| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07779860B2 |
Airflow control mechanism
The present invention provides an airflow control mechanism comprising a conduit for air having an inlet located at a first end thereof and an outlet located at a second end thereof; a first opening formed in a side of said conduit and able to provide a secondary inlet thereto; a movable collar at least partially surrounding said conduit at a location alignable with said first opening, such that said collar is able to at least partially occlude said first opening; further comprising a second opening beside the first opening as part of the secondary inlet, wherein the collar is also alignable with the second opening, such that the collar is able to at least partially occlude the second opening at the same time as the first opening. Thus with this airflow control mechanism, a user may select whether to occlude both the first and the second openings, in which case air will pass directly from the inlet to the outlet without any air also entering through the secondary inlet, or to occlude neither the first and second openings, in which case air entering the secondary inlet will contribute to the total amount of air exiting the outlet, or to occlude just one of the first and second openings, in which case, a fixed amount of air which is less than the secondary inlet being fully open, but more than the secondary inlet being fully closed, will enter through the secondary inlet and contribute to the total amount of air exiting the outlet. Thus the user will be provided with a highly predictable and repeatable setting for the airflow control mechanism between the fully open and fully closed positions of the secondary inlet. |
| US07779857B2 |
Hot water system
A hot water system includes a hot water source; a hot water delivery line connected between the hot water source and at least one plumbing fixture along with a cold water delivery line connection between said plumbing fixture, a cold water source and said hot water source; a pump, interconnected between the hot and cold water delivery lines, enables circulation of water from the hot water delivery line through the cold water delivery line and into the hot water source, thus eliminating the need for a separate recirculation line. A thermostatic valve is disposed in a serial arrangement with the pump between the hot and cold water lines for blocking flow of water from the hot water line into the cold water line when the pump is not operating. |
| US07779854B2 |
Valve member to armature coupling system and fuel injector using same
A relatively inexpensive robust attachment strategy that insures good perpendicularity between a valve member and an armature utilizes an intervening nut between the armature and valve member. A valve member is received in a guide bore of a valve body. A nut is threaded onto one end of a valve member. The armature is press fit onto a orientation neutral interface of the nut, and a fixture is utilized to set near perfect perpendicularity between an air gap plane of the armature and a centerline of the valve member. The armature is then welded to the valve member. The weld may be accomplished via laser welding while the valve assembly is firmly held in an appropriate position within the fixture. The valve assembly may be then incorporated into a fuel injector stack of components in a conventional manner. |
| US07779853B2 |
Proportional pressure control valve
A proportional pressure control valve particularly for electro-hydraulic transmissions. The valve includes a cage having pump, clutch, and tank port openings. A spool is received within the cage for controlling flow between the clutch port and the pump and tank ports of the system. The spool has a feedback pressure surface responsive to an applied feedback fluid pressure urging the spool to move towards a first position allowing flow between the clutch and tank ports. A feedback pressure chamber is defined within the cage for developing the feedback fluid pressure. A clutch port pressure feedback passage couples the clutch port with the feedback pressure chamber for admitting flow from the clutch port into the feedback pressure chamber to develop the feedback fluid pressure. The clutch port pressure feedback passage is formed within the cage wall to couple the control pressure chamber in fluid communication with the system clutch port. |
| US07779852B2 |
Water conservation safety shut-off valve
The present invention is a water conservation safety shut-off valve assembly for use on locations which normally have intermittent water usage but need to indicate when there is constant water usage, such as a leak. The valve assembly has a valve body with a fluid pathway and a valve plug held in an open position allowing water to flow through the pathway. As water flows through the pathway, a flow detection switch monitors water flowing through the pathway and begins timing duration of water flowing through the pathway. If the water flow through the pathway stops, the timer value is reset to zero. If the water flows through the pathway, and the timer circuit reaches a predetermined value, the valve closes the pathway, stopping the flow of water through the valve assembly. |
| US07779848B2 |
Apparatus and method for cleaning semiconductor wafer
Method and apparatus for precisely removing dusts from a side edge of a wafer, improving a production yield of wafers, and reducing a manufacturing cost for semiconductor devices. The apparatus includes: a retaining table having a circular top plan view, capable of retaining the wafer disposed on the top surface, and being rotated in the wafer cleaning; a feeding unit for supplying a cleaning solution to a top surface of the wafer; a cup member for recovering the cleaning solution supplied to the wafer, the cup member surrounding a radially outer circumference and a bottom of the retaining table; and a guard member disposed inside the cup member so as to be spaced apart from the retaining table, which surrounds the radially outer circumference of the retaining table. |
| US07779840B2 |
Ventilator breath condensate sampler and method of collecting a breath condensate sample
A breath condensate sampler for use with a mechanical ventilator, the breath condensate sampler includes an airflow valve, a condensate formation tube, a condensate trap, and a condensate collection receptacle. The airflow valve directs air from the expiratory limb into the condensate formation tube wherein the condensate portion of exhaled gases are separated from the gaseous portion of the exhaled gases. A method of collecting a breath condensate sample is also herein disclosed. |
| US07779836B2 |
Inhalation device
A powder inhaler for administering powder by inhalation, comprising: a flow path defined by a plurality of surfaces through which a stream of air is in use drawn on inhalation by a user; and dosing means (18) for providing a dose of powder to the flow path for entrainment in the stream of air; characterized in that the inhaler further comprises dislodging means for dislodging powder accumulated on a surface of the flow path downstream of the dosing means (18). |
| US07779828B2 |
Barbecue grill with a movable heater
A barbecue grill with a movable heater includes a main body having at least a rail, a heater movably resting on the rail, and a storing plate closable on the main body. The heater can be freely moved to and from above baking foods placed on a net to let a user operate conveniently and safely. And, with the storing plate closed on the main body, not only the heat can be kept in the main body to shorten baking time for saving energy, but also the well-baked foods and the frozen foods can be put on the storing plate for respectively keeping warm and being unfrozen to increase space. |
| US07779827B2 |
Blade ring saw blade
A flat-sided annular blade for a blade ring saw for cutting hard materials such as tile along straight paths and curved paths in which the workpiece is moved through the central portion of the blade. In addition to the usual sintered abrasive diamond coating on the outer peripheral portion of the blade, the inner peripheral portion preferably is tapered to a curved inner edge and also is coated with an abrasive, preferably an electroplated diamond coating providing smoother sawing operation and a finishing action on the workpiece. |
| US07779821B2 |
Intake-air cooling device for internal combustion engine and automobile using the same
The invention provides an intake-air cooling device for an internal combustion engine that can be installed compactly. The invention provides an intake-air cooling device for a gasoline engine equipped with an intercooler that cool intake air with outside air and an evaporator that cools intake air with refrigerant circulating in a bypass refrigeration circuit, disposed in this sequence in an intake-air channel from a supercharger to the gasoline engine. The intercooler is disposed in an outside-air duct through which outside air passes, the evaporator is disposed inside a case through which the intake air passes, and a bottom plate of the case forms part of the outside-air duct. |
| US07779820B2 |
Liquid separator
A liquid separator that can be used in a vehicle fuel system can have, among other components, an inlet portion, a deflector surface, and an outlet portion. The inlet portion can receive fluid from a fluid tube that communicates with a fuel tank. The deflector surface may cause a change-in-direction that separates liquid and fuel vapor from the fluid. The outlet portion can carry separated fuel vapor to a vapor tube that communicates with a canister. A space adjacent the inlet portion can be defined by a fuel system component such as partly by a fill tube or by a vessel. |
| US07779818B2 |
System and method for priming a fluid system
A system and method is provided for automatically priming a fuel system by bleeding/purging air or vapor therefrom. The system includes a bleed valve configured to automatically move between three positions in response to the pressure of the fuel in the system. When fuel pressure is in a first pressure range, the bleed valve automatically moves to a first-closed position for preventing fuel from draining to the fuel tank and thereby drawing air into the fuel system. When the fuel pressure moves to a second, higher pressure range, the bleed valve automatically moves to an open position for bleeding air out of the fuel system and into the tank, thereby priming the fuel system. When the fuel pressure moves to a third, still higher pressure range, the bleed valve automatically moves to a second-closed position so as to not interfere with the regulation of the pressure regulating valve. |
| US07779816B2 |
Control and regulation method for an internal combustion engine provided with a common-rail system
An open-loop and closed-loop control method for an internal combustion engine (1) with a common rail injection system, in which a rail pressure (pCR) is subject to closed-loop control during normal operation. A second actual rail pressure is determined by a second filter, a load reduction is detected when the second actual rail pressure exceeds a first limit, and when a load reduction is detected, the rail pressure (pCR) is controlled by setting the PWM signal (PWM) to a PWM value that is increased compared to normal operation by a PWM assignment unit. |
| US07779815B2 |
Fuel injection system comprising a variable flow rate high-pressure pump
An injection system includes a high-pressure pump with at least one pumping element operated in a reciprocating manner by corresponding intake and discharge strokes. Each pumping element is equipped with a corresponding intake valve in communication with an intake line, fed by a low-pressure pump. An on-off solenoid valve is positioned on the intake line of the pump and is controlled by a control unit with a frequency equal to a whole multiple or submultiple of that of the pumping action, multiplied by a factor different from 1 and/or between 0.90 and 1.10, inclusive. |
| US07779813B2 |
Combustion control system for an engine utilizing a first fuel and a second fuel
A system for a multi-fuel engine includes adjusting delivery of one or more fuels in response to a condition of an ignition spark in the engine. In one example, the system adjusts one or more fuels in response to spark plug ionization detection to improve performance of the engine. |
| US07779812B2 |
Vehicle stability and surge control
In one example, a method is described for operating an engine of a vehicle, the engine having a combustion chamber. The method may include controlling a stability of the vehicle in response to a vehicle acceleration; and adjusting dilution in the combustion chamber of the engine to reduce surge in response to the vehicle acceleration. The dilution may be adjusted by adjusting cam timing, for example. |
| US07779811B1 |
Thermoelectrically cooled components for distributed electronics control system for gas turbine engines
A gas turbine engine control component includes at least one electronic device, electronics such as an integrated circuit associated with the device, and a thermoelectric cooler for cooling the electronics mounted in a compartment. The thermoelectric cooler may be disposed in or on a wall of the compartment with a heat sink connected to a hot side of the thermoelectric cooler and a cold side of the thermoelectric cooler exposed to an interior of the compartment. Data about and/or operating instructions for the device may be stored in memory on the integrated circuit. The data may be calibration information for the device. A bus connector is connected to the integrated circuit for transferring operating instructions and/or data from the integrated circuit out and/or out of the component. A controller or control system incorporating these devices and components have the devices electronically connected to the integrated circuit. |
| US07779798B2 |
Method and device for determining a switchover condition in order to initiate a valve lift changeover in an internal combustion engine
In a method for determining the switchover condition in order to initiate a valve lift changeover in an internal combustion engine, the torque requirement (TQ REQ) is determined. Also, an operational variable of the internal combustion engine, which is representative for an operational state of the internal combustion engine, is determined. According to the operational variable, a duration of time (T), which is required in the current operational state in order to carry out at least one prepared amount for the valve lift changeover, is determined. An alteration value, which is representative for the alteration of the torque condition (TQ_REQ), is determined. The valve lift changeover is initiated by the duration of time (T) and the alteration value (TQ_REQ) according to the torque requirement (TQ REQ). |
| US07779796B2 |
Variable valve actuating apparatus for internal combustion engine and process of controlling the same
A variable valve actuating apparatus for an internal combustion engine with an exhaust turbocharger. An intake valve characteristic varying section is arranged to vary an operating angle and a lift of an intake valve. An exhaust valve characteristic varying section is arranged to vary an opening timing and a closing timing of an exhaust valve. In response to an increase in a desired value of an output of the engine, a control section advances an opening timing of the intake valve, retards a closing timing of the intake valve, and advances the opening timing of the exhaust valve. In response to an increase in a boost pressure of the exhaust turbocharger, the control section increases the operating angle and the lift of the intake valve, and retards the opening timing and the closing timing of the exhaust valve. |
| US07779795B2 |
Valve system for opposed piston engines
The valve system for opposed piston engines essentially comprises a single poppet valve opening into the common combustion chamber between the two opposed pistons of each piston and cylinder pair. The engine for which the mechanism is adapted includes a rotating internal cylinder surrounding each piston pair, with a stationary outer cylinder or case surrounding the rotating cylinder. The valve is pivotally attached at one side or end thereof to the edge of the valve port of the rotating cylinder, and is actuated by an arm or arms having guides (rollers, etc.) at the distal end(s) thereof, which are captured in corresponding cam track(s) or channel(s) formed in the fixed outer cylinder or case of the engine. The cam track has a variable radius, with the valve arm(s) and guide(s) alternately lifting and lowering as the guide(s) travel(s) in the variable radius cam track(s), thereby closing and opening the valve. |
| US07779794B2 |
Breather device and engine
A breather device provided in a 4-cycle engine which is configured to be mounted on a front part of a vehicle body of a snow vehicle, the 4-cycle engine including a crankcase, a crankshaft rotatably supported on the crankcase and provided in a state substantially parallel to the snow vehicle width direction, and a magnet unit connected to one end of the crankshaft, wherein the breather device includes a breather chamber integrally provided on a lateral side of the 4-cycle engine at the same side of the magnet unit and the breather chamber is disposed above the magnet unit in a side view. |
| US07779793B2 |
Engine-driven work machine resiliently supported on a frame
An engine and a generator driven by the engine are resiliently supported on a frame. A duct member is integrally attached to the engine and the generator to define a continuous cooling-air passage between the duct member and outer peripheral surfaces of the engine and the generator. A cooling fan is disposed on an inlet side of the cooling-air passage. A silencing plate is integrally attached to the duct member and faces an inlet of the cooling-air passage with a ventilation gap defined therebetween. The silencing plate has an area opposing the inlet that is larger than an opening area of the inlet. |
| US07779792B2 |
Air-cooled engine
An air-cooled engine (10) has a fan cover (16) for covering a cooling fan (14). The cover (16) is composed of a fan-cover peripheral wall (44) for covering the outside of the cooling fan (14), and a top board (45) for closing off one end of the fan-cover peripheral wall (44). The fan-cover peripheral wall (44) has an internally disposed guiding duct (47) for guiding cooling air (Wi) from the cooling fan (14) to an engine main body (12). A first fastening member (42) secures a portion of the external part of the fan-cover peripheral wall (44) that is proximal to the guiding duct (47) to a casing (25) of the engine main body (12). A second fastening member (41) extends from the casing (25) and through the fan-cover peripheral wall (44), and secures a top board (45) in a portion that is at a distance from the guiding duct (47). |
| US07779784B2 |
Apparatus and method for plasma assisted deposition
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus and method of plasma assisted deposition by generation of a plasma adjacent a processing region. One embodiment of the apparatus comprises a substrate processing chamber including a top shower plate, a power source coupled to the top shower plate, a bottom shower plate, and an insulator disposed between the top shower plate and the bottom shower plate. In one aspect, the power source is adapted to selectively provide power to the top shower plate to generate a plasma from the gases between the top shower plate and the bottom shower plate. In another embodiment, a power source is coupled to the top shower plate and the bottom shower plate to generate a plasma between the bottom shower plate and the substrate support. One embodiment of the method comprises performing in a single chamber one or more of the processes including, but not limited to, cyclical layer deposition, combined cyclical layer deposition and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition; plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition; and/or chemical vapor deposition. |
| US07779782B2 |
Systems and methods affecting profiles of solutions dispensed across microelectronic topographies during electroless plating processes
A method is provided which includes dispensing a deposition solution at a plurality of locations extending different distances from a center of a microelectronic topography each at different moments in time during an electroless plating process. An electroless plating apparatus used for the method includes a substrate holder, a moveable dispense arm, and a storage medium comprising program instructions executable by a processor for positioning the moveable dispense arm. Another method and accompanying electroless deposition chamber are configured to introduce a gas into an electroless plating chamber above a plate which is suspended above a microelectronic topography and distribute the gas to regions extending above one or more discrete portions of the microelectronic topography. An exemplary microelectronic topography resulting from the aforementioned methods and apparatuses includes a layer having distinct regions each including a comparatively different thickness and comparatively different concentrations of one of the one or more elements. |
| US07779778B2 |
Coating apparatus for optical lens
A coating device (42) for a coating solution and a light beam radiating device (151) which cures the coating solution are arranged in a clean room (7). Spectacle lenses (2) include a set of two lenses and are stored in a coating container (50). The coating device (42) applies the coating solution to coating target surfaces of the spectacle lenses (2) in the coating container (50). When the set of two spectacle lenses (2) coated with the coating solution are extracted from the coating container (50), they are stored in a lens rack (120) and sealed by a transparent plate of the light beam radiating device (151). After air in the lens rack (120) is purged with nitrogen gas, curing treatment for the coating solution is performed by the light beam radiating device (151). |
| US07779775B2 |
Schedule indicator
An air purifier (10) is disclosed which includes a housing (11) having a top wall with a schedule indicator (14). The housing top wall has a central recess (16), an annular inner groove (18) positioned concentrically about the central well, and an annular outer groove (20) positioned concentrically about the inner groove. An annular plateau (28) is formed between the inner groove and the outer groove. A first reset ring (31) is positioned within the outer groove for rotational movement therein. The first reset ring includes two inwardly extending timing indicating tabs (32) and (33). A second reset ring (35) is positioned within the inner groove for rotational movement therein. The second reset ring includes two outwardly extending timing indicating tabs or indicators (36) and (37). A knob (43) coupled to a power switch (45) is positioned within the central well for rotational movement therein. |
| US07779774B2 |
Indicating instrument with light pointer
A vehicle may utilize a faceplate, such as a non-circular faceplate, as part of an indicating instrument, such as a speedometer, in a dashboard. The speedometer utilizes a laser to direct laser light onto or through indicia, adjacent a numerical scale, of the faceplate. A first motor mounted to a printed circuit board is used to rotate the laser in a first plane, and a second motor is used to rotate the laser in a second plane. The laser may reside in a housing having a slit or slot for the laser light to pass through to illuminate the faceplate indicia. The first motor is mounted between the printed circuit board and the second motor while a connecting post may be utilized between the first and second motors to position the laser closer to the faceplate indicia, depending upon spatial packaging requirements and the laser light of the laser. |
| US07779773B2 |
Device for holding water bottle or other object in watercraft or other mobile conveyance
A stowage device for a mobile conveyance such as a watercraft. In the case of a watercraft, the stowage device replaces an inspection port cover. The stowage device is adapted to screw into the existing inspection port with no modification. The stowage device incorporates a stowage cavity to securely hold a drink bottle or other liquid refreshment container or object easily accessible within an arm's length of an operator. |
| US07779768B2 |
Apparatus and method to improve field application of anhydrous ammonia in cold temperatures
Apparatus and method to improve flow of liquid anhydrous ammonia from a portable liquid NH3 tank in cold temperatures includes an air compressor coupled to the vapor port of a portable liquid NH3 tank used to supply liquid anhydrous ammonia to an anhydrous ammonia fertilizer applicator. The air compressor injects compressed air into the tank to maintain head pressure within the tank at between 80 and 150 psi. to facilitate flow of liquid NH3 from the tank to the applicator when atmospheric temperatures are low as well as when the level of liquid NH3 present in the tank declines. |
| US07779759B2 |
Supercavitating water-entry projectile
A water-entry projectile capable of supercavitation and spin-stabilization comprises a forward section having one or more forward stepped sections, each stepped section being symmetrical in rotation about an axis and having a radius at an aft end that is different from a radius of a front end of an adjacent rearwardly located stepped section; an aft section having an aft stepped section, the aft stepped section being symmetrical in rotation about the axis and having a maximum radius larger than a maximum radius of the forward section; and wherein the aft section is located substantially aft of a center of gravity of the projectile. |
| US07779754B2 |
Method and apparatus for a canned food pressing device
A canned food pressing device includes a top piece, wherein the top piece is adapted to conform to the shape of a circular can and has multiple columns of vertically aligned gripping teeth. The top piece is also adapted to facilitate gripping and turning. The device also includes a bottom piece, having multiple columns of vertically aligned arcing teeth, wherein the vertically aligned arcing teeth are adapted to mate with the vertically aligned gripping teeth. The bottom piece is also adapted to facilitate gripping and turning. In addition, the bottom piece includes a magnet for lifting a magnetic can lid. Both the top piece and bottom piece also include alignment markers. |
| US07779746B1 |
Stress limiting diaphragm for diaphragm and bellows pumps and actuators
The diaphragm profile 10 is defined by a computer generated compound radius 10d beginning at 10f and ending at 10g. The compound radius is generally governed by the equation: ( t 2 ) R = σ E where, t=Diaphragm Thickness R=Radius of Curvature of Diaphragm Profile σ=Stress from Flexure of Radius “R” E=Modulus of Elasticity The profile limits diaphragm stresses to a prescribed and controlled level dictated by the initial formed profile of the diaphragm. As the bellows compresses, the gaps between adjacent diaphragm spans begin to close, thereby supporting the diaphragm and limiting further increases in stress. The remaining and shortened free span of each diaphragm is able to withstand the elevated pressures achieved during the compression process, ultimately offering a stable structure to the increase in loading.A lubricious wear strip 11 is used to protect the diaphragm from undesired wear that could result from metal to metal contact between the diaphragms. A wear strip offset 13 accommodates the placement of the strip. The close spacing facilitated by the offset maintains a clearance given by Item 12 when the diaphragm is fully compressed, resulting in higher compression ratios where compressible fluids are pumped, and higher flow efficiencies where incompressible fluids are pumped. |
| US07779740B1 |
Revolving firing pin assembly
A revolving firing pin system is mechanically linked to a screw-block in a breech-loading mortar system, wherein the revolver firing pin assembly rotates on a centerline that is offset from the centerline of the screw-block assembly. When the revolver firing pin assembly is rotated, the firing pin assembly also rotates. However, until the screw-block assembly is locked, the firing pin is in a safety position that is not in line with the primer of the munition loaded into the mortar system. Only when the screw-block is rotated into a locked position does the firing pin align with the primer of the munition to thus be able to strike the primer when the solenoid is electronically actuated. |
| US07779738B2 |
Pivot punch
A punch arrangement for punching holes in a moving web of a plastic film has a pivoted yoke mounted on a fixed bracket above the plastic film. An air cylinder or other actuator is mounted on the yoke and has a cutting head mounted on the rod of the cylinder. The cutting head is in registered alignment with an aperture on a support plate below the film. The film engages and swings the cutting head out in the film transport direction until the head rises out of contact with the film. Then a spring urges the yoke, actuator and cutting head back to their home position. A punch cycle can be carried out repeatedly on the film while the film is in constant motion. |
| US07779737B2 |
Multi-axis panel saw
A panel saw has a first cutting blade for cutting stock in a first axis and a second cutting blade for cutting the stock in a second axis. The first blade moveable from a cutting position to a position in which stock can be slid between the cutting blade and a supporting frame of the panel saw. The panel saw allows repeated cross cuts and rip cuts without changing the cutting location of the first cutting blade. A control system is configured to retract the first cutting blade from contact with the stock if the current draw exceeds a value. The control system may also retract a cutting blade when it senses the end of a panel being cut. |
| US07779734B2 |
Fastener drive-starter
In the present invention, a fastener drive-starter includes a primary shaft having a hollow drive end, a drive tip within the drive end, and a spring mounted within the primary shaft biasing the drive tip toward the drive end. A releasable fastener-locking mechanism is attached to the primary shaft. A tightening member is movably mounted to the primary shaft and is movable between a first position wherein the locking mechanism is open and a second position wherein the locking mechanism is closed toward the fastener shaft at the head. The fastener is secured to the driver by pressing the fastener on the drive tip to compress the spring, moving the tightening member into its second position, and releasing the fastener such that the spring-biased drive tip presses the shaft-transverse undersurface of the fastener head against the cross-portions of the locking mechanism. |
| US07779723B2 |
Anti-loosening device for parking brake
An anti-loosening device for a parking brake is provided to securely park a vehicle comprising: a ratchet wheel (20) having multiple teeth (21) formed on an arc-shaped edge, a pivot hole (22) located at a center of the arc, an operating lever (40) having an upper portion forming a tube-shaped handle, a lower portion forming a flat and narrow cavity, a latching mechanism (60) consisting of a pawl (61), a slot (62), a rotating shaft (31), and an elastic spring (80), a lever operating mechanism consisting of an operating rod (70), a coil spring (71), and a push button (72), wherein the operating lever (40) is mounted on the ratchet wheel (20) for rotation with respect to the pivot shaft (30), one end of the operating rod (70) is mounted on the push button (72) with the coil spring (71) and the other end of the operating rod (70) is connected to the slot (62) of the latching mechanism (60). |
| US07779722B2 |
Parking brake
A lever 2 includes first and second lever members 10, 20 between which both sides of a base B are interposed. A guide piece 14, which is a part of first lever member 10 arranged on first side of the base B, is formed being located on a second side of the base B. The guide piece 14, which is a part of the first lever member 10 located on the second side, has a guide portion to guide a wire 4 together with a guide piece 24 formed in the second lever member 20. |
| US07779720B2 |
Compact core adjuster with vibration dampening
A core adjuster assembly includes an adjuster body having a pin engagement end and a locking end. The adjuster body has a central longitudinal bore and a lock cavity formed through an outer peripheral surface. A slider body is formed on an end of a rod and is disposed in the central longitudinal bore of the adjuster body. A primary lock member is disposed in the lock cavity and is moveable from a shipping position to a locked position. A secondary lock member is associated with the adjuster body and the primary lock member and is adapted to maintain the primary lock member in the shipping and locked positions. |
| US07779719B2 |
Combination of derailleur shifter and brake lever
A combination of derailleur shifter and brake lever for bicycles includes a lever which can be pivoted relative to the handlebar so as to respectively control the braking mechanism and the derailleur gears. The lever has a rod connected thereto which controls a driving pawl unit which allows the rider to operate the rack of a driving unit to pull or release the derailleur cable. |
| US07779718B2 |
Bicycle shifter
A bicycle shifter for pulling and releasing a control cable connected to a gear change mechanism that includes a housing mountable to a handlebar, a takeup member, a control member, a holding mechanism and a release mechanism. The takeup member is movable for pulling the control cable in a cable-pull direction and releasing the control cable in a cable-release direction. The control member is movable in a shift direction from a rest position for a first shift movement to permit motion of the takeup member in the cable-release direction. The first shift movement corresponds to a single gear change. The control member is movable in the shift direction from the rest position for a second shift movement to move the takeup member in the cable-pull direction. The second shift movement corresponds to a plurality of gear changes. The second shift movement is greater than the first shift movement. The control member is biased toward the rest position. The holding mechanism retains the takeup element in a selected gear position. The drive mechanism is operable for releasing the holding mechanism from the takeup member and for moving the takeup member in response to actuation of the control member. |
| US07779716B2 |
Quick disconnect tooling apparatus
A quick disconnect tooling apparatus for releasably latching an end effector tool to a manipulator. The present invention provides a base module connectable to a manipulator, and a tool module connectable to the end effector tool. A power source coupling has a first portion coupled to the base module, and a second portion coupled to the tool module, wherein the first and second portions of the power source coupling may cooperatively engage one another to allow for the passing of power between the manipulator and the end effector tool. A releasable latch is connected to the base module and is moveable between a latched position, wherein the latch cooperatively engages a latch pin connected to the tool module to secure the tool module to the base module and allow the first and second portions of the power source coupling to communicate with one another, and an unlatched position, wherein the releasable latch does not engage the latch pin thereby allowing the base module and the tool module to be disconnected and the first and second portions of the power source coupling to be disconnected. |
| US07779715B2 |
Shifter with actuator incorporating magnetic unlock mechanism
A shifter includes an actuator, such as a shape memory alloy wire, to control movement of a set of strategically placed magnets on lever-position-controlling components of a vehicle transmission shift lever. In one arrangement, the actuator controls movement of a carrier carrying one or more of the magnets, the magnets controlling a position of a blocking member to prevent moving a pawl out of park position until predetermined vehicle conditions are met. Alternatively, the magnets can be carried by a cam, or slide, or wheel. |
| US07779711B2 |
Drive force transmission device, mechanical device, and liquid ejection apparatus
A drive force transmission device that causes a plurality of driven members to operate in different operational areas for different operational purposes includes a lead screw and at least one movable member. The lead screw has a threaded portion formed on an outer circumferential surface of the lead screw. The lead screw is rotated about the axis of the lead screw when a drive force is generated. The at least one movable member has an engagement portion that is arranged to engage with the threaded portion of the lead screw. The movable member is moved along the axial direction of the lead screw through the engagement portion guided by the threaded portion when the lead screw rotates. While moving, the movable member associates with the driven members in a state in which the drive force is transmissible from the lead screw to the driven members and operates each of the driven members by the drive force. |
| US07779708B2 |
Orthopedic simulator with fluid concentration maintenance arrangement for controlling fluid concentration of specimen baths
An orthopedic simulator is provided with an orthopedic simulator having at least one test station with a specimen container for containing a fluid bath, such as bovine fluid. A fluid level sensor is positioned to sense the level of fluid in the fluid bath and generate a fluid level signal. A fill controller is coupled to the fluid level sensor. The fill controller controls filling of the fluid bath with liquid, such as distilled water, as a function of the fluid level signal to restore and maintain the concentration of the bath. |
| US07779707B2 |
All-electric piezoelectric finger sensor (PEFS) for soft material stiffness measurement
A PEFS (Piezoelectric Finger Sensor) acts as an “electronic finger” capable of accurately and non-destructively measuring both the Young's compression modulus and shear modulus of tissues with gentle touches to the surface. The PEFS measures both the Young's compression modulus and shear modulus variations in tissue generating a less than one-millimeter spatial resolution up to a depth of several centimeters. This offers great potential for in-vivo early detection of diseases. A portable hand-held device is also disclosed. The PEF offers superior sensitivity. |
| US07779706B2 |
Cable-type load sensor
A cable-type load sensor having an advantage in layout and being capable of sensing the load precisely is provided. The cable-type load sensor comprises a linear member composed of electrically conductive rubber and having a hollow part extending in the longitudinal direction at the central part of the cross section, and a cladding layer composed of the same kind of rubber material as the linear member and covering the circumference on the linear member. |
| US07779701B2 |
Pressure sensor apparatus
A high pressure, miniature pressure sensor has a cup-shaped housing having an open end closed by a metal substrate. A raised stress isolation pedestal portion is formed on the substrate that receives a stress isolation glass pedestal element and in turn a silicon pressure sense element, all having closely matched CTEs to minimize temperature induced stresses. A fluid passageway is formed through the substrate and glass pedestal and an O-ring is placed around the passageway on the lower side of the substrate. A flexible circuit having a slit tail formed with two lobes for receipt respectively in the housing and on the substrate allows easy access of a solder iron during assembly. Mounting flanges extend from the substrate to facilitate mounting of sensor and minimize transfer of mounting stresses to the sense element. |
| US07779699B2 |
Apparatus for measuring multiple pressures within different pressure ranges
There is disclosed an apparatus for measuring multiple pressures within different pressure ranges. The apparatus contains multiple pressure sensors which are positioned on a housing, where each pressure sensor is adapted to measure pressure within a different pressure range. The housing has an input port which is constructed to communicate with different output ports, where the output ports communicate with each different pressure sensor utilized in a different pressure range. The input port has a stepped or keyed aperture which is adapted to receive different pressure adapters. The input port enables the selective insertion of various pressure adapter members as indicated where each pressure adapter member can only be inserted within the input port to a desired position, where at that position, the pressure applied to the input port will be directed to the proper pressure sensor. |
| US07779698B2 |
Pressure sensor
A pressure transmitter is provided. The pressure transmitter includes a pressure sensor including a pair of process fluid pressure ports each having a deflectable diaphragm. A first variable capacitor is disposed within the pressure sensor and has a capacitance that varies with differential pressure between the process fluid ports. A second variable capacitor is disposed within the pressure sensor and has a capacitance that varies with line pressure. |
| US07779696B2 |
Separate cMUTs for reception and transmission
A capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (cMUT) system has two cMUTs connected to each other. The first cMUT is adapted for operation in a transmission mode, and the second cMUT is adapted for operation in the reception mode. The first cMUT and the second cMUT share a common signal line and are connected in a manner to allow the first cMUT and the second cMUT to have bias voltages that can be independently set. In one embodiment, one of the cMUTs is connected to a voltage controller to regulator the voltage applied there on. Various connection configurations, including connections in series and connections in parallel, are disclosed. The cMUT system configurations allow separate optimization for transmission and reception and better flexibility in operation. |
| US07779695B2 |
Method and device for determining defects on a constructional element of a turbine
The invention relates to a method which is used to detect defects on a component of a turbine. Said method comprises the following steps; at least one ultrasonic signal is emitted and captured by means of a group beam examination head on a flat region of the component which is to be examined. The invention is characterized according to the following steps: the group of the beam examination heads are distributed into several virtual examination heads and at least one ultrasonic signal is emitted and captured by at least two of the virtual examination heads which is directed to an individual flat region which is to be examined. |
| US07779693B2 |
Method for nondestructive testing of pipes for surface flaws
A method for nondestructive testing of the pipes for detecting surface flaws is disclosed. With of the method, flaws can be detected and analyzed in near-real-time while the pipe is produced. The data obtained by ultrasound sensors are digitized in a time window following a trigger pulse, and the digitized data are processed in a digital processor, for example a DSP, using wavelet transforms. The evaluated quantity is compared with a reference value, wherein a determined flaw-based signal can be uniquely associated with the flaw located on the pipe surface. |
| US07779690B2 |
Vibrating wire sensor using spectral analysis
Systems and methods for analyzing the resonant frequency of vibratory wires within vibratory wire gauges. The resonant frequency of the vibrating wire is determined by using an interface that digitizes the response of an excited wire in the gauge. A transform then converts the digitized data into a frequency spectrum. The resulting spectrum is used to estimate the resonant frequency of the vibrating wire. The resulting measurement or estimate of the resonant frequency can be used to measure or determine some physical characteristic of the device or structure or system connected to the gauge. |
| US07779687B2 |
Detection device, gyrosensor, and electronic instrument
A detection device includes a driver circuit and a detection circuit. The detection circuit includes an amplifier circuit which amplifies an output signal from a vibrator, a sensitivity adjustment circuit which performs sensitivity adjustment by variably controlling a gain, and a synchronous detection circuit which performs synchronous detection based on a reference signal. The sensitivity adjustment circuit is provided in the preceding stage of the synchronous detection circuit. The sensitivity adjustment circuit operates as a programmable-gain amplifier and a high-pass filter. |
| US07779685B2 |
Fluid transportation by a sheet of material
Apparatuses and methods are provided for transporting fluid to a sheet of material. Typically, the sheet is immobilized on an upper surface of a support structure. A container holding a fluid is provided along with a conduit having a fluid-conveying lumen that extends from the container to one or more terminal opening facing the lower surface of the sheet. Optionally, a porous medium is placed in fluid communication with the fluid-conveying lumen and in contact with the lower surface of the sheet. The apparatuses and methods provide a variety of interfaces that facilitate controlled fluid transportation from the lumen against gravity for absorption by the sheet. |
| US07779681B2 |
Saw based tire pressure sensor valve adaptor
A SAW based tire pressure sensor assembly comprising a body having a tubular stud 1 formed on an end thereof which is engageable in an inflation tube formed in a tire inflation valve 3 so as to fasten the body to the valve 3. A through passage extends through the stud 1 into said body and is in fluid communication with the atmosphere surrounding the assembly by means of apertures 2 in the sides of the body, thereby providing a fluid coupling between an inflation duct of the inflation valve 3 and the atmosphere surrounding the body. A SAW based pressure sensor is mounted within said body so as to be in fluid communication with the atmosphere surrounding the body, and an antenna 4 is connected to the sensor to enable remote interaction therewith. A grounding plate 5 connected to the antenna is sandwiched between the assembly and has arms which engage against the inner surface of the wheel so as to enhance the sensor antenna earth. |
| US07779677B2 |
Liquid chromatographic analyzer and liquid chromatography analysis
An apparatus for liquid chromatography which detects ingredients by an electrolytic device, wherein the apparatus can detect many kinds of substances in high sensitivity by making possible to apply a wider range of electrolyzing voltage than former apparatus.The electrolytic device provided in the apparatus for liquid chromatography has a working electrode which is formed an electrically conductive diamond film on at least one side surface of an electrically conductive plate, a spacer plate of electrical insulating material which is 0.05 to 0.5 mm in thickness and has a hole, and a counter electrode which is facing to the diamond-formed surface of the working electrode while being put the spacer between the electrodes. Furthermore, an eluate inlet hole, an eluate outlet hole and a reference electrode are opened to a cavity formed by the hole of the spacer plate, and the eluate in the electrolytic device is pressurized to 1.0 to 15.0 kg/cm2. |
| US07779676B2 |
Apparatus and method for testing or isolating a pipe segment with magnetically actuated sealing means
An apparatus for isolating and/or testing a section of a pipe includes a generally annular body having, on each end, a boss. A resilient member such as an O-ring is provided between the annular body and each boss. A series of electromagnets are provided for forcing or urging the bosses towards each other thereby resulting in deformation of the resilient members resulting in a seal being formed between the apparatus and the pipe. A method for isolating and/or testing a pipe segment is also provided. |
| US07779674B2 |
Method for testing bottles or containers having flexible walls, as well as a plant implementing it
