cracking hydrocarbons in said vapor phase to form an olefins-containing effluent stream; and (e) periodically injecting an air-steam mixture into said convection heating section, then through said vapor/liquid separator to incinerate coke formed and passing an incinerated coke residue/air-steam mixture so-formed between the furnace burners within the furnace box. |
| US08684380B2 |
Wheel suspension for automotive vehicle
The invention concerns a wheel suspension system for the non-steered wheels (16) of a motor vehicle, with a twist beam axle (2) which comprises two wheel-supporting trailing arms (3, 13) pivotably mounted on a motor vehicle body (15) and a cross member (6) connecting the trailing arms (3, 13) together, and a Watt linkage (8) also connecting the trailing arms (3, 13) together, at least one articulated holder (10) being integrated in each trailing arm (3, 13) itself for articulated coupling of the Watt linkage (8). |
| US08684375B2 |
Guard for wheeled base
The invention pertains to a guard assembly for securement to a wheeled base. The guard assembly comprises a central support, a plurality of wheel guards positioned in an array around the central support, a plurality of struts, and a plurality of support struts. The struts are connected to and extend between a respective pair of the adjacent wheel guards in the array. Each of the support struts are connected to and extend between the central support and a respective one of the struts. The invention also envelops a method of retrofitting an existing wheeled base with the guard assembly. |
| US08684371B2 |
Shopping cart, frame, basket and production methods
The present invention includes a shopping cart frame with mounting bracket units connecting caster wheels and having a plate secured underneath the base with a caster pin receiving hole and spaced-apart flanges flanking the hole and abutting on the base; a shopping cart with a support bar between side uprights for forwardly propping up a primary basket and rearwardly hanging a secondary basket; a cart with a plastic basket having rear structural tubes sheathing the frame's side uprights and being secured thereto; a modular method of making different cart models by providing multiple sets of components with cooperating mounting surfaces for interconnection; a modular plastic basket with a hooked-on suspended tray and a channel-shaped overlay detachably snapped over the edge and tray; a one-piece molded plastic basket with independent branching tubular sections with different thicknesses; and an independent gas-assisted injection method for molding a one-piece plastic basket. |
| US08684368B2 |
Hockey skate
A skate assembly includes a shell structure and a removable tendon guard. The shell structure includes a heel portion, a lateral ankle portion, and a medial ankle portion. The heel portion is formed to cover a human heel. The lateral ankle portion is formed to extend beyond the heel portion. The medial ankle portion is formed to extend beyond the heel portion. The lateral ankle portion and the medial ankle portion are spaced apart to form a notch extending toward the heel portion. The removable tendon guard is removably attached between the lateral ankle portion and medial ankle portion to cover the notch. |
| US08684364B2 |
Positive release collet
An arbor of a machine tool has a collet arbor base, an expandable and releasable collet having a top band coupled to a bottom band, an actuator pin slidable from the collet arbor base arranged concentrically within the collet and having a reverse male taper on an upper end thereof that actuates the top band of the collet, and a conical ring with a taper angle matching the upper end of the actuator pin arranged proximate a lower part of the actuator pin concentric therewith, wherein the reverse male taper at the upper end of the actuator pin activating the top band and the conical ring having a matching taper activating the bottom band of the collet cause the collet to expand and retract accordingly. |
| US08684363B2 |
Comby two-sided overlain gasket for sealing of dismountable flanged joints
A comb-like two-sided overlain gasket for sealing of dismountable flanged joints includes two sealing contact surfaces. Each contact surface defines a plurality of V shaped concentric grooves. Each of the V shaped grooves has an opening angle of 90 degrees. Each of the contact surfaces includes concentric surfaces that are disposed between each of the grooves. The concentric surfaces are created in a single plane and include a constant width that ranges from 0.2 mm to 0.6 mm. A bottom portion of the concentric grooves are rounded and have a radius that ranges from 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm. The comb-like two-sided overlain gasket also includes one of a sealing foil or a sealing plate that overlays the sealing contact surfaces and that extend beyond the concentric grooves. When compressed, the concentric grooves define a smaller volume than the volume of the sealing foil or the sealing plate. |
| US08684362B2 |
Cartridge seal assemblies and associated methods
The present cartridge seal assemblies pertain to rotary lip-type seals. In certain embodiments, a sealing member is constructed of a relatively hard material that increases the lifespan of the sealing member. The sealing member is energized with a canted-coil spring, which in some embodiments includes an adjustable spring force. The present embodiments enable control of sealing force to achieve an appropriate sealing force between the sealing member and the shaft based on factors such as temperature, pressure, rotary speed, properties of fluid media, etc. to achieve longer seal life. |
| US08684361B2 |
Target system
A target system includes a blocking plate with one or more openings through which bullets are fired and one or more targets for being struck by the bullets disposed behind the blocking plate and generally in line with the one or more openings. The target system may include a hinge mechanism which limits the range of movement of the target after it has been struck by a projectile. The hinge mechanism may also provide for tool less attachment and removal of the targets from the hinge mechanism. |
| US08684359B2 |
Apparatus and method for driving roulette game machine
An apparatus for driving a roulette game machine is provided. The apparatus is operated in such a way that a rotor and a stator are attached to each other by electromagnetic force generated from a coil unit and are integrally rotated, and then the rotor is separated from the stator after a predetermined time period has passed. Therefore, at an initial stage of the rotation, an inner wheel and an outer wheel are coupled to each other and rotated together. After a predetermined time period has passed, the inner wheel and the outer wheel are separated from each other and independently rotated at different speeds before stopping. Therefore, the present invention can make the roulette game more interesting. |
| US08684353B2 |
Sheet conveying apparatus and image forming apparatus
A skew feeding correction portion includes a first pair of skew-feed rollers that has rollers, a second pair of skew-feed rollers, a third pair of skew-feed rollers, as skewing at the downstream side of the second pair of skew-feed rollers, and a reference member that is arranged along a sheet conveying direction and that corrects the skew feeding of the sheet in such a manner that a side end of the sheet, which is conveyed as being skewed by the respective pairs of skew-feed rollers, is brought into contact with the reference member, wherein the first pair of skew-feed rollers releases the nip of the sheet by separating the rollers from each other before the sheet is nipped by the third pair of skew-feed rollers after the sheet is nipped by the second pair of skew-feed rollers. |
| US08684346B2 |
Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus
Provided is a sheet feeding apparatus capable of reliably feeding thin sheets in a separated state and an image forming apparatus including the same.A floating preventing member which regulates an upward movement of an uppermost sheet floated by air is provided so as to be lifted and lowered between a tail end regulating plate regulating the position of the sheet above a tray and an adsorbing and conveying portion which conveys the uppermost sheet floated by the air blowing from a downstream air blowing portion. The adsorbing and conveying portion is moved to a predetermined regulating position higher than the height position of the uppermost sheet and lower than the feeding surface of the adsorbing and conveying portion before the sheet is floated, which suppresses the movement of the sheet toward the tail end side caused by the curling of the sheet due to the air. |
| US08684336B1 |
Top drive and crown apparatus for drilling derrick
An improved crown pulley assembly attached to an upper end of a vertical drilling rig derrick mast used in conjunction with an improved top drive assembly which is used within the drilling rig derrick for the drilling of a well, the improved crown pulley assembly having a crown frame supporting a plurality of pulleys with the top drive providing two sets of paired top drive pulleys, the pulleys suspending a single drive cable through the plurality of pulleys with an anchor end of the single drive cable affixed below the derrick and the winch end of the cable attached to a winch to raise and lower the improved top drive assembly within the drilling rig derrick. |
| US08684334B2 |
Tension transmitting device
A tension transmitting device includes a covering body placed over a target drop cable from a side thereof; and a tension transmission belt having a first end secured on a first end side of the covering body and a second end used as a free end, the tension transmission belt receiving the tension during stringing or wiring operation on a free end side thereof. The free end of the tension transmission belt extends from a secured portion thereof secured to the covering body so as to run on a covering surface side of the covering body and is wound around the drop cable. The covering body includes a slit provided on a second end side thereof, and the slit has a side receiving opening through which the tension transmission belt is received in a width direction. |
| US08684333B2 |
Boom mountable robotic arm
A boom mountable robotic arm for includes a beam pivotally mounted on a boom mounting adaptor, at least two electrically insulated support posts mounted to and spaced apart along the beam, and at least a first rotation coupling and a plurality of second rotation couplings. The first rotation coupling provides pivotal mounting of the beam on the boom mounting adaptor so as to provide selectively controllable rotation of the beam in a substantially vertical plane. The second rotation couplings provide selectively controllable rotation of the electrically insulated support posts about corresponding second axes of rotation between a retracted position substantially laid flush along the beam and a pick-up position ready to receive a conductor being supported. An actuated scissor linkage is mounted to the beam and the boom mounting adaptor for selectively adjusting an angular position of the beam relative to the boom mounting adaptor. |
| US08684330B2 |
Device for selectively blocking a fluid passage
The invention relates to a device for selectively blocking a fluid passage, particularly for a tap-filling intake, including a structure defining a channel for the passage of a fluid extending between an inlet at an upstream end and an outlet at a downstream end, a valve seat, a valve selectively mobile in the channel between a first position for blocking the passage by sealingly bearing on the seat and a second position for opening the passage in which the valve is not sealingly bearing on the seat, wherein the blocking device includes a deformable seal, supported by the mobile valve and/or the seat, for bearing against the seat and ensuring the seal of the blocking when the valve is in the first position, characterized in that the mobile valve includes a main body and a stop mobile relative to the main body, the main body and the mobile abutment defining a mechanism for selectively pressurizing the seal and movable between a working position for pressuring the seal for increasing the force thereof on the seat and a rest position in which the pressure on the seal is released so as to reduce the force thereof on the seat. |
| US08684329B2 |
Solenoid valve for liquid propane injection system
A solenoid valve for a liquid propane injection system can prevent bubbles from flowing into a fuel pump due to heat from a solenoid coil, when a vehicle that travels at low speed is instantaneously and rapidly accelerated, using a sealing member and a sealing-reinforcing member, and accordingly keep the vehicle stably traveling by maintaining the fuel-sending performance of the fuel pump and smoothly supplying fuel to injectors. |
| US08684327B2 |
Temporary support
Equipment is temporarily supported above the ground by a self-supporting, readily erectable and transportable mast. The mast comprises a pneumatically inflatable elongate tube having a first end to which the equipment is coupled and a second end coupled to a ground support tripod. The mast is provided with bracing structure adapted to brace the tube when inflated and including respective flexible members extending from each tripod leg to the first end of the tube. |
| US08684324B2 |
Top-adjusting leveling foot
A top-adjusting leveling foot for installation on the leg of an object has an adjustment knob, an adjustment knob base with a bottom cavity and a non-circular passage extending axially through the center of the adjustment knob base, a threaded bushing with a top annular flange held within the bottom cavity of the adjustment knob base, and a drive stud assembly including a foot and a drive bar that has a lower threaded portion for engaging a partially threaded interior passage of the threaded bushing, and an upper bar portion sized and configured for engagement with the non-circular passage through the adjustment knob base. Rotation of the adjustment knob in a first direction axially advances the drive bar and lowers the foot and rotation of the adjustment knob in the opposite direction axially retracts the drive bar and raises the foot. |
| US08684323B2 |
Bag holder for a T-shirt bag
A bag holder for holding a t-shirt bag includes a holder frame and a holder handle that is secured to the holder frame. The holder frame selectively holds the t-shirt bag and including a first handle restraint that restrains a first bag handle of the t-shirt bag, a second handle restraint that restrains a second bag handle of the t-shirt bag, and a bag support region that supports the t-shirt type bag near the bag opening. The holder handle is movable relative to the holder frame between a carrying position in which the holder handle is used for carrying the holder frame and the t-shirt bag, and an attachment position in which that holder handle is used for hanging the holder frame and the t-shirt bag near a vertical surface. Further, the holder frame is movable between (i) an expanded configuration in which the bag support region and the handle restraints cooperate to maintain the bag opening open, and (ii) a compact configuration in which at least one of the handle restraints has been moved relative to the bag support region. |
| US08684320B2 |
Support bracket for mounting wires to floor beams of an aircraft
A support bracket for mounting wires, cables, conduits and the like to floor beams of an aircraft passenger cabin floor without modification to the floor beams, the floor beams having a top flange, a bottom flange, and a vertical web. The support bracket has a support body with cable support cradles where each cradle has a cradling surface and a tie wrap passage; and at least clamping block connected to the support body with at least one adjustable tension bolt, the clamping block having a beam engaging surface wherein tension in the at least one bolt urges the beam engaging surface toward the support body. |
| US08684317B2 |
Railroad switch point roller mechanism
A railroad switch point roller mechanism utilized with a rail, a moveable point and a ground supported tie. The mechanism includes a roller or wheel which turns relative to a wheel axis. A wheel support is also employed and holds the wheel relative to the ground supported tie. The support connects to the moveable point, such that the lateral movement of the wheel relative to the ground supported tie takes place when the moveable point travels laterally relative to the rail. An adjustor is also included for finely determining the up or down position of the wheel relative to the tie and the wheel support. |
| US08684315B2 |
Active winglet
An active winglet includes a body portion substantially parallel to a wing of an aircraft, as if it were an extension of the wing. The body portion is attachable to an aircraft wing and includes a controllable airflow modification device coupled thereto. By virtue of having a controllable airflow modification device, the winglet is capable of adjusting a control surface of the controllable airflow modification device in response to in-flight conditions, to reduce wing loads, increase range, and/or increase efficiency. |
| US08684311B2 |
Bonded splice joint
A method and apparatus for an aircraft structure. In one embodiment, the aircraft structure may have first and second stringers, each having a vertical stringer portion defining a lengthwise gap. The embodiment may include a cruciform fitting having a central rib attachment member and first and second extensions extending in opposite directions from said central rib attachment member. Stringer attachment portions extending up from said first and second extensions are inserted into the lengthwise gaps of the first and second stringer portions, respectively. The rib attachment member may be attached to a side-of-body rib. |
| US08684310B2 |
Rigid tipped riblets
A multilayer construction for aerodynamic riblets includes a first layer composed of a material with protuberances, the first layer material exhibiting a first characteristic having long-term durability and a second layer composed of a material, exhibiting a second characteristic with capability for adherence to a surface. |
| US08684309B2 |
Bracket
An integrated bracket assembly for attachment to a convex outer corner surface of a torsion box of an aerofoil structure, the bracket assembly comprising a bracket strip having a plurality of brackets arranged spaced side by side, and connected by an infill rail integrally formed with the bracket strip, wherein the infill rail has a concave surface for mating with the convex surface of the torsion box. The torsion box may be of a “U-box” construction where a front spar and a rear spar are integrally formed with either an upper or lower torsion box cover to form an omega-shaped unitary component, and the other cover is attached to the omega-shaped component to provide an enclosed volume. The bracket strip may be used for attaching a leading/trailing edge structure of the aerofoil to the torsion box. |
| US08684308B2 |
Universal arrangement for receiving a curtain rail for a partitioning curtain
An arrangement for receiving a curtain rail for a curtain for partitioning at least two regions in a cabin of a vehicle includes a bottom facing the floor of the cabin, and a top facing the ceiling of the cabin. The bottom is essentially planar and is designed to receive the curtain rail. The top is designed to cover the space between a curtain held in the curtain rail and the ceiling of the cabin of the vehicle. The bottom includes means for the variable-position holding of attachment points to which the curtain rail can be fastened. Consequently the curtain rails can be affixed flexibly and so as to be subsequently changeable within the region of the arrangement, thereby contributing to such arrangements so as to be able to be standardized for a multitude of imaginable cabin layouts of a vehicle, to be able to minimize individual customization work and construction expenditure. |
| US08684303B2 |
Gas turbine engine compressor arrangement
A gas turbine engine includes a spool along an engine centerline axis which drives a gear train, said spool includes a low pressure compressor with four (4) stages. |
| US08684302B2 |
Airplane having engines partially encased in the fuselage
An airplane provided with dual-flow turbojet engines having nacelles at least partially encased in the fuselage, wherein the air intake of each engine is connected to the fuselage by two boundary layer guiding walls, the walls extending towards the upstream side of the air intake and being spaced apart towards the upstream side. |
| US08684299B2 |
Ancillary device with an air turbine for taxiing an aircraft on the ground
Device for driving at least one wheel of an aircraft landing gear, which includes at least one turbine machine incorporated into the landing gear of the aircraft. Advantageously, the turbine machine is a pneumatic turbine. |
| US08684295B2 |
Cord reel
A cord reel configured in such a manner that the position of a cord reel body can be easily adjusted when the cord reel body is located at an intermediate portion of cords. A cord reel is provided with a first bobbin (4) and a second bobbin (5) on which respective cords (2) are wound, bobbin impelling means (6) for always impelling both the bobbins (4, 5) in the take-up direction, and a bobbin interlock means (7) for interlocking both the bobbins (4, 5) together, the bobbin interlock means (7) being configured in such a manner that, when both the cords (2) are not being operated in the pay-out direction, the bobbin interlock means (7) restricts rotation of both the bobbins (4, 5) in the take-up direction, that, when the cords (2) are operated in the pay-out direction by an operating force not greater than a preset value, the bobbin interlock means (7) allows one of the bobbins to rotate in the pay-out direction and allows the other bobbin to rotate in the take-up direction in association with the rotation of said bobbin, and that, when a cord (2) is operated in the pay-out direction by an operating force greater than the preset value, the bobbin interlock means (7) releases the interlock between both the bobbins (4, 5) to cause only the operated bobbin to rotate in the payout direction. |
| US08684292B2 |
Multiple tool attachment system
A multiple tool attachment system is adapted to be attached to demolition equipment. The system includes a universal body attached to the demolition equipment. A series of tools is independently attachable to the universal body. The universal body includes a guide slot extending longitudinally along the universal body. Each tool generally includes a pair of pivotable jaws adapted to be pivotably attached to the universal body with at least one linkage extending from the universal body and attachable to each jaw of the tool. A slide member is received within the guide slot, with each linkage attached to the slide member, and a piston cylinder arrangement is attached to the universal body and coupled to the slide member for moving the slide member and the jaws. The multiple tool attachment system is provided with quick change features and is designed to optimize the cutting characteristics throughout the movement cycle. |
| US08684290B1 |
Pill crushing device and system
A pill or tablet fracturing set including a striking device, a pill support board upon which the pill or tablet is struck by the striking device using a control grip, and a supply of transparent pill retentive bags to contain the pills while being struck. |
| US08684289B2 |
Continuous flow micro-crusher
The present invention provides an apparatus comprising a substrate and first and second disks. The disks are rotatably located over the substrate, each disk having an outer circumference with teeth thereon. The first disk is positioned to interleave one or more of its teeth with the teeth of the second disk. The substrate includes a channel with an exit port located near the teeth of one of the disks. Another apparatus comprises at least one disk rotatably located over a substrate and in a well of the substrate, the disk having an outer circumference with teeth thereon. The disk is positioned to provide a maximum distance of less than about 10 microns between each one the teeth and a nearest wall defining the well. The substrate includes a channel with an exit port located near the teeth of the disk. |
| US08684288B2 |
Mechanized separation of mixed solid waste and recovery of recyclable products
The method and systems efficiently extract recyclable materials from a mixed solid waste stream. The methods and systems use sizing, density and dimensional separation to produce intermediate waste streams that are enriched in particular recyclable materials. The recyclable materials can then be efficiently sorted from the individual intermediate streams using mechanized sorting equipment. |
| US08684274B2 |
Cooling enhancements in thin films using flexible complex seal due to temperature increase or thermal load increase
A cooling enhancement apparatus includes a first substrate and a second substrate, the first substrate having a face in contact with at least one hot medium and having another face in contact with a secondary gas. The second substrate includes a face in contact with the secondary gas and has the other face in contact with a main gas. The faces of the first and second substrates in contact with the secondary gas generally oppose each other. One or more flexible seals can be attached to the first substrate and to the second substrate to form one or more closed enclosures including the secondary gas so that the second substrate moves relative to the first substrate when the secondary gas undergoes volumetric thermal expansion. |
| US08684273B2 |
Cover structure with integrated chip and antenna
In various embodiments, a cover structure for a personal identification document is provided. The cover structure may include a cover formed as a single layer; a chip module; the cover having a recess for completely receiving the chip module; and an antenna that is connected to the chip module. |
| US08684271B2 |
Composite label with history feature
A code that stores a history of what has been done to it and where it has been. The history can be stored in a local memory. The code can be changed based on that history. |
| US08684270B2 |
Radiation enhancement and decoupling
Apparatus capable of enhancing an incident electric field to drive an electromagnetic tag (124) into operation, comprising a resonant dielectric cavity which extends out of a single plane defined between two conducting surfaces (102, 104, 106). The cavity may extend over two or more layers, and can adopt C or S shaped or spiral profiles. |
| US08684267B2 |
Method for broadcasting a magnetic stripe data packet from an electronic smart card
Method for broadcasting a magnetic stripe data packet from an electronic card by measuring a swipe speed of the electronic card past a magnetic reader head during a swipe of the electronic card past the magnetic reader head and then adjusting a broadcast signal containing the magnetic stripe data packet according to the measured swipe speed so that the magnetic stripe data packet in the broadcast signal is read by the magnetic reader head during said swipe. |
| US08684265B1 |
Rewards program website permitting conversion/transfer of non-negotiable credits to entity independent funds
A set of Web pages are provided for a Web site for a different loyalty program of a commerce partner. Non-negotiable credits are identified that are earned by a member as part of a loyalty program of an entity. During a Web session involving the member and the Web site, a request is received to transfer or convert a quantity of the non-negotiable credits to entity independent funds. The entity independent funds are different loyalty points of the different loyalty program. During the Web session at least a subset of the non-negotiable credits are transferred or converted into entity independent funds that the commerce partner accepts for commerce partner goods or services. The commerce partner goods or services are available for member purchase via the Web site. Non-negotiable credits are not accepted for the commerce partner goods or services. |
| US08684261B2 |
Methods, apparatus, computer program products and articles for use in providing human understandable indication of account balance
In accordance with some embodiments, a method includes receiving, in a proximity coupling system, holder consent to provide a human understandable indication of an account balance associated with a payment account; and providing a human understandable indication of the account balance associated with the payment account via an output device, in response at least in part to the consent; wherein receiving holder consent comprises receiving holder consent provided via a proximity payment device associated with the payment account. In accordance with some embodiments, a method includes storing account data and preference data in a proximity payment device, the preference data indicative of a preferred method to provide a human understandable indication of an account balance. In accordance with some embodiments, apparatus includes a proximity payment device, the proximity payment device including preference data, the preference data indicative of a preferred method to provide a human understandable indication of an account balance. In accordance with some embodiments, apparatus includes a proximity payment device wherein the proximity payment device generates data indicative of whether there is consent to provide a human understandable indication of an account balance based at least in part on whether a holder has actuated a switch. |
| US08684256B2 |
Method for hermetically joining plate and shaft devices including ceramic materials used in semiconductor processing
A method for the joining of ceramic pieces with a hermetically sealed joint comprising brazing a continuous layer of joining material between the two pieces. The wetting and flow of the joining material is controlled by the selection of the joining material, the joining temperature, the time at temperature, the joining atmosphere, and other factors. The ceramic pieces may be aluminum nitride and the pieces may be brazed with an aluminum alloy under controlled atmosphere. The joint material is adapted to later withstand both the environments within a process chamber during substrate processing, and the oxygenated atmosphere which may be seen within the shaft of a heater or electrostatic chuck. |
| US08684253B2 |
Surgical instrument with wireless communication between a control unit of a robotic system and remote sensor
A surgical instrument for use with a robotic system that has a control unit and a shaft portion that includes an electrically conductive elongated member that is attached to a portion of the robotic system. The elongated member is configured to transmit control motions from the robotic system to an end effector. |
| US08684251B2 |
Stapler for mucosectomy
A head for a stapler used during a mucosectomy is disclosed that includes an external body, an internal body, an anvil, and a blade. The internal body includes a central hole into which a rod is slidingly inserted. One or more annular grooves are formed on a lateral surface of the rod, and are intended to receive a portion of mucosa which is included in a purse string suture as the mucosa is tied around the rod. By retracting the rod in the central hole of the internal body, the mucosa to be removed is carried into the internal body. |
| US08684249B2 |
Directionally biased staple and anvil assembly
An anvil assembly for use with a surgical stapler having a tissue contact surface and a plurality of staple pockets formed in the tissue contact surface. Each of the plurality of staple pockets including first and second staple forming cups, each of the first and second staple forming cups having an outside portion and an inside portion, the inside portion of the first and second staple forming cups being positioned in close relation to each other and the outside portion of the first and second staple forming cups being positioned in spaced relation to each other. Each of the first and second staple forming cups being defined by sidewalls and an elongated base surface, wherein upper portions of the sidewalls intersect the tissue contact surface at a line of intersection, and wherein the line of intersection is curved along a majority of its length between the outside portion and the inside portion of each of the staple forming cups. |
| US08684247B2 |
Grasping jaw mechanism
A surgical device is disclosed which includes a handle assembly, an elongated member and a disposable loading unit. The handle assembly includes a mode selection mechanism configured to alternate the surgical device between a first grasping mode of operation and a second clamping mode of operation. The handle assembly includes a rotation control member and an articulation lever. The rotation control member is configured to facilitate rotation of the elongated member with respect to the handle assembly. The articulation lever is configured to facilitate articulation of the tool assembly about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of elongated member. In one embodiment, the tool assembly includes a cartridge assembly having a plurality of staples and an anvil assembly configured to clamp and staple tissue in the second clamping mode of operation of the device. |
| US08684245B2 |
Fastener driving device with mechanisms to limit movement of nails
A fastener driving device includes a nose assembly having a drive channel, a magazine for carrying a supply of fasteners through a feed channel along a feed channel direction toward the nose assembly, and one or more mechanisms for preventing undesirable movement of fasteners. The mechanisms may include a first stop pawl and a second stop pawl for preventing the supply of fasteners from moving along a direction opposite to the feed channel direction. The stop pawls may extend from a common side of the feed channel and pivot on a common axis. The mechanisms may also include a first nail stop, a second nail stop and/or a movable nail stop. |
| US08684238B2 |
Aerosol refill cartridge
An apparatus for dispensing material through a refillable cartridge, comprising a container having a receptacle for receiving a refill cartridge, the container having a lid cooperating with the container to enclose the refill cartridge, the container further comprising an exit port and a channel for communicating material from the refill cartridge to the exit port, and a valve for controlling the flow of material out of the refill cartridge; and a reusable, refill cartridge sized to be received in the receptacle. |
| US08684230B1 |
Twistable and collapsible container for dispensing measured dosages of liquid
A collapsible container for dispensing viscous materials has a bottle section with exterior screw threads and a cap element with nozzle aperture and internal, mating yet greater in density screw threads so that relative turning of the bottle section with respect to the cap section causes dispensing of material and collapsing of the bottle section into the cap element. The exterior screw threads are provided with uniformly spaced surface discontinuities. The cap element is provided with a resilient, inwardly directed tab which glides over the exterior edge of the screw threads of the bottle section as the bottle section is rotated with respect to the cap element until the tab aligns with a discontinuity thereof which causes an audible or tactile click to be sensed for ensuring uniformity and ease of exact dosing. |
| US08684229B2 |
Dispenser and method for dispensing dental material
The present invention is preferably directed to a dispenser of the type sold by 3M ESPE under the trade name Pentamix and as also described above. Such a dispenser preferably comprises at least a first and a second compartment for a first reservoir and a second reservoir, respectively, the first and the second reservoirs containing a first and a second component for the dental material, respectively. It further preferably comprises a first and a second plunger driven by a first drive for advancing the first and the second components from the first and the second reservoirs, respectively. Moreover, a dynamic mixer driven by a second drive for automatically mixing the first and second components to form the dental material from the first and second components is provided. Such a dispenser further preferably has a dispensing portion or mixing tip for dispensing the mixed dental material. The present invention is more particularly directed to a dispenser or method adapted for advancing and mixing at least one dental material, comprising at least one drive which is operated on a predetermined, non-uniform drive speed profile. Preferably an advancing speed profile is provided for advancing the components and/or a mixing speed profile is provided for mixing the components, and either profile may be a “drive speed profile” as that term is used herein. More preferably both profiles are provided. |
| US08684227B2 |
Merchandise display hook including helical time delay mechanism having bi-directional gear
A merchandise display hook for displaying items of merchandise includes a support rod and a helix disposed about the support rod and extending along at least a lengthwise portion of the support rod. The support rod includes mounting structure for mounting the display hook to a display fixture and has a first end adjacent the mounting structure and a second end opposite the first end adjacent the helix for loading the items of merchandise onto the support rod and for dispensing the items of merchandise from the support rod. The merchandise display hook further includes a time delay mechanism attached to the helix adjacent the second end of the support rod so as to define a space therebetween for loading and dispensing the items of merchandise. The time delay mechanism includes a gear assembly configured for permitting the items of merchandise to be loaded onto the support rod at a rate that is faster than the rate at which the items of merchandise can be dispensed from the support rod. |
| US08684225B2 |
Locking cap for a vessel having a neck
The invention relates to a locking cap (1) made of a molded plastic material for a vessel (2) having a neck, intended for blocking a stopper (4) in said neck (3), including a wire-cap (6) adapted for surrounding the stopper (4) and the neck in the mounted configuration of the cap (1). The wire-cap includes first and second flexible tabs capable of being respectively blocked on the neck and on the stopper (4), said first tabs (8) being offset relative to said second tabs (9) in an axial direction relative to said neck (3). The cap (1) also includes a ring (7) surrounding the wire-cap (6) for preventing access to said tabs from outside the ring (7). The ring (7) and the wire-cap (6) are designed so as to be fitted and locked together. The tabs (8, 9) of the wire-cap are respectively arranged at an angle in first and second openings (13, 14) which are formed by the mesh of the wire-cap (6), and in which the tabs (8, 9) can disappear when mounting the cap (1) on the neck (3). |
| US08684224B2 |
Canister style package with opening feature
A cylindrical tubular canister package has a body and ends. A tear-away strip is formed in the body by a pair of spaced partial cuts on the outside of the body. A thin strip of tear tape is secured to the inside of the body underlying and extending along the tear-away strip. A tab is formed at one end of the tear away strip. The canister package is opened by grasping the tab and pulling away from the canister body, which causes the tear-away strip to be severed from the body to open up the canister. The strip may extend axially, circumferentially, spirally, or otherwise along the canister body. |
