| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07997270B2 |
Apparatus for supplying respiratory gas and a method for controlling the apparatus
An apparatus for supplying a respiratory gas includes a conveyor device for conveying the respiratory gas, a conduit for feeding the respiratory gas conveyed by the conveyor device to a person, and a humidification device for humidifying the respiratory gas. A sensor device is configured to generate a signal indicative of the respiratory gas humidity and a control device is configured to control the humidification device with regard to the signal which is generated by the sensor device. A method of supplying a respiratory gas to a patient, in which the respiratory gas is introduced by means of a conveyor device into the conduit leading to the patient and is humidified, includes operating the conveyor device so that a respiratory gas pressure which is above ambient pressure is provided in the conduit, and adjusting the humidity on the basis of signals indicative of the relative and/or absolute humidity of the respiratory gas generated by the sensor device. |
| US07997268B1 |
Veterinary anesthesia monitor system
A veterinary anesthesia monitor system useful in establishing, maintaining, and reporting upon the anesthesia gas mixture delivered to or exhaled by a patient. |
| US07997266B2 |
System and method for airway manipulation
Methods and devices are disclosed for manipulating the airway, such as to treat obstructive sleep apnea. An implant is positioned within the body with respect to the airway. The spatial orientation of the airway is manipulated, directly or indirectly, to affect the configuration of the airway. In general, the implant is manipulated to displace the trachea in an inferior direction, resist superior displacement of the trachea and/or to alter the tracheal wall tension. The implant restrains the trachea in the manipulated configuration. |
| US07997265B2 |
Cradle for semi-automatic emergency medication dose nebulizer
A conventional respiratory nebulizer has an emergency medication dose storage system delivering the stored medication dose directly to the nebulizing chamber with a single impulse of manual force to a simple mechanical delivery system, thereby making the nebulizer useable in two steps: (a) opening the medication capsule with a simple opening action; and (b) inhaling the nebulized medication. The nebulizer can be operated without disassembling the nebulizer housing so as to expose the nebulizing chamber and without manually opening the liquid medication container and, without spillage and without manual pouring of the liquid medication directly into the nebulizing chamber, and without reassembling the nebulizer housing before positioning the inhaler mouthpiece in the mouth so as to inhale the nebulized medication. The delivery system includes a pressure burstable seal at one end of the capsule, which is burst by the application of force against the opposite end of the capsule. |
| US07997261B2 |
Compound bow accessory
The compound bow accessory includes a bracket adapted for mounting to the bow riser of a compound bow, an adjustable bar connected to the bracket and an alignment assembly adjustably mounted to the bar. The alignment assembly includes a pair of vertical alignment pins permitting the user to visually align with the sight pins of a bow sight between the upright pins. The compound bow accessory provides another point of reference in the process of aiming such that the user may reduce inaccuracies due to hand torque. |
| US07997260B2 |
Paintball marker
A pneumatic paintball marker has, for example, a sleeve that controls the passage of air through the longitudinal barrel or opening within the marker. By sequentially filling separate chambers defined within the opening and the sleeve, the sleeve is able to translate axially through the opening in a sequential manner. When the sleeve is in a forward position, air is caused to be released through the barrel, propelling the paintball. A sear member engages the sleeve and prevents it from inadvertently moving to a forward position. Air filling the chambers returns the sleeve to the loading position. |
| US07997259B2 |
Compound archery bow
A compound archery bow includes a handle having projecting limbs, and first and second pulleys mounted on the limbs for rotation around respective axes. At least a first of the pulleys includes a flat base with a bowstring let-out groove on the base and a bowstring anchor adjacent to the bowstring let-out groove. A draw module is disposed on the base, a cable groove extends along the draw module, and first and second cable anchors are disposed on the base adjacent to respective ends of the cable groove. The cable groove on the draw module is continuous in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the first pulley. A bow cable arrangement includes a bowstring cable extending from the bowstring anchor on the first pulley around the bowstring let-out groove and then toward the second pulley. A first cable extends from the first anchor on the first pulley through a portion of the cable groove on the module and then toward the second pulley. A second cable extends from the second anchor toward the second pulley. Draw of the bowstring cable away from the bow handle lets out bowstring cable from the bowstring cable groove on the first pulley and rotates the first pulley around its axis, lets out the first cable from the groove on the module and takes up the second cable into the groove on the module including a portion of such groove previously occupied by the first cable. |
| US07997254B2 |
System for controlling the emissions of fuel vapours from a vehicle
Described herein is a control system for controlling the emissions of fuel vapors from a vehicle comprising a first adsorption system and a second adsorption system. The first adsorption system is formed by a canister preferably filled with activated carbons having a grain size greater than 4 mm. The second adsorption system is made up of a tubular housing, which has a ratio between the equivalent diameter D and the axial height H of between 1:2.5 and 1:4.5 and is filled with activated carbons having a grain size greater than 4 mm. |
| US07997251B2 |
Systems and methods for electronic throttle control
An engine control system includes a status determination module that determines states of first and second throttle position sensors (TPSs), wherein a fault state includes when one of the first and second TPSs is one of outside of a predetermined range and out of correlation with the other of the first and second TPSs, for greater than a first predetermined period. A throttle actuation module opens a throttle when an engine manifold absolute pressure (MAP) is less than a predetermined MAP threshold, at least one of the first and second TPSs is in the fault state, and the other one of the first and second TPSs is within a second predetermined period from transitioning to the fault state. |
| US07997243B2 |
Ball type valve rotator
An improved ball type valve rotator is provided that includes a main body segment having a bottom wall with an upper surface, and a body cap that overlies the main body segment. A ball cages assembly is housed between the main body segment and the body cap. The ball cages assembly includes multiple ramps with lower surfaces that are spaced from the bottom wall upper surface of the main body segment. This allows the multiple ramps to deflect toward the bottom wall upper surface of the main body segment. The multiple ramps can deflect independently of each other, so that different distances can be defined between the different ramps and the bottom wall upper surface of the main body segment. In so doing, the ball cage assembly can accommodate non-uniform applications of force into the valve rotator. |
| US07997238B2 |
Engine and cooling system arrangement for a harvester
The engine and cooling system arrangement includes an engine supported between the forward and rear ends of the frame of a harvesting machine, in an engine compartment. A cooler box containing at least one heat exchanger is disposed higher than and vertically offset from, the engine, and has an inlet opening facing sidewardly and covered with an air screen. A discharge opening faces in an opposite side direction. A fan generates a sideward air flow through the filter screen, cooler box and at least one heat exchanger, and outwardly through the discharge opening, away from an operator cab of the machine. A portion of the air flow will be directed into an air flow duct extending downwardly and forwardly to the engine compartment to create a positive air pressure condition therein, to limit infiltration of unfiltered air. |
| US07997232B2 |
Aquarium
An aquarium includes: a box having an accommodating space therein; a dividing board disposed in the accommodating space of the box to divide it into a cultivating layer and a nitrobacteria layer; a pump for drawing water and air, mixing them into bubbles, and sending the mixture out via a transporting pipe; a foam remover connected with the transporting pipe and having a foam outlet and a water outlet. The bubbles received from the transporting pipe are broken into smaller bubbles in the foam remover. The protein impurities in the water are expelled with the bubbles via the foam outlet. The processed water flows via the water outlet into the nitrobacteria layer to decompose the proteins. |
| US07997231B2 |
Composition suitable for aquatic habitat repair, replacement and/or enhancement
The current invention provides an improved material for the repair, replacement, and/or enhancement of aquatic habitats. It is a composition for use as a replacement for concrete or as a coating for concrete in structures such as artificial reefs. The combination of calcium carbonate (preferably Aragonite), a resin (preferably a marine use resin or Dion ISO 6631), and a catalyst results in a composition that is strong, durable, easy to use, and compatible with aquatic life. The current invention can be used to fabricate structures for use as a foundation for the repair and regeneration of damaged coral reefs. The organically enhanced nature of the composition facilitates the attachment and growth of coral and algae and is compatible with other aquatic life. The composition can be fabricated into slab form and used as a surface for coral farming/seeding for eventual transplantation of live coral species. The composition can be used to fabricate artificial reef modules as described in the prior art and to duplicate certain species of hard coral. This product can also be used to build structures that will help protect shorelines from erosion. When cast in a molded process, the composition can be used for the formation of aesthetically pleasing formations (replicas of hard coral species) that are also suitable for use in aquariums. The composition can also be used to fabricate structures to be used in freshwater environments to enhance habitats used by desirable fish species for spawning. |
| US07997230B2 |
Manual litter box
A manual litter box provides various advantages over the prior art. In particular, in one embodiment, the manual litter box is configured to use a disposable cartridge which may include a litter compartment and a waste compartment. In another embodiment, the cartridge may be non-compartmentalized. The cartridge may be disposable, thus eliminating the need for the user to clean the litter tray and handle heavy litter containers. In other embodiments, the system includes a rake assembly configured with a manual shuttle chassis drive assembly that is protected from contamination. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the manual litter box is configured to be used with all types of litter including crystal type litter. |
| US07997229B2 |
Water sprinkler for dogs
A water sprinkler specifically designed for exercising and entertaining dogs that is composed of a highly-durable, non-toxic, flexible, plastic, or like material having perforations for water to spray. Dogs entertain themselves in water sprinklers, however, water sprinklers are often not durable and do not withstand dogs biting them. Dogs can also harm themselves by biting sharp material used to manufacture most standard water sprinklers. This invention is a durable rubber or similar material bone water sprinkler that connects to a standard garden water hose. Dogs can pick it up in their mouths to move it around, nip at the spraying water, and chew on the water sprinkler safely. The body of the sprinkler is shaped in a manner that encourages play even without water spraying from the perforations. The water sprinkler for dogs addresses the chewing and biting issue characteristic of dogs when playing with water sprinklers. |
| US07997219B2 |
System and method for facilitating removal of gauge parts from hook bar modules
A replaceable gauging element assembly includes a series of gauge modules mounted in spaced series along a gauge bar. The gauge modules each include an upper section having a front face, an intermediate section and a lower section. A series of slots are formed in the front face of the gauge modules for receiving a series of gauge parts therein, with the gauge parts releasably secured within the modules by one or more fasteners. Access openings are formed in the modules for facilitating removal of broken gauge parts from the slots. |
| US07997217B2 |
Tool control device at an agricultural implement
The invention refers to an implement regulating device in an agricultural machine including at least one group of implements (4) arranged across the driving direction, thereafter cross-wise arranged support members (15) and at least one each group of implements and support members are controllable and adjustable by a power device (23). Implements (4) and support members (15) in each group are journalled in bearings at one end of at least one carrying arm (13). The power device (23) is adapted to rotate a cross-running main beam (19). The main beam is connected with the carrying arm (13) via a spring member (18) and is rotatably suspended in relation to the frame (Ia) of the machine (1). Activation of the power device is adapted to influence the carrying arm between a position for maximum sowing depth and a transport position. |
| US07997209B2 |
Propulsion mechanism
There is provided a differential propulsion mechanism including two or more concentric and mutually counter-rotating first wheels (4, 6, 8, 10), mutually reacting and balancing the torque of a motor drive (20) interacting with the wheels. The motor drive has a stator attached to one of the first wheels to power a first wheel over a first track (12, 14, 16, 18), a rotor coupled to a mechanical link, at least indirectly connecting the rotor with a second of the two or more first wheels to power the second wheel over a second track, and a concentric connecting device affixed for coupling a payload thereto or for coupling the mechanism itself to another device. |
| US07997207B2 |
Railway joint connection arrangement
A joint connector for the lower flanges of adjoining running rails is assembled from two abutment pieces that each is seated in a lower flange of a respective rail that forms the joint. By use of centering devices, the correctly aligned positioning of the two abutment pieces is assured, wherein the abutment pieces transfer their aligned positioning to the lower flanges that meet each other without offset at the joint and the positioning cannot be negatively affected by transverse forces. The connection also provides a positive-fit in a transverse direction of the rails. Another joint connector arrangement connects the two running rails in the region of the top side. Abutment pieces in this case are seated as riders on a support rib and are connected to each other by tension rods. |
| US07997205B2 |
Base drag reduction fairing
A projectile may include a base drag reduction fairing preform adapted to be plastically deformed into a base drag reduction fairing after the projectile is launched from a gun barrel. |
| US07997202B2 |
Web offset printing press and method for operating a web offset printing press
A web offset printing press that prints and processes at least one material web and has printing units and/or printing unit assemblies, at least one folder, and transport elements operates by transporting the at least one material web by the transport elements through a web of the printing press into the at least one folder, electrically driving the at least one folder, the printing units and/or printing unit assemblies and the transport elements at least partially mechanically independently of each other, and synchronizing during printing operation via specified setpoints values of at least one master axis with an electronically generated synchronization clock, and starting from a initial state of the at least one folder in which the master axis and/or condition of motion of the folder are independent of each other, adapting by the at least one folder its initial state to or synchronizing by the at least one folder its initial state with setpoint value assignments of the master axis, by performing compensating motions. |
| US07997201B2 |
Method and device for labeling containers
A method of labeling bottles and a machine therefor in which indicia on the bottles is monitored to determine where to produce indicia on at least one predetermined portion substantially transverse to a longitudinal container axis of each container, such as the top of a bottle cap. The indicia is aligned with the orientation of at least one indicium, such as a side label, on at least one portion of the same container in a predetermined spatial relationship. |
| US07997199B2 |
Method and apparatus for manufacturing relief material for seamless printing
A workpiece 70 is set to holding rotating means and then liquid-state photosensitive resin 10 is supplied to a resin applying smoothing unit 150 to mold the workpiece 70 into a uniform thickness while rotating the workpiece 70 and applying the liquid-state photosensitive resin 10 to the outer periphery of the workpiece 70 by the resin applying smoothing unit 150. Moreover, while rotating the workpiece 70, liquid-state photosensitive resin, it is exposed by high-intensity ultraviolet light 30 and thereby, the surface of the photo-cured photosensitive resin is shaped to remove an unnecessary resin layer. Then, laser carving is performed by an infrared laser beam 40 to perform post-treatment. |
| US07997196B2 |
Portable intaglio printing press
The present invention is directed to a novel intaglio printing press and a method for intaglio print making using the intaglio printing press described herein. The present invention is comprised generally of two assemblies: a press bed assembly and a print head assembly. The print head assembly serves as a first class lever within a pair of surfaces of a press bed assembly that define runway. The runway structure of the press bed assembly confines the force applied to the print head assembly and translates that force into a pressure directed to the print paper covered and inked artwork. The print paper and inked artwork are positioned proximate to the lower surface and the print head portion of the print head assembly is situated between the artwork and the upper surface. The print head assembly comprises one or more lever handles, a compression roller and one or more track roller. The lever handle(s) provide a torque lever for receiving a manually exerted downward force and to provide a handle for moving the print head assembly along the runway, thereby making compression passes across the artwork. The track roller and compression roller are secured a predetermined distance from each other and within a housing that forces the compression roller against the print paper and inked artwork at the lower surface of the runway and simultaneously forces the track roller (or bearings) against the upper surface of the runway. Printmaking proceeds one pass at a time across the lateral extent of the print paper covered artwork. |
| US07997195B2 |
Spacer printing apparatus and method of printing a spacer
A spacer-printing apparatus includes a printing roller and a moving part. The printing roller has opposite edges connected by a curved surface and spacers are attached to the curved surface. The moving part is connected with the printing roller and respectively and alternately moves opposite edges up and down. The printing roller has a shape of a portion of cylinder, so that a radius is increased without the increase in volume and weight thereof. |
| US07997189B1 |
Heated compressed air broiler system
An oven and broiler for cooking foods using convection and radiant heat, including a housing defining a cooking chamber with an inlet for introducing uncooked foods into the cooking chamber, an outlet for discharging cooked foods and a conveyor for conveying food product from the inlet to the outlet, an array of heating elements, and a compressed air injection system for providing a bank of moving air over the food product during the early stages of cooking so as to break up the blanket of cold air over the food product. |
| US07997186B2 |
Cover for beverage maker assembly
A beverage maker assembly includes an outer cup and an inner cup which is removably received in the outer cup. A filtering unit is received in the inner cup and communicates with a drain hole defined in a bottom of the inner cup so that the beverage can flow to the outer cup. A cover is pivotably connected to a handle of the outer cup and has an operation portion extending radially from a periphery thereof. A pivotal portion extends from the operation portion and has an elongate hole. The pivotal portion is movably engaged with a recess defined in the handle by extending a pin through the handle and the elongate hole to pivotably connect the cover to the handle. The cover is easily opened and closed relative to the outer cup. |
| US07997184B2 |
Self starting vibrator
Briefly, the invention comprises a vibrator with an on-demand start-up system, that inhibits fouling the atmosphere, with one embodiment of the invention including an integral non-fouling start-up system wherein at least one of the bearing surfaces contains a surface adhered lubricant so as to provide an on-demand static start-up system and in another embodiment the on-demand start-up system is a dynamic system that can unbalance the differential forces on the piston therein to ensure that the vibrator will begin vibrating “on-demand”. Thus, two types of start-up systems are available one an on-demand static start-up system and the other an on-demand dynamic start-up system with either of the systems can be used alone or if desired in combination to provide redundant start-up systems. |
| US07997182B1 |
Protective hull for vehicles
A protective hull for a vehicle has a plate that covers at least a substantial portion of the underside of the vehicle. A plurality of supports extends laterally from longitudinal members, and a plurality of supports extends laterally from another longitudinal member. A plurality of V-shaped supports is disposed between the lateral supports. The supports have a plurality of voids therein. The voids do not have corners that could encourage tearing of the supports. Cells that are protected from puncture contain fire suppressant and are disposed over the supports. |
| US07997181B1 |
Hard component layer for ballistic armor panels
A multi-layer ballistic or armor panel system includes a hard component strike layer that is a continuous planar assembly of tile elements, the planar assembly having a strike surface and a rear surface. Seams between the tile elements are substantially non-perpendicular to the strike surface, thereby tending to deflect incoming projectiles. Grooves may be formed in one or more of the strike surface and the rear surface of the tile elements to provide a preferential weakness. The armor panel system may also include a reinforcing layer on at least one of the strike surface and the rear surface. A backing layer may be provided after the rear surface. |
| US07997179B1 |
Hybrid water cannon
A hybrid water cannon that can be configured in either a recoil mode or recoilless mode. A first barrel is attached to a breech block. Either a second barrel or breech plug is also attached to the breech block on a side opposite the first barrel. With the breech plug attached, the water cannon is in a recoil mode. With the second barrel attached, the water cannon is in a recoilless mode. A chamber containing a propellant charge is in communication with both the first and second barrels. Upon ignition, the propellant charge pushes a charge of water from both barrels simultaneously and in opposite directions. The discharge from the first barrel is used to disable the target ordnance. The discharge from the second barrel counters the recoil. The propellant charge is ignited using an ignition charge in a port intersecting the chamber at an angle other than 90 degrees. |
| US07997171B2 |
Attachment with collapsible front end for portable screw driving tool
An attachment for a portable hand-held screw driving tool is provided for use with collated strips of screws. The front portion of the attachment is movable to a great extent, to thereby allow the tool to drive screws almost directly at the corner of two walls. A front “nose piece” is pressed against one of the walls, which causes the nose piece to move rearward “into” the remainder of the tool, in a “first stage” of movement. A screw is indexed to its drive position, and a drive bit is abutted against the screw head during this first stage. The nose piece is pressed further into the tool, which also causes a “feed tube” to move rearward “into” the remainder of the tool, in a “second stage” of movement, which rotates the screw as it is emplaced into the wall. |
| US07997168B2 |
Adjustable ratchet wrench
An adjustable ratchet head assembly has first and second jaw members that are connected using a pinion shaft and a cogwheel shaft. The pinion shaft has oppositely threaded end portions that engage oppositely threaded pinion shaft receiving bores in a central section of each jaw member. The cogwheel shaft has oppositely threaded end portions that engage oppositely threaded cogwheel shaft receiving bores in a proximate end of each jaw member. A pinion gear is concentric with and engages the pinion shaft. A cogwheel gear is concentric with and engages the cogwheel shaft, and is in driving engagement with the pinion gear. Driving the cogwheel gear will cause rotation of the cogwheel shaft, pinion gear and pinion shaft, and will cause the jaw members to move toward or away from each other. The ratchet head assembly is received in a cylindrical ratchet head body, which is received in a handle assembly. |
| US07997167B2 |
Clamping and breaking device
A system for clamping and breaking threaded tubular members includes a clamping device configured to grip a threaded tubular member. The clamping device further includes a housing and a base mount associated with the housing. A breaking device can be provided to grip and rotate a threaded tubular member, the breaking device further including a housing and a base mount associated with the housing in which the base mount of clamping device and the base mount of the breaking device are configured to be mounted independently to at least one support structure. |
| US07997163B2 |
Adjustable locking windage and elevation knob
A novel, adjustable locking windage and elevation knob assembly for the improved accuracy of scopes wherein an adjustment turn knob may be raised from its locked position to rotate freely for desired windage or elevation adjustments and thereafter be pushed back down into a locked position. |
| US07997162B1 |
Handle bar extension
The instant invention is a handlebar extension that attaches to the top of a standard motorcycle or comparable vehicle allowing the user to secure the handlebars while positioning the handlebars at an elevated position and moving them forward, away from the rider. This is achieved by the presences of offset openings in the second component of the handle bar extensions. The handlebar extension attaches to existing openings of the motorcycle while the offset feature gives a height and distancing factor. The extensions have a plurality different size opening to accommodate a variety of different handlebars. The extensions themselves have a plurality of sizes as well to accommodate different applications. |
| US07997159B2 |
Gear selection assembly with nested differentially rotatable tube
The present invention broadly comprises a gear selector assembly including a tube with at least one engagement feature, arranged to be disposed within a drive shaft for a transmission, the transmission including at least one gear and the drive shaft including at least one gear actuation assembly; and a differential rotation element coupled with the tube and arranged to be coupled with the drive shaft so that the tube is differentially rotatable with respect to the drive shaft. The tube is arranged to differentially rotate such that the engagement feature engages the actuation assembly and the transmission engages a respective gear from the at least one gear. The assembly includes a means for displacing a portion of the differential rotation element such that the tube axially and rotationally displaces with respect to the drive shaft. The portion axially and rotationally engages with an interface element to controllably position the tube. |
| US07997149B1 |
Apparatus and method for non-invasive measurement of the sound velocity of a fluid flowing in a tubing
A method and apparatus for measuring the sound velocity of a flowing fluid includes a cartridge having a hollow interior through which the fluid flows formed by first and second chambers of different diameters that define first and second walls extending toward the cartridge longitudinal axis from which energy transmitted by a single sensor mounted in the cartridge is reflected back to the sensor. An electronic circuit includes a microprocessor that is programmed with the distance between the first and second walls and that measures the round-trip transit time of the signal energy transmitted to and reflected from each of the first and second walls and calculates the sound velocity of flowing fluid using the two measured round trip transit times and the programmed value of the fixed distance between the walls. |
| US07997146B2 |
Device for determining the quality and solidness of the vascular wall
A device for determining the quality and solidness of the vascular wall is provided for testing tissue samples and includes opposed first and second fixation plates. The fixation plates are connectable to an air pump or other source of vacuum for fixing the tissue sample in position. The device is connectable to a detector such as a meter, gauge, or printing device capable of displaying or producing an image or display corresponding to the value of a force required to disrupt or break the internal links between individual layers of the vascular wall. The fixation plates are movable relative to one another and may be abducted by abductors connecting the plates or by rotational movement of one fixation plate relative to the other by a shaft or other rotational mechanism. |
| US07997141B1 |
Oil pressure sensor
A novel oil pressure sensor includes component parts simply stacked up from bottom to top, namely a main body, a separator, an induction unit, a press board, an electronic circuit and a lid. The main body has an accommodation cavity to accommodate other component parts. An oil inlet pipe which extended downward from the accommodation cavity is covered by the separator to alleviate the impact of the flowing oil to the component parts. A conduction medium filled between the induction unit and the separator contributes to assuring conductance of the oil pressure thereby upgrading measurement sensitivity. The press board contributes to prevention of oil leakage. The electronic circuit sends the measured data to another instrument by simple and reliable plug and receptacle combination. |
| US07997139B2 |
Guided wave pipeline inspection system and method with enhanced natural focusing techniques
A method for the nondestructive inspecting of coated or uncoated pipeline, using ultrasonic guided waves excited on the outer or inner pipe surface, wherein at least one or more transducers are individually or simultaneously excited to generate ultrasound, wherein multiple received signals with different focal spot positions are processed and combined to produce a reduced number of final waveforms that show defect axial positions in the pipe, wherein a data calibration scheme is utilized to adjust velocity variability for all the guided wave modes at different frequencies, and wherein the hardware arrangement has at least one pulser channel and one receiver channel for the collection and storage of signals. |
| US07997138B2 |
Method for inspection of metal tubular goods
A method for predicting the performance of tubular goods includes using a computer readable three-dimensional representation of tubular good which includes computer readable measurements of discrete segments of the wall of said tubular acquired by ultrasonic detection means, along with associated data representing the position of discrete segment and optionally ovality data to predict the effect of stress conditions, including tensile, bending, collapse, burst and aging forces upon said tubular and optionally analyzing sequential inspection of the same tubular good over a period of time predict when failure is likely to occur, and to avoid failure while maximizing the use of the tubular good. |
| US07997137B2 |
Bidirectional readout circuit for detecting direction and amplitude of capacitive MEMS accelerometers
There is provided a bidirectional readout circuit for detecting direction and amplitude of an oscillation sensed at a capacitive microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer, the bidirectional readout circuit converting capacitance changes of the capacitive MEMS accelerometer into a time change amount by using high resolution capacitance-to-time conversion technology and outputting the time change amount as the direction and the amplitude of the oscillation by using time-to-digital conversion (TDC) technology, thereby detecting not only the amplitude of the oscillation but also the direction thereof, which is capable of being applied to various MEMS sensors. |
| US07997134B2 |
Measurement by gyroscopic system
A gyroscopic system is disclosed comprising at least a vibrating gyroscope, as a first mechanism of angle measurement, designed to provide a first measurement of angle values according to a measurement axis; and a second mechanism of angle measurement, designed to provide a second measurement of angle values according to said measurement axis. First angle values through the first angle measurement mechanism vibrating in a current vibration position and second angle values through the second angle measurement mechanism are provided simultaneously; and from these second angle values corrected on the basis of a comparison of the first and second angle values are deduced. Then the vibration position of the first angle measurement mechanism is changed from the current position to another vibration position. First angle values through the first angle measurement mechanism and second angle values through the second angle measurement mechanism are then provided simultaneously; and from these first angle values corrected on the basis of a comparison of the first and second angle values are deduced. |