The present invention has as its object a method for testing bottles or containers having flexible walls, made to be inserted in lines for filling bottles made from plastic material or aluminum containers or containers made from polyethylene-coated paperboard, containing any type of liquid. Positioned at the output of the filling system it is able to simultaneously check for the correct fill level, the presence of possible leaks in the sealing system of the container and possible constructive defects in the container. The test is carried out through the combination of two measurement systems, which are the fill level test and the measurement of the tension of the walls of the container. The results obtained from the level and wall tension measurements, suitably interpolated, provide the indicators necessary to establish whether the product being analyzed should be considered suitable or else to be discarded since it is defective. |
| US07779671B2 |
Phased micro analyzer VIII
A micro fluid analyzer that may be highly sensitive, fast and very compact. The analyzer may use sufficiently low power per analysis to be easily implemented with an equivalently small battery pack or other portable power source. There may be energy conservation features in the analyzer, such as optimal adsorber film thicknesses in the pre-concentrator, concentrator and chromatographic separators. There may be special timing of the phased heating elements in the concentrators and separators to further reduce energy consumption. Various kinds of detectors and sensors may be incorporated in the analyzer for achieving low probability for false positives and detection versatility. There may be a controller that provides data acquisition and analyzes, drive signals for control, management of wireless signal transmission and reception, processing, and other operational uses of the micro analyzer. |
| US07779669B2 |
Diagnostic method and apparatus for gas sensor
A gas sensor diagnostic method includes the steps of counting the reversal number of times that a target air-fuel ratio for an air-fuel mixture to be supplied to an internal combustion engine reverses from a rich side to a lean side or from the lean side to the rich side through a specific air-fuel ratio defined as a boundary of the rich and lean sides; obtaining a detection signal of a gas sensor at constant time intervals during a diagnosis period between a timing when the count for the reversal number is started and a timing when the reversal number reaches a predetermined number; calculating a moderated signal by applying a moderation calculation using a predetermined moderation coefficient to the obtained detection signal; calculating a deviation between the obtained detection signal and the calculated moderated signal; and determining whether the gas sensor is in an abnormal state or not on the basis of the deviation. |
| US07779666B2 |
Method for checking the condition of a sample when metering liquid
A method for controlling the dispensation of a liquid volume sample when metering amounts of liquid by sucking into a tube, probe or tip a volume of a liquid to be displaced and ejecting the sample to a different vessel. According to the method the metering act is performed normally and the liquid to be metered is displaced thereafter in a desired vessel. During the metering act and after a desired amount of liquid is sucked into the metering line, a supplementary suction step is performed wherefrom the success of the metering act can be deduced. The pressure function of the supplementary suction step is measured and this function is compared with a calibration function. |
| US07779665B2 |
Press brake die holder technology
A press brake die holder for holding a press brake die having an upper, work-contacting portion and a lower, elongated tang. The die holder has an elongated body with a channel bounded by confronting walls, the channel being configured to receive the tang of the press brake die. |
| US07779662B2 |
Extruder and pipe extruder
The invention relates to an extruder and pipe extruder (1), comprising a press frame (3) consisting of a cylinder bar and a counter bar (2) connected thereto, wherein a linear displaceable receiver carriage (5) is arranged, said carriage consisting of a receiver holder (6) which concentrically encompasses a block receiving element (7) and transports a block, which is charged with a charging device and which is to be pressed in a press position in front of a die associated with the counter bar (2), wherein the receiver holder (6) is maintained therein in a self-supporting manner in relation to the receiver carriage by means of air (2). The receiver holder (6) is provided with carrier webs (13) which are arranged on two sides in the middle of the press (12) and which project in a diametrically outward manner, being suspended in the recesses (14) of retaining blocks (15) of the receiver carriage (5). |
| US07779660B2 |
Procedure for deep rolling crankshafts
The invention relates to a method for deep rolling the passes or radii on the transitions between journal and cheeks or flanges of crankshafts by means of a deep rolling device (1) of a deep rolling machine, said deep rolling device having a lazy tongs-type design. The deep rolling device (1) has two tongs arms (2, 3) that are articulated to each other via a pivot joint (24). The corresponding outer ends (4, 5, 9, 10) of the tongs arms (2, 3) are provided with a deep rolling tool (6) or a force generator (11) for generating the deep rolling force. A measuring tape (18) and a sensor (19) which are provided on the pivot joint (24) are used to measure the impression depth of the deep rolling rollers (12) under the effect of the deep rolling force. A measuring device (22) mounted on the exterior (21) of a tongs arm (2) is used to measure the degree by which the tongs arm (2) bends under the effect of the deep rolling force. |
| US07779658B2 |
Locking device and unauthorized unlocking prevention method
A locking device comprising: a lock body; a plurality of dial rings; and a fixing member which is elongated in shape and is locked by being directly fixed with the plurality of dial rings, wherein said fixing member includes a convex-concave part with repeated concaves and convexes formed in the longitudinal direction of said fixing member, each of said dial rings includes a cutout which is provided on a part of the circumferential direction in such a manner that allows said fixing member to be freely inserted/withdrawn at a rotation position which is the unlocking position and that one of said dial ring abuts the convexes of the concave-convex part at a rotation position except for the unlocking position, said locking device includes a passage for inserting/withdrawing said fixing member, a part of the passage is a hole which reaches said dial rings from outside said locking device, and the hole is curved or flexed such that said dial rings are invisible from outside said locking device via the hole, and thus preventing the part for unlocking from being seen from outside the locking device. |
| US07779657B2 |
Lock having an indicative lock core
A lock includes a housing, a shackle, a controlling unit and a lock core. The shackle has a root section and a free section. The root section is disposed in the housing. The free section extends from the root section and is disposed outside the housing. The controlling unit is disposed in the housing and connected to the root section of the shackle. In particular, the controlling unit is capable of rotating about the root section and axially moving with the root section. Additionally, the lock core is disposed in the housing and is configured to control rotation of the controlling unit. |
| US07779652B2 |
Method and apparatus for producing a glass body
The invention starts from a known method for producing a glass body, comprising forming a cylindrical blank by successive deposition of a plurality of material layers on the outer surface of a substrate body which is rotating about its longitudinal axis, by using an arrangement of a plurality of depositors which are directed onto the substrate body and which are fed via supply lines with process media for material layer deposition and which are moved without a reversing movement relative to the longitudinal axis of the substrate body. Starting therefrom, to provide a method for producing a glass body of high homogeneity that can be realized in a constructionally simple way, the invention suggests that the movement of the depositor arrangement along the longitudinal axis of the substrate body should be accompanied by a displacement of the substrate body. An apparatus suited for performing the method is distinguished by a displacement device for a displacement of the soot body which is accompanied by the movement of the depositor arrangement along the longitudinal axis of the substrate body. |
| US07779650B2 |
Method and a machine for the production of hollow glassware articles
An indexed unidirectional rotary inverting apparatus (UIA) for a glassware forming machine of single or multiple-cavity mounted on an apparatus support frame. |
| US07779645B2 |
Pet crate cooler
A pet crate cooler comprising a tub adapted to hold ice, a plurality of tubes or fins adapted to receive melted ice water from the tub, and a fan adapted to blow air across the outer surface of the fins or tubes and into the pet crate cavity. |
| US07779644B2 |
Air cycle machine for an aircraft environmental control system
An ECS system includes an ACM mounted adjacent an air-liquid heat exchanger through a diffuser that contains a diffuser plate. The diffuser plate receives airflow from the ACM which strikes the diffuser plate and flows radially outward and around the diffuser plate and into the air-liquid heat exchanger to provide minimal pressure loss and proper flow distribution into the air-liquid heat exchanger with significantly less packaging space. |
| US07779642B2 |
Air conditioner and driving method thereof
An air conditioner comprises: a first compression unit (C1) and a second compression unit (C2) for respectively compressing a refrigerant; an outdoor heat exchanger (200) provided at an outdoor unit and connected via the secondcontrol valve (400) to the first compression unit (C1) and the second compression unit (C2); and indoor heat exchanger (100) provided at an indoor unit is connected via the secondcontrol valve (400) to the first compression unit (C1) and the second compression unit (C2) and via the expansion valve (700) to the outdoor heat exchanger; and a first control valve (500) for controlling a refrigerant flow by selectively connecting the first compression unit (C1) and the second compression unit (C2) in series or in parallel. As the first compression unit (C1) and the second compression unit (C2) are selectively connected to each other in series or in parallel, a capacity of the air conditioner is varied according to a change of an indoor temperature and fabrication cost is minimized. |
| US07779641B2 |
Ice supplier
An ice supplier includes an ice maker configured to make ice, a case configured to store ice made by the ice maker, a sensing unit configured to sense a quantity of ice stored in the case, and a controller configured to control the ice maker according to a result of sensing from the sensing unit. |
| US07779635B2 |
Solar energy power generator
A solar energy power generator comprises a solar energy heating device for absorbing solar energy for heating medium flowing therethrough; a secondary heating device for further heating medium flowing through the solar energy heating device so as to generate air convection; and a power generator for generating electric power by air convection for driving a load. The solar energy heating device and the secondary heating device heat air so that air convection generates in the hot air convection space so as to drive the power generator to generate electric power for driving a load. |
| US07779634B2 |
Use of compressor to turbine bypass for electric boosting system
An exemplary flow path for an electrically assisted turbocharger (220) includes a first opening to an air intake path (114) of an engine (110), the first opening positioned downstream from a compressor (224) of the turbocharger (220); a second opening to an exhaust path (116) of an engine (110), the second opening positioned upstream from the turbine (226) of the turbocharger (220); and a valve (229) controllable by a controller (240, 150, 160) wherein the controller (240, 150, 160) includes control logic for controlling the valve (229) and for controlling an electric motor (228) of the electrically assisted turbocharger (220). Various other exemplary devices, methods, systems, etc., are also disclosed. |
| US07779631B2 |
Electro-thermal actuator device
An electro-thermal actuator device comprises a case defining a cavity in which are housed a thermal actuator, an electrical heater and, at least partially, an actuating shaft. The device comprises a multipolar connector for the rapid, secure and reliable coupling to a respective source of electrical power supply for the heater. The connector can be configured as an adapter unit distinct from the case, suitable to transform a traditional electro-thermal actuator device into a device according to the invention. |
| US07779630B2 |
Hydraulic stepless speed changing device
It is an object to accurately control swash plate angles of movable swash plates of a hydraulic pump and/or a hydraulic motor. In a hydraulic stepless speed changing device, a hydraulic pump and/or a hydraulic motor, at least one of which is of a variable displacement type, and a hydraulic servo mechanism for controlling swash plate angles of movable swash plates of the hydraulic pump and/or the hydraulic motor are integrated and the movable swash plates are tilted thorough operation of a speed change operation lever. Load control mechanisms are formed by integrally providing actuators having a cylinder, a spool, and the like for sliding speed change drive members to the speed reduction side, the speed change drive members tilting the movable swash plates of the hydraulic servo mechanism. The load control mechanisms are actuated by pressurized oil led from a main oil path of a closed circuit formed by connecting the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor to the actuators. |
| US07779627B1 |
Variable-displacement piston-cylinder device
A variable-displacement piston-cylinder device may be adapted for providing work output, and/or for pumping or compressing fluids. The piston-cylinder device defines two or more coaxial cylindrical expansion chambers between a piston having two or more coaxial and conjoined piston members, and a correspondingly-shaped cylinder. Substantially any combination of the expansion chambers may be activated or deactivated in order to vary the effective displacement of the piston-cylinder device. The effective displacement of each piston-cylinder may be changed in mid-operation in order to reduce power output and fuel consumption (or pumping or compressing capacity), without introducing vibration. In addition, a control system is provided for managing the effective displacement of each piston-cylinder according to output required, desirable operating parameters, and other parameters that can effect the operation of the device. |
| US07779625B2 |
Device and method for wound therapy
A wound therapy device is disclosed. The wound therapy device may include a housing for covering at least a portion of a wound and for sealing to a body surface of a patient. The housing may also include a liquid collector for retaining liquid therein and a vacuum connection for coupling to a vacuum source. The vacuum connection may be in gaseous communication with the liquid collector. The vacuum connection may be separated from the liquid collector by a liquid barrier. |
| US07779621B2 |
Air fuel ratio control apparatus for an internal combustion engine
An air fuel ratio control apparatus for an internal combustion engine can freely change an oscillation width of an amount of oxygen occlusion so as to adapt to or diagnose catalyst degradation without changing the settings of the period or width of the air fuel ratio oscillation. The apparatus includes a first air fuel ratio feedback control section that adjusts the air fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to an engine in accordance with an output value of an upstream air fuel ratio sensor and a predetermined control constant thereby to make the air fuel ratio periodically oscillate in rich and lean directions, and an average air fuel ratio oscillation section that operates the control constant based on an amount of oxygen occlusion of the catalyst so that an average air fuel ratio obtained by averaging the periodically oscillating air fuel ratio is caused to oscillate in the rich and lean directions. |
| US07779618B2 |
Fitting ring for an opening roller of an open-end spinning device
Clothing ring (27) for an opening roller (21) of an open-end spinning device (1), comprising teeth (38) which are formed by at least one groove (39) incorporated in the peripheral face of a basic body (45) and running in the peripheral direction, and a plurality of indents (40) arranged substantially in the axial direction. An axial separation spacing (t) of the teeth (38) is predetermined by the groove (39) and is significantly smaller than the height (H) of the teeth (38). The teeth (38) have tooth flanks (42) which are continuously concavely curved into the groove (39). |
| US07779615B2 |
Device to load a sintering boat with nuclear fuel pellets and loading method using said device
Device to load a sintering boat with nuclear fuel pellets, comprising a loading chute (2) delimiting a travel pathway (4) for the pellets, the loading chute comprising an upper end (8) intended to receive pellets and a lower end (12) intended to lie close to a sintering boat, said loading chute (2) comprising gates (18, 20, 22) forming an obstacle in the pathway of the pellets so as to fractionate said pathway, said gates (18, 20, 22) able to be actuated alternately, and the lower end (12) of the loading chute being movable so that it can be drawn close to and away from a bottom part of the sintering boat.A further subject-matter of the present invention is a method to load a sintering boat with nuclear fuel pellets, using a device according to the present invention. |
| US07779614B1 |
Method of loading a multi-dose blister card using intermediate blister cards
A method of filling a multi-dose blister card first includes selecting a first intermediate blister card comprising a plurality of tablets of a first product stored within a first plurality of intermediate blisters. Additionally, a multi-dose blister card including a plurality of multi-dose blisters that are empty is selected. The plurality of tablets of the first product from the first plurality of intermediate blisters are transferred into the plurality of multi-dose blisters. Next, a second intermediate blister card including a plurality of tablets of a second product stored within a second plurality of intermediate blisters is selected. The plurality of tablets of the second product are then transferred into the plurality of multi-dose blisters such that at least one of the multi-dose blisters contains one tablet of the first product and one product of the second product. |
| US07779613B2 |
Cushioning packaging body containing packaged article, and method and device for manufacturing the packaging body
An apparatus for manufacturing a cushioning package containing an article to be packaged, characterized by comprising an article storage space forming unit that forms an article storage space by overlapping a cushioning sheet that includes small cells that inflates with air filled therein, a sheet adhering unit that adheres the overlapped cushioning sheet together and closes an article storage opening, an article disposing unit that disposes an article to be packaged in the article storage space, and an air-filling unit that fills air in the small cells. |
| US07779612B2 |
Process and apparatus for forming a minimal headspace pouch
A process for forming a pouch having an evacuated headspace containing a flowable material is disclosed. The process includes the steps of: providing a continuous tube of flexible and sealable film; supplying the continuous tube with a predetermined amount of flowable material; pinching the continuous tube above a sealing region so as to form a pinched portion of the continuous tube; evacuating the headspace between the pinched portion and the predetermined amount of flowable material; and sealing the continuous tube at the sealing region to form a top seal of a previously formed pouch containing flowable material and a bottom seal of a next-to-be filled pouch. Also disclosed is a vertical form-fill-seal apparatus for forming a pouch containing a flowable material and having an evacuated headspace. |
| US07779611B2 |
Apparatus and method for packaging granular object having adsorption ability, and method for producing package thereof
An object of the present invention is to provide a packaging apparatus for packaging a granular object having adsorption ability, which does not spill out of the package when the package is opened.An apparatus for packaging a granular object having adsorption ability comprises a heating device 12 for heating a granular object having adsorption ability, a charging device 30 for charging the granular object into a storage bag 90 having an open end, a sealing device 40 for sealing the open end of the storage bag 90 into which the granular object has been charged, and a cooling device 70 for cooling a storage bag 91 with the granular object kept to be gathered at the bottom of the storage bag 91, wherein the heating device 12 is located upstream of the sealing device 40 along the flowing direction of the granular object. |
| US07779608B2 |
Pressurized containers and methods for filling them
According to a first aspect of the invention a can manufacturer completes manufacture of a can and then ships it to a filler, who needs only to fill the can with product. In a preferred embodiment the manufacturer pre-charges the container with a propellant. In accordance with a second aspect of the invention a desired quantity of gaseous propellant is first charged into a container, and a desired quantity of product is then injected into the container. A container filled in accordance with the invention maintains a predetermined pressure in the container as product is depleted from the container, and unacceptable pressure spikes are avoided as the container is being filled. |
| US07779607B2 |
Wrapping apparatus including metered pre-stitch film delivery assembly and method of using
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for dispensing a predetermined fixed amount of pre-stretched packaging material based upon load girth. A non-rotating ring carries a belt driven by a motor. A packaging material dispenser is mounted on a rotating ring, and the rotating ring may include a pulley that connects to the band, such that the rotating ring is driven by the drive belt. Based upon the girth of the load to be wrapped, an amount of pre-stretched packaging material to be dispensed for each revolution made by the rotating ring is determined. Good wrapping performance in terms of load containment (wrap force) and optimum packaging material use is obtained by dispensing a length of pre-stretched packaging material that is between approximately 90% and approximately 120% of load girth. Once the amount of packaging material to be dispensed per revolution is determined, a ratio of rotating ring drive to final pre-stretch surface speed (i.e., number of pre-stretch roller revolution/rotating ring rotation) can be set and mechanically controlled. Thus, for each revolution of the rotating ring and dispenser, a predetermined fixed amount of packaging material is dispensed and wrapped around the load. In an alternative embodiment, the ratio is electronically controlled. |
| US07779606B2 |
Method of packaging articles using a packaging system having a loading carousel
A packaging system utilizes two sides of a loading carousel, which reduces both the height and footprint of the packaging system. Mass and inertia are also reduced, allowing higher operational speeds. The loading carousel receives opened cartons on a first side and lowers them over product groups on a second side. |
| US07779605B2 |
Unit operations on a web with attached zipper and method of performing the same
A unit operation station for use in a web processing machine comprising: a shuttle system including an input roller for receiving a web and an attached zipper, an output roller and a the connecting element for maintaining the input roller and the output roller in a fixed position relative to each other; a plurality of stations performing distinct operations for mechanically altering the attached zipper, one of the plurality of stations including a slider-insertion mechanism for placing a slider onto the zipper; a web path located beyond the input roller and including the plurality of stations; a driver for providing reciprocating movement to the shuttle system to cause intermittent movement of the web and the attached zipper along the web path; wherein the output roller releases the web and the attached zipper at a rate substantially equal to a continuous input feed rate of the web and the attached zipper, and wherein the shuttle system moves at a speed substantially equal to the continuous input/output feed rate of the web as it enters and exits the plurality of stations. |
| US07779598B2 |
Lattice support structure
The invention relates to a lattice support structure comprising lattice rods interconnected in an articulated manner, wherein, in accordance with the invention, a first structure having small cross-sections extending constantly over its length can be spread apart into a truncated double pyramid structure which tapers toward its ends, with a plurality of first structures being able to be joined together and with the joined together first structures being able to be interconnected by lattice rods to form a second structure, with the additional lattice rods engaging at corner points of the spread-apart cross-sections. |
| US07779595B2 |
Molded panel and panel assembly
A molded plastic panel and a molded plastic panel assembly including at least two molded panels are described. Each panel includes a center portion (14) that is positioned between and which is continuous with a first external portion (17) and a second external portion (20). The center portion (14) has a plurality of plastic center reinforcing structures (31) that define a plurality of center portion apertures (34). Each of the first and second external portions include reinforcing structures (49, 79) having sidewalls (52, 82) having interior surfaces (55, 85) that define a plurality of external portion apertures (61, 94). The exterior surfaces (58, 88) of sidewalls of neighboring reinforcing structures together define a plurality of external portion recesses (64, 98) that are dimensioned to receive extensions from a separate article, thereby forming interlocks there-between. With the panel assembly (3) of the present invention, at least two molded panels (e.g., 1, 1a) are positioned such that one external portion (e.g., 17) of each panel overlaps with a portion of the center portion (14) of the other panel, and some of the center reinforcing structures (31) are received within at least some of the external portion recesses (e.g., 64) aligned therewith, and together form a plurality of interlocks (e.g., 101a, 101b) that together attach the panels together. |
| US07779592B2 |
Substrate with membrane seam plates fixed thereon for precise placement of seam plates on roof decking assemblies
A seam plate implement assembly comprises a substrate having a longitudinal extent and upon which a plurality of seam plates are fixedly disposed at predetermined uniformly spaced longitudinal positions which correspond to the transverse spacing defined between the crest portions of an underlying corrugated roof decking substructure. In this manner, when a particular one of the membrane plates is fixedly secured to one of the crest portions of the underlying corrugated roof decking substructure by suitable threaded fasteners, the remaining membrane plates will be automatically properly aligned with the other crest portions of the underlying corrugated roof decking substructure so as to automatically ensure proper and secure fixation of the seam plates upon the roof decking assembly. When the seam plate or membrane plate implement assembly is used with a non-corrugated roof decking substructure, the seam plates are disposed at predeterminedly spaced locations upon the substrate so as to provide the environmental membranes with sufficient uplifting force resistance. The substrate may have a C-shaped or V-shaped cross-sectional configuration for enveloping each one of the seam plates, or may comprise a mesh member through which prong members of the seam plates are extended and folded so as to secure the seam plates upon the substrate. |
| US07779582B1 |
Stairway system
A stairway system is disclosed that includes a plurality of spaced apart treads; a handrail; and at least two balusters per tread. Each baluster includes a top length segment, a bottom length segment and a turning length segment, the turning length segment including a defined feature. According to the present invention, the turning length segment of each subsequent baluster is greater than the turning length segment of the previous baluster according to the equation of the riser height divided by the total number of balusters. Thus, each feature in the bottom length segment of each of the balusters align with the tread for each baluster. In the preferred embodiment, only four different baluster lengths are necessary for both two and three balusters per tread. |
| US07779578B2 |
Rolling door retainer
A retainer for aircraft hangar doors in which vertical movement of doors is adjustably limited to allow sufficient movement to permit door removal from their supporting tracks or to prevent such undesirable displacement during high wind conditions as experienced during hurricanes and tornadoes or violent earth motions during earthquakes. The retainer in its retaining position does not obstruct normal opening and closing of the doors and is economical to manufacture and install. |
| US07779577B2 |
Sash reinforcement for an operator window
In an operator window including a perimeter frame supporting a sash therein for movement between respective open and closed positions, a plurality of reinforcement members are mounted within the sash to provide reinforcement to a latching mechanism secured thereto. When the latching mechanism comprises a plurality of separate latching points at spaced positions along a latching side of the sash, a separate reinforcement member is associated with each of the latching points which is independent and maintained in separation from the remaining reinforcement members by spacers mounted therebetween. The spacers ensure sufficient space between the reinforcement members to accommodate for differences in thermal expansion and contraction between the different materials of the reinforcement members and the sash. |
| US07779575B2 |
Pulse container for an insect electrocutor
An electric pulse counter for counting and recording the number of insects killed in a commercial insect electrocutor through an on-site field server is disclosed. The pulse counter is configured of field servers 100, an internet 40, an administrative computer 60, and user terminals 50. An insect electrocutor 20 is positioned near each of the field servers 100 for attracting insects present in the agricultural region and killing them by electrical discharge. An electromagnetic detection coil 10 is disposed above or around the insect electrocutor 20 for detecting changes in the electromagnetic field caused by such electrical discharges. An AC signal converter circuit 30 is disposed in each field server 100 and connected to the lead wire of the corresponding electromagnetic detection coil 10 for generating a digital count pulse from the signal outputted by the electromagnetic detection coil 10. The count pulse is accumulated in a storage unit 4 in the field server and the accumulated value is transmitted to the administrative computer 60 in response to a request therefrom. The administrative computer 60 functions as a Web server to provide this data to users via the Internet. |
| US07779570B2 |
Business form with wristband having clamshell and strap
A wristband device which is adapted to at least partially surround a person's wrist is described which includes a clamshell joinder and a tail portion. The clamshell portion comprises a pair of similarly sized panels and may be folded over onto itself to capture a length of a wristband to complete the encircling of a wrist. It may be provided on a page sized sheet, and die cut into a laminate ply of a two ply business form, along with a plurality of self adhering labels, in any of a number of configurations, to suit any particular application, as desired by a user. |
| US07779567B2 |
Support for communication means worn by a person
A communication device support intended to be worn by a person includes a bottom portion intended to be connected to the trunk of the person. The bottom portion has members that bear on the shoulders, the back, and the chest of the person, these members being rigidly connected to each other and conformed to ensure that the bottom portion is inherently stable on the trunk. A top portion holds the communication device above the head of the person, this top portion being rigidly connected to the bottom portion and conformed to enable the free movement of the head. The members that bear on the shoulders include two shoulder straps, a dorsal upright connected to the shoulder straps via a dorsal crossmember, and two pectoral uprights connected to the shoulder straps via a pectoral crossmember, all of these members having an ergonomic shape. |
| US07779566B2 |
Wire marker
A wire marker that can be removably attached to a wire, such as an aerial or fence wire. The marker can have a base and an integral deformable arm having a first and second distal tip. The tips can have catches on the same side and a catch on the opposite side oriented between the catches and offset along a longitudinal axis between the catches. The offset can be distal or proximal to the base on the longitudinal axis between the catches, and the offset can be configured to accommodate a diameter of a fence wire. The marker base can be substantially triangular in shape and made of injection molded plastic and colored to make it visible relative to its surroundings, such as international orange. |
| US07779563B2 |
Snowplow system, snow deflector apparatus and kit
A snow deflector apparatus that easily attaches to a snowplow, a kit that includes two snow deflector apparatus and a control system, and to a snowplow system that includes two snow deflector apparatus and a control system. The snow deflector apparatus includes a deflector plate, a deflector plate rotator mechanism and at least one spring. The deflector plate is dimensioned to obstruct at least a substantial portion of the end of the blade of the snowplow such that an amount of snow that is sloughed off of the blade is minimized when the deflector plate is in a deployed position. |
| US07779559B2 |
Ski boot for alpine skiing
A boot for Alpine skiing has a shell and sole. The heel has a cavity, including a seat for the insertion of a removable metal insert for engagement by the heel fixing unit of a standardized “Dynafit” binding. However, when the boot is prepared for use with newer, different bindings, the metal insert is replaced by a plastic insert that fits over the cavity and forms a continuous, unbroken rim on the heel of the ski boot. |
| US07779556B2 |
Drying apparatus and method of using the same
Exemplary mobile drying containers and related methods are provided. In one embodiment, the mobile drying container includes a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end wall, a second end wall having a gate, an interior bottom, an upper volume and a lower volume separated by a ventilated floor supported by support members, wheels positioned below the lower volume, and one or more support legs positioned below the lower volume to provide support between the mobile drying container and the ground. The upper volume holds the crop to be dried, and the gate of the second end wall is operable to open and provide a path to dump or remove the crop. The lower volume is operable to receive a flow of air from an opening to assist with the drying of the crop. The present invention also encompasses other embodiments and methods. |
| US07779554B2 |
Holding gripper and holding method for semiconductor wafer and shape measuring apparatus
The present invention provides a strip-like holding gripper which holds a semiconductor wafer when measuring a shape of the semiconductor wafer, wherein a side where the semiconductor wafer is held has a round shape, a groove which holds an edge of the semiconductor wafer along a side surface of the round shape portion is provided on the side surface, and the groove comes into contact with the edge of the semiconductor wafer from a periphery of the wafer to hold the semiconductor wafer. As a result, it is possible to provide the gripper, which can stably hold the wafer in a fixed state even if the gripper is inclined when holding the wafer, a holding method, and a shape measuring apparatus. |
| US07779543B2 |
Razor with moveable center of balance
A handle for a safety razor has an elongated cavity within the handle and a body disposed within the elongated cavity and moveable along the cavity under the influence of gravity between two positions. In a first position the razor has a first center of balance. In the second position the razor has a second center of balance different from the first center of balance. The handle has a damping fluid within the cavity or a resilient member to damp the movement of the body. |
| US07779542B2 |
Method of manufacturing a dental instrument
Method for manufacturing a dental instrument having a desired machined configuration, without twisting the instrument. A blank of superelastic material is brought to an annealed state comprising a phase structure including a rhombohedral phase alone or in combination with austenite and/or martensite, or a combination of martensite and austenite. In this annealed state, a portion of the annealed material is removed at low temperature, for example less than about 100° C., and advantageously at ambient temperature, to form a final machined configuration for the instrument. The instrument is then heat treated and rapidly quenched to a superelastic condition. |
| US07779541B2 |
Method for manufacturing a stator or rotor component
Method for manufacturing a stator component or rotor component (10) including at least one ring element (3). A joining material is provided in contact with at least one of the blade (2) and the ring element (3). The blade and the ring element are arranged in relation to one another in such a way that they are joined together via a butt joint when heated, and when such heat-treatment is subsequently carried out, the joining material forms a melt that joins the parts together upon solidification. |
| US07779538B2 |
Method for mutually connecting circuit boards
A method for connecting circuit boards, comprising: (i) preparing a first circuit board having connection parts assigned to end parts of a plurality of conductor wirings, and a second circuit board having connection parts assigned to corresponding end parts of a plurality of conductor wirings; (ii) disposing the connection parts of the first circuit board to face the connection parts of the second circuit board with a thermosetting adhesive film between the connection parts of the circuit boards; and (iii) applying heat and pressure to the connection parts and to the thermosetting adhesive film sufficiently high to thoroughly push away the adhesive film so as to establish electrical contact between connection parts of the circuit boards facing each other and to allow for curing of the adhesive; wherein the conductor wirings constituting the connection parts of at least one of the first and second circuit boards contain non-linear wirings. |
| US07779531B2 |
MIcrofabricated ultrasonic transducers with curvature and method for making the same
The present invention provides a microfabricated ultrasonic transducer with curvature. The curvature is made possible by thinning the substrate such that it is flexible enough to be mounted on an assembly with the desired curvature. In one aspect of the invention, the substrate can contain electronic circuits. In another aspect, the assembly mounting can incorporate curved damping materials that serve to remove undesirable substrate modes. |
| US07779530B2 |
Method for manufacturing a quartz crystal unit
The electronic apparatus comprises a display portion and a quartz crystal oscillator at least, and said electronic apparatus comprises at least one quartz crystal oscillator. Also, the at least one oscillator comprises a quartz crystal oscillating circuit comprising an amplification circuit and a feedback circuit. The feedback circuit is constructed by a flexural mode, quartz crystal tuning fork resonator or a length-extensional mode quartz crystal resonator and for example, the quartz crystal tuning fork resonator comprising tuning fork tines and tuning fork base that are formed integrally, is shown with novel shape and electrode construction. Also, the quartz crystal tuning fork resonator, capable of vibrating in a fundamental mode and having a high frequency stability can be provided with a small series resistance and a high quality factor, even when the tuning fork resonator is miniaturized. In addition, from a relationship of an amplification rate and a feedback rate, an output signal of the quartz crystal oscillating circuit having an oscillation frequency of the fundamental mode vibration for the quartz crystal tuning fork resonator can be provided with the high frequency stability. |
| US07779529B2 |
Method of coupling a device to a mating part
A coupling between a device and a mating part includes an elastic material and perhaps a tensioner coupled to the elastic material. The elastic material is wrapped around at least part of the device. The tensioner or other method is used to stretch the elastic material, thereby reducing the thickness of the elastic material. With the thickness of the elastic material reduced by the stretching, the device is inserted into a hole in a mating part. Then the tension on the elastic material is removed, allowing the elastic material to increase in thickness, so as to fill at least part of the gap between the device and the mating part. The coupling may act as an effective heat transfer device for transmitting (by conduction) heat produced by the heat-producing device, to the mating part, which may act as, or be thermally coupled to, a heat sink. |
| US07779528B2 |
Test gas leak detection using a composite membrane
A leak detector includes a leak detector inlet to receive a test gas; a vacuum pump coupled to the leak detector inlet; a test gas sensing unit connected through a passage to the leak detector inlet; and a membrane that is permeable to the test gas disposed in the passage between the leak detector inlet and the test gas sensing unit, the membrane having a permeance to the test gas that varies by less than five percent over a temperature range of T0−20K to T0+20K, where T0 is a design temperature. In addition, methods are provided for making a composite membrane that includes a semi-permeable membrane and a porous membrane. Furthermore, a reference leak, which includes a composite membrane is provided. |
| US07779527B2 |
Methods and apparatus for installing a scrubber brush on a mandrel
In a first aspect, an apparatus is provided for forming a scrubber brush assembly. The apparatus includes a mandrel adapted to be inserted into a scrubber brush so as to form a scrubber brush assembly, the mandrel having: a first end; a second end; and one or more position guides adjacent at least one of the first and second ends and adapted to position a scrubber brush on the mandrel. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US07779523B2 |
Pressing device
Disclosed is a pressing device for compressingly joining pipe-shaped workpieces, particularly a pipe end and a fitting mounted thereon. At least one of the workpieces is plastically deformed by several press members which are movable along a central longitudinal axis of the workpieces for performing the compression. In order to produce a pressing device with several compression jaws that are comparatively easy to mount and allow the press members to be engaged as centrally as possible during compression, at least two press members are pivotally connected to each other by means of two articulated levers embodied as angle levers for applying compression force. The angle levers pressingly lean on a (first) press member, and both angle levers are train-connected to the same (second) press member. |
| US07779520B2 |
Structures for connecting cremation ashes with living beings
A structure for connecting cremation ashes comprising a first vessel, a second vessel, first cremated remains, second cremated remains and a link. The first vessel holds the first cremated remains. The second vessel holds the second cremated remains. The link connects the first and second cremated remains. The link further connects the cremated remains to a living being when contact is made by the living being to the link. The structure is meant to provide a way for living beings to connect physically and spiritually with deceased loved ones. |
| US07779519B2 |
Accessory for shoelaces
A device for securing shoelaces that includes a member for encapsulating free ends of a shoelace, the member has a pair of openings positioned within a rear wall of the member. Further, a reinforcement area is included along the rear wall of the member. A slit is extended along the length of the top part of the member. Lastly, a shoelace storage compartment formed within the member and receives the free ends of the shoe lace after one of each of the free ends has passed through at least one of the pair of openings. |
| US07779517B1 |
Magnetic clasp for jewelry article
A decorative clasp closes by magnetic action, and can be worn on the front, i.e. at the throat or beneath the throat. The clasp allows the loop size of the jewelry article to be adjusted to suit the wearer's preferences. A pair of arcuate arms are joined at a pivot member, and close magnetically to form a generally oval shape. |
| US07779516B2 |
Cable clamp
A cable clamp having a retainer component and a plunger component. The plunger component includes serrated prongs that insert within slots formed in the retainer component. |
| US07779515B2 |
Two-piece cable tie suitable for use in an automated cable tie installation tool
A two-piece cable tie is provided that is capable of usage with an automated cable tie installation tool. The two-piece cable tie accommodates improved gripping of large or small bundles. By including a cored-out region near the neck, the cable tie can secure a near zero bundle size. By including a transverse pad on the bottom side of the cable tie strap near the cable tie head, the cable tie can be prevented from rotation relative to the bundle to which is it secured. A preferred cable tie strap has a wide recessed center section and high side rails that increase lateral clamping force. To resist barb inversion, the cable tie preferably includes a reinforcement area underneath the metal locking device when used with a strap having a recessed area. By maintaining relatively high side rails and a thin web section in the tip, the cable tie can achieve zero insertion force while maintaining sufficient strap rigidity and size to enable feeding of the strap through an automated cable tie installation tool. |
| US07779512B2 |
Apparatus and method for feeding fibers
A feeding device for fiber flocks or opened fibers for feeding a textile machine, especially a carding machine, has a first, upper vertical fiber chute which supplies the fibers or fiber flocks to rolls for opening of the fibers, and a lower fiber chute which accepts the fibers released by the rolls and discharges a fiber mat at the bottom end of the fiber chute by way of discharge rolls. The feeding device also has a segmented intake trough with several intake trough segments which cooperate with a segmented, clothing-covered first roll, which is divided into several roll segments, wherein the torque of the roll segments can be controlled individually and the widths of the gaps between the intake trough segments and the associated roll segments can be adjusted on a segment-by-segment basis. |
| US07779511B2 |
Hinge assembly
A hinge assembly is used in a notebook computer and has a rotating bracket, cover panel, stationary bracket, limiting assembly and indicator ring. The notebook computer has a display and a base. The display is rotatably mounted pivotally upon the base. The rotating bracket is attached to the display and has a keyed shaft. The cover panel is mounted around the rotating bracket, is attached to a top surface of the base and has a gap. The stationary bracket is mounted rotatably around the keyed shaft and is mounted securely on the base. The limiting assembly is mounted on the stationary bracket and allows the keyed shaft to rotate 360°. The indicator ring is mounted on the limiting assembly and has two indicators. The indicators show up in the gap when the display is rotated to a rotational limitation to indicate direction of allowed rotation. |