| US08684221B2 |
Pastry tray
A pastry tray includes a body having an outer region and an inner region. The inner region includes at least one aperture extending therethrough. The pastry tray also typically includes at least one leg extending at least partially vertically downward from the body. When the pastry tray is arranged on a container containing a heated liquid, heat and steam from the heated liquid pass through the at least one aperture. When a pastry is arranged on the pastry tray, the heat and steam act to warm, and in some cases soften, the pastry. |
| US08684217B2 |
Easy-open package
A rigid or semi-rigid tray is provided, including a bottom and at least one side wall which forms at least one recessed product-receiving compartment, and a flange extending around the tray which forms distal edges of the container. The tray further includes a lidding film affixed to the flange which forms a peelable heat-seal extending around the product-receiving compartment and the distal edges of the container, and an easy-open member positioned between the product-receiving compartment and the distal edges of the container. The easy-open member has a frangible portion of the lidding film which forms a tab member when punctured, for example by the force of a human finger, to provide a means for removing the lidding film from the flange and gaining access to the product-receiving compartment. |
| US08684214B2 |
Degassing container for refrigerator
Provided is a degassing container for a refrigerator in which a portion of air within a storage space is forcedly discharged to allow the storage space to become a low pressure state. The degassing container includes a case, a door, a gasket, a pressing part, and a degassing adjustment part. The case has an opened side. The door selectively shields the opened side of the case. The gasket is interposed between the door and the case and elastically deformed and closely attached when the door is shielded. The pressing part is provided in the door and the case and selectively closely attaches the door by a rotation operation. The degassing adjustment part selectively enters and exits air within the case by operating the pressing part. Therefore, the refrigerator has improved storage performance. |
| US08684213B1 |
User-friendly, child-resistant container
A container assembly that includes a container having a container top and a container floor, a lid affixed to said container top by a hinge, the lid being adapted to move between an open position and a closed position, an internal fastener being (1) attached to the inside of the container, (2) not accessible from the outside of the container when the lid is in its closed position, and (3) adapted to maintain the lid in its closed or locked position, an access hole in the container floor, a lever positioned within the container and above the access hole, and a tool adapted to be inserted into the access hole to activate the lever to release the internal fastening mechanism. |
| US08684207B2 |
Advanced stopper head
A stopper head (1) to be secured to a stopper body (2) to form a stopper for a container, includes a base (3) on which a lug (4) is positioned such that it protrudes, the lug (4) being designed to cooperate with the body during the assembly of the body and the lug (4), the lug (4) including at least one recess (5) opening laterally, at both of its ends, such that the lug (4) is crossed through to anchor the body with the head (1). |
| US08684205B2 |
Pressure equalization apparatus for a bottle and methods associated therewith
A device that assists with equalizing air pressure within a bottle with the atmospheric air pressure as liquid is being poured from the bottle and includes one or more relatively short air tubes. The air tubes are situated with an upper inlet rim of the air tubes located flush with or relatively near the bottle rim. Whether an insert or integrated into the manufacture of a container, the one or more air tubes that extend partially into the container allow air to pass into the container as the liquid exits the container. The pressure equalizer not only minimizes or prevents the common glugging effect, but it allows liquid from a bottle to be poured smoothly at any angle and orientation. A cap incorporating a detachable pressure equalizer is also described. |
| US08684203B2 |
Screw closure with flexible band
A screw closure (10) has a screw cap (1) and a tamperproof band (5). The screw cap (1) has a head plate (2) with a cylindrical lateral cap surface (3,provided with an internal thread (4) and wherein the tamperproof band (5) has a flexible band (6) and is connected to the lower periphery of the lateral cap surface (3) via one or more easy-tear elements (7). In order to create a screw closure which has a flexible band and, even with relatively large tolerance deviations between the closure and container neck, still ensures that the tamperproof band can be reliably torn off is thus providing enhanced functional reliability. The flexible band (6) is a continuously encircling flexible band which, distributed over its circumference, has portions (8) which can be extended easily and, therebetween, portions (9) which are less easy to extend. |
| US08684201B2 |
Drinking container, vent system and method
The present invention relates to a drinking apparatus including a vent system that removably connects to a drinking container. The vent system is used to create a variety of leak resistant drinking containers, such as toddler drinking cups, baby bottles, and other drinking containers. The vent system includes a substantially rigid disc portion and base portion, the base portion including base air vent channels merging into an integral one-way valve. The vent system provides passage for air from the exterior of the bottle to the interior of the bottle, but it does not allow liquid to exit the bottle via the vent system. An optional anti-bubble tube may be used with the vent system to provide for air entering the inverted container to reach an air pocket formed in the bottom portion of the container. |
| US08684193B1 |
Foldable hanging container system and method of forming
A foldable container or holder that is foldable from a first flat planar shipping and storing configuration to a second erected generally rectangular configuration having an open top end for storing or holding items. The container or holder is formed from a flat planar blank of stiff material which is die cut, scored and slotted in a pattern which, when folded, forms a generally rectangular container or holder with a suspending tab for hanging or suspending the container r holder on a horizontal support track. |
| US08684189B2 |
Multifunctional electroprocessed membranes
Described is the application of layer-by-layer (LbL) electrostatic assembly techniques to electrospun nanofibers in order to fabricate novel, breathable electrospun fiber-based chemical and biological detoxifying protective fabrics and filters. The combination of layer-by-layer electrostatic assembly and electrospinning technique allows one to take advantage of high specific surface area, light weight and breathability of electrospun fiber mats while simultaneously providing the versatility to incorporate different functional polyelectrolytes to achieve multifunctional coatings for both chemical and biological protection together. The functionalized fiber mats can be incorporated into breathable chemical and biological protective fabrics, filters and masks. In addition, LbL electrostatic coating of porous non-woven materials provides the versatility to generate multifunctional polymer-based membrane materials for other applications. |
| US08684183B2 |
Carrying case for culinary essentials
Described is a portable carrying case for storing and transporting culinary essentials such as cooking equipment, instruments and accessories such as cutlery, spices, cookbooks, scales and other assortment of kitchen necessities. A knife compartment within said portable carrying case may be detached to serve as a standalone knife retaining compartment. |
| US08684180B2 |
Comestible package with closure
A package includes a pair of opposed package end surfaces and a first package wall spaced from a second package wall and connected thereto by an end wall forming a first compartment for holding one or more product pieces. The first compartment has an opening. A cover extends from the first compartment and is movable between an open and closed position to selectively cover and uncover the first compartment opening. A closure is disposed at one of the opposed end surfaces and retains the cover in the closed position. The closure includes a first closure member on the cover and a second closure member on the container. The first closure member is selectively, operatively couplable to the second closure member. |
| US08684179B2 |
Insert having a reinforcement for container packaging
A container insert for taking up extra space may be placed in a container intended for storage and/or shipment of material to an end user. The insert may be generally longitudinal having a helical configuration that may be expanded and constricted for taking up different volumes of space within the container respective of the amount of material stored therein. The insert may also be elastically deformable or generally pliable and may absorb impact forces for preventing or minimizing damage to the material. Further, the insert may include at least one reinforcement, including at least one wire or metal strip, or portions thereof. |
| US08684176B2 |
Apparatus and method for unwinding a needle portion
A container system is provided for removing a needle portion from a needle holder of a needle system. The system includes a receptacle defining an opening, a lid configured to cover the receptacle opening, wherein the lid defines an aperture having a shape configured to receive a needle system having a first configuration. The system also includes an adapter configured for engagement in the lid aperture, wherein the adapter defines an aperture having a shape configured to receive a needle system having a second configuration, and wherein the engagement of the adapter in the lid aperture resists rotation of the adapter with respect to the lid. |
| US08684175B2 |
Method for shipping and protecting an endotracheal tube with an inflated cuff
An inflatable cuff may be adapted to seal a patient's trachea when associated with an endotracheal tube. Packaging and transporting of these cuffs while inflated may provide for decreased wrinkles and thereby improved sealing of the trachea. Provided is a package for a medical device with an inflatable region, comprising a substantially non-stretchable region that substantially conforms to the shape of the inflatable region of the medical device when the inflatable region is inflated. |
| US08684170B2 |
Junction device for conveyor belts
The proposed device comprises chain links alternately connected to upper fastening plates and to lower fastening plates. These plates comprise fastening claws of which some are arranged on the front and/or rear edges of the plates and others inside the surface of the plates. Stops are provided for blocking the chain links along the edge of the end of a conveyor belt. Another series of similar chain links are placed against the other end of the conveyor belt. The two series of chain links and plates are braced against the upper and lower sides of the respective conveyor belt ends, the claws fastening them to these ends. A connecting rod is then fitted into the chain links of the two pre-interleaved series, bringing together the conveyor belt ends in the process. |
| US08684161B2 |
Portable low profile drive-over truck dump conveyor system
A portable truck dump comprises a conveyor system mounted on an elongate frame to transport material from a first end of the frame to a second, opposite end of the frame. A grate is positioned over the conveyor system and is supported by first and second sides of the frame. A ramp extends generally perpendicular to the frame on each side of the frame next to the grate to provide a drive-over access for a material transport vehicle to deposit its load over the grate and onto the conveyor system and a portion of each ramp. A first end of each ramp immediately adjacent to the frame is pivotally connected to the frame to allow the ramp to be articulated towards the grate to move excess material off of the ramp and into the grate. |
| US08684160B2 |
System and method for processing coins
A self-service currency processing machine includes a user control panel, a coin hopper configured to receive input bulk coins, and a coin processing module configured to sort the input bulk coins by denomination and output the coins, via operation of at least one controller-controlled diverter, along a specified path to a coin receptacle station comprising at least one plastic coin bag. The machine also includes a controller configured to selectively distribute coins of one or more denominations to a selected plastic coin bag in the coin receptacle station responsive to an instruction received from one of the user control panel or a host system communicatively coupled to the machine via a communication interface and a bag sealing device configured to seal the selected plastic coin bag following receipt of the predetermined number of coins of one or more denominations in the selected plastic coin bag. |
| US08684158B2 |
Multifunctional electronic parking meter
An electronic parking meter mechanism for inserting into a parking meter assembly is provided. The mechanism includes an inner housing, a payment receiving structure located on the inner housing, a user input device located on the inner housing, and an electronic display screen supported by the inner housing. The mechanism includes a front shelf and a front solar panel coupled to the upper surface of the front shelf. The mechanism may also include wireless communications hardware supported by the inner housing configured to wirelessly communicate with a parking management system. |
| US08684157B2 |
Currency discrimination system and method
According to some embodiments of the invention, a magnetic sensor having a track width of greater than about 50 millimeters is provided. The magnetic sensor is adapted to detect a magnetic feature and produce a linear, analog output in response to the magnetic feature. The analog output is along a single data channel. |
| US08684151B2 |
Raw material loading apparatus and pipe unit for raw material loading apparatus
A loading apparatus for loading raw material into a processing apparatus includes an accommodation section accommodating the raw material, upstream and downstream paths through which the raw material is fed in an airtight state into the processing apparatus, a feeding mechanism that feeds in an airtight state the raw material from the accommodation section to the upstream path, a joint section that separates and joins the upstream and downstream paths, and a closing section, positioned in the second path, that can be opened and closed to maintain the processing apparatus and a portion of the downstream path located downstream of the closing section in an airtight state when the joint section separates the upstream and downstream paths. The downstream path is extendable and contractible to move its downstream end with respect to the joint section while the upstream and downstream paths remain joined. |
| US08684150B2 |
Control assembly and control method for supplying power to electrified rail vehicles
A control assembly includes a monitoring module and a switching module. The monitoring module determines a load demand of a first rail vehicle traveling along a track, wherein the first rail vehicle is supplied with electric current from a plurality of power sources over a conductive pathway extending along the track. The switching module is communicatively coupled with the monitoring module and is joined with a switch controller disposed between the power sources and the conductive pathway. The switching module directs the switch controller to change which of the power sources supply the electric current to the first rail vehicle over the conductive pathway based on the load demand. |
| US08684145B2 |
Systems and methods for console braking
In various embodiments, a braking system may include an actuator, a pawl gear coupled to the actuator, and a wheel gear plate. The braking system may further include a brake pad, an outer wheel coupled to the brake pad, and a spring washer plate configured to press the wheel gear plate against the brake pad such that the wheel gear plate is configured to inhibit rotation of the outer wheel through friction between the wheel gear plate and the brake pad when the pawl gear inhibits rotation of the wheel gear plate. In some embodiments, the braking system may further include a sensor and the actuator may be triggered to actuate the pawl gear in response to signals from the sensor. |
| US08684143B2 |
Elevator guide rail system
An elevator system has at least one common pair of guide rails for guide shoes of an elevator car, running along the common pair of guide rails, and for guiding elements of a counterweight, running along the same pair of guide rails. The guide shoes of the elevator car follow a straight trajectory and the guiding elements of the counterweight are deflectable by at least one deflecting element within a crossing region for the elevator car and the counterweight. |
| US08684139B2 |
Step stool
A step tool has front and rear leg tubes, a bottom and top footplate, a connection device for connecting the footplate and the leg tubes, a lock catch device of the top footplate. The front leg tubes are joined to the rear leg tubes rotatablely. The foreside of the top footplate joins to the front leg tubes rotatablely. A rail is fixed on the rear leg tubes. The lock catch is disposed on the top footplate and is detachly connected to the rail. The lock catch device includes two connecting ears, a rotation axis, a lock catch and a torsion spring. |
| US08684138B1 |
Hunting stand assembly
A hunting stand assembly is provided for facilitating erection and positioning of the hunting stand by one person. The assembly includes a base assembly configured for coupling to a support surface and a support assembly configured for securing to a tree. An elongated stand is configured for propping against the tree. A lower end of the stand is pivotally coupled to the base assembly. A pulley assembly has a first end coupled to the support assembly and a second end coupled to the stand. A lift rope extends between the first end of the pulley assembly and the second end of the pulley assembly such that pulling a free end of the lift rope urges the first end towards the second end. Thus, the stand is urged to pivot towards the support assembly and into a desired position against the tree. |
| US08684130B1 |
Damping system for combustor
An acoustic damper arrangement for a combustor which has an inner liner configured for use at a first temperature during operation and an outer liner configured for operation at a second temperature lower than the first temperature during operation is disclosed, the acoustic damper arrangement comprising: a plurality of flexible sheets; and at least one hollow body having an interior volume, each of said at least one hollow body being fixed to one of the plurality of flexible sheets, wherein the acoustic damper arrangement is configured to be fixed to both the inner liner and the outer liner such that the interior volume of the at least one hollow body is in communication with a chamber formed by the inner liner, and the plurality of flexible sheets accommodate expansion and contraction of the inner liner relative to the outer liner. |
| US08684127B2 |
Electric power steering system
An electric power steering system includes a shaft coupling that drivably couples a worm gear to an output shaft such that the worm gear is tiltable with respect to the output shaft. The shaft coupling includes a fixing part coupled to the output shaft and a cylindrical part having an inner periphery in rectangular cross section and fixed to the fixing part. A coupling part that is inserted in the cylindrical part and that has an outer periphery in non-circular cross section, engageable with the inner periphery, is formed at a proximal end part of the worm gear, and the outer periphery is ridged such that gaps that allow the coupling part to tilt are provided inside the cylindrical part. Then, the cylindrical part presses an inner ring of the first rolling bearing toward an axially distal end side of the worm gear. |
| US08684122B2 |
Power assisted bicycle with regenerative function
A center motor power-assisted bicycle includes an internal transmission and has a regenerative function. A transmission comprises, in a drive wheel hub, a planetary gear, a one-way clutch for reverse input, a clutch switching device, and, a sun gear and transmits driving force from a sprocket to the drive wheel. A transmission control mechanism selectively rotationally fixes the sun gear to the axle to change speed when driving force is applied. The clutch is disposed between the sun gear and the axle, and selectively rotationally fixes the sun gear to the axle by the operation of the clutch switching device when reverse input is applied. While the bicycle is driven, the clutch switching device moves the clutch to the rotatable state, to transmit driving force. While the bicycle is traveling without being driven, the clutch is locked, so that reverse input is transmitted to the sprocket. |
| US08684121B2 |
Wearable mobility device
A wearable mobility device comprising a base for the placement of a shoe, the base including a heel-support section, a battery pack, a tail reflector, and a wireless receiver. The device including a first wheel having a wheel hub motor embedded therein, the motor rotatably connected to a first partial axial shaft connected to the base. The device including a second wheel having a wheel hub motor controller embedded therein, the motor controller rotatably connected to a second partial axial shaft connected to the base and operative to control a speed of rotation of the first wheel and the second wheel. The device also including a remote control for controlling the speed of rotation of the first wheel and the second wheel, the remote control operative to transmit one or more control signals to the wireless receiver, the wireless receiver being electrically coupled to the motor controller. |
| US08684119B2 |
Layout of compact all terrain vehicle for battery positioning
A battery is arranged so as to be located between left and right frame members in plan view of the vehicle and to the rear of the cylinder with respect to the front-back direction of the vehicle and so as to overlap at least a portion of the transmission case with regard to the location of at least a portion of the battery in the front-back direction of the vehicle, the long side of the battery being furthermore oriented in the front-back direction of the vehicle and the short side of the battery being oriented in the widthwise direction of the vehicle. |
| US08684116B2 |
Construction machine provided with engine room
Disclosed is a construction machine comprising an engine room having first and second exhaust ports, preventing deterioration of air flows due to collision of exhaust airs through the first and the second exhaust ports, and reducing noise transmission on lateral sides of the construction machine. The construction machine comprises an engine guard surrounding an engine room; an engine, a heat exchanger, and a cooling fan, which are installed in the engine room; and an exhaust air guide. The engine guard is formed with exhaust ports including the first and second exhaust ports. The first is opened in parallel to an axial direction of an engine output shaft. The second is formed in proximity to the first exhaust port downstream of the first exhaust port with respect to a direction parallel to the axial direction of the engine output shaft and opened upward below the first exhaust port. The exhaust air guide has a shape to change a flow direction of the air discharged through the first exhaust port in parallel to the axial direction of the engine output shaft into an upward direction at a position upstream of the second exhaust port. |
| US08684111B2 |
Core drill bit
A drill bit is disclosed. The drill bit has an axis, and a barrel, and a cutting member fixed to the barrel. The barrel is arranged to engage a drill shaft for driving the drill bit around the axis. The barrel and the cutting member are adjacently located on the axis. The drill bit has an aperture centered on the axis, the aperture passing completely through both the cutting member and barrel. |
| US08684105B2 |
Power tool
A technique is provided which improves durability in a power tool having a torque transmission device. The representative power tool has a torque transmission device 151. The torque transmission device 151 includes a projection 171 formed on one of opposed surfaces of a first rotating member 153 and a second rotating member 155 and protruding in a direction of a rotational axis, a recess 161 for receiving the projection 171, which is formed in the other of the opposed surfaces and recessed in the direction of the rotational axis, a projection-side engagement surface 175a formed on the projection 171, and a recess-side engagement surface 165a formed on the recess 171. Torque is transmitted when the projection-side and recess-side engagement surfaces 175a, 165a are engaged with each other, while the torque transmission is interrupted when the projection-side and recess-side engagement surfaces 175a, 165a are disengaged from each other. The projection-side and recess-side engagement surfaces 175a, 165a are inclined at a predetermined angle β with respect to normals P of the first and second rotating members 153, 155. |
| US08684095B2 |
Geothermal pipe setting tool
A pipe setting tool includes a tool shaft, a coupler mounted on a first end of the tool shaft, and a tool sleeve affixed to the tool shaft defining a space therebetween. An outside diameter of the tool sleeve ensures close conformity to a borehole to position a geothermal pipe mounted thereto in close proximity to the outside diameter of the borehole. A moveable seal cap may be mounted on the tool shaft, moveable between a first position spaced-apart from the tool sleeve during down-hole movement of the tool to permit fluid flow through the space and a second position against the tool sleeve during up-hole movement of the tool to establish a seal with the tool sleeve to prevent fluid flow through the space. A second end of the tool shaft may receive a pipe hook to attach a geothermal pipe to the pipe setting tool. |
| US08684093B2 |
Electromechanical actuator apparatus and method for down-hole tools
An apparatus and method for the actuation of down-hole tools are provided. The down-hole tool that may be actuated and controlled using the apparatus and method may include a reamer, an adjustable gauge stabilizer, vertical steerable tools, rotary steerable tools, by-pass valves, packers, whipstocks, down hole valves, latch or release mechanisms and/or anchor mechanisms. |
| US08684090B2 |
Slip connection with adjustable pre-tensioning
A telescopic riser section device for a riser which is arranged to connect a wellhead to a surface vessel, the telescopic riser section being placed between the wellhead and the riser and being provided with at least one actuator arranged to apply a downward tensile force to the riser; an actuator-pressurizing circuit being connected to the at least one actuator and being arranged on the riser section and/or on the riser. |
| US08684089B2 |
Method and system for circulating fluid in a subsea intervention stack
The present invention relates to a fluid circulation system for circulating fluid in a subsea cavity, the cavity being filled with a first fluid and having first and second end ports. The system comprises a container (26) containing a second fluid, fluid lines (21, 27) extending from the container to the first and second end ports of the cavity, respectively, and a pump (22) for exchanging the second fluid provided in the container (26) and the first fluid provided in the subsea cavity (10). The invention also relates to a method for circulating fluid in a subsea cavity. |
| US08684088B2 |
Shear laser module and method of retrofitting and use
There is provided a high power shear laser module, which can be readily included in a blowout preventer stack. The shear laser module as the capability of delivering high power laser energy to a tubular within a blowout preventer cavity, cutting the tubular and thus reducing the likelihood that the tubular will inhibit the ability of the blowout preventer to seal off a well. |
| US08684087B1 |
Downhole flow control using perforator and membrane
A flow control assembly can be disposed in a wellbore and can include a membrane that can be perforated in response to a pressure, such as a setting pressure, from an inner area of a tubing. Subsequent to the membrane being perforated, fluid can be allowed to flow from an area external to the tubing to an area internal to the tubing. The membrane may remain closed during a packer setting operation and be perforated subsequent to the packer setting operation. |
| US08684083B2 |
Perforating gun with rotatable charge tube
A perforating gun designed to orient a charge holding structure (e.g., tube, solid rod) within a barrel of the perforating gun to be at the same position relative to a wellbore casing regardless of a position of the barrel of the perforating gun. A charge assembly receivable within the barrel includes the charge holding structure and first and second end caps that are rotatably interconnected to the charge holding structure and non-rotatably interconnected to the barrel. As the charge holding structure is always or substantially always designed to maintain a common orientation in relation to the wellbore casing, explosive charges associated with the charge holding structure so as to fire towards particular location on the wellbore casing may always or substantially always perforate such particular locations upon or after the explosive charges have fired. |
| US08684077B2 |
Watercut sensor using reactive media to estimate a parameter of a fluid flowing in a conduit
An apparatus for estimating a parameter of interest includes a conduit and a reactive media in the conduit. The reactive media interacts with a selected fluid component to control a flow parameter of the conduit. The apparatus also includes at least one sensor responsive to the flow parameter. The apparatus may be used for estimating a water content of a fluid flowing from a subterranean formation. The apparatus may include a flow path configured to convey fluid from the formation. The at least one sensor may be responsive to a pressure change in the flow path caused by interaction of the reactive media with water. |
| US08684074B2 |
Work string mounted cleaning tool and assembly method
Work string-mounted cleaning tool and a method of assembling such tools using a quick release for the cleaning element. Oblong pad element has a curved upper surface with slots to receive work surface segments. Opposite edge has a part-circular recess with part-circular peripheral lip around an upper edge of the recess. A retainer fastening component in the recess has a core with socket adapted to receive a driving tool. The retainer is sized to permit it to rotate when mounted within the recess. Roll pins are provided for use in locating the fastener component in predetermined rotational configurations in relation to the recess. Shear pin is provided to inhibit unintended rotation of the fastener component, and to lock the retainer for normal use of the cleaning tool. Shearing of the shear pin permits disassembly of the tool. |
| US08684073B2 |
Device for injection and stimulation of fluids in a well bore
Present invention regards a device for injection and stimulation of fluids in a wellbore, where the device is typically is installed in Christmas trees, wellheads or subsea. The device comprises two separable sections, where the section that is mounted/arranged within the Christmas tree or wellhead, will remain in a closed position even if the other section due to external forces is broken off or in other ways is damaged. |
| US08684071B2 |
End plate for plate heat exchanger
An end plate (200, 300) for a brazed heat exchanger comprises a relief pattern comprising ridges (230, 330) and grooves (240, 340) pressed into the plate material. The relief pattern (330, 340) is symmetric. |
| US08684070B2 |
Compact radial platen arrangement for radiant syngas cooler
A radiant synthesis gas (syngas) cooler used to contain and cool the synthesis gas produced by a coal gasification process used in an IGCC power plant employs a compact radial platen arrangement which is less prone to fouling and/or plugging issues. |
| US08684067B1 |
Suspended panel system
A suspended panel system for vertically hanging a panel is provided. The suspended panel system can include a first connector having a panel mounting portion configured to be coupled to a first edge portion of a panel. The first connector can include a first hook having a first channel open toward the panel. The suspended panel system can also include a second connector configured to be coupled to a mounting surface above the panel. The second connector can include a second hook having a second channel open away from the panel such that the first hook and the second hook removably engage one another by having the first hook engage the second channel and the second hook engage the first channel. |
| US08684065B2 |
Overhead door track assembly
An overhead door assembly includes a horizontal track, a transition track and a vertical track. The horizontal track has a first axial end and an oppositely disposed second axial end. The transition track has a first end and a second end and is curved. The first end is engaged to the second axial end of the horizontal track. The vertical track includes a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion is rigidly mounted to the second end of the transition track. The vertical track includes a plurality of guide portions and a plurality of jog portions that are alternately disposed along the vertical track. The plurality of guide portions and the plurality of jog portions cooperatively define a channel. The plurality of jog portions is offset from the plurality of guide portions. |
| US08684064B2 |
High speed rollup door with rollable door leaf
An industrial rollup door to selectively cover a doorway opening or to provide industrial guarding is presented. The rollup door comprises door leaf, comprised of lamellae, or panels a flexible strip as a lifting belt for selectively lifting and lowering the door, a continuous dampening profile running along the outer surface of each lamellae near an end, and a rotatable spiral disc to accept the lamellae as the door is lifted and to release the lamellae as the door is lowered. |
| US08684061B2 |
Confined space control cover
A confined space control cover that covers a man-way to a confined space area that includes a polyester base cover and an attachment perimeter orifice that covers the man-way, a heavy nylon strapping with two ends that is utilized to secure the confined space control cover over the man-way and a plurality of steel eyelets that are disposed on both ends of the strapping. A lock is placed through the eyelets on both ends to secure the control cover to the man-way. The control cover also includes a warning sign disposed on the front of the base cover to prevent persons from entering the confined space area and a maintenance tag that is attached to the strapping to indicate maintenance activity performed near or within the confined space area or man-way. |
| US08684060B2 |
Tyre-changing machine and a relative bead-breaking method
A tire-changing machine comprising support means (4) for a wheel, a tool-bearing arm (50) at an end of which a bead-breaking tool (6) is hinged according to a hinge axis (E) which is perpendicular to an axis (A) of the wheel, and first motorised means (32, 33) for causing a relative movement, in a parallel direction to the axis (A) of the wheel, between the support means (4) and the tool-bearing arm (50), such as to press the bead-breaking tool (6) against a flank of a tire on the wheel, characterized in that it comprises second motorised means (64), activatable independently from the first motorised means (32, 33), which second motorised means (64) are destined to rotate the bead-breaking tool (6) about the hinge axis (E) with the tool-bearing arm (50), in order to vary an inclination of the bead-breaking tool (6) with respect to the axis (A) of the wheel which is mounted on the support means (4). |
| US08684059B2 |
Method and apparatus for tabbing manually-manipulated folded material
A method and apparatus for tabbing a piece of folded material includes a fixture into which a folded material is manually inserted and retracted. A dispensing device automatically dispenses a length of adhesive tape that may be pinked on at least one edge, and a cutting device separates the length of pinked tape from its source. A lower platen slides below the inserted media and traps a piece of the adhesive tape between the lower platen and the media. An upper roller or sliding member moves over the opposite side of the media for folding the remaining portion of the adhesive tape over the opposite side of the media and causing good contact between the adhesive surfaces of both portions of the folded adhesive tape and the media, thereby completing the sealing action. The media then is retracted manually. |
| US08684057B2 |
Driving apparatus of building drum for tire
The invention is for enabling one piece of rotation driving means 17 to drive to rotate both of an outer side shaft portion 3 of a drum shaft 1 and a screw shaft 4 on an inner side as a driving apparatus 10 of a tire building drum D, including an outer shaft 13 connected to the outer side shaft portion 3, a middle shaft 14 connected to the screw shaft 4, one piece of the rotation driving means 17 connected to the middle shaft 14 by way of a rotation transmitting member 18, and a clutch 26 interposed between the rotation transmitting member 18 connected to the middle shaft 14 and the outer shaft 13, and constituted to transmit rotation of the rotation driving means 17 to both of the middle shaft 14 and the outer shaft 13 in connecting the clutch 26 and transmit the rotation of the rotation driving means 17 only to the middle shaft 14 in cutting the clutch 26. |
| US08684054B2 |
Handbags with interchangeable covers and methods for customizing handbags
Handbags, including soft handbags, are easily customizable by attaching or changing handbag covers of virtually any design. The handbag covers can include, at least in part, an essentially collapsible material, and are relatively small and easily stored. Accordingly, the aesthetic and design of handbags can be easily altered without requiring the purchase of different handbags of different styles. In at least one implementation of the present invention, the handbag covers essentially envelope the base handbag. Additionally, one or more implementations of the present invention include handbag covers that attach to a base handbag via a plurality of attachment forces. |
| US08684053B2 |
Handbags with interchangeable covers and methods for customizing handbags