| US07997133B2 |
Temperature compensating sensor
An acceleration sensor for measuring an acceleration comprises a housing including a measuring-plate, which has a first surface. The measuring plate has a second surface in parallel with and opposite to the first surface. A post is bonded via a post-bonding-face to the first surface. A temperature-compensating-element for compensating a temperature-effect caused by a temperature acting on the measuring-plate, is bonded via an element-bonding-face to the second surface of the measuring-plate. In addition, a sensor as described above is in a measuring device. |
| US07997132B2 |
Capacitive sensor assembly for determining relative position
A capacitive sensor assembly for detecting relative movement or position between objects, such as liquid level in a tank or reservoir, movement of one machine component with respect to another, and so on, includes one or more antenna probes connected to an integrated chip normally associated with touch-screen displays. Each antenna probe operates independently and may be formed as insulated conductive wires or conductive traces between layers of a stiff or flexible substrate, such as a PCB, with the substrate material serving as the insulating layers. Each antenna probe has a different length representing different measurement positions or locations between the objects being measured to provide dynamic calibration of the measurement under changing environmental conditions. |
| US07997123B2 |
Nanotipped device and method
A dispensing device has a cantilever comprising a plurality of thin films arranged relative to one another to define a microchannel in the cantilever and to define at least portions of a dispensing microtip proximate an end of the cantilever and communicated to the microchannel to receive material therefrom. The microchannel is communicated to a reservoir that supplies material to the microchannel. One or more reservoir-fed cantilevers may be formed on a semiconductor chip substrate. A sealing layer preferably is disposed on one of the first and second thin films and overlies outermost edges of the first and second thin films to seal the outermost edges against material leakage. Each cantilever includes an actuator, such as for example a piezoelectric actuator, to impart bending motion thereto. The microtip includes a pointed pyramidal or conical shaped microtip body and an annular shell spaced about the pointed microtip body to define a material-dispensing annulus thereabout. The working microtip may be used to dispense material onto a substrate, to probe a surface in scanning probe microscopy, to apply an electrical stimulus or record an electrical response on a surface in the presence of a local environment created around the tip by the material dispensed from the tip or to achieve other functions. |
| US07997120B2 |
Method for pressure testing a threaded component
A method for pressure testing a threaded component is provided. A cap includes a female threading that is matched with a threading of a first male threaded element. The cap is made up onto the first male threaded element of a component to be tested so as to compress a sealing ring between metal surfaces of the first element and the cap, and a test pressure is established inside the component. The male element has an annular lip which is capable of deforming radially outwardly under the effect of the test pressure. Between a radially outward surface of the lip and a facing surface of the cap, at the end of makeup there exists a clearance having a value which has been selected sufficiently small so that, under the effect of the test pressure, the lip bears on said facing surface without undergoing plastic deformation. |
| US07997119B2 |
Chemical sampling and multi-function detection methods and apparatus
This invention describes a sample collection method that could release and collect residues of explosives and other chemicals from a surface; the described method is implemented into a compact detection system that can be used as a “wand” for screening chemicals residues on a subject. The wand configuration includes multi-function for sampling and detecting multiple threads. The invention further describes a method of inspecting a subject using an interrogating apparatus in a sweeping motion; the near range closed loop particle sampling arrangement allows effective collection of particle and vapor residues from a targeted surface. The invention also describes a sampling and detecting apparatus for on-the-fly threat detection using compact ion mobility based detectors. |
| US07997116B2 |
Link for crimping tool
The invention relates to a link for a crimping tool (2) comprising at least two crimping dies (12,14,16,18) and two tool handles (6,8), where the movable link (23) is arranged between the tool handles (6,8), the link (23) having an opening (72) arranged to engage a guide element (70) on a first handle (6) and being pivotally fixed to a second handle (8), where the guide element (70) is arranged to move from engagement with a first edge (71) of the opening (72) into engagement with a second opposite edge (73) of the opening (72) when the handles (6,8) are brought together to a position where the workpiece (19) is engaged by the crimping dies (12,14,16,18), the link (23) thus enabling the person using the crimping tool (2) to utilize the optimum gripping range of the hand that is about to exert a large force on the handles (6,8) in order to bring them further together for the crimping of the workpiece (19), this regardless of the dimension of the workpiece (19) to be crimped. |
| US07997111B2 |
Apparatus for rotating a container body
An apparatus for rotating a container body that utilizes frictional forces rather than the engagement of gears to rotate the container body is provided. Such an apparatus may include a stationary housing and a turret rotating on a shaft proximate to the housing. The turret may have a plurality of pockets and a roller assembly disposed within each pocket. Each roller assembly may have a body portion and a drive roller portion. Each body portion may have a contact portion for contacting a container body received in a respective pocket. Each drive roller may be in contact with the housing such that as the turret rotates, friction between the drive rollers and the housing causes each roller assembly to rotate. |
| US07997108B2 |
Releasable lock for a motor vehicle locking system
A disengageable cylinder for a motor vehicle lock mechanism includes a fixed stator, a sleeve, a rotor, a driver, and an indexer. The sleeve is mounted in rotation about its axis in the stator, and is fixed axially with respect to the stator. The rotor is mounted in rotation in the sleeve and is fixed axially in the sleeve. The driver is connected in translation on the rotor. The indexer, which can move axially between rest and disengagement positions, is connected in translation on the stator. When an appropriate key is inserted in the rotor, the driver couples the rotor and a cam actuator in rotation, releasing the lock. When an inappropriate key is inserted, the rotor and sleeve rotate, causing the indexer to move toward the cam actuator. Because the indexer is rotationally immovable as a result of its connection with the stator, the cam actuator cannot rotate. |
| US07997107B2 |
Ignition key switch mechanism
An ignition key switch mechanism for a vehicle having an automatic or semi-automatic gearbox comprises two solenoids and arranged at right angles to each other between which a slider or lever is disposed. The mechanism locks to prevent turning of the ignition key to the off position and removal of the key. Locking is effected by activating one solenoid to pull the shaft of that solenoid inside the armature of the solenoid. That in turn pulls the slider towards the solenoid and enables a locking pin on the slider to lock the mechanism. As the slider moves toward the solenoid a notch in the slider is brought into line with the shaft of the second solenoid. This shaft enters the notch under spring force to hold the mechanism in the locked position. Unlocking is effected by activating the second solenoid to withdraw the shaft from the notch allowing the first solenoid and the locking pin to return to unlocked positions which in turn permits the key to be turned to the off position and removed. |
| US07997106B2 |
Security apparatus including locking head and attachment device
A security apparatus is disclosed. The security apparatus comprises an attachment device comprising a base, and a locking head configured to secure to the base. The attachment device can be small and strong. The locking head can have a securing element and a locking component, associated with a housing. The locking head may be in a secured configuration upon a single motion or movement of the locking head. |
| US07997105B2 |
Push-position indicator for appliance door
A push-push appliance door, e.g., for a front-load automatic laundry washer, includes a peripheral frame having a first cut-out configured to receive a push-position indicator member that designates a push-position for opening the door. The frame may include a second cut-out located on an opposite side of the frame from the first cut-out. The door may further include a cut-out filler piece. The first and second cut-outs may be configured to interchangeably and interlockingly receive the indicator member and the cut-out filler piece, to thereby allow the indicator member to be properly positioned in relation to a selection of a hinge/latch location. |
| US07997101B2 |
Mold actuating and cooling assembly for a glassware molding machine
In a glassware molding machine, the half-molds of a mold are moved between an open position and a closed position and cooled by an actuating and cooling assembly having a fixed supporting structure and, for each half-mold, a respective supporting and actuating arm fitted to the relative half-mold and hinged to the fixed supporting structure to rotate about a fixed hinge axis; each supporting arm internally defining a chamber communicating with a ring of cooling conduits formed through the half-molds, and the chamber having an inlet formed through an outer lateral wall of the supporting arm to receive cooling air from a compressed-air tank of the machine. |
| US07997100B2 |
Jewelry with hidden compartment
An article of jewelry preferably in the form of a pendant having a hollow compartment therein which is accessible by a threaded or press fitted cap which upon opening the container permits access to an article retaining apparatus. The article retaining apparatus can be solid, hollow or formed of a mesh material which permits visibility of the retained object and includes a slot for insertion of a retained object. The article retained may be an object having a reference to luck, power, love or protection and may include either hair or paper or small object. |
| US07997099B2 |
Method and system for use with a consumable beverage
A system for use with a consumable beverage. |
| US07997094B2 |
Refrigerated merchandiser
A refrigerated merchandiser that includes a case, a refrigeration system, at least one sensor, a controller, and a display. The refrigeration system is in communication with a product storage area of the case, and discharges a refrigerated airflow into the product storage area to refrigerate product. The refrigeration system includes a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator coupled in series. The sensor is in communication with the refrigerated airflow to sense an airflow temperature and to generate a signal indicative of the airflow temperature. The controller is in electrical communication with the sensor to receive the signal indicative of the airflow temperature, and includes an algorithm that calculates a temperature of the product based on the signal indicative of the airflow temperature. The display is coupled to the case and is visible from outside the case, and is in electrical communication with the controller to show the calculated product temperature. |
| US07997091B2 |
Control scheme for multiple operating parameters in economized refrigerant system
A refrigerant cycle is provided with an economizer circuit. The amount of refrigerant passing through the economizer circuit can be gradually modulated by an expansion device whose position can be easily adjusted from fully open to fully closed or disengaged. In the past, economizer circuits have either been fully engaged or fully disengaged. Modulation of economizer flow allows for variable capacity operation. This improves unit operating efficiency, minimizes unit cycling and prevents compressor overloading at extreme of operating conditions. It also allows for head pressure and discharge temperature control. |
| US07997088B2 |
Hybrid spool valve for multi-port pulse tube
The problems of reducing the torque required to turn the valve, eliminating wear dust, and extending the life of the valves in Gifford McMahon (G-M) type multi-port pulse tube refrigerators are solved by using a rotary spool valve having radial clearance to control flow to and from the regenerator, and using face seal ports on the end of the spool to control flow to and from the pulse tubes. |
| US07997087B2 |
Thin film thermoelectric devices for hot-spot thermal management in microprocessors and other electronics
A structure, system and method for controlling a temperature of a heat generating device in a solid medium, wherein heat is extracted from the medium into at least one heat extraction device, the heat extraction device dissipates heat into an environment apart from the medium by a heat sink thermally coupled to the heat extraction device; and heat from the medium is dissipated into the heat sink by a first thermal interface material thermally coupling the heat sink to the medium. |
| US07997085B2 |
Gas turbine engine assembly and method of assembling same
A method for assembling a gas turbine engine including a core gas turbine engine, a low-pressure turbine, a starter, and a generator is provided. The method includes coupling a starter to the core gas turbine engine, and coupling a generator to the low-pressure turbine. |
| US07997082B2 |
Turbine engine arrangement
A turbine engine arrangement includes an electrical machine that acts as a generator or motor. During initial start-up, the electrical machine acts as the motor to drive shaft rotation. The arrangement includes a compressor fan that generates an airflow utilized by an air turbine to drive the electrical machine as a generator. A duct directs airflow exhausted from the air turbine to a heat exchanger to exchange heat with a bypass flow from the compressor fan. In such circumstances, the generator can operate substantially independently of a rotational speed of the engine shafts within the core, whilst bled air through the valve acts to cool the electrical machine during initial start-up. A gearbox is provided for matching air turbine rotation with generator requirements whilst also allowing for connection to the primary drive shaft of the core to allow engine start-up or driving of the generator. |
| US07997081B2 |
Gas delivery system
A gas delivery system includes a gas booster module for delivering natural gas from a utility gas service to power generation equipment installed in or around a building in a manner that meets the minimum volume and pressure requirements of the power generation equipment. The gas delivery system advantageously uses pipe of a relatively small size for delivering gas to the power generation equipment, thereby substantially reducing installation costs and eliminating the need for a welded gas line. The gas delivery system also provides a control system that facilitates close control over the gas flow and ensures compliance with local building codes and safety regulations and requirements. |
| US07997079B2 |
Self-regulated thermal energy system
The present invention discloses a self-regulating thermal energy storage system for use in conjunction with at least one thermal energy client, and a method for self-regulating the storage and use of thermal energy in the system. |
| US07997074B2 |
Hydraulic station and method for controlling pressure in a hydraulic system of a wind turbine
A hydraulic station in a hydraulic system of a wind turbine includes a tank for storing working fluid, first and second pumps fluidly connected to the tank, first and second flow paths extending from the respective first and second pumps to a hydraulic circuit, and first and second relief valves in fluid communication with the respective first and second flow paths. The first pump and first relief valve are controlled based on maintaining pressure of the working fluid in the hydraulic circuit between a first minimum limit and first maximum limit. If the pressure falls below the first minimum limit, the second pump and second relief valve are controlled in addition to the first pump and first relief valve, with the control then based on a second maximum limit and second minimum limit. |
| US07997072B2 |
Stamped pilot welded to a cover
A torque converter including a cover having a central longitudinal axis and an outer surface and a pilot stamped from metal. The pilot includes a disc at least partially radially aligned with the axis for the cover. The pilot and the cover central axis are fixedly secured to each other. In a first embodiment, the disc is flat. In a second embodiment, the disc is annular. In a third embodiment, the pilot includes a machined outer circumferential surface. In a fourth embodiment, the pilot includes first and second portions radially off-set with respect to one another. In a fifth embodiment, the pilot includes a portion axially extending from the portion of the disc at least partially radially aligned with the axis for the cover. In a preferred embodiment, the cover and pilot are fixedly secured by welding. |
| US07997068B2 |
Sulfur purge control device for an internal combustion engine
In a control device for an internal combustion engine provided with a NOx catalytic converter in an exhaust passage thereof, the progress of an undesired substance removal process is computed from the consumption of the reducing agent contained in the exhaust gas in the NOx catalytic converter. The undesired substance may include sulfur contents and NOx captured in the NOx catalytic converter. This computation may be based on the air fuel ratio of the exhaust gas upstream of the NOx catalytic converter and the estimated consumption of the reducing agent contained in the exhaust gas or on the difference between the air fuel ratios of the exhaust gas upstream and downstream of the NOx catalytic converter. In either case, the accuracy can be improved by taking into account the space velocity of the exhaust gas. |
| US07997057B1 |
Gas turbine engine with an air cooled bearing
A small gas turbine engine where the compressor and turbine are supported on a rotary shaft, and a main bearing is supported on the rotary shaft, the main bearing being located in a hot zone of the combustor. The main bearing includes cooling air passages within the races to provide cooling for the bearing. A cooling air is diverted from the compressor and passed through the bearing cooling passages for cooling the bearing, and then the cooling air is directed into the combustor. The cooling air is also passed through a guide nozzle before being passed through the bearing to cool both the guide nozzle and the bearing. A swirl cup injector is used to deliver the compressed air from the compressor and the cooling air from the bearing into the combustor, the swirl cup injector also acting to draw the cooling air through the bearing. |
| US07997054B2 |
Fiber strand and implantable supporting body having a fiber strand
The invention relates to a fiber strand (10) for an implantable supporting body (100) comprising at least two individual fibers (12). The at least two individual fibers (12) are each shorter in their longitudinal extent than the longitudinal extent (14) of the fiber strand, and in their transverse extent they are each thinner than the transverse extent (16) of the fiber strand. |
| US07997052B2 |
Stationary compacting, bagging machine
Stationary compacting, bagging machine comprising a structure intended to compact sorted or unsorted waste inside bags manufactured in laminated polypropylene adequate for this purpose, in which said equipment can perform high compaction of waste, extracting the liquid arising from compaction and eliminating empty spaces between the different kinds of materials, in such a manner that these bags can be deposited in proper landfills with no leaks into the atmosphere nor contamination of the groundwater. |
| US07997049B2 |
Process and machine for automated manufacture of gastro-retentive capsules
A process and apparatus for making a gastro-retentive device (10). The method includes the steps of providing a pouch assembly having an ingredient section within a membrane; folding the membrane to form a folded pouch assembly; inserting the folded pouch assembly into a first capsule section (20a) to form a pouch/first capsule assembly, and inserting the pouch/first capsule assembly into a second capsule section (20b). Also provided is an apparatus (38) for carrying out the above method which includes a tooling block (44) having a passageway (62) configured for slidable movement of the pouch assembly (18) therein, and a tooling pocket (60) extending from a top surface of the tooling block to the passageway and which receives the pouch assembly. A ram (86) is provided for pushing the pouch assembly through the tooling pocket into the passageway, wherein the pouch assembly is folded and encapsulated. |
| US07997042B2 |
Force-resisting devices and methods for structures
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a force-resisting device for transmitting forces and dissipating and absorbing energy across a discontinuous structural element of a structure. The device includes at least one active element, the active element having defined force versus deflection properties and able to transmit force and dissipate and absorb energy, one end of the active element configured to be connected to a structure, and at least one frame element disposed about a discontinuous structural element, wherein the frame is configured to be connected to a second end of the active element, wherein the active element and the frame element configured to resist forces applied to the structure by transmitting forces across the discontinuous structural element. |
| US07997040B2 |
Door with glass insert and method for assembling the same
A door comprising first and second door skins secured to each other to form a cavity therebetween filled with expended foam. Each of the door skins has an opening therethrough for receiving a glass insert and a flange portion. Distal ends of the flange portions of the first and second door skins engage each other in an overlapping relationship by the expansion pressure of the expanded foam. The door further comprises a glazing rim member having a leg portion snap-locked between the flange portions of the first and second door skins. The method for assembling the door comprises the steps of filling the cavity between the door skins with foam material, then inserting the glass insert through the openings in the door skins and mounting the glazing rim member to the first door skin by snap-locking between the flange portions of the first and second door skins. |
| US07997039B2 |
Veneer panel
A cast veneer wall panel includes a facing panel having at least one design element. The facing panel is made from a cast material. In addition the wall panel includes a backing panel including a series of spaced apertures. The series of spaced apertures receive a portion of the cast material in order to key the facing panel and the backing panel together. |
| US07997037B2 |
Integrated window sash with groove for desiccant material
An integrated window sash includes a sash frame having a base between first and second sheet supporting surfaces and first and second sheets each having a first surface and an opposite second surface. The marginal edge portions of the first surface of the first sheet are secured to the first supporting surface, and marginal edge portions of the first surface of the second sheet are secured to the second supporting surface. The first surface of the second sheet faces and is spaced from the second surface of the first sheet to provide a compartment therebetween. A desiccating medium carried in a groove, or on the base communicates with the compartment, and the base and the desiccating medium define an interior opening in the sash frame, wherein the first sheet is sized to pass through the interior opening to the first sheet supporting surface without contacting the desiccating medium. |
| US07997033B2 |
Pultruded fiberglass sign panel system
Pultruded fiberglass sign panels having overall and cross-section designs useful for replacing aluminum alloy highway signs are disclosed. The construction materials of the pultruded fiberglass sign panels consist of a glass roving; glass reinforcement matt; and a resin matrix. The glass content of the sign panels contain recycled or virgin glass, preferably about 16% by weight or 35% by volume of recycled or virgin glass. The resin matrix comprises thermoset isophthalic polyester that is about 42% to about 44% by weight or about 60% to about 62% by volume. The glass reinforcement matt used in the pultruded fiberglass sign panel comprises a hybrid E/A glass reinforcement matt and the pultruded fiberglass sign panel has a panel width of about 6 inches to about 36 inches, and a length of about 1 foot to about 50 feet. Two or more sign panels can be fastened together to produce a multi-panel system for making highway sign blanks. A first sign panel is fastened substantially adjacent to the second sign panel along the first or second edge forming a substantially flat sign surface on one side of the multi-panel system and a mounting surface on the opposite side of the substantially flat sign surface. The first sign panel is fastened substantially adjacent to the second sign panel using a fastener. |
| US07997031B2 |
Riser pan component for on-site waste systems
An integrally formed riser pan member for use as a modular component within an access passageway for an on-site waste disposal system, such as a septic tank, to receivably retain a secondary cover member within, the riser pan member including a cylindrical body having an upper portion having a vertical wall member adapted to receive another modular passageway component thereon, and a lower portion which includes an integral pan portion to seatably receive a secondary cover member. The riser pan member further includes an annular ring between the upper and lower portions. The riser pan member can be employed as a lowermost, a highermost, or as an intermediate component in, for example, an access passageway formed of multiple stackable riser members. In addition, the riser pan member may be formed integrally with a stackable riser member. |
| US07997029B2 |
Sub-arm assembly for window regulator
A sub-arm assembly of a window regulator may include a sub-arm which is pivotally coupled to a main arm of a window regulator in a letter X shape, wherein upper ends of the sub arm and the main arm are configured to support a lower end of glass and a lower end of the sub-arm is configured to be slidable on a base panel; a sliding bar pivotally coupled the lower end of the sub-arm; and a guide rail integrally formed with the base panel so as to extend from the base panel and having a space to slidably receive the sliding bar. |
| US07997023B2 |
Gun with mounted sighting device
A sighting device is mountable to a gun. The device includes a light source (preferably a laser), a power source connectable to the light source and a mount attachable to the gun so that the laser is juxtaposed either the top surface of the gun or a side surface of the gun. In one embodiment, the sighting device includes a bottom rail mountable in a slot on the gun, wherein the slot is preferably positioned on the top surface of the gun. The sighting device may also include a mechanical sight that functions as the rear mechanical sight on the gun and/or a secondary light source. |
| US07997022B2 |
Method and apparatus for collimating and coaligning optical components
A laser alignment assembly has two or more lasers aligned relative to one or more reflective surfaces to generate coaligned and collimated light beams. The assembly may further make the light beams collinear. The orientation of the reflective surface may be controlled by an electrically controllable actuator. The laser alignment assembly may be disposed in a weapon aiming system having visible and infrared lasers and may be coupled to a weapon to aid in aiming of the weapon. |
| US07997021B2 |
Shooting rests with adjustable height assemblies
Shooting rests having elevation adjustment assemblies are disclosed herein. One embodiment of the disclosure, for example, is directed to a shooting rest for supporting a firearm having a buttstock spaced apart from a forestock. The shooting rest includes a first base portion carrying a first support for supporting the buttstock and a second base portion coupled to the first base portion and carrying a second support for supporting the forestock. The second base portion includes a body having an opening extending therethrough, and a height adjustment member slidably positioned in the opening. The height adjustment member has a non-circular cross-sectional shape in a plane that is generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the height adjustment member. The height adjustment member is attached to the second support and configured to adjust a height of the second support. The second base portion includes a biasing member contacting the height adjustment member to at least partially inhibit movement of the height adjustment member through the opening. |
| US07997020B2 |
Gun barrel assembly
A firearm having a receiver housing an action-cycling mechanism, a barrel having a muzzle opening on a distal end, a shroud coaxially surrounding at least a portion of the barrel, the shroud having a distal portion extending beyond the muzzle opening defining a shroud front region having a distal end portion, a proximal portion extending proximally from the muzzle opening defining an annular region between the barrel and shroud, a front wall disposed at the distal end portion of the shroud, the front wall having an opening to allow passage of a projectile fired from the gun barrel, a firewall disposed in the annular region of the proximal portion of the shroud, the firewall moveable relative to the gun barrel between a forward, at-rest position, and a rearward, compressed position, the firewall mechanically engaged with the action cycling mechanism, and heat-dissipating fins in the annular region extending longitudinally along, and radially outward from, the gun barrel to the shroud, the fins defining channels, the firewall disposed in at least one of the channels. Gases generated during a fire compress the firewall rearward to operate the cycling mechanism. |
| US07997018B1 |
Devices and methods of facilitating cooking and ironing using vibration pulses
Devices and methods for applying vibrations to the iron sole of an ironing appliance to facilitate the movement of the iron sole over a fabric, thereby improving the effectiveness of the ironing appliance in removing wrinkles, especially on thicker fabrics. |
| US07997015B2 |
Universal front and rear equipment mount for ATV
A universal front and rear equipment mount for an ATV includes a telescoping central frame member with telescoping front and rear mounting arms extending therefrom for connection to independent axle structures of the ATV, front and rear angled hitch brackets, each with upturned tabs having aligned holes to receive a hitch pin, and front and rear angled pulley brackets having pulleys mounted thereon for routing a winch cable of a winch mounted either on the front or rear of the vehicle or on the front or rear pulley brackets. An implement can be hitched either to the front or rear hitch bracket, and the implement can be raised or lowered by use of the winch, which has its cable routed over selected pulleys and connected to a hitch tongue or other part of the implement. |
| US07997011B2 |
Footwear with support assembly having spring arms
An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole assembly secured to the upper and having a support assembly. The support assembly has an upper plate and a lower plate spaced from the upper plate. The lower plate has a peripheral edge and a plurality of spring arms, with each spring arm curving initially outwardly and then upwardly and inwardly from the peripheral edge to the upper plate. |
| US07997009B2 |
Footwear having an enclosed and articulated toe
Articles of footwear having an enclosed articulated toe portion, including a molded midsole with an integrally-molded toe cap shaped to receive a foot therein and to enclose the toes of the foot. The toe cap terminates at a position adjacent to the base of the toes of the foot. The articles additionally include an outsole affixed to the bottom of the midsole and an upper which in some embodiments is co-molded with the midsole and toe cap. |
| US07997007B2 |
Stimulus training system and apparatus to effectuate therapeutic treatment
The invention provides a compactly contained multiple-component sensing device for detecting toe-walking and other physical conditions and providing repetitive positive reinforcement stimuli to correct the same. A comprehensive software system enables therapeutic management of the sensing and stimulus device and easy changes in therapy, stimulus content, stimulus frequency and other factors. A variety of circuit and housing arrangements allow adaptability to manufacture, user, and treatment professional demands. |
| US07997001B1 |
Telescopic ball bar gauge
The telescopic ball bar gauge provides a pair of movable test measuring points that are spaced apart a known distance so that the points may be contacted by a machine probe of a coordinate measuring machine or the like to generate test data. This allows varying inaccuracies within the machine to be detected and accounted for during normal operation of the machine. The telescopic ball bar gauge includes a plurality of telescoping segments forming at least one linear variable differential transformer. The at least one linear variable differential transformer is used to measure the linear distance between two balls mounted on opposed ends of the ball bar gauge. A transmitter in communication with the at least one linear variable differential transformer transmits a measurement signal representing the linear distance between the two balls. |
| US07997000B2 |
Arrangement and method for positioning the alignment plumb lines of the guide rails of an elevator
An arrangement and a method are provided for positioning the alignment plumb lines of the guide rails of an elevator, more particularly when installing an elevator during the construction phase of a building. The solution includes at least actuators fixed above the guide rails for moving at least the parts of the alignment plumb lines above the guide rails for positioning the alignment plumb lines. |
| US07996998B2 |
Optical device and measuring method