| US07779510B2 |
Multi-axis door hinge
Embodiments of multi-axis vehicle door hinges are provided that are adapted to facilitate pivotal motion of a vehicle door about a substantially vertical axis of rotation for swing-out rotation as well as to facilitate pivotal motion of a vehicle door about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation for vertical-lift rotation and providing means for adjusting the opening angle of the hinge in both the horizontal and vertical axis of rotation. |
| US07779508B2 |
Refrigerator door closer and method
A door closer to adapt a storage device having a body and a swinging door for automatic closing includes a hinge having first and second hinge elements. Each of the hinge elements include a length dimension and a height dimension parallel the axis of the hinge and are configured to rotate about the axis. A panel is provided which is coupled with the second hinge element and has a length dimension greater than a length dimension of the first hinge element. The door closer is configured via a spring force of a biasing device to bias a swinging door of a storage device toward a closed position against the body of the storage device, at least in part via an interaction between one of the hinge elements and the door, and an interaction between the other of the hinge elements and the body via the panel. |
| US07779506B2 |
Vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner is provided that including suction device that provides suction force, a suction nozzle that draws air by the suction force provided from the suction device, a dust collecting box that cleans and discharges the air drawn through the suction nozzle, the dust collecting box having an opening in an upper surface thereof, a filter assembly including an upper holding part selectively fastened to an edge of the opening, the upper holding part having an air discharge hole at a central portion thereof, a lower holding part spaced a distance downward from the upper holding part, and a filter between the upper holding part and the lower holding part that filters dust from air, the filter having a discharge passage therein, and a lower cover that selectively opens/closes a lower portion of the dust collecting box. This structure permits easy cleaning and replacement of the dust collector assembly in a vacuum cleaner. |
| US07779497B2 |
Multi-function package opener
A package opener (10) includes first and second opposed elongate members joined together for scissor action about a pivot joint (16). The first member (12) includes a first handle grip (18) at a rear end and a first cutting element (20) having a first blade (26) at a front end. The second member (13) includes a second handle grip (19) at a rear end and a second cutting element (21) having a second blade (27) at a front end thereof. The cutting elements include a leg portion (40,41) positioned between an arm segment (30,31) on which the pivot joint is located and the blade. Each cutting element also has a gap (G) in the blade portion. The leg portions and the gap enable the cutting elements, when opened, to fit over a package lip of a blister-type package so that the package opener can cut around the interior perimeter of the package lip to open the package. The multi-function package opener may also have a miniature utility knife blade (50) and at least one screwdriver (60). |
| US07779495B2 |
Resilient rod for neck and body support and comfort
A composite rod design having a core element, the core element made of at least one flexible and resilient core, a foam cell material shaped into annulus configuration and having the core element snuggly located therein, the foam cell material having a length of at least equal to the length of the core element, and an outer covering provided upon the foam cell material and wrapped around the composite rod design to the extent necessary to provide the necessary diameter for the composite rod for convenient usage. |
| US07779492B2 |
Self-storing combination blanket and neck roll assembly
A self-storing combination blanket and neck roll assembly which can be draped over a person and supported on a seat back, having a flat, generally rectangular fabric panel with two sides and four side edges, a flexible neck roll centrally located and removably disposed adjacent to a portion of the fabric panel, disposed adjacent to one of the side edges and a pouch having an opening which is attached to a side edge of the fabric panel adjacent to the neck roll so that the opening of the pouch opens towards one of the sides of the fabric panel. The fabric panel and neck roll are movable between a folded stored position within the pouch and an open position disposed exteriorly of the pouch. When the assembly is in its open position, the opening of the pouch can be received over and atop of a seat back. |
| US07779489B2 |
Potty bench with storage
A potty bench includes a base supporting a potty seat, and a potty seat opening into the base formed in the potty seat. The potty seat opening has opposing forward and rearward ends. A basin is carried by the base underlying the potty seat opening to collect waste from the potty seat opening. A splashguard carried by the basin, which has a shield projecting through the potty seat opening at the forward end thereof from the basin and upwardly relative to the potty seat. The shield includes a urine deflecting face upwardly relative to the potty seat facing the rearward end of the potty seat opening for deflecting urine from above the potty seat into the basin through the potty seat opening. |
| US07779487B1 |
Glove with soft feel and high wear resistance
A glove used for roping steer and other animals such as in rodeo competition and ranching has a front side, which covers a wearer's palm and a palm side of the wearer's fingers, and a back side, which covers the wearer's hand and the back of the wearer's fingers. The front and rear sides of the glove are joined by thread. The front side is made of a woven fabric that has an outer layer of one hundred percent aramid fiber such as Kevlar®, and an inner layer of a woven and breathable fiber, the inner layer and outer layer being joined by glue. The fibers are preferably in yarn form. Both the inner and outer layer along with the glue have a weight of about 245 gm/m2 of material, plus or minus 50 gm/m2 of material. The wearer holds the rope having it rest on the middle finger and guides the rope with the index finger and thumb. |
| US07784103B2 |
Method and apparatus for storing copy protection information separately from protected content
A copy protection system and method enabling storage of copy protection information separately from protected content is disclosed. One embodiment includes a mechanism for playing a recording medium, the recording medium having stored thereon a digital content file and a copy protection information file, the mechanism producing a digital content signal from the digital content file and a copy protection signal from the copy protection file; a digital to analog converter operatively connected to the mechanism for converting the digital content signal to an analog signal; a copy protection detector connected to the mechanism for detecting a copy protection trigger present in the digital content signal; and a signal modifier connected to the copy protection detector for modifying the analog signal to include the copy protection signal in response to detection of the copy protection trigger. |
| US07784096B2 |
Outgoing connection attempt limiting to slow down spreading of viruses
Disclosed is a method for slowing down the spread of viruses by limiting the number of Transmission Control Protocol (“TCP”) connection attempts to arbitrary Internet Protocol (“IP”) addresses that can be in progress at any given time—a common method employed by viruses to spread to other hosts from an infected host. This is achieved by setting a small limit on the number of connection attempt requests that can be in progress at any given time and can be implemented regardless of whether anti-virus software is installed on the system. |
| US07784085B2 |
Enabling identity information exchange between circles of trust
A system for identifying a principal consisting of a service provider in a first circle of trust, where the first circle of trust is implemented using a first architecture; a first identity provider operatively connected to the service provider in the first circle of trust; and a second identity provider in a second circle of trust, where the second circle of trust is implemented using a second architecture, where the first identity provider is configured to contact the second identity provider, in compliance with the second architecture, as a virtual service provider in the second circle of trust to obtain identity information associated with the principal thereby allowing the first identity provider to identify the principal in the first circle of trust. |
| US07784079B1 |
Video on demand transaction server
A method of and apparatus for efficiently providing video on demand services to a cable television subscriber. The provider system consists of two major subsystems. The first subsystem, called a video server, streams video to video on demand subscribers through the cable television network. The second subsystem, called the transaction server, performs virtually all remaining provider functions including, security, accounting, storage and spooling of video data, etc. The transaction server preferably uses a large scale mainframe computer. The video server subsystem may be a partitioned portion of same large scale mainframe computer. |
| US07784078B2 |
Information processing system, information processing device and method, recording medium, and program
The present invention relates to an information processing system, information processing apparatus and method, recording medium and program, adapted to exchange picture-recording schedule information between the terminals. A user apparatus 3-2 registers generated picture-recording schedule information to a server 2-1 through a network 1, together with the information representative of a providing destination. The server 2-1, when registering the picture-recording schedule information, makes a notification to a user apparatus 3-1 as a providing destination thereof. The video recording/reproducing apparatus 11 of the user apparatus 3-1 accesses the server 2-1 through the network 1, and designates a picture-recording schedule program desired for scheduling of picture-recording of among the programs registered in the picture-recording schedule information. The server 2-1 sends the schedule information on a designated program to the video recording/reproducing apparatus 11 through the network 1. The video recording/reproducing apparatus 11 receives this and makes a scheduling of picture-recording on the basis of the picture-recording schedule information. The invention is applicable to the hard-disk video recorder. |
| US07784077B2 |
Network-extensible reconfigurable media appliance
Extensible reconfigurable media appliance for security and entertainment captures images digitally for storage. Digital effects and filters are applied to incoming video stream on-the-fly or to video data stored in memory. Digital effects and filters are dynamically stored, modified, updated or deleted, providing extensible reconfigurable effects studio. Digital media appliance communicates wirelessly with other media appliances, computers, security systems, video storage, email, chat, cellular services or PDAs to provide seamless integration of captured video stream. |
| US07784075B2 |
Television distribution system and processing unit used in said distribution system
The invention concerns a system for distribution of television-type (TV) video signals comprising: a first input processing unit (1) including a coaxial input terminal (10), at least a low-current output terminal (11) for twisted wire pairs and processing means (14) for processing the TV signals derived from the coaxial cable so as to transform them into signals having substantially the same transmission characteristics on the same frequency band on a twisted wire pair, at least a second output processing unit (3) including a low-current input port (33) for twisted wire pairs (12) connected to the first input processing unit (1) to transform them into signals substantially identical to those derived from said coaxial cable (41), and at least a connection cable (23) consisting of twisted wire pairs connecting the first processing unit (1) to the second processing unit (3). |
| US07784074B2 |
Digital broadcast receiving terminal
When a station whose information has been kept stored in memory is again receivable a digital broadcasting receiver terminal can select the station immediately based on station selection information, without making a channel scanning in search for the station again. Further, it can be made available for immediate use without the need of re-acquiring the program information. The digital broadcasting receiver terminal includes a digital broadcasting receiving section for receiving digital broadcasting, a station information memory for storing station information restored at the digital broadcasting receiving section, a station information keep/erase judgment section for deciding as to whether information stored in the station information memory is to be kept stored or erased, and a control section which selects a station based on information stored in the station information memory. |
| US07784070B2 |
Satellite signal receive and method of conditionally accessing digital TV program by using the same
A satellite signal receiver includes a downconverter, a GPS chip and a transmission controller. The downconverter downconverts satellite signal of digital television into baseband signal for output to the transmission controller. The GPS chip scrambles and encrypts GPS signal into address data and outputs address data to the transmission controller for enabling the transmission controller to convert address data into analog signal for output with the baseband signal to a set-top-box, which converts analog address data into digital GPS signal and compares it with an authorization address carried in the satellite signal and then outputs authorized digital television satellite signal when the comparison is matched. |
| US07784067B2 |
Optical disk apparatus
An optical disk apparatus includes a frame 2 which receives internal devices and can receive an optical disk 27, a tray 5 on which the optical disk 27 is rotatably mounted, a rail 4 which supports the tray so as to be moved between a mounting position where the optical disk 27 is detachably mounted and a receiving position where the optical disk 27 is received in the frame 2, a tray moving means which moves the tray 5 between the mounting position and the receiving position, a tray receiving releasing member which receives and release the tray 5 at the receiving position, and an optical disk rotation suppressing member which exerts a pressing force on the optical disk in cooperation with a tray releasing operation of the tray receiving releasing member and releases the pressing force in cooperation with a tray receiving operation of the tray receiving releasing member. |
| US07784063B2 |
Method and apparatus for system caller authentication
In various embodiments of the present invention, execution-state transitions occur in a first portion of a system, and a cumulative execution state for each process is maintained by a second portion of the system so that, when a second-portion routine is called, the second-portion routine can determine whether or not the current execution state is suitable for execution of the second-portion routine. In various embodiments, a callpoint log, allocated and maintained for each process, stores the cumulative execution state for the process. In one embodiment, the first portion is an operating system, and the second portion is a secure kernel, with the cumulative execution state used by the secure kernel to prevent unauthorized access by erroneously or maliciously invoked operating-system routines to secure kernel routines. In another embodiment, the cumulative execution state is used as a debugging tool by the second-portion routines to catch errors in the implementation of the first-portion routines. |
| US07784062B2 |
Event based operating system, method, and apparatus for instrumentation and control systems
A method for operating a controller having a number of timers to thereby control a plurality of events greater than the number of timers, includes, between clock ticks, receiving one or more signals from sensors, switches, executing programs, or a combination therefore that initiate one or more timed events. After a clock tick immediately following the receiving of the one or more signals, the method further includes updating entries in an event control block in accordance with the received signal or signals. The entries include a time remaining for pending events, a time past due for active events, and a priority of each event. The method further includes determining whether any pending event or events have timed out, activating any timed out events, and sending a signal notifying an executing program of the activated event having the highest priority. |
| US07784061B2 |
System and article of manufacture for communication among nodes in a system
Provided are a system and article of manufacture for allowing communication among nodes in a system. A request is received in a source node from a source object executing in the source node to send a message to a destination object executing in a destination node. Each node includes a processor capable of multitasking multiple program objects and a communication interface to transmit and receive data with the other nodes. A determination is made in the source node as to whether the destination node and source node are a same node. The message is sent in the source node to the destination object within the source node if the destination node is the source node. If the destination node is not the source node, then the source node transmits the message to the destination node through the communication interface. The destination node sends the message to the destination object within the destination node. |
| US07784054B2 |
Systems and methods for CPU throttling utilizing processes
Systems and methods are disclosed that facilitate central processing unit (CPU) throttling utilizing processes to facilitate enhanced management of CPU resources and to mitigate system crashes. A process (or group thereof) that occupies CPU resources at a percentage greater than a selectable predetermined threshold percentage can be monitored, suspended for a variable time period, and resumed. The process can be monitored to determine whether suspension of the process successfully reduced the percentage of CPU resources occupied by the process. Feedback information can be generated to facilitate a determination regarding a most suitable increase or decrease to suspension time of the process in order to minimize the number of reiterations required to successfully throttle the process. The invention also provides for an Ignore functionality, via which a process (or group thereof) can be exempted from throttling based on an exemption of the process, group of processes, and/or user. |
| US07784053B2 |
Management of virtual machines to utilize shared resources
A technique for utilizing resources in a virtual machine operating system. The virtual machine operating system comprises a multiplicity of virtual machines. A share of resources is allocated to each of the virtual machines. Utilization by one of the virtual machines of the resources allocated to the one virtual machine is automatically monitored. If the one virtual machine needs additional resources, the one virtual machine is automatically cloned. The clone is allocated a share of the resources taken from the shares of other of the virtual machines, such that the resultant shares allocated to the one virtual machine and the clone together are greater than the share allocated to the one virtual machine before the one virtual machine was cloned. The clone performs work with its resources that would have been performed by the one virtual machine if not for the existence of said clone. |
| US07784041B2 |
Mechanism for reducing detectable pauses in dynamic output caused by dynamic compilation
A method is disclosed for reducing dynamic pauses during dynamic compilation. Applications running on a system detect the rendering of dynamic output to a user. The dynamic output represents a change in visual or audio data while any application is running. When an application detects such output it notifies the system, which monitors the frequency of the dynamic output. If the frequency of the dynamic output exceeds a threshold, the system informs a compiler on the system to suspend compilation. Compilation normally occurs when an interpreter on the system is instructed to pass processing control to the compiler. One way this occurs is if a method currently being processed by the interpreter has been marked for compilation. Thus, in order to suspend compilation, the compiler ceases to mark methods for compilation so that the interpreter will not be instructed to pass processing control to the compiler. |
| US07784038B2 |
Pattern matching and transformation of intermediate language expression trees
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided by the present invention for a programming framework for easy pattern matching and transformation of intermediate language expression trees. With expression matching and transformation framework (EMTF) of the present invention, pattern matchers may be defined and embedded in a C++ program code in a manner that resembles their intermediate representation. EMTF also provides capabilities for unification, unbinding, transformation, intra-pattern referencing, common operators, creation of pattern objects in a storage pool. Recursive sub-expression matching and recursive transformation are also included. |
| US07784037B2 |
Compiler implemented software cache method in which non-aliased explicitly fetched data are excluded
A compiler implemented software cache is provided in which non-aliased explicitly fetched data are excluded are provided. With the mechanisms of the illustrative embodiments, a compiler uses a forward data flow analysis to prove that there is no alias between the cached data and explicitly fetched data. Explicitly fetched data that has no alias in the cached data are excluded from the software cache. Explicitly fetched data that has aliases in the cached data are allowed to be stored in the software cache. In this way, there is no runtime overhead to maintain the correctness of the two copies of data. Moreover, the number of lines of the software cache that must be protected from eviction is decreased. This leads to a decrease in the amount of computation cycles required by the cache miss handler when evicting cache lines during cache miss handling. |
| US07784036B2 |
Methods and systems for transforming a parse graph into an and/or command tree
Methods and systems for transforming a complex representation of computer code into a simplified representation of computer code are described. Parse nodes in a parse graph are traversed. Selected information contained within the parse nodes is hidden to create condensed parse nodes. The hiding prevents further processing of the selected information. Selected complex patterns in the parse graph are simplified to create simplified parse graph patterns. Branches on an AND/OR command tree are created from the parse nodes, the condensed parse nodes, and the simplified parse graph patterns. |
| US07784035B2 |
Method for the static analysis of concurrent multi-threaded software
A method for the static analysis of concurrent multi-threaded software which bypasses the state explosion situation that plagues the prior art, thereby making our method scalable while—at the same time—producing no loss in precision. Our inventive method maintains patterns of lock acquisition and lock release by individual threads by constructing augmented versions of the threads. Once the augmented versions have been constructed, our inventive method verifies the concurrent program using existing tools for the verification of sequential programs—thereby greatly reducing implementation overhead. Finally, our inventive augmentation and method is carried out in an automatic manner—without requiring user intervention. |
| US07784031B1 |
Methods and apparatus for establishing configuration settings between applications
A system provides for synchronization of configuration settings in a plurality of applications by receiving a global configuration setting to be applied to the plurality of applications and by applying the global configuration setting to the plurality of applications so that operation of each of the plurality of applications conforms to the global configuration setting. The system detects a respective local configuration setting in use by each of the plurality of applications displays a synchronization indicator that indicates if the plurality of applications are operating using a common local configuration setting. The synchronization indicator can be a color settings synchronization indicator that indicates if a color setting used to render color on a display device is synchronized between applications in a graphics suite. |
| US07784028B2 |
Method for multi-standard software defined radio base-band processing
A method for multi-standard Software defined radio (SDR) base-band processing is provided. The method comprises the steps of: constituting SDR software framework, which includes SDR kernel structure, SDR software modules, other application parts and an operating system; extracting protocol software modules of different standards and reclassifying them as dedicated system libraries, common system libraries and common algorithm libraries, and then storing them into the software modules; adding a scheduler to the SDR kernel structure, the scheduler structuring a concrete base-band application software module by the dedicated system libraries, common system libraries and common algorithm libraries, using Process and Sequence; and, defining SDR hardware platform, applying the concrete base-band application software which is structured by the scheduler on the SDR hardware platform, so as to complete concrete base-band processing of the wireless communication system. |
| US07784027B2 |
Systems and methods for monitoring a computing environment
The invention comprises a system and method for monitoring the performance of an application. The invention includes a monitoring system graphical user interface (GUI) having an interactive window with on-screen graphics representative of the application architecture and component performance. The GUI comprises straightforward and intuitive icons, panels, and dataflows, representing the existence, capacity, or number of processes, memory structures, and the like of the application being monitored. In addition, the monitoring system includes an alert firing mechanism and process for alerting an administrator to potential or actual performance problems in the application. |
| US07784026B1 |
Web application internationalization
A system and method is described for internationalization of web pages by extracting translatable content from extensible mark-up language (XML), or similar data-centric meta-language representations of web pages or data used to build web pages. The extracted translatable content is stored in a translation task repository (TTR) accessible by the web developer and the translator. The XML representation is then modified to include selection control logic to select the appropriate translations for insertion into the final web page. The translator accesses the TTR to translate the appropriate content and saves the translations back to the TTR associated with the original translatable data. The translations are obtained from the TTR as selection cases for the selection control logic of the XML representation. As the XML is converted into the web source code, the selection logic and translations are embedded therein facilitating building the web site in multiple different languages. |
| US07784024B2 |
Program creating system, program creating program, and program creating module
An accepting unit (110) accepts various parameters required to create a program from a parameter managing unit (109). A producing unit (112) loads a model of a program code from a model storing unit (128) on the basis of the parameters and replaces a part of the program code with the parameters to produce a source code. An instructing unit (120) detects that the producing unit (112) produces the source code to start a compiling unit (114). The compiling unit (114) compiles the source code produced by the producing unit (112) to create a research program. In this manner, a research program can be automatically created without advanced special knowledge. |
| US07784021B2 |
Method for specifying, deploying and dynamically updating work flows
A method for specifying, deploying and updating work flows. A work flow comprising manual and automatic steps is created in a computing system A first XML schema set represents the automatic steps. The XML schemas in the first XML schema set identify software routines for performing the automatic steps. A second XML schema set represents the manual steps. The XML schemas in the second XML schema set include instructions directing human representatives to perform the manual steps. A runtime component executes the first and second XML schema sets. Without terminating the runtime component, a manual step is represented in an XML schema to be added to the first set. Representing the manual step includes transforming the manual step into an automatic step represented in the XML schema and adding to the XML schema a class name and method name identifying a software routine that performs the automatic step. |
| US07784016B2 |
Method and system for context-specific mask writing
A method for generating lithography masks includes generating integrated circuit design data and using context information from the integrated circuit design data to write a mask. |
| US07784010B1 |
Automatic routing system with variable width interconnect
A system automatically routes interconnect of an integrated circuit design using variable width interconnect lines. For example, a first automatically routed interconnect may have a different width from a second automatically routed interconnect. The system will vary the width of the interconnect lines based on certain factors or criteria. These factors include current or power handling, reliability, electromigration, voltage drops, self-heating, optical proximity effects, or other factors, or combinations of these factors. The system may use a gridded or a gridless (or shape-based) approach. |
| US07784009B2 |
Electrically programmable π-shaped fuse structures and design process therefore
Electrically programmable fuses for an integrated circuit and design structures thereof are presented, wherein the electrically programmable fuse has a first terminal portion and a second terminal portion interconnected by a fuse element. The first terminal portion and the second terminal portion reside over a first support and a second support, respectively, with the first support and the second support being spaced apart, and the fuse element bridging the distance between the first terminal portion over the first support and the second terminal portion over the second support. The fuse, first support and second support define a π-shaped structure in elevational cross-section through the fuse element. The first terminal portion, second terminal portion and fuse element are coplanar, with the fuse element residing above a void. The design structure for the fuse is embodied in a machine-readable medium for designing, manufacturing or testing a design of the fuse. |
| US07784007B2 |
Method for automatically producing layout information
A method of automatically producing layout information includes receiving first layout information of an integrated circuit; when receiving the first layout information, activating an automated process mechanism to stores the first layout information into a reference database; reading the first layout information from the reference database by the automated process mechanism; and analyzing the first layout information to obtain second layout information by the automated process mechanism. In an exemplary embodiment, the method of the present invention further includes validating accuracy of the first layout information according to the second layout information. |
| US07784003B2 |
Estimation of process variation impact of slack in multi-corner path-based static timing analysis
A method and system for reducing a number of paths to be analyzed in a multi-corner static timing analysis. An estimated upper slack variation based on a non-common path delay for a racing path is utilized in determining if a multi-corner static timing analysis may be bypassed for a racing path. In another example, an estimated maximum RSS credit based on a total delay for a racing path is utilized in determining if a multi-corner static timing analysis may be bypassed for a racing path. |
| US07784000B2 |
Identifying sequential functional paths for IC testing methods and system
A method and system of identifying sequential functional paths for IC testing methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method may include a method of sequential functional path identification for at-speed structural test, the method comprising: using a timing tool to enumerate a plurality of critical paths in a circuit; identifying which of the plurality of critical paths are sequential functional paths that will function during functional operation of the IC by identifying which of the plurality of critical paths a test can be generated for using a test sequence having n functional capture cycles, where n is greater than 2; performing path test generation for the sequential functional paths using launch-off-scan test sequences; and performing path test generation for critical paths not tested by the launch-of-scan test sequences, using launch-off-capture test sequences having two functional captures. |
| US07783995B2 |
System and method for circuit design scaling
A system and method for scaling a circuit design to a new technology includes designating a first set of components including design scaled elements having a designed scaling in two dimensions to render the first set of components inactive for scaling of a second set of components. The second set of components includes pitch-matched circuits. The second set of components is scaled. Then, the second set of components is designated to render the second set of components inactive for scaling of the first set of components. The first set of components is scaled in accordance with a plurality of scale factors including scaling the design scaled elements in accordance with reference scale factors and scaling other components in the first set of components in accordance with one of the reference scale factors. |
| US07783982B1 |
Programmable actuator and method in a network terminal device
An apparatus and method for obtaining preferred information from a network by execution of a sequence of actions in response to a single actuation in a network terminal device. A sequence of actions is programmed in network terminal device. The sequence of actions are executed in response to a single actuation if a softkey. A network destination parameter and a user preference parameter are also programmed. The sequence of actions includes coupling a destination parameter into the network, upon receipt of a network reply message corresponding to said destination parameter, coupling a preference parameter into the network, and upon receipt of the preferred information from the network, outputting the preferred information from the network terminal device. |
| US07783980B1 |
Sharing digital items
A user may make a digital item available to other users of a computer network, such as an instant messaging system, a chat environment, or a subscription-based computer network. Examples of digital items that may be shared with other users include digital representations of graphic images, photographs, audio segments, songs, video segments, movies, and text (such as lists of favorites (e.g., a list of favorite books, a list of favorite movies, and a list of favorite places to visit)). On-line presence information is provided to indicate the on-line presence of users with whom a digital item has been shared, may be shared or is being shared. For instance, an indication of the on-line or offline status of a user with whom an item has been shared or is being shared may be presented. |
| US07783979B1 |
Methods and apparatus for generation and execution of configurable bookmarks
Methods and apparatus for configuring a bookmark are disclosed. A bookmark is configured such that the bookmark has one or more variables and/or one or more commands associated therewith. A value is dynamically substituted for each variable of the bookmark. The bookmark is then executed such that any command(s) of the bookmark are executed. |
| US07783976B2 |
Method and apparatus for comparing documents, and computer product
Thumbnails of pages of a key document are arranged sequentially according to a page order in a row. Thumbnails of pages of a target document are arranged sequentially according to a page order in a row parallel to the row of the key document. A key page of the key document is compared with each page of the target document. When a page of the target document that is most similar to the key page is found, the row of the target document is shifted in a horizontal direction so that the page of the target document that is most similar to the key page is positioned next to the key page. |
| US07783971B2 |
Graphic object themes
A common visual appearance can be applied to documents authored by different kinds of applications. Thus, a suite of applications can have a theme that can be applied to differing kinds of documents produced by the different kinds of applications in the suite of applications. The theme information can be stored externally to the produced documents as well as internally to the produced documents. The theme can include visual attributes of the documents as well as content, such as text or other information. |
| US07783969B1 |
Rule-based text layout
The invention features systems, methods, and computer program products for typesetting a sequence of character glyphs. In on implementation, the invention provides a spacing classification file for a character set, the classification file being a text file, containing text form definitions of multiple character classes, each character class definition being structured to define a character class as having one or more arbitrary characters, the classification file further containing, in text form, multiple inter-class spacing definitions, each inter-class spacing definition defining, for an order pair of character classes, one or more spacing parameters for the ordered pair and an associated priority for each defined spacing parameter. A line of text can be compressed or expanded according to the inter-class spacing definitions for each sequential pairs of characters in the sequence of characters defined in the classification file according to their respective priorities. |
| US07783963B2 |
Decoding a concatenated convolutional-encoded and block encoded signal
Encoded symbols of a concatenated convolutional-encoded and block encoded signal are presented to a conventional first stage of a concatenated decoder, comprising in sequence a soft metric generator, a Viterbi decoder, a first de-interleaver and a first block decoder such as a Reed-Solomon decoder. The encoded symbols are also presented to a delay chain to produce progressively delayed encoded symbols. Where an output block of the conventional decoder is indicated as being a valid codeword by the first block decoder, the bytes in this block are marked as being correct. These bytes that are known to be correct are then used after interleaving and serialization as known bits input to a second stage of the decoder process operating on the delayed encoded symbols and incorporating a modified soft metric generator constrained by the known bits. This process can be extended to further iterations as required. A modified Viterbi decoder, which is also constrained by the known bits, may also be used in the second and subsequent iterative stages. |
| US07783960B2 |
DTV transmitter and method of coding main and enhanced data in DTV transmitter
A DTV transmitter includes a pre-processor pre-processing enhanced data, a data formatter generating enhanced data packets including the pre-processed data and inserting known data place holders to the data packets, and a multiplexer multiplexing the enhanced data packets with main data packets. It further includes an RS encoder which RS-codes the multiplexed data packets, and a data interleaver which interleaves the RS-coded data packets. The RS encoder adds systematic RS parity data to each main data packet and adds non-systematic RS parity place holders to each enhanced data packet. The RS encoder adds the RS parity place holders such that the RS parity place holders are placed after the enhanced data within each interleaved enhanced data packet. |
| US07783959B2 |
Apparatus and method for reduced power consumption communications over a physical interconnect
A system and method for reduced power consumption communications over a physical interconnect is described. In an embodiment, an input/output circuit includes a port to receive a transmission unit via an interconnect, a combining module coupled to the port to append at least one of a first and a second indicator to the transmission unit, a first adder module to generate the first indicator, indicating that the transmission unit is a starting transmission unit of a set of related transmission units, a second adder module to generate the second indicator, indicating that the starting transmission unit of the set of related transmission units has already been received, and logic to determine at least one of the start and end boundaries of the set of related transmission units. |
| US07783953B2 |
Method and system for implicit user equipment identification
A wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) user equipment (UE) operating in frequency division duplex mode for receiving data over at least one of a plurality of high speed (HS) shared control channels (SCCHs) is disclosed. The UE includes means for monitoring the plurality of HS-SCCHs; means for receiving a packet over at least one of the plurality of HS-SCCHs; and means for determining whether a UE identification is present in the packet and whether a circular redundancy code (CRC) of the packet is correct by processing a mask field. The mask field has an N-bit CRC modulo 2 combined with an N-bit UE identification. |
| US07783952B2 |
Method and apparatus for decoding data
A method and apparatus for decoding data is provided herein to show how to turbo decode LDPC codes that contain a partial dual diagonal parity-check portion, and how to avoid memory access contentions in such a turbo decoder. During operation, a decoder will receive a signal vector corresponding to information bits and parity bits and separate the received signal vector into two groups, a first group comprising signals corresponding to the information bits and one or more parity bits, a second group comprising a remainder of the parity bits. The first group of received signals is passed to a first decoder and the second group of received signals is passed to a second decoder. The decoders are separated by an interleaver and a deinterleaver. Iterative decoding takes place by passing messages between the decoders, through the interleaver and the deinterleaver, and producing an estimate of the information bits from the output of the first decoder. |
| US07783950B2 |
Data writing apparatus and a storage system
An LDPC encoder (304) includes a timing adjustment circuit (326) for performing timing adjustment on main data and outputting to a writing circuit (334), a parity generation circuit (328) for performing LDPC encoding on input signal series, generating the parity data, and outputting to the writing circuit (334), and the writing circuit (334) for sequentially receiving the main data and the parity data, and outputting to the storage apparatus via a write pre-compensation unit (305), a driver (306), and the like. |
| US07783946B2 |
Scan based computation of a signature concurrently with functional operation
A method and circuit for capturing and observing the internal state of an integrated circuit that utilizes a scan chain capable of capturing the functional state of an integrated circuit during functional testing without interrupting the functional testing. The functional state may be captured by and shifted out of the scan chain concurrently with functional testing. The scan chain includes sequential elements, each having a functional state and a scan state that operate in parallel. The method and circuit may further include a signature analyzer for compressing the contents of the scan chain into a signature. The method and circuit may capture and compress multiple functional states into a combined signature. |
| US07783943B2 |
Method and apparatus for testing a random access memory device
A method and apparatus for testing a random access memory device is provided. One embodiment involves providing an interface between Logic Built in Self Test (LBIST) and Array Built in Self Test (ABIST) paths for memory testing, including providing a cross-coupled NAND device with an LBIST test path; configuring the cross-coupled NAND device for interfacing ABIST and LBIST paths by modeling a worst case scenario for timing from a domino read static random access memory (SRAM) array; and modifying data in the cross-coupled NAND device using an LBIST controlled data path at essentially the latest point in time when a read may propagate from the array to provide full AC test coverage of down stream logic. |
| US07783942B2 |
Integrated circuit device with built-in self test (BIST) circuit
An integrated circuit device according to an embodiment of this invention includes: a memory having: a first port to which a first clock signal is input, and a second port to which a second clock signal is input; and a built-in self test circuit having: a first signal generating circuit to which the first clock signal is input, a second signal generating circuit to which the second clock signal is input, a clock selecting circuit to which the first and second clock signals are input and which selects and outputs one of the input clock signals, and a controlling circuit which outputs a clock requesting signal requesting one of the first and second clock signals to the clock selecting circuit, operates in accordance with the clock signal selected and output by the clock selecting circuit, and outputs a controlling signal for controlling one of the first and second signal generating circuits. |
| US07783940B2 |
Apparatus for redundancy reconfiguration of faculty memories
A memory redundancy reconfiguration for N base blocks associated with k redundant blocks. The data will be written into both base blocks and defect-free redundant blocks if the base blocks are defective; k multiplexers MUXRi each having N input signals (d0 to dN−1) capable of being connected to k input signals of the redundant blocks; N multiplexers MUXi each having k+1 input signals from k redundant blocks (R0 to Rk−1) and one base block (Ni), capable of being connected to N output signals (qi); and logic means associated with each multiplexer, to convert the input signals of the multiplexer to its output signal. |
| US07783939B2 |
Cache memory, processor, and production methods for cache memory and processor
A cache memory built in a processor comprising a plurality of independent memory blocks, pass/fail information memory unit memorizing a presence/absence of a failure occurring in each of the memory blocks, and a screening control function substituting a sound memory block for a failed memory block based on a memory content in the pass/fail information memory unit. |
| US07783938B1 |
Result directed diagnostic method and system