Handbags, including soft handbags, are easily customizable by attaching or changing handbag covers of virtually any design. The handbag covers can include, at least in part, an essentially collapsible material, and are relatively small and easily stored. Accordingly, the aesthetic and design of handbags can be easily altered without requiring the purchase of different handbags of different styles. In at least one implementation of the present invention, the handbag covers essentially envelope the base handbag. Additionally, one or more implementations of the present invention include handbag covers that attach to a base handbag via a plurality of attachment forces. |
| US08684044B2 |
Fluid charging system, movable object, supply facility, and method for controlling fluid charge
A supply facility is configured to charge fluid to a tank of a movable object. A charging profile storage unit is provided to the movable object to store a charging profile specifying a charging pressure of fluid in each elapsed time point from a beginning of fluid charge. A charging profile transmission unit is provided to the movable object to transmit the charging profile to the supply facility. A charging profile reception unit is provided to the supply facility to receive a charging profile transmitted from the charging profile transmission unit. A charging pressure control unit is provided to the supply facility to control charging pressure of fluid according to the charging profile when fluid is charged to a movable object, which corresponds to the charging profile. |
| US08684042B2 |
Aircraft including a fuel valve and a control actuator fastened to the valve
The aircraft comprises: a fuel valve; an actuator for controlling the valve; and a tank panel extending between the valve and the actuator. It is arranged in such a manner that the bearing point(s) between the panel and a first one of the members selected from the valve and the actuator, and preferably the actuator, is/are provided by means of the second one of these members. |
| US08684041B2 |
Control valve for a device for variably adjusting the valve timing for gas exchange valves in an internal combustion engine
A control valve (14) for a device (1) for altering the valve timing for gas exchange valves (110, 111) of an internal combustion engine (100) is provided. A non-return valve (54) is located within an annular groove (44) formed on one of the components of the control valve (14) and pressurized medium flows through the annular groove. The assembly of the device is facilitated. |
| US08684040B2 |
Reduction of vortex induced forces and motion through surface roughness control
Roughness is added to the surface of a bluff body in a relative motion with respect to a fluid. The amount, size, and distribution of roughness on the body surface is controlled passively or actively to modify the flow around the body and subsequently the Vortex Induced Forces and Motion (VIFM). The added roughness, when designed and implemented appropriately, affects in a predetermined way the boundary layer, the separation of the boundary layer, the level of turbulence, the wake, the drag and lift forces, and consequently the Vortex Induced Motion (VIM), and the fluid-structure interaction. The goal of surface roughness control is to decrease/suppress Vortex Induced Forces and Motion. Suppression is required when fluid-structure interaction becomes destructive as in VIM of flexible cylinders or rigid cylinders on elastic support, such as underwater pipelines, marine risers, tubes in heat exchangers, nuclear fuel rods, cooling towers, SPAR offshore platforms. |
| US08684038B2 |
Slide-type pressure control valve having improved damping behavior
A slide-type pressure control valve having an improved damping behavior is described. |
| US08684036B1 |
Cryogenic valve
A cryogenic valve includes a first port and a second port, a valve body, a valve stem, a sealing member, a valve element and a housing. The valve body includes a valve seat defining a fluid orifice in fluid communication with the first port. The valve stem is configured to engage with the valve body, wherein at least one of the valve stem and valve body form an inner valve cavity. The valve element is positioned within the inner valve cavity. The valve element is also configured to bias the sealing member against the orifice to substantially block flow through the orifice and the first port. The bias is controlled in response to control of the valve element by a valve actuator. A channel is configured to allow fluid flow through at least one of the valve stem and valve element along a longitudinal axis. A housing is configured to substantially seal and enclose at least a portion of the valve body and valve stem. The housing forms an inner housing cavity configured to thermally isolate the exterior of the valve body and valve stem from the housing. |
| US08684035B2 |
Quick connect coupling for connecting hydraulic lines, especially in earth moving machines, and the interchangeable add-on devices and tools thereof
The invention relates to a quick connect coupling (15) for connecting hydraulic lines, especially in earth moving machines and the interchangeable add-on devices and tools thereof. The quick connect coupling (15) comprises a first and a second connecting part (15a or 15b) which can be releasably coupled along a coupling axis to transfer a hydraulic liquid. In order to avoid axial forces during coupling, the hydraulic liquid to be transferred, in the coupled state, emerges from the one connecting part (15a or 15b) at a right angle to the coupling axis and enters the other connecting part (15b or 15a) at a right angle to the coupling axis. |
| US08684033B2 |
Two-shutter valve
A valve including a body that defines first and second ducts that open out into a third duct. The first duct is provided with a first shutter and the second duct is provided with a second shutter connected to drive means arranged to move the shutters in a normal mode of operation in which the second shutter is in the closed position and the first shutter is adjustable in position between an open position and a first closed position, a stop mode in which the second shutter is in its closed position and the first shutter is in its first closed position, and a secondary mode of operation in which the second shutter is in its open position and the first shutter is in a second closed position. |
| US08684031B2 |
Apparatus for conveying a waste stream
Apparatus for conveying waste streams exhausted from first and second chambers is provided. The apparatus comprises first conduit means comprising an inlet for receiving a waste stream exhausted from the first chamber, and an outlet, and a second conduit means comprising an inlet for receiving a waste stream exhausted from a second chamber, and an outlet. The outlets of the first and second conduit means are connected together. The first conduit means comprises means for generating sonic choking of gas being conveyed towards the outlet of the first conduit means in order to inhibit migration of a component of the waste stream exhausted from the second chamber towards the first chamber. |
| US08684024B2 |
Spill containment system
A spill containment system is attachable to a riser pipe with an axially moveable seal. The spill containment system allows access to a drop tube in the riser pipe via a removable liquid communication assembly. The spill containment system includes a sealed interstitial space, which remains sealed during installation, service and use of the system. The spill containment system is protected by a weather resistant cover assembly. |
| US08684023B2 |
Roddable direct mount manifold for primary flow element
An apparatus and rodding method is disclosed for cleaning particulant matter from the interior high and low pressure fluid conducting conduits of a valve manifold and its mounting neck that are components of a process fluid flow or mass flow measuring assembly. High and low pressure fluid conducting conduits run through the longitudinal length of the manifold body with laterally extending diversion channels that conduct the high and low pressure fluid to a pressure transducer mounted on the back side of the valve manifold. Following shut down of the process fluid flow, plugs at the terminal end of the fluid channels are removed, permitting cleaning rods to be inserted into the fluid channels, without having to remove the pressure transducer and associated data transmitter from the assembly. |
| US08684021B2 |
Versatile emergency shutdown device controller implementing a pneumatic test for a system instrument device
A method of monitoring a fluid process control system having a control loop for controlling the flow of a material through a path in the fluid process control system. The control loop a control valve, a valve controller, and a fluid control line. The control valve is disposed in the path and is movable between an open position and a closed position. The valve controller is for controlling movement of the control valve. And, the fluid control line couples the valve controller to the control valve. The method detects a first pressure in the control loop with a first pressure sensor. Then, a second pressure can be detected at a location that is external to the control loop with a second pressure sensor. Finally, the method can include determining a characteristic of the control loop based on the first pressure. |
| US08684018B1 |
Automatic umbrella
An improved automatic umbrella including a tube plug fixed to a top of a second tube of a telescopic tube assembly, an inner tube fixed to the tube plug within the second tube of the telescopic tube assembly, a control tube being movably fitted in the inner tube, wherein the control tube is provided with a lower control pulley at its inner bottom end and the inner tube is provided with an upper control pulley at its inner top end, and a control line being provided such that a first end of the control line is fixed to a bullet head in the telescopic tube assembly, whereas a second end of the control line is sequentially looped around the upper control pulley and the lower control pulley, and finally fixed to a top end of the control tube, whereby the umbrella can be easily folded into a fully compact form. |
| US08684016B2 |
Dish washing machine
Disclosed herein is a dish washing machine including a sump unit capable of supplying, to an injection nozzle, wash water flowing in accordance with operation of an impeller, without using a separate channel member. The dish washing machine includes a body provided with a washing tub, a sump unit arranged in the washing tub, and at least one injection nozzle to inject wash water into the washing tub. The sump unit includes a sump housing, an impeller arranged in the sump housing, to pump wash water from the sump housing, and a guide member, to which the sump housing is mounted. The guide member guides the wash water pumped by the impeller directly to the injection nozzle. |
| US08684014B2 |
Liquid processing apparatus for substrate and liquid processing method
Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus and a liquid processing method, which can process an entire wafer at a sufficiently high temperature and can sufficiently suppress adhesion of particles on a surface of the wafer, when the peripheral portion of the wafer is processed. The liquid processing apparatus includes a holding part to hold the substrate, a rotation driving part to rotate the holding part, and a shield unit. The shield unit includes an opposed plate opposed to the substrate held by the holding part, a heating part to heat the substrate through the opposed plate, and a heated gas supplying part to supply heated gas to a surface of the substrate held by the holding part. |
| US08684010B2 |
Diagnostic and therapeutic magnetic propulsion capsule and method for using the same
A guided medical propulsion capsule driven by strong electro-magnetic interaction between an external AC/DC magnetic gradient-lobe generator and a set of uniquely magnetized ferrous-conductive elements contained within the capsule. The capsule is navigated through the lumens and cavities of the human body wirelessly and without any physical contact for medical diagnostic, drug delivery, or other procedures with the magnetically guiding field generator external to the human body. The capsule is equipped with at least two sets of magnetic rings, disks and/or plates each possessing anisotropic magnetic properties. The external magnetic gradient fields provide the gradient forces and rotational torques on the internal conductive and magnetic elements needed to make the capsule move, tilt, and rotate in the body lumens and cavities according to the commands of an operator. |
| US08684008B2 |
Method and device for female urinary incontinence
A method and device for use in stress female urinary incontinence. A small, flexible adhesive patch is applied to the clitoris of a person suffering from stress female urinary incontinence. The adhesive is of a type sufficient to stimulate the mechanoreceptors located in the clitoris whereby to inhibit discharge from the bladder. The patch is formed of a backing sheet of an impervious film material containing adhesive on one side. A release liner prevents the adhesive from drying out. |
| US08684005B2 |
Nasal cannula assembly
An embodiment of the present invention is a nasal cannula for delivering continuous positive airway pressure (“CPAP”) to a patient's nares during operative procedures or in critical care areas. A malleable metal or plastic is encased in the bridge of the cannula to allow it to be shaped to the patient's face. As a result of contouring the cannula to the face, air leaks are minimized allowing a seal to be provided when an op site is applied to cover the upper lip, nasal cannula and nose. The cannula's nasal inserts can end in nontapered or slightly tapered non-sealing beads, which may be slightly angled out to accommodate various facial anatomies. When approximately several liters per minute of oxygen are flowed through the cannula, CPAP is obtained. |
| US08684001B2 |
Apparatus for providing positive airway pressure to a patient
Methods and apparatus for treatment of medical disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea and congestive heart failure are disclosed. A method involves delivering pressurized air, oxygen or other breathing gas to a patient during a respiratory cycle, where pressure of the air is decreased according to an expiratory unloading factor during expiration. The timing and magnitude of the pressure change may be fully automated and responsive to feedback from a motor load sensor, optionally in combination with a pressure sensor. |
| US08683997B2 |
Portable ventilator system
A portable ventilator uses a ROOTS-type blower as a compressor to reduce both the size and power consumption of the ventilator. Various functional aspects of the ventilator are delegated to multiple subassemblies having dedicated controllers and software that interact with a ventilator processor to provide user interface functions, exhalation control and flow control servos, and monitoring of patient status. The ventilator overcomes noise problems through the use of noise reducing pressure compensating orifices on the ROOTS-type blower housing and multiple baffling chambers. The ventilator is configured with a highly portable form factor, and may be used as a stand-alone device or as a docked device having a docking cradle with enhanced interface and monitoring capabilities. |
| US08683995B2 |
Dose dispensing containers
Internally pierced formed blisters containing fluid compositions for use in devices to produce a spray or mist delivery of the compositions include internal piercing nozzles that can have significantly reduced channel volume to increase pressure of the fluid forced through the nozzle and provide finer control of spray geometry. |
| US08683993B2 |
Header box for a furnace, a furnace including the header box and a method of constructing a furnace
A CEHB, a furnace and a method of constructing a furnace are disclosed. In one embodiment, the CEHB includes: (1) a fixed orifice configured to regulate air flow through a heat exchanger of the furnace, wherein a combustion air inducer induces the air flow and (2) a negative pressure channel including a negative channel supply port that communicates with an inlet of the combustion air inducer, a negative pressure port configured to connect to a negative input port of a pressure switch and bleed ports configured to reduce a pressure received through the negative channel supply port at the inlet to a targeted range at the negative pressure port, the pressure switch configured to monitor a combustion pressure through the heat exchanger. |
| US08683991B2 |
Cooking top
A cooking top, in particular a cooking top suitable for household use, comprises: an upward facing top cover, a first gas burner in turn comprising first flame divider means which put the first burner in operative communication with the outside of the top cover, the flame divider means comprising first flame outlets in turn comprising outlet sections, said outlet sections defining a first crown which defines and at least partly surrounds a first portion of the cooking top, and a second gas burner in turn comprising second flame divider means in operative communication with the outside of the top cover, the second flame divider means comprising second flame outlets in turn comprising outlet sections, the second flame divider means being formed in the first portion of the cooking top, the first and the second flame divider means being separate and independent of each other with the outlet sections of the first and/or second flame outlets facing upwards at least partly. |
| US08683987B2 |
Light turbo compound engine variant
Otto intake-cycle controlled-air (throttled) internal combustion engines suffer from parasitic pumping losses associated with partial vacuums developed in their intake manifolds and in the cylinders above their pistons. To solve this problem, there is provided individually partitioned dry-sump crankcases dynamic pneumatic coupling pressure reduction cycle system and method that reduce the damaging parasitic effects of the differential pressure about a piston head during an intake cycle which is a source of part-load pumping-loss friction. This closed loop system includes an independent supplemental mechanical fail-safe system of a turbo-compound engine variant for pneumatic coupling of individual cylinder-crankcase volumes. It does not alter the cylinder homogeneous mixture charge integrity and stability. The system is applicable to several engine configurations, such as controlled air intake or uncontrolled air intake combustion engines, using different fuel types, either in liquid or in gazeous state. |
| US08683986B2 |
Method for diagnosing additional valves
A method for adjusting an exhaust gas recycling rate in an internal combustion engine exhaust gas recycling system, comprising: arranging the exhaust gas recycling system in at least one of a fresh gas line, an exhaust gas line, and an exhaust gas recycling line of the internal combustion engine; actuating at least one additional valve; adjusting the at least one additional valve temporarily by changing the operation of the internal combustion engine based on an exhaust gas rate associated with a current operating point of the internal combustion engine; diagnosing the at least one additional valve; and evaluating the change of at least one engine operating parameter dependent on the exhaust gas recycling rate. |
| US08683981B2 |
Fuel supply system
A fuel supply system includes a low pressure fuel pump, which suctions and discharges fuel accumulated in a fuel tank, and a high pressure fuel pump, which suctions and discharges the fuel discharged from the low pressure fuel pump and supplies the fuel to a fuel injection valve installed in an internal combustion engine, the low pressure fuel pump, high pressure fuel pump, and fuel injection valve being connected in series, wherein the low pressure fuel pump and high pressure fuel pump are configured in such a way as to be driven or stopped independently of each other, one by each motor, and the pressure of the fuel discharged from the high pressure fuel pump is made variable by a combination of the drive or stop of the low pressure fuel pump and the drive or stop of the high pressure fuel pump. |
| US08683979B2 |
Dual fuel common rail system and engine using same
A dual fuel system for an engine includes a plurality of fuel injectors that each include an injector body with a tip component defining a plurality of gas nozzle outlets and a plurality of liquid nozzle outlets positioned for direct injection into one of the engine cylinders. Each of the fuel injectors is fluidly connected to a gaseous fuel common rail through a quill and an outer passage defined between an inner tube and an outer tube. Each of the fuel injectors is fluidly connected to a liquid fuel common rail through the quill and an inner passage defined by the inner tube. Each combination of an inner tube and outer tube extend into the engine housing between the quill and one of the fuel injectors. Each of the inner tubes extends through one of the outer tubes and is compressed between a conical seat on the quill and a conical seat on one of the fuel injectors. |
| US08683976B2 |
Spark plug degradation detection
Methods and systems are provided for identifying and indicating degradation of an engine cylinder spark plug. In response to a cylinder misfire event during selected engine operating conditions, followed by an occurrence of a threshold number and/or rate of pre-ignition events in the same cylinder, a controller may determine that the spark plug is degraded. The controller may limit combustion in the cylinder in response to the degradation. Additionally, cylinder pre-ignition mitigating steps may be taken. |
| US08683975B2 |
Positive displacement rotary system
A positive displacement rotary system may include a main rotor and a slotted rotor. The main rotor can include an interior cavity and a fixed vane (or blade) that is attached to the peripheral and side walls of that cavity. The slotted rotor is positioned within the main rotor interior and includes a slot for the main rotor blade. The main and slotted rotors rotate about parallel axes that are offset from one another. As the rotors turn, separate chambers are formed between the blade and an inter-rotor seal, with the inter-rotor seal located at or near a rolling contact between the outer surface of the slotted rotor and an inner perimeter wall of the main rotor cavity. The separate chambers contract and expand as the rotors rotate. |
| US08683972B2 |
Crankcase and method of manufacturing same
A crankcase is provided for an internal combustion engine with at least one coated cylinder bore, which has a chamfer on a separating surface facing a cylinder head. A countersink is arranged on the chamfer. The geometry allows an additional grinding process on a separating surface facing a cylinder head to be omitted. |
| US08683971B2 |
Intake manifold
An intake manifold includes a first piece and a second piece. The first piece includes a first branch pipe half portion and an intake air introducing portion. The second piece is connected to the first piece by vibration-welding and includes a second branch pipe half portion, an additional body, and a connecting portion. The second branch pipe half portion is connected to the first branch pipe half portion. The additional body is connected to the intake air introducing portion. The second branch pipe half portion and the additional body are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance. The connecting portion connects the second branch pipe half portion to the additional body. |
| US08683969B2 |
Vehicular control device
During the time period from the start of an engine to the completion of a catalyst warming-up, the drive of a blower in an air-conditioning equipment is inhibited to suppress the heat-exchange of the air, which is caused to flow in an air duct by the drive of the blower, with cooling water in a heater core disposed in a circulating passage. Therefore, the heat generated in the engine is restrained from being fed to the inside of a compartment through that air after fed to the cooling water. As a result, the temperatures of the engine and the cooling water rise quickly, and the temperature of the exhaust of the engine rises so that the heat is efficiently fed to the catalyst through the exhaust. This means that the heat generated in the engine is preferentially fed through the exhaust to the catalyst that is the portion needing the feed of heat at a low temperature, other than the compartment in the automobile. |
| US08683967B2 |
Displacement groove contour of sliding cam assemblies of an internal combustion reciprocating piston engine
Engine with a crank mechanism and a cylinder head whose intake and exhaust channels are regulated by gas exchange valves activated by cams of at least one camshaft. The cams are sliding cams with at least one cam per sliding cam assembly arranged rotationally fixed but axially displaceable on a base shaft, and each having an actuator with an actuator pin for displacing the sliding cam assemblies into different axial positions via at least one displacement groove which cooperates with the pin. The displacement groove being helical shaped and having a run-in and a run-out region for the pin and a displacement flank and an opposing support flank. A detent device locks the sliding cam assemblies in different axial positions. A distance between the displacement flank and the support flank remains constant along the entire extent of the displacement groove parallel to the displacement direction of the sliding cam assembly. |
| US08683965B2 |
Engine assembly including camshaft actuator
An engine assembly may include an engine structure, a camshaft supported for rotation on the engine structure, a drive member and a camshaft actuation assembly. The camshaft may include a first shaft, a second shaft located within the first shaft and rotatable relative to the first shaft, a first cam lobe located on the first shaft and fixed for rotation with the first shaft and a second cam lobe supported for rotation on the first shaft and fixed for rotation with the second shaft. The drive member may be fixed to a first axial end of the camshaft and rotationally driven to drive rotation of the camshaft. The camshaft actuation assembly may include an actuator coupled to a second axial end of the camshaft and rotationally fixed to the engine structure and relative to the camshaft. |
| US08683961B2 |
Fluid system and method of controlling fluid flow for an intercooler
A fluid system for an intercooler has a fill level defining a maximum volume of liquid in the fluid system, a main fluid circuit and a secondary fluid volume. The main fluid circuit includes the intercooler, and one or more passages through which fluid is circulated with operation of the engine, and at least a portion of the main fluid circuit is located above the fill level. The secondary fluid volume has at least a portion located below the fill level that communicates with the main fluid circuit to receive liquid from the main fluid circuit at least when the engine is not operating to drain at least some of the liquid from the portion of the main fluid circuit that is located above the fill level. This reduces the volume of liquid that remains above the fill level when the engine is not operating. |
| US08683959B2 |
Locking pet lead system comprising a leash and collar to prevent the theft of pets
A lead system for domesticated animals has a lock capable of securing the collar and the handle ends to prevent theft of the animal. The lead system has a leash having a handle at one end and a collar at the opposing end. The lead system may have a first lock at the collar end and a second lock at the handle end which are separately activated for fastening the handle to the leash at one end of the leash and the collar to the leash at the other end for securing an animal to an immovable object. Alternatively, the lead system may have a lock capable of simultaneously securing the collar and handle ends. The lead system may also allow for adjustment of the circumference of the collar and the handle through the use of levers, with the lock(s) capable of also securing the levers. |
| US08683958B2 |
Reverse welt ball
A ball (100) having a foam core (110) with a channel recess (114) formed on its surface is enclosed by a cover assembly including a rubber channel assembly (120) in the shape of a spherical curve, such as a baseball curve, and fabric panels (132) that are fixed to the channel assembly. The channel assembly is configured to be inserted into the channel recess in the core. In an embodiment, a heat-activated adhesive substrate is disposed between the cover assembly and the core. In an embodiment, a launcher engages the channel assembly to aid in throwing the ball. In an embodiment, a removable insert (220) is insertable to be retained in the channel assembly. |
| US08683957B2 |
Movement analysis device for rodents
A movement analysis device for rodents capable of variably adjusting a space where a rodent is placed in order to stimulate the behavior of the rodent so that motor functions of the rodent can be analyzed more effectively. The movement analysis device for rodents includes a body including a pair of side plates distanced from each other with a predetermined gap and a connector plate connecting one ends of the side plates together, the connector plate having a slit extending from one to the other one of the side plates; and an adjustment unit including an adjustment plate configured insertable between the side plates of the body and into the slit of the connector plate of the body and a support plate extending to a height reaching from a bottom to the slit to support the adjustment plate at one portion thereof. The support plate is semi-cylindrically shaped to form a cylindrical space together with the connector plate. |
| US08683956B2 |
Aquarium cleaner
An aquarium cleaning system has an inner member adapted to be positioned adjacent an interior surface of a sidewall of the aquarium; an outer member adapted to be positioned adjacent an exterior surface of the sidewall such that the sidewall is interposed between the inner and outer members; an attachment mechanism that retains the inner member and the outer member in a fixed position relative to one another; a cleaning member mounted on the inner member and adapted to clean the interior surface of the sidewall; and a control system adapted to cause the inner and outer member to collectively move around the side wall of the aquarium such that the cleaning member cleans the interior surface of the side wall during such movement. |
| US08683955B2 |
Center spar fish pen
A fish pen (100) includes an elongate spar buoy (110) and a reserve buoyancy buoy (120) disposed over a top end of the spar buoy. Lower and upper rim assemblies (130, 140) are attached to the spar buoy and each other with tension members (150, 152, 154). An adjustable upper connection plate (114) on the spar buoy provides a means for tensioning the tension members. A docking station (190) and portal (185) provide easy access to the fish pen. A deployable panel system (180, 182) allows for crowding fish into a smaller portion of the pen. The panel system may be nonporous and include additional panels (184) such that a portion of the pen can be substantially isolated. |
| US08683954B2 |
Finfish containment pens and polyhedral structures
A finfish aquaculture containment pen having a plurality of panels that when joined together form the majority of the exterior surface of the containment pen. The panels each comprise tension-bearing mesh material forming the exterior surface of the containment pen, a plurality of compression-bearing struts extending along the boundaries between panels, wherein the mesh material is attached to the struts along the lengths of the struts, and a plurality of hubs at which a plurality of struts and the corners of a plurality of panels abut each other. The panels can form a polyhedral structure. The mesh can comprise coated wire mesh. The struts can be curved members with convex curvature. |
| US08683948B2 |
Tree mountable animal feeder
An animal feeder for mounting to a tree includes a feed storage bin having a bottom opening positioned to deposit feed on to a dispersion disc positioned within a cowling to distribute feed through a directional opening in the cowling by rotating the disc with a timer controlled motor mounted below it and a gripper for mounting on a tree. |
| US08683946B2 |
System and method of attaching cups to a dairy animal
In certain embodiments, a robotic attacher retrieves cups from the right side of an equipment area located behind a dairy livestock and attaches the cups to the teats of the dairy livestock in sequence. The sequence comprises attaching a first cup to the right front teat, a second cup to the left front teat, a third cup to the right rear teat, and a fourth cup to the left rear teat. In certain alternative embodiments, the robotic attacher retrieves cups from the left side of the equipment area, and the sequence comprises attaching a first cup to the left front teat, a second cup to the right front teat, a third cup to the left rear teat, and a fourth cup to the right rear teat. |
| US08683940B2 |
Apparatus for coating a profile surface, and coating method thereof
The present invention relates to an apparatus for coating a profile surface with metallic texture paint by roll coating in combination with spray coating, and a method for coating thereof. The first major feature of the present invention is an apparatus for coating a profile surface, characterized in that it is provided with a roll coater for roll coating at least one surface of profile with a UV paint served as a binder, and a spray coater, installed at a position next to the roll coater, for spray coating with a metallic texture paint comprising a solvent, acrylic beads and metal powders on the coating layer of UV paint. The second major feature of the present invention is a method for coating a profile comprising the steps of roll coating at least one surface of profile with a UV paint served as a binder, and spray coating with a metallic texture paint containing a solvent, acrylic beads and metal powders on the coating layer of UV paint. |
| US08683939B2 |
Bookmark with magnetic clip and releasable page holder
A bookmark for marking pages in a book includes a laminar element for insertion between laminar book parts. A magnetic clip provides attractive clipping force through a laminar book part for gripping the laminar book part. A hinge part defines at least one abutment area in which the hinge part abuts the laminar book part. A releasable page holder includes a flexible element and a page retaining element, the flexible element being attached, at a first end, to the laminar element and, at a second end, to the page retaining element. The first end is located adjacent an edge of the laminar book part and extends from the first end along an edge of the laminar book part, and the second end is movable with respect to the first end by means of flexing of the flexible element away from the laminar book part towards the second end of the elongate flexible element, to enable the page retaining element to engage and retain the page whilst the bookmark is held in place on the laminar book part by the magnetic clip. |
| US08683937B2 |
High speed surface craft and submersible vehicle
A submersible vessel comprising: an elongated hull; at least one propeller mounted on a forward end of said hull and adapted to move said hull through water; said at least one propeller being of a size and configuration such that when it is rotated at an appropriate speed, it generates supercavitated water flowing from said at least one propeller and then along an outer surface of said hull so as to diminish friction on the outer surface of said hull and facilitate high underwater speeds. |
| US08683932B2 |
Positioning of stitch data objects
A method is provided for embroidering embroidery elements by means of a processor-controlled sewing machine (1). The method includes: the fabric (2) that is to be embroidered is placed in the required position in relation to a threaded needle (5) on the sewing machine; a plurality of embroidery elements (A, B, C) in the form of software products having pre-programmed embroideries are provided; a group of said embroidery elements, defined as stitch data objects in a memory (M), is selected; an arbitrary curve (KU) along which said group of embroidery elements (A, B, C) shall be embroidered on said fabric (2) is defined by the operator of the sewing machine; said embroidery elements of said group are distributed in a spaced relationship along said curve utilizing a positioning algorithm. According to the method of the invention, a coupling between the embroidery elements of the group and the arbitrary curve is preserved during the full processing by said positioning algorithm. |
| US08683928B2 |
Laser barrier system for optical tables
A laser barrier system for an optical table includes a plurality of laser barrier panels hingeably mounted to the edge of the table by a plurality of spaced hinge brackets. The hinge brackets include a horizontal flange secured to the surface of the table, a lower pivot support extending downwardly from the flange and an upper support column extending upwardly from the flange. Each hinge bracket supports a vertically extending jamb member secured to the upper support column. Each laser barrier panel is hingeably supported by pivot pins between a pair of spaced hinge brackets and their associated jamb members, and is hingeably movable about the pivot pins between a closed position and an open position. Each laser barrier panel is maintained in the closed position by a spaced pair of rotatable latch tabs that selectively engage with the adjacent jamb members. |
| US08683923B2 |
Amusement ride
A carriage assembly for mounting to a track following a curvilinear path, said assembly comprising a trolley mountable to said track through a track engagement assembly, an orientation of the trolley varying with an orientation of the track; a carriage rotationally mounted to the trolley, such that the carriage is free to rotate about two axes relative to the trolley, wherein rotation about the two axes maintains the carriage in a horizontal orientation independent of the orientation of the track. |
| US08683920B1 |
Container tamping system
A method and apparatus for filling and/or tamping product in a container is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present disclosure is related to a device for filling a container with a material including a conduit comprising a top opening and a bottom opening, and a tamper integrally coupled to the conduit. The tamping face may be configured to move in a straight path along the axis normal to the plane of the bottom opening from the second position to a third position. The shape of the perimeter of the tamping face may be configured to mirror the internal shape of a provided container. |
| US08683915B2 |
Moulding unit for forming and cooking meat
A molding unit for forming and cooking meat, comprising a single recipient-shaped bottom die a concavity of which faces upwards and is destined to contain meat, and a single cover aligned with a mouth of the concavity of the bottom die, which cover is joined to the bottom die and positioned below the bottom die, such as to be destined to close a further mouth of a further concavity of a bottom die of a molding unit which is identical and positioned below the molding unit. |
| US08683914B1 |
Baster and method