An optical device capable of measuring a condition such as deflection of a cylindrical body such as utility pole or cylindrical column precisely and rapidly is provided. The optical device has a telescope with a projection plate. The projection plate has a reference scale made of a plurality of full or substantially full circles arranged concentrically about a central axis of the telescope or a plurality of circular arcs arranged symmetrically about the central axis. |
| US07996994B2 |
Shaving device
A manual shaving device that includes a support having at least one razor blade designed to cut a hair as it passes over it mounted thereon and at least one conducting member designed to transmit an electric current to a root of the hair as it passes over it, the electric current being designed to damage a follicle of the hair by electrolysis. |
| US07996990B2 |
Heat exchanger and method for manufacturing the same
There is provided a method of manufacturing a heat exchanger, including a first step of mounting an end part of flat tube to a header, assembling the flat tube and fins, and sealing a part where the header and the end part is attached, and a second step of increasing an internal pressure of the flat tube to expand other part of flat tubes aside from the end parts with respect to the end part of the tube in order to make the fins and the other part of the flat tube in contact each other. According to this method of manufacturing, in the second step, the other part of the flat tube that passes through the fins is expanded, so that it is possible to mechanically join the flat tube and the fins, and a plate fin-type heat exchanger with high strength and heat exchange efficiency can be easily provided. |
| US07996989B2 |
Heat dissipating device with preselected designed interface for thermal interface materials
Embodiments of the invention includes a heat dissipating device. The heat dissipating device includes a main body having a surface, wherein the surface is plated or coated with at least two different metals to form a design effective for bonding to solder and for adhering to polymer in a polymer solder hybrid. The heat dissipating device also includes surface perturbations. |
| US07996986B2 |
Apparatus for forming magnetic recording heads
An apparatus includes: a first layer having a near field transducer positioned in a waveguide cladding; a second layer having a magnetic pole piece; a third layer including a solid immersion mirror; a first lapping guide positioned in the first layer; a second lapping guide positioned in the second layer; and a third lapping guide positioned in the third layer. |
| US07996977B2 |
Eyelet and method of forming the same
A stack arrangement has a first plate-shaped workpiece (12), at least one another plate-shaped workpiece, and an eyelet (14; 34) that connects the first workpiece (12) and the at least one another workpiece (13), with material of the first workpiece (12) being drawn through a through-opening (15) in the at least one another workpiece (13), and with a rim (17) of the through-opening (15) of the at least one another workpiece (13) conically narrowing in a direction of the first workpiece (12). |
| US07996975B1 |
Method of making unified head for a staked fastener
A unified head for a staked fastener wherein the unified head is made from a first member in combination with a supplemental member, and the two members have at least one shared fiber. In a staking operation that forms the unified head, the operation is conducted in such a manner that a portion of a fiber, initially within the first member or the supplemental member, crosses the boundary therebetween creating the shared fiber, i.e., a segment of a single fiber is embedded in the first member and a segment is embedded in the supplemental member. |
| US07996974B2 |
Method of manufacturing a miniature flexible thrombectomy catheter
The present invention pertains to a miniature flexible thrombectomy catheter having one or more flexible miniature noncollapsing tubular portions including pushable and torqueable structure for introduction into the smaller vessels in neurovascular regions. A jet body having an arcuate fluid jet emanator is incorporated in order to minimize size at the distal portion of a minimally sized catheter tube. |
| US07996972B2 |
Puller driving structure
A puller driving structure is connected to a fixing module and a propping module for installing or removing a bearing, and the structure connects a hydraulic driving device with a connecting module, and the connecting module is connected to a plurality of slide rods and a plurality of resilient elements of a position resuming module, such that an actuating element is actuated on each slide rod, and the hydraulic driving device presses and moves the actuating element, and each resilient element presses and props the actuating element in an opposite direction to resume its original position, so as to achieve a better balance during the use of the puller driving structure provides a better concentricity for the bearing and the spindle. |
| US07996967B2 |
System for variable-angle cutting of a suture to create tissue retainers of a desired shape and size
A system for manufacturing a self-retaining suture is disclosed. The system includes a cutting bed which supports the suture during cutting. A cutting device makes cuts in the suture thread having a preselected geometry. A cutting arm is articulated to allow change of the angle of the cutting device during cutting. The change in the angle of the cutting device is used to control the depth of cut and/or elevate a tissue-retainer away from the suture to better engage tissue. |
| US07996966B2 |
Strip bundles
A machine for creating a bundle of creased strips of material and handles for use with bundles of creased strips and other applications. Also contemplated are bundles of strips with or without handles for various applications. |
| US07996963B2 |
Clip system for use with tarps and other flexible sheet material
A clip system for use with tarps and other flexible sheet material. The system includes first and second parts that are rotatably mounted so as to be free to twist independently of one another, in response to wind or other forces. The first part may be a clip body having jaws for gripping a tarp or other flexible sheet material, and the second part may be an attachment fitting for engaging an article separate from the tarp. There may be a series of different attachment fittings that are interchangeably mountable to the clip body, such as a hook, a screw-on fitting for attachment to a bottle that forms a weight, or a fitting for attachment of a strap or shock cord, for example. The two pieces may be joined by a male coupler and a female receptacle that receives the coupler in locking engagement. The male coupler may have a plurality of resiliently flexible legs with beveled end surfaces that flex inwardly to pass through the opening of the female receptacle. The legs then snap back outwardly so that undercut surfaces on the ends of the legs engage the receptacle to prevent separation of the pieces. The coupler and receptacle may further include cooperating annular surfaces that form a bearing interface for rotation of the parts. |
| US07996961B2 |
Pliable handle
A pliable handle for a hand-held device is provided. The handle includes a tubular core member, a deformable outer sheath disposed about the tubular core member, a gel disposed between the tubular core member and the outer sheath, and first and second sealers inserted into respective ends of the tubular core member and sealing the gel between the tubular core member and the outer sheath, wherein a force applied to the outer sheath causes load movement of the gel. |
| US07996957B2 |
Centrifugal dirt separation configurations for household-type and shop-type vacuum cleaners
A cyclonic separation device in accordance with an embodiment of the present application preferably includes a first cyclone chamber having a cylindrical shape with a predetermined diameter, the first cyclone chamber including, a tangential inlet positioned on a first longitudinal end of the first cyclone chamber, a baffle plate positioned in the first cyclone chamber a predetermined distance from the tangential inlet, a tangential dirt outlet positioned on a second end of the cyclone chamber, opposite the inlet and on an opposite side of the baffle plate from the tangential inlet and a center exit duct mounted in the center of the cyclone chamber having an inlet opening positioned upstream from the baffle plate such the centrifuged fluid without particles flows into the center exit duct and out of the cyclone chamber. |
| US07996953B2 |
Wiper blade
A wiper blade (10) comprising a rubber elastic wiper strip (12) in which a resilient rail (18, 20) is inserted into a lateral longitudinal groove on each side of side of said wiper blade as a support element and laterally protrudes from the longitudinal groove, wherein the resilient rails (18, 20) support terminal caps (26, 60, 81) while being held together at their ends and being fixed relative to the wiper strip (12) in the longitudinal direction by a bridge (22), which is joined in a fixed manner to the resilient rails (18, 20) at the lateral parts of said bridge and forms a free space for a top strip (16) of the wiper strip (12) in the central area of the bridge. It is proposed that the terminal caps (26, 60, 81) have detachable fixing means (52) that engage in the top strip (16) of the wiper strip (12), wherein the axial movability of the resilient rails (18, 20) relative to the wiper strip (12) is limited by the terminal caps (26, 60, 81). |
| US07996945B2 |
Use of recycled plastics for structural building forms
Modular plastic structural composites having a web section disposed along a horizontal axis and at least one flange section disposed along a horizontal axis parallel thereto and integrally molded to engage the top or bottom surface of the web section, wherein said composite is formed from a mixture of (A) high density polyolefin and (B) a thermoplastic-coated fiber material, poly-styrene, or a combination thereof. Composites molded in the form of I-Beams and bridges constructed therefrom are also disclosed. |
| US07996942B2 |
Rotating gangway support platform
A crew transfer system for transferring personnel from a vessel to a stationary platform, such as an oil rig, is disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment, the system includes a ramp that is coupled to the vessel and an interface that is attached to the stationary platform. The ramp is coupled to the vessel in such a way as to permit one translational and three rotational degrees of freedom at the vessel-end of the ramp. The ramp is coupled to the interface in such a way as to permit no translational and at least one rotational degree-of-freedom at the rig-end of the ramp with respect to the interface. The interface is rotatably coupled to the stationary platform in such a way as to permit a rotation of the interface about the yaw axis. Permitted rotation of the interface enables a range of acceptable angles of orientation between the vessel and the platform. |
| US07996941B2 |
Flotation bridge formed from at least one expanding member
A method for forming a flotation bridge is provided. The method including: forming at least one expandable member used in constructing the flotation bridge, the forming including: expanding a covering to define a cavity; and expanding foam in the cavity in an expansion direction to expand the covering into a predetermined shape. |
| US07996934B2 |
Apparatus for transferring a person from a wheelchair to a fixed seat
Apparatus for transferring a person from a wheelchair to a fixed seat is disclosed, including a wheeled gantry that includes opposed front and rear legs and an upper portion connecting the legs, the gantry spanning a transfer station with a side entry for the wheelchair, and being capable of spanning the fixed seat; and a holding apparatus including a transfer seat and support frame, the transfer seat being sized to fit within the fixed seat; a lift for raising and lowering the transfer seat; and a support arm for rotating the support frame within the transfer station. The wheelchair can be wheeled into the transfer station, the person can be raised out of the wheelchair and rotated to face the front leg, the wheeled gantry can be moved to span the fixed seat, the person can be lowered into the fixed seat, and the wheeled gantry can be withdrawn. |
| US07996931B2 |
Pool drain safety devices and related methods
The novel enhanced pool safety device of the present disclosure increases safety around pools and prevents unnecessary drowning. The apparatus is disposed in a pool drain system and had been at least one blade connected to an axle and moved by the suction force provided by the filter system. As water moves from a pool to an intake duct via a drain, the combination of moving water and vacuum force turns blades, which cut foreign materials, such as hair, that comes through the drain grating. The cutting of these materials prevents loss of life that may arise as humans and other objects become entangled in pool drains. |
| US07996929B2 |
Flush toilet
A toilet system includes a toilet and a pump assembly. The toilet has a bowl and a base. The base has a hopper for receiving waste from the bowl. The pump assembly is operative for pumping a source of flush water to the bowl and for pumping the waste from the hopper. A first flexible conduit interconnects the pump assembly and the bowl. A second flexible conduit interconnects the pump assembly and the hopper. The pump assembly is flexibly interconnected to the toilet for independent positioning relative to the toilet. |
| US07996928B2 |
Combination toilet and dehumidifier
A toilet includes a dehumidifier operable to draw water vapor from the air and discharge water. A tank is configured to store the water discharged from the dehumidifier. A drain valve is movable from a closed position to an open position whereby the toilet is flushed solely with the water discharged from the dehumidifier and stored in the tank. |
| US07996925B2 |
Swimming goggles
Swimming goggles include a frame unit, lenses assembled on the frame unit, and a strap unit. The strap unit comprises a head strap with two free ends, and buckles for securing and adjusting the head strap. Each buckle includes a base and a control portion. The base has a first reception portion defining a first slot, and a second reception portion defining a second slot. The control portion is provided between the first reception portion and the second reception portion, and includes at least a biasing arm neighboring the first slot or the second slot. The biasing arm includes a biasing portion for abutting against the head strap, and an operating portion. When the operating portions are operated to release the biasing portion, the head strap is allowed to be adjusted. Therefore the length of the head strap can be adjusted conveniently. |
| US07996920B2 |
Protective garment with removable portions
A protective garment including a first portion which is generally impermeable to gases and a second portion which is generally impermeable to gases. The second portion is releasably coupled to the first portion at a joint which is generally impermeable to gases. |
| US08001614B2 |
System and method for making encrypted content available to derivable related parties
A new system and method have been invented to allow a sender/author/user who wishes to send e-mail or a calendar meeting document to someone and make it available to her or his assistant or manager without the need of the sender/author/user finding out who the assistant or manager is. That is, the system and method of the present invention allows the sender/author/user to choose a select number of recipients or even the role who are able to decrypt the email/attached document. Further, the new system and method provides a sender/author/user to choose which level of authority each user or user role. |
| US08001613B2 |
Security using physical objects
A password-type security system may be employed using the placement of physical objects as a security pattern that is to be matched before access to secured content is granted. The system may be implemented on a computing system that uses a display that can detect, e.g., via optical circuitry, the visual characteristics of the display surface. The system can visually detect the placement of objects, their orientations, locations, color, printed patterns, etc. The user may define a security pattern as comprising one or more objects placed at locations on the screen, or at a predetermined rotation angle. The outline shape of an object may be treated as a required pattern, such that access to secured content is permitted only if the object having that outline shape is detected on the display surface. Similarly, printed patterns on objects may also be detected and used as part of security patterns. |
| US08001611B2 |
System and method for ensuring security with multiple authentication schemes
System for authenticating a user for logon to a content manager running on top of a database manager. A connect procedure connects the user to a database manager; and then a logon procedure logs on the user to the content manager selectively responsive to the user connecting to the database manager; the user being authenticated by a third party by way of a user exit or a trusted logon environment and privilege; or the user being authenticated by the content manager. |
| US08001607B2 |
System and method for obfuscation of data across an enterprise
A system for obfuscating data across an enterprise, comprising a rule evaluator; an active rule editor; and an active rule editor repository; wherein the rule evaluator evaluates active rules and optimizes its behavior based on both user-specified guidance and properties learned during system execution; wherein the active rule editor provides functionality for specifying, examining, maintaining, simulating and testing active rule behavior and for documenting rules that are bound to any named and typed data spaces of the enterprise that are accessible through connectors to the data systems of the enterprise; and wherein the active rule editor and repository provide functionality for promoting a candidate rule to an active rule and managing the rule in its active state. A method for obfuscating data across an enterprise using the system described above. |
| US08001597B2 |
Comprehensive online fraud detection system and method
A fraud detection and protection method and system are disclosed. The method and system utilize a fraud detection and protection server to monitor online commercial transactions between a webserver and a client computer, and generate a risk assessment of a user associated with the client computer. The system and method further utilize a number of beacon servers geographically dispersed in an area. Each beacon server is configured to receive packet header information associated with the online commercial transactions, analyze the packet header information for authenticating information, and send the authenticating information to the fraud detection and protection server for the risk assessment. |
| US08001596B2 |
Software protection injection at load time
A method to apply a protection mechanism to a binary object includes using operating system resources to load a binary object from a storage medium along with a manifest and a digital signature. Authentication of the binary object is performed using the digital signature and the manifest is read to determine a category of protection for the binary object. The operating system selects a protection mechanism corresponding to the protection category and injects protection mechanism code, along with the binary object into a binary image on computer RAM. When the binary image is accessed, the protection mechanism executes and either allows full access and functionality to the binary object or prevents proper access and operation of the binary object. The protection mechanisms may be updated independently from the information on the storage medium. |
| US08001595B1 |
System, method and computer program product for identifying functions in computer code that control a behavior thereof when executed
A security data structure, method and computer program product are provided. In use, computer code is received. Furthermore, functions in the computer code that control a behavior of the computer code when executed are statically identified. |
| US08001594B2 |
Monitoring computer network security enforcement
Methods and systems are disclosed for monitoring activity of a user on a network component, such as an end user computer, in a virtual private network for adherence to a security enforcement provision or policy utilized in the virtual private network. A method of determining whether a security provision in a computer network has been violated is described. It is determined whether the network component has violated, modified or circumvented a security enforcement provision of the computer network. If the detection is affirmative, the network component, such as an end user system, is modified in a manner in which the computer network operates at a level appropriate to the degree of the violation, modification, or circumvention of the security enforcement provision. If instructed to do so, a third party operating the virtual private network is notified of the violation and access to the network by the network component is restricted or terminated. A security enforcement distributed system consists of an agent module on the end user computer and a collector module for receiving data from the agent on a security server computer coupled to a data repository. Also on the security serer are a policy inspector for checking compliance with a security provision and a notifier and access control module for informing the network operator of a violation and restricting access by the end user system to the security server. |
| US08001592B2 |
Methods and apparatus for accessing resources using a multiprocessor in a trusted mode
A system and method are disclosed which may include entering a secure mode by a processor, whereby the processor may initiate a transfer of information into or out of the processor, but no external device may initiate a transfer of information into or out of the processor; sending a DMA (direct memory access) command including at least one authorization code from the processor to at least one trusted data storage region external to the processor; evaluating the authorization code; and enabling the processor to access at least one trusted data storage location within the trusted data storage region if the authorization code is valid. |
| US08001591B2 |
Distributed resource access protection
A method includes determining, at a first requesting component of an integrated circuit device, a first key value based on a first set of one or more bits of a first address associated with a first access request of the first requesting component. The method further includes transmitting the first key value from the first requesting component to a resource component of the integrated circuit device. The method also includes determining, at the resource component, an authorization of the first access request based on the first key value and a second set of one or more bits of the first address. |
| US08001590B1 |
System and method for connectionless client-server communications
A system and method are provided for conducting a client-server application (e.g., instant messaging, VoIP telephony) using non-persistent communications. Clients issue periodic heartbeat messages to a connectionless server using a non-persistent (e.g., UDP) communication protocol. The heartbeat messages identify the clients by unique client identifiers. When an application server has an unsolicited communication for a client (e.g., a new instant message, a VoIP call), the application server retrieves the client's address from the connectionless server if it does not already have the address. The application server forwards the unsolicited communication to the client via a non-persistent communication, and may spoof the connectionless server if necessary to reach the client through a firewall, proxy, NAT or similar entity. Clients that cannot use non-persistent protocols establish persistent connections with a client manager. The client manager issues heartbeat messages to the connectionless server and receives and forwards unsolicited communications for these clients. |
| US08001588B2 |
Secure single sign-on authentication between WSRP consumers and producers
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates secure single sign-on (SSO) authentication for web-services communications. During operation, the system receives a Web Services for Remote Portlet (WSRP) request from a WSRP consumer and also receives a digital signature associated with the WSRP request. The system then validates the digital signature and authenticates a user based on the validation, thereby allowing the user to sign on without providing a password. |
| US08001587B2 |
Methods and systems for imaging device credential management
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for eliminating multiple submission of user credential data in a system with multiple distinct restricted sub-systems wherein a unique credential is required for each sub-system. |
| US08001586B2 |
Methods and systems for imaging device credential management and authentication
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for eliminating multiple submission of user credential data in a system with multiple distinct restricted sub-systems wherein a unique credential is required for each sub-system. |
| US08001583B2 |
Network failure detection method and network failure detection system
A system provides definitions of network states, and identifies a cause for the anomaly upon detection. A traffic measuring portion (characteristic quantity generating portion) counts the number of packets/time slot classified by traffic type with respect to network traffic, generating a characteristic quantity; a memory portion stores information about the characteristic quantity; a portion calculates correlation coefficients between each pair of characteristic quantities classified by traffic type; a portion generates a histogram from correlation coefficients; a portion for determining the severity of an anomaly based on the histogram; a portion evaluates the similarity of an anomaly of interest to a reference anomaly using the occurrence probabilities of correlation coefficients; and a portion assigns a color to each pixel according to its occurrence probability value, generating an n×n picture. Visualization of network state is achieved using probability distribution vectors derived from correlation coefficients obtained from each characteristic quantities pair. |
| US08001570B2 |
Transparent access of STB MHP digital TV middleware to IP video content
The invention relates to a set-top box receiver allowing access to interactive digital TV coming from any IP-network. It makes use of the SAP/SDP protocols as a logic link between “classic” DVB services (satellite, terrestrial, cable) and IP services. The invention allows providing TV services relying on existing Internet architecture. Simulation means are provided, in the MHP middleware, for building an Event Information Table upon the SDP messages. Specific preview information is added to the SDP messages so that they can be linked to a DVB service. |
| US08001569B2 |
Identifying ancillary information associated with an audio/video program
A system communicates video information including television content associated with a plurality of channels and ancillary information. Information may be transmitted with the ancillary information that is indicative of the type of content included in the ancillary information. This provides the user, in one embodiment of the present invention, with a visual indication of the type of information that accompanies television content. This helps the user to decide whether the user wishes to view the ancillary information and provides the opportunity to select that enhancement for viewing. |
| US08001567B2 |
Media planner
A media planner displays descriptors that represent programs that are scheduled for broadcast on tiles according to a layout. The layout arranges the tiles according to a day and a day part based on a scheduled broadcast date and time associated with a program. |
| US08001564B2 |
Electronic program guide with digital storage directory
An interactive television program guide system with digital storage is provided. The program guide gives users the ability to store information associated with recorded programs in a directory in the digital storage device thereby providing easy access to program information. The program guide may also provide a global media library for indicating the programs stored on removable storage media used with the program guide. The guide may also allow the user to manage and maintain a user media library to do the same. Non-time-sensitive data associated with recorded programs may be stored in a way that allows the user to interact with the data on playback as if the program were being originally aired. The program guide also allows the user to define “super-programs” for playback of a sequence of stored programs or program segments. |
| US08001563B2 |
Interactive program guide system and method
An interactive television program guide system and method is provided. Time separators are displayed within lists of program listings to allow users to more easily view the program listings. On-screen arrows have their display characteristics changed according to user actions. Similar program listings are displayed only once when using search program listings. Users are provided with an opportunity to view channel information before setting channels as favorites. Information from local information services is provided in program guide display screens that are configurable by a main facility. Users are provided with an opportunity to centrally lock and unlock programs, and to bypass locks when desired. |
| US08001559B2 |
Optical information recording medium and method for manufacturing optical information recording medium
An optical information recording medium includes a disc-shaped substrate, at least one information recording layer formed over a recording/reproducing-side main surface of the substrate, a light transmitting layer formed over the information recording layer, and a protecting layer formed to cover the light transmitting layer and at least one part of a side end surface perpendicular to the main surface of the substrate. At least the part of the side end surface is covered with the protecting layer for covering the recording/reproducing-side main surface, and the surface of the protecting layer covering at least the part of the side end surface has a larger surface roughness than that of the surface of the protecting layer covering the upper of the recording/reproducing-side main surface. |
| US08001558B2 |
Clamping apparatus for a disc player
The present invention relates to a clamping apparatus for a disc player which is able to accurately release a clamper from a turntable while improving miniaturization and thinning. The clamping apparatus for the disc player where the turntable and the clamper clamp a disc by magnetic force comprises a clamper releasing means having a pair of linking mechanisms arranged in symmetrical positions across the axial line of the clamper, and each linking mechanism has a front linking member and a rear linking member with the ability to freely rotate with the frame by centering two rotational axes placed on a single flat surface that is orthogonal to the axial line, and a clamper releasing member which is axially supported at each rotating end of the front linking member and the rear linking member; the mutually opposing ends of both clamper releasing members are moved with a circular trajectory by synchronously rotating the front linking member and the rear linking member, and the ends of both clamper releasing members are engaged to the outer periphery of the clamper, releasing the clamper from the turntable. |
| US08001552B1 |
Model merger using an export map
In one embodiment, data is exchanged between a modeling application and an external application. A user initiates an export of model data from the modeling application, where the model data is descriptive of a model maintained in the modeling application. An export map is generated that captures an indication of each object in the model at the point in time of export of the model. Model data is passed to the external application. Subsequently, modified model data is received from the external application. The modified model data is compared with the export map to detect external modifications made by the external application. Limited portions of the model in the modeling application are updated to reflect the external modification, while intact portions of the model for which external modifications have not been detected are left intact. |
| US08001551B2 |
Providing localized resources for client-side script execution
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for providing localized resources for client-side script execution. Embodiments of the invention facilitate providing culturally localized resources for executing client-side scripts at Web browser. In some embodiments, client-side script reference tags refer to a script handler at the Web server (instead of an actual script). The script handler can a return localized resource sets for use with client-side scripts (that include calls to external resources). Accordingly, execution of client-side scripts can be localized in accordance with resources contain in the localized resource set. In other embodiments, a script manager using a generic script reference to identifying an appropriate localized instance of a script. Client-side script reference tags refer to the appropriate localized instance of the script. Accordingly, execution of a Web page can be localized in accordance with the localizations contained in the localized instance of the script. |
| US08001550B2 |
Object identifier readers that are configured to automatically send and/or store data read from an object identifier
Object identifier readers that are configured to automatically send and/or store data read from an object identifier are disclosed. An exemplary object identifier reader includes a communication port for communicating with a host computing device. The object identifier reader also includes a storage medium. The object identifier reader also includes a processor and memory in electronic communication with the processor. Instructions are stored in the memory. The instructions are executable to implement a method that involves reading an object identifier to obtain data. The data may be stored in the storage medium. Alternatively, or in addition, an attempt may be made to send the data to the host computing device. The method also involves attempting to send stored data in the storage medium to the computing device if the object identifier reader is connected to the host computing device. |
| US08001548B2 |
Transaction processing for side-effecting actions in transactional memory
A processing system includes a transactional memory, first and second resource managers, and a transaction manager for a concurrent program having a thread including an atomic transaction having a side-effecting action. The first resource manager is configured to enlist in the atomic transaction and manage a resource related to the side effecting action. The second resource manager is configured to enlist in the atomic transaction and manage the transaction memory. The transaction manager is coupled to the first and second resource managers and manager is configured to receive a vote from the first and second resource managers as to whether to commit the transaction. The side-effecting action is postponed until after the transaction commits or applied along with a compensating action to the side-effecting action. |