Provided is a method and system for diagnosing a test system to determine whether a condition of the test system contributed to an undesirable measurement result. The method includes interrogating a device under test comprising at least one of transmitting an electric signal to energize a device under test by the test system and conducting a passive measurement that does not require the device under test to be energized to be performed to determine if the device under test satisfies a design parameter. The method further includes processing an output signal including at least one of a responsive electric signal transmitted from the device under test in response to being energized and a passive signal corresponding to the passive measurement, and comparing a value of a property of the output signal to a reference value. Responsive to the comparing, the method determines whether the value of the output signal is within an acceptable tolerance of the reference value. A diagnostic routine is initiated on at least a portion of the test system involved in processing of the output signal and comparing the value of the output signal to the reference value when the value of the output signal falls outside of the acceptable tolerance. |
| US07783937B1 |
Encoding and decoding apparatus and method with hamming weight enhancement
A method comprises obtaining a first sequence of binary digits that collectively have a characteristic Hamming weight, inverting each of the binary digits in the first sequence of binary digits if the Hamming weight of the first sequence of binary digits is below a predetermined threshold Hamming weight value, and providing an indication of whether the binary digits in the first sequence of binary digits have been inverted. |
| US07783935B2 |
Bit error rate reduction buffer
In a preferred embodiment, the invention provides a circuit for reducing bit error rates. A data recovery circuit recovers data from a first HSS link to differential bit pair inputs. Data from the differential bit pair outputs of the data recovery circuit drive differential bit pair inputs to a plurality of FIFOs. The data is then driven from a parallel output of the plurality of FIFOs to the parallel input of a synchronizer. The data is then driven from the parallel output of the synchronizer to the parallel input of a serializer. The serializer, through different bit pair outputs, drives a second serial HSS link. |
| US07783930B2 |
Recording method for video/audio data
In order to provide a recording method for data which have been or are being generated at a data source in a time sequenced manner and are transmitted via a digital network to at least one recording device for storage, by means of which method the data can be reliably recorded, it is provided that the data are stored at the data source before the transmission on the digital network in such a way that, after a fault on the digital network, data which were intended for transmission during the period of the fault can be made available to the at least one recording device. |
| US07783926B2 |
Method for memory testing
A method for memory testing implemented on an embedded system, the method comprising steps of loading a booting program when the embedded system is booted; activating a RAM of the embedded system by the booting program; duplicating the booting program itself and writing the duplicated booting program into a first section of the RAM by the booting program; downloading a testing program from an on-line source and writing the downloaded testing program into a second section of the RAM by the duplicated booting program; and enabling the downloaded testing program to check a third section the rest part of the RAM excepting the first and second sections, after the downloaded testing program is executed by the duplicated booting program. |
| US07783924B2 |
System and method for communication between a controller and a power supply using a communication interface
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide for a system for communication between a controller and a power supply using a communication interface. In an embodiment, a communication system includes a power supply having one or more diagnostics. The communication system also includes a controller, configured for controlling the power supply and monitoring the one or more diagnostics of the power supply. In addition, the communication system includes a communication interface, configured to receive from the controller and send from the power supply one or more signals. The communication system also includes a load, configured to operate using the power provided by said power supply. |
| US07783919B2 |
System and method of identifying and storing memory error locations
A system and method of identifying and storing memory error locations is disclosed. In one form, a method of using a memory is disclosed. The method can include detecting a memory error during execution of a run time environment within an information handling system, and determining if the memory error is a correctable memory error. The method can also include identifying a first memory location within a first memory device causing the memory error, and storing a first reference to the first memory location within a persistent memory. The method can further include disabling use of the first memory location during use of the run time environment. |
| US07783917B2 |
Selection of data arrays
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture, wherein a plurality of data arrays coupled to a storage controller is maintained. Data arrays are selected from the plurality of data arrays based on predetermined selection rules. Data is stored redundantly in the selected data arrays by writing the data to the selected data arrays. |
| US07783910B2 |
Method and system for associating power consumption of a server with a network address assigned to the server
A system for associating power consumption with a network address. Network traffic is inspected to determine network addresses. The network addresses are assigned to one or more servers. A power output of a plurality of power outlets is measured to determine a power consumption of the one or more servers connected to the plurality of power outlets. The network addresses assigned to the one or more servers is associated with the power consumption of the one or more servers. A total power consumption is calculated for the one or more servers having an association of network addresses with power consumption. Then, the total power consumption is recorded for the one or more servers in a table and a user is provided access to the table. |
| US07783904B2 |
Circuit for protecting computer system
A circuit for preventing a computer from being powered on before a CPU of the computer has been properly installed, the circuit includes a power supply (70) for the computer, a controller (60) connected to the power supply configured for controlling the power supply, a switch (10) exposed outside the computer for convenient operation, and a switching device (Q1). The controller includes a terminal for receiving a computer startup signal. The switch is connected to the terminal of the controller for sending the computer startup signal to the controller when the switch is triggered, wherein when the computer startup signal is sent to the sensing terminal of the controller, the controller controls the power supply to provide power to the computer. The switching device includes a control terminal configured for sensing if the CPU is installed to control conduction of the switching device. |
| US07783902B2 |
Safety controller and input-output unit therefor
A safety controller of building block type has an array of a plurality of IO units each including IO circuits and a single IO unifying unit connectable to these IO units. The IO unifying unit has an IO power-receiving terminal for receiving power from an external IO power source and an IO power distributing terminal for distributing the received power to the array of IO units after passing inside the IO unifying unit. The array of IO units includes distribution mains extending along the array and having a starting end connected to the IO power distributing terminal and distribution branch lines for supplying power to each of the IO circuits inside the IO units. An IO power shutoff circuit is provided to the IO unifying unit on upstream side of the IO power distributing terminal and to each of the distribution branch lines in each of the IO units. |
| US07783900B2 |
Querying encrypted data in a relational database system
A client-server relational database system, wherein data from the client computer is encrypted by the client computer and hosted by the server computer, the encrypted data is operated upon by the server computer, using one or more operators selected from a group of operators comprising: (a) inequality logic operators, (b) aggregation operators, and (c) wildcard matching operators, to produce an intermediate results set, the intermediate results set is sent from the server computer to the client computer, and the intermediate results set is decrypted and filtered by the client computer to produce actual results. The group of operators is limited because the encrypted results set, when decrypted, includes inaccuracies therein. The client computer applies a set of correction procedures to the decrypted results set to remove the inaccuracies therein. |
| US07783895B2 |
Method and apparatus for encrypting data to be secured and inputting/outputting the same
A controller of a recording device issues a secure command to a storage device, and then waits the time estimated necessary for the storage device to execute the secure command before issuing the next secure command. When a controller of the storage device is executing the previous command, it notifies the recording device of being in process. When the previous command has been completed normally, the controller moves to the next process. Information for estimating the execution time of the command is obtained from the storage device in advance. |
| US07783894B2 |
Monolithic semiconductor integrated circuit and method for selective memory encryption and decryption
A monolithic semiconductor integrated circuit is provided for selectively encrypting or decrypting data transmitted between one of a plurality of devices on the circuit and an external memory. Two series of data pathways connect the devices and the external memory. The first series of data pathways passes through a cryptographic circuit causing data to be encrypted or decrypted, and the other series of data pathways provides an unhindered route. When a data access request is made by a device, the data is selectively routed along one of the two series of data pathways according to the identification of the device making the data access request. In one example, if data is transmitted from a device to the external memory, the data is selectively encrypted before being stored in the external memory if the device transmitting the data is identified as secure. Then, when that data is retrieved from the external memory by a second device, the data is selectively decrypted only if the second device is identified as secure. |
| US07783890B2 |
Multimedia recording apparatus, object-specifying information providing apparatus, server apparatus, verification apparatus, multimedia recording method, object-specifying information providing method, server method, verification method, and multimedia recording system
A multimedia recording system verifies whether or not multimedia data created from an object belongs to the intended object, and has a multimedia recording apparatus which acquires object-specifying information specifying the object, creates first digest data from the multimedia data and creates authentication data by encrypting the first digest data with the object-specifying information, and records the authentication data, a server apparatus which decrypts the authentication data by using the object-specifying information previously registered on the server apparatus to create second digest data, compares the second digest data with the first digest data of the multimedia recording apparatus, and outputs a result of comparison of the first digest data and the second digest data as comparison data, and a verification apparatus which displays a result of verification of whether or not the multimedia data created from the object belongs to the intended object based on the comparison data sent from the server apparatus. |
| US07783882B2 |
Recovering remnant encrypted data on a removable storage media
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture recovering remnant encrypted data on a removable storage media. An end of data (EOD) marker is detected on a removable storage media, wherein a first encryption key is associated with data preceding the EOD marker. Following the EOD marker, an identifier of a second encryption key associated with data following the EOD marker is read in response to detecting the EOD marker. The identifier is used to access the second encryption key and the second encryption key is used to decrypt the data following the EOD marker. |
| US07783878B2 |
Methods for decoupling hardware settings from software
A device for decoupling hardware settings from software includes a hardware unit and a software module. The hardware unit has a processing element and a memory. The software module is capable of providing hardware settings for configuration of the hardware unit. The software module includes built-in instructions capable of including at least a portion of the hardware settings. The memory of the hardware device stores hardware controlled hardware settings for facilitating configuration of the hardware unit. |
| US07783874B2 |
Method for initiating system
A method for initiating a system is provided. In the present invention, a specific data, which is not used for executing an initiating program of an interface device, is moved from a conventional memory to an extended memory temporarily, such that the available space of the conventional memory is increased. As a result, the computer system can have enough conventional memory space for loading and executing the initiating program of the interface device during a Power-On Self Test (POST) so as to achieve the purpose of initiating the system. |
| US07783865B2 |
Conditional data watchpoint management
A method, system and computer program product for managing a conditional data watchpoint in a set of instructions being traced is shown in accordance with illustrative embodiments. In one particular embodiment, the method comprises initializing a conditional data watchpoint and determining the watchpoint has been encountered. Upon that determination, examining a current instruction context associated with the encountered watchpoint prior to completion of the current instruction execution, further determining a first action responsive to a positive context examination; otherwise, determining a second action. |
| US07783862B2 |
Method and apparatus for an inductive doubling architecture
One embodiment of the present invention is a processor that processes inductive doubling SIMD instructions, which processor includes: an Instruction Fetch Unit that loads a SIMD instruction and applies it as input to a SIMD Instruction Decode Unit; wherein the SIMD Instruction Decode Unit decodes the applied SIMD instruction and produces output signals including SIMD field width identification signals and one or more SIMD half-operand modifier signals. |
| US07783859B2 |
Processing system implementing variable page size memory organization
A processing system includes memory management software responsive to changes in a page table. The memory management software consolidates contiguous page table entries into one or more page table entries that have larger memory page sizes. The memory management software updates the entries of a translation lookaside buffer that correspond to the consolidated contiguous page table entries. |
| US07783858B2 |
Reducing memory overhead of a page table in a dynamic logical partitioning environment
Mechanisms for reducing memory overhead of a page table in a dynamic logical partitioning (LPAR) environment are provided. Each LPAR, upon its creation, is allowed to declare any maximum main memory size for the LPAR as long as the aggregate maximum main memory size for all LPARs does not exceed the total amount of available main memory. A single page table is used for all of the LPARs. Thus, the only page table in the computing system is shared by all LPARs and every memory access operation from any LPAR must go through the same page table for address translation. As a result, since only one page table is utilized, and the aggregate size of the main memory apportioned to each of the LPARs is limited to the size of the main memory, the size of the page table cannot exceed the size of the main memory. |
| US07783857B2 |
Data management apparatus and method, non-volatile memory, storage device having the non-volatile memory and data processing system
In a data management method for supervising a non-volatile memory having a plurality of blocks erasable in a lump, each of the blocks being formed by a plurality of pages, each of the pages including a redundant area, the aggregate management information is used for data management to enable prompt booting. The distributed management information, as the management information for the respective blocks, is stored in the redundant area of each page, and the aggregate management information supervises data stored in each block, in a lump, in association with the distributed management information. It is verified, at the time of booting, whether the aggregate management information is effective. The data is supervised based on the aggregate management information when the aggregate management information is effective and, when the aggregate management information is not effective, the data is supervised based on the distributed management information. |
| US07783855B2 |
Keymap order compression
Various embodiments of a computer-implemented method, system and computer program product are provided. A first plurality of key entries of a first index page are compressed in accordance with an order specified by a first keymap of the first index page. The first keymap also indicates respective positions of the key entries of the first plurality of key entries. A second keymap is generated indicating the order and also indicating respective post-compression positions of the key entries of the first plurality of key entries. The compressed first plurality of key entries is stored on a second index page with the second keymap. |
| US07783852B2 |
Techniques for automated allocation of memory among a plurality of pools
Allocation of memory is optimized across multiple pools of memory, based on minimizing the time it takes to successfully retrieve a given data item from each of the multiple pools. First data is generated that indicates a hit rate per pool size for each of multiple memory pools. In an embodiment, the generating step includes continuously monitoring attempts to access, or retrieve a data item from, each of the memory pools. The first data is converted to second data that accounts for a cost of a miss with respect to each of the memory pools. In an embodiment, the second data accounts for the cost of a miss in terms of time. How much of the memory to allocate to each of the memory pools is determined, based on the second data. In an embodiment, the steps of converting and determining are automatically performed, on a periodic basis. |
| US07783851B2 |
Methods of reusing log blocks in non-volatile memories and related non-volatile memory devices
Methods of operating a non-volatile memory device that includes a first data block that stores first data and a first log block that stores an updated version of at least some of the first data is provided in which valid portions of the first data in the first data block are copied to a free block that has no data to generate a second data block. The updated version of at least some of the first data from the first log block is copied to the second data block. The first log block is designated as a reusable log block without erasing the data therefrom in response to at least one predetermined condition being satisfied. |
| US07783843B2 |
Bus interface adapted to coalesce snoop responses
In a bus interface adapted for usage in a multiple-core processor, an interface couples a bus to the one or more processor cores. The bus interface comprises a queue coupled to the interface which is adapted to receive snoop responses from the processor cores and coalesce snoop responses from the processor cores into a single snoop response that reflects snoop responses from all processor cores. |
| US07783842B2 |
Cache coherent I/O communication
A processing unit includes a processor core, an input/output (I/O) communication adapter coupled to the processor core, and a cache system coupled to the processor core and to the I/O communication adapter. The cache system including a cache array, a cache directory and a cache controller. The cache controller snoops I/O communication by the I/O communication adapter and, in response to snooping the I/O communication adapter performing an I/O data write of outgoing data in an exclusive state, invalidates corresponding data stored within the cache array. |
| US07783841B2 |
Efficient coherency communication utilizing an IG coherency state
A cache coherent data processing system includes at least first and second coherency domains each including at least one processing unit and a cache memory. The cache memory includes a cache controller, a data array including a data storage location for caching a memory block, and a cache directory. The cache directory includes a tag field for storing an address tag in association with the memory block and a coherency state field associated with the tag field and the data storage location. The coherency state field has a plurality of possible states including a state that indicates that the address tag is valid, that the storage location does not contain valid data, and that the memory block is possibly cached outside of the first coherency domain. |
| US07783839B2 |
Using different algorithms to destage different types of data from cache
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for using different algorithms to destage different types of data from cache. A first destaging algorithm is used to destage a first type of data to a storage for a first duration. A second destaging algorithm is used to destage a second type of data to the storage for a second duration. |
| US07783835B2 |
System and method of improving task switching and page translation performance utilizing a multilevel translation lookaside buffer
A system and method of improved task switching in a data processing system. First, a first-level cache memory casts out an invalidated page table entry and an associated first page directory base address to a second-level cache memory. Then, the second-level cache memory determines if a task switch has occurred. If a task switch has not occurred, first-level cache memory sends the invalidated page table entry to a current running task directory. If a task switch has occurred, first-level cache memory loads from the second-level cache directory a collection of page table entries related to a new task to enable improved task switching without requiring access to a page table stored in main memory to retrieve the collection of page table entries. |
| US07783830B2 |
Solid state device pattern for non-solid state storage media
A method and apparatus for receiving data at a non-solid state storage device, which includes a store cache and a storage medium. The received data is written to the store cache and transferred from the store cache to the storage medium. In response to receiving a signal at the storage device that is indicative of a power off condition of a data source device from which the data was received, at least a portion of the data remaining in the store cache is transferred to the storage medium prior to powering off the storage device. |
| US07783826B2 |
Data bus width converter
In one embodiment of the invention, a method of operating a memory system is provided, including concurrently reading data from a plurality of memories of the memory system and outputting the data from the memory system at an output channel capacity of an I/O port of the memory system by converting a data bus width of data read from at least some of the plurality of memories to a data bus width of the I/O port. |
| US07783822B2 |
Systems and methods for improving performance of a routable fabric
Systems and methods for improving performance of a rentable fabric are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment a system may comprise a plurality of compute nodes, a routable fabric, and a plurality of chipsets connected by the routable fabric to the plurality of compute nodes. The chipsets have range registers dynamically directing traffic from any device to any of the plurality of compute nodes over the routable fabric. |
| US07783821B2 |
Method and device for mapping signal order at multi-line bus interfaces
The present invention provides methods and modules allowing for mapping of interface signals at for instance multi-line buses. A mapping of internal signal order schemes to external signal order schemes is enabled such that upon configuration any interface signals may carried on any lines of a multi-line bus. The configurability may obtained by the implementation of mapping logics and mapping algorithms, which associates external interface terminal to signal association to internal interface terminal to signal association in a configurable manner. |
| US07783819B2 |
Integrating non-peripheral component interconnect (PCI) resources into a personal computer system
In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus having an adapter to communicate according to a personal computer (PC) protocol and a second protocol. A first interface coupled to the adapter is to perform address translation and ordering of transactions received from upstream of the adapter. The first interface is coupled in turn to heterogeneous resources, each of which includes an intellectual property (IP) core and a shim, where the shim is to implement a header of the PC protocol for the IP core to enable its incorporation into the apparatus without modification. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07783813B2 |
Multi-node configuration of processor cards connected via processor fabrics
Provided is a system comprising a first node comprising a plurality of processor cards each including a processor fabric, wherein the processor cards in the first node connect via their processor fabrics; a second node comprising a plurality of processor cards each including a processor fabric, wherein the processor cards in the second node connect via their processor fabrics; and a plurality of communication interfaces, wherein each interface connects one processor card in the second node to one processor card in the first node to enable communication between the connected processor cards to coordinate processor operations between the connected processor cards in the first and second nodes. |
| US07783811B2 |
Efficient interrupt message definition
An efficient interrupt system for a multi-processor computer. Devices interrupt a processor or group of processors using pre-defined message address and data payload communicated with a memory write transaction over a PCI, PCI-X, or PCI Express bus. The devices are configured with messages that each targets a processor. Upon receiving a command to perform an operation, the device may receive an indication of a preferred message to use to interrupt a processor upon completion of that operation. The efficiency with which each interrupt is handled and the overall efficiency of operation of the computer is increased by defining messages for the devices within the computer so that each device contains messages targeting processors distributed across groups of processors, with each group representing processors in close proximity. In selecting target processors for messages, processors are selected to spread processing across the processor groups and across processors within each group. |
| US07783807B2 |
Controlling resource transfers in a logically partitioned computer system
A resource and partition manager of the preferred embodiments includes a lock mechanism that operates on a plurality of locks that control access to individual I/O slots. The resource and partition manager uses the lock mechanism to obtain a lock on an I/O slot when transferring control of the I/O slot to a logical partition that is powering on and when removing the I/O slot from a logical partition that is powering off. The resource and partition manager uses the lock mechanism to remove control of an I/O slot from, or return control to, an operating logical partition in order to facilitate hardware service operations on that I/O slot or on the physical enclosure in which it is contained. |
| US07783805B2 |
Interlocking input/outputs on a virtual logic unit number
In one embodiment, a solution is provided wherein a lock client sends lock requests to a lock manager upon receipt of an input/output (I/O) and receives back a lock grant. At some point later, the lock client may send a lock release. The lock manager, upon receipt of a lock release from a lock client, remove a first lock request corresponding to the lock release from a lock grant queue corresponding to the lock manager. Then, for each dependency queue lock request in a dependency queue corresponding to the first lock request, the lock manager may determine whether the dependency queue lock request conflicts with a second lock request in the lock grant queue, and then may process the dependency queue lock request according to whether the dependency queue lock requires conflicts with a second lock request in the lock grant queue. |
| US07783804B2 |
Bus relay device and bus control system including plurality of bus masters, bus slave, interconnect section, and bridge section
In the conventional bus control system, the interconnect section and the bridge section have the arbitration function. Meanwhile, the interconnect section and the bridge section were designed by different designers. Accordingly, a large number of man-hours are needed not only for designing the bridge section but also for inspecting the bridge section. To solve this problem, provided is a system comprising a plurality of bus masters coupled to a high speed bus and outputting first control signals respectively via the high speed bus; a bus slave coupled to a low speed bus and receiving a second control signal via the low speed bus; an interconnect section receiving the first control signals via the high speed bus, selecting one of the first control signals, and converting the selected one of the first signals into a third control signal relative to the second control signal; and a bridge section coupled to the low speed bus, converting the third control signal into the second control signal, and outputting the second control signal to the low speed bus. With this configuration, the bus arbitrations can be collectively controlled in the interconnect section alone. In addition, a circuit size can be reduced. |
| US07783798B1 |
System and method for managing use of available bandwidth for a link used for movement of data being copied in a data storage environment
This invention is a system and method for managing the use of available bandwidth for a link used for movement of data being copied in a data storage environment. |
| US07783795B2 |
Serial communication circuit and A/D conversion system having the same
A serial communication circuit for performing full duplex serial communication with a microcomputer includes a counter and a timer. The counter is incremented by each pulse of a serial clock signal output from the microcomputer. When the counter reaches the number of bits of serial data output from the microcomputer, the counter outputs a load signal to a receiving register. The timer starts to count after the counter outputs the receiving load signal for the first time and continues to count during the serial communication. The timer expires at a predetermined time interval. Each time the timer expires, the timer outputs a timer signal. In response to the timer signal, a synchronous signal is output to the microcomputer, the counter is cleared to zero, and data to be output to the microcomputer is loaded into a sending register. |
| US07783785B2 |
Method and apparatus for BIOS determination of network information and diagnostics
A computer with a network controller has suitable programming for determining the address of the network controller by means of the computer BIOS. Suitable instructions can be provided to obtain the MAC address of an ETHERNET-based system or the UUID of a 1394-based network controller. The BIOS is optionally programmed to obtain information about other characteristics of the network controller and perform diagnostics related to the network controller. |
| US07783780B2 |
Method and system for mapping a domain name with no associated address to an address
A method and system for resolving domain names of web sites with dynamic addresses. The resolution system, which may execute as part of a domain name server, receives a domain name associated with a web site. The resolution system then identifies a dynamic address name associated with the received domain name. The resolution system then sends to a dynamic address system the identified dynamic address name. The dynamic address system then returns an address associated with the dynamic address name to the resolution system. Upon receiving the identified address, the resolution system then returns the identified address as the address of the received domain name. Methods and systems for mapping an unregistered domain name to an address and for placing telephone calls via a network are also provided. |
| US07783775B2 |
Providing multimedia content continuously for multiple users so as to accommodate movement to one or more different audience locations
Multimedia content is provided continuously for multiple users each potentially moving to a different place while enjoying it together. The system includes a network for transmitting preferably IP-format data, a first device for outputting particular multimedia content received through the network, and a second device for outputting a second multimedia content prepared for, and received upon requesting, continuous provision of the particular multimedia content through the network. A contents server delivers the particular multimedia content and the second multimedia output to the first and second devices, respectively. The second multimedia content consists of the part of the particular multimedia content remaining to be transmitted at the point of time at which the second device requested the continuous provision of the particular multimedia content. |
| US07783769B2 |
Accelerated TCP (Transport Control Protocol) stack processing
In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method of this embodiment provides receiving an indication on a network component that one or more packets have been received from a network; the network component notifying a TCP-A (transport control protocol—accelerated) driver that the one or more packets have arrived; a TCP-A driver performing packet processing for at least one of the one or more packets; and the TCP-A driver performing one or more operations that result in a data movement module placing one or more corresponding payloads of the at least one of the one or more packets into a read buffer. |
| US07783768B2 |
Method for establishing peer-to-peer connection, method, apparatus and system for traversing NAT to realize network communication
The employment relates to a realization method for establishing peer-to-peer communication connection, a method, an apparatus and a system for realizing network communication by traversing NAT. The employment mainly comprises following steps. When the user terminal may not directly communicate with the peer user terminal by the manner of peer-to-peer communication for needing to traverse through the NAT (network address translator) entity, the type information of the NAT entity needed to be traversed is determined. Then, the communication connection with the peer user terminal is established according to the determined type information of the NAT entity and by using the predefined manner of peer-to peer communication and the communications between the user terminals are carried out. The employment realizes that the manner of peer-to-peer communication is adopted as much as possible during the process of traversing the NAT to carry out the communication so as to reduce the occupation of server source and effectively save the costs of network operation. The employment also tries to use the corresponding re-issue mechanism during the procedure of establishing the peer-to-peer communication in order to resolve various connection establishment problems when the factors which may affect the connection establishment appear. |
| US07783766B2 |
Network clustering technology
Network Clustering Technology (“NCT”) creates an controlled environment that allows organizations to manage their networks, information resources, users and uses through a common structure. Although that capability is valuable in and of itself, it has the additional advantage of being both highly configurable and extensible. NCT is implemented so that it can function as a multiple-redundant implementation configuration to ensure that the network experiences minimal downtime with optimized throughput through one or more connections. As part of a Global Information Architecture (“GIA”), NCT provides the capability to establish rules for prioritizing and optimizing network traffic for specific users or classes of users, and specific classes of information traffic. |
| US07783763B2 |
Managing stateful data in a partitioned application server environment
A computer implemented method for managing a request for processing of stateful requests in a partitioned application server environment. A request is received from a client at the partitioned application server environment to form a received request. An application server in a plurality of application servers is identified in the partitioned application server environment based on the received request to form an identified application server. The received request is sent to the identified application server. Stateful data is migrated for use by application servers in the plurality of application servers. |
| US07783760B1 |
Model for cost optimization and QoS tuning in hosted computing environments
Two computers of a standard size, such as 1U, are mounted in a single standard size space. This arrangement almost doubles the space utilization of a rack and thereby halves the cost of hosting a dynamic computing environment. Also, a plurality of chassis are mounted on a rack where each chassis can hold more than one single-board computers. This arrangement enables provisioning of computing environments computing power in increments other than multiples of 1U. |
| US07783759B2 |
Methods and apparatus for dynamic allocation of servers to a plurality of customers to maximize the revenue of a server farm
A method and structure for dynamic allocation of servers to customers in a server farm which supports a flexible contract structure such that the total revenue of the farm is maximized. The invention creates a resource allocation plan based on a long term forecast for the server farm, taking into account traffic, number of servers, customers' contracts and revenue optimization algorithms. The plan is then modified as indicated by short term forecasting using currently monitored load metrics to reallocate to maximize revenue for particular time periods. |
| US07783758B1 |
Method and apparatus for increasing the efficiency of transactions and connection sharing in an enterprise environment
Methods and apparatus for improving the overall performance of a system which processes transactions and provides connections in an enterprise environment are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for processing a transaction in an enterprise environment includes receiving a request to start the transaction, storing information which indicates that the request to start the transaction was received, and accessing a first resource manager associated with the transaction. Typically, a container receives the request to start a transaction from a component such as an enterprise bean. Once the first resource is accessed, the transaction is initiated as a local transaction on the first resource manager, and, eventually, the transaction is completed. In one embodiment, completing the transaction includes using a local transaction mechanism of the first resource manager to complete the local transaction. |
| US07783755B2 |
Contact server for call center
The present invention is a Contact Server that enables customers to submit call-back requests to a call center via the Internet, or virtually any other communications technology available. A call-back to the customer can be placed via any communications technology available. In its preferred embodiment, the Contact Server enables a call-back request to be submitted by a customer directly from an HTML page on a Web site, and have that same HTML page be presented to the agent that receives the call-back request. The agent can then place a telephone call to the number provided by the customer who submitted the call-back request, and at the same time, establish a TCP/IP communications session with the customer. This TCP/IP session can proceed between the agent's Web browser and the customer's Web browser, and the visible actions performed by the agent are transferred to the customer and displayed on the customer's browser. The TCP/IP session proceeds simultaneous with the telephone call between the agent and the customer. |
| US07783751B2 |
Communication system, proxy server, method of controlling same and control program therefor
It is arranged so that the history of access to a web page at a terminal device that does not have a unique IP address can be determined. To achieve this, a proxy server generates identification data of the terminal device upon accepting a request for a web page from the terminal device the first time. A link destination URL included in the web page conforming to the request is changed by the proxy server and a web page in which the URL after the change has been embedded is displayed on the terminal device. If the proxy server is requested for the web page having the URL after the change, the URL is restored by the proxy server to the URL that prevailed before the change and the web server is requested for the web page having the URL that prevailed before the change. Since the URL after the change is one that only the terminal device of the generated identification data can ascertain, the history of access by the terminal device can be determined by storing the URL, which prevailed before the change, of the requested web page in correspondence with the identification data. |
| US07783750B1 |
System and method for externalized real-time log correlation and performance monitoring of service-oriented applications
A method for service call data logging, including intercepting a call to a data processing service; generating first log data corresponding to the call; transmitting a request message to the data processing service, the request message including the first log data and the call; intercepting a response message corresponding to the request message, the response message including a service response to the call and second log data corresponding to the first log data and including log information corresponding to processing of the call; generating third log data corresponding to the first log data and the second log data; and storing the third log data. |
| US07783748B2 |
Methods and apparatus for sampling usage information from a pool of terminals in a data network
Methods and apparatus for sampling usage information from a pool of terminals in a data network. A method is provided to perform usage tracking in a data network. The method includes determining a targeted set of terminals from a pool of terminals on the data network, and transmitting tracking parameters to the pool of terminals. The method also includes receiving tracking data from the targeted set of terminals, and mapping the identities of the targeted set of terminals to device log identifiers. The method also includes associating the device log identifiers with the tracking data. |
| US07783746B2 |
Efficient synchronization of element management systems to network element attributes
A system, apparatus and a method are described that synchronizes multiple element management systems with a network element. The synchronization between the management entities within the element is maintained by employing special attributes, such as sentry identification for managed objects and guard attributes for managed object tables. Using these attributes, resynchronization between the management systems is improved by reducing the amount of data retrieved by the systems and reducing the processing load caused by the resynchronization process. |
| US07783739B1 |
High-speed and high-fidelity system and method for collecting network traffic
A system is provided for the high-speed and high-fidelity collection of network traffic. The system can collect traffic at gigabit-per-second (Gbps) speeds, scale to terabit-per-second (Tbps) speeds, and support additional functions such as real-time network intrusion detection. The present system uses a dedicated operating system for traffic collection to maximize efficiency, scalability, and performance. A scalable infrastructure and apparatus for the present system is provided by splitting the work performed on one host onto multiple hosts. The present system simultaneously addresses the issues of scalability, performance, cost, and adaptability with respect to network monitoring, collection, and other network tasks. In addition to high-speed and high-fidelity network collection, the present system provides a flexible infrastructure to perform virtually any function at high speeds such as real-time network intrusion detection and wide-area network emulation for research purposes. |
| US07783736B2 |
Definition of an active stratum-1 server in a coordinated timing network
A timing network is provided that includes a plurality of servers. The servers of the network obtain information used to maintain the servers in time synchronization, thus ensuring the integrity of the servers. |
| US07783733B1 |
Method and apparatus for dynamic configuration management
A method is provided to dynamically manage the configuration of a network device. An application supporting a protocol, network interface or other component of the configuration operates in conjunction with a master agent and subagent to send and receive configuration management information. The application further operates in conjunction with a configuration manager interface and configuration manager to access and update the configuration in accordance with a priority of the application, and without taking the network device out of service. |
| US07783730B2 |
Signalling optimisations using hash functions
A method for configuring a connection between first and second peer entities in a wireless telecommunications network comprises sending a hash value between the first and second peer entities, the hash value being a compact representation of information relating to a connection configuration procedure between the first and second peer entities. |
| US07783728B2 |
Concurrent evaluation of policies with synchronization
A policy for a computer system is transformed into a plurality of sub-policies, at least one synchronization step, and a final action. The sub-policies are distributed to corresponding sub-components in the computer system. The sub-policies are evaluated, wherein each sub-component evaluates its corresponding one or more sub-policies as other sub-components evaluate their corresponding one or more sub-policies. The sub-policies are synchronized by using the at least one synchronization step. The final action is performed in response to synchronizing the sub-policies. The computer system can be singular or distributed. |
| US07783727B1 |
Dynamic host configuration protocol in a storage environment
A diskless host computer is automatically configured upon adding it to storage-area network (SAN). Upon physically connecting the diskless host computer to the network, the host computer alerts the network and a control station of its presence. A suitable identifier provided by the host, such as a Fibre Channel World Wide Name, is used to look up a configuration corresponding to a host of its type. Configurations corresponding to all types of hosts expected to be connected to the network are pre-stored in the SAN data storage system. Each configuration includes an operating system and can include any other software related to configuring or installing a new host. The control station then provides access to a storage device on which the operating system is stored so that the host can boot from it or access it for any other purposes. |
| US07783726B2 |