The baster has a bellows for use in providing suction to draw basting liquid into a tapered tube, and compression to eject the liquid out of the tube. A valve at the lower tip of the tube provides resistance to the unwanted outflow of liquid from the tube to greatly reduce or eliminate dripping. Preferably, the valve has the form of a flexible membrane over the lower tip of the tube, with a plurality of slits which cross one another. |
| US08683913B2 |
Piston for an internal combustion engine
A piston includes a piston head, a ring zone and a piston skirt having load-bearing skirt wall sections and rear connecting walls which interconnect the skirt wall sections and piston-pin bosses which run on a boss axis that is set back from a piston axis and penetrate the connecting walls. The peripheral lower edge of the connecting walls is convex in relation to an axis and the upper edge of said connecting walls, preferably below the ring zone, is concave in relation to an axis perpendicular to a piston-pin axis. The piston is equipped with a reinforced section in the vicinity of the piston head running radially behind the ring zone. |
| US08683907B1 |
Electrical discharge system and method for neutralizing explosive devices and electronics
Disclosed are a system and method for discharging electrical potential into the earth to disable or destroy electronics and/or explosive devices. The disclosed system includes an electrical power supply providing a pulsed electrical potential exceeding 30,000 volts with at least 30 Joules of energy in each pulse. The system includes a cathode emitter and an anode emitter configured to be moved along the earth in close proximity to the earth. The electrical potential is discharged into the earth through the cathode emitter and/or the anode emitter. |
| US08683906B2 |
Ammunition loader
A ammunition loading machine is provided. The ammunition loading machine includes a base frame. A rake assembly is mounted to the base frame and configured to index a linear row of cases along a first linear axis. A platen assembly is also mounted to the base frame and is movable relative to the base frame along a second linear axis that is orthogonal to the first linear axis. A propellant hopper is fixedly mounted to the base frame. The platen assembly is movable relative to the propellant hopper to transfer propellant from the propellant hopper to a propellant filling mechanism that is movable with the platen assembly. The rake assembly is adjustable to accommodate multiple different sizes of cartridges. The rake assembly and platen assembly are commonly linked to a cam drive mechanism for simultaneously moving the rake assembly and the platen assembly. |
| US08683903B2 |
Compliant hold-down conveyor for slicer
The powered endless belt (14) of a lower conveyor (12) transports workpieces (16) past a scanning station (18) and then past a slicing station (20), whereat the workpieces are sliced into desired thickness by a powered blade (23). An upper hold-down conveyor (24) includes a powered belt (26) that assists in holding the workpieces stationary and stable as workpieces travel past the slicing station (20). In this regard, the belt is of a compliant construction and is operated at a low enough tension to enable it to substantially conform to the contour of the upper surface of the workpiece, thereby to apply a substantially uniform load about the entire upper surface area of the workpiece. |
| US08683900B2 |
Torch guide device
A torch guide device for cutting target material is presented, the torch guide device including a torch cradle assembly coupled to a rail assembly. The torch cradle assembly is configured for holding a torch to align a torch tip of the torch to the target material. The torch cradle assembly is movable along the rail assembly for cutting the target material along a cutting path. The connector member couples the torch cradle assembly to the rail assembly. The connector member comprises a pivot for pivoting the torch cradle assembly relative to the rail assembly. The torch cradle assembly, in a first position, pivots about the pivot to engage at least a portion of the rail assembly to establish an orientation of the torch tip relative to the target material. |
| US08683897B2 |
Lathe for manufacturing ophthalmic lenses made of plastic
A turning machine for producing non rotationally symmetric surfaces of synthetic spectacle lenses, having a support plane E, a machine bed made of cast iron with a width b1 and a mass m1, a linear motor with an actuator comprising a turning tool holder and an oscillation axis Z, a workpiece spindle with a rotational axis C and a movement axis X, wherein the machine bed has at least two bearing surfaces arranged at a distance for the linear motor and for the workpiece spindle, and between the two bearing surfaces, a chip space is provided which is limited at least partially by the machine bed, wherein the linear motor is supported on the first bearing surface and the workpiece spindle is supported on the second bearing surface in relation to the chip space opposite the linear motor, wherein the mass of the machine bed has the maximum value m1, and the value m1 lies between 100 kg and 500 kg, between 150 kg and 300 kg, between 170 kg and 200 kg or 180 kg. A turning machine, in which the ratio of the mass m1 of the machine bed to a moved mass m2 of the linear motor 3 is greater than a quotient Q, wherein the quotient Q is between 1:500 and 1:20, between 1:60 and 1:30 or between 1:140 and 1:100, or 1:40 or 1:120. |
| US08683892B2 |
Split-torque gear box
A split torque gearbox system provides a multiple path, three stage power gear train that transmits torque from a high-speed engine to a low speed output shaft, while providing equal gear load distribution with a floating pinion in the second stage of reduction. The number of the split modules in the gearbox depends on gearbox configuration, number of high speed input shafts, and transmitted power. The split modules are located around a last stage output gear that combines power from each module and transmits the power to an output such as a main rotor system. |
| US08683890B2 |
Steering wheel
A steering wheel includes a generally annular ring section to be hand held for steering a vehicle, and the ring section includes a core member and a cladding layer that covers an outer circumference of the core member all over. The hardness of the cladding layer is varied in a circumferential direction of a cross section of the ring section in which the core member is located at the center. An occupancy by a soft region is greater in a first region of the cladding layer located on a side facing toward a rotation center axis of the ring section than in a second region of the cladding layer located on a side facing away from the rotation center axis, such that the hardness in the first region is lower than that in the second region. |
| US08683888B2 |
Shift device for an automated or automatic transmission
A shift device for an automated or automatic transmission, in particular of a motor vehicle, has a manual selector lever which can be moved into the following stable selector lever positions: P, R, N and E and into four non-stable selector lever positions. Here, the stable selector lever positions are all arranged in alignment in a shift gate. Here, a stable selector lever position E is provided which is arranged in alignment with the stable selector lever positions in the shift gate and, here, is situated between two non-stable tilt positions +/−, which are arranged in alignment with the selector lever positions P, R and N, for step-by-step or multiple shifting, and in a transverse gate, which runs transversely with respect to the shift gate, between the two non-stable selector lever positions D and M arranged in the transverse gate. |
| US08683883B2 |
Ball and piston rotary actuator mechanism
A rotary actuator mechanism for applying torque to a shaft and comprising an actuator housing forming an actuator path that includes an actuator pinion rotatably supported in said housing and having said shaft secured thereto. The pinion having peripheral notches of a selected shape and positioned within the actuator path. The mechanism having a train of discrete actuator elements having opposite ends and positioned in the actuator path, each of the actuator elements being of said selected shape to enable reception in the peripheral notches, a plurality of the elements engaging the notches. The mechanism having at least one linear actuator supported by the housing and engaging one of the ends of the train of actuator elements, the linear actuator being selectively activated to push the train of discrete actuator elements through the actuator path to thereby serially engage the actuator elements with the notches of the pinion and thereby apply torque to the shaft. |
| US08683880B2 |
Semiconductor wafer metrology apparatus and method
A semiconductor wafer metrology technique which corrects for the effect of electrostatic forces on an atmospheric buoyancy compensated weight force measurement of a semiconductor wafer. In one aspect a wafer is weighed in a faraday cage whose is measured independently. A change in the measured weight of the faraday cage can be used to correct the measure weight the wafer. In another aspect a direct electrostatic measurement can be converted into a weight correction using a predetermined correlation between an electrostatic charge measured by the charge meter and a weight error force. In another aspect the electrostatic measurement may be indirect, e.g. derived from varying the distance between the wafer and a grounded plate parallel to the wafer to effect a change in an electrostatic force between the grounded plate and the wafer. |
| US08683874B2 |
Vortex flow measuring device for monitoring and/or measuring flow of distributed particles and/or droplets
A vortex flow measuring device for monitoring and/or measuring an, at least at times, two phase medium flowing in a pipeline; wherein the medium has a first phase, especially a gaseous, first phase, with a first density and a second phase, especially a particle or droplet shaped, second phase, having a second density different from the first density; and wherein the vortex flow measuring device has at least a measuring tube, which can be inserted in a pipeline, a bluff body, and a vortex sensor, which responds to pressure fluctuations. The vortex flow measuring device additionally includes an acoustic transducer, which is formed integrally in a component, especially the bluff body, which protrudes into a flow path within the measuring tube, or is acoustically coupled to such component in such a manner that acoustic signals produced by impact of particles and/or droplets of the second phase on the component are transducible to electrical signals by the acoustic transducer. |
| US08683873B1 |
Phase detector for a vortex flowmeter using ultrasonic transducers connected to separate transformers for phase detection
A vortex-shedding flowmeter uses two ultrasonic transducers to generate an acoustic beam at a selected carrier frequency. Vortices generate fluid oscillations that are detected when they pass through the beam and induce phase changes representative of fluid flow rate. In an improved vortex-shedding flowmeter each of the transducers is connected to a separate transformer and the outputs of the two transformers are interconnected to yield the phase change. |
| US08683866B2 |
Method of matching sensors in a multi-probe turbine blade vibration monitor
A method of matching sensors in a multi-probe blade vibration monitor for a turbine. The method includes providing at least two probes mounted in a casing of the turbine adjacent to a rotating blade structure of the turbine. Targets are provided on radially outer portions of the blade structure. Each of the probes includes a sensor generating signals corresponding to target passing events, and a set of synchronous harmonics of the rotational speed of the rotor are produced for each sensor. The position of the sensors is adjusted such that the sets of harmonics of the sensors are substantially matched, indicating that the positions of the sensors are matched. |
| US08683863B2 |
Micromechanical yaw rate sensor having two sensitive axes and coupled detection modes
In a yaw rate sensor with a substrate having a main extent plane and with a first and second partial structure disposed parallel to the main extent plane, the first partial structure includes a first driving structure and the second partial structure includes a second driving structure, the first and second partial structure being excitable by a driving device, via the first and second driving structure, into oscillation parallel to a first axis parallel to the main extent plane, the first partial structure having a first Coriolis element and the second partial structure having a second Coriolis element, the yaw rate sensor being characterized in that the first and second Coriolis elements are displaceable by a Coriolis force parallel to a second axis, which is perpendicular to the first axis, and parallel to a third axis, which is perpendicular to the first and second axis, the second axis extending parallel to the main extent plane, and the first Coriolis element being connected to the second Coriolis element via a coupling element. |
| US08683853B2 |
Apparatus for detecting abnormality for fuel property detecting apparatus
An apparatus for detecting abnormality for a fuel property detecting apparatus according to the present invention includes the fuel property detecting apparatus having a sensor part provided on a fuel channel, temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the fuel in the vicinity of said sensor part, a heater capable of raising the temperature of the fuel in the vicinity of the sensor part, and abnormality determining means for determining whether or not there is an abnormality in the fuel property detecting apparatus based on the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means when the heater is activated. The abnormality determining means includes fuel flow abnormality determining means for determining whether or not there is an abnormality in the flow of the fuel in the vicinity of the sensor part and failure determining means for determining whether there is a failure of said fuel property detecting apparatus itself. |
| US08683852B2 |
Leakage diagnostic devices for fuel vapor processing apparatus
A leakage diagnosis device can determine whether or not leakage occurs from a fuel vapor processing apparatus by comparing a diagnosis criterion, such as a reference pressure set for diagnosing leakage, with an internal pressure of a process system of the fuel vapor processing apparatus during application of a negative or positive pressure to the process system. The diagnosis criterion has a device that can correct the diagnosis criterion based on a fuel vapor pressure within the process system. |
| US08683851B2 |
Device for monitoring machine interior
A strategically located device and a machine including such a device are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, the device comprises a tool removably affixed to an external casing of the machine. The external casing of the machine includes an access port therethrough for providing access to an interior of the machine; and the tool is inserted into a desired location in the interior of the machine through the access port. |
| US08683850B2 |
Real-time dynamic tracking of bias
A bias value associated with a sensor, e.g., a time-varying, non-zero value which is output from a sensor when it is motionless, is estimated using at least two, different bias estimating techniques. A resultant combined or selected bias estimate may then be used to compensate the biased output of the sensor in, e.g., a 3D pointing device. |
| US08683847B2 |
Microelectromechanical systems type semiconductor gas sensor using microheater having many holes and method for manufacturing the same
Disclosed are an MEMS type semiconductor gas sensor using a microheater having many holes and a method for manufacturing the same. The MEMS type semiconductor gas sensor includes: a substrate of which a central region is etched with a predetermined thickness; a second membrane formed at an upper portion of the central region of the substrate and having many holes; a heat emitting resistor formed on the second membrane and having many holes; a first membrane formed on the second membrane including the heat emitting resistor and having many holes; a sensing electrode formed on the first membrane and having many holes; and a sensing material formed on the sensing electrode. |
| US08683846B2 |
Gas chromatograph with digital processing of a thermoconductivity detector signal
A gas chromatograph operable to analyze a sample gas comprising a carrier gas and components. The gas chromatograph includes a bridge circuit with a sample sensor connected therein. A servo amplifier is connected to the bridge circuit and is operable to maintain the sample sensor at a constant temperature. An output of the servo amplifier is digitized and is used to quantify the components in the sample gas. |
| US08683845B2 |
Carbon dioxide sensor and associated method for generating a gas measurement value
A gas sensor detects carbon dioxide, for example for use in air-conditioning systems. The gas sensor is based on a field effect transistor construction. It has a polymer-based material sensitive to carbon dioxide as gas-sensitive layer. The material has a cross-sensitivity with respect to air humidity. The influence of humidity is compensated for by using the signal of a humidity sensor. |
| US08683842B1 |
Railroad spikes and methods of making the same
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to improved designs of railroad spikes and improved methods of manufacturing the same. According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for manufacturing a railroad spike may comprise the steps of: preparing a metal blank having a substantially circular cross-section; subjecting the metal blank to at least one cold heading process and at least one cold extrusion process to form a railroad spike having (a) a circular head with a fillet at its bottom side that is angled to engage a railroad tie plate or rail base and (b) a non-threaded shank with a substantially square cross-section and a chiseled tip; and coating the railroad spike with an anti-corrosion material. |
| US08683840B2 |
Method for producing closure elements for metal touch-and-close fasteners according to the method
To produce closure elements for metal touch-and-close fasteners in a metal carrier (3), notches (13) corresponding to the outlines of hook elements (1) are made, while leaving a connecting line for each notch. Bending operations are carried out to raise the regions delimited by the notches (13) out of the plane of the carrier (3) as hooking elements (1) around the connecting lines serving as bending lines. The carrier (3) is guided through the region (5) of the tooth engagement between rotational bodies (7, 9) having peripheral teeth. The tooth shapes of the rotational bodies (7, 9) and the type of the tooth engagement are selected such that the tooth engagement cuts the notches (13) and stamps the metal carrier the bending operations. |
| US08683838B2 |
Circular rolling mill with shaping roller
This circular rolling mill (1), used for shaping annular workpieces (100), comprises a pair of rollers, an inner one (12) and an outer one (10), capable of working (F1+F2) the radial inner (102) and outer (101) faces of a workpiece, and a pair of conical rollers, an upper one (22) and a lower one (20), capable of working (F4+F5) the front faces (103, 104) of the workpiece, and also means (66) for moving some of these rollers (22) with respect to a frame (41) of the rolling mill (1). The means for moving at least one of the rollers (22) comprise at least one pinion (54, 55) and at least one rack (26, 28) which is secured to a member for the movement (F3) of the roller. This pinion (54, 55) is rotated by the output shaft of an electrically operated geared motor (66) mounted on a support (72) which is articulated with respect to the frame about the axis (X56) parallel to the axis of rotation of the pinion. Damping means (76) are provided for damping the pivoting movement of the support (72) about its articular axis (X56). |
| US08683831B2 |
Locking cover plate arrangement
A locking cover plate can be selectively locked in position on a stortz pipe end fitting or can be unlocked and removed for access to the open pipe end. The cover plate includes a sliding plate that is driven laterally outward into a deployed state by rotating a drive bolt. The drive bolt is coupled to the sliding plate through a torque limiting coupling that transfers the rotation of the drive bolt to translating movement of the latch bar with a cam plate. Movement of the sliding plate is indicated through a front of the cover plate such that the user can identify whether the cover plate is locked on a fitting or simply placed on the fitting without the lock engaged. |
| US08683829B1 |
Double lock handcuff
A handcuff comprising a bolt and a bolt spring which work to double lock the handcuff. The bolt comprises an underside having teeth which are engagable with the teeth of a jaw. The underside of the bolt comprises a groove through which a stud disposed on a cheek head of the handcuff is positioned to thereby further secure the bolt in position when the handcuff is locked. The bolt further comprises an upper side comprising a groove, a spring stop, and a detent. The bolt spring comprises a body bent to form a side wall which bridges a first spring leg portion to a second spring leg portion, wherein the first and second spring leg portions engage with the upper side of the bolt to hold the bolt spring in a first position. The spring stop prevents the bolt spring from over-rotation, and therefore, prevents breakage of the bolt spring. |
| US08683824B2 |
Liquefied gas expander and integrated Joule-Thomson valve
A cryogenic turbine expander system which consists essentially of a cryogenic liquid pressure vessel, and the vessel further accommodating a turbine expander, an internal bypass configuration, which are operable in parallel, a three-way valve to direct incoming high pressure liquefied gas flow to the turbine expander, or the internal bypass configuration, which further consists a Joule-Thomson valve, when the turbine expander is not operational. |
| US08683823B1 |
System for offshore liquefaction
A system for offshore liquefaction of natural gas and transport of produced liquefied natural gas using a moored floating production storage and offloading vessel, fluidly connected with a flexible conduit to a moored floating disconnectable turret which can be connected and reconnected to a floating liquefaction vessel with onboard liquefaction unit powered by a dual fuel diesel electric main power plant. |
| US08683818B2 |
Fluid injecting method and apparatus
A fluid injector includes a cavity in the fluid injector configured to receive a container of fluid to be injected by the injector; a controller configured to control the fluid injector, the controller further configured to monitor a condition of the fluid in the container and modify the operation of the fluid injector based on the condition of the fluid in the container; a valve assembly configured to control fluid from entering and leaving the fluid injector, the valve assembly operatively connected to the controller to be controlled by the controller; a sensor operatively connected to the controller and configured to sense at least one of an amount of fluid in the container and an amount of fluid exiting the container; and an input device configured to input to the controller how much fluid should leave the fluid injector. |
| US08683817B2 |
Low ambient operating procedure for cooling systems with high efficiency condensers
A multiple refrigerant circuit cooling system includes at least a first refrigerant circuit and a second refrigerant circuit. Each of said first and second refrigerant circuits including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator connected in refrigerant flow communication. The condensers of the first and second refrigerant circuits each including condenser coils having exterior surfaces and each condenser including at least one fan for drawing ambient air across the exterior surfaces of its respective condenser coil. The exterior surfaces of the condenser coil of the condenser of the first refrigerant circuit being in fluid communication with the fan of the condenser of the second refrigerant circuit to provide reduced airflow across the exterior surfaces of the condenser coils of the first refrigerant circuit at a low ambient temperature. |
| US08683812B2 |
Arrangement for controlling fluid jets injected into a fluid stream of a bleed air discharge nozzle
In an air mixing arrangement wherein a primary fluid is introduced through an opening in a wall to be mixed with a secondary fluid flowing along the wall surface, the opening is airfoil shaped with its leading edge being orientated at an attack angle with respect to the secondary fluid flow stream so as to thereby enhance the penetration and dispersion of the primary fluid stream into the secondary fluid stream. The airfoil shaped opening is selectively positioned such that its angle of attack provides the desired lift to optimize the mixing of the two streams for the particular application. In one embodiment, a collar is provided around the opening to prevent the secondary fluid from contacting the surface of the wall during certain conditions of operation. Multiple openings maybe used such as the combination of a larger airfoil shaped opening with a smaller airfoil shaped opened positioned downstream thereof, or a round shaped opening placed upstream of an airfoil shaped opening. Pairs of openings and associated collars maybe placed in symmetric relationship so as to promote mixing in particular applications, and nozzles maybe placed on the inner side of wall to enhance the flow characteristics of the primary fluid. |
| US08683810B2 |
Injection device for combustion chambers of liquid-fueled rocket engines
An injection device including at least one injection plate adjacent a combustion space of a combustion chamber, and at least one first injection nozzle including a first entry bore having a first discharge into the combustion chamber, and a first orifice bore, having a cross-sectional dimension less than or equal to the first entry bore, coaxially arranged with the first entry bore and remote from the first discharge. At least one second injection nozzle includes a second entry bore having a second discharge into the combustion chamber, and a second orifice bore, having a cross-sectional dimension less than or equal to the second entry bore, coaxially arranged with the second entry bore and remote from the second discharge. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. |
| US08683808B2 |
Late lean injection control strategy
A gas turbine engine is provided and includes a combustor having a first interior in which a first fuel supplied thereto by a fuel circuit is combustible, a turbine, a transition zone, including a second interior in which a second fuel supplied thereto by the fuel circuit and the products of the combustion of the first fuel are combustible, a plurality of fuel injectors, which are structurally supported by the transition zone and coupled to the fuel circuit, and which are configured to supply the second fuel to the second interior in any one of a single axial stage, multiple axial stages, a single axial circumferential stage and multiple axial circumferential stages, and a control system coupled to the fuel circuit and configured to control relative amounts of the first and second fuels supplied by the fuel circuit to the first and second interiors. |
| US08683807B2 |
Jet engine exhaust nozzle flow effector
A jet engine exhaust nozzle flow effector is a chevron formed with a radius of curvature with surfaces of the flow effector being defined and opposing one another. At least one shape memory alloy (SMA) member is embedded in the chevron closer to one of the chevron's opposing surfaces and substantially spanning from at least a portion of the chevron's root to the chevron's tip. |
| US08683804B2 |
Premixing apparatus for fuel injection in a turbine engine
In one embodiment, a system includes a fuel nozzle that includes a fuel injector that includes a fuel port and a premixer tube. The premixer tube includes a wall disposed about a central passage, multiple air ports extending through the wall into the central passage, and a catalytic region. The catalytic region includes a catalyst, disposed inside the wall along the central passage, configured to increase a reaction of fuel and air. |
| US08683800B2 |
Method and system for providing vacuum
A vacuum source arbitration system is disclosed. In one example, vacuum is supplied to a vacuum reservoir via an ejector during a first condition, and vacuum is supplied to the vacuum reservoir via an engine intake manifold during a second condition. The approach may provide a desired level of vacuum in a reservoir while reducing engine fuel consumption. |
| US08683790B2 |
Nozzle diffuser mixer
A diffuser for aiding in the vaporization and mixing of an injected reactant with the exhaust gas feed stream of an exhaust gas aftertreatment system is disclosed. The diffuser is disposed within an exhaust gas conduit of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system and has an impingement surface and a baffle plate disposed downstream of and adjacent thereto. The baffle plate extends outwardly from the diffuser, to terminate at a baffle plate tip that is located intermediate of the diffuser and an inner wall of the exhaust gas conduit. The baffle plate is operable to trap a portion of an exhaust gas feed stream, and a reactant resident therein, to increase the vaporization and residence time of the reactant in the exhaust gas feed stream. |
| US08683786B2 |
Gasoline particulate filter regeneration and diagnostics
A method for operating a spark-ignition engine having a three-way catalyst and a particulate filter downstream thereof, comprising: oscillating an exhaust air-fuel ratio entering the particulate filter to generate air-fuel ratio oscillations downstream of the particulate filter, while increasing exhaust temperature; when the downstream oscillations are sufficiently dissipated, enleaning the exhaust air-fuel ratio entering the particulate filter; and reducing the enleanment when an exhaust operating parameter is beyond a threshold amount. |
| US08683783B2 |
Exhaust purification apparatus for internal combustion engine
Disclosed is an exhaust purification device for an internal combustion engine provided with a venturi-shaped mixing chamber (13) upstream of a NOx catalyst (16), said mixing chamber (13) formed continuously from a tapering part (13a) along which the radius decreases in the downstream direction, a waist part (13b) at which the radius is at smallest, and a widening part (13c) along which the radius increases in the downstream direction. A vane plate (18) and an aqueous urea solution spray nozzle (19) are arranged inside the tapering part (13a). The ratio (a/b) of the distance (a) between the vane plate (18) and the center of the waist part (13b) and the distance (b) between the center of the waist part (13b) and the mouth of the NOx catalyst (16) is set between 0.5 and 1.0. |
| US08683780B2 |
Gas turbine engine and pulse detonation combustion system
One embodiment of the present invention is a unique pulse detonation combustion system. Another embodiment is a unique gas turbine engine including a unique pulse detonation combustion system. In some embodiments, the pulse detonation combustion system includes an inlet section, a vortex generator and at least one flame accelerator. The inlet section, vortex generator and the at least one flame accelerator may be operative to initiate a deflagration to detonation transition. In some embodiments, the pulse detonation combustion system may include a flame accelerator configured with a directionally-dependent drag coefficient. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for pulse detonation combustion systems, gas turbine engines, and other machines and engines. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application shall become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith. |
| US08683775B1 |
Spacer system for installing vacuum insulated glass (VIG) window unit in window frame designed to accommodate thicker IG window unit
A vacuum insulated glass (VIG) window unit installation configuration and method for installing a VIG window unit in a window frame that was designed to accommodate at least a thicker IG (insulating glass/integrated glass) window unit(s). The VIG window unit may be supported on a first side by a first stop portion of the frame and on a second side by a second stop portion of the frame. A spacer structure is provided along at least one side of the VIG window unit between the VIG window unit and at least one of the first and second stop portions, the spacer structure including at least one hollow area surrounded by a solid portion when viewed cross sectionally. |
| US08683769B2 |
Modular sub-flooring system
A modular sub-flooring system for supporting an overlayment above a ground surface includes a plurality of sub-floor tiles situated about a ground surface, with each sub-floor tile having a substantially-flat top surface that is adapted to receive and support an overlayment, and a connection interface with opposing engagement surfaces. The sub-flooring system also includes a plurality of removable bridge connectors, with each of the bridge connectors having a plurality of tile interfaces, and with each tile interface having complimentary engagement surfaces configured to engage with the opposing engagement surfaces of the connection interfaces. The tile interfaces of the bridge connectors couple to the respective connection interfaces of any adjacent sub-floor tiles to restrain the relative vertical movement between the adjacent sub-floor tiles while facilitating controlled relative lateral movement between the sub-floor tiles. |
| US08683766B2 |
Channel screed
A channel screed comprises a first member having an internal channel defined by opposed walls extending from a base. The first member includes ribs within the internal channel that accommodate placement of a second member thereon. The first member having surface features that cooperate with surface features of the second member to provide an attachment therebetween. The first member includes fins projecting outwardly from the opposed walls to provide both an indication of building material thickness, and a mechanical attachment therewith. The second member covers the first member internal channel to provide a desired aesthetic appearance to the installed channel screed. The second member comprises a base with opposed walls, and includes flanges projecting from top edges of the opposed wall surfaces. When attached to the first member, the flanges cover up the internal channel, and the interface between the first member and the building material. |
| US08683764B2 |
Snap-in glass block system
A block wall system comprising a framework having a perimeter, an intermediate vertical mullion, and an intermediate horizontal mullion with the blocks retained therein using flexible flanges. The intermediate vertical mullion and the intermediate horizontal mullion define one or more cavities within the framework. A block has a top, a bottom, a front face, a back face, and a pair of narrow faces. One or more detents are defined within each narrow face. Next, a flange is anchored within the intermediate vertical mullion, wherein the flange flexes and thereafter retracts to embed itself into the detent of the block when the block is inserted into the cavity such that the block is retained within the framework, thereby eliminating the need to use a fastener directly into or against the block to secure the block within the framework. |
| US08683762B2 |
Data center flooring arrangements
A barrier element for forming a component of a floor covering of a floor in a data center includes a substantially laminar part, the laminar part having a cross member attached to one surface. The cross member mounts a plurality of filaments which can form a layer impervious to air flow. |
| US08683757B2 |
Protection cell
A protection cell having an upper wall and a lower wall spaced with respect to each other through a plurality of side walls integrally connected to each other, to form an open box-like container with an entrance opening. The container defines inside a shelter space arranged to accommodate a user. In particular, the container is produced as a single block that reproduces the open box-like container. The anti-seismic cell has a movable wall portion mounted slidingly on the box-like container, by means of a sliding cooperating element, in particular a plane sliding board that slidingly engages between at least two slide paths, which are arranged at opposite sides with respect to each other. The plane sliding boards allows movable wall portion to move from an open configuration to a closed configuration, where the movable wall portion blocks the opening defining the protection cell. |
| US08683751B2 |
Roof mount having built-in failure
A roof attachment assembly to be mounted on a roof substrate. The assembly comprises a plate having a substantially frustoconical protrusion, the plate defining a first surface and a second surface and including an aperture. The assembly further comprises a first membrane positioned adjacent to the first surface of the plate, a second membrane positioned adjacent to the second surface of the plate, a bracket positioned proximate the second membrane and the second surface of the plate, the bracket operable to support one or more roof-mounted fixtures, and a fastener extending through the bracket, the membranes, and the plate, the fastener operable to couple the bracket, the membranes and the plate. The assembly also comprises a second fastener that substantially mates with the bracket, wherein at least one of the fastener, the plate, the first membrane, and the second fastener includes at least one pre-determined breaking point. |
| US08683750B2 |
Architectural headwall cabinet for storing a lift device
An architectural system adaptable to patient acuity level has a headwall unit with a cavity, a ceiling unit, and a column coupled to the ceiling unit. The column is movable between a first position in which at least a majority of the column is situated in the cavity and a second position in which the column is situated outside the cavity. Various types of patient-care equipment is also disclosed. The patient-care equipment is included in, or is coupleable to, one or more of the ceiling unit, the headwall unit, or the column. |
| US08683748B2 |
Roof parapet system
A wind mitigation system is disclosed, including a panel engageable with a drain channel of a roof, the panel dimensioned to extend above a top edge defined by the drain channel, wherein the panel defines a plurality of openings; and a structural support member coupled to the panel, the structural support member providing increased rigidity of the panel. |
| US08683747B2 |
Modular window apparatus with liquid drainage ability