| US08001543B2 |
Direct-memory access between input/output device and physical memory within virtual machine environment
Direct memory access (DMA) is provided between input/output (I/O) devices and memory within virtual machine (VM) environments. A computing device includes an I/O device, an operating system (OS) running on a VM of the computing device, a device driver for the I/O device, a VM manager (VMM), I/O translation hardware, and a hardware abstraction component for the OS. The I/O translation hardware is for translating physical addresses of the computing device assigned to the OS to machine addresses of the I/O device. The hardware abstraction component and the VMM cooperatively interact to enable the device driver to initiate DMA between the I/O device and memory via the translation hardware. The OS may be unmodified to run on the VM of the computing device, except that the hardware abstraction component is particularly capable of cooperatively interacting with the VMM to enable the device driver to receive DMA from the I/O device. |
| US08001542B2 |
Self-installing software components for network service execution
A system and method for providing self-installing software components for network service execution is presented. A basic communication framework is established with a service host system executing a network service software component to provide a network service. Availability of the network service software component is determined and prerequisites against a runtime environment are verified through the service host system. A code bundle providing the network service software component through the service host system logically grouped with installation instructions for the network service software component is executed. |
| US08001540B2 |
System, method and program product for control of sequencing of data processing by different programs
Generally, piping applications defined by combining stages of programming with a sequence control program and specifying to the sequence control program piping commands. The stages may be functions to send data to a shared queue. The piping commands identify current stages, and parameters for the current stages identify the queue and a key for the data to be sent to the queue. The piping commands do not identify preceding and/or subsequent piping applications. |
| US08001537B1 |
Method and apparatus for compiling programmable logic device configurations
During compilation of a user logic design in a first type of programmable logic device (e.g., an FPGA), a log is kept of at least certain steps where choices are made. When that logic design is migrated to another type of programmable logic device (e.g., a mask-programmable logic device) the logged steps are taken into account to make sure that the same choices are made, so that the target device is functionally equivalent to the original device. |
| US08001532B1 |
System and method for generating source code-based test cases
A method and system for generating source code-based test cases for a remote application. The method and system include storing a table including mapping between user-inputs and a corresponding source code fragment; recording user's actions in the remote application by a test tool; accessing the table to locate corresponding source code fragments for the recorded user's actions; retrieving the corresponding source code fragments to generate source code-based test cases; compiling the source code-based test cases; and executing the compiled source code-based test cases outside of the test tool. |
| US08001531B1 |
Translation of a shader assembly language binary for debugging a graphics application running on a remote device
Embodiments of the invention provide a debugging tool configured to translate a pre-compiled binary shader as part of debugging a graphics application running on a remote device. An instrumented driver may capture and serialize each graphics API call invoked by a graphics application running on the remote device along with any pre-compiled binary shader programs supplied by the graphics application. The graphical application debugger may translate the shader program into a form appropriate for graphics hardware present on the host system. By replaying the same sequence of API calls invoked on the target device using the same shader programs, the graphical application debugger may generate and display the same image displayed on the target device without the latency of waiting for a full set of framebuffer data to be transmitted over the communication link for each frame rendered on the target device. |
| US08001525B2 |
Rule based engine for validating financial transactions
A method and system for checking whether customer orders for transactions of financial instruments conform to business logic rules. Executable rule files are created and stored in a repository. New executable rule files can be created by scripting the new business logic rules in a script file which is converted into a corresponding source code file written in a computer programming language. The source code file is compiled to create an individual executable rule file. A rule selection repository contains identification of groups of selected executable rule files. The invention determines the category of the customer order and reads, from the rule selection repository, a group of executable rule files that correspond to the identified category of the customer order. The selected executable rule files are executed to check the conformance of the customer order. Execution results are stored in a status repository for subsequent retrieval and analysis. |
| US08001522B2 |
Code accelerator
Methods and systems for generating mainframe computer code are provided. Collections of code segments for implementing common input and output operations and error handling operations are linked to an application development platform. Developers identify attributes of input and output operations. The application development platform may then search the collections to locate appropriate input and output operation and error handling operation code segments and generate a template that includes them. The developer may then add code to implement business logic and generate a mainframe application program. |
| US08001519B2 |
Model driven development including aspect integration tool
The present invention discloses a software development tool that includes a model development interface, an aspect design tool, and a model transformation engine. The model development interface can permit a developer to graphically design at least one software model. The aspect design tool for the model development interface can be configured to permit a user to specify at least one aspect to be applied to a model of the model development interface. The model transformation engine can transform a model of the model development interface having at least one aspect defined via the aspect design tool into automatically generated aspect code integrated with base language code. |
| US08001517B2 |
Layout design method of semiconductor integrated circuit cell to adjust distances inside cell between diffusion layers and borders of cell
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes multiple cells each containing transistors. The transistors include a gate and diffusion layers. The multiple cells are adjacently formed in a first direction perpendicular to the gate. The distance between the cell border and the adjacent and corresponding diffusion layer, the first direction, is the same. |
| US08001516B2 |
Characterization and reduction of variation for integrated circuits
A method and system are described to reduce process variation as a result of the semiconductor processing of films in integrated circuit manufacturing processes. The described methods use process variation and electrical impact to modify the design and manufacture of integrated circuits. |
| US08001508B1 |
Method and system for analyzing input/output simultaneous switching noise
A method for optimizing pin selection for an integrated circuit is provided. Pin locations are mapped to a vector. The mutual inductive relationships between pins of the integrated circuit are captured into a matrix. The matrix contains the data of how a signal state of each pin is affected by the toggling of other pins within the I/O bank. The pin locations and the crosstalk matrix are combined to characterize the impact of the crosstalk on the pins for the pin placement. Thereafter, a user may decide to alter the pin placement or alter the sampling interval for the pin to avoid sampling the pin when the crosstalk may affect the signal integrity. The method may be applied for multiple simultaneous switching noise cause mechanisms impacting the signal integrity. In this embodiment, a worst case cause mechanism from the individually quantified cause mechanisms is determined by comparing an impact of each of the cause mechanisms. |
| US08001504B1 |
Determining clock skew between nodes of an integrated circuit
A set of respective first delay values for paths from a clock source to nodes of the integrated circuit is generated. Respective second delay values for the paths are generated from the clock source through the clock tree to the nodes. Each first delay value corresponds to one of the second delay values for one of the nodes, and each is greater than the corresponding second delay value. A set of common delay values is generated, with each common delay value being a delay for a shared portion of the paths from the clock source through the clock tree to two of the nodes. The determined clock skew is based on the first delay value for a first node, the second delay value for a second node, and the common delay value for the shared portion of the paths from the clock source to the first and second nodes. |
| US08001502B2 |
Method for performing timing analysis of a circuit
A single verification tool provides both static timing analysis and timing simulation capabilities targeted at both full-custom and ASIC designs in a unified environment. In various embodiments the verification tool includes the following features: (a) Integrating both static timing analysis and dynamic simulation tools into a single tool, (b) Efficient path search for multi-phase, multi-frequency and multi-cycle circuit in the presence of level sensitive latch, (c) Automatically identifying circuit structure, e.g. complex gate, for timing characterization, (d) Circuit structures at transistor level solved by incorporating function check, (e) Carrying out functional check to filter out false path and identifying gate with simultaneously changing inputs, (f) Finding maximum operating frequency in the presence of level sensitive latches after filtering out false paths, (g) Crosstalk solver by utilizing the admittance matrix and voltage transfer of RLC part in frequency domain coupled with the non-linear driver in time domain implemented in spice-like simulator, (h) Making use of the correlation between inputs of aggressors and victim to determine switching time at victim's output iteratively. |
| US08001501B2 |
Method for circuit design
A method for designing a circuit. The method includes (i) providing a netlist of a design and (ii) dividing the netlist into N user logics, N being a positive integer. After said dividing the netlist is performed, the N user logics in N macro test wrappers are instantiated resulting in N instantiated logics. After said instantiating the N user logics is performed, the N instantiated logics are processed. After said processing is performed, a result of said processing is back-annotated to the netlist. |
| US08001500B2 |
Method and apparatus for formally checking equivalence using equivalence relationships
An equivalency testing system, for formally comparing an RTLM and HLM, is presented. RTLM and HLM are first converted into DFGs RTLMDFG and HLMDFG. RTLMDFG and HLMDFG are then put into timestep form and are called RTLMts and HLMts. A test bench CSts is selected that couples RTLMts and HLMts. The combination of RTLMts[t], HLMts[t] and CSts[t] can have parts designated as datapath. Parts designated as datapath can be subject to a form of equivalence checking that seeks to prove equivalence by a form of inductive theorem proving that propagates symbolic values indicative of whether a node carries the same data content as another node. The theorem proving starts from initial conditions for HLMts[t] determined by partial execution of the HLM. Propagation to a combinational function output can be determined from equivalence relationships between it and another combinational function. Propagation through a multiplexer can produce a conditional symbolic value. |
| US08001497B2 |
Control signal source replication
Disclosed is a method of replicating control signal sources, comprising: receiving a description of a functional block that comprises at least one of, a plurality of multiplexer structures, a plurality of memory blocks, and a combination of at least one multiplexer structure and at least one memory block; identifying a control signal that controls said at least one of, said plurality of multiplexer structures, said plurality of memory blocks, and said combination of at least one multiplexer structure and at least one memory block; and, determining a first replica control signal and a second replica control signal, said first replica control signal and said second replica control signal collectively functioning as said control signal to control said at least one of, said plurality of multiplexer structures, said plurality of memory blocks, and said combination of at least one multiplexer structure and at least one memory block. |
| US08001496B2 |
Control of design automation process
A system is implemented for controlling long running electronic design automation tools. A user may modify the running of the tool in real time using an interface at the user computer. The user computer accepts user input and communicates with a computer running the design application. The design application runs normally unless a user enters input requiring modification of the process being run by the design application. |
| US08001494B2 |
Table-based DFM for accurate post-layout analysis
Disclosed is a system and method for integrated circuit designs and post layout analysis. The integrated circuit design method includes providing a plurality of IC devices with various design dimensions; collecting electrical performance data of the IC devices; extracting equivalent dimensions of the IC devices; generating a shape related model to relate the equivalent dimensions to the electrical performance data of the IC devices; and creating a data refinement table using the equivalent dimensions and the electrical performance data. |
| US08001492B2 |
Evaluation method for interconnects interacted with integrated-circuit manufacture
A design and evaluation method for interconnect wires of integrated circuits is provided to detect, analyze and predict response of interconnect layout to integrated-circuit manufacture processes. |
| US08001491B2 |
Organic thin film transistor and method of fabricating the same
A method of fabricating an organic thin film transistor is provided. The method includes forming a source, a drain and a gate on a substrate and forming a dielectric layer to isolate the gate from the source and isolate the gate from the drain. An organic active material layer is formed on the substrate to fill a channel region between the source and the drain and cover the source and the drain. A barrier material layer is formed on the organic active material layer. Thereafter, the barrier material layer and the organic active material layer are patterned to form a barrier layer and an organic active layer and expose the source and the drain. |
| US08001488B1 |
User interface dial with display
An interface dial with display. In one embodiment, a user interface is comprised of a display device for displaying images which is situated as part of a mechanical dial device. The display device is located in an inner portion of the mechanical interface dial. A rotatable outer ring can be coupled with and encompasses the inner portion. The rotatable outer ring is for triggering retrieval of images to be displayed in the display device. The icons displayed in the display device portion can change as the outer dial is rotated to allow selection of a displayed function by depressing the display device. The dial also provides four-way navigation having a rocker switch integrated therewith. Resembling a combination lock in one embodiment, the dial can also act as a security device. |
| US08001482B2 |
Method of displaying tab titles
A method of displaying tab titles in a computer user interface receives a request to display a new tab in a tab area having a length. The new tab has a width and the new tab has a title having a length. The method determines a number of tabs to be displayed in the area and determines if the number of tabs to be displayed multiplied by the tab width is greater than the length of the tab area. If so, the method sets the tab width equal to the length of the tab area divided by the number of tabs. The method determines if the length of the title is greater than the tab width. If so, the method determines if the title has any words in common with any other titles of tabs. If so, the method deletes the common words from the titles, and displays the titles with the deleted common words in the tabs. The method may set a maximum number of tabs to be displayed in the tab area. The maximum number of tabs may be determined by the length of the tab area and a minimum tab width. If the number of tabs is greater than the maximum number of tabs is to be displayed, the method collapses some of the tabs in to a tab of tabs. |
| US08001478B2 |
Systems and methods for context personalized web browsing based on a browser companion agent and associated services
Computer software, systems and methods for providing context personalized browsing over computer networks. In the foregoing, an intelligent agent referred to as a “browser companion agent” includes a service component for holding one or more service modules that may assist a user by providing services that are contextually relevant to content on a browser on the user's computer system. The agent also includes a data component for holding data objects related to and sharable by one or more service modules. The agent further includes a tracking component for tracking the pages on a browser and for communicating browser page data to a remote computer system that may respond to the agent with data or code for use by service modules. Contemplated service modules include a comparison shopping service, a transaction tracking service, and automated form filling service. |
| US08001473B1 |
Methods and systems for generating a composition
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for generating a plurality of adjusted compositions by modifying selected properties of a first composition at random. In one embodiment, a first composition having a plurality of properties is received. A selection of one or more properties is received. A randomness value is received. A set of adjusted compositions is generated based in part on the first composition, selected one or more properties, and the randomness value. At least a subset of the set of adjusted compositions is outputted, such as displayed to a user. |
| US08001472B2 |
Systems and methods for providing audio and visual cues via a portable electronic device
Methods and systems for providing a lifestyle companion system are provided. The lifestyle companion system can provide a platform to conduct a user interview. Based on the user interview responses, the system can suggest activities, references, and/or plug-in modules. During performance of activities, the system can provide audio and/or visual cues related to the activities and collect data indicative of the user's performance. Based on the collected data, the system can dynamically adapt the user's goals and/or activities the user is performing or will perform. In some embodiments of the present invention, the lifestyle companion system of the present invention can be applied to fitness, nutrition, and/or medical modules. The system also can be used to facilitate synchronous group activities. |
| US08001470B1 |
Help functionality and graphical user interface applications
A computer system executes a host application that generates a graphical user interface for display on a respective user's display screen. In addition to executing the host application, the computer system (or other computer) provides an environment for executing a so-called help agent (e.g., a plug-in module) associated with the host application. The help agent can initiate display of a help window along with a graphical user interface displayed by the host application. Depending on the embodiment, the help agent can provide one or more functions such as retrieval and display of help information links in the help window to different types of help information, application of commands to the graphical user interface application via input with respect to the help window, and viewing of application hint information in the help window. |
| US08001466B2 |
Document processing apparatus and method
A document processing apparatus includes a layout analysis unit which extracts document elements by analyzing data of a document, determines relationship between the document elements, extract a group of mutually related document elements as an object And an independent document element as an object, and generates structure information defining one or more of the objects in the document; and a structure converting unit which converts the structure information generated by the layout analysis unit into display information for display in a display mode. |
| US08001465B2 |
Compacting an information array display to cope with two dimensional display space constraint
This invention relates to computer implemented methods for accommodating elements of an information array within the physical constraints of a predetermined two dimensional display space. The maldistribution and wastage of space inherent to matrix format display is sought to be minimized by allocating space based on moderated display space requirement values of larger elements. A measurement of lopsidedness of distribution of larger elements across columns and across rows is used while allocating column widths and row heights. If the display space is inadequate for displaying the array elements in matrix format, then the elements are displayed in Tall/Wall format wherein the row/column alignment of cells, respectively, is not maintained. The information array elements may include text, image or both. Methods such as font size reduction, text abbreviation and image size reduction are used in combination with space allocation methods to fit the array elements into corresponding cells in the display space. |
| US08001464B1 |
Segmentation of markup language documents
A communication system includes a number of devices interconnected by a communication network and each operable to communicate with each other using a text-based communication protocol that provides for the exchange of markup language documents. Each of the devices is further capable of segmenting large communications into multiple document segments for communication to other devices. The devices are further capable of reassembling received document segments into original documents. |
| US08001461B2 |
System for exporting-importing the content of input cells from a scalable template instance to another
A method for exporting-importing the content of input cells from a source scalable template instance in a source multi-dimensional spreadsheet to a destination scalable template instance in a destination multi-dimensional spreadsheet comprises the steps of: detecting a command for exporting-importing input cells from a source scalable template instance in a source spreadsheet to a destination scalable template instance in a destination spreadsheet; identifying the source scalable template associated with the source scalable template instance; identifying cells, if there are any, defined as input cells in the element profile of the source scalable template; identifying the destination scalable template associated with the destination scalable template instance; identifying cells, if there are any, defined as input cells in the element profile of the destination scalable template; copying cell per cell, the content of each input cell of the source scalable template instance in each input cell of the destination scalable template instance. |
| US08001456B2 |
Methods for maintaining separation between markup and data at a client
Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for communicating data between a web application running on a server and a browser running on a client in a network environment. Information is requested at the client from the server. The requested information is received at the client. The requested information is separated into a data portion and a markup portion. |
| US08001454B2 |
Differential dynamic content delivery with presentation control instructions
Differential dynamic content delivery embodiments include providing a session document for a presentation, wherein the session document includes a session grammar and a session structured document; receiving a prerecorded presentation control instruction; selecting from the session structured document a classified structural element in dependence upon the prerecorded presentation control instruction and in dependence upon user classifications of a user participant in the presentation; and presenting the selected structural element to the user. In typical embodiments, the prerecorded presentation control instruction has an associated time stamp. |
| US08001446B2 |
Pipelined cyclic redundancy check (CRC)
Methods and apparatus to provide a pipelined cyclic redundancy check (CRC) are described. In one embodiment, a plurality of stages determines a plurality of CRC values corresponding to portions of a data packet. The plurality of CRC values are accumulated to determine a CRC value for the data packet. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08001445B2 |
Protected communication link with improved protection indication
A method for communication includes receiving first and second data frames over first and second communication links, respectively, the first and second data frames containing respective first and second replicas of data, which has been encoded with a Forward Error Correction (FEC) code. The FEC code in the received first and second data frames is decoded, and respective first and second soft quality ranks of the first and second data frames are computed based on the decoded FEC code. One of the first and second replicas of the data are selected based on the first and second soft quality ranks. The selected one of the first and second replicas of the data is provided as output. |
| US08001444B2 |
ECC functional block placement in a multi-channel mass storage device
A multiple channel storage device may include a host controller to receive input data from a host device and a buffer memory to store the input data and associated error correcting data prior to downstream storage. Multiple storage channels downstream from the buffer memory may store the input data and associated error correcting data in at least one of the storage channels on a non-volatile storage media. An error correcting engine between the host controller and the buffer memory may perform error correction encoding on the input data from the host device to generate the associated error correcting data for storage in the buffer memory. Such error correcting engine may protect against data errors in the buffer memory and in the storage channels. |
| US08001441B2 |
Nonvolatile memory with modulated error correction coding
Data is stored in a nonvolatile memory so that different pages of data stored in the same memory cells are encoded according to different encoding schemes. A first page is decoded according to its encoding scheme and an output is provided based on the decoding of the first page that is subsequently used in decoding a second page. |
| US08001440B2 |
Apparatus and method for performing HARQ transmission in a wireless communication system
An apparatus and method for optimizing a data rate in a wireless communication system supporting Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) are provided. The method includes estimating Channel State Information (CSI) of a signal to be transmitted, by using other CSIs received in a previous cycle; determining an instantaneous data rate, at which the CSI is transmitted with an optimal data rate, and the amount of redundancy information to be retransmitted; and retransmitting the redundancy information of the signal according to the amount of redundancy information and the instantaneous data rate, if a receiving end requests signal retransmission. Accordingly, the packet can be transmitted with the optimal data rate. |
| US08001437B2 |
Test pattern generation method for avoiding false testing in two-pattern testing for semiconductor integrated circuit
A test pattern generation method for determining if a combinational portion 17 is defective, by applying test patterns to a semiconductor integrated circuit 10 and comparing responses to the test patterns with expected responses, the method including: a first step of generating test patterns having logic bits for detecting defects and unspecified bits; a second step of selecting critical paths 19, 19a, 19b generated by the application of the test patterns; a third step of identifying critical gates on the critical paths 19, 19a, 19b; and a fourth step of determining unspecified bits so that a critical capture transition metric, which indicates the number of the critical gates whose states are changed, is reduced; wherein by reducing the critical capture transition metric, output delays from the critical paths 19, 19a, 19b are prevented, and thereby false testing can be avoided. |
| US08001434B1 |
Memory board with self-testing capability
A self-testing memory module includes a printed circuit board configured to be operatively coupled to a memory controller of a computer system and includes a plurality of memory devices on the printed circuit board, each memory device of the plurality of memory devices comprising data, address, and control ports. The memory module also includes a control module configured to generate address and control signals for testing the memory devices. The memory module includes a data module comprising a plurality of data handlers. Each data handler is operable independently from each of the other data handlers of the plurality of data handlers. Each data handler is operatively coupled to a corresponding plurality of the data ports of one or more of the memory devices and is configured to generate data for writing to the corresponding plurality of data ports. |
| US08001427B2 |
Method and system of indexing into trace data based on entries in a log buffer
A method and system of indexing into trace data based on entries in a log buffer. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising executing a traced program on a target device. The traced program writes entries to a log buffer within the target device, and the traced program also contemporaneously writes an index value for each entry to a register. The index value written to the register becomes part of trace data regarding the traced program and correlates each entry to a respective portion of the trace data. Using the information one may either or both: display on a display device a portion of the trace data (the portion selected based on selecting an entry from the log buffer); or display on the display a portion of the log buffer (the portion selected based on selecting an entry from the trace data). |
| US08001424B2 |
System and method for fault mapping of exceptions across programming models
A system and method for mapping exceptions from a first programming model to a second programming model. The system comprises a first device operating a first programming model and a second device operating a second programming model. The first device sends an instruction to, or invokes the second device to execute an instruction. As a result, a fault occurs during execution of the instruction in the second programming model. An exception based on the fault is raised, and returned to the first device. A fault mapping module receives the exception from the first device. The fault mapping module attempts to determine the type of exception received by comparing an identifier with predetermined identifiers indicating exception type. The fault mapping module interprets the exception to generate an interpreted exception recognizable by the first programming model if the exception is determined to be of a predetermined type. |
| US08001422B1 |
Shadow testing services
A new service, or new version of an existing service, can be tested using actual production requests and services. A request received by a production service, along with the response generated by the production service, is forwarded to a shadow service. The shadow service forwards the request to the new service, which generates a test response and sends the test response back to the shadow service. The shadow service utilizes a comparison engine operable to compare the responses for significant differences. Any significant differences can be logged, reported on, or added to statistics for the new service being tested. |
| US08001417B2 |
Method and apparatus for repairing uncorrectable drive errors in an integrated network attached storage device
In one embodiment, the invention provides a method for repairing a defective storage device in a physical storage-device array having a plurality of storage devices. The method comprises the steps of identifying a disk error associated with the defective storage device; effecting an error recovery pause based on the disk error; processing one or more outstanding data storage or retrieval requests; and generating a new data storage request instructing the physical disk device array having the defective storage device to store valid data associated with the data storage or retrieval request corresponding to the disk device error, whereby the defective storage device is repaired. |
| US08001415B2 |
Program control method for network devices and network system
The program control of network devices, each of which provides services according to the present invention, monitors a function of a program module operating in each of the network devices. If the function of the program module has a problem, the program control performs proxy response processing of the network device by a virtual device program until the problem is corrected. In addition, if the function of the program module has a problem, the program module operating in the network device is updated to the latest program module to correct the problem. Then, the operation of the virtual device program is stopped.Thus, among devices which operate in cooperation with one another by use of a communications protocol such as UPnP, even if there is a device having a device program that includes a bug, or even if there is a device that has a performance problem, the devices can operate in cooperation with one another. |