Automation apparatuses with integrated communications servers
A protection relay with integrated communications may include a protective relay portion to perform protective relay operations associated with a load operatively connected to the protection relay, and a communications server portion to perform communications operations as an independently operating communications server. |
| US07783725B2 |
System and method for representing MFS control blocks in XML for MFS-based IMS applications
A system and method for representing MFS control blocks in XML for MFS-based IMS applications utilizes an MFS XML adapter and an MFS XML repository to translate between XML and MFS. The repository contains XML files for DOF/MOD and XML files for DIF/MID. When an XML request is received, the XML request is transformed to a byte stream by retrieving the relevant information from the MFS XML repository. The byte stream can then be placed in an IMS message queue to await processing by an MFS-based IMS application program. A byte stream response is generated by the MFS-based IMS application and is transformed into an XML response, again, by retrieving the relevant information from the MFS XML repository. |
| US07783718B2 |
Locating services using compiled scopes
In a computing environment incorporating multiple computing systems capable of intercommunication, a computing system assists in locating a service offered by other computing system(s). For instance, upon receiving a query that represents a scope of a service to be located, the scope represented in the query may be compared with compiled scope information, each scope compiled using different matching rules. The provider of the service may then be located based on the comparison. The service provider may then be identified. |
| US07783717B1 |
System and method for a web service client framework
An application server may include a Web service client having a service endpoint interface. The service endpoint interface may expose a method of a Web service to the Web service client. The Web service client may also include a logical port to define a configuration of the service endpoint interface. |
| US07783716B2 |
Systems and methods for implementing content sensitive routing over a wide area network (WAN)
Systems and methods for optimizing storage network functionality. The methods and systems of the present invention are particularly useful for optimizing storage network performance for cases in which some components of the network may be separated by significant distances and/or which include communication links with relatively limited bandwidth. In certain aspects, the present invention provides methods and systems for implementing access to and management of geographically distributed storage resources through multiple peer-to-peer storage network array management functions (AMFs) that may also be geographically distributed. The methods and systems of the present invention, in certain aspects, provide geographically aware cache sharing, cache replication, cache coherence, traffic routing, redundancy group structure, source and destination selection, pre-fetching of data, message gathering and other useful features. |
| US07783715B2 |
Scheduled electronic mail deletions
A method of managing electronic mail messages in an email account includes displaying an open email message to a user on a display screen of a device. While the open email message is displayed to the user, intent of the user to perform an action that will result in closing the open email message is detected. In automatic response to detecting the intent of the user and before the action can be completed, a plurality of deletion options is presented to the user, from which the user selects one deletion option. A selection of one of the deletion options is received from the user. A deletion criterion is set for a given email message based on the selected deletion option and the action that will result in closing the open email message is completed, in automatic response to receiving the selection from the user. |
| US07783711B2 |
Electronic mail system with functionally for senders to control actions performed by message recipients
An e-mail system is disclosed that overcomes many deficiencies of, but is backward compatible with, existing e-mail systems. Embodiments of the system may include various features, including but not limited to: (1) secure transfer of e-mail messages, without the need for users to replace existing e-mail clients or to change e-mail addresses; (2) tracking of all actions performed in connection with an e-mail transmission; (3) the ability for a recipient to view information about an e-mail message, optionally including information about how other addressees have responded to it, before deciding whether to retrieve the e-mail message; (4) the aggregation of entire e-mail conversations into a single threaded view; (5) the ability to include both private and public messages in a single e-mail communication; (6) sender control over downstream actions performed in connection with an e-mail message; (7) flexible control over cryptographic methods used to encrypt emails messages for storage. |
| US07783707B2 |
Communication apparatus and method for providing broadcast communication using electronic mail
A communication terminal for providing broadcast communication using electronic mail via a network. The communication terminal includes a storing unit configured to store an entry including a mail address and a function mode corresponding to the mail address in an electronic directory, a determining unit configured to determine, based on the entry in the electronic directory, a function mode of a receiver communication terminal, and a transmitting unit configured to transmit image information in a form of broadcast mail to the receiver communication terminal when the determined function mode is a first mode, and to transmit image information in a form of individual mail to the receiver communication terminal when the determined function mode is a second mode. |
| US07783697B2 |
Method and apparatus creating network services
As supposed to the common hard coding method, the invention provides the ability to create a module/mechanism (a template) that produces code that may be utilized to create a web service. A template has a list of features, and a model (a run time model—RTM) and is utilized to create a model that generates an application or web service. An RTM declares the structure, functionality, and behavior of a web service application. Each feature can generate XML entities in a new RTM, and may obtain input to build an XML entity in a new RTM. Each feature may be processed sequentially and can modify any existing XML entities. Consequently, features can make changes to the entire existing application. In one embodiment, when a condition that may affect an application changes, the template may be utilized to regenerate the RTM to produce a new web service or XML document. |
| US07783695B1 |
Method and system for distributed rendering
A computerized method for rendering images includes receiving from a client a render job having an associated job profile, distributing the render job via a communications medium to at least one of a plurality of render servers based at least in part on the job profile, and rendering the render job. The method also includes forwarding the rendered render job to a network storage system for retrieval by the client. |
| US07783694B2 |
Identification of relevant metrics
A method and system for identifying relevant metrics among metrics that are measured to determine conformance with a service level agreement. The method includes selecting two sets of points, each set representing a given number of measurements for an individual metric and setting a separate threshold for each of the sets of points. The threshold values are selected to produce a set of quadrants so as to maximize distribution of points of intersection of each of the sets of points between a second quadrant and a fourth quadrant in a four-quadrant graph. The method can be performed on a computer system. |
| US07783693B2 |
Reconfigurable circuit
A reconfigurable circuit is provided, which includes a first arithmetic unit that performs addition or subtraction of a first input data and a second input data and outputs output data, and a first selector that selects an output data of the first arithmetic unit or a third input data and outputs the selected one as the first input data to the first arithmetic unit. |
| US07783692B1 |
Fast flag generation
A method and circuit for fast flag generation. The circuit is coupled to receive data to be shifted, the data including a first plurality of bits. A shift count value (including a second plurality of bits) is also received by the circuit, as well as an indication of a direction the data is to be shifted. Based on the shift count value and the indication of direction, the position of a bit within the data is determined. The bit is then output as a flag bit. |
| US07783686B2 |
Application program interface to manage media files
An application program interface to manage media files may be described. An apparatus may comprise a media processing sub-system having a processor and a memory. The memory may store an application program interface software library having multiple software objects. The processor may execute the software objects in response to application program interface commands in order to manage a virtual file comprising a hierarchy of name-value pairs used to store media content from multiple media streams. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07783685B2 |
Information recording/reproducing apparatus, information recording/reproducing method, program storage medium, and program
An information recording/reproducing apparatus is disclosed which includes: a recording section for recording files to a storage medium; an arranging section for arranging the files into groups by attribute so as to establish allocation of the files on the storage medium; and a controlling section for controlling the recording section so as to record the files to the storage medium based on the allocation established by the arranging section and to record concurrently allocation information reflecting the allocation to a predetermined location on the storage medium. |
| US07783682B1 |
Probabilistic summary data structure based encoding for garbage collection in backup systems
A method and apparatus for different embodiments of probabilistic summary data structure based encoding for garbage collection are described. In one embodiment, a method comprises generating a probabilistic summary data structure that represents active blocks of data within a storage device based on identifications of the active blocks or the data within the active blocks. The method also includes performing garbage collection of at least a portion of the storage device based on the probabilistic summary data structure. |
| US07783678B2 |
Method for automating software manufacturing process based on user interface form design, and computer readable medium recording computer executable instruction for performing the same
A method for automating a software manufacturing process based on user interface form design designs a user interface form and then automates a manufacturing process to produce business program in a reverse order. This method includes generating a user interface form for business program including item name display section, data input section, and function-discernible event buttons, as graphic-user interface; allowing an interface form designer to designate DB name and table name; analyzing each interface form and automatically extracting field design information of table based on the item name and size of the data input section; generating ERD referring to the field design information and the table name, as graphic interface; automatically composing and executing SQL statement referring to the field structure to generate physical database; and automatically composing SQL statement executed in linkage with operation of the event button and linking the SQL statement to the event button. |
| US07783666B1 |
Controlling access to storage resources by using access pattern based quotas
An apparatus and a method that limits a user's access to data of the storage system based on an access quota. The method may include determining an access pattern of data access requests to storage resources by a user, and comparing the access pattern of the user against an access quota, as defined by an access policy. Based on the comparison, if the user's access to the storage resources has exceeded the access quota, the storage system can limit access to the user to the storage resources. |
| US07783664B2 |
Method and system for protecting the consistency of information in a distributed file system
Disclosed are “black-box leases” that protect information consistency and that allow for information sharing in a distributed file system while hiding from a client information about other clients' use of the file system. This information hiding also allows greater concurrency because changes to the file system are permitted as long as they do not affect the leases as observed by the clients. For each data field protected by a black-box lease, a client has a two-value data structure: SelfValue represents the client's intended use of the data field, and OtherValue is an aggregation of the other clients' intended uses of that data field. Knowing only this aggregate OtherValue, but without knowing any specifics of the other clients' usage patterns, the client knows how it may use the data field without adversely affecting the consistency of data in the distributed file system. |
| US07783662B2 |
Federated information management
A method for management of federated information in associated knowledge systems. The method includes maintaining a data structure, the data structure including associative metadata that correlates a plurality of substantive knowledge entities from a plurality of disparate knowledge bases; monitoring the substantive knowledge entities for an access-limiting event; determining the access-limiting event on at least one of the substantive knowledge entities; and responsive to determining the access-limiting event, adding to the associative metadata a persistent audit enhancement indicative of the access-limiting event, the persistent audit enhancement including a timestamp. The access-limiting event may include deletion of a substantive knowledge entity, enacting more restrictive access permissions for a substantive knowledge entity, and copying of a substantive knowledge entity to a more restrictive access area. |
| US07783659B2 |
Method and system for assessing and refining the quality of web services definitions
A system and method of assessing and refining quality of Web services (WSDL) definitions for enabling automatic discovery and matching thereof, which includes normalizing definition elements and identifying at least one element as being at least one of cryptic, ambiguous, and unclear to provide a normalization output, assessing a quality of the at least one definition element based on the normalization output, classifying the identified at least one definition element into at least one predetermined category, and providing a quality assessment output, and automatically generating a recommendation for changing at least one definition element based on at least one of the normalization output and the quality assessment output, thereby enabling automatic discovery and matching thereof. |
| US07783657B2 |
Search authoring metrics and debugging
A search authoring tool for mapping queries to assets for use in an information retrieval system has a query-to-asset mappings database, a search authoring engine, and a search evaluation engine. The query-to-asset mappings database is built from search author input and user mappings. The search authoring engine is adapted to receive operator input and to generate one or more new query-to-asset mappings based on the received operator input. The search evaluation engine is adapted to compare the one or more new query-to-asset mappings to the existing mappings to determine if the one or more new query-to-asset mappings will cause performance degradation of the information retrieval system. |
| US07783656B2 |
Accessing objects in a service registry and repository using a treat as function
A service registry and repository method for managing an object database for objects. The method includes receiving a database path query expression including both a main expression and a treat-as expression. The method also includes translating the query expression into an object query and querying the object database using the object query. In particular, the translating includes breaking the expression into nodes, examining each node to identify objects for selection and from which selection is made, consolidating objects for selection from each node in the sub-expression into a sub-SELECT clause, consolidating objects for selection in each node of the main expression into a SELECT clause, consolidating objects from which selection is made from nodes in the sub-query into a sub-FROM clause, consolidating objects from which selection is made from nodes in the main query into a FORM clause, and forming the object query from the SELECT, FROM and WHERE clauses. |
| US07783655B2 |
Processing data records
Among other things, a user is enabled to identify arbitrary data records of interest that belong to a file of data records that are expressed in an arbitrary format. Pre-generated information about the records of the file is used to enable a user to view a portion of the arbitrary data records that a machine is capable of displaying at one time. The amount of time required to enable the user to view the portion after the data records of interest have been identified is essentially independent of the number of records in the file. The file and the pre-generated information about the records of the file are each too large to be stored, as a whole, in a memory that is used by the machine in accessing the arbitrary data records in response to the user's identification of records of interest. |
| US07783654B1 |
Multiple string searching using content addressable memory
A method and apparatus for multiple string searching using a ternary content addressable memory. For one embodiment, the method includes selecting character groups from an input text string in a temporal sequence, each character group having more than one character. A first character group of the character groups is compared with a plurality of character fields and a current state of a state machine is compared with a plurality of states of the state machine that correspond to the plurality of character fields to identify information indicative of a subsequent state of the state machine. Comparison of the first character group with the plurality of sets of character fields is repeated if the information indicative of the subsequent state of the state machine indicates that a terminal number of characters of a desired character pattern has been located and that the terminal number of characters is fewer than the number of characters in the first character group. |
| US07783646B2 |
System, method, and computer readable media for identifying and rating virtual universe objects
A system, a method, and a computer readable media for identifying and rating a VU object in a virtual universe are provided. The method includes displaying first and second VU objects in a region of the virtual universe on a display device at a first time for a first user. The method further includes identifying the second VU object which modifies a view of the first VU object. The method further includes inputting first rating information associated with the second VU object that identifies a user perception of the second VU object. The method further includes inputting user view preference information indicating rating information for selecting VU objects to be displayed in the region of the virtual universe to the first user. The method further includes displaying the first VU object in the region of the virtual universe on the display device for the first user at a second time after the first time, while not displaying the second VU object based on both the first rating information associated with the second VU object, and the rating information of the user view preference information. |
| US07783644B1 |
Query-independent entity importance in books
A corpus contains information including text from books and metadata about the books. The book texts mention entities of various types, such as location, date, event, and person entities. An entity importance engine analyzes the information in the corpus to identify the entities mentioned therein, and ranks the entities using query-independent importance scores. The importance scores can be based in part on the contexts in which the entities are mentioned by the books. A presentation engine enables searching of the corpus to identify books satisfying a search query. The presentation engine presents information about a designated book. Entities mentioned in the book are presented in a style selected to enhance comprehension and utility. For example, location entities can be presented on a map with markers showing the locations of the entities. The number of entities presented are limited and ordered based on the query-independent importance scores. |
| US07783633B2 |
Display of results of cross language search
An improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions displaying search results. A query is received in a first language. A snippet in the document containing the word is selected in response to identifying a document in a second language in which the document contains a word matching a query word in the query. This snippet is translated into the first language. |
| US07783630B1 |
Tuning of relevancy ranking for federated search
Determining a relevancy ranking score is disclosed. An indication is received that a relevancy ranking score algorithm is to be tuned to a selected preference. The relevancy ranking score algorithm is updated based at least in part on the selected preference, wherein the relevancy ranking score of a search result resulting from a search query is based at least in part on one or more constraints of the search query. |
| US07783625B2 |
Using data in materialized query tables as a source for query optimization statistics
Data in materialized query tables (MQTs) are used as statistics for determining the optimal execution plan for a query. When an MQT is defined, it is examined to determine whether its data provides statistics for determining an optimal execution plan for a query. If so, then the MQT is identified, in the RDBMS, as a source for statistics. Information needed to exploit the MQT data as statistics is cataloged in the RDBMS. This information includes a characterization of the type of statistics provided by the MQT, the table and column distributions represented by those statistics, and a query for later retrieving relevant data from the MQT during the query optimization process. When a query is accepted for execution, the cataloged relevant information about MQTs is examined to determine whether an MQT exists that provides statistics relevant to optimization of the query. If such an MQT exists, then the relevant data is retrieved from the MQT using the cataloged query. Using the retrieved statistics, an optimal execution plan may be determined for the query. |
| US07783619B2 |
Methods and software for analysis of research publications
In one aspect, the invention comprises a computer system for searching databases and displaying search results, comprising databases storing information regarding publications and authors comprising author, title, date of publication, cited references, and citing references data; and Internet servers in communication with those databases; wherein at least one of those Internet servers is in communication with and operable to transmit data to a Web browser resident on a user's computer, and wherein the data is sufficient to enable the browser to display a citation overview page comprising: (a) a list of one or more titles of publications or names of authors, and (b) one or more displayed numerals representing how many publications in one or more specified categories cite to each of the publications, or, for author names, how many publications in one or more specified categories cite to publications on which those names are listed as authors. |
| US07783618B2 |
Application server (AS) database with class of service (COS)
Systems, methodologies, media, and other embodiments associated with provisioning an internet protocol (IP) multimedia core network subsystem (IMS) are described. One exemplary system embodiment includes logic for provisioning an IMS application server (AS) database with AS data and logic for provisioning an IMS user database with user data. The exemplary system embodiment may also include logic for provisioning an IMS initial filter criteria (IFC) database with data that relates a user to an AS based, at least in part, on an AS class of service (COS) identifier. |
| US07783611B1 |
System and method for managing file metadata during consistency points
A system and method for enabling write operations to files undergoing write allocation is provided. The system and method generate a shadow state entry of metadata associated with an inode of the file upon receipt of a write operation. During the write allocation process for the inode, the shadow state information is merged with the data stored in the inode to be written to disk. |
| US07783609B2 |
Storing information in otherwise unused space in VTOC and VVDS for recovery of data
When a VTOC and a VVDS are established for information used to access data sets of a volume, unused space remains in both structures. The data sets, VTOC and VVDS are stored on a recordable medium. For VSAM data sets, other, vital information about the data set is also stored in the VTOC; for non-VSAM data sets, vital information about the data set is also stored in the VVDS. If the VOTC entry of a non-VSAM data set becomes corrupted, the vital information in the VVDS may be used to access the stored data set. Similarly, If the VVDS entry of a VSAM data set becomes corrupted, the vital information in the VTOC may be used to access the stored data set. |
| US07783607B2 |
Decentralized record expiry
A technique is described that reduces the complexity and resource consumption associated with performing record expiry in a distributed database system. In accordance with the technique, a record is checked to see if it has expired only when it has been accessed for a read or a write. If at the time of a read a record is determined to have expired, then it is not served. If at the time of a write a record is determined to have expired, then the write is treated as an insertion of a new record, and steps are taken to treat the insertion consistently with regard to the previous expired version. A background process is used to delete records that have not been written to or actively deleted by a client after expiration. |
| US07783600B1 |
Redundancy management service for peer-to-peer networks
A system for a redundancy management service for peer-to-peer (P2P) networks includes one or more processors and memory coupled to the processors. The memory stores program instructions executable by the processors to receive a request at a device to upload a data object from the device into a P2P network. In response to receiving the request, the instructions are executable to identify a redundancy manager associated with the device and to transmit the data object to the redundancy manager. In addition, the instructions are executable to upload, from the redundancy manager to one or more target devices of the P2P network, a plurality of data blocks derived from the data object, such that the data object may be recovered from a subset of the plurality of data blocks. |
| US07783598B1 |
Avoiding frozen-volume write penalties
Methods of operating a computer storage system where an identical copy of a mirror source filesystem is maintained on a mirror destination storage volume managed by a mirror destination server. A modification to the mirror source filesystem is planned and executed, and a corresponding change to the mirror destination filesystem is accomplished by storing data directly to the mirror destination storage volume, bypassing filesystem logic that interprets the data stored on the volume. Systems that implement these methods are also described. |
| US07783596B2 |
System and method for an immutable identification scheme in a large-scale computer system
Systems and/or methods for storing and/or retrieving assets in connection with an extremely large scale computer storage system are provided. An asset catalog may comprise a plurality of asset catalog entries stored according to at least one schema and corresponding to a plurality of assets. A storage architecture may be capable of storing the plurality of assets, with the storage architecture comprising a storage locator and a federator. An item identification scheme may be capable of providing identifiers to reference, locate, and/or access said assets and/or said asset catalog entries stored in the asset catalog in the storage architecture. The computer storage system may be scalable essentially without limitation while maintaining asset storage and retrieval flexibility and substantially obsolescence-proof survivability of assets. |
| US07783595B2 |
Mobile communication terminal for downloading contents and method thereof
A mobile communication terminal for downloading contents and a method thereof. The mobile communication terminal comprises: a memory for storing at least one multimedia data to be outputted while downloading contents; a controller for outputting at least one control signal to control an output of the stored multimedia data when prediction time for downloading the contents is more than a preset time; and at least one output device for outputting the stored multimedia data based on the outputted control signal. |
| US07783594B1 |
System and method for enabling individuals to select desired audio
Audio item(s) that may be of interest to a user can be selected from a larger collection of audio items. The audio items of interest may be identified by concurrently generating audio from each item in the collection. The audio generated from individual items in the collection may be generated such that the audio is audibly and selectably differentiable from the audio generated from other items in the collection. A user-input may be detected that corresponds to a selection of a subset of the audio items. A user-input may be detected that modifies characteristics of the audio presentation in space and/or volume. A correlation between the input and the selected audio may be made through characteristics that are incorporated into the selected audio when that audio is made distinguishable. |
| US07783585B2 |
Data processing device, data processing method, and program
A data processing device for processing time-sequence data includes a learning unit for performing self-organizing learning of a SOM (self-organization map) making up a hierarchical SOM in which a plurality of SOMs are connected so as to construct a hierarchical structure, using, as SOM input data which is input to the SOM, a time-sequence of node information representing a winning node of a lower-order SOM which is at a lower hierarchical level from the SOM. |
| US07783582B2 |
Bayesian-network-based method and system for detection of clinical-laboratory errors using synthetic errors
Embodiments of the present invention include methods and systems for analyzing clinical-laboratory results and data in order to detect erroneous clinical-laboratory results. Embodiments of the present invention employ Bayesian networks and modified Bayesian networks that are constructed using cleaned clinical-laboratory results into which various types of synthetic errors have been introduced and that are optimized using different, cleaned clinical-laboratory results into which synthetic errors have been introduced. |
| US07783580B2 |
Control method combining fuzzy logic control with sliding mode control for ideal dynamic responses
The invention provides a novel control method combining fuzzy logic control with gain auto-tuning sliding mode control. A control error signal e(t) from the detection mechanism and an error change signal ce(t) are combined together as a sliding variable s(t)=ce(t)+λe(t) and used as the fuzzy input control variable. Using the control method, 2D fuzzy control rule is simplified into 1D fuzzy control rule through the sliding variable definition for enhancing the efficiency of computation and saving computation resources. Accordingly, both the quick transient response and steady state precision positioning can be achieved. The present method can overcome the disadvantages of current controller, which can not reach the desired transient and steady state responses simultaneously. |
| US07783578B2 |
System for providing cardless payment
The method and system of the invention provide a variety of techniques for using a selected alias and a selected personal identification entry (PIE) in conjunction with use of a transaction card, such as a credit card, debit card or stored value card, for example. A suitable number or other identification parameter is selected by the account-holder as an alias. The account-holder is then required to choose a PIE for security purposes. The alias is linked to the account-holder's credit card number via a database. When the account-holder enters into a transaction with a merchant, the physical card need not be present. The account-holder simply provides his or her alias and then the PIE. This can be done at any point of sale such as a store, catalog telephone order, or over the Internet. The alias and PIE are entered and authorization is returned from the credit card company. |
| US07783577B2 |
Information service method, information service unit, recording or reproducing controlling method, and recording and/or reproducing unit
Unique identification information is prerecorded on a disc. The identification information is registered to a server along with user's license when he or she buys the disc. When an terminal unit reproduces data from the disc, identification information is read and transmitted to the server through the Internet. The server creates a key that controls to reproduce data from the disc in accordance with the license identified by the identification information and transmits the key to the terminal unit along with the user's license information for the disc. The terminal unit controls to reproduce contents of the disc in accordance with key and license information transmitted from the server. The license for each disc is managed in accordance with the identification information. Thus, different services can be provided for individual discs. |
| US07783572B2 |
Apparatus and method for downloading configuration data to card terminals and for viewing activity at card terminals
Downloading configuration data to program card terminals and providing real-time data of activity occurring at card terminals. A merchant can log on to a system server and enter information to program options for its card terminals such as via a web page on an Internet site. The system server formats the information into a file based upon a communication protocol and programming rules for the card terminal, and downloads the file to it as a data stream. The card terminal programs itself according to the configuration data. A merchant can also view data for activity occurring at its card terminals, possibly in real-time proximate to detection of the activity by the system server. In conjunction with processing transactions or other activity from the card terminals, the system server replicates the records for the activity and makes them available to merchants such as via a web page on an Internet site. Both the entry of configuration data and viewing of real-time activity can occur at a network connection remote from the card terminals, allowing the merchants to program the card terminals and view their activity at any location having network access. |
| US07783569B2 |
System and method for consumer control over card-based transactions
A system and method for consumer control over card-based transactions and associated accounts. An interface is provided between a merchant or the merchant's bank and the bank or banks at which the consumer has accounts for card-based transactions. The interface acts as an intermediary which is accessible to the consumer so that the consumer may place a variety of controls on card-based transactions. For example, multiple transaction cards may be linked to a single credit account with each card having a different credit limit. As another example, each transaction card may be restricted to a particular merchant. As yet another example, a consumer may link several credit and/or debit accounts to a single transaction card; the consumer may pre-select criteria to be utilized for directing charges for a particular transaction to be applied the different accounts. The consumer may access the interface via a web site or a telephone for making changes and receiving account information. Flexibility and control over the use of transaction cards is, therefore, provided for card-based transactions and for debit and credit accounts used in connection with such card-based transactions. |
| US07783562B1 |
Credit risk managing loan pools
A system providing a comprehensive tool useful in credit risk managing a set of loans. The system includes a method for obtaining an estimated financial outcome, i.e., a gain or a loss, for a particular loan, and applying the estimated loss for to the set. The system also includes a method for obtaining a probability of a loss for a particular loan, and applying the probability of loss to the set. The system further includes the generation of a list of loans from the set of loans with a heightened risk of loss. |
| US07783560B2 |
Credit event fixings
Disclosed are methods and systems for transacting credit derivatives. The methods and systems allow for the calculation of the final cash settlement prices for credit derivatives following a credit event, such as a corporate bankruptcy. |
| US07783559B1 |
System and method for providing market updates in an electronic trading environment
A system and method are provided for modifying how market updates are provided in an electronic trading environment upon detecting one or more triggering events. One example method includes defining an event to be used to trigger modification of how market updates are provided to a client entity, receiving a market update from an electronic exchange, and, when the event is detected, modifying how the market update is provided to the client entity. As an example, the modification of how the market update is provided to the client entity may include providing less data in relation to market updates, and sending the market updates less frequently. |
| US07783558B1 |
System and method for providing market updates in an electronic trading environment
A system and method are provided for modifying how market updates are provided in an electronic trading environment upon detecting one or more triggering events. One example method includes defining an event to be used to trigger modification of how market updates are provided to a client entity, receiving a market update from an electronic exchange, and, when the event is detected, modifying how the market update is provided to the client entity. As an example, the modification of how the market update is provided to the client entity may include providing less data in relation to market updates, and sending the market updates less frequently. |
| US07783557B2 |
Computer-implemented display to facilitate trading in multi-modal freight shipment derivatives
A system that facilitates freight shipment between a first geographic location and a second geographic location is disclosed. The system includes computer hardware and computer software readable by the computer hardware for displaying a browser window. The browser window is accessible via a computer network. The browser window includes a first data section configured to display derivative contract data pertaining to shipment capacity offered by carriers between the first geographic location and the second geographic location, the derivative contract data being associated with at least two of a air mode, a sea mode, a train mode, and a truck mode. The browser window also includes a second data section configured to be viewed simultaneously with the first data section, the second data section displaying forecast data provided by shippers and pertaining to demand forecasts between the first geographic location and the second geographic location. |
| US07783553B2 |
Article of manufacture for managing retirement and other investments that use an asset accumulation strategy
An article of manufacture is provided to make decisions regarding funding additional contributions to an investment that is funded using an asset accumulation strategy. A data processor automatically determines an absolute value of a compound average annual rate of return of the investment for a plurality of successive time instances, and an absolute value of an internal rate of return of the investment for a plurality of successive time instances. The data processor then identifies a first time instance when the absolute value of the compound average annual rate of return of the investment exceeds the absolute value of the internal rate of return of the investment. Another article of manufacture identifies a first time instance when the compound average annual rate of return of the investment exceeds the internal rate of return of the investment and when a total return is greater than zero. Another article of manufacture identifies a first time instance when the net present value of the investment is less than zero and the total return is greater than zero. The first time instance represents the time in which it is recommended that funding of additional contributions to the investment should be stopped. The data processor then outputs a message recommending that funding of additional contributions to the investment should be stopped upon identifying the first time instance. |
| US07783548B1 |
Performance based auto loans
Disclosed are systems and methods for providing a loan having an interest rate and a loan period. The systems and methods dynamically adjust the interest rate during the loan period based on actual payment performance of a borrower, thereby resulting in an improved reward structure, greater borrower loyalty and an improved experience for the borrower. |
| US07783543B2 |
Financial activity based on natural peril events
A financial activity network includes a central managing system connected to a plurality of participant terminals. Rules governing operation of the financial activity are stored for future reference. A participant provides investment information such as a map location for the predicted strike by the natural peril event and, optionally, one or more secondary parameters relating to the natural peril event, such as the time interval between the time of investment and the time of an event strike and/or the severity of the event strike according to an established scale. In one example, an external objective independent information source is consulted, with the external objective independent information source providing monitoring, interpretation and derived determination of parameters pertaining to the natural peril event. Methods and articles of manufacture are also disclosed. |
| US07783538B1 |
Method for equitably distributing a plurality of instruments between a plurality of accounts
A plurality of instruments are equitably distributed between a plurality of accounts. One implementation includes: calculating an overall average value for the instruments, and determining the best allocation for the instruments by iteratively distributing the instruments in the accounts and evaluating the errors between the accounts and the average instrument value for each allocation. Another implementation includes sorting the accounts into a first group having an account average instrument value greater than the overall average instrument value, a second group having an account average instrument value less than the overall average instrument value, and a third group where the values are equal. Then, improved distributions are attempted by exchanging instruments between accounts in the first group and accounts in the second group. The process is iterative until all possible instrument combinations between the first group and the second group have been tried and no further improvements can be made. |
| US07783530B2 |
Parking reservation systems and related methods
Parking reservation systems and methods for a parking lot having a plurality of individual parking spaces include an electronic database of an inventory of available parking spaces; and at least one processor in communication with the electronic database. The processor can be configured to: (a) accept user input regarding a request for a reserved parking space; (b) automatically reserve a parking space for a patron upon receipt of a payment therefor; (c) generate a confirmation of the reservation for the patron; and (d) automatically adjust the database of the inventory of available spaces based on the reservation. Other systems and methods are configured to identify parking lots with vacancies in a geographical region of interest. |
| US07783528B2 |
System and method for generating an alternative product recommendation
A method and system for automatically generating a naturally reading narrative product summary including assertions about a selected product. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of determining at least one attribute associated with the selected product, selecting an alternative product, retrieving assertion models to describe the product and to recommend an alternative product in a natural manner, and generating a naturally reading narrative by combining the attribute and the selected alternative product with the retrieved assertion models such that the generated narrative includes a recommendation of the selected alternative product. A system is provided for implementing the described method. |
| US07783517B2 |
Systems, methods, and devices for selling transaction instruments via web-based tool
The present invention generally relates to a system and method for distributing a transaction instrument. The system includes the steps of: offering for sale, in a retail environment, the transaction instrument; selling a selected transaction instrument; communicating with the issuer of the transaction instrument via an internet accessible web site, and enabling the use of the transaction instrument. The transaction instrument may be, for example, an open pre-paid card. The distribution of the transaction instrument may also include the step of sending a message, through the web site, in substantially real time, causing the pre-paid transaction instrument to be funded but not activated until later through an interactive voice response system, for example. In another example, an associated transaction account may be funded and activated at the time of distribution. Furthermore, an issuer system may be suitably configured to leverage existing Travelers Cheque infrastructure for inventory and related processes. |
| US07783513B2 |
Business performance and customer care quality measurement
An apparatus includes a plurality of storable representations of interactions between an agent of a business and customers, wherein the business is located in a first geographic area. A storage device in communication with the first geographic area is configured to receive and store the storable representations wherein the storable representations are capable of being analyzed at high frequency for service quality in the second geographic area by an analyst. The second geographic area is subject to a geographic wage attenuator. Report data is generated and fed back to the agent; the report data represents the quality of service rendered by the agent to the customers. An agent can be informed of at least one agent performance element that was well performed and at least one agent performance element that could be performed even better. |
| US07783508B2 |
Method and system for refining vending operations based on wireless data
A system coupled to one or more vending machines, such as soft drink vending machines, via a wireless data link can acquire operational vending data, for example sales data, hardware status, and product temperature. The system can compile data from multiple vending machines dispersed across a geographic area such as a city or state. The system can include software that refines the vending operations of one or more such vending machines based on analysis of acquired data, taking into consideration other information such as market, business, seasonal, or environmental factors. Refining vending operations can include adjusting product offerings, relocating vending machines, replicating favorable conditions, and addressing unexpected sales variations. |