Disclosed is an easy-to-construct window apparatus including to assure easy construction and superior drainage ability. The window apparatus includes a window frame fixing unit including a bottom plate, vertical plates formed at lateral ends of the bottom plate and a rack plate formed at each vertical plate, a window frame support unit including a seat plate on the rack plate, a support plate configured to be supported on the bottom plate, fastening pieces protruding from the seat plate, and a holding groove formed in each fastening piece, a rail unit including a horizontal plate provided with a rail and a coupling piece, and a holding ridge formed at the coupling piece so as to be coupled with the holding groove, a window drive unit including a press-fit structure to be press-fitted into a window, and water discharge holes perforated in the aforementioned units. |
| US08683744B2 |
Expandable flowerpot
A power-saving flowerpots capable of serial connecting with other flowerpot includes a planting tank having a horizontal plane and an inclined plane at an upper side thereof for planting; a water tank connected to a lower side of the planting tank; the connection of the planting tank and the water tank being formed as an L shape; an interior of the water tank being formed with a water draining channel; an upper side of the water draining channel being formed with a communication hole so that when the water level in the water tank is over a lower edge of the communication hole; water will flow into the communication hole from the water tank. A plurality of flowerpot can be installed as a first row by a retaining rod to pass through all hooks of the flowerpots; and the water tubes of the flowerpot are connected one by one. |
| US08683742B1 |
Agricultural system
An agricultural system including: at least one seed; a growing media in communication with the one seed; a biodegradable outer retainer surrounding a portion of the one seed and the growing media, and; at least one growing media additive. |
| US08683733B2 |
Tactical illuminator
A tactical illuminator having an integrated illuminator system including a horizontally-oriented foregrip, a power source, a multi-position rotary selector switch, a toggle switch, a depressible switch, an attachment mechanism, navigation lights, an aiming laser, and a main illuminator. |
| US08683724B2 |
ID tag for circuit breaker
A tag for attachment to a circuit breaker is formed from a sheet of plastic material having first and second notches, one or more catches corresponding to one or more apertures, an electronic security device and a plurality of parallel grooves extending between the edges to form a plurality of sections. The tag is assembled by folding the sheet of plastic material so that the end sections overlap and the apertures fixedly receive the catches to secure the tag in a closed position. The notches in the first and second top sections form an opening, which is adapted for receiving the circuit breaker switch. |
| US08683723B2 |
ESL locking mechanism
An ESL and ESL holder combination includes a locking mechanism for releasably securing the ESL to the ESL holder and an ESL provided with at least one gripping means for cooperative engagement with the ESL holder. A protruding, spring loaded locking element is arranged on the ESL for cooperative engagement with the shelf edge rail. The ESL holder is attachable to the edge of a shelf, the ESL holder being provided with one or more receiving means such as slots for receiving the gripping means and the locking element in cooperative engagement. The spring loaded locking element arranged adjacent to the gripping means and positioned on the ESL such that the spring loaded locking element cannot enter the receiving means on the ESL holder during insertion of the gripping means into the receiving means, and such that it enters the receiving means by spring action when the gripping means is brought into a hooked position, in the receiving means. The spring loaded locking element prevents removal of the ESL from the ESL holder, unless the spring loaded locking element is retracted from its receiving means, and allows for the gripping means to leave its hooked position. |
| US08683722B1 |
Ultra-violet selective vehicle decoration
An apparatus and method for selectively decorating a vehicle surface are disclosed. The apparatus is a removable applique with a front face including a graphic comprising ultra-violet responsive material and a back face including an attachment agent having the ability to be applied and removed from the surface of the vehicle without causing damage. The method includes receiving the removable applique on the surface of a vehicle. The method further includes sending an instruction to illuminate an ultra-violet source to direct ultra-violet light at the graphic of the removable applique to render the graphic visible. In one embodiment, the instruction to illuminate the ultra-violet source can be sent in response to the activation of a switch, button, control panel or other input means of controlling the ultra-violet source. In another embodiment, the instruction to illuminate the ultra-violet source can be sent in response to a vehicle state. |
| US08683721B1 |
Greeting card with game
The present disclosure and related inventions are directed to a greeting card or other social expression product which is combined with a simple game with sound and light effects. The greeting card combines a traditional paper greeting card, a plastic-molded game encasement and game board, lever, and game pieces with various electronic components to create an interactive greeting card with playable game that causes sound and light effects. |
| US08683720B2 |
Hydraulic suspension hitch system
The present disclosure provides a hitch suspension system that reduces a transfer of energy (e.g., provides a smoother ride) between two bodies hitched together, such as between a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle/trailer. In an embodiment, the suspension system includes a hydraulic cylinder with an extendable rod in fluid communication with a fluid pump. A control valve is fluidly coupled between the hydraulic cylinder and the fluid pump and is configured to adjust an extension length of the rod. Additionally, a variable orifice that adjusts resistance to extension and retraction of the rod is fluidly coupled between the hydraulic cylinder and the control valve. A first fixed restrictive element is fluidly coupled in series with the variable orifice to dissipate energy ad the rod extends and a second fixed restrictive element is fluidly coupled in series with the variable orifice to dissipate energy as the rod retracts. |
| US08683717B2 |
Support for inclusion in article of footwear and method for raising the arch of a person's foot
A support arranged for disposition within a shoe, boot or sandal, to raise the arch of the foot by everting the forefoot and inverting the rearfoot, thereby locking the midtarsal joint. The support basically comprises a base portion and a wedge portion. The base portion has an upper surface on which the wedge portion is disposed. The wedge portion includes a medial side edge and a lateral side edge and extends from the base of all five metatarsals of the person's foot to the heads of all five metatarsals. The wedge portion tapers in thickness from at least the midline of the wedge portion to the medial side edge. The wedge portion includes an anterior portion that is tapered to the sulcus section of the wearer's foot. |
| US08683714B2 |
Dryer comprising a dryness sensor
The present invention relates to a dryer (1) comprising a drum (2) which is rotated around its own horizontal axis, a bulkhead (3) which has an opening (4) that enables the laundry to be loaded into the drum (2) and to be unloaded therefrom, a fixing surface (6) which is fixed to the bulkhead (3) and which has at least two apertures (9), and at least two electrodes (5) which are disposed into the apertures (9) and which provide dryness sensing to be performed. |
| US08683713B2 |
Dryer and method of detecting value of dryness
Disclosed herein are a dryer and a drying method of the same. The dryer includes a condensing unit to change water vapor evaporated from a drying object into condensate water by cooling, a condensate water storage container in which the condensate water is stored, a water level sensing device to detect a level of the stored condensate water, and a microcomputer to calculate a change rate of condensation or of the condensate water level based on the detected water level and to determine a value of dryness of the drying object. The dryer effectively performs a drying operation based on the accurately detected value of dryness of the drying object. |
| US08683708B2 |
Method and apparatus for aligning a wind turbine generator
A method and apparatus for aligning an input shaft of a wind turbine generator with an output shaft of a wind turbine are disclosed. Preferably, the method includes placing a push plate of a wind turbine alignment tool into pressing contact with a selected support flange of a wind turbine generator identified by a misalignment measurement device. With the push plate positioned, an indexing means of the wind turbine alignment tool is advanced along an adjustment link member of the wind turbine alignment tool to impart an alignment force onto the selected support flange to align the input shaft of the wind turbine generator with the output shaft of the wind turbine. The method preferably concludes by rechecking the alignment of the input shaft of the wind turbine generator with the output shaft of the wind turbine. |
| US08683706B2 |
Engine-driven cutter
A handheld engine-driven cutter is provided with a disk blade and an engine that drives the disk blade, a filter through which air provided to the four-stroke engine passes, a carburetor that mixes fuel and the air that passed through the filter, a casing that houses the filter and the carburetor, at least one operation member that is operated by a user and connected to the carburetor via a link, and a shaft that is connected to the casing and supports the operation member in a swingable manner. A shaft receiving groove that supports the shaft is formed in the casing. |
| US08683700B1 |
Nail clipper with blade-insert
An apparatus for cutting toe nails and finger nails includes a plastic frame member. The frame member includes an upper frame member and a lower frame member. The upper and lower frame members are either attached together at a rear thereof or they are formed as a continuous component that generally includes a V-shape or a U-shape at the rear. One of a pair of cutting blades is attached to a front of the upper frame member and a remainder of the pair of cutting blades is attached to a front of the lower frame member so that a cutting edge of each of the pair of cutting blades will be in alignment and face each other. According to certain preferred embodiments, the device is disposable. According to certain other preferred embodiments each of the pair of cutting blades can be replaced with a new replacement blade assembly. A safety bumper prevents injury and provides a means for controlling the finished length of the nail. Various embodiments are shown sufficient to illustrate the benefits of having the plastic frame member align and support the disclosed novel steel blades which are considerably smaller, lighter, and less expensive to manufacture than the steel blades of prior opposing, non-overlapping blade types of nail clippers. |
| US08683698B2 |
Method for making floorboards with decorative grooves
Floorboards are shown, which consist of a core and a surface layer and are provided with decorative joint edges which are formed by removing the surface layer. |
| US08683694B1 |
Method of forming a frame assembly
A frame assembly that includes at least two frame members that are connected to one another. A corner key cavity is formed at the outer sides of adjacent frame members and is shaped to cooperate with a corner key. The corner key cooperates with the corner key cavity to secure adjacent frame members to one another. The corner key cavity is formed at or near the outer perimeter of the joined frame members, and extends across a majority of the depth of the frame members. The frame assembly may include a number of frame members that, when secured to one another, define a window frame assembly. |
| US08683692B2 |
Method for manufacturing dental implant and dental implant
Herein is provide a dental implant for preventing elution of metal when the dental implant is applied within an oral cavity, and for preventing the occurrence of mismatching (bumpy occlusion or the like) when the dental implant is fixed in place. Also provided is a method for manufacturing the dental implant. The abutment manufacturing steps include a ceramic molded body production step for molding a ceramic molded body composition to obtain a ceramic molded body, an assembling step for assembling a titanium member and the ceramic molded body together to obtain an assembled body, a degreasing step for degreasing the assembled body so that the ceramic molded body is transformed into a ceramic degreased body, and a sintering step for sintering the assembled body to transform the ceramic degreased body into a ceramic member so that the ceramic member is firmly fixed to the titanium member. |
| US08683691B2 |
Disk roll and base material for disk roll
The present invention provides a base material for disk rolls which is a platy molded article for obtaining ring-shaped disks for use in a disk roll comprising a rotating shaft and ring-shaped disks fitted thereon by insertion, whereby the peripheral surface of the disks serves as a conveying surface, the base material comprising inorganic fibers having a crystallization temperature of 800-900° C., a filler, and a clay. Also disclosed is a disk roll which comprises disks cut out of the base material. |
| US08683689B2 |
Method for manufacturing constituents of a hollow blade by press forging
A method for manufacturing a hollow blade for a turbomachine is disclosed in which the blade is manufactured using a preform derived from external primary parts. A primary part including a root portion is formed by upset forging a bar in which material has been forced into a large volume area. Finish forging is done in at least two complementary stamping operations using an intermediate blank in order to limit costs and to use mechanical presses even for large and thin primary parts. Dies for forging the primary part are defined so as to double up at least the forging capacity of a press. |
| US08683688B2 |
Method for balancing a wind turbine
The present invention relates to a method for balancing a wind turbine. The method includes the steps of a) measuring at least one property that is dependent on a motor workload of at least one yaw motor 52 of a soft yaw system 5 during a period of time, b) calculating an unbalance based on the measurement of step a), c) determining a pitch offset angle for at least one turbine blade 41 based on the calculation of step b), and d) changing the pitch of the at least one turbine blade according to the pitch offset angle of step c) for decreasing the unbalance. The present invention also relates to a system for balancing a wind turbine. |
| US08683687B2 |
Method for manufacturing a crankcase of a piston compressor, crankcase obtained with the method and piston compressor provided with such crankcase
Method for manufacturing a crankcase of a piston compressor, wherein the piston compressor is provided with a crankcase which is provided with recesses for therein receiving cylinders and with at least an inlet opening, wherein from a flat sheet at least one substantially rectangular body blank is manufactured provided with the desired cylinder receiving recesses, wherein the body blank is then angle bent in an angle bending machine for forming a body part having a limited number of folds, wherein at least two substantially flat end walls are manufactured from a flat sheet, wherein thereupon the at least one body part and the at least two end walls are positioned with respect to each other using a positioning tool and are connected with each other with a welding robot for forming the crankcase. Also disclosed is a crankcase obtained with the method, and a piston compressor provided with such a crankcase. |
| US08683686B2 |
Method for connecting connector terminal
A method is provided for firmly connecting a connector terminal to a flat conductor. This is a method for electrically connecting the pierce terminal 20 having pierce blades 21 that pierce through the flat conductor 102 with the flat conductor 102 by the pierce blades 21, in which the connection state is adjusted based on a terminal reaction force R acting on the pierced blade 21a by a ruptured end surface 102a of the flat wiring conductor 102. The adjustment of the terminal reaction force R is made by adjusting a pressing reaction force F/A generated when the pierce blade 21 pierces through the flat wiring conductor 102. |
| US08683684B2 |
Method of manufacturing component embedded printed circuit board
A method of manufacturing an optical component embedded printed circuit board, the method including: stacking a first insulation layer on one side of a metal core; embedding an optical component in a cavity formed in the metal core; stacking a second insulation layer of a transparent material on the other side of the metal core; and forming a circuit pattern on the first insulation layer, the circuit pattern electrically connected with the optical component. |
| US08683679B2 |
Apparatus for pre-forming electrical bar conductors, in particular for bar windings of electrical machines
A pre-forming apparatus (4) for an electrical bar conductor (8), comprising a punch (12) provided with moving members for exerting a thrust on the conductor (8) during the relative pre-forming, the punch (12) being axially sliding along a pre-forming direction (X-X) and being provided with a cursor (20) and with a pre-forming head (24) suitable for engaging with the conductor (8). The apparatus (4) comprises a first pre-forming chamber (44) suitable for being crossed by the conductor (8) and by the punch (12) during the forward movement of the punch (12) for the pre-forming operation. |
| US08683677B2 |
Methods for balancing a disk drive
In certain embodiments, a hard disk drive includes at least one disk secured to a motor hub with a disk clamp. The disk clamp is positioned radially off-center with respect to the hub to balance a static drive imbalance.In certain embodiments, a method includes radially offsetting a disk clamp to offset a static drive balance. |
| US08683676B1 |
Apparatus and method to grip a disk clamp of a disk drive
Disclosed is a gripper for use with a disk clamp end effecter in a disk drive manufacturing process used for mounting a disk clamp to a disk in the manufacturing of a disk drive. The gripper comprises: a disk gripper housing, a lip seal gripper mounted to the disk gripper housing, and a vacuum channel. The lip seal gripper includes an upper portion that fits into the disk gripper housing and a lower portion that has a surface. The surface is configured to extend around the disk clamp to press against the disk clamp. The vacuum channel extends from the upper portion of the lip seal gripper to the lower portion of the lip seal gripper to provide a vacuum to the lip seal gripper such that the surface of the lip seal gripper is gripped by the vacuum to the surface of the disk clamp around the disk clamp. |
| US08683667B2 |
Method for swaging components
A method for practicing a swaging operation is described. A swaging apparatus comprises a housing, a holding unit, and a moveable member. The holding unit on the housing is capable of receiving and holding an inflexible tube and a swage fitting. The moveable member is capable of moving axially along the housing with respect to an axis for the inflexible tube and the swage fitting to connect the swage fitting to the inflexible tube and create a seal between the swage fitting and the inflexible tube. |
| US08683666B2 |
Restraint system buckle components having tactile surfaces, and associated methods of use and manufacture
Buckle assemblies for use with child seats and other personal restraint systems in vehicles are disclosed herein. A buckle assembly configured in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure includes a housing assembly that receives at least a portion of a web connector. The housing assembly includes a coating having a generally soft or tactile surface finish. For example, the coating can be at least partially elastically compressible. |
| US08683665B2 |
Ratchet adjustment system
An adjustment system for adjusting the width of a cuff has an elongated adjustment strip having a set of longitudinally extending teeth. Each tooth has a forward side and a rearward side. A length of each forward side is greater than a length of each of the rearward sides so that an angle between a longitudinal axis of the strip and the forward side is less than an angle between the longitudinal axis and the rearward side of each tooth. There is a locking mechanism formed by a base plate having a locking device on an underside and a guide for slidably connecting the locking mechanism to the strip. The tooth and the locking device are configured so that the locking device can be moved forward along the strip using only a small amount of force, and can then be moved rearward using a larger amount of force. |
| US08683657B2 |
Press button-controlled retractable bar
A retractable bar includes an inner tube, an outer tube and a positioning assembly. The outer tube has a longitudinal sliding groove and multiple locating notches. The outer tube is axially movably sleeved onto the inner tube. The positioning assembly has a positioning block and a press button. The positioning block is accommodated in the longitudinal sliding groove, and the positioning block has a positioning protrusion and a threaded hole. The press button has a threaded portion engaged with the threaded hole and is movable between a first position where the positioning protrusion is forced into engagement with one of the locating notches to lock the outer and inner tubes and a second position where the positioning protrusion is disengaged from each locating notch for allowing the axial relative movement of the outer tube to the inner tube for adjustment of the length of the retractable bar. |
| US08683653B2 |
Door hinge
A hinge (1) for a door opening over a horizontal axis, of the type comprising first and second supports (2, 3) that can be fixed to a compartment structure and to a door, at least rotatably constrained to each other through a pin (10). The hinge (1) comprises a fluidic cylinder-piston damper (9) of the type with internal flow leakage of the fluid contained therein. The damper (9) has a piston (18, 19) with a through-hole (20). The piston (18, 19) can have an appendix (19) that non-sealingly engages a chamber (17) when the door is closed, to increase the dampening. The hinge (1) has elastic means (7) such as a spring, to counteract the falling movement of the door when it is opened. The hinge (1) can be of the cam type, with a cam (4) and an abutment (5). |
| US08683651B2 |
Door hinge
A door hinge includes two hinge parts that are connected to each other in articulating fashion. One of the hinge parts has a base plate for attachment to a door frame or door leaf and at least one insert that is adjustable in two directions (x, y, z) relative to the base plate. An intermediate piece is situated between the insert and the base plate that is movable relative to the base plate along a first linear guide in a first direction (x). The insert is movable relative to the intermediate piece along a second linear guide in a second direction (z). A fixing means for providing a clamping locking action extends through a front section of the base plate, the intermediate piece and the insert. |
| US08683649B2 |
Automatically closing hinge and electronic device using such hinge
In an automatically closing hinge, a first body and a second body are mounted on a fixed shaft, and axial and radial moving members are adjacently disposed inside the fixed shaft. The second body pivoting rearward in relation to the first body enables an inward radial movement of the radial moving member, and during the inward radial movement the radial moving member causes a forward axial movement of the axial moving member. An energy storing member in the fixed shaft is configured to store energy during the forward axial movement of the axial moving member and to release energy for driving the axial moving member to make a reverse axial movement. During the reverse axial movement the axial moving member pushes the radial moving member to make an outward radial movement. The radial moving member during such outward radial movement drives the second body to pivot forward. |
| US08683648B2 |
Gate holder
A gate holder is normally in an open position. When pulled down, a return mechanism is compressed and a gate holding portion engages a self-closing gate for a period of time sufficient to allow a user to move through the gate, and which automatically returns to its open position allowing the gate to close without further interaction by the user. |
| US08683647B2 |
Surface treating appliance
An upright surface treating appliance includes a main body and a cleaner head connected to a yoke. The main body is rotatable relative to the yoke about a first axis for movement between an upright position and a reclined position. A stand is moveable relative to both the main body and the yoke, between a supporting position for supporting the main body in its upright position, and a retracted position. The stand is biased towards its retracted position by a spring. An actuator is rotatable about a second axis spaced from the first axis and has a set of teeth which meshes with a profiled surface to drive movement of the stand towards its supporting position against the biasing force of the torsion spring. A drive member drives rotation of the actuator about the second axis as the main body is moved from a reclined position to an upright position. |
| US08683646B2 |
Vacuum cleaner agitator clutch
A vacuum cleaner brushroll clutch having a motor, clutch assembly input rotated by the motor, brushroll, clutch assembly output to rotate the brushroll, drive clutch, and starter clutch. The drive clutch is connected to the clutch assembly output and moveable between a first position in which it does not directly contact the clutch assembly input and a second position in which it directly contacts the clutch assembly input to transmit a first torque directly from the clutch assembly input to the clutch assembly output. The starter clutch is connected to the drive clutch and moveable between a first position in which it does not engage the clutch assembly input and a second position in which it engages the clutch assembly input to transmit a second torque from the clutch assembly input to the drive clutch to move the drive clutch into the second drive clutch position. |
| US08683643B2 |
Stocker
A stocker including a main body unit having a plurality of receiving shelves, a transfer unit transferring a received material to be moved to the main body unit, a robot arm stacking the received material transferred by the transfer unit on one of the receiving shelves of the main body unit, and a dirt collecting unit moving in conjunction with the robot arm to remove particles from inside the main body unit. |
| US08683639B2 |
Mechanical toothbrush and drive mechanism therefor (embodiments)
A toothbrush is proposed that includes a handle, a neck, and a head arranged along a longitudinal axis thereof. The head is open on one side and functions as a protective screen. Movable ring-shaped holders with bristles radially secured thereon are mounted in the head. The holders' butt ends are joined to one another and to the protective screen by movable seals forming a hermetical body to protect the toothbrush's drive mechanism from penetration of water and toothpaste. Two design options allow the holders for accomplishing-angular oscillatory movements, or -rotating in opposite directions about the longitudinal axis, thus ensuring bristles' movements from top to bottom along the user's teeth. The proposed design ensures a high cleaning effectiveness, water tightness, and compensation of a reactive torque of the toothbrush, which extends the service life of the toothbrush and facilitates the use thereof. |
| US08683631B2 |
Sacral pad for a medical table
A sacral support for a surgical table, comprising a plate having two spaced-apart openings formed therein. The openings are aligned along an axis of the plate and disposed adjacent one end of the plate. A pad is attached to the plate. The pad is dimensioned such that the openings in the plate are exposed. A positioning post is attachable to the plate. The post has a lower end dimensioned to be received in the openings in plate, wherein the post is mountable in the plate in one of two different positions. |
| US08683629B2 |
Articulating bed with lumbar and head adjustment
An articulating bed incorporates a support frame having an upper body support section. A lumbar actuation lever extends from a rotatable torque tube with angle arms extending from the torque tube to a lumbar support element. The lumbar support element is retracted against the upper body support section creating minimal deflection in a lumbar region of a mattress. The torque tube is rotated with to elevate the lumbar support element. A head support bracket is mounted to a neck angle adjustment section. The neck angle adjustment section is aligned with the upper body support section. or rotated about hinge elements to provide an angled head and neck position with respect to the upper body support section. |
| US08683628B2 |
Patient support table
A patient support table is provided. The patient support table includes a table plate that may be moved manually or by at least one motor having a control facility. At least one sensor is provided on the table plate. The at least one sensor is operable to determine a force exerted by a user on the table plate for table plate movement and produce a sensor signal. The at least one sensor is operable to communicate with the control facility of the motor. The control facility is operable to control the motor as a function of the sensor signal that is based on a predetermined reference force value such that the reference force value is not exceeded during the table movement. |
| US08683619B2 |
Closet flange spacer
In one aspect of the subject invention, a spacer is provided for supporting a closet flange above a sub-flooring, the closet flange having a pipe section and an annular flange extending radially outwardly from the pipe section. The spacer includes a disc-shaped body having spaced apart first and second faces, and spaced apart inner and outer edges extending between the first and second faces. The inner edge defines an opening extending through the body, the opening sized to permit passage therethrough of the pipe section of the closet flange but not the annular flange of the closet flange. The outer edge is generally smooth and arcuate. Advantageously, with the subject invention, a spacer is provided usable with a closet flange to provide elevation thereof. |
| US08683616B2 |
Slimming garments
A slimming outer garment covering at least a portion of a wearer's lower torso having a garment torso portion for covering the wearer's lower torso with an encircling top edge and a transition band having an edge attached to the garment torso portion along the encircling top edge. The transition band has face-to-face interconnected elastic inner and outer members, where the inner member has a generally straight configuration when in an independent unstretched state and the outer member has an upwardly-directed curved contour when in an independent unstretched state. |
| US08683613B2 |
Eye patch
An eye patch is presented that is usable with eyeglass frames comprising a lens and side arm. The eye patch comprises a conoidal member to be positioned over a front of the lens such that a frontal and a peripheral vision of an eye is substantially blocked and a flap having a releasable securing device, wherein the flap is to be positioned over a back of the lens such that the releasable securing device secures the eye patch to the eyeglass frames. |
| US08689360B2 |
Probe head scanning probe microscope including the same
A probe head and a scanning probe microscope (SPM) including the probe head are provided. The probe head includes a plurality of cantilevers, each including a probe; and a holder on which the plurality of cantilevers are installed, wherein a cantilever facing a sample is changed by rotating the holder. |
| US08689359B2 |
Apparatus and method for investigating surface properties of different materials
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for investigating surface properties of different materials, which make it possible to carry out atomic force microscopy with a simplified and faster shear force method. The apparatus according to the invention is characterized by perpendicular orientation of the measuring tip of a self-actuated cantilever with respect to the surface of the sample. A piezoresistive sensor and a bimorph actuator are preferably DC-isolated. The measuring tip is in the form of a carbon nanotube, in particular. A plurality of cantilevers can be arranged in the form of a cantilever array which is characterized by a comb-like arrangement of individual pre-bent cantilevers. The method according to the invention is distinguished by a fast feedback signal on account of the distance between the measuring tip and the surface to be investigated being regulated using the change in a DC signal which supplies the actuator. |
| US08689357B2 |
Tamper detector for secure module
A tamper detector has input and output pins for connection to ends of a tamper detection circuit, and a corresponding set of linear feedback shift registers (LFSRs) timed by clock signals for generating pseudo-random coded detection signals as a function of seed values and of a generator polynomial defined by feedback taps. A comparator compares signals received from the detection circuit with the coded detection signals. A multiplexer provides the coded detection signal selectively from the LFSRs to the output pin and the comparator. A controller varies the seed values for different cycles of values of the pseudo-random coded detection signals. The controller also controls the generator polynomial and a frequency of the clock signals for different cycles of values of the pseudo-random coded detection signals. |
| US08689356B2 |
Content data delivery system, and method for delivering an encrypted content data
A handheld device is configured to be connectable to a storage media that holds a unique media identifier and holds a content key data used to decrypt an encrypted content data. A content data delivery system is provided that is configured to be able to deliver various data to the handheld device and to make a content data available to the handheld device. The system includes a member-registration information database that holds member-registration information including a data pair of a handheld-device identifier related to the relevant handheld device and the relevant media identifier. The media identifier held by the storage media is verified with the member-registration information database. |
| US08689354B2 |
Method and apparatus for accessing secure data in a dispersed storage system
A method begins by a processing module receiving, from a user device, a request to access secure data, wherein the request includes a user identification code and at least one object name for the secure data. The method continues with the processing module processing the request to determine a security level associated with the user device and to determine security parameters associated with the secure data. The method continues with the processing module determining a level of access to the secure data based on the security level associated with the user device and the security parameters. The method continues with the processing module retrieving a set of encoded data slices from dispersed storage units, wherein the set of encoded data slices includes less than a reconstruction threshold number of encoded data slices and generating a response that includes the set of encoded data slices when the level of access is a partial access level. |
| US08689351B1 |
Playing control files for personal video recorders
The certificate with specified conditions under which copyrighted material can be played. Copyrighted material, such as videos are stored in a storage unit. They are stored along with a policy that indicates when the information can be played. The information can, for example be encrypted one stored, and the decryption key is available only when characteristics of the policy are met. When those characteristics are not met, the information can not be retrieved at all or only can be retrieved in some very limited format. |
| US08689349B2 |
Information flow tracking and protection
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems, methods, devices, and machine-readable mediums for implementing gesture-based signature authentication. In one embodiment, a method may involve generating a data protection policy from an un-trusted software environment to govern access to protected data stored in memory in the local computer system. Then the method maps the data protection policy to an enforceable system-level data protection policy managed by an Information Flow and Tracking Protection (IFTP) logic. Next, the method flags the first memory page containing the protected data. Finally, the method enforces the generated data protection policy for the first memory page containing the protected data using the IFTP logic and the enforceable system-level data protection policy. |
| US08689346B2 |
Authentication method for authenticating a first party to a second party
An authentication system and method is presented for authenticating a first party to a second party, where an operation is performed on condition that the authentication succeeds. The authentication method verifies whether the first party is authenticated. If the first party is not authenticated, then it is determined if the first party qualifies for a sub-authorization. The sub-authorization depends on a value of a grace-counter associated with a number of times that first parties have been qualified for the sub-authorization. If the first party qualifies for the sub-authorization, the operation is performed and the grace counter is decremented. If the first party is authenticated, then the grace counter is set to a predetermined number. |
| US08689344B2 |
System and method of integrating modules for execution on a computing device and controlling during runtime an ability of a first module to access a service provided by a second module
A system for integrating modules of computer code may include a sandbox validator for receiving a first module and verifying that the first module complies with one or more sandbox constraints. A computing device may execute the first module within a runtime environment. A module integrator may operate within the runtime environment for receiving a request from the first module to access a service provided by a second module and only allowing the first module to access the service when the first module is authorized to access the service according to a service authorization table. The sandbox validator may ensure the first module correctly identifies itself when requesting a service provide by another module and that the first module includes runtime policing functions for non-deterministic operations. A service authorizer may generate an authorization policy for the first module, which is sent to the computing device along with the first module. |
| US08689343B2 |
System and method for securely transmitting video data