| US08001413B2 |
Managing cluster split-brain in datacenter service site failover
A central controlling service for datacenter activation/deactivation control in a cluster deployment to assist in preventing a split-brain scenario. The central controlling service provides a central point of control in the datacenter for application servers to periodically query as to whether to go offline, online, or normal. Redundancy of the central service facilitates detection of datacenter failure by the redundant services interacting to resolve the state of control information. This control information is then used to answer the server queries. On startup from a datacenter failure, a single instance of the central service queries other redundant instance(s) to determine if the single instance is starting up from a datacenter-wide failure or from operations other than total datacenter failure. If the failure is datacenter-wide, a central service protocol assists in resolving to the single service keeping the associated datacenter servers offline; otherwise, the server queries are answered to go online. |
| US08001404B2 |
Remote wakeup web service for imaging device
A remote wakeup capability for an imaging device, such as a multifunction printer (MFP) device. When the imaging device enters a power saving mode, a remote wakeup web service remains awake and initiates wakeup of the imaging device in response to a valid wakeup request received from a remote wakeup web service client module. Wakeup of the imaging device is thus achieved without a need for action on the imaging device front panel or a local client device connected to the imaging device via a serial or parallel port, and without wasting resources processing a superfluous imaging job. |
| US08001402B2 |
Method for power capping with co-operative dynamic voltage and frequency scaling via shared p-state table
A co-operative mechanism in which a service processor and a host CPU (with an as running thereupon) work together to implement both power capping and utilization-based power savings, and with negligible side effects. Preferably, a 2-level modulation scheme is employed to undertake both power capping and energy savings simultaneously. Preferably, a frequency governor in the as running on a host processor saves power by modulating p-states based on a shared table, thus avoiding SMIs. The range of the p- I states in the shared table is adjusted to implement power capping in conjunction with power sensors in the system. This adjustment can be done either by a service processor, which can monitor total energy consumption, or an as or software running on the host processor, which can read energy consumption from the service processor and adjust the shared table. |
| US08001400B2 |
Power consumption management for functional preservation in a battery-powered electronic device
Methods and apparatus for managing power consumption in a multi-function electronic device powered by one or more batteries are provided. In one embodiment, when the power available from the one or more batteries is diminished (e.g., below a certain threshold), management of power consumption in a battery-powered electronic device (e.g., a portable electronic device) can operate or be operated to preserve one or more functions supported by the electronic device. For example, the one or more functions can be preserved by: (i) alerting a user that they should act to avoid usage of other functions that are not being preserved, and/or (ii) disabling (e.g., automatically) one or more of the other functions that are not being preserved. |
| US08001399B2 |
System and method for secure communication for power over ethernet between a computing device and a switch
A system and method for secure communication for power over Ethernet (PoE) between a computing device and a switch. Various power management information can be used as inputs in a process for determining a power request/priority. This power management information can be communicated in Layer 2, Layer 3, or higher messaging during initial power allocation and ongoing power reallocation. Encryption of such messaging enables confidentiality, secure allocation processes, and prevention of denial of service attacks. |
| US08001398B2 |
Power source control method of image forming apparatus, power source control system of image forming apparatus, power source control apparatus, image forming apparatus and computer program product
A control unit 51 obtains a user ID of a user who enters a room from card reading information read by card readers so as to judge existence or nonexistence of an available image forming apparatus which has been judged in advance in accordance with the obtained user ID. The control unit selects the image forming apparatus with the highest frequency in use and turns on the power source thereof when the power source of any image forming apparatus is not made into an on state even when there are some image forming apparatuses which is available for the user who enters the room. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce power consumption by the image forming apparatus while improving convenience for a user in accordance with entrance and exit of the user. |
| US08001397B2 |
System software for managing power allocation to Ethernet ports in the absence of mutually exclusive detection and powering cycles in hardware
A method of allocating power to ports in an Ethernet switch, including: (1) determining the available capacity of a power pool used to supply the ports, (2) assigning a configuration power to each of the ports, (3) selecting a port to be enabled, (4) determining whether the available capacity of the power pool exceeds the configuration power assigned to the selected port, and, if the available capacity of the power pool exceeds the configuration power assigned to the selected port, then (4) subtracting the configuration power assigned to the selected port from the available capacity of the power pool, (5) enabling and powering the selected port and simultaneously detecting whether the selected port is connected to a powered device, and (6) adding the configuration power assigned to the selected port to the available capacity of the power pool if the port is not connected to a powered device. |
| US08001394B2 |
Method and system of multi-core microprocessor power management and control via per-chiplet, programmable power modes
A computer-implemented method and a system for managing power in a multi-core microprocessor are provided. A power management control microarchitecture in a chiplet translates a first command comprising a power setting. A chiplet comprises a processor core and associated memory cache. The power management control microarchitecture comprises power mode registers, power mode adjusters, translators, and microarchitectural power management techniques. The power management control microarchitecture sets microarchitectural power management techniques according to the power setting. The global power management controller issues the first command. The global power management controller may reside either on or off of the microprocessor. The global power management controller issues commands either directly for a specific chiplet out of the plurality of chiplets or to the plurality of chiplets and the control slave bus translates the command into sub-commands dedicated to specific chiplets within the plurality of chiplets. Each chiplet may be set to separate power levels. |
| US08001393B2 |
Storage control device
The storage control device of the present invention reduces the power consumption amount by stopping the transmission of power to enclosures that are not accessed. A plurality of additional enclosures are switch-connected via backend switches to a base enclosure. Drives that have not been accessed for a predetermined time or more undergo spin-down. When all of the drives in the enclosure enter a spin-down state, the supply of power from the power supply in the enclosure to the respective drives is stopped. The base enclosure that manages the system constitution of the storage control device turns OFF the switch connected to the enclosure when all of the drives in a certain enclosure have spun down. The transmission of power to this enclosure is accordingly stopped. |
| US08001392B2 |
Battery load allocation in parallel-connected uninterruptible power supply systems
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) of a UPS system including a plurality of UPSs connected in parallel at a load bus and configured to provide power thereto from respective batteries of a plurality of batteries is operated such that a difference between a variable, for example, battery voltage, indicative of battery capacity for a battery associated with the subject UPS and an average value of the variable for the plurality of batteries is determined and a power flow between the subject UPS and the load bus is controlled responsive to the determined difference. Controlling a power flow between the subject UPS and the load bus responsive to the determined difference may include, for example, controlling a phase of an inverter of the subject UPS responsive to the determined difference. |
| US08001391B2 |
Method of encrypting and decrypting data stored on a storage device using an embedded encryption/decryption means
A method of encrypting data is provided that uses a medium key retrieved from a storage medium. The medium key is combined with another key to generate a combination key. Content is encrypted according to the combination key and written to the storage medium. |
| US08001389B2 |
Secure database access through partial encryption
The present invention generally is directed to systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for securing sensitive information involved in database transactions. Embodiments of the present invention selectively encrypt only portions of transactions involving sensitive data, thereby reducing or eliminating the processing overhead resulting from wastefully encrypting non-sensitive data. The sensitive data may be identified by a document. The document may be accessed by a requesting entity to determine which portions of a query should be encrypted prior to sending the query to a database server over a network. The document may also be accessed by a database server to determine which portions of query results should be encrypted prior to sending the query results to the requesting entity over the network. |
| US08001384B2 |
Authentication system, authentication method, attesting device, verification device, their programs, and recording medium
A verification device stores verification information and first random information in a storage. The verification information depends upon contents of comparative information, and not upon an information volume of the comparative information. The verification device generates an authentication information generation factor using the first random information and transmits the factor to a proving device, which generates authentication information using the authentication information generation factor and held information and transmits the authentication information to the verification device. The authentication information depends upon contents of the authentication information generation factor and the held information, and not upon the information volume of the held information. A decision section of the verification device decides whether a predetermined relationship is established between the authentication information and the verification information and the first random information. Thereby, the verification device verifies the held information stored in the proving device is the same as the comparative information. |
| US08001382B2 |
System for and method of monitoring an item
A system for monitoring an item including a plurality of item identification devices, each item identification device including unique information indicative of the item and being disposed during use on the item, a plurality of supplier identification devices, each supplier identification device including stored supplier biometric data indicative of the identity of a representative of a supplier of the item. The system also includes means for verifying the identity of the representative of the supplier using the stored supplier biometric data and biometric data gathered directly from the representative of the supplier, a plurality of recipient identification devices, each recipient identification device being associated with a recipient of an item and including stored recipient biometric data indicative of the identity of the recipient, means for verifying the identity of a recipient using the stored recipient biometric data and biometric data gathered directly from the recipient, and a database for storing a plurality of item records. |
| US08001379B2 |
Credential generation system and method for communications devices and device management servers
Systems and methods are described for establishing credentials at a device and at a device management server for the purpose of exchanging secure credentials in order to mutually authenticate the device and the server. A credential generation algorithm is described which uses a plurality of seeds, including the hardware identity of the device, the server identity, and a shared private key, to generate two sets of credentials, one to be used by the device and the other to be used by the device management server. The credentials are exchanged between the device and the server during any session, thereby assuring mutual authentication. |
| US08001377B2 |
Methods and apparatus for secure data processing and transmission
Methods and apparatus provide for placing an apparatus into at least one of a plurality of operational modes, wherein: the apparatus includes a local memory, a bus operable to carry information to and from the local memory, one or more arithmetic processing units operable to process data and operatively coupled to the local memory, and a security circuit operable to place the apparatus into the operational modes; and the plurality of operational modes includes: (i) a first mode whereby the apparatus and an external device are operable to initiate a transfer of information into or out of the memory over the bus, (ii) a second mode whereby neither the apparatus nor the external device are operable to initiate a transfer of information into or out of the memory over the bus, and (iii) a third mode whereby the apparatus is operable to initiate a transfer of information into or out of the local memory over the bus, but the external device is not operable to initiate a transfer of information into or out of the local memory over the bus. |
| US08001376B2 |
Fixed client identification system for positive identification of client to server
A tamperproof ClientID system to uniquely identify a client machine is invoked upon connection of a client application to a backend. Upon initial connection, the backend issues a unique ClientID containing a checksum. The client application prepares at least two different scrambled versions of the ClientID and stores them in respective predetermined locations on the client machine. Upon subsequent connection to the backend, the client application retrieves and unscrambles the values at the two locations, verifies the checksums and compares the values. If the checksums are both correct and the values match, the ClientID value is sent to the backend, otherwise the client application sends an error code. |
| US08001372B2 |
Methods for secure enrollment and backup of personal identity credentials into electronic devices
A method and system for securely enrolling personal identity credentials into personal identification devices. The system of the invention comprises the manufacturer of the device and an enrollment authority. The manufacturer is responsible for recording serial numbers or another unique identifier for each device that it produces, along with a self-generated public key for each device. The enrollment authority is recognized by the manufacturer or another suitable institution as capable of validating an individual before enrolling him into the device. The enrollment authority maintains and operates the appropriate equipment for enrollment, and provides its approval of the enrollment. The methods described herein discuss post-manufacturing, enrollment, backup, and recovery processes for the device. |
| US08001371B2 |
Method and system for authorizing client devices to receive secured data streams
A method and system for authorizing client devices to receive secured data streams through the use of digital certificates embedded in the client devices. A freely distributed cryptographically signed group file with an embedded expiration date is associated with each individual digital certificate. A single group file can be associated with more than one digital certificate but each digital certificate is associated with a single group file. The group file contains cryptographic keys that can be used to decrypt a section of the digital certificate revealing a set of client keys. The client keys are then used to encrypt a program key which are then sent back to the client device. When the client device requests a specific data stream or digital content, an issuance timestamp associated with the content is compared to the expiration date in the group file. If the issuance timestamp is after the expiration date, the client device is declined. If the issuance timestamp is before the expiration date, the requested content, encrypted utilizing the program key, is sent to the client device. |
| US08001361B2 |
Structure for a single shared instruction predecoder for supporting multiple processors
A design structure embodied in a machine readable storage medium for designing, manufacturing, and/or testing a design for improved techniques for executing instructions in a pipelined manner is provided. Such techniques may reduce stalls that occur when executing dependent instructions. Stalls may be reduced by utilizing a cascaded arrangement of pipelines with execution units that are delayed with respect to each other. This cascaded delayed arrangement allows dependent instructions to be issued within a common issue group by scheduling them for execution in different pipelines to execute at different times. |
| US08001355B2 |
Storage system, volume allocation method and management apparatus
This storage system includes a virtual storage selection unit for selecting a virtual storage unit to be allocated to a virtual server unit according to a virtual storage search policy table for searching the virtual storage unit based on a parameter input by a user when a command is issued for allocating the volume to the virtual server unit, a volume selection unit for selecting the type of volume to be allocated to the virtual storage unit allocated to the virtual server unit with the virtual storage allocation unit according to a volume type search policy table for searching the type of volume based on the parameter, and a volume allocation unit for creating the volume selected with the volume selection unit based on the parameter and allocating the created volume to the virtual storage unit allocated to the virtual server unit with the virtual storage allocation unit. |
| US08001354B2 |
Implementing dynamic physical memory reallocation
A computer system, computer program product, and method implement dynamic physical memory reallocation. A system management interface (SMI) Handler and an Operating System (OS) are arranged for exchanging communications. Periodically the SMI Handler queries the operating system to identify a percentage of available memory currently being utilized. Responsive to the identified percentage of available memory currently being utilized, physical memory is dynamically reallocated. |
| US08001347B1 |
Coherently sharing any form of instant snapshots separately from base volumes
A computer system that implements a method for creating a virtual snapshot of a first storage object. A first storage object such as a data volume is created, wherein creating the first storage object includes creating a first storage object description. This first storage object description relates the first storage object to underlying first storage objects or first physical memory regions. After creating the first storage object, a virtual copy of the first storage object is created as a second storage object. Creating the second storage object includes creating a second storage object description, wherein the second storage object description relates the second storage object to the first storage object. The first storage object is transmitted to a first computer system, and the second storage object description is transmitted to a second computer system. |
| US08001346B2 |
Coordinated storage management operations in replication environment
A method, system, computer system, and computer-readable medium for maintaining up-to-date, consistent copies of primary data without the need to replicate modified data when the data were modified as a result of an operation that is not an application-driven write operation captured during replication. Selected storage management operations are performed on the primary and secondary data stores at points in time when the data are the same to ensure that the data stored within the data stores remain consistent. These selected storage management operations include operations that produce modified data stored in the primary data store, where a portion of the modified data are not replicated to a secondary node. Other types of storage management operations are selected to be performed on both the primary and secondary data stores, where the operations do not directly change data in the primary data store, but may affect data stored in the primary data store. |
| US08001344B2 |
Storage control apparatus, storage control program, and storage control method
Disclosed are a storage control apparatus, a storage control program, and a storage control method that collect the backup of storage data in units of generation at low cost.A storage control apparatus that creates a generation backup of a storage, comprising: a first copy section that creates a snapshot of at least one of all data stored in the storage at an indicated time point and difference data stored in the storage in an indicated time period; a second copy section that creates a mirror of at least one of all data stored in the storage and difference data stored in the storage in an indicated time period; and a controller that causes one of the first and second copy sections to copy all data stored in the storage and causes the other to copy difference data between generations stored in the storage. |
| US08001334B2 |
Bank sharing and refresh in a shared multi-port memory device
A method and system for sharing banks of memory in a multi-port memory device between components is provided. The multi-port memory device includes multiple ports to which components of a system are attached, and multiple banks of memory within the multi-port memory device that are shared by each of the ports. A bank availability pin is added to each port for each bank of memory. The bank availability pin is signaled when the bank is available to a particular port and unsignaled when the bank is unavailable. Thus, the multi-port memory device can be shared by several components simultaneously with only a small amount of additional hardware to support the sharing. Also provided are methods for refreshing the banks of memory. |
| US08001332B2 |
Adaptive caching for high volume extract transform load process
A method, system, and medium related to a mechanism to cache key-value pairs of a lookup process during an extract transform load process of a manufacturing execution system. The method includes preloading a cache with a subset of a set of key-value pairs stored in source data; receiving a request of a key-value pair; determining whether the requested key-value pair is in the preloaded cache; retrieving the requested key-value pair from the preloaded cache if the requested key-value pair is in the preloaded cache; queuing the requested key-value pair in an internal data structure if the requested key-value pair is not in the preloaded cache until a threshold number of accumulated requested key-value pairs are queued in the internal data structure; and executing a query of the source data for all of the accumulated requested key-value pairs. |
| US08001330B2 |
L2 cache controller with slice directory and unified cache structure
A cache memory logically partitions a cache array having a single access/command port into at least two slices, and uses a first directory to access the first array slice while using a second directory to access the second array slice, but accesses from the cache directories are managed using a single cache arbiter which controls the single access/command port. In one embodiment, each cache directory has its own directory arbiter to handle conflicting internal requests, and the directory arbiters communicate with the cache arbiter. The cache array is arranged with rows and columns of cache sectors wherein a cache line is spread across sectors in different rows and columns, with a portion of the given cache line being located in a first column having a first latency and another portion of the given cache line being located in a second column having a second latency greater than the first latency. |
| US08001329B2 |
Speculative stream scanning
A system and method for partitioning a data stream into tokens includes steps or acts of: receiving the data stream; setting a partition scanner to a beginning point in the data stream; identifying likely token boundaries in the data stream using the partition scanner; partitioning the data stream according to the likely token boundaries as determined by the partition scanner, wherein each partition of the partitioned data stream bounded by the likely token boundaries comprises a chunk; and passing the chunk to a next available token scanner, one chunk per token scanner, for identifying at least one actual token within each chunk. |
| US08001321B2 |
Digital device configuration and method
A digital Storage Element is described. A device is configured including a Storage Element for access by a user responsive to a native control code. A processing arrangement executes a control program for controlling the overall device and executing at least a portion of the native control code as part of the control program for interfacing with the Storage Element. A programming arrangement is provided separate from the device for customizing a read channel within the Storage Element. Command, user interaction and data transfer execution are discussed for mitigation of potential mechanical shock effects. Status indications relating to the Storage Element are provided including head position and mechanical shock. Calibration, test and operational monitoring procedures, for using head position status, are described. Failure configuration monitoring is provided in tracking overall performance and design considerations. |
| US08001318B1 |
Wear leveling for low-wear areas of low-latency random read memory
Described herein are method and apparatus for performing wear leveling of erase-units of an LLRRM device that considers all active erase-units. Wear counts of all active erase-units (containing client data) and free erase-units (not containing client data) are tracked. Wear counts are used to determine low-wear active erase-units having relatively low wear counts and high-wear free erase-units having relatively high wear counts. In some embodiments, data contents of low-wear active erase-units are transferred to high-wear free erase-units, whereby the low-wear active erase-units are converted to free erase-units and may later store different client data which may increase the current rate of wear for the erase-unit. The high-wear free erase-units are converted to active erase-units that store client data that is infrequently erased/written, which may reduce the current rate of wear for the erase-unit. As such, wear is spread more evenly among erase-units of the LLRRM device. |
| US08001317B2 |
Data writing method for non-volatile memory and controller using the same
A data writing method for a non-volatile memory is provided, wherein the non-volatile memory includes a data area and a spare area. In the data writing method, a plurality of blocks in a substitution area of the non-volatile memory is respectively used for substituting a plurality of blocks in the data area, wherein data to be written into the blocks in the data area is written into the blocks in the substitution area, and the blocks in the substitution area are selected from the spare area of the non-volatile memory. A plurality of temporary blocks of the non-volatile memory is used as a temporary area of the blocks in the substitution area, wherein the temporary area is used for temporarily storing the data to be written into the blocks in the substitution area. |
| US08001306B2 |
Interface unit and communication system having a master/slave structure
An interface unit is provided for a communication system comprising a master unit and a plurality of slave units serially connecting the master unit via a double ring structure comprising a first communication path and a second communication path. The interface unit comprises a first switching unit, which is configured to output information signals received by the master unit as a first information signal to the first communication path and as a second information signal to the second communication path; and a second switching unit, which is configured to forward the first information signal circulating on the first communication path and second information signal circulating on the second communication path to the master unit. |
| US08001305B2 |
System and dynamic random access memory device having a receiver
A dynamic random access memory device (DRAM) receiver circuit includes an input to receive a data signal, and also includes decision circuitry to make a decision about the received data signal based on a present sampled data signal and a coefficient value corresponding to at least one of a previously sampled data signals. |
| US08001301B2 |
Semiconductor device and electronic instrument
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor chip, and a second semiconductor chip which includes a high-speed serial I/F circuit which transfers serial data between the high-speed serial I/F circuit and an external device through a serial bus and is stacked on the first semiconductor chip. A pad region in which pads (electrodes) for connecting the external device and the high-speed serial I/F circuit are disposed is provided along a first side of the second semiconductor chip which is the short side. A pad region in which pads for connecting an internal circuit included in the first semiconductor chip and the high-speed serial I/F circuit are disposed is provided along a second side of the second semiconductor chip which is the long side. |
| US08001300B2 |
Method and apparatus for specifying analog connections for data bus network devices having both digital and analog outputs
A method and apparatus enables users to specify analog connections for devices on a data bus network such as an IEEE 1394 network in a convenient, time-efficient manner. According to an exemplary embodiment, the method includes steps of enabling an on-screen display comprising a list of devices connected to the digital data bus network requiring analog connections to the apparatus, and enabling a user to specify the analog connections responsive to the on-screen display. |
| US08001299B2 |
Method for the control of network devices connected via a bus system
Two or more electronic devices are connected via a bus system, wherein one of the network devices controls other network devices. A first control application is uploaded from a first controlled device to the control device and a second control application is uploaded from a second controlled device into the first control application. The first and second controlled devices can be operated simultaneously using a single user interface shown on a display of the control device. The user interface of the first device is displayed as main user interface and the user interface of the second device is rendered within the main interface as reduced user interface, which includes only operation elements necessary for operation of the second device in combination with the first device. The generation of combined user interfaces is also possible when the second controlled device comprises features, which are not known at the production of the first controlled device. |
| US08001297B2 |
Dynamic adjusting send rate of buffered data
Systems and methods for intermediate buffering of data for the purpose of controlling its delivery to the consumer. The systems and methods for buffering data can arbitrate between the incoming data flow from the generating component and the outgoing data flow to the consumer. In doing so, the systems and methods for buffering of data seek to honor the delivery demands and/or constraints of the consumer, while avoiding the loss of the data generated by the producer. The delivery demands of the consumer may include requirements pertaining to maximum acceptable incoming data rate, the desired incoming data rate, incoming data aggregation, the desired freshness of the data, and tolerance for event loss. The generation component constraints may include the space limitations on buffering data within the data buffer. |
| US08001294B2 |
Methods and apparatus for providing a compressed network in a multi-processing system
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for transferring and storing data among processors and memory in a multiprocessor system. The data is compressed locally before it is sent to a shared memory. The memory stores the data in its compressed state, but the data is aligned in the memory in the same manner as uncompressed data would be. A tag table keeps track of the compression type and compressed data size for a set of data at a given address block. A data compressor and a data expander may be implemented in a direct memory access controller accessible to multiple coprocessors, or the compressor and the expander may be implemented within the coprocessors. |
| US08001291B2 |
Method of optimized-sharing of multimedia content and mobile terminal employing the same
Provided are a method of optimized sharing of multimedia content that allows delivery of optimized multimedia content using device profiles shared between devices connected via a short-range wireless communication and a mobile terminal employing the same method. The method includes: exchanging, upon connecting with peripheral devices via one of a wired network having a predetermined wired communication protocol and a wireless network having a predetermined wireless communication protocol, profile information with the peripheral devices; displaying the received profile information about the peripheral devices in order of network distances of the peripheral devices; and arranging and displaying, if the displayed profile information about each of the peripheral devices is selected, a list of shareable and playable multimedia content items pertaining to each peripheral device in order of priority. |
| US08001290B2 |
Vehicle computer system with audio entertainment system