| US07783507B2 |
System and method for managing a fleet of remote assets
Method and system for managing a plurality of remote assets, such as a fleet mobile assets is provided. The method allows for collecting data regarding each of a plurality of remote assets. The collected data is used to develop historical information regarding actual usage of each remote asset. The information is distributed via a global information network. |
| US07783506B2 |
System and method for managing reservation requests for one or more inventory items
A system and method for managing reservation requests for one or more inventory items are provided. A user reservation request is obtained and processed to identify inventory data matching the reservation request. Reservation transaction, reservation items and reservation inventory records are generated corresponding to the user reservation request. If the transaction can be completed, a confirmation is sent to the user and a notification is sent to a supplier. |
| US07783501B2 |
Substantiation process for flexible spending accounts or similar accounts where electronic benefit cards are used
A method of transaction approval and substantiation employing accumulator logic for medical, dental, and vision claims. For example, a health care plan member may utilize an electronic payment card to pay for various health care related expenses where that electronic payment card is deducting from that member's flexible spending account, health reimbursement arrangement, or other such accounts. For substantiation of a card transaction, in addition to copay matching, paid claim matching, and recurring transaction matching for medical, dental, and vision claims, the method of the current invention further employs accumulator logic processing where the transaction is substantiated if the card swipe amount for that transaction is less than or equal to the sum in an accumulator for the previously paid claims in the appropriate medical, dental, or vision claim area. |
| US07783499B2 |
Framework for dynamic composition of web services
A framework for Web services integration can include a Web services integrator having a scheduler coupled to a control. The control can have a coupling to a consumer preferences repository. The scheduler, by comparison, can have couplings both to a state data repository and also to a service activation repository. Finally, the framework can include an interface to the Web service integrator. Notably, an agenda can be disposed within the scheduler. Moreover, a collection of service activation rules can be disposed within the service activation repository. The framework yet further can include a collection of service requestor preferences disposed within the consumer preferences repository. Finally, the framework can include service request state data disposed within the state data repository. |
| US07783498B2 |
Electronic guide information processing system, information distributing apparatus, portable terminal apparatus, and method for processing electronic guide information
An electronic guide information processing system includes: an information distributing apparatus 19 for converting the guide information D1 into electronic guide information, and then distributing the resultant data; and a portable terminal apparatus 14 for recording and reproducing the electronic guide information distributed from the information distributing apparatus 19. The electronic guide information D1 is visually displayed or/and audibly output in the portable terminal apparatus 14. Due to this structure, the information user can obtain the guide information about customers attracting facility in the form of electronic guide information D1, instead of in the form of conventional paper materials such as guidebooks and guide maps. Besides, by employing a system in which the electronic guide information D1 is distributed through broadcasting or communication infrastructure, the information user can easily and timely obtain the guide information about the customers attracting facility before he or she actually visits there. |
| US07783497B2 |
Method of adaptive browsing for digital content
Providing adaptive visual browsing of digital content may be accomplished by presenting a scrolling ticker on a display for browsing of digital content available for viewing by a user of a processing system, the ticker having a plurality of items, each item including an image representing at least one of a content title and a content service provider; receiving a user input selection from a remote control device operated by the user, the user input selection selecting one of the ticker items to indicate the user's interest in the selected item; and changing at least one of the items in the ticker to another item in response to the user input selection, wherein the other item has metatags similar to or related to metatags of the selected item. |
| US07783494B2 |
Time slot position coding
Spatial information associated with an audio signal is encoded into a bitstream, which can be transmitted to a decoder or recorded to a storage media. The bitstream can include different syntax related to time, frequency and spatial domains. In some embodiments, the bitstream includes one or more data structures (e.g., frames) that contain ordered sets of slots for which parameters can be applied. The data structures can be fixed or variable. The data structure can include position information that can be used by a decoder to identify the correct slot for which a given parameter set is applied. The slot position information can be encoded with either a fixed number of bits or a variable number of bits based on the data structure type. |
| US07783489B2 |
Audio identification system and method
A method and system for direct audio capture and identification of the captured audio. A user may then be offered the opportunity to purchase recordings directly over the Internet or similar outlet. The system preferably includes one or more user-carried portable audio capture devices that employ a microphone, analog to digital converter, signal processor, and memory to store samples of ambient audio or audio features calculated from the audio. Users activate their capture devices when they hear a recording that they would like to identify or purchase. Later, the user may connect the capture device to a personal computer to transfer the audio samples or audio feature samples to an Internet site for identification. The Internet site preferably uses automatic pattern recognition techniques to identify the captured samples from a library of recordings offered for sale. The user can then verify that the sample is from the desired recording and place an order online. The pattern recognition process uses features of the audio itself and does not require the presence of artificial codes or watermarks. Audio to be identified can be from any source, including radio and television broadcasts or recordings that are played locally. |
| US07783488B2 |
Remote tracing and debugging of automatic speech recognition servers by speech reconstruction from cepstra and pitch information
Methods and systems are provided for remote tuning and debugging of an automatic speech recognition system. Trace files are generated on-site from input speech by efficient, lossless compression of MFCC data, which is merged with compressed pitch and voicing information and stored as trace files. The trace files are transferred to a remote site where human-intelligible speech is reconstructed and analyzed. Based on the analysis, parameters of the automatic speech recognition system are remotely adjusted. |
| US07783486B2 |
Response generator for mimicking human-computer natural language conversation
The present invention is an autonomous response engine and method that can more successfully mimic a human conversational exchange. In an exemplary, preferred embodiment of the invention, the response engine has a statement-response database that is autonomously updated, thus enabling a database of significant size to be easily created and maintained with current information. The response engine autonomously generates natural language responses to natural language queries by following one of several conversation strategies, by choosing at least one context element from a context database and by searching the updated statement-response data base for appropriate matches to the queries. |
| US07783484B2 |
Apparatus for reducing spurious insertions in speech recognition
Techniques for improving an automatic baseform generation system. More particularly, the invention provides techniques for reducing insertion of spurious speech events in a word or phone sequence generated by an automatic baseform generation system. Such automatic baseform generation techniques may be accomplished by enhancing the scores of long-lasting speech events with respect to the scores of short-lasting events. For example, this may be achieved by merging competing candidates that relate to the same speech event (e.g., phone or word) and that overlap in time into a single candidate, the score of which may be equal to the sum of the scores of the merged candidates. |
| US07783483B2 |
Speech processing apparatus and control method that suspend speech recognition
A speech processing apparatus includes a speech input device which inputs speech, a connection unit which detachably connects the speech input device, a speech recognizer which recognizes speech input by the speech input device through the connection unit, and a monitor which monitors the connection state of the speech input device at the connection unit, and when the connection state changes, outputs an event for notifying the change. The speech recognizer suspends speech recognition processing upon receiving the event from the monitor. |
| US07783480B2 |
Audio encoding apparatus, audio decoding apparatus, communication apparatus and audio encoding method
An audio encoding apparatus and the like are disclosed which can improve the sound quality of encoded audio signals even in a case of scalable CELP encoding the audio signals in sections that vary with time. In this apparatus, an enhancement layer extended adaptive codebook generating part (102) generates an extended adaptive codebook (d_enh_ext[i]) from both one frame of core layer drive sound source signals (exc_core[n]) received from a core layer CELP encoding part (101) and past enhancement layer drive sound source signals (exc_enh[n]) received from an adder (106), and further inputs the generated extended adaptive codebook (d_enh_ext[i]) to an enhancement layer extended adaptive codebook (103) for each of sub-frames. That is, the enhancement layer extended adaptive codebook generating part (102) updates the extended adaptive codebook (d_enh_ext[i]) for each of the sub-frames. |
| US07783476B2 |
Word extraction method and system for use in word-breaking using statistical information
A method, computer readable medium and system are provided which collect new words for addition to a lexicon for an agglutinative language. Sentences in the agglutinative language are retrieved from documents, for example from web pages. New word candidate character strings are identified in the retrieved sentences. The identified new word candidate character strings are filtered using a combination of a plurality of statistical criteria to generate a new words list. Words from the new words list are added to the lexicon. |
| US07783473B2 |
Sequence classification for machine translation
Classification of sequences, such as the translation of natural language sentences, is carried out using an independence assumption. The independence assumption is an assumption that the probability of a correct translation of a source sentence word into a particular target sentence word is independent of the translation of other words in the sentence. Although this assumption is not a correct one, a high level of word translation accuracy is nonetheless achieved. In particular, discriminative training is used to develop models for each target vocabulary word based on a set of features of the corresponding source word in training sentences, with at least one of those features relating to the context of the source word. Each model comprises a weight vector for the corresponding target vocabulary word. The weights comprising the vectors are associated with respective ones of the features; each weight is a measure of the extent to which the presence of that feature for the source word makes it more probable that the target word in question is the correct one. |
| US07783472B2 |
Document translation method and document translation device
A document translation method having extracting a term from a document, executing a substitute process and outputting the term in a predetermined manner. The process of executing a substitute process on the term is performed in a translating process when the term from the document matches a term predetermined by a user. The substitute process is corresponding to the term and predetermined by the user. |
| US07783461B2 |
Systems and methods for simulating vehicle operation
Systems for simulating vehicle operation include a computer having a pedal activation program, the pedal activation program comprising instructions for generating signals relating to operation of a vehicle from the computer to a pedal sensor output according to a predetermined driving profile. Methods for simulating vehicle operation include providing a computer having a pedal activation program, utilizing the pedal activation program to initiate output signals to a pedal sensor output relating to a vehicle condition and transmitting the output signals to an engine control unit to implement a driving profile programmable within the pedal activation program. |
| US07783460B1 |
Translating of geometric models into block diagrams
Methods and systems for translating models generated in one modeling environment into models that can be used in other modeling environments are disclosed. Models are created using different data formats in different modeling environments. These data formats are generally incompatible with each other. Therefore, the present invention provides a neutral data format that can store information relating to models generated in one modeling environment, and that can be used by other modeling environments to create their models. The present invention may export models created in one modeling environment into the neutral data format. The neutral data format may subsequently be imported into other modeling environments in which new models are generated using the information contained in the neutral data format. The present invention also provides animation of the newly generated models by animation clients via open animation interfaces that support multiple animation clients at a simultaneous time. |
| US07783459B2 |
Analog system for computing sparse codes
A parallel dynamical system for computing sparse representations of data, i.e., where the data can be fully represented in terms of a small number of non-zero code elements, and for reconstructing compressively sensed images. The system is based on the principles of thresholding and local competition that solves a family of sparse approximation problems corresponding to various sparsity metrics. The system utilizes Locally Competitive Algorithms (LCAs), nodes in a population continually compete with neighboring units using (usually one-way) lateral inhibition to calculate coefficients representing an input in an over complete dictionary. |
| US07783453B2 |
Method, computer program product, and system for rapid resultant estimation performance determination
The present invention provides a method, system and computer program product for rapidly determining a resultant in relation to a plurality of predetermined performance characteristics using a method for determining test values in exponential and binary processes which are sequentially and comparatively assessed in relation to one or more maximum performance constraints (MPC) of a set of predetermined performance characteristics. |
| US07783450B2 |
Method and system for reducing errors in vehicle weighing systems
A method and system (10, 23) for determining vehicle weight to a precision of <0.1%, uses a plurality of weight sensing elements (23), a computer (10) for reading in weighing data for a vehicle (25) and produces a dataset representing the total weight of a vehicle via programming (40-53) that is executable by the computer (10) for (a) providing a plurality of mode parameters that characterize each oscillatory mode in the data due to movement of the vehicle during weighing, (b) by determining the oscillatory mode at which there is a minimum error in the weighing data; (c) processing the weighing data to remove that dynamical oscillation from the weighing data; and (d) repeating steps (a)-(c) until the error in the set of weighing data is <0.1% in the vehicle weight. |
| US07783447B2 |
Chip handler with a buffer traveling between roaming areas for two non-colliding robotic arms
Two robotic arms roam in separate, non-overlapping areas of a test station, avoiding collisions. A traveling buffer moves along x-tracks between a front position and a back position. In the front position, a first robotic arm loads IC chips from an input tray or stacker into buffer cavities in the traveling buffer. The traveling buffer then moves along the x-tracks to the back position, where a second robotic arm moves chips from the traveling buffer to test boards for testing. After testing, the second robotic arm moves chips to a second traveling buffer, which then moves along tracks to a front position for unloading by the first robotic arm. Two traveling buffers may move on the same tracks in a loop. The buffer cavities in the traveling buffer move on internal tracks to expand and contract spacing and pitch between the front and back positions to match test-board pitch. |
| US07783444B2 |
Systems and methods of alternative overlay calculation
Methods and systems of alternative overlay calculation and of calculating overlay stability based on alternative overlay settings in a fabrication unit, and a computer readable medium are disclosed being capable of calculating alternative overlay error values based on alignment model parameters, alternative alignment model parameters, and overlay error values for a plurality of measurement positions. |
| US07783443B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and calibration Jig
When a calibration jig (50) which includes an image sensing device (100) is moved within the image sensing range of an image sensing device (200), the image coordinates of an index (110) on the image sensing device (100) in a plurality of images sensed by the image sensing device (200) are extracted. The image coordinates of environment allocation indices (300) in a plurality of images sensed by the image sensing device (100) are extracted. An information processing apparatus (1000) calculates camera parameters of the image sensing device (200) based on the extracted image coordinates of the index (110) and the environment allocation indices (300). |
| US07783433B2 |
Automated defect detection of corrosion or cracks using SAFT processed Lamb wave images
A system, method and computer program product is provided for automated defect detection of corrosion or cracks using synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT) processed Lamb wave images. The method comprises processing the first image using a synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT) to enhance a resolution and a signal to noise ratio of a first extracted ultrasonic image, applying a systemic background noise suppression algorithm to the first extracted ultrasonic image to render a second extracted ultrasonic image having reduced noise, and applying a deconvolution linear filtering process to the second extracted ultrasonic image to render a third extracted ultrasonic image. |
| US07783429B2 |
Peptide sequencing from peptide fragmentation mass spectra
The invention relates to a method of peptide sequencing from peptide fragment mass data, wherein a plurality of candidate peptide sequences are determined comprises the steps of: calculating peptide fragment masses, searching a plurality of peak data for masses matching said calculated peptide fragment masses, annotating all permutations of said peak data with amino acid sequences that correspond to the calculated peptide fragment masses, extending said potential sequences to resulting masses with additional matching masses, extending stepwise additions until the resulting masses correspond to parental peptide masses or said parental peptide masses minus the mass of water, and identifying at least one peptide sequence by deleting sequences that can not be extended to endpoints of said parental peptide masses, and deleting identical sequences generated. |
| US07783426B2 |
Driving support system
A driving support system for a vehicle being adaptable to both of a manual driving of which driving operation is under control of a driver and an automated driving of which automated driving operation is under one of a partial control and a full control of automation, the driving support system includes a detection function for detecting a surrounding condition of the vehicle and a traveling condition of the vehicle and an information provision function for providing driving support information based on the surrounding condition of the vehicle and the traveling condition of the vehicle detected by the detection means. The driving support information is provided by the information provision function when the conditions of the vehicle meet a predetermined criterion for information provision, and the information provision function uses different predetermined criterion for information provision in the manual driving and in the automated driving respectively. |
| US07783425B1 |
Integrity-optimized receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM)
An integrity monitoring method for an aircraft is disclosed. The integrity monitoring method includes determining a set of non-uniform weights. The non-uniform weights are based on a least squares approximation of a linearized measurement equation. The integrity monitoring method also includes applying the non-uniform weights in a receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM) system. Further, the integrity monitoring method includes determining a reduced integrity limit based on the output of the RAIM system. |
| US07783424B2 |
Navigation system having function of branch road guidance based on running road, and method thereof
Provided are a navigation system having a function of branch road guidance based on a running road, and a method thereof. The system includes a global positioning system (GPS) module, a map database (DB), a storage unit, a voice processor, and a controller. The GPS module measures a self position. The map DB stores map data comprising road information having a road guide code and an exit code. The storage unit stores road guide codes and exit codes for the running road and a branch road, and stores road guidance voice data, voice data on the branch road, and numeric voice data. The voice processor receives and combines the voice data, and generates and synthesizes branch road guidance voice data. The controller reads the road guide codes for the running road of the measured position and the branch road, and outputs the voice data. |
| US07783422B2 |
Navigation device and method of navigating vehicle
A navigation device includes a position detector, a controller, a display portion, an imaging portion and an image processor. The imaging portion images a forward view in front of the vehicle as a forward image from a predetermined distance before a guidance point. The image processor extracts and analyzes visual information of an on-road object from the forward image. The controller specifies a position of the on-road object based on the visual information and map information. The display portion displays and highlights an image of the on-road object at a true position in a road map image, when the position of the on-road object corresponds to the guidance point. |
| US07783419B2 |
Content display device and content display method
A meta data set correlated with position information is acquired from a server via a communication interface unit (202) or a broadcast interface unit (201). A current position information acquisition unit (208) acquires the current position information and a content processing unit (203) outputs a content list matched with the search condition including the current position information from the meta data set. When a display list is generated according to the content list, a content display control unit (204) compares the content list to the display list. When they coincide, the meta data generates a display list without changing the display method and displays the search result on a browser unit (205) according to the display list generated by the content display control unit (204). |
| US07783414B2 |
Hall effect pick-up with timing correction
A circuit and method for correcting signal timing. The circuit and method generate a first signal with a first phase that is out of phase with a periodic object, generate a voltage signal that corresponds to the frequency of the first signal and generate a second signal based on the first signal and the voltage signal, the second signal having a second phase that is substantially in phase with the periodic object. |
| US07783410B2 |
Engine process
A pressure surface is propelled within an engine chamber. Air is introduced into the chamber. The air in the chamber is compressed with the pressure surface. The compressed air is charged with fuel. The fuel is combusted to propel the pressure surface within the chamber. The air and the combusted fuel are exhausted from the chamber. A turbocharger is powered with the exhaust to compress air to an extremely high level, 20+ atmospheres. The air compressed by the turbocharger is passed into the chamber to propel the pressure surface in the chamber without additional fuel. Since compressing the high pressure air in the chamber would cancel the gains of the previous cycle and possibly damage the engine, this invention proposes to open the exhaust valve at the bottom of the intake stroke to relieve the excess pressure, close the exhaust valve and compress the remaining air in the cylinder. |
| US07783407B2 |
Method and device for monitoring the dilution of the lubricating oil by the fuel in an internal combustion engine
The invention relates to a method of determining the rate of dilution of the lubricating oil by the fuel in an internal combustion engine. The invention is characterized in that it comprises the following steps consisting in: marking either the lubricating oil or the fuel with a radioactive tracer, measuring the radioactivity of an oil sample using a detector that is sensitive to the radioactive radiation emitted by the radioactive tracer, and transmitting the results of the aforementioned measurements to a computer which uses said results in order to calculate the rate of dilution of the lubricating oil by the fuel. The invention also relates to a device which is used to implement said method, in particular a test bench for engines. |
| US07783405B2 |
Tire ground contact pattern specifying method and apparatus thereof
There is provided a tire ground contact pattern specifying method and an apparatus thereof for specifying a tire ground contact pattern usable to perform the stable control of a running vehicle. Using a sensor unit 100 mounted in each tire 2 of a vehicle 1, accelerations generated in X, Y and Z directions are sensed and at the same time, a low frequency noise component and high frequency noise component added to the Z axis direction acceleration signal are extracted. Digital values being the sensing result are transmitted as digital information to a monitor device 200 by radio wave. The monitor device 200 compares many pieces of tire ground contact pattern information preliminarily stored with the digital information to thereby specify a tire ground contact pattern. A stability control unit 700 performs, based on the acceleration values and the information on tire ground contact pattern obtained, the correction control of driving of a sub-throttle actuator 412 or a brake drive actuator 640. |
| US07783401B2 |
Method and device for managing tasks of in-vehicle electronic control unit
A method and device for managing a task upraised according to receiving a processing request of services in in-vehicle electronic control units are provided. The method and device include the steps of: allocating a plurality of services to one task and determining whether or not the task assigned with the service is in process of execution in receiving the processing request of the service; and upraising the task to process the service of the received processing request when determination is made that the task is not in process of execution in the determining step, and making the task in process of execution continuously process the service of the received processing request without newly upraising the task when determination is made that the task is in process of execution in the determining step. |
| US07783398B2 |
Program rewriting system and program rewriting method
Program data stored in the recording medium of a general control apparatus coupled to a network is stored in the recording medium of a control apparatus as a rewritten subject of program data in the following manner. First, program data stored in a recording medium contained within the general control apparatus is sent via the network of a vehicle to the recording medium of a second control apparatus as the rewritten subject of program data (see a path L1). In this case, the program data 21 stored in the recording medium contained in the general control apparatus for generally controlling the control apparatuses is sent to the network of the vehicle when it is determined to be optimum by the CPU 12c of the general control apparatus. The program data sent to the network of the vehicle is sent via the network of the vehicle to the second control apparatus as the rewritten subject of program data. Then, the second control apparatus as the rewritten subject of program data stores the program data sent via the network of the vehicle into the recording medium. |
| US07783397B2 |
Method and system for providing redundancy in railroad communication equipment
A railway communication system (10) includes a transmitter (12) receiving an input and producing a communication signal (18). The communication signal (18) includes at least two different portions (20,22) for separately encoding respective indications (38,40) of the input. The system also includes a receiver (14) coupled to a controlled device, the receiver (14) extracting at least one of the respective indications (38,40) from the communication signal (18). The receiver controls the device responsive to the at least one extracted indications (38,40). |
| US07783395B2 |
Stall detection
A control system for lift-generating unit, the control system comprising: detector unit for detecting at least one parameter from which stall may be calculated; scaling unit for determining a scale factor dependent on the or each detected parameter; and multiplier unit for multiplying an incoming lift demand signal by the scale factor to provide an outgoing lift demand signal. |
| US07783394B2 |
Method and device for constructing a low-altitude flight plan to be followed by an aircraft
The invention relates to a method and a device for constructing a low-altitude flight path to be followed by an aircraft. The device comprises a database including a terrain profile concerning the terrain to be flown over by the aircraft, a set of data sources, first unit for determining a lateral trajectory of the flight path, and second unit for determining a vertical trajectory of the flight path, the second unit being formed so as to determine the vertical trajectory during the aircraft flight, successively as the flight proceeds, segment by segment, and including an element for retrieving from the database a profile section, and an element for determining a vertical trajectory segment, using the retrieved profile section, based on the climb-out and let-down performances of the aircraft derived from the set of data sources. |
| US07783391B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling vehicle by teeth-clenching
An apparatus and method for controlling vehicle by teeth clenching are provided. The apparatus includes: an electromyogram signal obtaining unit including electromyogram sensors disposed at both sides for generating an electromyogram signal according to a predetermined muscle moved when a disabled person clenches teeth, and a ground electrode connected to a body of the disabled persons for providing a reference voltage; and a vehicle driving unit including a control command generating unit for generating a vehicle driving command according to the electromyogram signal by classifying the electromyogram signal based on a side of teeth clenched, a duration time for clenching teeth and a sequence of teeth clenching motions made by the disabled person, a control command interface for generating a predetermined level of voltage according to the created vehicle driving command, and a vehicle driving unit for driving the vehicle according to the generated voltage. |
| US07783383B2 |
Automated pharmacy admixture system (APAS)
In a preferred embodiment, an automated Pharmacy Admixture System (APAS) may include a manipulator system to transport medical containers such as bags, vials, or syringes in a compounding chamber regulated to a pressure below atmospheric pressure. In a preferred implementation, the manipulator system is configured to grasp and convey syringes, IV bags, and vials of varying shapes and sizes from a storage system in an adjacent chamber regulated at a pressure above atmospheric pressure. Various embodiments may include a controller adapted to actuate the manipulator system to bring a fill port of an IV bag, vial, or syringe into register with a filling port at a fluid transfer station in the chamber. A preferred implementation includes a sanitization system that can substantially sanitize a bung on a fill port of a vial or IV bag in preparation for transport to the fluid transfer station. |
| US07783382B2 |
Controlling machine actions based on luminance of environmental light and distance from user
A control system for controlling actions performed by a machine includes a sensor module for sensing environmental condition around the machine, an estimation unit for estimating the environmental condition detected by the sensor, a motor for controlling movement of the machine, a control unit for calculating a magnitude of motion according to the estimated environmental condition, the magnitude of motion used for controlling the movement of the machine, and a motor drive circuit for driving the motor to move the machine using the calculated magnitude of motion. |
| US07783381B2 |
Products and processes for communicating information regarding a product dispensed by a vending machine
According to an embodiment, information about a product is communicated to at least one customer of a vending machine. It is determined whether to dispense a product from the vending machine, and the product is dispensed from the vending machine. |
| US07783378B2 |
Method of conducting a sales transaction using a random access and random load dispensing unit
The present invention provides a random access and random load dispensing unit including a housing, at least one support located in the housing and defining a first axis, a plurality of platforms movable along the support along the first axis, a plurality of bins supported on the platforms, the bins being movable with the platforms, and a shuttle assembly movable along the first axis and further movable along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis between the plurality of platforms to access and retrieve products stored in the bins. |
| US07783375B2 |
Dynamic metrology schemes and sampling schemes for advanced process control in semiconductor processing
Systems, methods and mediums are provided for dynamic adjustment of sampling plans in connection with a wafer (or other device) to be measured. The invention adjusts the frequency and/or spatial resolution of measurements on an as-needed basis when one or more events occur that are likely to indicate an internal or external change affecting the manufacturing process or results. The dynamic metrology plan adjusts the spatial resolution of sampling within-wafer by adding, subtracting or replacing candidate points from the sampling plan, in response to certain events which suggest that additional or different measurements of the wafer may be desirable. Further, the invention may be used in connection with adjusting the frequency of wafer-to-wafer measurements. |
| US07783373B2 |
Debug method for determining excursive machines in a manufacturing process
A process debug method used to identify at least one excursive machine in a manufacturing process comprising the following steps: First, a series of validity identification data is collected, and the serial validity identification data is associated with its pathway to obtain a plurality of validity identification data sequences in corresponding to the machines. Subsequently, a sorting process is conducted to cluster the validity identification data sequence into several groups, and the clustered groups are ranked into a first order. The validity identification data sequences are subjected a continuity analysis to determine the continuity of the defects occurring in a particular machine. And the continuities of the machines involved in a particular group are ranked into a second order. Accordingly, the excursive machines causing the defective end products in the manufacturing process can be identified by the way of joining the second orders according to the first order. |
| US07783368B2 |
Control system and adjusting method thereof
A control system used to control a controlled plant includes a main control unit, a first tuning unit, and a second tuning unit. The control system regulated by two weighting parameters of a first multiple and a second multiple, robustness and rapid response are attained, and excess of the output signal the controlled plant generates disappears or approaches zero. The control system has technical features of objective bandwidth, offsetting of low frequency disturbance, and matching of transfer functions. By designing the main control unit, the first tuning unit, and the second tuning unit, regulating the two weighting parameters of the first multiple and the second multiple, and tuning the actual system, the above technical features are obtained. |
| US07783367B2 |
Apparatus and method for operating macro command and inputting macro command
Disclosed is provided an apparatus and a method for operating a macro command and inputting a macro command, wherein the apparatus including a storing unit storing control signals received from a control device for selecting of a menu item of a host device, a creating unit creating the macro command combined with the control signals, and an executing unit reading the macro command and executing functions corresponding to the respective menu item of the host device according to a combination sequence of the control signals included in the read macro command. |
| US07783366B1 |
Lead for AV nodal vagal stimulation through an epicardial fat pad
A medical electrical lead for conducting electrical signals between an electrical stimulator and a heart site includes a lead body extending from a distal non-conductive disk member to a proximal connector for attachment to the stimulator, first and second spaced electrodes protruding from the disk member for puncturing engagement with the epicardial surface of the heart in the region of an AVN fat pad containing ganglia which extend to the AV node providing an electrical connection between the atrium and the ventricle, a first conductor extending from the first electrode to a first terminal of the connector, and a second conductor extending from the second electrode to a second terminal of the connector such that electrical current from the electrical stimulator is caused to flow through the ganglia between the first and second electrodes to stimulate the AV node to control ventricular rate in the presence of atrial fibrillation. |
| US07783365B2 |
Implantable medical device conductor insulation and process for forming
An elongate medical electrical lead conductor includes a layer of hydrolytically stable polyimide formed thereover. |
| US07783363B2 |
Neural bridge gateway and calibrator
A device for communicating data between at least one of nerve cell endings, transducers and attachments the device comprising: at least one programmable neural bridge device; at least one programmable neural bridge switch, wherein each programmable neural bridge switch is an implanted integrated circuit and is connected to at least one programmable neural bridge device; at least one programmable neural bridge gateway; at least one communication means in communication with the at least one programmable neural bridge gateway and at least one programmable neural bridge switch; and at least one external calibrator in communication with at least one neural bridge gateway. |
| US07783358B2 |
Methods and apparatus for treatment of obesity with an ultrasound device movable in two or three axes
Method and apparatus for treating obesity by an energy delivery device, such as a high focus ultrasound transducer, mounted for movement along two or three axes relative to the esophagus to deliver transesophageal energy to interrupt the function of vagal nerves. Preferably, movement along a longitudinal axis of the esophagus changes the site to which the energy is directed and movement transversely along a radius of the esophagus focuses the energy on a vagal nerve. The third degree of freedom relative to the esophagus is to rotate the transducer about the longitudinal axis of the esophagus. |
| US07783356B2 |
Automated device programming at changeout
This document discusses, among other things, methods and systems for facilitating automated device programming at changeout. A method comprises receiving, from a first device, physiological data at a temporary storage device; and processing the received physiological data, wherein the processing includes determining if a first signal processing function was used by the first device and substantially offsetting the first signal processing function if the first signal processing function was used by the first device; and processing the resultant physiological data to be compatible with a second device. The method further comprising providing the processed resultant physiological data to the second device. |
| US07783352B1 |
Optimizing anti-tachycardia pacing for terminating atrial fibrillation
An implantable system terminates atrial fibrillation by applying optimized anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP). In one implementation, the system senses and paces at multiple sites on the left atrium. At each site, the system senses reentrant circuits causing the atrial fibrillation. In one implementation, the system applies ATP tuned to the frequency of the reentrant circuit at the electrode that senses the most regular reentrant circuit. In another implementation, the system applies ATP at multiple electrodes, delivering each pulse at each site when the excitable gap is near the site. In other variations, the ATP is optimized for different patterns of sequential, simultaneous, or syncopated delivery to terminate the atrial fibrillation. The system can also monitor multiple heart chambers for cardiac events that favor terminating atrial fibrillation via ATP. The system then times delivery of the ATP according to these cardiac events. |
| US07783349B2 |
System and method for closed-loop neural stimulation
Various system embodiments comprise a neural stimulator, a premature ventricular contraction (PVC) event detector, a heart rate detector, an analyzer, and a controller. The neural stimulator is adapted to generate a stimulation signal adapted to stimulate an autonomic neural target. The analyzer is adapted to, in response to a PVC event signal from the PVC event detector, generate an autonomic balance indicator (ABI) as a function of pre-PVC heart rate data and post-PVC heart rate data. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein. |
| US07783345B2 |
Impedance-based measuring method for hemodynamic parameters
A method is provided for measuring the volume, the composition and the movement of electroconductive body fluids, based on the electrical impedance of the body or a body segment, especially for performing electromechanocardiography (ELMEC) or impedance cardiography (IKG) measurements for determining hemodynamic parameters. According to the method, an alternating measuring current of at least one frequency is introduced into the body, and the impedance and temporal variations thereof of essentially the same body segment through which the alternating measuring current flows are measured for at least two different measuring lengths (L, L2, L3, L4, L5), essentially in the longitudinal direction of the body. |
| US07783343B2 |
Monitoring of the cerebral state of a subject
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring the cerebral state of a subject. At least one of a first and second parameters is derived from the physiological signal data obtained from the subject, wherein the first parameter is indicative of the sum of spectral values of the physiological signal data in a first frequency band lying above high frequency EEG activity and the second parameter is indicative of the relative magnitudes of a first sum of k-th order spectral values and a second sum of n-th order spectral values. The second sum is calculated over a frequency band lying above high frequency EEG activity (k>2 and n>1). A state index is then formed, which is dependent on the at least one parameter and indicative of the cerebral state of the subject. The first and second parameters may be used in the Bispectral Index (BIS™) algorithm. |
| US07783341B2 |
Method and apparatus for discerning therapeutic signals from noise in physiological data
A data acquisition module for use in monitoring a plurality of physiological signals is disclosed herein. The data acquisition module may include a first signal processing path for biopotential data, a second signal processing path for therapeutic event data, and a processing unit that receives and processes the data from the first and second signal processing paths. The data acquisition module may further compare identified likely therapeutic events in each of a plurality of psychological signals. A method of identifying an electronic therapeutic event from a physiological signal is also disclosed herein the method may include steps of obtaining a plurality of psychological signals, removing any biopotential data from the physiological signals, using a first technique to identify likely therapeutic event data, comparing the identified likely therapeutic event data from each of the plurality of physiological signals and refining the identification of likely therapeutic events based on the comparison between each of the plurality of physiological signals. |
| US07783340B2 |
Systems and methods for sensing vector selection in an implantable medical device using a polynomial approach
Methods and devices configured for analyzing sensing vectors in an implantable cardiac stimulus system. In an illustrative example, a first sensing vector is analyzed to determine whether it is suitable, within given threshold conditions, for use in cardiac event detection and analysis. If so, the first sensing vector may be selected for detection and analysis. Otherwise, and in other examples, one or more additional sensing vectors are analyzed. A polynomial may be used during analysis to generate a metric indicating the suitability of the sensing vector for use in cardiac event detection and analysis. Additional illustrative examples include systems and devices adapted to perform at least these methods, including implantable medical devices, and/or programmers for implantable medical devices, and/or systems having both programmers and implantable medical devices that cooperatively analyze sensing vectors. |
| US07783338B2 |
Catheter with optical fiber sensor
An apparatus and method to perform therapeutic treatment and diagnosis of a patient's vasculature through the use of an intravascular device having an optical fiber disposed therein. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes an intravascular device to perform a therapeutic treatment and at least one optical fiber disposed through the intravascular device. The optical fiber is configured to provide diagnostic information before, during, and after the therapeutic treatment. In an embodiment, diagnostic information includes vessel and blood characteristics such as hemodynamic characteristics, hematological parameters related to blood and blood components, and thermal parameters of the vasculature. |