Exemplary embodiments provide a system and method for securely transmitting video data to an electronic display. The video data may be transmitted using a wired or wireless application. Raw video data is encoded as a plurality of JPEG frames. A plurality of primary packets are created which may contain one frame or a portion of a frame of video. Each primary packet contains a unique header with information about the packet and a unique security key. A redundant packet and header are created for each primary packet and header. After transmission each packet and header may be analyzed to determine if it was transmitted properly. If the primary packet was not transmitted properly or was an unintended transmission, the system may discard the primary packet and proceed with the redundant packet. If the redundant packet was not transmitted properly or was an unintended transmission, the entire frame may be discarded and the previously accepted frame may be repeated within the video decoder. If multiple frames are discarded, the system may display a default image. The packets are re-assembled and displayed if they are the intended transmission.A system and method for securely transmitting video data to an electronic display. The video data may be transmitted using a wired or wireless application. Raw video data may be encoded as a plurality of frames. A plurality of packets may be created which may contain one frame or a portion of a frame. Each packet may contain a unique header with information about the packet and a unique security key. After transmission various properties of each packet may be analyzed to determine if they are acceptable. The packets may be re-assembled and displayed if they are the intended transmission. A previous frame, default image, or default video may be displayed if any of the packets are not acceptable. Alternatively, a pair of packets may be transmitted together so that if a primary packet is rejected, the system could analyze a redundant packet to complete the frame and provide a minimal interruption of video signal. |
| US08689339B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for game data transmission
The present invention provides a method for game data transmission, including: acquiring, by a client upon logging into a server, a session key assigned by the server; encrypting game data with the session key, and submitting the encrypted game data to the server; decrypting and verifying the received game data by the server, and saving the game data if the game data are proved to be valid. The present invention also provides a system, client apparatus, server and mobile terminal including the client apparatus to which the preceding method can apply. The method, system and apparatus of the present invention ensure that the client can transmit game data safely to the server and protect the game data from being tampered with or counterfeited. |
| US08689338B2 |
Secure terminal, a routine and a method of protecting a secret key
The method of protecting a secret key from being read by a non-secure software application, comprises a step (94) of recording the secret key as a routine stored in an executable-only memory. The routine having: load instructions to load the secret key into a memory readable by a secure and a non-secure software application, if the routine is called by the secure software application, and control instructions to leave only dummy data instead of the secret key in the readable memory if the software application calling the executable-only routine is the non-secure software application. |
| US08689333B2 |
Malware defense system and method
A computer worm defense system comprises multiple containment systems tied together by a management system. Each containment system is deployed on a separate communication network and contains a worm sensor and a blocking system. In various embodiments, the computer worm may be transported from a production network, where the computer worm is not readily identifiable, to an alternate network in the worm sensor where the computer worm may be readily identifiable. Computer worm identifiers generated by a worm sensor of one containment system can be provided not only to the blocking system of the same containment system, but can also be distributed by the management system to blocking systems of other containment systems. |
| US08689328B2 |
Maliciouis user agent detection and denial of service (DOS) detection and prevention using fingerprinting
A method may include receiving a session control protocol request message and fingerprinting the received session control protocol message. The method may further include comparing the fingerprint of the received request message to a list of fingerprints associated with known malicious user agents and rejecting the request message when the fingerprint of the received message matches any fingerprint in the list of fingerprints associated with known malicious user agents. The method may include comparing the fingerprint of the received request message to the list of fingerprints associated with known non-malicious user agents and accepting the request message when the fingerprint of the received message matches any fingerprint in the list of fingerprints associated with known non-malicious user agents. |
| US08689327B2 |
Method for characterization of a computer program part
A method for characterizing a computer program section held in a computer memory system may include dividing the computer program section into segments, where program commands contained in the computer program section may be used to define a program flow relationship between the segments, and determining characteristic data which may be associated with the program flow relationship of the segments. The characteristic data may be compressed to form a signature which identifies the computer program section. |
| US08689321B2 |
Restricting access to the resources of a terminal
A portable computer terminal having an operating system configured to switch from a first state to a second state in response to a first command from a user and to switch from the second state to the first state in response to a second command from the user, the second command including inputting an identification code of the user, the operating system being capable, in the first state, of causing execution in interactive manner of an application selected from a set of applications, the operating system being capable, in a second state, of causing execution in interactive manner of an application of said set of applications in compliance with an access condition, wherein the access condition is determined as a function of said first command. |
| US08689318B2 |
Trusted computing entities
The present invention relates to trust in computing platforms and the like. In particular, embodiments of the invention provide a trusted computing entity (64), providing an environment comprising one or more of a set or sets of available security algorithms (62), the entity (64) being adapted to operate on data (702), which data has associated security criteria (704), only if the environment meets the associated security criteria. |
| US08689317B2 |
Providing SIP signaling data for third party surveillance
A method for facilitating surveillance of a targeted user participating in communication sessions conducted over a communications network, such as a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) network, that employs a session initiation protocol (SIP). The method includes receiving a subscription request from a third party subscriber, the subscription request identifying a targeted user to be monitored, monitoring communication sessions in which the targeted user is a participant, to detect SIP events corresponding to state transitions associated with the communication sessions. A system for facilitating surveillance of a targeted user includes an application programming interface (API) operable to receive a subscription request from a third party subscriber, the subscription request identifying the targeted user, wherein the third party subscriber is not a participant in the one or more communication sessions, and a SIP events monitoring module operable to detect one or more predetermined SIP events associated with the communication sessions based on the subscription request and notify the third party subscriber of the detected SIP events. |
| US08689312B2 |
Leveraging a persistent connection to access a secured service
Leveraging a persistent connection to provide a client access to a secured service may include establishing a persistent connection with a client in response to a first request from the client, and brokering a connection between the client and a secured service based on a second request from the client by leveraging the persistent connection with the client. The brokering may occur before the client attempts to connect to the secured service directly and the connection may be established between the client and the secured service without provision by the client of authentication information duplicative or additional to authentication information provided by the client to establish the persistent connection. |
| US08689308B2 |
Portable authentication device
In one aspect, a disclosed portable authentication device (PAD) includes a processor, storage media, an interface for enabling communication with an external information handling system (IHS), e.g., a computer or a telephony device, and executable instructions embedded in the storage media, for automated authentication. The embedded instructions include instructions for enabling a user to store authentication information, e.g., use ID and password information, corresponding to an IHS destination, e.g., a telephone number of an interactive voice response system or an IP address of a web server. If the PAD recognizes the current destination, the PAD may respond to an assertion of a keypad control element by making authorization information corresponding to the current destination available to the user or providing the authorization information directly to the current destination. The PAD may include one or more telephony interface(s), e.g., RJ-11 jack(s) and one or more computer interfaces, e.g., USB connector(s). |
| US08689305B2 |
Information processing apparatus, user authentication method, and storage medium
When a first MFP that manages first and second conversion values of user authentication information accesses a second MFP, the first MFP queries about which conversion value is used by the second MFP to execute user authentication processing. The first MFP transmits information based on a conversion value in accordance with the query result to the second MFP. Then, the second MFP executes user authentication processing using information based on a conversion value in accordance with the query result and a conversion value managed by the second MFP. |
| US08689303B1 |
Cookie-handling gateway
Cookies differentiate users and maintain data related to a user during navigation. Cookies are used for activities such as authenticating, session tracking, and maintaining specific information about users. An embodiment receives a first access request from a mobile device that corresponds to a first attempt by the mobile device to access the mobile network. The mobile device is authenticated using a set of authentication credentials provided by the mobile device. A gateway cookie is created that includes a second set of authentication credentials associated with the mobile device. The gateway cookie is provided to the mobile device and stored on the mobile device. A second access request, received from the mobile device, includes the gateway cookie and the second access request corresponds to a second attempt by the mobile device to access the mobile network. The mobile device is authenticated using the gateway cookie. |
| US08689298B2 |
Resource-centric authorization schemes
A first request is received, at a service application programming interface (API) of an authorization server, to change a permission of a first role for accessing a first resource. In response to the first request, a first role-based permission data structure associated with the first role is accessed to identify an entry associated with the first resource, where the first role-based permission data structure includes entries corresponding to resources, respectively. Each resource is associated with one or more permissions for a user of the first role to access the corresponding resource. One or more permissions are updated in the identified entry associated with the first resource. |
| US08689292B2 |
Method and systems for dynamically providing communities of interest on an end user workstation
A method and system provide dynamic communities of interest on an end user workstation utilizing commercial off the shelf products, with central management and the ability for a users to log on only once (also known as “single sign on” or “SSO”). The software images that make up the virtual machine can be patched and updated with other required changes from a central storage area where the image can be administratively updated just once. A digital signature can be applied to the software images to ensure authenticity and integrity, along with determining whether a software image is up to date. |
| US08689289B2 |
Global object access auditing
Global object access auditing techniques are described. In an implementation, a global SACL for a resource and an object SACL are merged to form a merged SACL responsive to a request for access to an object. The merged SACL is checked to determine what activity is to generate an audit event. |
| US08689286B2 |
System and method for determining a security encoding to be applied to outgoing messages
A device comprising a processor is disclosed herein. In one broad aspect, the processor is configured to: determine whether a general message encoding configuration setting at the device is set to a first setting indicating that when a security encoding is to be applied to a message, the security encoding is to be established by a policy engine, wherein the established security encoding cannot be overridden by a security encoding selection algorithm at the device; and if the general message encoding configuration setting is set to the first setting, transmit the message to at least one message recipient via the policy engine such that the policy engine applies the security encoding to the message prior to the policy engine transmitting the message. |
| US08689284B2 |
Method of customizing a standardized IT policy
A system and method are described herein for standardizing an IT policy that is used to configure devices operating on a network. An IT policy can be generated that applies to a group of users or to one or more special users without having to define and store a new IT policy for each special user. This can be achieved by specifying global and per-user IT policy rules and merging these rules as needed to produce IT policy data. |
| US08689282B1 |
Security policy enforcement framework for cloud-based information processing systems
Cloud infrastructure of a cloud service provider comprises a processing platform implementing a security policy enforcement framework. The security policy enforcement framework comprises a policy analyzer that is configured to identify at least one security policy associated with at least one tenant of the cloud service provider, to analyze the security policy against configuration information characterizing the cloud infrastructure of the cloud service provider, and to control execution of one or more applications of said at least one tenant within the cloud infrastructure in accordance with the security policy, based at least in part on one or more results of the analysis of the security policy. The security policy enforcement framework may be implemented in a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) layer of the cloud infrastructure, and may comprise a runtime controller, an operating system controller, a hypervisor controller and a PaaS controller. |
| US08689280B2 |
DNS-based content routing
DNS-based content routing techniques are described. In one or more implementations, data is examined that describes interactions via a network with content via a domain name. Responsive to the examination, a policy is adjusted to change how one or more network addresses are resolved for the domain name for access to the content. A communication is formed that includes the adjusted policy to be communicated to one or more domain name system (DNS) servers, the adjusted policy configured to specify which network address are resolved for the domain name by the one or more DNS servers for access to the content. |
| US08689277B2 |
Method and system for providing location of target device using stateless user information
A method of providing a location of a target device to an application implementing a location based service includes receiving a request for a location of the target device from the application at a location server, the request including a location reference having a user reference referring to user information corresponding to the target device and stored in at least one data source. The method further includes retrieving the user information from the at least one data source using the user reference, determining the location of the target device based at least in part on the retrieved user information, and providing the determined location of the target device to the application. |
| US08689276B2 |
System and method for controlling access to files
A system and method provides a service, such as complete access to a file or a socket request, in response to a file describing permissions for individual or multiple domains. |
| US08689275B2 |
Method of evaluating the profit of a substream of encoded video data, method of operating servers, servers, network and apparatus
There is disclosed in aspects of the invention a method of evaluating the profit of a substream of encoded video data, a method of operating servers, a network and an apparatus. In the method, a data portion is identified comprising at least some of the data in the substream being evaluated; comparing a decoded version of the video with the data portion present and a decoded version of the video with the data portion removed and calculating an error metric indicative of the distortion between the two versions; and, calculating a profit for the substream dependent upon the error metric. |
| US08689273B2 |
Method and apparatus for browsing using alternative linkbases
Systems and methods for navigating hypermedia using multiple coordinated input/output device sets. Disclosed systems and methods allow a user and/or an author to control what resources are presented on which device sets (whether they are integrated or not), and provide for coordinating browsing activities to enable such a user interface to be employed across multiple independent systems. Disclosed systems and methods also support new and enriched aspects and applications of hypermedia browsing and related business activities. |
| US08689266B2 |
Dynamic rebroadcast scheduling of videos
Television viewers want to watch previously broadcast videos for a number of reasons. For example, a viewer may have missed one or more episodes of his or her favorite series. As another example, a viewer may have mistaken the broadcast date of a show. Functionality can be implemented in a video recording device to submit rebroadcast requests for previously broadcast videos to a content provider. The content provider can use the rebroadcast requests to determine popularity of the previously broadcast video and dynamically schedule rebroadcasts of the most popular videos. The rebroadcast requests represent intended viewership of the video and can be leveraged by the content provider when assigning advertisement rates for the rebroadcast. |
| US08689263B2 |
Backwards-compatible frequency translation module for satellite video delivery
A frequency translation module for delivering satellite signals to Integrated Receiver Decoders (IRDs). The module comprises at least one input for receiving polarized satellite signals, wherein at least one input is coupled to at least one low noise block amplifier (LNB), at least one legacy output, the legacy output coupled to the input through a multiswitch, wherein each legacy output selects a polarization of a satellite signal based on a Legacy IRD command directly to the multiswitch, and at least one combined output, the combined output coupled to the multiswitch through an interface, wherein at least one new IRD selectively commands the frequency translation module such that each new IRD receives a portion of a satellite signal based on commands received from each IRD. |
| US08689258B2 |
Apparatus, systems and methods for accessing an initial portion of a media content event
Systems and methods are operable to retrieve a previously broadcast initial portion of a media content event. An exemplary embodiment stores a media content event at a first media device as the media content event is communicated over a broadcast system; receives a request at the first media device from a second media device, wherein the request identifies an initial portion of a media content event that has previously been communicated over a broadcast system; identifies the initial portion of the media content event from the stored media content event; retrieves the identified initial portion of the media content event; and communicates the initial portion of the media content event from the first media device to the second media device. |
| US08689257B2 |
Method and system for content recording and indexing
Methods and systems for content recording and indexing are described. Content may be accessed from a content source. The content may be processed to generate an index of the content. Programming data for future content may be accessed. A content selection guide may be generated in accordance with the index and the programming data. The content selection guide may include a listing of the indexed content and the future content. |
| US08689242B2 |
Information processing apparatus for controlling installation, method for controlling the apparatus and control program for executing the method
A server apparatus manages a device driver for enabling any of a plurality of devices to which a plurality of client apparatuses are connected on a network. The server apparatus comprises a storage unit that stores, for each device, a device driver that can be installed to the device in association with the device, a generating unit that generates different tasks for any of the stored device drivers, a creating unit that creates a schedule for executing the generated tasks, and an executing unit that executes the generated tasks based on the created schedule. |
| US08689240B2 |
Transmitting operator message commands to a coupling facility
A facility is provided to enable operator message commands from multiple, distinct sources to be provided to a coupling facility of a computing environment for processing. These commands are used, for instance, to perform actions on the coupling facility, and may be received from consoles coupled to the coupling facility, as well as logical partitions or other systems coupled thereto. Responsive to performing the commands, responses are returned to the initiators of the commands. |
| US08689239B2 |
Dynamic event collection and structured storage
In one embodiment, a computer system accesses an event associated with an activity, where the activity has been executed by a runtime as part of a software application. The runtime includes a software hook configured to listen for event stream operation indications from the user. The computer system tags the accessed event with an additional portion of identification information that uniquely identifies the executed activity. The computer system receives an event stream operation indication from the user indicating that event transmission for an identified event stream is to be dynamically enabled or disabled and identifies the user-indicated event stream using the tagged identification information. The computer system also dynamically performs the indicated event stream operation on the identified event stream according to the user's indication. |
| US08689237B2 |
Multi-lane concurrent bag for facilitating inter-thread communication
A method, system, and medium are disclosed for facilitating communication between multiple concurrent threads of execution using a multi-lane concurrent bag. The bag comprises a plurality of independently-accessible concurrent intermediaries (lanes) that are each configured to store data elements. The bag provides an insert function executable to insert a given data element into the bag by selecting one of the intermediaries and inserting the data element into the selected intermediary. The bag also provides a consume function executable to consume a data element from the bag by choosing one of the intermediaries and consuming (removing and returning) a data element stored in the chosen intermediary. The bag guarantees that execution of the consume function consumes a data element if the bag is non-empty and permits multiple threads to execute the insert or consume functions concurrently. |
| US08689236B2 |
Message-based modeling
A system and method may generate executable block diagrams in which at least some of the blocks run in accordance with message-based execution semantics. A message may include an input data payload that does not change over time, and the message may persist for only a determined time interval during execution of block diagram. A message-based execution engine may control execution of message-based blocks in which a source block may generate a message at a particular point in time, the message may be sent to one or more destination blocks triggering execution of those blocks, and the message may be destroyed on or after a determined time interval. Other execution domains, such as a time-based or state-based execution domain, may be provided, and the system may implement a hybrid execution model. A verification engine may provide one or more tools for evaluating and verifying operation of message-based blocks. The verification engine may support one or more verification blocks that may be added to the block diagram and associated with the diagram's message-based blocks. The verification blocks may capture and present messages exchanged among the message-based blocks. The verification blocks may also specify an expected interaction of messages, and determine whether the actual messages are equivalent to the expected interaction. If not, the verification block may perform one or more predefined actions, such as suspending further execution of the block diagram. |
| US08689233B2 |
Distributed function execution for hybrid systems
A system for distributed function execution, the system includes a host in operable communication with an accelerator. The system is configured to perform a method including processing an application by the host and distributing at least a portion of the application to the accelerator for execution. The method also includes instructing the accelerator to create a buffer on the accelerator, instructing the accelerator to execute the portion of the application, wherein the accelerator writes data to the buffer and instructing the accelerator to transmit the data in the buffer to the host before the application requests the data in the buffer. The accelerator aggregates the data in the buffer before transmitting the data to the host based upon one or more runtime conditions in the host. |
| US08689226B2 |
Assigning resources to processing stages of a processing subsystem
A processing subsystem has plural processing stages, where output of one of the plural processing stages is provided to another of the processing stages. Resources are dynamically assigned to the plural processing stages. |
| US08689223B2 |
Mechanisms to detect priority inversion
A method, computer program product, and device are provided for detecting and identifying priority inversion. A higher priority thread and a lower priority thread are received. A debugging application for debugging is executed. The lower priority thread requests and holds a resource. A break point is hit by the lower priority thread. The lower priority thread is preempted by the higher priority thread, and debugging stops until the higher priority thread completes. The higher priority thread requests the resource being held by the lower priority thread. It is determined whether priority inversion occurs. |
| US08689217B2 |
System and method for thread processing robot software components responsive to periodic, dedicated, and passive modes
An apparatus for thread processing robot software components includes a data port unit for storing input data in a buffer and then processing the data in a periodic execution mode or in a dedicated execution mode; an event port unit for processing an input event in a passive execution mode; and a method port unit for processing an input method call in the passive execution mode by calling a user-defined method corresponding to the method call. In the periodic execution mode, the data is processed by using an execution thread according to a period of a corresponding component. In the dedicated execution mode, a dedicated thread for the data is created and the data is processed by using the dedicated thread. |
| US08689213B2 |
Methods and systems for communicating between trusted and non-trusted virtual machines
The methods and systems described herein provide for establishing a secure communication channel between a non-trusted virtual machine and a trusted virtual machine, in a computing device executing a hypervisor hosting the trusted virtual machine, the non-trusted virtual machine, and a third virtual machine. The method includes writing, by a non-trusted virtual machine, a first string of data to a region of memory of the computing device. The method also includes detecting, by a trusted virtual machine, the first string of data written to the region of memory. The method further includes establishing a communication channel between the trusted virtual machine and the non-trusted virtual machine by locking, by the trusted virtual machine and responsive to the detection, the region of memory for the duration of the communication to prevent a third virtual machine from accessing the region of memory. |
| US08689212B2 |
Information processing device for controlling an application able to access a predetermined device, and control method using an information processing device for controlling an application able to access a predetermined device
An information processing device verifies the authorization of an application that has issued an access request to access a device. When an application on a universal OS issues a processing request to a secure device driver, a secure VMM and an application identification unit on a management dedicated OS lock a page table of the application and refer to the page table to generate a hash value. The application is determined to be authorized or unauthorized by comparing the generated hash value with a reference hash value. |
| US08689209B2 |
Updating content without using a mini operating system
A method of in-place updating an original version of content to an updated version of content, in a non-volatile memory storage device, wherein the storage device comprises a non-paged part of the content, wherein the non-paged memory part includes an original update library, and wherein the storage device is being used in a normal mode of operation or in an update mode of operation, the method includes: obtaining an update package required for updating the original version of content to the updated version of content; obtaining a new update library; storing the new update library in a second non-volatile storage; and updating the original version of content to the updated version of content, in a non-volatile memory storage device, using the at least new update library and the update package. |
| US08689208B2 |
Upgrade management of application components
Architecture that enables separation of a user interface (UI) upgrade from the content and application logic upgrade. Administrators can upgrade to take advantage of new infrastructure features, and independently schedule the UI upgrade, for example, to accommodate customization work or to ensure user training. Furthermore, administrators can now allow users to choose when to switch to the new UI. More specifically, the architecture facilitates the separation of a UI upgrade from content and application logic upgrade, the ability to control the UI upgrade at multiple levels of precision, the ability for application logic and UI components to change behaviors based on the UI version of the context, and the ability to “preview” the updated UI before permanently switching to it. Additionally, UI components can be filtered to only appear in the appropriate UI version, and the site's UI version can be compared to versions that a component is compatible with. |
| US08689206B2 |
Isolating operating system in-memory modules using error injection
A continuously operating system is provided and includes a processor and a computer readable medium to which the processor is operatively coupled, the computer readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed, cause the processor to continuously load an operating system and to simultaneously operate as at least first and second mechanisms. The first mechanism loads a new module, which is a new version of an in-memory module of the operating system, into the operating system, and the second mechanism isolates and interrupts current access to the in-memory module such that subsequent access is to the new module. |
| US08689200B1 |
Method and system for optimizing an executable program by generating special operations for identical program entities
A system and method for optimizing the object codes of a computer program is disclosed. The method includes receiving one or more object code units associated with an executable program; identifying, among the object code units, a first program entity and a first set of operations associated with the first program entity and a second program entity and a second set of operations associated with the second program entity, each program entity having an object code segment and an associated address; updating the object code units by inserting a predefined instruction before the first program entity's object code segment and causing the second set of operations to be associated with the predefined instruction if the first program entity's object code segment is identical to the second program entity's object code segment; and combining the updated object code units into the executable program. |
| US08689199B2 |
Optimizing compiler transforms for a high level shader language
A high level shader language compiler incorporates transforms to optimize shader code for graphics processing hardware. An instruction reordering transform determines instruction encapsulations of dependent instructions that reduce concurrent register usage by the shader. A phase pulling transform re-organizes the shader's instructions into phases that reduce a measure of depth of texture loads. A register assigning transform assigns registers to lower register usage by the shader. |
| US08689197B2 |
Instruction cache
Disclosed herein is a method of optimizing an executable program to improve instruction cache hit rate when executed on a processor. A method of predicting instruction cache behavior of an executable program is also disclosed. According to further aspects of the present invention, there is provided a software development tool product comprising code which when executed on a computer will perform the method of optimizing an executable program. A linker product and a computer program are also disclosed. |
| US08689193B2 |
Method and apparatus for protecting a software application against a virus
A method and apparatus for protecting computer systems from a virus are disclosed. For example, the present method protects against a class of computer viruses that replicate themselves by making use of the knowledge that a specific piece of software code or data component that always resides at a specific relative memory location in RAM for all instances of the software. In one embodiment, the present method divides a software application into a plurality of components and creates distinct copies of the software application by varying the locations of the components when loaded onto a computer system. |
| US08689192B2 |
Natural language assertion processor
A method of processing natural language assertions (NLAs) can include identifying an NLA and then translating that NLA into a verification language assertion (VLA) using a natural language parser (NLP) and synthesis techniques. This VLA can be translated into an interpreted NLA (NLA*) using a VLA parser and pattern matching techniques. At this point, the process can allow user review of the NLA* and the NLA. When the user determines that the NLA* and the NLA are the same or have insignificant difference, then verification can be performed using the VLA. The results of the verification can then be back annotated on the NLA. In one fully-automatic embodiment, in addition to comparing the NLA and the NLA*, the VLA and a VLA* (generated from the NLA*) can be compared, thereby providing yet another test of accuracy for the user during verification. |
| US08689191B2 |
Correct refactoring of concurrent software
Automated refactorings as implemented in modern IDEs for Java usually make no special provisions for concurrent code. Thus, refactored programs may exhibit unexpected new concurrent behaviors. We analyze the types of such behavioral changes caused by current refactoring engines and develop techniques to make them behavior-preserving, ranging from simple techniques to deal with concurrency-related language constructs to a framework that computes and tracks synchronization dependencies. By basing our development directly on the Java Memory Model we can state and prove precise correctness results about refactoring concurrent programs. We show that a broad range of refactorings are not influenced by concurrency at all, whereas other important refactorings can be made behavior-preserving for correctly synchronized programs by using our framework. Experience with a prototype implementation shows that our techniques are easy to implement and require only minimal changes to existing refactoring engines. |
| US08689186B2 |
Execution of a BPEL process by simulating partners
Mechanisms allow a user to test a BPEL process by simulating partner Web services. To simulate the partner Web services, a development environment is extended to include an intermediate component that intercepts messages intended for a partner Web service and displays those messages in a testing user interface. In the testing user interface, a user can create and send messages in direct response to the messages invoked while executing the BPEL process. The development environment may also include an alternate deployment descriptor, as part of a BPEL engine. The alternate deployment descriptor identifies where a message should be routed. For example, the alternate deployment descriptor lists the address of the intermediate component, rather than the actual partner Web service address, so that messages can be redirected to the testing user interface. |
| US08689185B1 |
System and method for processing electronic data