A vehicle computer system has an audio entertainment system implemented in a logic unit and audio digital signal processor (DSP) independent from the host CPU. The audio entertainment system employs a set of ping/pong buffers and direct memory access (DMA) circuits to transfer data between different audio devices. Audio data is exchanged using a mapping overlay technique, in which the DMA circuits for two audio devices read and write to the same memory buffer. The computer system provides an audio manager API (application program interface) to enable applications running on the computer to control the various audio sources without knowing the hardware and implementation details of the underlying sound system. Different audio devices and their drivers control different functionality of the audio system, such as equalization, volume controls and surround sound decoding. The audio manager API transfers calls made by the applications to the appropriate device driver(s). The computer system also supports a speech recognition system. Speech utterances are picked up by a microphone and sampled at an internal sampling rate. However, the speech recognition system employs a lower sampling rate. The computer system converts microphone data from the higher internal sampling rate to the desired sampling rate by piggybacking the microphone data on command/message streams to an SPI (serial peripheral interface) of the audio DSP. The DSP performs normal low-pass filtering and down sampling on the data stream and then uses the SPI to send out the microphone data at the lower sampling rate. |
| US08001285B1 |
Method and apparatus for reducing host processor activity during interaction with peripheral devices
A system includes first memory for storing data and a processing core for executing software instructions on the data that is received from the first memory. The system also includes a peripheral device configured to communicate with the processing core through a peripheral control module. The peripheral control module, also referred to as a peripheral control device, includes second memory. The peripheral control module also includes a comparator for governing data transfer transactions, without interrupting the processing core, based on a comparison. The comparator therefore compares expected responses to command sequences and received responses to the command sequences. The command sequences and responses to command sequences are associated with data packets to be exchanged between the first memory and the peripheral device. |
| US08001281B1 |
Configuring a management module through a graphical user interface for use in a computer system
A customization program for use in customizing a baseboard management controller used for monitoring operation of various computer system components is disclosed. A user interacts with the customization program to customize the baseboard management controller based on a configuration of components specified for the baseboard of the computer system. The customization program provides a user interface having a repository of icons and a design page. The icons represent various components that may be connected, directly or indirectly, to the baseboard. The design page is used for constructing a model representing the specified configuration of components. As a user drags icons onto the design page, the model is updated to reflect selection of the components corresponding to these icons. Further, the customization program creates a configuration file that identifies and describes each of the selected components. The configuration file is loaded into the baseboard management controller to effectuate the aforementioned customization. |
| US08001278B2 |
Network packet payload compression
Methods and apparatus relating to network packet payload compression/decompression are described. In an embodiment, an uncompressed packet payload may be compressed before being transferred between various components of a computing system. For example, a packet payload may be compressed prior to transfer between network interface cards or controllers (NICs) and storage devices (e.g., including a main system memory and/or cache(s)), as well as between processors (or processor cores) and storage devices (e.g., including main system memory and/or caches). Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08001273B2 |
Parallel processing of input data to locate landmarks for chunks
Input data is divided into a plurality of segments, which are processed, in parallel, by respective first processing elements to locate landmarks in the segments. At least one other processing element is used to produce chunks from the input data based on positions of the landmarks provided by the first processing elements. |
| US08001272B2 |
Obtaining a valid international destination address
A valid destination address is determined. An availability request is sent to each destination address from a set of destination addresses. The destination addresses are correlated with a destination party. At least one response to the sent availability requests is received. Each received response is uniquely associated with its own destination address from the destination addresses. Each received response indicates either a valid destination address or an invalid destination address. For each received response, a value associated with the destination address that is associated with that received response is recorded. The value indicates either a valid destination address or an invalid destination address based on the received response associated with that destination address. |
| US08001271B1 |
Method and apparatus for locating naming discrepancies
A system is provided that polls one or more caching nameservers and compares their results to a trusted or standard set of data. The set of data may be, for example, stored in a computer system or distributed among several computer systems. In one aspect, the system comprises a discrepancy detector that detects discrepancies between one or more copies of mapping information. Mapping information may be, for example, mapping stored on a Domain Name System (DNS). |
| US08001267B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for automatically verifying access to a multipathed target at boot time
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for automatically verifying access to a multipathed target at boot time. The apparatus is provided with a logic unit containing a plurality of modules configured to functionally execute the necessary steps of identifying a plurality of paths to a target device, automatically selecting one of the plurality of paths to the target device, and verifying access on at least one path to the target device. Beneficially, the disclosed embodiments of the apparatus, system, and method reduce false errors during the boot cycle, improve reliability of the multipathed network, simplify traffic load balancing, and provide for topology mapping for troubleshooting and network metrics. The disclosed embodiments provide a means for verifying multipathed targets automatically, without requiring user assistance, intervention, or interaction. |
| US08001265B2 |
Method for transmitting a user data record to a user station
A method for transmission of a user data record to a user station. The method features the following steps: (i) transmitting the user data record as a broadcast data record via a network system including at least two networks capable of data transmission, of which at least one is designed as a broadcast network in which a network identification of the broadcast network used for transmission is added to the broadcast data record prior to transmission in the respective broadcast network; (ii) extracting at least the network identification last added to the broadcast data record at reception of the last used broadcast data records from this broadcast data record; and (iii) forwarding at least the last network identification to the user station for allowance of at least the last network identification in connection with the user data record usage. |
| US08001263B2 |
Method for suspending and resuming content transmission/reception
Disclosed is a method for a method for suspending content transmission/reception, including: transmitting, if content reception within a certain channel needs to be suspended, an error notification message to a server, wherein the error notification message includes a first element indicating that the content reception is suspended, and a second element indicating a name, an attribute, or a value of a message found to be an error; transmitting a channel suspend request message to the server, wherein the channel suspend request message includes a third element for specifying an ID for the certain channel; and receiving a channel suspend response message from the server, wherein the channel suspend response message includes a fourth element containing IDs and status values for the channels requested for the transmission suspension. |
| US08001259B2 |
Pervasive, distributed provision of services such as product brokerage
A client-server computing system suited particularly for homogenous clients of varying functional capabilities. Information handling capabilities are provided at the client and server on a customized, as-needed basis. When a service is needed by a client, the server determines a number of factors that may be relevant to the manner in which the service is to be provided. Then, the server selects from between two or more services having different executable code, and uploads the selected service to the client. Thus, the code may be tailored to the client's capabilities, or other aspects of its function. Services are not permanently retained by a client; rather, the client performs an analysis to determine whether services should be retained or purged. Also, state information is not permanently retained by a client; the server retains the information and uploads that information to the client. The server also manages its resources by loading service components on an as-needed basis. |
| US08001251B2 |
AV server
There is provided an AV server capable of internally establishing a logical connection and appropriately managing connection with a plurality of client devices even when a physical connection is firstly requested from a client device. The AV server includes a communication unit which communicates with the client device via a communication channel; a protocol processing unit which performs processes including retrieval of a UPnP AV-compliant device and capability exchange based on the logical connection; a content data accumulation unit which accumulates content data such as a recorded TV program, moving image data and still image data therein; a content data distribution unit which distributes the content data accumulated in the content data accumulation unit; and a connection management unit which manages HTTP connection session information based on the physical connection for distributing the content data. |
| US08001246B2 |
System and method for exposing distributed transaction services as web services
A computer enabled transaction service architecture gateway system and method for exposing distributed transaction services as web services comprises a transaction service gateway server including: a web service message engine to convert between web service messages and distributed transaction data structures and interface for allowing customized plug-in mechanism to expand functionality and provide additional service. The transaction service architecture gateway server operate to invoke distributed transaction services on a distribute transaction server upon receiving a request from a web service client. |
| US08001243B2 |
Distributed denial of service deterrence using outbound packet rewriting
A method for denial of service attack deterrence involves receiving requests from clients, where the requests include a server protocol component, designating a client as a malicious client based on the requests, intercepting and inspecting, prior to the clients receiving a response, the server protocol component of each response to the clients, and rewriting at least a portion of the server protocol component of each response destined for the malicious client. |
| US08001240B2 |
Generic method for resource monitoring configuration in provisioning systems
A generic mechanism and model are provided to capture and store configuration profiles for resource monitors such that monitors can be flexibly deployed, configured, modified, and removed using appropriate sets of parameters and values. As an integral part of resource provisioning, this generic mechanism will require only a generic set of workflows and a generic data model to provision monitors. The provisioning system of the present invention captures and stores response parameters and values from monitors created during initial deployment such that these parameters can be used for later modification and removal of these monitors. |
| US08001239B2 |
Systems and methods for preventing intrusion at a web host
A web host intrusion prevention system includes a filter engine [302] and comparison tables [303]. The comparison tables [303] are populated with the set of valid commands that are to be received at a server. The filter engine [302] looks up received commands in the comparison tables [303]. Received commands that are not in the comparison table are rejected. |
| US08001237B2 |
Remote monitoring of user input devices
A precision data capture recorder/security device non-intrusively and precisely captures and records information from computerized input devices (e.g., computer keyboards and mouses). Information collected by a data capture recorder co-located with a client can be precisely date and time tag user input to a user interface (e.g., keyboard) and transmitted to a base collection station for archiving and analysis. Archived information provides accurate history logs for regulatory audit compliance, data security, and system administrative troubleshooting. Analysis can help determine whether user data input patterns at the user interface are authorized. |
| US08001235B2 |
System for managing patient medical data derived from a plurality of medical devices
A system for managing patient medical data derived from at least first and second medical devices acquiring respective medical data from a patient includes a proximity detector, for use by the first medical device, for detecting proximity of the second medical device. A command processor responds to the detection of proximity, by initiating generation of signals: (a) to associate patient medical data acquired by the second medical device with patient medical data acquired by the first medical device, and (b) to process patient medical data acquired by the second medical device together with medical data acquired by the first medical device to provide a composite representation of patient medical data. |
| US08001234B2 |
Method and server for coordination of telecommunication services
The invention is intended to co-ordinate telecommunication services (2) provided to users by means of terminals (3, 4, 5) which are connected to different telecommunication networks (1). For said purpose, the invention comprises the following steps: a service mediation server (10) co-ordinates different telecommunication services activated by users; the terminals (3, 4, 5) connect to the server and transmit users profiles thereto, said profiles specifying availability modes, activate the profiles and availability modes and access the connected services; and the service mediation server determines a reachability state for each user, which is dependent on at least one user terminal being connected to the server and the active availability mode and profile of the user, and transmits said state to the connected user terminals specified in a list of contacts in the active profile of the user. |
| US08001231B2 |
Method and apparatus for implementing a predetermined operation in device management
A method for implementing a predetermined operation in device management, being based on a DM system defined by OMA, includes: sending by the device management system a second predetermined operation based on a trigger condition to a terminal device and storing by the terminal device the received second predetermined operation; and obtaining by the terminal device from itself the second predetermined operation and executing the second predetermined operation when the trigger condition is satisfied. The present invention also discloses an apparatus for implementing a predetermined operation in device management. |
| US08001228B2 |
System and method to dynamically extend a management information base using SNMP in an application server environment
A system and method for sharing security information across multiple SNMP Agents running within a domain, including features such as dynamically extending SNMP MIB to expose customer MBeans with SNMP. The system includes a managed server instance of an application that hosts an SNMP agent. An agent or sub-agent is registered to the SNMP Agent on each managed server and there is a management information base which describes different management attributes that the application server exposes. A network-manager hosts a SNMP manager that communicates with the SNMP Agents. A non-application server specific MBean exposes a set of attributes about the application to the sub-agent and hosts the non-application server specific MBean in a dynamic MIB. The set of attributes are communicated through SNMP by the SNMP Agent to SNMP manager, to extend the SNMP MIB dynamically, and allow the non-application server specific MBean to be exposed through SNMP. |
| US08001226B2 |
Surplus determination system, management system, recording medium storing surplus determination program, and recording medium storing management program
A surplus determination system for determining a presence/absence of a surplus in an IT resource managed by an IT resource management system includes a recording part for recording working data representing a working situation of the IT resource, a recording part for recording a surplus determination rule representing a requirement of the working situation for the IT resource to be determined to have a surplus, and a surplus determining part for determining that there is a surplus in the case where the working situation represented by the working data satisfies the requirement of the working situation represented by the surplus determination rule, based on the working data and the surplus determination rule. |
| US08001223B2 |
Automatic switching network points based on configuration profiles
A method and apparatus to reconfigure parameters for establishing a link with a new host after a computer is moved to a new location or a new network. |
| US08001222B2 |
Clustered filesystem with membership version support
A cluster of computer system nodes share direct read/write access to storage devices via a storage area network using a cluster filesystem. Version information about subsystems is acquired by a leader node when forming a cluster membership and distributed to all nodes in the cluster to enable proper messaging during operation. |
| US08001219B2 |
User control interface for convergence and automation system
A convergence and automation system includes (a) an internet-protocol based (IP) network implemented with a web service for devices (WSD) protocol, (b) a plurality of devices connected to the network, wherein each device is configured to perform at least one service, (c) a server implemented with the WSD protocol, connected to the network and configured to control the devices for converging and automating the services thereof, and (d) at least one client implemented with the WSD protocol, connected to the network and configured to control at least a portion of the services of the devices. One of the server and the at least one client is configured to establish communication with the devices and further configured with a control panel application allowing a user to configure and test the convergence and automation system. |
| US08001208B2 |
Information processing apparatus
A device manager (2205f) of a broadcast receiving apparatus includes a device basic information management unit (3201) operable to hold a type and the number of devices handled by the device manager (2205f), and information regarding the individual devices, a device object management unit (3202) operable to manage one-to-one correspondences of objects representing devices, a device physical connection management unit (3203) operable to manage hardware configuration physical connection information of devices, a device logical connection management unit (3204) operable to manage logical connection statuses of devices, a device logical connection unit (3205) operable to logically connect devices, and a device logical connection cancellation unit (3206) operable to perform cancellation of a logical connection of devices. |
| US08001207B2 |
Common location-based service adapter interface for location based services
The present invention is a common location-based service adapter interface. The common location-based service adapter interface can include a uniform input interface through which location-based services can be requested using a uniform format which is independent of any specific formatting required by a particular service adapter configured to process the location-based services. The common location-based service adapter interface also can include a uniform output interface through which specifically formatted result sets can be formatted using the uniform format. |
| US08001205B2 |
State management in a distributed computing system
Techniques to allow applications to propagate information to the other instances of the applications running on downstream servers are provided. An indicator, such as a token, tag, etc., is placed within or added to a message that is flowing through the distributed environment to signify that a process has been performed on the message. For example, when an instance of an application running on a server receives a message, the application instance can examine the indicator contained in the message and take appropriate action. If the application instance decides to process the message, the application instance can include an indicator in the message to signify that the application instance processed the message. The presence of the indicator signifies that the message has been processed by an upstream instance of the same application. |
| US08001202B2 |
System and method for providing configuration data such as for configuring electronic mail access
A system, method and computer-readable medium provides configuration data, such as for electronic mail access. A configuration module retrieves the configuration data from a source of configuration data, such as a user system. The configuration in one aspect could be for accessing different electronic mailboxes of a user. Data object are generated. Each data object is submitted as a distributed object module to a web service. The web service in one aspect of the invention could be for a pass-through access for configuring electronic mailboxes. |
| US08001199B2 |
Reconfiguring an electronic message to effect an enhanced notification
An electronic message may be reconfigured to effect an enhanced notification using an input interface to receive at least one electronic message created by or on behalf of a message source for delivery to an intended recipient. A matching engine determines whether the electronic message corresponds to a predetermined definition of an enhanced notification. An enhancement engine reconfigures the electronic message to the enhanced notification if stored information related to the intended recipient indicates that the intended recipient is subscribed to receive the enhanced notification. Reconfiguring the electronic message may include reconfiguring the message to provide special handling, routing or presentation. |
| US08001198B2 |
Method and device for hiding messages
Based on user configuration, a main messaging user interface screen on a messaging device either presents a list of references to messages stored on the device based on a complete index of references to the stored messages or based on a filtered index of references to the stored messages. References to stored messages of a predetermined type are not maintained in the filtered index. |
| US08001197B2 |
Email routing
A method of routing an email message comprises receiving a message to be routed, receiving details of a first recipient of the message, receiving an indication of a second recipient of the message, the indication defining a relationship to the first recipient, obtaining an address for the first recipient, obtaining an address for the second recipient, and transmitting the email message to the first and second recipients. |
| US08001183B2 |
Methods and systems for imaging device related event notification
Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and devices for imaging device event notification administration and subscription. Some aspects relate to selective imaging device event notification based on user credentials and/or the occurrence of a specific event. Some aspects relate to the construction, maintenance and use of an event subscription record that is used to manage imaging device event notification. |
| US08001178B2 |
System and method for providing language localization for server-based applications
Using a server in a distributed computer network to provide an application to a client in the client's preferred language through the use of software modules that translate the application. A client accesses an application on a server and provides a preferred language for the application. Software modules on the server take the content of the application and convert it into the language desired by the client. The translated application is then sent to the client. This approach eliminates the need to create separate applications for each language and allows the client to change languages instantaneously. |
| US08001176B2 |
Web service with multiple listening endpoints
The invention concerns a device, method, and program for exposing one or more Web Services via a Web Service access protocol. Each Web Service comprises multiple Web Service actions for accessing the functionality of a device. The Web Service access protocol allows the exchange of information in a decentralized, distributed environment and encompasses multiple Web Service actions and multiple different communication protocols. Each listening endpoint exposes a grouping of Web Service actions, such that a first endpoint exposes a first grouping of actions and a second endpoint exposes a second grouping of actions. Each request handler handles requests at a respective endpoint, and each request handler is specifically configured to handle requests received at that endpoint. Because the invention can handle requests encompassing each message type differently, it can achieve improved performance when handling any message type. |
| US08001175B2 |
Facilitating server response optimization
An algorithm facilitates optimization functionality for generating optimized response information. In facilitating such optimization, non-essential elements of the response information (i.e., unneeded for system interpretation) are eliminated thereby reducing the size of the response information and generating optimized response information as well as reducing the memory footprint of cache required for storing such optimized response information. Examples of such non-essential elements of response information include, but are not limited to, indention characters, tab characters, blank space characters and the like. Such optimization functionality is tailored to optimizing the size of response information being transmitted from a server. More specifically, it provides for reduction in bandwidth occupied by outgoing response information from a transmitting a server. Examples of such response information include, but are not limited to, HTML formatted information, XML formatted information, JavaScript formatted information and SOAP formatted information. Advantageously, this optimization functionality is configured in a manner whereby it does not increase the load on the resource utilization, thereby providing an overall and desirable improvement in network performance. |
| US08001171B1 |
Pipeline FFT architecture for a programmable device
A pipeline Fast Fourier Transform (“FFT”) architecture for a programmable device is described. A first Radix-2 butterfly stage is coupled to receive a first input, configured to provide a first output responsive thereto, and configured to truncate at least one Least Significant Bit of the first output. A delay and swap stage is coupled to receive the first output and configured to provide a second output. A second Radix-2 butterfly stage is coupled to receive the second output and a second input, configured to provide a third output responsive thereto, and configured to truncate at least one Most Significant Bit of the third output. The first Radix-2 butterfly stage and the second Radix-2 butterfly stage are implemented in digital signal processing slices of a programmable device. |
| US08001170B2 |
Equalizer system and filtering method
An equalizer system comprises a gain adjuster and a filter system. The gain adjuster provides a plurality of gain settings. The filter system is coupled to the gain adjuster and filters an input signal to output a filtered signal in response to the gain settings. The filter system comprises at least one high shelving filter with a first transfer function and at least one low shelving filter with a second transfer function. The reciprocal of the first transfer function is equal to the second transfer function. |
| US08001167B2 |
Automatic BNE seed calculator
An automatic background noise estimator (BNE) seed calculator for determining a starting point for a BNE circuit which tracks the noise floor received by a receiver. The BNE seed calculator may sample a plurality of data points from the receiver and calculate the magnitude of each point. The seed calculator may then determine the peak magnitude value, a plurality of mean values, and the variance of the sampled points. A plurality of lookup tables are used to compare the peak, mean, and variance values with simulated peak, mean, and variance values to estimate the noise floor level of the actual signal and use that to determine the optimum BNE seed value. Simulation software such as MATLAB is used to develop the lookup tables by simulating peak, mean, and variance values based on a plurality of signal-to-noise ratios (SNR). |
| US08001165B2 |
Storage system format for transaction safe file system
A transaction safe file system uses two sets of file allocation tables and bitmap images to perform file modifications on one of the sets while the other set remains a last known good set. After a modification is complete, a pointer is changed to the newly modified set, and the newly modified set becomes the last known good set. The sets are then synchronized. The file allocation table is used to define cluster chains while the bitmap image is used to determine if a cluster is free or not. In some operations, only the bitmap image may need to be manipulated. The file system may be used in a transaction safe mode as well as a non-transaction safe mode. |
| US08001162B2 |
Systems and methods of pipelining multiple document node streams through a query processor
A computer identifies a first candidate document at a first data source and a second candidate document at a second data source in response to a request from a user, wherein the request includes one or more keywords. The computer generates a first node stream for the first candidate document and a second node stream for the second candidate document using data packets received from the respective first and second data sources. The computer alternatively processes the first node stream and the second node stream until a candidate chunk matching at least one of the keywords is identified therein, wherein the matching chunk includes a set of nodes within a respective data source. |
| US08001160B2 |
Systems for managing construction projects
A system for managing construction projects includes at least one processor and electronic data storage device containing a database, the database having construction information saved therein and being in data communication with the processor. The system includes an input device for inputting contractor information, manager information, and job information into the database and associating respective job information with respective manager information. The processor includes programming to select particular contractor information from the contractor information and associate the particular contractor information with respective job information, to output the particular contractor information, to select particular construction information from the construction information and associate the particular construction information with respective job information, and output the particular construction information. The processor includes programming to allow communication between at least one contractor corresponding to the particular contractor information and a manager corresponding to the manager information associated with the job information. |
| US08001159B2 |
Using viewtypes for accessing instance data structured by a base model
Disclosed is a technique for manipulating instance data of a base model. A ViewType, a root object representing an object of the base model, and an operation are received. Whether the ViewType and the root object are compatible is determined. When the ViewType and the root object are compatible, the operation is applied to the instance data of the base model while using the ViewType to traverse the instance data. |
| US08001157B2 |
Method, apparatus, and program product for developing and maintaining a comprehension state of a collection of information
Aspects of the disclosed technology enable a knowledge worker to easily and efficiently develop and maintain a comprehension state of a document collection. One aspect of the technology includes a methods, apparatus, and program products that alter a relationship data structure representing a comprehension state responsive to manipulation, in a workspace window, of a first instance-representation of a first separately-movable instance object representing a first entity/relationship object in the relationship data structure. |
| US08001154B2 |
Library description of the user interface for federated search results
Methods and computer-readable media are provided for performing a federated search using a library description file to locate multiple data sources. For a federated search, a library description can be used to describe a set of data sources searched, and may further be used to describe how search results should be presented to a user. The format of such a library description file can include multiple elements, some of which provide information on how to display the library and others that define which data sources are included in the library. The library description file can be created according to library description template. |
| US08001153B2 |
System, method and software for providing persistent personal and business entity identification and linking personal and business entity information in an integrated data repository