| US07783337B2 |
OCT using spectrally resolved bandwidth
An apparatus is disclosed for studying an object based on at least one of polarization, space, position or angle of light that has reflected from the object. An optical tomographic instrumentation of the apparatus includes a light source coupled to a source path, a sample path, a reference path, and a detection path, wherein the light source generates a spectrally resolved bandwidth. The spectrally resolved bandwidth includes a plurality of spectrally resolved cells and a detector in the detection path for analyzing light reflected from an object in the sample path and the light reflected in the reference path based upon at least one of the polarization, spatial relationship, position or angle domains. |
| US07783336B2 |
Subcutaneous biopsy cavity marker device
A marking device for identifying a subcutaneous biopsy cavity having a first nonabsorbable marker element detectable by a first imaging modality and a second nonabsorbable marker element detectable by a second imaging modality but not detectable by the first imaging modality. |
| US07783335B2 |
Device for monitoring anatomical unit or a radiotherapy unit
The invention concerns a device for monitoring an imaging or radiotherapy unit (1) for treating members of the human body subject to displacements related to movements of the diaphragm. The invention is characterized in that said monitoring device is designed to enable, in a prior preparation phase, to store two values, called rest value and triggering value, respectively representing, for each patient, of his suspended ventilatory level and an inhalation or exhalation ventilatory level, triggering acquisition of images or irradiation, then, during the real monitoring of the unit (1), in commanding an image or irradiation acquisition, once the correspondence between the measured value of the suspended ventilatory level and the stored rest value has been established, and only when the correspondence between the measured respiratory value of the patient and the stored triggering value has been subsequently established. Additionally, said monitoring device comprises means (11) for displaying the respiratory curve of the patient, which can be viewed by him, and whereon are physically represented the rest and triggering values. |
| US07783332B2 |
Glucose monitoring device and method
A method for determining the quantity of an analyte in a fluid is described along with various components of an apparatus designed to carry out the method. The method involves habituating a patient's eye to one or more colors, measuring the recovery time, and correlating the recovery time to the quantity of the analyte. A reproducible, objective, non-attentiveness-dependant test for assessing analyte levels is further disclosed. To this end, a device that measures saccadic eye movements may be used to assess the return of vision to the prehabituated state. The method and apparatus are particularly suited for noninvasively measuring blood glucose levels. |
| US07783329B2 |
Method and system for controlling sleep mode to save power in a wireless mesh network
A method and system for eliminating inefficiency caused by active-sleep mode switching in power saving through a sleep mode in a wireless mesh network are provided. The sleep mode is controlled using a virtual Transmission Opportunity (vTXOP) according to TXOP information of a one-hop neighbor node. The sleep mode control takes into account a wireless mesh network environment and leads to power saving. |
| US07783327B2 |
Mobile station
A mobile station receives a first datum and transmits a first reception result with a first timing when a first notification was received via a channel which notifies that data is to be transmitted, and receives a second datum and transmits a second reception result with a second timing when a second notification with a different timing was received via said channel, said mobile station being characterized in that it comprises: a repeat transmission unit which, upon receiving said first notification, transmits said first reception result with said first timing, and repeats the transmission with said second timing; and a control unit which imposes a restriction on the reception processing control of said second notification when said first notification has been received. |
| US07783323B2 |
Printing a web page using a mobile device
A system for printing a web page on a print medium, the system comprising: a mobile telecommunications device which comprises: a printer module to print the web page on the print medium; and, a sensor module to sense a print media identifier of the print medium. |
| US07783320B2 |
Transmission rate control method and mobile station
A radio base station notifies a maximum allowable transmission rate of uplink user data to a mobile station by using a common transmission rate control channel. The mobile station increases the transmission rate of uplink user data up to the maximum allowable transmission rate by a predetermined step. When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the mobile station requests the radio base station to transmit a dedicated transmission rate control channel. The mobile station determines the transmission rate of uplink user data based on the dedicated transmission rate control channel transmitted from the radio base station. |
| US07783318B2 |
Cellular network amplifier with automated output power control
A system and method for amplifying cellular signals while maintaining the output power of the amplifier below a prescribed power limit. The network amplifier system may include a variable gain module having an input configured to receive an uplink signal from a handset and configured to apply an amplification factor to the uplink signal to generate an adjusted uplink signal. A detector is used for detecting a level of the uplink signal. A gain control module is configured to control the amplification factor in order to limit the output of the variable gain module to ensure that the level of the adjusted uplink signal does not exceed a predetermined limit. An antenna is coupled to the output of the variable gain module and is configured to transmit the adjusted uplink signal to a base station. |
| US07783314B2 |
System and method for providing PTT service according to user state
In a system and method for providing Push To Talk (PTT) service according to a state of the user, when a PTT terminal user is absent, in conference or busy, the PTT system converts the PTT voice message directed to the PTT terminal to a text message, and displays it on a screen of another terminal or the PTT terminal. As a result, the user can immediately check the PTT message when he/she is in absence or conference state, and is busy without communication interference. |
| US07783313B2 |
System and architecture for the handling of shared and personal preferences in call processing and presence for IP telephony and collaborative applications
A system for resolving conflicts between personal and shared space policies, comprising a location manager for monitoring location of users, each of the users being represented by a user agent for receiving session requests in accordance with user specified personal policies, a common proxy for receiving location data for the users from the location manager and in response creating a list of users at each location, and a space proxy associated with an owner of each location for enforcing space policies specified by the owner such that upon receipt of a session request with a user specified personal policy that conflicts with one of the space policies then rejecting the session request. |
| US07783312B2 |
Data throughput improvement in IS2000 networks via effective F-SCH reduced active set pilot switching
Systems and methods for improving the performance of wireless telecommunications networks by reducing data communications between a mobile station and a base station. One embodiment of the invention is implemented in an IS2000 (cdma2000) network. This network communicates data from a base station to a mobile station over a supplemental forward channel. In order to maintain the best communication channel for data transmissions, the mobile station monitors the signals received from an active set of base stations and identifies the strongest signal of a reduced active set so that the corresponding base station can be selected for data communications. Upon the occurrence of conditions indicating that a new base station within the reduced active set should be selected, the mobile station provides a notification to the base stations in the reduced active set so that further data transmissions will be made by the newly selected base station. |
| US07783310B2 |
Melting information on a client device
Melting information of a client device is described. The device melting includes receiving a melt message at an inbox of a client device. A source of the melt message is authenticated using identification information of the melt message. The client device automatically deletes client state information of the client device in response to authenticating the source of the melt message. |
| US07783307B2 |
Security systems for providing mobile device feature access control
A mobile communication unit having at least one operating mode comprising a security unit for enabling/disabling at least one operating mode, whereas the security unit is designed in such a way that at least one operating mode is temporarily disabled for the user of the mobile communication system. A checkpoint communicating unit may be used to control the operating mode of the mobile communication unit. The checkpoint communicating unit may include a status extracting unit for generating a request for a security status of the operating mode or operating modes of the mobile communication unit. The checkpoint may also include a lookup table containing at least the operating mode or operating modes to be disabled in the mobile communication unit. A comparison unit may be provided for comparing the security status received from the mobile communication unit to the disabling status stored in the lookup table. |
| US07783304B2 |
Wireless communication method
Methods of communicating with a mobile unit are described. In one embodiment, a method of communicating with a mobile unit comprises identifying a mobile unit with an identifier; determining a status of the mobile unit; constructing a communication comprising at least one communication packet, the at least one communication packet comprising a plurality of information fields, the information fields comprising an address, and the identifier; and transmitting the communication comprising the at least one communication packet to the mobile unit. |
| US07783301B2 |
Method and device for determining a location of a communications device
A method to determine a location of a communications device may include measuring a time of arrival for each pulse received at a receiver. The method may also include generating a set of possible hypothetical matches between each received pulse and a transmission path between a transmitter and the receiver, wherein the communications device being located is one of the transmitter and the receiver. The method may further include estimating the location of the communications device using the set of hypothetical matches. |
| US07783290B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for associating photos with telephone numbers in a mobile terminal
A mobile terminal is described, along with a method for associating photos with contact information in a mobile terminal by using a reference field, which facilitates convenient searching of photos and contact information stored in a mobile terminal. According to the method, a person's photos can be immediately viewed while the user is browsing a contact list. Additionally, when a user wishes to contact a person whose photo he is viewing, the user can immediately contact the person with the mobile terminal without having to search for the person's contact information. |
| US07783282B2 |
Messaging over mobile phone network for digital multimedia network
A method of distributing a message from a message administration service to a subscriber receiver decoder of a digital multimedia network comprises transferring a determined message for a determined receiver decoder from the message administration service to a point to point communication system distinct from the multimedia network. A destination point address of a receiver in the point to point communication system is determined, corresponding to the determined receiver decoder. The determined message is buffered in the point to point communication system, and retrieved at the determined receiver decoder from the receiver. |
| US07783280B2 |
Method of enabling a function of a device in response to a command from printer
A method is provided of enabling a function(s) of a telephone to be controlled. The telephone is operative to perform the function(s) in response to command(s) from a printer. The method includes providing a control interface which contains information relating to the function(s) and has coded data on an identity and a reference point(s) of the control interface, receiving, in the printer, indicating data from a sensing device regarding the control interface identity and a position and/or movement of the sensing device relative thereto, and effecting, in the printer and from the indicating data, an operation(s) relating to the command(s). The coded data incorporates substantially undifferentiated marks positioned relative to a set of predetermined nominal mark positions. The sensing device, when placed in an operative position relative to the control interface, generates the indicating data using at least some of the coded data. |
| US07783279B2 |
Handling location determinations in a telecommunications network to reduce subscriber-experienced latency while conserving network resources
The last known location and last time of location update can be stored for each of a set of mobile devices in device-specific records. A request for a specific mobile device can be received from a location services application. The last time of location update for the specific mobile device can be checked against a current time. If the last update time is current enough, the last known location for the device can be conveyed to the location services application. Information can then be presented on the device that is specific to its last known location. |
| US07783278B2 |
Installation of a personal emergency response system
A communicator for a personal emergency response system determines, when a power switch is switched on, whether the communicator has previously successfully performed at least one predetermined installation sequence. If the communicator has previously completed the installation sequence, it bypasses the installation sequence. If the communicator has not previously completed the installation sequence, it prompts the user through the installation sequence using a series of audible or text prompts. During the installation sequence, the user is prompted to perform range testing to verify the operation of a transmitter in conjunction with the communicator in the personal emergency alarm system in one or more locations. |
| US07783276B2 |
Wireless communication system
A wireless communication system includes: a filter; and a semiconductor chip including a signal processing integrated circuit having an amplifier, wherein a main surface of the semiconductor chip is provided with a plurality of electrode terminals along an edge portion thereof; wherein the amplifier has a transistor including a control electrode, a first electrode through which a signal is outputted, and a second electrode to which a voltage is applied; wherein the control electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode of the transistor are connected to the electrode terminals, respectively; and wherein none of wirings are arranged between the electrode terminals and placements of the control electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode, making space between the electrodes and the electrode terminals narrow. |
| US07783275B2 |
Integrated direct conversion satellite tuner
A direct conversion satellite tuner is fully integrated on a common substrate. The integrated tuner receives an RF signal having a plurality of channels and down-converts a selected channel directly to baseband for further processing. The integrated tuner includes on-chip local oscillator generation, tunable baseband filters, and DC Offset cancellation. The integrated tuner can be implemented in a completely differential I/Q configuration for improved electrical performance. The entire direct conversion satellite tuner can be fabricated on a single semiconductor substrate using standard CMOS processing, with minimal off-chip components. The tuner configuration described herein is not limited to processing TV signals, and can be utilized to down-convert other RF signals to an IF frequency or baseband. |
| US07783267B1 |
Modifying a signal in response to quality indicator availability
Communicating a signal includes establishing a quality indicator at a first communication device that has antenna elements. The quality indicator indicates the quality of communication links between the first communication device and a second communication device. A modification describing an adjustment of a modulation feature is determined according to the quality indicator. The availability of the quality indicator is established. Modulation of a subset of signals in accordance with the determined modification is initiated in response to establishing the availability of the quality indicator. The antenna elements send the signals to yield a transmitted signal. |
| US07783266B2 |
Bidirectional frequency converter and radio equipment using same
When a power supply switch is turned on and an RF signal and an LO signal are input to a bipolar transistor, a mixed signal of both signals is output as an IF signal. When the power supply switch is turned off, the bipolar transistor operates as two diodes connected between a base terminal and an emitter terminal and between the base terminal and a collector terminal. When the IF signal and the LO signal are input, the input signals are mixed with each other by the diodes and the RF signal is output. Accordingly, one frequency conversion has a plus conversion gain and when bidirectional frequency conversion is performed by the use of one frequency converter, an external circuit such as a signal path switching switch is not necessary. |
| US07783264B2 |
Diversity apparatus using leakage transmission path
A diversity apparatus includes a transceiver, a phase shifter which switches phases of a carrier wave transmitted from the transceiver, and a leakage transmission path which transmits the carrier wave output from the phase shifter. The transceiver switches a phase of the phase shifter depending on a receiving level. |
| US07783262B2 |
Method for adaptive interleaving in a wireless communication system with feedback
The present invention pertains to a transmitter that can exploit feedback to help it organize information which is subsequently sent to a receiver. More specifically, the transmitter receives a feedback signal from the receiver and then uses data about a channel in the feedback signal to adapt at least one of a coding, interleaving and modulating scheme to organize information which is subsequently transmitted to the receiver. In this way, the transmitter can obtain the best match of a channel and a given information payload. |
| US07783261B2 |
Method for wired connection measuring the standby time of a CDMA mobile terminal
A method of wired connection measuring the standby time of a CDMA mobile terminal, connects the CDMA mobile terminal with network emulator, and places them in the network test environment, then measures the standby current, voltage and electric quantity at standby time of the mobile terminal, thereby calculates the standby time of the mobile terminal. This method needs low test environment, and testing is simple and rapidly. |
| US07783257B2 |
Enhanced wireless network security using GPS
A wireless piconet network device includes a GPS receiver to determine and provide earth coordinates to a gatekeeper of a wireless network so as to provide a level of security to wireless networks which requires accessing wireless devices to be within predefined boundary coordinates. The automatic restriction of access to a wireless network (e.g., a wireless local area network (LAN) such as a piconet network) by requiring a wireless network device to provide earth coordinates (e.g., GPS location information) as part of an establishment or maintenance of a connection to a wireless network, independent of a range of communication of any device in the wireless network. A wireless piconet network device outside of predetermined earth coordinates of a secured area (e.g., a building, a room in a building, a desk in a room in a building, etc.) may be denied access to resources on the wireless network, and/or required to provide additional authorization information so as to confirm authorized secured status of the entering wireless device. |
| US07783254B2 |
Signal processing circuit for a contactless communicating communication partner device
In a signal processing circuit (3) for a contactlessly communicating communication partner device (1), there are provided a transmitted-signal path (9) and a received-signal path (10), the received-signal path (10) branching off from a branch point (AP) present on the transmitted-signal path (9), a filter stage (11) and a matching stage (12) connected downstream of the filter stage (11) being provided on the transmitted-signal path (9), the filter stage (11) having a resonant frequency that is in a frequency range the center frequency value of which matches an upper sideband frequency, and the branch point (AP) being situated between the filter stage (11) and the matching stage (12). |
| US07783250B2 |
Method for up converting a transmitted signal and down converting a received signal
An apparatus for frequency up conversion and down conversion using frequency multiplier circuits. The frequency multiplier circuits receive a lower frequency signal and are operated in a forward direction to provide a higher frequency output. The same frequency multiplier circuits are operated in a reverse direction by receiving a higher frequency signal and producing a lower frequency output. The frequency multiplier circuits preferably use heterojunction barrier varactor diodes to eliminate the need for DC bias or idler circuitry. |
| US07783247B2 |
Satellite receiving system with transmodulating outdoor unit
A home satellite receiving system employs a transmodulating outdoor unit (ODU) that tunes to multiple signals, demodulates those signals into streams of data packets, and filters the streams of data packets to select data packets pertaining to viewer-specified programs. The ODU then constructs an integrated bitstream from the selected data packets and modulates that bitstream for transmission to an indoor IRD. This allows transfer of multiple programs from different satellite sources to the indoor IRD over a single coaxial cable. The indoor IRD reconstructs the packet stream timing for the viewer-specified programs from the integrated bitstream. |
| US07783246B2 |
Tactical GPS denial and denial detection system
A tactical GPS denial/denial detection system includes a plurality of GPS detection/denial devices, a gateway, and a computer management system. Each GPS detection/denial includes a GPS receiver for determining positional parameters based on the GPS satellite signals, a GPS denier, which may be selectively activated, for disrupting reliable operation of GPS receivers, and a remote sensor interface adapted to extract the GPS parameters from the GPS receiver and to effectuate the activation of the GPS denier. The remote sensor interfaces and the gateway are communication nodes in an ad hoc wireless network. The gateway receives the GPS parameters from the remote sensor interfaces and communicates instructions to the remote sensor interfaces to selectively activate the GPS deniers. The computer management system receives the extracted GPS parameters from the gateway and analyzes the GPS parameters to detect whether an active GPS denial device is present in the vicinity of the system. |
| US07783245B2 |
Book-binding apparatus and image forming system
A book-binding apparatus having: a reception vessel to receive glue in liquid form; application section to apply the glue in the reception vessel to a sheet; a hopper to receive a raw material of the glue for refill; a refilling section to refill the raw material of the glue from the hopper to the reception vessel; and a control section to control the refilling section, wherein the raw material of the glue is refilled into the reception vessel in a period where application of the glue is not carried out after application of the glue is completed. |
| US07783243B2 |
Enhanced fuser offset latitude method
Electrophotographic printing of one or more layers of toner using a method of enhancing fuser offset latitude to enable the printing of a wide range of toner mass laydown using electrophotography. This method encompasses the steps of forming multicolor toner images, determining the amount of clear overcoat mass laydown as a function of the color mass laydown or non-raised mass laydown and fusing the clear toner overcoat and the multicolor toner image at a fusing temperature determined by the maximum total mass laydown and the nip width to provide good adhesion to the receiver member while optimizing fuser offset latitude. |
| US07783242B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus has a first recording mode of outputting the recording material without passing thru the glossiness applying device after fixing and a second recording mode using the glossiness applying device, and then outputting the recording material. In the latter recording mode (B), when a void ratio G of toner in the toner image not yet subjected to the glossing process by the glossiness applying device is defined by a thickness t1 of a toner layer on the recording material after fixing and before entering the glossiness applying device, and a thickness t2 of a toner layer on the recording material after passing through the glossiness applying device, satisfies the formula: G=100×(t1-t2)/t1. In the recording mode (B), fixing conditions for the fixing device and the glossiness applying device are respectively set so that the void ratio of toner satisfies a formula 15≦G≦60. |
| US07783240B2 |
Fixing device, image forming apparatus including the fixing device, and fixing method
A fixing device includes a magnetic flux generator, a rotating heat generation member, a magnetic flux adjuster, and a driver. The magnetic flux generator generates a magnetic flux. The rotating heat generation member rotates and applies heat to a recording medium bearing an image, and includes a heat-generating layer to generate heat using the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generator. The magnetic flux adjuster is provided outside the rotating heat generation member, and decreases the magnetic flux applied to the heat-generating layer at least in a desired area in an axial direction of the rotating heat generation member. The driver changes the desired area by driving the magnetic flux adjuster in a direction of rotation of the rotating heat generation member. |
| US07783236B2 |
Developing unit having developer feeding plate and image forming apparatus having the same
A developing unit includes a developer feeding unit which feeds developer to an image receptor, a casing which supports the developer feeding unit and includes a developer storing part provided in an area to face the developer feeding unit and to store the developer, and a developer feeding plate which is formed with a developer flowing hole through which the developer flows, and is provided to move between the developer storing part and the developer feeding unit. |
| US07783235B2 |
Hopping toner development apparatus and image formation apparatus
A development apparatus using a hopping method and an image formation apparatus including the development apparatus are disclosed. The development apparatus includes a toner supporting object for supporting and conveying a toner by a movement of the toner supporting object, while the toner is hopping on a surface of the toner supporting object by an electric field; a regulating member made of a flexible material for constituting a toner thickness regulation position; a latent image supporting object for supporting a latent image; and a development position, which is a position of the toner supporting object, that counters the latent image supporting object; wherein the toner is conveyed through the regulation position to the development position where the toner is adhered to the latent image, and wherein one end of the regulating member is supported, and the other end contacts the toner supporting object. |
| US07783231B2 |
Developing device used in image forming apparatus, and process cartridge with the developing device
A developing device that has a reduced size and prevents a low-concentration developer to be drawn up to the developer carrier again, and further prevents the occurrence of irregularity of image density, and also a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus. A central axis of a developer supply device, a central axis of developer recovering device, and a central axis of a developer stirring/carrying device are positioned at an equal distance from a central axis of a developer carrier, as viewed cross-sectionally. |
| US07783227B2 |
Image formation apparatus with positioning section that positions exposure device
An image formation apparatus comprises: an image formation apparatus main body; plural image formation units being provided detachably in the image formation apparatus main body, each of the image formation units including an image carrier and an exposure device that applies light to the image carrier for writing a latent image onto the image carrier; and a positioning section that positions the exposure device of each of the image formation units relative to the image formation apparatus main body. |
| US07783225B2 |
Image forming apparatus and photosensitive drum unit equipped with mounting mechanism of exposure means
An image forming apparatus comprising a pair of stationary side walls arranged in an image forming apparatus body and a plurality of photosensitive drum units supported between the stationary side walls. Each photosensitive drum unit comprises a drum-holding frame for holding a photosensitive drum, a head-holding frame for holding an LED head, and a pressing means for pressing the head-holding frame from one side toward the other side in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum. |
| US07783222B2 |
Image forming apparatus having change-over type developing device
An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearing member and a developing portion having a plurality of developing devices provided facing the latent image bearing member, as well as an inputting portion for inputting an image signal, an auto-discriminating portion for automatically discriminating the kind of image input, and a control portion for changing between a first mode for executing monochrome image formation, a second mode for executing color image formation, and an auto-selecting mode for changing over between the first mode and the second-mode according to the discrimination of the auto-discriminating portion. In the auto-selecting mode, movement of a predetermined developing device to a predetermined position is started before the auto-discriminating portion makes the discrimination. |
| US07783220B2 |
Roller drive control method of fixing apparatus and fixing apparatus
In one embodiment, a predetermined period different from a fixing process period in which fixing of toner to recording paper is carried out is set as a toner removal period, and during the toner removal period a hot roller and a pressure roller are intermittently rotated, and separation claws in contact with the rollers are caused to vibrate by the intermittent rotation of the rollers such that toner adhered to the separation claws is caused to drop due to this and is removed. Also, faces of the separation claws that oppose the surfaces of the hot roller and the pressure roller are set in a convex shape. |
| US07783204B2 |
Optical transmitter to suppress abrupt increase of driving current for laser diode during unstable APC loop and a method to control the same
The present invention discloses an optical transmitter that provides a function to vary the rate of the increase of the bias and modulation currents and their practical values during the APC feedback loop is left unstable without prolonging this unstable period. The optical transmitter of the invention includes a controller configured to read initial parameters from the memory, to increase the bias and modulation currents in stepwise based on thus read initial parameters, and to begin the automatic feedback control to keep the optical output from the laser diode constant after the bias and modulation currents reach their temporarily target values. |
| US07783202B2 |
All-optical methods and systems
An all-optical modulation format converter for converting optical data signals modulated in an on-off-keying (OOK) format to a phase-shift-keying (PSK) format. The OOK-to-PSK converter can be coupled to a delay-line interferometer to provide an all-optical wavelength converter for differential PSK (DPSK). The OOK-to-PSK converter can also be used in all-optical implementations of various functions, including, for example, exclusive-OR (XOR/NXOR) and OR logic, shift registers, and pseudo-random binary sequence (PRBS) generators. |
| US07783198B2 |
Passive optical network
A passive optical network includes: a central office for generating multiplexed downstream optical signals and receiving an upstream optical signal; a plurality of optical network units for receiving a corresponding downstream optical signal and generating subcarrier channels carrying electrical data of an assigned frequency; and a remote node for photoelectrically converting the channels into electrical data, electro-optically converting the electrical data into at least one upstream optical signal. |
| US07783196B2 |
Fiber and wire communication system
This invention provides a new architecture for a communication system between head-ends and end-users which expands bandwidth and reliability of the communication system. A mux-node receives communication signals from a head-end and forwards the received communication signals to one or more mini-fiber nodes. The connection to the head-end is via a small number of optical fibers and the connections to each of the mini-fiber nodes may be via one or more optical fibers that may provide full duplex communication. The head-end may communicate with the mux-node using digital or digital and analog signals. The mini-fiber nodes may combine the signals received from the head-end with loop-back signals used for local media access control prior to forwarding the signals to the end-users. Upstream data are received by the mini-fiber nodes and transmitted to the mux-node. The mux-node may route upstream communication signals received from the mini-fiber nodes as downstream signals to other mini-fiber nodes also connected to the mux-node without head-end interaction. |
| US07783193B2 |
Noise tone avoidance in optical networks
Identification of optical channels in wavelength division multiplex (WDM) optical networks may be confounded by unwanted noise tones interfering with pilot/dither tones used for identifying optical channels. The invention describes a method of selecting pilot/dither tones that are selectively restricted to avoid allocating dither/pilot tone frequencies that appear as noise tones along the path of an optical channel in the optical network. |
| US07783192B2 |
Picture image providing method and picture-taking device using the method
A picture image providing method and a picture-taking device using the method are provided. The picture-taking device includes: a picture-taking module generating a picture image by taking a picture of a photography object via a camera; a transmission location management module managing a target image for identifying the photography object included in the picture image, and transmission location information for transmitting the picture image, in correspondence to the target image; an area selection module selecting an area on the picture image corresponding to the target image; an image identification module identifying the target image corresponding to the photography object, included in the picture image, using the target image and the selected area on the picture image; and a picture image transmission module identifying the transmission location information corresponding to the identified target image, and transmitting the picture image to a location corresponding to the transmission location information. |
| US07783179B2 |
Image blur correction apparatus, lens barrel, and image capture apparatus
An image blur correction apparatus includes a correction lens for correcting image blurs in a lens system, a moving frame for holding the correction lens, a support frame for movably supporting the moving frame through a move guide on a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of the correction lens, a first electric actuator for generating a first force to move the moving frame in a first direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the correction lens, a second electric actuator for generating a second force to move the moving frame in a second direction which is a direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the correction lens and is also orthogonal to the first direction, and an operation limit mechanism for limiting the moving frame from moving in the first direction and the second direction, and preventing the moving frame from rotating in the limit position. |
| US07783177B2 |
Manual electrical equipment for hair straightening
“MANUAL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT FOR HAIR STRAIGHTENING”, wherein each one of the heating plates of the referred equipment has a respective resistance, wherein the equipment characterized by the fact that each one of the resistances is controlled by a thermostat with differentiated temperature; in an alternative variant, the equipment incorporates in substitution of electrical resistances, PTC type thermistors. |
| US07783172B2 |
Method and apparatus for reproducing data from recording medium using local storage
A method and apparatus for reproducing data from a recording medium using a local storage is disclosed. A method and apparatus for downloading data associated with the recording medium from an external part, and reproducing the downloaded data is disclosed. A binding unit combined with the recording medium from among the downloaded data of the local storage is formed, and is combined with files of the recording medium using the binding information, such that the virtual package is formed. Data of the recording medium and/or data of the local storage are reproduced by the virtual package. If a specific file contained in the binding unit is equal to a specific file contained in the recording medium when the virtual package is formed, priority is assigned to the file of the binding unit so that the virtual package is formed. Therefore, data of the recording medium and data of the local storage can be effectively reproduced at the same time, resulting in greater convenience of a user. |
| US07783165B2 |
Signal compressing apparatus
An input signal is quantized into a quantization-resultant signal. The quantization-resultant signal is compressed into a compression-resultant signal. The compression-resultant signal is formatted into a formatting-resultant signal corresponding to a predetermined format for a digital recording disc. The formatting-resultant signal includes segments corresponding to user data areas prescribed in the predetermined format. The compression-resultant signal is placed in the segments of the formatting-resultant signal. The formatting-resultant signal is encoded into an encoding-resultant signal of a CD format. The encoding-resultant signal is recorded on a recording medium. |
| US07783164B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07783159B2 |
Recording medium having data structure for managing reproduction of multiple reproduction path video data for at least a segment of a title recorded thereon and recording and reproducing methods and apparatuses
The recording medium includes at least one data area storing more than one clip of video data for at least one segment of a title, and each clip of video data is associated with a different reproduction path of the segment. |
| US07783156B2 |
Method and system for reading information recorded in an audio-visual apparatus
This invention relates on a method and a system for reading a set of recorded information that is applicable to a reading system making it possible to read sequential information. In a first step, the user marks a first information sequence currently being read triggered by a first interrupt by actuating a device for triggering a special processing mode. This special mode can be trigger by a fast movement key, this mode allows reading a second information sequence. In a second step, the user can rewind to the first information sequence interrupted and marked during the previous marking step. This rewind step is triggered during the reproduction of the second sequence when the user actuates a rewind device. The invention is applicable to the reproduction by a user of recorded information and more particularly to the displaying of an audiovisual work. |
| US07783155B2 |
Method and system for detecting weak or invalid signals in data streams
There is provided a method for detecting signal conditions for Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) streams. Alternate-mode flags and valid frames within the MPEG streams are detected within a pre-defined search window. An indication that a valid signal is detected is output, when an alternate-mode flag and at least one valid frame are both detected within a same one of the predefined search window. |
| US07783149B2 |
Large-mode-area optical fibers with reduced bend distortion
In a LMA optical fiber the index of the core region is graded (i.e., as viewed in a radial cross-section) and has a grading depth of Δng, as measured from a central maximum at or near the axis to a lower level that is not greater than the central maximum and not less than the index of the cladding region. When the fiber is to be bent at a bend radius, the grading depth, the radius of the core region, and the difference between the central maximum index and the cladding region index are configured to reduce bend distortion. They may also advantageously be configured to maximize the effective mode-field area of the fundamental mode, suppress higher order modes, and reduce bend loss. In a preferred embodiment, the core region includes a centralized gain region, which in turn includes a dark region that is no more than 30% of the area of the gain region. Also described is a method of making such LMA fibers. |
| US07783146B2 |
Optical junction apparatus and methods employing optical power transverse-transfer
Discrete first and second optical transmission subunits are formed each having a corresponding transmission optical waveguide with a corresponding optical junction region. The first transmission optical waveguide is a planar optical waveguide formed on a substrate. The first transmission optical waveguide or the second transmission optical waveguide is adapted for enabling substantially adiabatic transverse-transfer of optical power between the optical waveguides at the respective optical junction regions. The first and second optical transmission subunits are assembled together to form an optical apparatus. |
| US07783141B2 |
Substrate for mounting IC chip and device for optical communication
The substrate for mounting an IC chip according to the present invention is a substrate for mounting an IC chip, where conductor circuits and insulating layers are formed and layered, an optical element is mounted, an optical path for transmitting an optical signal is formed, wherein an optical element sealing layer is formed so as to make contact with the periphery of the above described optical element. |
| US07783140B2 |
Optically coupled integrated circuit layers
In an optoelectronic integrated circuit device comprising a vertical arrangement of integrated circuit layers, an optical signal is coupled between a first integrated circuit layer thereof and a second integrated circuit layer thereof. The optical signal is projected through a superlensing element positioned between the first and second integrated circuit layers. |
| US07783139B2 |
Polarized light mode converter
The present invention provides a polarized light mode converter which can be provided within a two-dimensional photonic crystal or can be smoothly connected to a two-dimensional photonic crystal. In a two-dimensional photonic crystal made of a slab-like main body provided with a plurality of different refractive index regions (for example, holes 22) arranged in a lattice in the main body, where the different refractive index regions have a refractive index different from that of the main body, a polarized light conversion waveguide 23 is formed which is comprised of defects of the different refractive index regions arranged linearly whose a cross-sectional shape is asymmetrical in a vertical and in a horizontal direction. The polarized light conversion waveguide 23 can be, for example, realized by providing, on a side of the waveguide, holes 221 and 222 extending in a direction oblique to a the main body surface. TE polarized light propagating through the polarized light conversion waveguide 23 is partially converted into TM polarized light due to the asymmetry of the cross-sectional shape of the waveguide. Since the polarized light mode converter is made of a two-dimensional photonic crystal, it can be provided within a two-dimensional photonic crystal or can be smoothly connected to a two-dimensional photonic crystal. |
| US07783135B2 |
System and method for providing objectified image renderings using recognition information from images
An embodiment provides for enabling retrieval of a collection of captured images that form at least a portion of a library of images. For each image in the collection, a captured image may be analyzed to recognize information from image data contained in the captured image, and an index may be generated, where the index data is based on the recognized information. Using the index, functionality such as search and retrieval is enabled. Various recognition techniques, including those that use the face, clothing, apparel, and combinations of characteristics may be utilized. Recognition may be performed on, among other things, persons and text carried on objects. |
| US07783133B2 |
Rotation compensation and image stabilization system
An image processing system is arranged to provide rotation compensation and image stabilization in a video scope system such as in endoscopy and laparoscopy systems. The image processing functions may operate at real-time frame rates so that the resulting processed image is observable with no time lag. A rotation sensor is included in the system to sense the position of scope. The sensed scope rotation may be used to cause rotation of the collected image and/or an image displayed on a video monitor. The sensed rotation may be used to identify or calculate a coordinate transformation matrix that is used for processing the image data. The system may include a horizon lock mechanism that can be user-actuated to engage rotation compensation. When the horizon lock mechanism is not engaged, the output image is locked to the scope tip and rotates with rotation of the scope. |
| US07783130B2 |
Spatial standard observer
The present invention relates to devices and methods for the measurement and/or for the specification of the perceptual intensity of a visual image, or the perceptual distance between a pair of images. Grayscale test and reference images are processed to produce test and reference luminance images. A luminance filter function is convolved with the reference luminance image to produce a local mean luminance reference image. Test and reference contrast images are produced from the local mean luminance reference image and the test and reference luminance images respectively, followed by application of a contrast sensitivity filter. The resulting images are combined according to mathematical prescriptions to produce a Just Noticeable Difference, JND value, indicative of a Spatial Standard Observer, SSO. Some embodiments include masking functions, window functions, special treatment for images lying on or near borders and pre-processing of test images. |