In one embodiment, a method of batch processing electronic data is provided. The method includes identifying one or more batch processing features common to a plurality of batch processing applications. The method also includes defining software code for managing execution of the common batch processing features, integrating the software code into at least one of the batch processing applications, and defining and taking one or more checkpoints. Moreover, the method includes retrieving input data in response to control data, processing at least a portion of the input data, determining the time of an error in response to the error during processing, retrieving data stored at the most recent one of the checkpoints, and processing at least a portion of the retrieved checkpoint data. |
| US08689184B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for managing industrial software configurations
An apparatus, system, and computer-implemented method of managing a software program. The computer comprises a processor, a memory, and an input/output interface for receiving and transmitting information to and from the processor, the computer providing a development environment for developing a set of instructions executable by a system. The processor receives a first program containing information in machine-readable form. The information represents a first set of instructions executable by the system. A configuration is created for the system based on the received information. The processor generates a second program containing a second set of instructions executable by the system based on the configuration. The second set of instructions corresponds to at least one algorithm assembled in a nested hierarchy. |
| US08689178B2 |
Development tool, method, and system for client server applications
A software development method and system having a suite of graphical customization tools that enables developers to rapidly configure all aspects of the underlying application software, including the look-and-feel, behavior, and workflow. This is accomplished without modifying application source code, base objects, or SQL. The sophisticated repository management capabilities of the method and system of our invention allows teams of developers to work efficiently on configuring applications. The application upgrader provides an automated process to upgrade the customizations to future product releases thus protecting the investment in customization. The ease, comprehensiveness, scalability, and upgradeability of the customization process help reduce the total lifecycle cost of customizing enterprise applications. |
| US08689177B2 |
Integration environment generator
An integration environment generator receives an input file and converts the input file into a markup language file. The input file identifies modules for an application to be deployed, dependencies among the modules, test cases for testing the modules, and scheduling information. The integration environment generator receives rules and validates the markup language file against the rules. The rules specify a unified format for including the dependencies of the modules in the input file. The integration environment generator identifies the modules, the dependencies among the modules, and the scheduling information and the test cases from the validated markup language file. The integration environment generator selects a build script template for the identified dependencies, a scheduling script template for the identified scheduling information and a test case script template for the identified test cases and generates a build script, a scheduling script and a test case script from the templates. |
| US08689174B2 |
Extensibility of pattern components
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, related to extensibility of pattern components in a visual modeling language environment. A pattern component may implement an interface, the pattern component may be received (e.g., by a compiler), and a determination may be made as to whether components of the interface are implemented by the pattern component. If so, a reference to the interface is bound to the pattern component (e.g., a function call referencing a function signature of an interface may be substituted with a call to a function having the same name of the pattern component). A role may be assigned to a pattern component of a visual modeling environment of an application development system and a behavior may be performed based on the role assigned to the pattern component. |
| US08689173B2 |
Detecting design patterns in models by utilizing transformation language
A mechanism is provided for detecting pattern occurrences utilizing a transformation software application on a computer. An input model is received in which the transformation software application is configured to detect model elements playing pattern roles, and report them in an output model (conforming to new pattern result language). A pattern specification is configured as a declarative transformation relation that is used by the transformation software application to detect pattern occurrences in the input model. Pattern occurrences are reported in the output model, where the pattern occurrences are instances of the pattern detected in the input model. |
| US08689170B2 |
Changing the location of a buffer bay in a netlist
In an embodiment, a buffer bay is represented with a moveable object that has a location within a unit in a netlist. The location of the moveable object that represents the buffer bay is changed to a new location in the netlist if changing the location improves placement within the unit. In an embodiment, a net weight of a net that connects the moveable object to an artificial pin is considered in determining whether to change the location to the new location. In an embodiment a bounding area that encompasses the location is considered in determining whether to change the location to the new location. |
| US08689167B2 |
Layout design apparatus and layout design method
A layout design apparatus includes: a memory unit to store design data of a hierarchical layout of a multilayer circuit including a macro; a channel count calculation unit to calculate a channel count of channels available to lead wiring from a terminal of the macro to a wiring layer based on the design data stored in the memory unit; and a path calculation unit to calculate a path for leading wiring from a terminal of the macro to the wiring layer in ascending order of the channel count. |
| US08689166B2 |
Modeling the total parasitic resistances of the source/drain regions of a multi-fin multi-gate field effect transistor
In the embodiments, a full resistive network is used to determine resistance contributions to the total parasitic resistance of each source/drain region of a multi-fin multi-gate field effect transistor (MUGFET). These resistance contributions include: a first resistance contribution of end portions of the fins, which are connected in pseudo-parallel by a local interconnect; second resistance contributions of segments of the local interconnect, which are connected in pseudo-series; and any other resistance contributions of any other resistive elements between the end portions of the fins and a single resistive element through which all the diffusion region current flows. The multi-fin MUGFET is then represented in a netlist as a simple field effect transistor with the total parasitic resistances represented as single resistive elements connected to the source/drain nodes of that field effect transistor. This simplified netlist is then used to simulate performance of the multi-fin MUGFET. |
| US08689162B2 |
Method and apparatus for timing closure
Aspects of the disclosure provide a circuit, such as an integrated circuit. The circuit includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The second circuit includes a delay circuit configured to cause the second circuit to have substantially matched delay characteristics of the first circuit in response to at least one parameter change of manufacturing, environmental and operational parameters, such as process variation, temperature variation, and supply voltage variation. |
| US08689159B1 |
Redundancy for on-chip interconnect
One embodiment sets forth a technique for on-chip satisfying timing requirements of on-chip source-synchronous, CMOS-repeater-based interconnect. Each channel of the on-chip interconnect may include one or more redundant wires. Calibration logic is configured to apply transition patterns to wires comprising each channel and calibration patterns that are generated in response to the transition patterns are captured. Based on the calibration patterns, wires that best satisfy the timing requirements of the on-chip interconnect are selected for use to transmit data. The calibration logic also trims the delays of the clock and selected data wires based on captured calibration patterns to improve the timing margin of the on-chip interconnect. Improving the timing margin of the on-chip interconnect improves chip yields. |
| US08689158B2 |
System and method for performing static timing analysis in the presence of correlations between asserted arrival times
A method of applying common path credit in a static timing analysis in the presence of correlations between asserted arrival times, comprising the steps of using a computer, identifying one or more pairs of asserted arrival times for which one or more correlations exist; propagating to each of the one or more pairs of asserted arrival times a timing value dependent on the one or more correlations; and performing a subsequent common path pessimism removal analysis for at least one test during which a timing value dependent on the one or more correlations between asserted arrival times is used to compute an adjusted test slack. |
| US08689156B2 |
Method of, and apparatus for, optimization of dataflow hardware
A method of generating a hardware design for a pipelined parallel stream processor. The method includes defining a processing operation designating processes to be implemented in hardware as part of said pipelined parallel stream processor and defining a graph representing said processing operation as a parallel structure in the time domain as a function of clock cycles. The method also includes defining the at least one data path and associated latencies of said graph as a set of algebraic linear inequalities, collectively solving the set of linear inequalities for the entire graph, optimizing the at least one data path in the graph using the solved linear inequalities to produce an optimized graph, and utilizing the optimized graph to define an optimized hardware design for implementation in hardware as the pipelined parallel stream processor. |
| US08689152B2 |
Double-sided integrated circuit chips
A double-sided integrated circuit chips, methods of fabricating the double-sided integrated circuit chips and design structures for double-sided integrated circuit chips. The method includes removing the backside silicon from two silicon-on-insulator wafers having devices fabricated therein and bonding them back to back utilizing the buried oxide layers. Contacts are then formed in the upper wafer to devices in the lower wafer and wiring levels are formed on the upper wafer. The lower wafer may include wiring levels. The lower wafer may include landing pads for the contacts. Contacts to the silicon layer of the lower wafer may be silicided. |
| US08689151B1 |
Pitch-aware multi-patterning lithography
A method, system, and computer program product for improving printability of a design of an integrated circuit (IC) using pitch-aware coloring for multi-patterning lithography (MPL) are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A first shape is identified in a layout of the IC corresponding to the design as being apart by a first distance from a second shape. The first distance is a forbidden distance and at least equal to a minimum distance requirement of a lithography system. A determination is made that the first shape and the second shape are colored using a first color. The first shape is changed to a second color, such that even though the first distance is at least equal to the minimum distance requirement of the lithography system, the first and the second shapes are placed on different masks to print the design, thereby improving the printability of the design. |
| US08689148B1 |
Regularization method for quantizing lithography masks
In an electronic design automation technique for optical proximity correction, an optimized mask function that has values other than those allowed for a particular mask type, such as 0 and 1 for a chrome-on-glass binary mask, evolves it to a solution restricted to these values or narrow intervals near them. The technique “regularizes” the solution by mixing in a new cost functional that encourages the mask to assume the desired values. The mixing in may be done over one or more steps or even “quasistatically,” in which the total cost functional and the mask is brought from pure goodness-of-fit to the printed layout for given conditions to pure manufacturability by keeping the total cost functional minimized step-by-step. A goal of this gradual mixing-in is to do thermodynamically optimal work on the mask function to bring it to manufacturable values. |
| US08689146B2 |
Electronic device and method of displaying information in response to input
A method includes displaying, in a window or field, first information associated with a first source running on a portable electronic device and detecting an input to display second information associated with a second source. After the detecting, second information associated with the second source and the first information in the window or field is displayed. |
| US08689138B2 |
Method and arrangment for a primary actions menu for applications with sequentially linked pages on a handheld electronic device
A system and method is disclosed that provides for displaying on the screen of a handheld electronic device, an extended menu or a short menu, which is a subset of the corresponding extended menu. The system and method include a first page of a plurality of sequentially linked pages being displayed on a screen. If the next page of the sequentially linked page is designated through use of the auxiliary user input device and no menu is displayed, the user may initiate an ambiguous request. Various short menus are provided with their respective menu items being dependent and adjustable based upon the position of a cursor on the display page, the currently opened application, and/or the previous selections. Further, a selection from the short menu is capable of displaying the extended menu corresponding thereto. |
| US08689136B2 |
System and method for backend advertisement conversion
A system for backend conversion attribution of an advertisement served to a user device. The advertisement server provides an advertisement to the user device. The advertisement server receives user information from the user device. The advertisement server stores attributable event information and the user information into an attributable event record in a data store. Based on a user event, a conversion server receives conversion information and the user information from the user device. The conversion server stores the conversion information and the user information into a conversion record in the data store. An attribution server matches the attributable event record with the conversion record. |
| US08689134B2 |
Apparatus and method for display navigation
A method for facilitating window navigation on an electronic display including the steps of rendering at least one elongated strip on opposing sides of a first window wherein the strips are selectable by a user through a user interface device, associating at least one strip with a second window and at least one strip with a third window wherein the strips are each configured to transition one of the second and third windows to the forefront of the electronic display upon selection of the respective strip by the user through the user interface device. |
| US08689133B2 |
Managing a catalog display in an e-commerce system
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for managing a catalog display in an e-commerce system. In an embodiment, an e-commerce data processing system can include a catalog sub-system and catalog display management logic. The catalog display management logic can include program code enabled to select between displaying an active mode view and a passive mode view for catalog items in a catalog. In this regard, the active mode can include a catalog display, a subset of catalog items rendered in a static view in the catalog display, and at least one detailed view of detailed information in the catalog display for a selected one of the catalog items in the static view. Likewise, the passive mode view can include a catalog display, a subset of catalog items rendered in a static view in the catalog display, and at least one detailed view of changing detailed information in the catalog display for cycled ones of the catalog items in the static view. |
| US08689132B2 |
Portable electronic device, method, and graphical user interface for displaying electronic documents and lists
In a computer-implemented method, a portion of an electronic document is displayed on a touch screen display of a portable multifunction device. The displayed portion has a vertical position and a horizontal position in the electronic document. An object is detected on or near the displayed portion of the electronic document. In response to detecting the object, a vertical bar and a horizontal bar are displayed on top of the displayed portion. The vertical bar has a vertical position on top of the displayed portion that corresponds to the vertical position in the electronic document of the displayed portion. The horizontal bar has a horizontal position on top of the displayed portion that corresponds to the horizontal position in the electronic document of the displayed portion. After a predetermined condition is met, display of the vertical bar and of the horizontal bar is ceased. |
| US08689128B2 |
Device, method, and graphical user interface for moving a current position in content at a variable scrubbing rate
A method is performed by an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface. The method includes: displaying a progress icon; detecting a contact at a location that corresponds to the progress icon; detecting contact movement that comprises a first component in a direction corresponding to movement on the display parallel to a first predefined direction and a second component in a direction corresponding to movement on the display perpendicular to the first predefined direction; and, while detecting movement of the contact: determining a current offset distance; and, in response to detecting a current first component of movement of the contact, moving the current position within the content at a scrubbing rate, wherein: the scrubbing rate decreases as the current offset distance increases, and the direction of movement of the current position within the content is in accordance with the direction of the current first component of movement. |
| US08689127B1 |
Edge measurement video tool parameter-setting user interface
A user interface for setting parameters for an edge location video tool is provided. The user interface includes a multi-dimensional parameter space representation that allows a user to adjust a single parameter combination indicator in order to adjust multiple edge detection parameters at once. One or more edge feature representation windows may be provided which indicate the edge features detectable by the current configuration of the edge detection parameters. |
| US08689126B2 |
Displaying graphical indications to indicate dependencies between scripts
Systems and methods for displaying graphical indications to indicate dependencies between scripts are disclosed. For example, a computer-implemented method is used to identify script dependencies between form objects. The form objects are part of a form created in a form design application. The form can be used by a user in a form rendering application. The computer-implemented method includes identifying with a processing device a script that performs a function. The method also includes determining with the processing device references in the script to plural form objects. The method further includes flagging the plural form objects corresponding to the references as related form objects. The method additionally includes rendering on a display device a graphical indication of the related form objects. |
| US08689125B2 |
System and method for automatic information compatibility detection and pasting intervention
Content is transferred from one computer resource to another computer resource by receiving designating a first insertion point, enabling automatic paste operation, switching to a user interface to a source computer resource, receiving a user selection of content from said source user interface, and automatically copying the selected content to a transfer buffer and to the designated insertion point(s) in the destination computer resource. Additional content may be copied to the destination computer resource by simply selecting additional content in the same source computer resource or other computer resources without need to toggle back to the destination user interface between every copy and paste operation. Prior to insertion in the destination computer resource, compatibility of the content is checked, and incompatible elements are handled according to user configured rules, such as converting the elements, converting the elements, or isolating the elements. |
| US08689122B2 |
Computerized method and apparatus for processing digital information for display thereof
In a computerized method and apparatus for processing digital information for display on a display unit, digital information representing a number of items of first superordinate information and a number of items of second detailed information, respectively associated with an item of superordinate information, are read from a memory. These items of first and second information are processed such that the first information can be displayed in a first display region the display unit and the second information can simultaneously be displayed in a second display region of the display unit, with a display of the information in one of the display regions causing no modification of the size of the other display region. The first and the second display regions interact such that the associated second information regarding a number of items of information displayed in the first display region can be displayed in the second display region. |
| US08689121B2 |
System and method for management of controls in a graphical user interface
Management of controls in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computer system. In one aspect, a command is received to create and display a window in the GUI, the window including one or more controls, each control operative to perform a function of an application in response to selection. An associated scope for each control is determined and indicates an extent of shared use of the control within the GUI. It is determined if a different instance of the control already exists within the scope for the control. If so, resources of the different instance are referenced to be shared for use with the control and new resources are not created for the control. If no different instance exists within the scope, new resources for the control are created and stored. The window and the controls in the GUI are displayed. |
| US08689115B2 |
Method and system for distributed computing interface
A method and system for distributed computing interface are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a computer implemented method comprises accessing a collaborative interface, wherein the collaborative interface comprises persistent shared space, wherein visual representation of the collaborative interface is identical for each client accessing the collaborative interface. In a single action, an object is dragged into the collaborative interface and the object is displayed in real time in the collaborative interface. The object is accessible to other clients in the collaborative interface and the state of the object is continuously synchronized. The object is manipulated in the collaborative interface and other clients accessing the collaborative interface are viewed. |
| US08689110B2 |
Multi-channel user interface architecture
A computer-readable medium, computer-implemented method, and multi-channel user interface system are provided. In one embodiment, a computer-readable medium has instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method. The instructions include providing source code and metadata for a base set of user interfaces, where the base set of user interfaces is capable of being executed on multiple channel. The metadata is capable of configuration for a specific channel. The configuration of metadata for a specific channel includes projecting one or more task flows from a task flow template and configuring one or more regions for each task flow. |
| US08689108B1 |
Presentation and analysis of user interaction data
An interactive, graph-based user interaction data analysis system is disclosed. The system is configured to provide analysis and graphical visualizations of user interaction data to a system operator. In various embodiments, interactive visualizations and analyzes provided by the system may be based on user interaction data aggregated across particular groups of users, across particular time frames, and/or from particular computer-based platforms and/or applications. According to various embodiments, the system may enable insights into, for example, user interaction patterns and/or ways to optimize for desired user interactions, among others. In an embodiment, the system allows an operator to analyze and investigate user interactions with content provided via one or more computer-based platforms, software applications, and/or software application editions. |
| US08689103B2 |
Automated digital media presentations
Among other things, techniques and systems are disclosed for implementing an automated presentation of media content having associated metadata. The system provides an automated transition that corresponds to a relationship between a first media content item's metadata and metadata associated with a second media content item. The automated system also provides an automated information overlay that corresponds to a relationship between a first media content item's associated metadata and metadata associated with a second media content item. The automated system also can obtain information corresponding to metadata of the media content and provides automated information overlays while displaying the media content in a presentation. |
| US08689102B2 |
User interface for creating and using media keys
User interface for creating and using media keys. A user interface is provided for outputting media data corresponding to one or more media keys. The same user interface may be used to output media data of different types. The user interface provides user selectable options for performing various actions such as scanning one or more media keys, accessing and loading media data corresponding to media keys, performing actions on the media data accessed for the media keys, generating media keys, creating collections and media keys for collections, performing actions on collections, and other actions. |
| US08689100B2 |
Document processing apparatus, control method therefor, and computer program
According to this invention, bookbinding data containing pages created by respective applications can be constructed regardless of the type of application. Even when one or more desired pages contained in bookbinding data are selected, image editing is designated, but a non-image page exists in the selected pages, the non-image page can be excluded from editing targets, and the process can shift to image editing. For this purpose, when a plurality of pages are selected and image editing is designated, whether each selected page is an editable image page is determined. An editable page is temporarily stored. After all the selected pages are determined, an image editing application is activated to edit stored editable image pages. |
| US08689099B1 |
Cross-domain communication
Disclosed are various embodiments for performing cross-domain communication using messenger frames. One or more messenger frames are dynamically generated in response to determining that a message is to be sent from a first frame in one domain to a second frame in another domain in a client. The message is sent from the first frame to the second frame by embedding the message in addresses of the messenger frames. Code executing in the first frame and code executing in the second frame are restricted from direct communication in the client. |
| US08689094B1 |
Electronic document for mortgage transactions
An electronic document includes header, view, data, and signature sections. The data section provides data typically processed in transactions involving the electronic document. The view section includes presentation formatting for displays corresponding to the data. Linking elements identify corresponding main data values and view data values respectively used to populate the data section and display presentation formatting, and are accessible for determining whether the data in the display and data section, providing assurances that processed data matches that found in documents used by parties to a transaction. A digital signature section allows a digital signature to be provided, and used to wrap that data and view sections, to ensure authenticity. The header section provides document type, state and other information that is readily accessed without otherwise scanning the electronic document. |
| US08689088B2 |
Method of encoding data using a low density parity check code
A method for encoding data using a parity check matrix is disclosed. The method for encoding data using a parity check matrix comprises generating a fourth base matrix by applying a row permutation pattern and a column permutation pattern to rows and columns of a third base matrix, respectively, the third base matrix including a plurality of indexes, each of the plurality of indexes indicating a sub-matrix; generating the parity check matrix by replacing each index of the fourth base matrix with a corresponding sub-matrix; outputting an encoded bit stream by encoding an input bit stream using the generated parity check matrix; and permuting an order of sequences of the encoded bit stream according to an inverse of the column permutation pattern. |
| US08689084B1 |
Method and apparatus for breaking trapping sets in decoding of information
Decoding information using error-correcting codes includes, in one aspect, receiving transmitted information that includes original information coded using an error correction coding technique, and using at least one processor to iteratively decode the transmitted information to correct transmission errors and determine the original information. The iterative decoding includes, in response to becoming trapped in a trapping set, adjusting information used in the iterative decoding and using the adjusted information to break the trapping set and continue the iterative decoding. |
| US08689083B2 |
Rate-compatible protograph LDPC codes
Digital communication coding methods resulting in rate-compatible low density parity-check (LDPC) codes built from protographs. Described digital coding methods start with a desired code rate and a selection of the numbers of variable nodes and check nodes to be used in the protograph. Constraints are set to satisfy a linear minimum distance growth property for the protograph. All possible edges in the graph are searched for the minimum iterative decoding threshold and the protograph with the lowest iterative decoding threshold is selected. Protographs designed in this manner are used in decode and forward relay channels. |
| US08689081B2 |
Techniques for embedded memory self repair
Techniques are provided for classifying and correcting errors in a bit sequence. At a memory control device, access is requested to a first bit sequences that is stored in a bit sequence database of a memory component and associated with an address. An error is detected in the first bit sequence, and the address associated with the bit sequence is compared to addresses stored in an address database of a content addressable memory component to determine if there is a match. When there is a match, the error is classified as a hard bit error. When there is not a match, the error is classified as a soft bit error. |
| US08689080B2 |
Preemptive memory repair based on multi-symbol, multi-scrub cycle analysis
In some example embodiments, a method includes performing a memory scrub of a memory across a scrub cycle of multiple scrub cycles. The method includes identifying correctable errors of symbols in the memory that are a result of accesses from a section of the memory in response to the memory scrub. The method also includes performing an analysis across the multiple scrub cycles, wherein the performing of the analysis comprises determining whether at least two symbols across the multiple scrub cycles have at least one correctable error. The method includes responsive to determining that at least two symbols across the multiple scrub cycles have at least one correctable error, executing at least one repair of the memory that includes the section of memory. |
| US08689079B2 |
Memory device having multiple channels and method for accessing memory in the same
According to one embodiment, a command generator sequentially and speculatively issues channel-by-channel access commands to a memory interface in a predetermined access process. A purger returns a series of unexecuted already-issued access commands using a purge response if an error occurs in any of memory accesses via a plurality of channels. A command progress manager updates command progress information such that the command progress on each of the plurality of channels returns to a position specified in an oldest access command of a series of the returned access commands issued to the channel. The command generator issues the channel-by-channel access commands including the oldest access command to the memory interface based on the updated command progress information. |
| US08689074B1 |
Method and apparatus for detecting trapping sets in decoding of information
Decoding information using error-correcting codes includes, in one aspect, receiving transmitted information that includes original information coded using an error correction coding technique, and using at least one processor to iteratively decode the transmitted information to correct transmission errors and determine the original information. The iterative decoding includes determining that the iterative decoding has become trapped in a trapping set before a predetermined maximum number of iterations has been performed. Some embodiments allow that, in response to determining the trapping set, an exit can be performed from the iterative decoding before the predetermined maximum number of iterations has been performed. |
| US08689073B2 |
Signaling reserved hybrid automatic repeat request information for downlink semi-persistent scheduling
A method is provided for reuse of one of a plurality of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) Process ID. The method includes receiving signaling used to associate at least one of the plurality of HARQ Process IDs with semi-persistent scheduling. The method further includes determining an activation of a semi-persistent resource. The method further includes receiving a non-semi-persistent data communication utilizing the at least one of a plurality of HARQ Process IDs. |
| US08689072B2 |
Communication devices and methods with online parameter change
Methods and devices are provided where when an online parameter change is requested a data transfer unit is stopped, a parameter change is communicated and the data transfer unit is started with changed parameters to generate new data transfer units. |
| US08689071B2 |
Multimedia device test system
A test system includes a supervisor unit coupled to a control interface; the control interface coupled to first and second test modules, each test module comprising a first logic module to test macro blocking errors; a second logic module to perform optical character recognition; a third logic module to perform signal to noise ratio measurement; and a fourth logic module to perform random noise measurement; each test module coupled to a device under test, the four logic modules applied to test a menu-driven video decoding device. |
| US08689068B2 |
Low leakage current operation of integrated circuit using scan chain
An integrated circuit (IC) having a low leakage current mode of operation has a number of modules for running respective applications. The modules have respective cells and respective test scan chain elements. The IC also has a controller for configuring an active module to operate in a functional mode and a selected inactive module to operate in a low leakage current mode. Configuring the selected inactive module to operate in low leakage current mode includes enabling scan mode of the selected inactive module, and applying a low leakage vector of input signals from the controller to the cells of the inactive module using the scan chain. Functional data outputs of the inactive module are disabled during low leakage current mode. In the meantime, the active modules continue to operate in the functional mode. |
| US08689067B1 |
Control of clock gate cells during scan testing
A system and method for detecting transition delay faults decouples the test enable pins of the clock gating cells from other elements in the circuitry. The test enable pins are controlled during test mode by a unique signal, allowing the tester to independently control the clock gating logic of the circuitry. By being able to ungate the clock, the tester can ensure that the two clock pulses needed to check for transition delay faults will always be present. |
| US08689062B2 |
Systems and methods for parameter selection using reliability information
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. For example, a data processing system is disclosed that includes: a data detector circuit, and a reliability monitor circuit. The data detector circuit is operable to apply a data detection algorithm to a data set to yield a detected output that includes soft data. The reliability monitor circuit is operable to determine a proxy error count based at least in part on the soft data, and to modify a parameter governing an operation of the data processing system based at least in part on the proxy error count. |
| US08689059B2 |
System and method for handling system failure
A system and a method for handling a system failure are disclosed. The method is adapted for an information handling system having a basic input and output system and a micro-controller. The method includes the following steps: sending, via the micro-controller, a signal; checking, via the micro-controller, whether an acknowledgement is received from the basic input and output system responsive to the signal; and scanning, via the micro-controller, a type of a system failure in response to the acknowledgement being not received. |
| US08689054B1 |
Increased distance of virtual machine mobility over asynchronous distances
A system for operating a virtual machine using a first site and a second site of an active/active system is provided. A host cluster and a director cluster may be identified at each of the first site and the second site. A first link may be provided between the host clusters of the first and second sites. A second link may be provided between the director clusters of the first site and second sites. While the virtual machine is operating on the first site, storage data may be transferred from the first site to the second site. An image of the virtual machine may be transferred from the first site to the second site. At least one of the following may be performed: (i) the storage data is transferred using the first link or (ii) the image of the virtual machine is transferred using the second link. |