The present invention provides a system, method and software for linking persistent and unique business identifiers, associated with business entities, for associating corresponding business records without a loss of historical records, regardless of subsequent changes, updates, and mergers. In the various embodiments, a first business record, of the plurality of business records, is associated with a first business identifier; and a second business record, which does not match the first record, is associated with a second business identifier. Subsequently, when the first business identifier and the second business identifier are determined to correspond to a singular business entity, the first business identifier and the second business identifier are linked, and respective associations of the first business record and the second business record with the linked first business identifier and second business identifier are maintained, with corresponding source references, and collectively utilized in subsequent search and match determinations. |
| US08001152B1 |
Method and system for semantic affinity search
A search interface and searching technology for interactive search refinement based on feature similarity (ISRFS), which provides an interactive search tool based on human associative and semantic knowledge. Given a query, the tool may retrieve the most suitable textual items in a repository of textual data that is categorized or/and partially tagged. In the user interface, an equalizer controller may be used to refine the search results, for example, based on manually or automatically extracted features and a graded semantic scale to adjust the weights of the various features. The technology may be applied to any data repository. |
| US08001151B2 |
Querying markup language data sources using a relational query processor
An XML wrapper queries an XML document in an on-the-fly manner so that only parent nodes in the document that satisfy the query are extracted and then unnested. The parent nodes and associated descendent nodes are located using XPath expressions contained as options in data definition language (DDL) statements. The parent nodes satisfying the query and associated descendent nodes are extracted and stored outside of a database according to a relational schema. The wrapper facilitates applications that use convention SQL queries and views to operate on that information stored according to the relational schema. The wrapper also responds to query optimizer requests for costs associated with queries against external data sources associated with the wrapper. |
| US08001149B2 |
Document managing system, document use controller, document storage device, document managing method, and computer readable medium for updating index information at a storage device in response to change of index use permit/inhibit information at a document use controller
A document managing system includes: a document use controller; and a document storage device, the document use controller including: a managing unit; and an instructing information transmitting unit, and the document storage device including: an index information holding unit; an instructing information receiving unit; and an index information updating unit, wherein the index information updating unit updates an index information so as to change the permission/inhibition of the use of contents of the storage document on the basis of an identifier of a storage document included in instructing information received by the instructing information receiving unit. |
| US08001144B2 |
Detecting relationships in unstructured text
Disclosed are embodiments of a system and a method for detecting relationships described in unstructured text-based electronic documents. The system and method incorporate the use of an input file that contains one or more text patterns that represent particular relationships. The text patterns each include regular text expressions that describe the particular relationship and slots for the location of each entity in that relationship. Document(s) are selected by a user and scanned by a proper noun tagger that identifies and tags every occurrence of proper names within the document(s). Then, a pattern matcher scans the document(s) to match text patterns. If a text pattern is matched within a document a relationship detector extracts all pairs of proper names found in the slots for each matched text pattern. The output from the relationship detector includes the names for each entity in the relationship, the type of relationship, and the identity of the document and the location of the sentence describing the relationship in the document. |
| US08001143B1 |
Aggregating characteristic information for digital content
A method includes receiving characteristic information pertaining to respective portions of content from each of a plurality of users. Aggregate characteristic information is updated based on the received characteristic information. The aggregate characteristic information is communicated to a user to assist the user in navigation of the content. |
| US08001138B2 |
Word relationship driven search
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for performing searches based upon word relationships. A search term is received from a user in the form of at least one primary word. A data store is searched to determine if the primary word is associated with any content. If so, at least one reference to primary content that has been pre-defined as being related to the primary word is included in the search result. At least one reference to secondary content is included in the search result, if secondary content is found. Secondary contents are those that contain words that have been pre-defined as being related to the primary word. The search results are displayed to the user, with the primary references displayed along with the secondary references, if applicable, in a hierarchical fashion. |
| US08001135B2 |
Search support apparatus, computer program product, and search support system
A search support apparatus estimates, based on a document and a specific phrase (keyword) in the document, a theme of the document, a site type of a website that provides the document, and a content type of the document, and selects a search condition corresponding to the theme, the site type, and the content type, to be presented to the user. |
| US08001126B2 |
Conversation persistence in real-time collaboration system
Previously conducted conversations in real-time collaboration messages are persistently stored, either by client or a server, and then are associated with conversational items presented to a user (e.g. contact names, topics, etc.). An icon is provided near each listed item, which when selected, displays to the user summaries or titles of all transcripts to which the selected item pertains or relates. The user may select one or more summaries or titles for which the conversation is to be resumed, causing the system to retrieve the stored transcript and resume appending new conversational entries to it, so that the user recovers conversational context effortlessly and accurately. Enhanced versions of the invention include sharing of transcripts so that all participants receive the context of the conversation, and server-side or client-side implementations. |
| US08001125B1 |
Method and apparatus for defining relationships between tags
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates defining relationships between tags. During operation, the system receives a user-specified tag that describes a data item. Next, the system displays this tag to a user via a user interface that gives the user the option to suggest additional relationships for the tag. Based on user input, the system may define a relationships between the two tags, thereby facilitating the definition of a set of related tags for an organization. |
| US08001124B2 |
System and method for tagging images based on positional information
A system and method for suggesting keywords for tagging a digital image are provided. In general, a requesting node is communicatively coupled to a keyword service via a network. The requesting node sends a request to the keyword service requesting suggested keywords for a digital image. The request includes information relating to the digital image such as positional information. Based on the information, the keyword service generates a list of suggested keywords and provides the list of suggested keywords to the requesting node. At the requesting node, the list of suggested keywords is displayed to a user, and the user selects one or more of the suggested keywords for tagging the digital image. |
| US08001123B2 |
Open source publishing system and method
It is a first aspect of the present invention to provide a method of publishing content including the steps of: (a) providing a printed publication having printed content, a storage device storing a content database having digital content, an output device for outputting the digital content, and an interactive user device for generating one or more signals associated with retrieval of the digital content from the storage device; (b) accessing digital content; (c) associating the digital content with the printed content; (d) storing in a mapping database the association and a location of the digital content; (e) actuating the interactive user device to generate the one or more signals; (f) querying the mapping database to determine the association and the location of the digital content; (g) upon determining the location, retrieving the digital content; and (h) outputting the digital content to the output device. |
| US08001116B2 |
Video player for exhibiting content of video signals with content linking to information sources
A method and apparatus for retrieving information relevant to tracked objects appearing in a display of a video signal is disclosed. The method is performed by a viewing computer having stored thereon an augmented display tool. In response to a user requesting the video signal, a content directory storing content information relevant to the tracked objects is acquired from a video-overlay server. The augmented display tool causes the viewing computer to acquire and display the video signal and record a time measurement and spatial coordinates of each point selected by a viewer using a pointing device. The augmented display tool uses the content directory to find an object identifier corresponding to each selected point and extracts relevant information from a global object directory maintained at the video-overlay server. |
| US08001115B2 |
Identifying geographic-areas based on change patterns detected from high-resolution, remotely sensed imagery
A method, system, and medium are provided for identifying terrestrial objects that have changed in a certain manner. One embodiment of the method includes receiving a query that includes one or more inputs, which are related to 1) a first terrestrial object (“first object”) and 2) source change-detection information that describes change associated with the first object; applying the query to a dataset that includes indexed information that describes the imagery; based on the one or more inputs, receiving a query result by identifying a set of regions in the dataset that are respectively associated with change information that is similar to that of the source change-detection information; and presenting on a presentation device indications of at least a portion of the identified set of regions. |
| US08001114B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for dynamically searching for electronic mail messages
In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect an original search input; detect an excluded term within the original search input; form a modified search input wherein the modified search input includes the original search input without the excluded term; match a plurality of stored terms against the modified search input and forming a modified matched result; and selectively display the modified matched result based on a number of terms within the modified matched result. |
| US08001112B2 |
Using multidimensional access as surrogate for run-time hash table
Approaches are disclosed for using a multidimensional database as a surrogate for a run-time hash table in the context of processing a relational query. In an embodiment, an analytic workspace is used to store data, wherein the data is to be evaluated using a by a function in the processing of a MODEL clause. The approaches eliminate the need to use a hash table to store the data that is to be evaluated. The data may initially reside in the analytic workspace, or it may be loaded into the analytic workspace. |
| US08001108B2 |
Returning a new content based on a person's reaction to at least two instances of previously displayed content
Embodiments provide a device, apparatus, system, computer program product, and method. A provided method includes receiving information that is indicative of respective responses by a person to each of at least two instances of electronically displayed content. The received information is derived from data acquired by a sensor coupled to the person and sent by a requestor electronic device. The method also includes selecting a particular content from the at least two instances of electronically displayed content. The selecting is based at least in part on the received information. The method further includes facilitating a search for a new content using a search parameter corresponding to a content attribute of the particular content. The method also includes returning an indication of the new content to the requestor electronic device. |
| US08001104B2 |
Method, system and program for storing and using metadata in multiple storage locations
Provided are a method, system, and program for storing and using metadata in multiple storage location. Signature data is stored in a system storage indicating a plurality of metadata copy locations, each locating identifying a storage device and a copy location within the storage device. Each location contains one copy of the metadata, wherein the metadata includes system configuration information. A copy of the signature data is stored with each copy of the metadata. |
| US08001102B2 |
Integration of instant messaging with internet searching
Techniques for integrating instant messaging with Internet search features are provided. An instant messaging (IM) application allows users to launch a search of the Internet or the World Wide Web for information about another IM user or another topic. If an IM user wishes to locate information relating to a friend, a search is performed through a database of registered IM members to locate a user profile for the friend. If the friend's profile is found, the profile is displayed to the IM user. An IM application can link to an Internet search engine to search the Internet for web sites relating to the topic or person. Search results from an Internet search can be sorted based on information about a friend that is stored in the friend's user profile. |
| US08001101B2 |
Presenting instant answers to internet queries
Methods are described for utilizing user-submitted data to provide a response to a query request. User-submitted data are received and referenced upon receiving a query request from an unregistered requester, a potential response is automatically identified from the user-submitted data, the potential response is extracted, and presented in response to the query request. |
| US08001095B2 |
Method of updating a version of an application program
A version update method is provided for updating a version of a communication system application program installed in a plurality of terminals connected to a communication network and operating between at least two terminals. The method includes: starting communications between the two of the plurality of terminals; exchanging version information of the communication system application program between the two terminals communicating with each other and making a comparison between the version information held in one terminal and that in the other; making a request for transmitting the communication system application program file of the version not held in either terminal; and transmitting the communication system application program file of the specified version to the terminal making the request. |
| US08001089B2 |
Method and system for intelligent storage management
A storage management system is provided. The storage management system may includes a data collector configured to receive storage management information for storage. The storage manager includes an agent configured to collect storage management information for a storage object and to communicate the storage management information to the data collector. The storage management system includes a user interface configured to display the storage management information for the storage objects. |
| US08001086B2 |
Sharing files among different virtual machine images
A system for sharing files among different virtual machine images includes a processor, a memory, and an input/output subsystem. The processor is configured for: a) creating a first virtual image; b) determining whether there exists a second virtual image similar to the first virtual image; c) comparing the files of the first and second virtual images to determine a set of common files; d) creating a common file collection; f) creating a second version of the first virtual image with files in the first virtual image that are not in the common file collection; g) creating a second version of the second virtual image with files in the second virtual image that are not in the common file collection; h) receiving a request for modification of the file within one of the virtual images; and i) determining whether the file to be modified is in the set of common files. |
| US08001085B1 |
Remote data access for local operations
A method, system, and computer-readable medium to maintain consistent, up-to-date copies of primary data. Primary data is maintained on a primary node, and point-in-time snapshots of the primary data are maintained on a secondary or remote node. Read operations can be directed to read some or all data from the remote node. When part of the data on the primary node becomes unavailable due to corruption, device failure, or communication failure, unavailable data can be read from the secondary node. When the determination is made that an unavailable portion of the data exists, a third data storage accessible by the first host can be created. Each subsequent change to the data in the first data storage can be written only to the third data storage. If an updated portion of the data is to be read, the updated portion can be read from the third data storage. |
| US08001081B1 |
Determining priority between data items in shared environments
One embodiment of the invention enables nodes or endpoints that have been involved with synchronization of data items to determine which version of a data item (if any) has priority over another version of that same data item. For example, one embodiment of the invention can include a method that can include the determination as to whether any data items have matching identities and conflicting priorities after the synchronization process. Provided a first and second data items have matching identities and conflicting priorities, a determination is made as to whether an indication had been made that the first data item is desirable over the second data item. Provided the indication had been made that the first data is desirable over the second data item, it is indicated that the first data item has priority over the second data item. |
| US08001073B2 |
Extensions to semantic net
A semantic network includes a number of nodes are interconnected to one another through links (e.g., in a subject/verb/target form) representing relationships between the nodes and one or more of the links have one or more variants representing qualifications of the relationships between the nodes. For each link having one or more variants, the variants may be ordered in configurations. Such ordering of the variants in the configurations may be self-described within the semantic network and may determine precedence of those links belonging to the variants. Some of the links of the network may be nodes of others of the links. The interconnection of at least some of the nodes may define a meta-meta model that defines terms in which particular meta models can be defined, each meta model comprising meta facts regarding the nodes of the semantic network. |
| US08001068B2 |
System and method for calibrating and extrapolating management-inherent complexity metrics and human-perceived complexity metrics of information technology management
The invention broadly and generally provides a method for calibrating the relationship between management-inherent complexity metrics deriving from the management structure and human perceived complexity of information technology management comprising: (a) obtaining a set of management-inherent complexity metrics; (b) obtaining a set of human-perceived complexity metrics; (c) constructing a control model identifying a set of dominant indicators selected from the aforesaid set of management-inherent complexity metrics; (d) establishing a value model mapping from the aforesaid set of dominant indicators to the aforesaid set of human-perceived complexity metrics. |
| US08001066B2 |
Systems and methods for improving recognition results via user-augmentation of a database
A system improves recognition results. The system receives multimedia data and recognizes the multimedia data based on training data to generate documents. The system receives user augmentation relating to one of the documents or new documents from a user. The system supplements the training data with the user augmentation or new documents and retrains based on the supplemented training data. |
| US08001065B2 |
Semiconductor storage device
A semiconductor storage device includes a storage part including a plurality of nonvolatile semiconductor memory cells each having a conductive path, a charge storage layer and a control gate electrode. The device further includes a plurality of first input terminals each connected to one end of the conductive path of each nonvolatile semiconductor memory cell, a plurality of second input terminals each connected to the control gate of each nonvolatile semiconductor memory cell, and an output end connected to the other ends of the conductive paths of the plurality of nonvolatile semiconductor memory cells, respectively. |
| US08001061B2 |
First and second unsupervised learning processes combined using a supervised learning apparatus
A data processing apparatus includes first and second unsupervised learning process units and a supervised learning process unit. The first unsupervised learning process unit classifies data of a first data group according to unsupervised learning, to perform dimension reduction for the first data group and to obtain first classified data. The second unsupervised learning process unit classifies data of a second data group according to the unsupervised learning, to perform dimension reduction for the second data group and to obtain a second classified data group. The supervised learning process unit performs supervised learning using, as a teacher, the first classified data group obtained by the first unsupervised learning process unit and the second classified data group obtained by the second unsupervised learning process unit to determine a mapping relation between the first classified data group and the second classified data group. |
| US08001060B2 |
Classification for small collections of high-value entities
A method and system for classifying small collections of hi-value entities with missing data. The invention includes: collecting measurement variables for a set of entity cases for which classifications are known; calibrating standard weights for each measurement variable based on historical data; computing compensating weights for each entity case that has missing data, computing case scores for each of one or more dimensions as a sum-product of compensating weights and variables associated with each dimension; executing an iterative process that finds a specific combination of compensation weights that best classify the entity cases in terms of distinct scores; and applying a resulting model, which is determined by the specific combination of compensation weights, to classify other entity cases for which the classifications are unknown. |
| US08001058B1 |
Evaluating item sellers to promote sellers, inform item purchasing decisions and build trust in a multiple-seller marketplace
A facility for responding to a request for information about an item. The facility receives a request for information about the item. Among a plurality of sellers, the facility identifies those sellers (1) that are offering the item for sale, (2) whose availability level for the selected item exceeds a predetermined availability threshold, and (3) that have a seller score relating to a number of different items offered for sale by the seller that exceeds a predetermined score threshold. The facility uses the identified sellers and the price of the item to select the featured seller of the item. The facility replies to the request for information with a web page containing both information describing the item and a control that can be activated to order the item from the featured seller. |
| US08001055B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for secure access, payment and identification
According to one aspect, the invention provides a system for validating an identity of a user to enable or prevent an occurrence of an event. In one embodiment, the system includes a first device including a wireless transmitter which is configured to transmit validation information, a second device including a wireless receiver, where the second device is configured to receive the validation information and further transmit the validation information; and a secure system in communication with the second device. According to one embodiment, the secure system includes a database. In a further embodiment, the secure system is configured to receive the validation information transmitted from the second device, and to transmit additional information to the second device following a receipt of the validation information to assist the second device in either enabling or preventing the occurrence of the event. |
| US08001054B1 |
System and method for generating an unpredictable number using a seeded algorithm
A random number generating algorithm is seeded with an unpredictable number. The seed value is computed by subjecting variable data to a Secure Hashing Algorithm, and truncating the right most, or left most, 16 bytes from the message digest generated. The algorithm generates the unpredictable number by using the seed value as a counter value in the random number generator, and performing a data encryption standard operation. In one exemplary embodiment, the unpredictable number is modified to a predetermined maximum unpredictable number value as determined by the sender and receiver of the unpredictable number. |
| US08001051B1 |
Systems and methods to modify a negotiable instrument
When the deposit of a negotiable instrument, such as a check, is done electronically by using a digital image of the negotiable instrument rather than the negotiable instrument itself, during the process, at least two negotiable instruments may exist: the physical negotiable instrument and the digital image of the negotiable instrument. To change the physical negotiable instrument to a non-negotiable instrument, a bank or other financial institution may send a transmission to modify the appearance of the negotiable instrument, thus effectively “voiding” the physical negotiable instrument. The negotiable instrument may have various inks or mechanisms that facilitate the modification of the appearance through the application of a stimulus, such as heat or light. The financial institution may cause the application of the stimulus to modify the appearance of the negotiable instrument. |
| US08001049B2 |
Data submission for anti-fraud context evaluation
Contextual data is gathered about a user's known location and/or about a user's expected location and generates contextual indicators based on at least a portion of the gathered contextual data. The contextual indicators are provided to one or more relying parties, such as an anti-fraud system to allow the anti-fraud system to more effectively determine the validity of transactions associated with the user, such as credit card transactions associated with the user's credit card. |
| US08001047B2 |
Method and apparatus for effecting payment
One aspect of the invention relates to a technique for effecting payment, and involves: presenting a portable device; and causing the portable device to output a pseudo payment code. |
| US08001046B2 |
System and methods for automating product returns
In connection with a sales transaction, product information is directly collected from the product provided with a label or tag that can be electronically scanned by, for example, optical scanning technology or radio-frequency scanning technology. The product information is electronically provided to the buyer in the form of an electronic receipt. |
| US08001045B1 |
Account synchronization
Aspects of this disclosure relate to a method of electronically receiving data from a first external source regarding the creation a first financial account or an update to the first financial account and storing the data from the first external source in a database. Further, the method includes determining whether the data from the first external source represents the creation of the first financial account or an update to the first financial account and if the data from the first external source represents the creation of the first financial account, then electronically transferring to a second external source the data from the first external source. Additionally, the method includes retrieving the stored data from the database and causing an indication to be displayed on a computer display through which a user can select the first financial account as an account from which a payment will be made directly to a payee and retrieving the stored data from the database and causing an indication to be displayed on the computer display through which a user can select the first financial account as an account from which funds will be transferred to or from a second financial account. |
| US08001043B1 |
Method, apparatus, and program for customizing credit accounts
An apparatus, method, and program for customizing credit accounts and calculating an appropriate price for this customization. Customers with existing credit accounts and customers applying for new accounts can customize various parameters of their accounts, in exchange for a fee to be collected by the credit issuer. The fee may depend on the particular set of parameters selected by the customer. |
| US08001040B2 |
Computer-implemented method and system for dynamic consumer rating in a transaction
Disclosed is a computer-implemented method (100) of rating a consumer in connection with a transaction initiated by the consumer and requesting credit from a credit issuer (28). The method (100) includes the steps of: providing a merchant-based consumer/transaction data set (16) to a central credit issuer database (20); providing a third party credit history data set (24) to the central credit issuer database (20); providing a credit issuer credit history data set (30) to the central credit issuer database (20); determining a consumer rating index variable (12) based upon a scoring formula (34) utilizing at least one data field from the provided data sets; and presenting the consumer rating index variable (12) to the credit issuer (28). A system (10) and apparatus (50) for rating the consumer in connection with this transaction is also disclosed. |
| US08001038B2 |
System and method for improved distribution of market information
A data distribution system and method are described herein to improve the distribution of market information to subscribing client devices. Market information updates are provided to subscribing devices over a communication link every time a change in the market occurs. If a bandwidth limitation is reached on the communication link, the preferred embodiments switch to a second mode of transmission such that the market information updates are provided only at predetermined intervals. The preferred embodiment monitors the bandwidth consumption to determine what mode of transmission to apply, and in response, it can dynamically change between modes of transmission. By dynamically adjusting the mode of transmission to comport with the current network bandwidth, the preferred embodiments may provide a network friendly, data intensive, and fast response market information feed. |
| US08001037B2 |
Method and system for pricing options
A method for providing a bid price and/or an offer price of an option relating to an underlying asset, the method including the steps of receiving first input data corresponding to a plurality of parameters defining the option, receiving second input data corresponding to a plurality of current market conditions relating to the underlying value, computing a corrected theoretical value of the option based on the first and second input data (110), computing a bid/offer spread of the option based on the first and input data (116), computing a bid price and/or an offer price of the option based on the corrected theoretical value and the bid/offer spread (118), and providing an output corresponding to the bid price and/or the offer price of the option. |
| US08001036B2 |
System for matching orders for futures contracts which facilitate electronic trading of over the counter futures contracts
An electronic trading system and method is disclosed for matching orders for various asset classes including futures contracts and the subsequent settlement and clearance of such contracts. The electronic trading system is configured to be connected to one or more electronic exchanges and is also configured to interface with the existing infrastructure of the front office software of a trading firm, broker or dealer to provide the best fill for traders by enabling electronic trades to be executed both on the exchange and over the counter. In one embodiment of the invention, a local order book is established thereby establishing an independent pool of liquidity of the asset class of interest. |
| US08001033B2 |
System and method for generating real-time indicators in a trading list or portfolio
A trading platform computer system for detecting an abnormal trading condition of a security uses real-time and estimated values of one or more variables associated with the condition of the security to generate one or more analytic metrics that are compared to empirical distributions based on one or more peer groups for the security. An indicator can then be displayed to a trader as an indication of the abnormal condition. |
| US08001032B2 |
System and method to solve dynamic multi-factor models in finance