| US07783127B1 |
Determining parameters for adjusting images
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for determining parameter values for adjusting an image. A first function of a local attribute is specified based on values of the local attribute in the image. A second function of the local attribute is specified based on an image adjustment depending upon an adjustment parameter. An object function value is calculated for each of two or more values of the adjustment parameter, each object function value including accumulated differences between the first and second function at multiple values of the local attribute. Based on the calculated object function values, a value of the adjustment parameter is determined for adjusting the image. |
| US07783123B2 |
Method and system for denoising a noisy signal generated by an impulse channel
In various embodiments of the present invention, a binary mask corresponding to a noisy symbol sequence is produced to indicate which of the symbols in the noisy symbol sequence has potentially been modified, or altered, by a noisy channel. DUDE, DUDE-CTI, and other denoising methods are modified to employ the bit mask in order to avoid the computational overhead and potential errors incurred in attempting to denoise symbols that are not likely to have been altered by the noisy channel. |
| US07783115B2 |
Apparatus and method for setting degrees of importance, apparatus and method for representative image selection, apparatus and method for printing-recommended image selection, and programs therefor
A plurality of images are classified into hierarchical categories. A degree of importance for each of the categories is set according to at least one of: the number of images therein, the number of images in an upper-level category, the number of categories related to the category, the number of hierarchical levels below the category, and the number of hierarchical levels from the uppermost level to the level of the category. |
| US07783111B2 |
Writing image acquisition apparatus, writing information extraction method, and storage medium
An image forming apparatus is provided with a writing-present document reading processing portion that executes processing for reading a plurality of page images that are images of pages constituting a document, a writing page determining portion that determines whether or not there is a writing in each of the pages based on each of the input page images, and a writing image extracting portion that extracts a writing image that is an image of the writing only from the page image of a page for which it has been determined that there is a writing. |
| US07783109B2 |
System for interactive note-taking
A system for interactive note-taking is provided having a receiver for receiving interaction data from a note-taking device used to interact with a note-taking form having note-taking information and a plurality of coded tags printed thereon, and a processor for recording or retrieving the note-taking by identifying, from the received interaction data, at least one parameter relating to the note-taking. Each tag encodes data on an identity of the form and a location of that tag on the form. The note-taking device senses the tags and generates the interaction data with data on the sensed form identity and a position of the note-taking device relative to the sensed tags. |
| US07783107B2 |
Characterization of a printed droplet
Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for characterizing the quality of a printed droplet(s) produced by a printer. The analysis of the printed droplet(s) is performed by applying image processing and computational geometric techniques. A report generated from that analysis enables the determination of characteristics of the device that produced the printed droplets. |
| US07783101B2 |
Method and system for determining dimensions of a structure having a re-entrant profile
Methods and systems for determining dimensions of a structure that has a re-entrant profile are disclosed. A method includes imaging at least a portion of a top surface of the structure. Subsequently, a second portion of the structure is imaged from a plurality of perspectives. A third portion of the structure is also imaged from a plurality of perspectives. A dimension of a bottom portion of the structure is determined based on the imaging. |
| US07783100B2 |
Method and apparatus for inspecting and analyzing welded structures
An apparatus and method for inspecting and analyzing welded structures includes a laser for directing at least one beam of light at a weld bead to define at least one visible profile line; a camera directed at the weld bead for capturing an image of the at least one profile line and generating a usable image signal based on the image; and a preprogrammed microprocessor assembly configured for receiving the usable image signal and processing the signal as an image to determine a dimension of the weld bead defined along the at least one profile line and comparing the dimension of the weld bead with a predetermined dimension set point to determine the quality of the weld bead. |
| US07783099B1 |
Virtual cosmetic and reconstructive surgery
Virtual surgery systems, methods, and apparatuses that provide for the prediction, evaluation, and validation of various cosmetic and reconstructive surgical procedures. The virtual surgery systems, methods, and apparatuses utilize a scanner, measurement software, queries to a postoperative patient scan catalog, conversion of a preoperative image to a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (3-D) image, grafting and scaling of chosen postoperative surgery candidates, conversion from the converted 3-D image to a scanner readable format, and measuring the forecasted 3-D image. |
| US07783097B2 |
System and method for detecting a three dimensional flexible tube in an object
The present invention is directed to a system and method for populating a database with a set of image sequences of an object. The database is used to detect a tubular structure in the object. A set of images of objects are received in which each image is annotated to show a tubular structure. For each given image, a Probabilistic Boosting Tree (PBT) is used to detect three dimensional (3D) circles. Short tubes are constructed from pairs of approximately aligned 3D circles. A discriminative joint shape and appearance model is used to classify each short tube. A long flexible tube is formed by connecting all of the short tubes. A tubular structure model that comprises a start point, end point and the long flexible tube is identified. The tubular structure model is stored in the database. |
| US07783096B2 |
Device systems and methods for imaging
Certain exemplary embodiments comprise a method, which can comprise determining an image of a predetermined physiological structure of a patient. The image can be determined based upon a first set of image data of the predetermined physiological structure of the patient. The image can be based upon a second set of image data of the predetermined physiological structure of the patient. The image can be determined based upon an iteratively adjusted movement of the patient. |
| US07783093B2 |
Method for locating a curved object
In a method and apparatus for locating in a three dimensional data array an arcuate object having an axial extent, slices of data generally transverse to the axial extent of the object are selected. Rays generally radially of the arcuate object are selected within the slices. Crossing points where the rays cross the boundaries of the arcuate object are located. The position of the arcuate object is determined from the positions of the located points. |
| US07783085B2 |
Using relevance feedback in face recognition
Images are searched to locate faces that are the same as a query face. Images that include a face that is the same as the query face may be presented to a user as search result images. Images also may be sorted by the faces included in the images and presented to the user as sorted search result images. The user may provide explicit or implicit feedback regarding the search result images. Additional feedback may be inferred regarding the search result images based on the user-provided feedback, and the results may be updated based on the user-provided and inferred feedback. |
| US07783081B2 |
Method and device for verification of identity aboard an aircraft
A method and device for verification of identity aboard an aircraft combines a device for biometric authentication with a surveillance device making it possible to control the conditions under which biometric authentication is performed. According to complementary stages of the method of the invention, a communication device can communicate information relating to the verification of identity and whereby a state of alert is activated if the information signals an unusual situation aboard the aircraft. |
| US07783079B2 |
Motion assisted data enhancement
A method of enhancing data. A trace may be determined from a target data point in a target frame and a respective data point in an adjacent frame. At least an approximate value of the target data point may be determined from the trace. |
| US07783077B2 |
Eye gaze tracker system and method
The invention relates to systems and methods for tracking the movement of an operator's eyes in order to determine the real-time gaze angle of the eyes of the operator. In one embodiment, the invention may utilize an eye camera and a processing device. A frame by frame image of the eye may be captured utilizing the camera and the processing device, and a custom template resembling the operator's eye may be created utilizing the image produced by the eye camera. The custom template may be substantially the shape and size of the pupil of the eye of the operator, or may also represent additional features of the eye of the operator, such as the iris, sclera, cornea, or eye-lids. A tracking algorithm may determine a substantially real-time gaze angle of the eye. |
| US07783075B2 |
Background blurring for video conferencing
Background blurring is an effective way to both preserve privacy and keep communication effective during video conferencing. The present image background blurring technique is a light weight real-time technique to perform background blurring using a fast background modeling procedure combined with an object (e.g., face) detector/tracker. A soft decision is made at each pixel whether it belongs to the foreground or the background based on multiple vision features. The classification results are mapped to a per-pixel blurring radius image to blur the background. In another embodiment, the image background blurring technique blurs the background of the image without using the object detector. |
| US07783073B2 |
Information embedding apparatus and information embedding method for adding information to document image by embedding information therein, information detecting apparatus and information detecting method
In an information embedding apparatus, an image compositing portion selectively reads an embedding pattern from a plurality of types of the embedding patterns in accordance with an embedding information for a background of a document image. The image compositing portion further composites the read embedding pattern into the background of the document image in a document image data generated based on a document data and outputs the composite document image data. The embedding pattern includes a data dot placed at a position in accordance with the embedding information, a position dot placed at a position for instructing a reference position used for identifying the position of the data dot, and an assisting dot placed at a position for assisting the instruction of the reference position by the position dot. |
| US07783070B2 |
Cable adapter for a media player system
A media player system is disclosed. One aspect of the media player system pertains to a docking station that allows a media player to communicate with other media devices. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a wireless media player system that includes a hand held media player capable of transmitting information over a wireless connection and one or more media devices capable of receiving information over the wireless connection. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a method of wirelessly connecting the hand held media player to another device. The method includes selecting a media item on the hand held media player; selecting one or more remote recipients on the hand held media player; and transmitting the media item locally to the hand held media player, and wirelessly to the selected remote recipients. Another aspect of the media player system pertains to a hand held music player that includes a transmitter for transmitting information over a wireless connection. The transmitter is configured to at least transmit a continuous music feed to one or more personal tuning devices that each include a receiver capable of receiving information from the transmitter over the wireless connection. Yet another aspect of the media player system pertains to a connector that includes a housing and a plurality of spatially separated contacts mounted within the housing. A first set of contacts are directed at a first functionality and a second set of contacts are directed at a second functionality that is different than the first functionality. |
| US07783066B2 |
Method for improving the fitting of hearing aids and device for implementing the method
The invention relates to a method for fitting a hearing aid to the needs of a hearing aid user, the method comprising collecting statistical data characterising physical or psychological properties of environments in which use of the hearing aid is desired and utilising the statistical values for the adjustment of the signal processing in the hearing aid, such statistical data having influence even though they may have been collected prior to the wearer's first or current period of listening via the hearing aid. The invention further relates to a device for implementing the method. |
| US07783064B2 |
Hearing aid system
In the case of binaural coverage, the perception with one-sided sound reception should be improved. Provision is made for this purpose to transmit the receive signals of the hearing devices alternately and if necessary to generate a mono signal from the input signals with a specific weighting, said mono signal being presented at both ears. It is likewise conceivable to use only those spectral components of the input signals to generate the mono signal, said spectral portions having the higher level in each instance. |
| US07783060B2 |
Deconvolution methods and systems for the mapping of acoustic sources from phased microphone arrays
A method and system for mapping acoustic sources determined from a phased microphone array. A plurality of microphones are arranged in an optimized grid pattern including a plurality of grid locations thereof. A linear configuration of N equations and N unknowns can be formed by accounting for a reciprocal influence of one or more beamforming characteristics thereof at varying grid locations among the plurality of grid locations. A full-rank equation derived from the linear configuration of N equations and N unknowns can then be iteratively determined. A full-rank can be attained by the solution requirement of the positivity constraint equivalent to the physical assumption of statically independent noise sources at each N location. An optimized noise source distribution is then generated over an identified aeroacoustic source region associated with the phased microphone array in order to compile an output presentation thereof, thereby removing the beamforming characteristics from the resulting output presentation. |
| US07783058B2 |
System for verifying the identification of a device
A system for verifying the identification of a device. A codec is configured to measure at least one electrical characteristic of a device connected to a jack and to identify the device based on the measured electrical characteristic. An updateable database is populated with the electrical characteristic of at least one device whose electrical characteristic was measured by the codec but not correctly identified by the codec and a software routine is responsive to the measured electrical characteristic and configured to adjust the codec's identification of the device based on the electrical characteristic stored in the database to correctly identify the device. |
| US07783052B2 |
Multichannel spectral mapping audio apparatus and method
A method and circuit for deriving a set of multichannel audio signals from a conventional monaural or stereo audio signal uses an auxiliary multichannel spectral mapping data stream. Audio can be played back in stereo and multichannel formats from a conventional stereo signal on compact discs, FM radio, or other stereo or monaural delivery systems. The invention reduces the data rate needed for the transmission of multichannel digital audio. |
| US07783049B2 |
Method and an apparatus for decoding an audio signal
A method for processing an audio signal, comprising: receiving a downmix signal in time domain; if the downmix signal corresponds to a mono signal, bypassing the downmix signal; if the number of channel of the downmix signal corresponds to at least two, decomposing the downmix signal into a subband signal, and processing the subband signal using a downmix processing information, wherein the downmix processing information is estimated based on an object information and a mix information is disclosed. |
| US07783047B2 |
Sound filed reproduction apparatus and sound filed space reproduction system
A sound field reproduction apparatus generates sound field synthesizing parameters according to a relative positional relationship between the listener and the sound source and performs frequency conversion on sound data according to the relative positional relationship. A convolutional operation is conducted on the sound data that are subjected to the frequency conversion and the generated sound field synthesizing parameters in order to synthesize the sound of the sound source of each channel. The synthesized sound is subjected to wave front synthesis for the synthesized sound by using n-channel sound sources to reproduce a sound field in a predetermined area. |
| US07783045B2 |
Secure approach to send data from one system to another
A secure approach for sending a original message from a sender to a receiver. The sender may encrypt the original message by performing an XOR (or XNOR) operation of the original message and a first random message (same size as original message) on a bit by basis to generate a second message. The receiver may also perform an XOR of the second message with a locally generated second random message. The resulting message is sent to the sender system. The sender system may again perform XOR operation of the received message and the first random message, and send the resulting message to receiver. The receiver may perform XOR operation on the received output to generate the original message sent by the sender. Other technologies such as digital signatures and key pairs (public key infrastructure) may be used in each communication between the sender and receiver to further enhance security. |
| US07783038B2 |
Using code as keys for copy protection
A method for obscuring data and software including the steps of (A) generating code for performing a predefined operation using one or more sets of predefined data, (B) generating a first binary representation of the code and (C) mixing the one or more sets of predefined data into the binary representation of the code such that the one or more sets of predefined data and the code are substantially indistinct from each other. |
| US07783037B1 |
Multi-gigabit per second computing of the rijndael inverse cipher
The present invention pertains to data security, and more particularly to the security of encrypted data that can be transmitted between computers and the like, as well as stored upon one or more computer systems. A technique is disclosed for efficiently implementing the Rijndael inverse cipher. In this manner, encrypted ciphertext can be efficiently decrypted or converted back into plaintext. Data throughput can be enhanced via pipelining while cost savings can be concurrently achieved as less wafer space and/or die area may be utilized. Adaptations may be made based upon a resulting complexity of implementing a particular design while satisfying a maximum throughput requirement. |
| US07783035B2 |
Systems and methods for implementing host-based security in a computer network
A network node is disclosed. The network node includes a host processor. The network node also includes an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes a hardware portion configured to perform a first set of TCP acceleration tasks that require a first speed level. The integrated circuit also includes a network protocol processor configured to perform a second set of TCP acceleration tasks that require a second speed level, which is lower than the first speed level. The integrated circuit further includes an embedded processor configured to perform a third set of TCP acceleration tasks that require a third speed level, which is lower than the second speed level. The network node further includes a plurality of data paths configured to couple the integrated circuit to the host processor, the plurality of data paths being implemented based on different protocols. |
| US07783034B2 |
Communication privacy mask
The communication privacy mask has a housing having an opening coupled with a mouth piece and a hollow sound tube mounted in the housing. A microphone is positioned in the sound tube with a space in front of the front end of the microphone. |
| US07783026B2 |
System and method for connecting a port connector to an interface circuit
The invention provides a system and method for configuring a connection for a port in an electronic device. The system comprises: an interface circuit to process signals for the connection for the port; an interface circuit connection bus connecting to the interface circuit; a port connection bus connecting to the port; and a removable wiring adapter providing a connection circuit connecting tracks in the interface connection bus to tracks in the port connection bus. |
| US07783024B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing special call handling for valued customers of retailers
The present invention enables users of a network service to register with the network as valued shoppers, thereby allowing them to receive specialized treatment when calling registered retailers. The present invention enables retailers to register with the network, thereby allowing them to set preferred service logic for handling valued customer calls by the network. |
| US07783019B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing fraud detection using geographically differentiated connection duration thresholds
An approach provides fraud detection in support of data communication services. A threshold corresponding to a geographic location is set. The threshold corresponds to duration of a call supporting data communications. It is determined whether the call duration exceeds the threshold. A fraud alert is generated if the monitored call duration exceeds the threshold. |
| US07783017B2 |
Plural-communication-line-containing apparatus, communication line naming program, communication line selection apparatus, and communication line selection program
A plural-communication-line-containing apparatus capable of containing plural communication lines comprises: a communication-line-type discriminator for discriminating a type of communication line; a communication-line-number counter for counting the number of communication lines for each type of communication line; a communication-line-name determiner for determining a communication line name on the basis of the discriminated type of communication line and the counted number of communication lines; and a communication-line-name display for displaying the determined communication line name. Thus, in the plural-communication-line-containing apparatus capable of being connected with the plural communication lines, the names of the communication lines can be appropriately displayed and an operator can easily discriminate the communication lines. |
| US07783014B1 |
Decryption and decompression based audio system
A sending device exchanges handshake signals with a receiving device prior to the delivery of compressed digital audio data. The sending and receiving devices are remotely connected using a data network. In one embodiment of the present invention, the sending device sends an access code to the receiving device. The access code is an encrypted data of two components: a digital data associated with the sending device and a digital data associated with the receiving device. The receiving device decrypts the access code. The receiving device stores the compressed digital audio data in its memory if the decrypted access code contains the correct components. |
| US07783013B2 |
Method and system for routing emergency communications
Methods and systems are provided to locate, route, and/or otherwise process an emergency communications signal from a VoIP communication device equipped with a location positioning system and an emergency communications computer software product. The software identifies an emergency communications address, activates the location positioning system, and communicates location coordinates and other emergency information with the emergency communications signal to a communications network. |
| US07783011B2 |
Transmission type X-ray tube and manufacturing method thereof
A transmission type X-ray tube includes an electrode lead (4) holding a cathode filament (7) and a stem unit (1) to which a sealing member (5), an exhaust tube (2), and the like are attached by brazing, and an irradiation window frame (8) having an X-ray irradiation window (9) attached by brazing. The other end side (52) of the sealing member (5) is attached to an open end (83) of the irradiation window frame (8) by welding. Thus, it is possible to obtain a high-quality transmission type X-ray tube having a long service life at a low cost. |
| US07783010B2 |
X-ray radiation sources with low neutron emissions for radiation scanning
A method of manufacturing a radiation source in one example comprises selecting at least one of a target, a collimator, or target shielding consisting essentially of at least one isotope having a neutron production threshold greater than a peak acceleration energy of the source, and assembling the source including the selected material. A simulation may be used to assist in design a radiation source meeting neutron production requirements and optionally other requirements. |
| US07783009B2 |
Redundant switch mechanism for safety-critical applications in medical systems
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which a safety switch arrangement is assembled to prevent false activation of a subsystem in a medical system. In some embodiments, the safety switching arrangement comprises at least a first and a second type of switching element. In some embodiments, the first and the second type of switch each have an output that is processed by a processor, controller, or logic unit to produce an output signal for activating or deactivating a subsystem in the medical system. |
| US07783008B2 |
Digital radiograph patient positioning system and method
A technique is disclosed for placing markers on digital radiographic images, such as projection X-ray and tomosynthesis images. A tag encoding data is disposed on or near a component of a radiographic imaging system, such as on a digital detector. The tag is read during an imaging session, and human readable indicia for the marker is generated that can be permanently included in the resulting images or displayed when desired, such as in an overlay. |
| US07783006B2 |
Radiation treatment using x-ray source
Methods and apparatus are described for irradiating living tissue via a cavity or lumen, using an inflatable balloon applicator. In a preferred embodiment the applicator balloon has a balloon skin with x-ray contrast material in relatively low concentration, so that an outline of the balloon will appear sharply when imaged externally. In another preferred embodiment the balloon catheter has a drain for withdrawing liquids from the cavity, which may include channels or texture on the exterior of the balloon. Methods are described for using a switchable miniature x-ray tube, variable as to voltage and current, to achieve accuracy in an isodose profile. |
| US07783004B2 |
Cargo scanning system
The present invention is directed to a portable inspection system for generating an image representation of target objects using a radiation source. A detector array having a first configuration and a second configuration is connected to a housing and at least one source of radiation. The radiation source is capable of being transported to a site by a vehicle and of being positioned separate from the housing. The radiation source is housed in a radiation source box and movable within the radiation source box using an actuator. The actuator is operably connected to the radiation source and provides a translational energy that moves the radiation source between an operational position and a stowed position. |
| US07783000B2 |
Photodetection unit, photodetector, and x-ray computed tomography apparatus
A photodetecting unit having a favorable attaching operability is provided.In a photodetecting unit 1, two structures for attachment 30 are fixed to the rear face of a supporting substrate 20 formed by a sintered body of a ceramic. In the process of manufacturing the photodetecting unit 1, a laminate of green sheets is fired, so as to form a sintered body of a ceramic, and then each structure for attachment 30 is bonded to the rear face of the supporting substrate 20. This allows the structures for attachment 30 to be arranged accurately on the rear face of the supporting substrate 20, thereby ameliorating the attaching operability of the photodetecting unit 1. |
| US07782999B2 |
Systems and methods for scanning and data acquisition in computed tomography (CT) applications
Systems and methods for data acquisition in computed tomography (CT) applications are provided. The systems and methods are particularly adapted for scanning and acquiring/processing data in connection with high-power cone-beam CT applications. The electron beam is moved/scanned along the anode surface to multiple focal positions. Data acquisition for a full projection at one focus position and one view angle is achieved by activating each focus position multiple times during the data acquisition for one angle of the gantry. The detector array and associated data processing system are adapted to rapidly switch between the different focus positions during the acquisitions for one view angle and to collect all data belonging to the same projection into the same data set. Adaptive electron optics are utilized to move/scan the electron beam along the anode surface to the various focus positions. Alternatively, a plurality of cathodes may be provided for respective focus positions and the system may support fast switching therebetween to achieve desirably short spot times. The disclosed CT system permits greater power densities without risk of heat damage to the anode and effectively increases the track velocity of the electron beam on the anode surface. The CT system and associated data acquisition methods have particular utility in CT applications requiring increased time resolution and/or spatial resolution, e.g., cardiac CT applications. |
| US07782996B2 |
Method for combined bone hardening and scattered radiation correction in X-ray computed tomography
The invention relates to a method for combined bone hardening and scattered radiation correction in X-ray computed tomography of a heterogeneous object with a CT system comprising an X-ray source moved around an object, a flat detector with a large number of distributed detector elements which detect measuring beams from a focal point of the X-ray tube, and a control and arithmetic-logic unit—by iterative reconstruction and segmented vectorial reprojection calculation, wherein a scattered radiation correction and a radiation hardening correction are carried out in each iteration cycle for at least two different material components of the object being examined. The invention also relates to an X-ray CT system for carrying out this method. |
| US07782991B2 |
Fractionally related multirate signal processor and method
A multirate processing circuit (100) with a resampling filter (106) to accept a sampled input signal (104) sampled with a first clock rate and to filter the sampled input signal to remove spectral components above a spectral bandwidth of a second clock rate. The sampled input signal represents a signal that is more efficiently processed at the second clock rate, which is fractionally related to the first clock rate. The multirate processing circuit (100) also has a discrete time processor (108) that receives the resampling filter output (130) and processes that output at an integer power of two multiple of the first clock rate. The discrete time processor (108) further excludes selected samples from the processing so as to effectively perform discrete time processing of the resampling filter output (130) at the integer power of two multiple of the second clock rate. |
| US07782989B2 |
Apparatus and method for acquiring frame timing in communication system
Disclosed is an apparatus for acquiring initial frame timing in a communication system having a normalizer that calculates a normalized window power from powers of samples of received signal during a monitoring period, a cross power calculator that calculates a window cross power from cross powers of the samples during the monitoring period, and each cross power corresponds to multiplication of two of the samples, a divider that divides the window cross power by the normalized window power and outputs a metric for a sample corresponding to the monitoring period, and a peak-value detector that searches a sample having the maximum value among metrics for the samples of the received signals during a predetermined period, and the metrics are calculated by shifting the monitoring period, with a sample next to the sample searched by the peak-value detector being determined as a starting point of a frame. |
| US07782987B2 |
Method and apparatus for received signal quality estimation
A processing circuit and method generate signal quality estimates based on scaling measured inter-symbol interference (ISI) in a received signal according to a cancellation metric corresponding to ISI cancellation performance of the receiver. By accounting for ISI cancellation performance of the receiver based on a simple scaling metric, accurate received signal quality measurements are obtained in a manner that accounts for un-cancelled ISI in the received signal without requiring use of potentially complex multipath combining weight calculations in the signal quality calculation. Signal quality estimation results may be used for sending corresponding Channel Quality Indicators, communication link transmit power control commands, etc. In some embodiments, the cancellation metric is maintained as a dynamic value based on measured ISI cancellation performance, while in other embodiments the cancellation metric comprises a pre-configured value stored in memory, for example. |
| US07782986B2 |
Signal jamming avoidance method for a frequency hopping communication system
To avoid signal jamming, a method is provided for selecting a dwell channel on a receiver in a frequency hopping communication system. The method includes: measuring a noise level on channels over which a data signal is received at the receiver; selecting a dwell channel based on the estimated noise levels, where the dwell channel having the lowest noise level amongst a group of permissible channels over which to acquire a signal from a transmitter; and tuning the receiver to the selected dwell channel during a search state in which the receiver attempts to synchronize with a transmitter. |
| US07782985B2 |
Automatic frequency offset compensation in a TDD wireless OFDM communication system
Offsets in the transmit clock in a wireless communication system are corrected by using data distributed over many frequencies. In the time domain the system uses separate copies of the same signal transmitted with a known spacing in terms of transmit clock signals. The variation of timing between the received signals yields an initial estimate that then is used in a closed loop tracking arrangement to yield and compensate for unpredictable rate changes caused by, for example, jitter, Doppler or thermal drift. The frequency offset for one channel can then be used to calculate the offset for other channels. |
| US07782984B2 |
Method of sphere decoding with low complexity and good statistical output
A symbol vector received from a multiple antenna transmitting array is detected using a sphere decoder. The sphere decoder is used to select from a set of candidate binary strings that string which is most likely to have been transmitted. Soft information for use in a turbo decoder or the like is obtained by considering cost functions for a set of candidate strings, including strings derived from the most likely string by flipping one or more bits thereof. |
| US07782982B2 |
Adaptive deinterleaver memory allocation
A receiver for use in a wireless network comprising a communications channel and a method of allocating deinterleaver memory usage in the receiver, wherein the receiver comprises a processor adapted to organize subchannels of the communications channel and set a number (N) of data bits per soft decision, wherein the soft decision is represented by N data bits; an address decoder adapted to decode the subchannels; a demapper adapted to receive QAM symbols and demap the QAM symbols to soft decisions; a deinterleaver adapted to perform deinterleaving on the soft decisions, wherein the deinterleaver comprises a memory component having a storage size that is a function of the number (N) of bits per soft decision; and a Viterbi decoder adapted to decode the deinterleaved soft decisions. |
| US07782978B2 |
Phase correction of a constant envelope signal without introducing amplitude modulation
Systems and methods are provided for precorrecting a constant envelope input signal. A phase precorrection component generates a precorrected input signal by applying a phase precorrection to the input signal. The applied phase correction alters an associated phase of the input signal without applying amplitude modulation to the signal. A linear distortion source applies amplitude distortion and phase distortion to the precorrected input signal. The applied phase correction mitigates the phase distortion applied by the linear distortion source. |
| US07782975B2 |
Pulse train carrier-less modulator using SAW filters
A system and method of carrier-less modulation is described in this disclosure that uses SAW filters as a modulator in addition to their conventional use as filters for band limiting an UWB system. This system and method is primarily designed to be used with any integer cycle, ultra-wide band or impulse type modulation and more particularly is designed to work with a method of modulation named xG Flash Signaling. This technique exploits the impulse response of the SAW filter by exciting the filter with a narrow pulse train producing a carrier-less impulse radio system with limited bandwidth, low average power, but high peak power. |
| US07782972B2 |
Apparatus and method for selecting antennas in MIMO multi-carrier system
An apparatus and method for selecting antennas in a MIMO multi-carrier system is provided to effectively select a receive antenna group with better signal detection capability, thereby enhancing system performance. The apparatus includes a channel estimator and an antenna selector. The channel estimator generates a channel matrix of each MIMO channel in response to each sub-carrier. The antenna selector generates a parameter of transmission capacity for each possible receive antenna group in response to each sub-carrier, and selects a receive antenna group with an optimal overall transmission capacity according to the parameter of transmission capacity. |
| US07782970B2 |
Apparatus and associated methods to introduce diversity in a multicarrier communication channel
An apparatus and associated methods to improve diversity gain while preserving channel throughput in a multicarrier communication channel are generally presented. |
| US07782966B2 |
Demodulator of base station in orthogonal frequency division multiple access
A base station demodulator according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a vector index demodulator, and a channel value detector. The vector index demodulator demodulates CQI or ARQ ACK/NACK channels by multiplying QPSK modulation signals transmitted as m subcarriers in a tile by m conjugate complexes corresponding to the m subcarriers, and determines the greatest value of the demodulation results as a vector index. The channel value detector inputs n vector indexes demodulated by the vector index demodulator to a first shift register, inputs n subsequent vector indexes to a second shift register, and detects a channel value for the CQI or the ARQ ACK/NACK by repeating the above vector index input to the first and second shift registers m-times. |
| US07782959B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing device comprising a process generation section and a plurality of series-connected operation processing units. Each of the series-connected operation processing units receives a process packet output from the process generation section and performs any processing according to an instruction contained in the process packet. The units are divided into three suites and route selection sections are respectively inserted to input side of each of the suites. If the unit which executes a process related to an input process packet is not included in the immediately following one of the suites, the respective route selection sections supply this corresponding input process packet not to the input side of that one of the suites but to the output side of that suite. The process packet moves as bypassing such a suite as not to have the unit that executes a process related to this process data, thereby reducing its processing time and its power dissipation. |
| US07782957B2 |
Motion estimation circuit and operating method thereof
The present invention provides a motion estimation circuit and an operating method thereof. The motion estimation circuit includes processing elements PEm (−n≦m≦n, n represents a search range), data latches FFk (−n |
| US07782955B2 |
Transcoder and transcoding method operating in a transform domain for video coding schemes possessing different transform kernels
A transcoder for converting a digital video signal from a first format into a second format in transform domain. The first format and the second format are respectively adopted by video coding schemes possessing different DCT transform kernels. The transcoder includes: a transform-domain decoder, coupled to the digital video signal, for decoding the digital video signal of the first format to generate a first DCT-domain signal, the first DCT-domain signal corresponding to a first DCT transform of the first format in the transform domain; a transform kernel converter, coupled to the transform-domain decoder, for converting the first DCT-domain signal into a second DCT-domain signal, the second DCT-domain signal corresponding to a second DCT transform of the second format in the transform domain; and a transform-domain encoder, coupled to the transform kernel converter, for generating a resultant video signal encoded in the second format according to the second DCT domain signal. |
| US07782953B2 |
Optimal encoding of motion compensated video
Both distortion rate and bit-rate can be considered together when selecting a lowest cost motion estimation signal. A motion estimation signal is generated for each of the candidate motion vectors and candidate mode information vectors for a macroblock. An estimated amount of encoding bits is determined for each of the candidate motion vectors, candidate mode information vectors, and quantized coefficients. A bit-rate is computed based on the estimated amount of encoding bits. In addition, a current macroblock is reconstructed with each of the candidate vectors, and distortion measured between each of the reconstructions and the current macroblock. A sum is computed for each distortion measurement and corresponding bit-rate. The lowest sum represents the lowest cost motion estimation signal. |
| US07782949B2 |
Method and apparatus for decoding/encoding a video signal
Methods include receiving a multi-view video stream including a random access picture including a random access slice referencing only a slice corresponding to a same time and a different view of the picture; obtaining identification information representing the stream including initialization information of a reference picture list for the slice; obtaining the initialization information based on the identification information, the initialization information representing view relationships between several views and including view number information and view identification information for the views; initializing the picture list for inter-view prediction by appending an inter-view reference index to an initialized temporal reference picture list for temporal prediction based on the view number and identification information; determining a prediction value of a macroblock in the picture based on the initialized list; and decoding the macroblock using the prediction value, the initialization information being obtained from an extension area of a sequence header. |
| US07782945B2 |
Method and apparatus for decoding/encoding a video signal
Methods include receiving a multi-view video stream including a random access picture including a random access slice referencing only a slice corresponding to a same time and a different view of the picture; obtaining identification information representing the stream including initialization information of a reference picture list for the slice; obtaining the initialization information based on the identification information, the initialization information representing view relationships between several views and including view number information and view identification information for the views; initializing the picture list for inter-view prediction by appending an inter-view reference index to an initialized temporal reference picture list for temporal prediction based on the view number and identification information; determining a prediction value of a macroblock in the picture based on the initialized list; and decoding the macroblock using the prediction value, the initialization information being obtained based on a value indicating decoding order between the views. |
| US07782943B2 |
Method and apparatus for decoding/encoding a video signal
Methods include receiving a multi-view video stream including a random access picture including a random access slice referencing only a slice corresponding to a same time and a different view of the picture; obtaining identification information representing the stream including initialization information of a reference picture list for the slice; obtaining a random access flag indicating whether a picture is random access picture type; obtaining initialization information of a reference picture list for the slice from the stream based on the flag, the initialization information representing view relationships between several views and including view number information and view identification information; initializing the list using the view number and identification information; determining a prediction value of a macroblock in the picture based on the initialized list; and decoding the macroblock using the prediction value, the initialization information being obtained based on a value indicating decoding order between the views. |
| US07782941B2 |
Content supplying apparatus and method, and recording medium
A content supplying apparatus includes a multimedia content server which keeps a list of coding parameters at predetermined bit rates. The coding parameters for transmitting a bit stream are determined in accordance with a transmission capacity based on the coding parameter list. Based on the obtained coding parameters, the bit stream is converted and is transmitted to a transmission channel. |