| US08689050B2 |
Restarting event and alert analysis after a shutdown in a distributed processing system
Restarting event and alert analysis after a shutdown in a distributed processing system includes identifying a shutdown condition of the distributed processing system; and determining whether the shutdown was a planned shutdown or an unplanned shutdown; if the shutdown was planned, storing an identification of the last event in an event log that was injected in an event queue at the time of the planned shutdown and restarting event and alert analysis using the next event identified in the event log; if the shutdown was unplanned, identifying a previously configured restart mode; selecting an identification of a restart event in the event log according to the previously configured restart mode; and restarting event and alert analysis using the restart event identified in the event log. |
| US08689047B2 |
Virtual disk replication using log files
Techniques involving replication of virtual machines at a target site are described. One representative technique includes an apparatus including a virtual machine configured to provide storage access requests targeting a virtual disk. A storage request processing module is coupled to the virtual machine to receive the storage access requests and update the virtual disk as directed by the storage access requests. A replication management module is coupled to the virtual machine to receive the storage access requests in parallel with the storage request processing module, and to store information associated with the storage access requests in a log file(s). The log file may be transferred to a destination as a recovery replica of at least a portion of the virtual disk. |
| US08689042B1 |
Methods for data redundancy across replaceable non-volatile memory storage devices
In one embodiment of the invention, a replaceable memory apparatus is disclosed. The replaceable memory apparatus includes a first rectangular multilayer printed circuit board having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; a first male pluggable electrical connector mounted to the first side near a first edge; a first female pluggable electrical connector mounted to the second side; and first non-volatile memory mounted to the first side and the second side. The first female pluggable electrical connector is coupled to the first male pluggable electrical connector to feed through first signals. The first non-volatile memory is coupled to the first female pluggable electrical connector and the first male pluggable electrical connector to receive the first signals. |
| US08689041B2 |
Method for protecting data in damaged memory cells by dynamically switching memory mode
A method for protecting data in damaged memory cells by dynamically switching memory mode is provided. The method is adapted to an electronic device having a memory, which has a memory controller and at least one memory module, each of which is consisted of a plurality of memory cells, and the memory cells are divided into a plurality of pages. A power-on self test is executed and a mirror memory mode is activated to protect the data in the memory modules. An uncorrectable error of each page of the memory modules is detected by the memory controller when an operating system reads the memory. If the uncorrectable error in one page is detected, the memory module having the page is determined as a damaged memory module, and the mirror memory mode is switched to a spare memory mode, so as to protect the data in the memory modules. |
| US08689040B2 |
Method and system for data reconstruction after drive failures
Methods and systems for data reconstruction following drive failures may include: storing data across two or more drives in one or more data stripes, each data stripe including two or more drive extents; detecting a degradation of a drive containing a drive extent associated with a first data stripe; assigning a reconstruction priority to the drive extent associated with the first data stripe; detecting a degradation of a drive containing a drive extent associated with a second data stripe; and assigning a reconstruction priority to the drive extent associated with the second data stripe. |
| US08689037B2 |
System and method for asynchronously and independently controlling core clocks in a multicore central processing unit
A method of controlling core clocks in a multicore central processing unit is disclosed and may include executing a zeroth dynamic clock and voltage scaling (DCVS) algorithm on a zeroth core and executing a first DCVS algorithm on a first core. The zeroth DCVS algorithm may operable to independently control a zeroth clock frequency associated with the zeroth core and the first DCVS algorithm may be operable to independently control a first clock frequency associated with the first core. |
| US08689031B2 |
Semiconductor device and power supply control method of the semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes an internal circuit, a power supply control circuit which controls supply of a power supply to the internal circuit upon receipt of a first control signal, and a control signal generation circuit which outputs the first control signal upon receipt of a second control signal. The control signal generation circuit does not deactivate the first control signal when an inactive period of the second control signal is equal to or less than a first period and deactivates the first control signal when the inactive period of the second control signal is more than the first period. |
| US08689027B2 |
Tiled memory power management
A tiled memory and a method of power management within the tiled memory provides efficient use of energy within a computer storage, which may be a spiral cache memory. The tiled memory is power-managed by placing tiles in a power-saving state, which may be a state in which storage circuits are powered-down and network circuits are powered-up, so that for serially-connected tiles, information can still be forwarded by a tile in the power-saving state. The tiles may be power managed under direction of a central controlled, which sends commands to the tiles to enter and leave the power-saving state, or the tiles may self-manage their power-saving state according to activity measured at the individual tiles. Activity may be measured at the tiles of a spiral cache by comparing a hit rate and a push back rate to corresponding thresholds. The measurements may be used with either tile-managed or centrally-managed techniques. |
| US08689023B2 |
Digital logic controller for regulating voltage of a system on chip
A digital logic controller for regulating a voltage of a SoC includes a first input for receiving a reference signal having a first property that is constant over a range of operating conditions of the SoC, and a second input for receiving a second signal that has a second property that is indicative of an operating condition of the SoC. The second property may vary over a range of operating conditions of the SoC. A comparator compares the first and second properties and the digital logic controller, based on the comparison, outputs to a regulation signal to a voltage regulator to regulate the voltage of the SoC at or near a target voltage that is higher than a minimum operating voltage of the SoC. |
| US08689017B2 |
Server power manager and method for dynamically managing server power consumption
A server power manager and method for dynamic server power management are generally described herein. The server power manager is configured to implement one or more server management policies that identify target server power consumption and/or target functionality for the server system. The server power manager determines an amount of excess processing capability and/or an amount of excess physical memory based on the target server power consumption and the target functionality. The server power manager may transition a processor core to a lower-operational state when at least a predetermined amount of excess processing capability is determined while maintaining server system functionality. The server power manager may transition a memory module to a lower-operational state when at least a predetermined amount of excess physical memory is determined while maintaining the server system functionality. |
| US08689009B2 |
Authentication-secured access to a data carrier comprising a mass storage device and chip
The invention provides a method for accessing the mass memory of a data carrier with a mass memory and a chip. The data carrier has been or is personalized by an individual date of a use device which is or has already been stored in(to) the chip to a use device for accessing the data carrier, so that the data carrier can only be used with this use device. |
| US08689003B2 |
System and method for secure password-based authentication
Various embodiments of a system and method for secure password-based authentication are described. The system and method for secure password-based authentication may include an authentication component configured to request and receive authentication from an authenticating system according to a secure password-based authentication protocol. The authentication component may be configured to participate in an attack-resistant password-based authentication protocol such that an attacker who has compromised the authorizing system and/or a communication channel between the authentication component and the authenticating system may not determine a user's password and/or impersonate the user. In one embodiment, the authentication component may be configured to provide its attack-resistant password-based authentication functionality to an application (e.g., through a stand-alone application, plugin, or application extension). For instance, the authentication component may enable a web browser to participate in the attack-resistant password-based authentication protocol in order to access an online bank account from a web server. |
| US08689002B2 |
Peripheral device, network system, communication processing method
A peripheral device includes an interface for connection to a wired or wireless LAN, a local interface for wireless connection, and a control unit configured to check a legitimacy of a user based on a user-specific certificate stored in a communication-function-equipped device upon being accessed through the local interface by the communication-function-equipped device using near-field wireless communication, and to allow a predetermined process to be performed upon successful authentication of the legitimacy. |
| US08688997B2 |
Using digital certificates in document distribution
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that uses digital certificates to facilitate enforcing licensing terms for applications that manipulate documents. During operation, the system obtains a credential, wherein the credential includes a private key and a digital certificate containing a corresponding public key. This digital certificate also contains a profile specifying allowed operations which can be performed on documents signed with the credential. Next, the system digitally signs a document using the credential, so that the resulting signed document is signed with the private key and includes a copy of the digital certificate with the profile specifying the allowed operations. The certificate issuer can subsequently revoke the digital certificate (which effectively revokes the license) if teens of a license agreement associated with the digital certificate are violated. |
| US08688996B2 |
Multipad encryption
A method for protecting a message or document. The method comprises encrypting the message using a first key associated with a first party; sending the encrypted message to a second party; encrypting the message using a second key associated with the second party, so that it is encrypted with two keys simultaneously; sending the encrypted message to the first party; decrypting the message using the first key; sending the message to the second party, the message being encrypted with the second key, and using the second key to decrypt the encrypted message, thereby exposing the original message. |
| US08688995B2 |
Method and apparatus for detection of a fault attack
The invention concerns a method of detecting a fault attack including providing a plurality of blinding values; generating a first set of data elements including a first group of data elements and at least one additional data element generated by performing the exclusive OR between at least one data element in the first group and at least one of the blinding values; generating a second set of data elements corresponding to the exclusive OR between each data element of the first set and a selected one of the plurality of blinding values; generating a first signature by performing a commutative operation between each of the data elements of the first set; generating a second signature by performing the commutative operation between each of the data elements of the second set; and comparing the first and second signatures to detect a fault attack. |
| US08688993B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining and using the sampling frequency for decoding watermark information embedded in a received signal sampled with an original sampling frequency at encoder side
In watermarked signal decoding, the embedded message is decoded by correlating the reference patterns with the watermarked signal. The watermark detector decides, depending on the size of the correlation result values, whether or not a given reference pattern was embedded. However, decoding watermarked audio or video signals is difficult if the link between the watermark encoder and the watermark decoder is not a digital one, for example an acoustic path. A re-sampler control unit controls the sampling frequency of a re-sampler, in connection with a watermark decoder that outputs, in addition to the watermark information bits, a corresponding confidence value that is derived from the correlation result and that is used for synchronizing the re-sampler sampling frequency with the original sampling frequency of the watermarked signal. The synchronization processing includes a search mode and a synchronized mode. |
| US08688984B2 |
Providing content to a user across multiple devices
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, and including a method for providing content. The method comprises receiving a first login associated with a first anonymous identifier and first device, creating an associated first private-public key pair, storing a first private key locally in the first device, and publishing a first public key. The method further comprises receiving a second login from a second different device, creating a second private-public key pair, storing a second private key, publishing the second public key, creating a secret key using the first public key, and associating a second anonymous identifier with the secret key. The method further comprises subsequently receiving a login the first device, creating the secret key using the second public key, associating the first anonymous identifier with the secret key, receiving a request for content from either device, and providing content using the association. |
| US08688980B2 |
Trust verification schema based transaction authorization
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: for determining one or more behavioral fingerprints associated with one or more network accessible users; relationally mapping the one or more behavioral fingerprints to generate a trust verification schema associated with the one or more network accessible users; and determining whether to authenticate one or more transactions via the trust verification schema. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure. |
| US08688978B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing an adaptable security level in an electronic communication
A method of communicating in a secure communication system, comprises the steps of assembling a message at a sender, then determining a frame type, and including an indication of the frame type in a header of the message. The message is then sent to a recipient and the frame type used to perform a policy check. |
| US08688977B2 |
Validating a batch of implicit certificates
Methods, systems, and computer programs for validating a batch of implicit certificates are described. Data for a batch of implicit certificates are received and validated. In some aspect, the data include key-pair-validation values that can be used to validate the public and private keys for each implicit certificate. For example, the key-pair-validation values can include a private key, a public key reconstruction value, a public key of the certificate authority, and a hash of the implicit certificate. The key-pair-validation values are either valid or invalid according to a key-pair-validation function. In some cases, modification values are obtained independent of the key-pair-validation values, and the modification values are combined with the key-pair-validation values in a batch-validation function. The batch-validation function is evaluated for the batch of implicit certificates. Evaluating the batch-validation function identifies whether the key-pair-validation data include key-pair-validation values that are invalid according to the key-pair-validation function. |
| US08688974B2 |
Method for managing wireless multi-hop network key
A method for managing wireless multi-hop network key is applicable to a security application protocol when a WAPI frame method (TePA, an access control method based on the ternary peer-to-peer identification) is applied in a concrete network containing a Wireless Local Area Network, a Wireless Metropolitan Area Network AN and a Wireless Personal Area Network. The key management method of the present invention includes the steps of key generation, key distribution, key storage, key modification and key revocation. The present invention solves the technical problems that the prior pre-share-key based key management method is not suitable for larger networks and the PKI-based key management method is not suitable for wireless multi-hop networks; the public-key system and the ternary structure are adopted, thereby the security and the performance of the wireless multi-hop networks are improved. |
| US08688970B2 |
Access-network to core-network trust relationship detection for a mobile node
The invention provides a method for trust relationship detection between a core and access network for a user equipment. The gist is that a security tunnel establishment procedure is used so one entity, be it part of the core network or be it the user equipment itself, is provided with information to determine whether the access network is trusted or untrusted. The information may comprise a first IP address/prefix, which is initially assigned to the user equipment, upon attaching to the access network. The necessary information may further comprise a second IP address/prefix, which is an address/prefix that is allocated at a trusted entity of the core network. Depending which entity determines the trust relationship of the access network, it might be necessary to transmit either the first IP address/prefix or the second IP address/prefix or the first and the second IP address/prefix using the security tunnel establishment procedure. |
| US08688967B2 |
Secure booting a computing device
A method and an apparatus for executing codes embedded inside a device to verify a code image loaded in a memory of the device are described. A code image may be executed after being verified as a trusted code image. The embedded codes may be stored in a secure ROM (read only memory) chip of the device. In one embodiment, the verification of the code image is based on a key stored within the secure ROM chip. The key may be unique to each device. Access to the key may be controlled by the associated secure ROM chip. The device may complete establishing an operating environment subsequent to executing the verified code image. |
| US08688966B2 |
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for presenting visual content with a consistent orientation
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for presenting visual content with a consistent orientation on a display of an electronic device, even when the device is powered down and powered up again. Last known orientation information used by an application program to present application content with a particular orientation can be stored in a preference file that may not be accessible to a boot loader used during a boot process. To ensure that the boot loader may present boot up content with the same particular orientation indicated by the orientation information stored in the preference file, a register accessible to the boot loader can be used to store the same orientation information. |
| US08688961B2 |
Managing migration of a prefetch stream from one processor core to another processor core
A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for managing prefetch streams in a virtual machine environment. Compiled application code in a first core, which comprises a Special Purpose Register (SPR) and a plurality of first prefetch engines, initiates a prefetch stream request. If the prefetch stream request cannot be initiated due to unavailability of a first prefetch engine, then an indicator bit indicating a Prefetch Stream Dispatch Fault is set in the SPR, causing a Hypervisor to interrupt the execution of the prefetch stream request. The Hypervisor then calls its associated operating system (OS), which determines prefetch engine availability for a second core comprising a plurality of second prefetch engines. If a second prefetch engine is available, then the OS migrates the prefetch stream request from the first core to the second core, where it is initiated on an available second prefetch engine. |
| US08688956B2 |
Execution engine for executing single assignment programs with affine dependencies
The execution engine is a new organization for a digital data processing apparatus for highly parallel execution of structured fine-grain parallel computations. The execution engine includes a memory for storing data and a domain flow program, a controller for requesting the domain flow program from the memory, and further for translating the program into programming information, a processor fabric for processing the domain flow programming information and a crossbar for sending tokens and the programming information to the processor fabric. |
| US08688955B2 |
Line termination methods and apparatus
Methods and apparatus for termination of signal lines coupled to a number of memory devices are disclosed. One such method includes adjusting an input impedance of one or more terminals of an interface of a memory device in response to the memory device receiving a particular address. One such apparatus includes memory devices configured to selectively adjust an input impedance seen by one or more of the signal lines in response to receiving a particular address. |
| US08688954B2 |
Remapping inoperable memory blocks using pointers
Inoperable bits are determined in a memory block. Rather than abandon the block as inoperable, a data structure is generated that includes at least one memory page pointer that identifies the location of the inoperable bits in the memory block. The data structure is stored in one of a group of memory blocks that are reserved for the data structures. A pointer to the data structure is stored in metadata associated with the memory block with the inoperable bits. When a later memory operation is received for the memory block, the pointer is retrieved from the metadata and the memory page pointers are used to avoid the inoperable bits. |
| US08688953B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing software controlled cache of translating the physical memory access of a virtual machine between different levels of translation entities
A method and a system for allowing a guest operating system (guest OS) to modify an entry in a TLB directly without an involvement of a hypervisor are disclosed. Upon receiving a guest TLB miss exception, a guest OS issues a TLBWE (TLB Write Entry) instruction to logic. The logic runs the TLBWE instruction at a supervisor mode without invoking a hypervisor. The TLB may incorporate entries in a guest page table and entries in a host page table. |
| US08688948B2 |
Flexible memory controller for autonomous mapping of memory
A memory controller implements flexible memory mapping for storage of data units in a memory. The memory controller logically partitions the memory into a plurality of blocks or block segments and manages the storage of data units among the plurality of blocks/block segments. The memory controller can operate in one of three modes: a monolithic mode whereby the memory is modeled as a plurality of blocks, whereby each block is treated as a “monolithic” block; a fragmented mode whereby the memory is modeled as a plurality of blocks segments of varying sizes; and a combined mode whereby the memory is initially partitioned into a plurality of equal-sized blocks, and whereby each block can be used as a monolithic block or a fragmented block comprising a plurality of block segments of different sizes, and wherein monolithic blocks can be converted to fragmented blocks and fragmented blocks can be converted back to monolithic blocks. |
| US08688943B2 |
Processing system with external memory access control
A method for executing a processing routine that utilizes an external memory is provided. The processing routine requires more than one external memory access. The method comprises the step of distributing the external memory access after a predetermined number of external memory accesses. |
| US08688939B2 |
Storage system and storage subsystem
Storage system arrangements having status information including both copy group summary status information providing a status of a group of the plurality of copy pairs, and detailed status information detailing a status of a copy pair included in the group; and wherein said status management unit monitors the status information of said plurality of copy pairs, wherein the management computer acquires, from the storage apparatus, the copy group summary status information as summary information for a group of the plurality of copy pairs having a failure status for the group, and displays said summary information on said display, if the summary information indicates a normal status, the management computer displays the summary information only; and if the summary information indicates a failure status, the management computer displays, upon receiving selection of said summary information, detailed status information of a copy pair that belongs to the group. |
| US08688934B1 |
Method for caching data
A method of caching data includes: A. mirroring data processed by a first storage processor and a second storage processor between a first memory device of the first storage processor and a second memory device of the second storage processor; B. each of the first storage processor and the second storage processor monitoring an availability of the other of the first storage processor and the second storage processor; C. copying data stored in the first memory device to a third memory device and mirroring data processed by the first storage processor between the first memory device and the third memory device when the second storage processor becomes unavailable to the first storage processor; and D. copying data from the first memory device to the second memory device and mirroring data processed by the first storage processor and the second storage processor between the first memory device and the second memory device when the second storage processor becomes available to the first storage processor. |
| US08688933B2 |
Firmware component modification
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with firmware modification are described. One system embodiment includes modification utility configured to modify a less-than whole portion of the archive based on a modification request. The system embodiment may also include a nonvolatile memory containing an archive of one or more firmware components. |
| US08688930B2 |
Memory register encoding apparatus and methods
Apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed that operate to encode register bits to generate encoded bits such that, for pairs of addresses, an encoded it to be coupled to a first address in a memory device may be exchanged with an encoded bit to be coupled to a second address in the memory device. Apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed that operate to invert encoded bits in logic circuits in the memory device if original bits were inverted. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US08688925B2 |
Method for communication between two memory-related processes in a computer system, corresponding software product, computer system and printing system
For optimized communication between two memory-related processes in a computer system, a synchronization function is coupled with an operating system function such that it withholds an output of an operating system message that signals a data end of a file in a memory region of the computer system. It can thus be avoided that a memory read process interrupts the reading of the file because a memory write process has not yet written all data of the file into the corresponding memory region. |
| US08688923B2 |
Dynamic control of partition memory affinity in a shared memory partition data processing system
Dynamic control of memory affinity is provided for a shared memory logical partition within a shared memory partition data processing system having a plurality of nodes. The memory affinity control approach includes: determining one or more home node assignments for the shared memory logical partition, with each assigned home node being one node of the plurality of nodes of the system; determining a desired physical page level per node for the shared memory logical partition; and allowing the shared memory partition to run and using the home node assignment(s) and its desired physical page level(s) in the dispatching of tasks to physical processors in the nodes and in hypervisor page memory management to dynamically control memory affinity of the shared memory logical partition in the data processing system. |
| US08688919B1 |
Method and apparatus for associating requests and responses with identification information
A system and method of tracking multiple non-identification tagged requests in a system with multiple responders using one or more tracking queues. In some embodiments, the system and method may be implemented in a snoop filter covering multiple caches. In some embodiments, a data-less bus query may be used to update the status of a requested line. |
| US08688916B2 |
Storage system and data processing method using cache memory
A cache memory is utilized effectively because data redundancy elimination is executed. A controller manages the cache memory by dividing it into a first area and a second area. When receiving a write access request from an access requestor, the controller divides a data block, which is an access target, into a plurality of chunks and searches the first area first and then the storage apparatus based on each chunk. If chunk storage information, indicating that each chunk is stored in the storage apparatus, does not exist in the first area or the storage apparatus, the controller executes chunk storage processing and creates and stores the chunk storage information. If the chunk storage information exists, the controller eliminates the chunk storage processing for storing the chunks. If the chunk storage information does not exist in the first area, the controller stages the chunk storage information from the storage apparatus to the first area on condition that the first area has an unused area. |
| US08688914B2 |
Promotion of partial data segments in flash cache
For efficient track destage in secondary storage in a more effective manner, for temporal bits employed with sequential bits for controlling the timing for destaging the track in a primary storage, the temporal bits and sequential bits are transferred from the primary storage to the secondary storage. The temporal bits are allowed to age on the secondary storage. |
| US08688913B2 |
Management of partial data segments in dual cache systems
For movement of partial data segments within a computing storage environment having lower and higher levels of cache by a processor, a whole data segment containing one of the partial data segments is promoted to both the lower and higher levels of cache. Requested data of the whole data segment is split and positioned at a Most Recently Used (MRU) portion of a demotion queue of the higher level of cache. Unrequested data of the whole data segment is split and positioned at a Least Recently Used (LRU) portion of the demotion queue of the higher level of cache. The unrequested data is pinned in place until a write of the whole data segment to the lower level of cache completes. |
| US08688910B2 |
Debug control for snoop operations in a multiprocessor system and method thereof
A data processing system has a cache which receives both non-debug snoop requests and debug snoop requests for processing. The non-debug snoop requests are generated in response to transactions snooped from a system interconnect. Debug control circuitry that is coupled to the cache provides the debug snoop requests to the cache for processing. The debug snoop requests are generated in response to debug snoop commands from a debugger and without the use of the system interconnect. In one form snoop circuitry has a snoop request queue having a plurality of entries, each entry for storing a snoop request. A debug indicator corresponding to each snoop request indicates whether the snoop request is a debug snoop request or a non-debug snoop request. |
| US08688907B2 |
Large scale subscription based dispersed storage network
A method begins with a processing module identifying data for storage and sending a subscription request message regarding the data for storage. The method continues with the processing module receiving a subscription response message. The method continues with the processing module obtaining error coding dispersal storage function parameters when a dispersal method of the subscription response message indicates direct dispersal. The method continues with the processing module encoding at least a portion of the data in accordance with the error coding dispersal storage function parameters to produce a set of encoded data slices. The method continues with the processing module determining a plurality of storage locations and performing a dispersed storage write function to store the set of encoded data slices in the plurality of storage locations. |
| US08688898B2 |
Memory device configured to execute plural access commands in parallel and memory access method therefor
According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a memory, a memory interface, a command generator, an access command returning module and a command progress manager. The memory interface accesses the memory in parallel in accordance with access commands. The command generator speculatively issues access commands to the memory interface. The access command returning module returns access commands already issued to the memory interface and unexecuted at a time of occurrence of an error, through corresponding purge responses. The command progress manager updates command progress management information such that the command progress management information indicates the oldest one of the unexecuted access commands. The command generator reissues the returned unexecuted access commands to the memory interface based on the updated command progress management information. |
| US08688896B2 |
High speed writing mode in memory controller, nonvolatile storage device, accessing device, nonvolatile storage system, and method and program for writing data
A digital still camera performs temporary high-speed writing when capturing a large number of images in a short time. Lengthy processing for erased block allocation or copying performed inside a nonvolatile storage device may disable the captured images to be written completely (may cause some frames to drop). A nonvolatile storage system includes an access device (1001) and a nonvolatile storage device (1002). A button operation of a user on the access device (1001) causes the mode of data writing to the nonvolatile storage device (1002) to be switched. Temporary high-speed writing is performed into a physical block of a nonvolatile memory (27) from which a plurality of data pieces with different logical addresses and different data sizes have been erased. After the temporary high-speed writing, the written data is relocated into a user storage area (272), and an erased block is newly allocated for subsequent temporary high-speed data writing. |
| US08688890B2 |
Bit ordering for communicating an address on a serial fabric
A method for handling a request of storage on a serial fabric comprising formatting an address for communication on a serial fabric into a plurality of fields including a field comprising at least one set selection bit and a field comprising at least one tag bit. The address is communicated on the serial fabric with the field comprising the at least one set selection bit communicated first. |
| US08688887B2 |
Computer peripheral expansion apparatus
Computer peripheral expansion apparatus, methods of operation, and computer program products including blade peripheral expansion units (‘BPEUs’), each BPEU including a peripheral interconnect multiplexer coupled for peripheral interconnect data communications through an upstream peripheral interconnect bus (‘PIB’) segment to a host blade, the upstream PIB segment fanned out by the multiplexer into two or more peripheral downstream interconnect channels, the multiplexer connecting the upstream PIB segment to only one of the downstream channels at a time; and the two or more downstream peripheral interconnect channels, at least one of the downstream channels connected to at least one peripheral interconnect device (‘PID’) in the BPEU, the peripheral interconnect device being a device that communicates with the host blade according to a peripheral interconnect data communications protocol, one of the downstream channels configured to connect to an upstream PIB segment in another BPEU. |
| US08688886B1 |
Bus transaction maintenance protocol
A system-on-a-chip (SOC) bridge is described that applies an adapted delay, or latency, to data transfers across the bridge to avoid data corruption without reducing data transfer performance. The adapted delay assures that a source SOC service device transferring data to a destination SOC service device via the bridge and an SOC crossbar bus does not prematurely assume that the data transfer is complete upon transferring the data to the bridge. The bridge causes wait states to be inserted into the transfer between the source SOC service device and the SOC bridge until the SOC bridge receives confirmation that the data has arrived at the destination SOC service device. The adapted delay assures that subsequent operations are not prematurely initiated by the source SOC service device and/or the SOC CPU that may interfere with the data transfer from the SOC bridge to the destination SOC service device, causing corrupted data. |