Methods and systems for estimating time-varying factor exposures of either an individual financial instrument or a portfolio of such instruments, through the solution of a constrained multi-criteria dynamic optimization problem, providing an estimation error function and one or more transition error functions to be minimized over a period of time. The factor exposures relay the influence of the factors on the return of the instrument or portfolio. The estimation error function provides the estimation error at each time interval between the return of the asset collection and a sum of products of each factor exposure and its respective factor. Each transition error function provides a transition error of each factor exposure between time intervals. In one embodiment, the constraints can include a budget constraint and non-negativity bounds applying to some or all of the factor exposures. In other embodiments, the method and system can be applied to estimating any time-varying weight that is used in a model, to relay the influence of one or more independent variables on a dependent financial or economic variable, through the solution of a constrained multi-criteria dynamic problem, minimizing estimation error and transition error terms. In other embodiments, the solution of a multi-criteria dynamic problem can be used as part of a method and system to determine structural breakpoints for each factor, and also as part of a method and system for determining optimal parameters to weight the transition error functions and selecting the factors included in the model. |
| US08001031B2 |
Capital-adequacy filing and assessment system and method
Systems and methods of capital-adequacy filing and assessment for determining compliance with capital-adequacy rules include an authorized-entity computer and a processing computer in electronic communication with the authorized-entity computer. Such systems and methods can include an analysis-rule-configuration component, a data-reception component and a rules engine. |
| US08001028B2 |
Method of interacting with printed substrate
A method of interacting with a printed substrate. The method includes the steps of: interacting with the printed substrate using an optically imaging pen having a nib; imaging a tag on the substrate to provide image data; identifying target elements in the image data and inferring a perspective transform using perspective distortion of the target elements due to a tilt of the pen; acquiring and decoding coded data contained in the imaged tag; calculating a nib position using a tag location, the perspective transform and a known geometry of pen optics; and communicating digital ink to a computer system. The digital ink identifies the nib position and the substrate identity such that the computer system can interpret the digital ink and perform an action in response to the interaction with the printed substrate. |
| US08001027B2 |
Apparatus and methods for handling trading data
A manually-assisted computer and communications apparatus is provided for periodically fixing a price of a currency or commodity. Successive rate samples of said currency/stock/commodity are received from a plurality of sources (80) over a period of time, recorded and filtered automatically (90) by reference to said historical record and predetermined validation criteria so as to categorise certain samples as valid or erroneous. The received & filtered samples are combined periodically (105-115) so as to derive a fixed rate, which is then released (120) to users. The filtering means distinguishes between rate samples of different contributors within the samples received from a given source, and also receives (OTR1) trading rates generated by an online trading system, in addition to rates quoted by other contributors. Trading rates are applied in said fixed rate in preference to quoted rates. Traders and clients contract (450, 455) to buy and sell currency at rates to be fixed by the apparatus at a future time. |
| US08001026B2 |
Method and system for creating and trading derivative investment instruments based on an index of investment management companies
A method and system for creating a stock index for a group of investment management companies is disclosed. The method may include obtaining first trade information for each security representative of the group of investment management companies during a first time period, aggregating the first trade information for a predetermined time period, storing the aggregated first trade information, calculating from the aggregated first trade information an index for the group of investment management companies, determining a standardized measure of the index based on the aggregated first trade information obtained in the first time period, and periodically recalculating the index based on second trade information for each security representative of the group of investment management companies during a second time period. |
| US08001019B2 |
Managing access to and updating warehouse data
Methods, systems, and computer program products manage access to and update warehouse data associated with one or multiple online data systems. A security role is established for each user of warehouse operation functions associated with the online data system. A method involves examining warehouse data and updating a status of warehouse operations, detecting a security role of a current user accessing the data system, and rendering warehouse operation functions and the status via an interface. The method further involves receiving a selection of one of the warehouse operation functions, determining whether the security role of the current user authorizes access to the warehouse operation function selected, and prohibiting access to the warehouse operation function selected in response to determining the security role does not authorize access to the selected warehouse operation function. |
| US08001018B2 |
System and method for automated part-number mapping
Automated mapping of part numbers associated with parts in a bill of materials (BOM) submitted by a BOM originator to internal part numbers assigned to those parts by a BOM receiver is performed by one or more computers connected to one or more networks through one or more network interfaces. A first receive component receives one or more data sets containing historical data on bills of materials received in the past by the BOM receiver. A second receive component receives one or more data sets containing known mappings between internal part numbers used by the BOM receiver, and part numbers used by various BOM originators. A third receive component receives one or more data sets containing information of various parameters and their values describing the parts to which the BOM receiver has assigned internal part numbers. A fourth receive component receives one or more methods of automatically learning models for predicting internal part numbers from the above mentioned historical BOM data, mapping data and part parametric data. A learning component learns the models from the data. A fifth receive component receives a BOM from a requesting process. The BOM has one or more parts with a missing internal part number. A mapping component applies the learned models to the received BOM to automatically determine internal part numbers for all unmapped BOM originator part numbers. A release process assigns internal part numbers to all unmapped parts in the BOM and releases the BOM to the requesting process. |
| US08001017B1 |
Supply-chain management system
An Internet-based computer-assisted supply-chain management system (SCMS) replaces the archaic commerce systems presently in use. It coordinates just-in-time distribution of items purchased by consumers from a plurality of merchants whereby the inventory in the distribution pipeline is reduced to inventory in transport. It uses regional distributions centers and neighborhood order aggregation facilities for an efficient transfer of items to consumers. Consumers can pick up aggregated orders at an order aggregation facility or have them delivered at a residence. The SCMS phases out conventional checkout registers in favor of web browsers with automatic transaction execution. Retailers can operate with little or no inventory. Window shops facilitate promotion of items and help consumers make selections and decisions with respect to purchases they may be contemplating. The SCMS provides real-time consumption monitoring and forecasts, significantly reduces supply-chain costs and retail prices, promotes economic growth, and minimizes undesirable cyclic economic fluctuations. |
| US08001016B2 |
Pharmaceutical product packaging
A method of verifying the authenticity of a product includes reading data from a data storage device which forms part of the packaging of the product, determining from the data an identity code for the data storage device, a random first identifier allocated to the data storage device by the product manufacturer and a digital signature of a parameter which is based on at least a second identifier not derivable from the data, communicating with the product manufacturer or an entity associated therewith using the random first identifier as a reference, receiving from the product manufacturer or the entity associated therewith the second identifier, and verifying the digital signature using the second identifier. |
| US08001015B2 |
Systems and methods for managing and displaying dynamic and static content
Systems, methods, and computer-readable mediums, consistent with principles of some embodiments of the present invention provide for dynamically generating a document including storing a plurality of static content, information related to a user of the document, and a plurality of dynamic content associated with each of a plurality of categories associated with user information, storing a template including predetermined areas for static content and dynamic content, selecting at least one of the stored dynamic content based on the user of the document, and dynamically generating the document including the plurality of static content and the selected at least one dynamic content, wherein the dynamically generated document is displayed on a display. |
| US08001003B1 |
Methods and systems for searching for and identifying data repository deficits
A computing system for searching for and identifying data repository deficits includes an interactive database of items, a data repository that stores a first type of information related to items, a search engine configured to identify items that do not have an amount of the first type of information that meets a first threshold, a candidate selection interface that provides functionality for the user to select an item from recommended candidate items needing the first type of information, a user interface via which the user can provide the first type of information for an item selected by the user, a game system configured to calculate for a game scores and rankings based at least in part on data stored in the data repository. |
| US08001002B2 |
Interactively presenting advertising content offline
Methods, media, and components are provided for presenting advertising content in an offline setting. In one embodiment, the method includes presenting on a user interface (UI) an advertisement in an electronic form that is associated with selectable options that are also presented on the UI. The selectable options lead to a presentation of supplemental advertising information that is related to the advertisement. The method also includes receiving user input via one the selectable options, and while not communicatively coupled to a source-delivery network, presenting supplemental advertising information that is related to the advertisement. |
| US08001001B2 |
System and method using sampling for allocating web page placements in online publishing of content
An improved system and method is provided for using sampling for allocating web page placements in online publishing of content. A multi-armed bandit engine may be provided for sampling content items by allocating web page placements of varying quality for content items and optimizing the payoff to maximize revenue. Publishers may provide content items to be published and report their valuation per click. Through a process of valuation discovery, the click-through rate for content items and the value of content items may be learned through sampling. As the process of valuation discovery progresses, the present invention may more closely approximate the click-through rates for content items in order to allocate web page placements to content items that may optimize content layout by maximizing revenue. The present invention may accurately learn the CTR for new content items and support multiple web page placements of varying quality. |
| US08001000B2 |
Telecoms
The invention concerns improvements to telecoms systems. In the proposed method and apparatus, an image (which may have advertising content) is displayed to a caller and a recipient prior to relaying a caller message. This supplementary image may take the place of conventional text such as CALLING. On audio/visual equipment, an audio message may take the place of a ringing tone. |
| US08000999B2 |
Method and system for creating, serving and tracking advertisements
A method and system for providing an ad is disclosed. The method of one embodiment comprises combining an ad input file with a conduit file to create an integrated ad file, wherein the ad input file identifies at least the content of the ad and the conduit file identifies at least the tracking data for the ad. The integrated ad file may then be served. According to a further embodiment, the method further includes effectuating a modification to the ad content by updating the ad input file, recombining the modified ad input file with the conduit file to create a modified integrate ad file and serving the modified integrated ad file. |
| US08000989B1 |
Using true value in routing work items to resources
The present invention is directed to a contact center 100 comprising (a) an input operable to receive a contact from a customer, the customer having an associated value to the contact center 100 and (b) a contact selector 216 operable to select a resource of the contact center 100 to service the contact based, at least in part, on the associated value. The associated value reflects one or more of a historic, predicted, and current monetary expense of the contact center to service the customer. |
| US08000984B2 |
System for communication of health care data
An apparatus for communicating health care data from a sender to a receiver is provided. The apparatus has a first computer system, a second computer system, and a rules engine. The first computer system has health care data stored therein. The second computer system is in operable communication with, and is configured to extract the health care data from, the first computer system. The rules engine normalizes the extracted health care data to a predefined format. The rules engine defines a plurality of health care data fields in the predefined format, as well as a plurality of relationships between fields of normalized data. |
| US08000981B2 |
Methods and systems related to receiving nutraceutical associated information
The present disclosure relates to methods and systems related to receiving nutraceutical associated information. |
| US08000977B2 |
System and method to develop health-care information systems
A method of and a system for development of health care information Systems (HIS) are disclosed. The method includes providing software programming interfaces for development of application modules, communication interfaces for establishing communication between various modules, and resource management interfaces for allocation of resources such as memory. The system comprises of a server with a health care middleware operating system (HMOS). The HMOS is designed as a multi-tier architecture with 3 tiers namely, application tier, domain services tier, and Foundations tier. |
| US08000975B2 |
User adjustment of signal parameters of coded transient, sinusoidal and noise components of parametrically-coded audio before decoding
A method and apparatus for decoding a parametric-encoded audio signal are provided. According to the present invention, parameters extracted from a bitstream of a parametric encoded audio signal are adjusted by a user and component signals are synthesized based on the adjusted parameters to be displayed to a user so that a user can adjust the amplitudes of the component signals to apply various sound effects according to the user's desire. In addition, since an equalizer function is embodied in a codec of an audio reproduction apparatus, additional equalizer modules are not required and thus complexity of the audio reproduction apparatus can be reduced. |
| US08000973B2 |
Management of conversations
An embodiment of a method is disclosed wherein a natural language communication is received from a user. A concept recognition process is applied to automatically derive a representation of concepts embodied in the natural language communication. A collection of information likely to be useful in responding to the natural language communication is selected based on correspondence to the representation of concepts. The collection of information is provided to a human agent through an interface. Through the interface, an identification of a particular item of information from the collection is received. The particular item is illustratively a sub-set of the collection of information, the sub-set being a particular proposed response to the natural language communication. The particular proposed response is delivered to the user. |
| US08000972B2 |
Remote controller with speech recognition
A receiver remote controller has a storage device storing electronic program guide (EPG) data that relates content to television channels containing said content. The remote controller is contained in a remote controller housing with the housing containing: a data interface that receives the EPG data provided by an EPG data source for storage in the storage device; a speech interface that receives speech input from a user and produces speech signals therefrom; a natural language speech processor engine that receives the speech signals and translating the speech signals to a query of the EPG database; and a processor that receives results of the query from the natural language speech processor, and either conveys the results of the query to a user utilizing a user interface or sends navigation commands to the receiver. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract. |
| US08000968B1 |
Method and apparatus for switching speech or audio signals
A method and an apparatus for switching speech or audio signals, wherein the method for switching speech or audio signals includes when switching of a speech or audio, weighting a first high frequency band signal of a current frame of speech or audio signal and a second high frequency band signal of the previous M frame of speech or audio signals to obtain a processed first high frequency band signal, where M is greater than or equal to 1, and synthesizing the processed first high frequency band signal and a first low frequency band signal of the current frame of speech or audio signal into a wide frequency band signal. In this way, speech or audio signals with different bandwidths can be smoothly switched, thus improving the quality of audio signals received by a user. |
| US08000967B2 |
Low-complexity code excited linear prediction encoding
Information about excitation signals of a first signal encoded by CELP is used to derive a limited set of candidate excitation signals for a second correlated second signal. Preferably, pulse locations of the excitation signals of the first encoded signal are used for determining the set of candidate excitation signals. More preferably, the pulse locations of the set of candidate excitation signals are positioned in the vicinity of the pulse locations of the excitation signals of the first encoded signal. The first and second signals may be multi-channel signals of a common speech or audio signal. However, the first and second signals may also be identical, whereby the coding of the second signal can be utilized for re-encoding at a lower bit rate. |
| US08000966B2 |
Methods and apparatus for natural spoken language speech recognition with word prediction
A word prediction method and apparatus improves precision and accuracy. For the prediction of a sixth word “?”, a partial analysis tree having a modification relationship with the sixth word is predicted. “sara-ni sho-senkyoku no” has two partial analysis trees, “sara-ni” and “sho-senkyoku no”. It is predicted that “sara-ni” does not have a modification relationship with the sixth word, and that “sho-senkyoku no” does. Then, “donyu”, which is the sixth word from “sho-senkyoku no”, is predicted. In this example, since “sara-ni” is not useful information for the prediction of “donyu”, it is preferable that “donyu” be predicted only by “sho-senkyoku no”. |
| US08000963B2 |
Sound reproducing apparatus
The sound reproducing apparatus includes a replay section receiving unit that receives a request for reproducing a specific part of sound file from a user, a replay section determining unit that determines a replay section based on the request and conversation structure information stored in a sound data holding unit, and a reproducing unit that reproduces the replay section determined by the replay section determining unit. |
| US08000960B2 |
Packet loss concealment for sub-band predictive coding based on extrapolation of sub-band audio waveforms
A technique is described for concealing the effect of a lost frame in a series of frames representing an encoded audio signal in a sub-band predictive coding system. In accordance with the technique, a first synthesized sub-band audio signal is synthesized, wherein synthesizing the first synthesized sub-band audio signal comprises performing waveform extrapolation based on a stored first sub-band decoded audio signal. A second synthesized sub-band audio signal is also synthesized, wherein synthesizing the second synthesized sub-band audio signal comprises performing waveform extrapolation based on the stored second sub-band decoded audio signal. The first synthesized sub-band audio signal and the second synthesized sub-band audio signal are combined to generate a synthesized full-band output audio signal corresponding to a lost frame. |
| US08000958B2 |
Device and method for improving communication through dichotic input of a speech signal
The device and method of the present invention improves electronic communication which have behavioral consequences, including for example, flight communication, two-way closed circuit communication such as for fire, police, miners, scuba divers and other heath and safety workers, and even for mobile communication which happens during activities such as cellular or mobile conversations during driving. Dichotic listening techniques are altered to enhance dyadic (involving two people) interactions with a partner. The speech of at least the first member of the dyad is filtered to isolate the component below 0.5 Khz, which will be input with a gain to the left ear of the second person (provided that they are right-handed), and thus their right cerebral hemispheres, and the component with a frequency above 0.5 Khz. will be input to their right ears, and thus their left cerebral hemispheres. The apparatus of the invention includes a communication source, which could include live and simultaneous broadcast, or pre-recorded communication. This constitutes the communication input which is directed to a filter to split off the speech fundamental frequency, i.e. the SFF. The post filtered communication signal, or “SFF augmented signal” is fed to a differentiation device which differentiates two signals, one with an enhanced SFF, and one without the enhancement subsequently, a delivery device delivers the now differentiated left and right signals to the appropriate ears. |
| US08000956B2 |
Semantic compatibility checking for automatic correction and discovery of named entities
A computer implemented system and method for processing text are disclosed. Partially processed text, in which named entities have been extracted by a standard named entity system, is processed to identify attributive relations between a named entity or proper noun and a corresponding attribute. A concept for the attribute is identified and, in the case of a named entity, compared with the named entity's context, enabling a confirmation or conflict between the two to be determined. In the case of a proper name, the attribute's context can be associated with the proper name, allowing the proper name to be recognized as a new named entity. |
| US08000955B2 |
Generating Chinese language banners
Embodiments are disclosed for automatically generating a banner given a first scroll sentence and a second scroll sentence of a Chinese couplet. The first and/or second scroll sentence can be generated by an automatic computer system or by a human (e.g., manually generated and then provided as input to an automated banner generation system) or obtained from any source (e.g., a book) and provided as input. In one embodiment, an information retrieval process is utilized to identify banner candidates that best match the first and second scroll sentences. In one embodiment, candidate banners are automatically generated. In one embodiment, a ranking model is applied in order to rank banner candidates derived from the banner search and generation processes. One or more banners are then selected from the ranked banner candidates. |
| US08000953B2 |
Augmenting of automated clustering-based trace sampling methods by user-directed phase detection
Computer implemented method, system, and computer usable program code for simulating processor operation in a data processing system. An instruction trace is generated, wherein the instruction trace includes markers specified by a user for identifying interval boundaries for at least one interval of the instruction trace. The instruction trace is divided into a plurality of intervals in consideration of the markers, and the plurality of intervals are formed into a plurality of interval clusters, wherein each interval cluster represents one phase of execution of the instruction trace. At least one interval from each of the plurality of interval clusters is selected as a trace sample to provide a plurality of trace samples, wherein each selected interval is of at least a minimum size, a simulation is performed using the plurality of trace samples, and a result of the simulation is provided to the user. |
| US08000951B2 |
Timing analysis method and apparatus for enhancing accuracy of timing analysis and improving work efficiency thereof
A timing analysis apparatus has a block simulation information storing section, a SPICE deck generating section, and a feedback-based static timing analyzing section. The block simulation information storing section stores simulation information for each block when performing circuit analysis by partitioning a circuit into blocks, the SPICE deck generating section generates a SPICE deck by interconnecting the blocks, for a path that needs analysis, by using a result of static timing analysis and using simulation conditions for the each block. The feedback-based static timing analyzing section causes a result of the simulation performed using the generated SPICE deck to be reflected in the static timing analysis. |
| US08000950B2 |
Random initialization of latches in an integrated circuit design for simulation
Latches in a net of a simulated integrated circuit design are initialized to known logical states prior to application of a reset signal at the beginning of the simulation. The logical states may be set by generating a list of the latches, sorting them in random order, and then dividing them into two groups based on the random order with high and low logical states respectively assigned to the two groups. In a specific implementation the latch states are set using an HDL force command prior to applying the reset signal, and the force command is removed after applying the reset signal using an HDL release command. If the circuit description is a gate-level netlist, then logical states of gates within the storage elements are also set. |
| US08000944B2 |
Non-finite element implementation of the finite element projection in two dimensions
Embodiments of the present invention provide a finite difference method, a finite element projection, and a non-finite-element implementation of the finite element projection for solving the incompressible continuity equation on quadrilateral grids to obtain pressure and fluid velocity. An exemplary apparatus for simulating and analyzing the flow of an incompressible fluid is also provided. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide a non-finite-element-method (non-FEM) to implement the finite element projection to obtain a linear system whose coefficient matrix has an average bandwidth of five, in comparison to the finite difference scheme using conventional finite element projection and implementation with a bandwidth of nine. A two-dimensional-five-point-stencil-based non-FEM discretization is formulated to enforce the incompressible continuity equation. A shape function that is different from a weighting function used in the incompressible continuity equation is utilized to guarantee the five-point-stencil discretization is possible. The smaller bandwidth of the non-FEM scheme requires less computing resources and can compute the results in a reduced time duration, due to the simpler matrix to solve. |
| US08000940B2 |
Shape parameter for hematology instruments
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for describing characteristics of a data sample. This description is used to represent the shape of a histogram of the data sample. |
| US08000935B2 |
Diagnostic method for root-cause analysis of FET performance variation
A diagnostic method of and computer system for root-cause analysis of performance variations of FETs in integrated circuits and a method and computer system for monitoring a field effect transistor manufacturing process. The diagnostic method includes measuring source currents in the linear and saturated regions of two FETs, calculating ratios of the source currents in the linear and saturated regions for the and two FETs and comparing the ratios of the two FETs to determine a probable root cause for a performance variation between the two FETs. One of the FETs has a known good performance. |
| US08000931B2 |
Deterministic component model judging apparatus, judging method, program, recording medium, test system and electronic device
Provided is a deterministic component model determining apparatus that determines a type of a deterministic component included in a probability density function supplied thereto, comprising a standard deviation calculating section that calculates a standard deviation of the probability density function; a spectrum calculating section that calculates a spectrum of the probability density function; a null frequency detecting section that detects a null frequency of the spectrum; a theoretical value calculating section that calculates a theoretical value of a spectrum for each of a plurality of predetermined types of deterministic components, based on the null frequency; a measured value calculating section that calculates a measured value of the spectrum for the deterministic component included in the probability density function, based on the standard deviation and the spectrum; and a model determining section that determines the type of the deterministic component included in the probability density function to be the type of deterministic component corresponding to a theoretical value closest to the measured value, from among the theoretical values for the plurality of types of deterministic components. |
| US08000930B2 |
Monitoring a degrading system
The present disclosure is concerned with the identification of fault origins of slowly degrading systems such as industrial gas turbines. Following the initial input of some parameter values, exemplary procedure comprises a number of steps which are repeated periodically during the operation of the gas turbine. First, for each potential fault such as e.g. a contamination of compressor blades, erosion of turbine blades or corrosion of machine parts, a pre-symptom fault probability, characteristic of the specific gas turbine considered, and a symptom-conditional fault probability are calculated. In a second step, on-line data from the monitoring devices are loaded in order to update information about symptoms such as e.g. reductions in polytropic efficiency and in flow capacity, changes in vibration spectrum, or other machine condition indicators, and a post-symptom fault probability is calculated. In a third step, the calculated fault probabilities are displayed and transmitted to a planning system for scheduling of gas turbine operation or maintenance actions. |
| US08000926B2 |
Method and system for positional measurement using ultrasonic sensing
A method for determining position and alignment is provided. The method includes monitoring a first and second sequence of ultrasonic signals transmitted from the first device to a second device, estimating a location of the first device from Time of Flight measurements of the ultrasonic signals at respective microphones on the second device, calculating a set of phase differences, weighting a difference of an expected location and estimated location of the first device with the set of phase differences to produce a relative displacement, and reporting a position of the first device based on the relative displacement. |
| US08000925B2 |
Moving body with tilt angle estimating mechanism
A moving body with a tilt angle estimating mechanism capable of estimating a tilt angle of a vehicle body with high accuracy. The moving body includes: an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration in two axial directions; a gyro sensor for detecting an angular velocity of a vehicle body; and a tilt angle estimating mechanism for estimating a tilt angle of the vehicle body. The tilt angle estimating mechanism includes: a device for estimating a tilt angle in response to the acceleration sensor based on the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor; a device for estimating a second tilt angle based on the angular velocity detected by the gyro sensor; and a device for estimating a tilt angle with a linear model equation of the moving body being regarded as an observer, in accordance with the tilt angle based on the acceleration sensor and the tilt angle based on the gyro sensor. |
| US08000923B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit
A semiconductor integrated circuit according to the examples of the present invention is applied to a system using a first power source voltage and a second power source voltage independent of the first power source voltage and includes a first area to which the first power source voltage is supplied, a thermal sensor placed in the first area, and a first input path placed in the first area, for transferring trimming data that determine the control contents of the thermal sensor to the thermal sensor. |
| US08000921B2 |
Method and apparatus for synchronizing signals in a testing system
The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide approaches for synchronizing signals in a testing system. In some embodiments, the timing signal associated with each device under test (DUT) is maintained at an integer multiple of the tester timing signal. Additionally, in other embodiments, the timing signal associated with various DUTs is used as a timing reference for other devices. |
| US08000920B2 |
Procedure to diagnose an electrical circuit
Procedure to diagnose an electrical circuit for the operation of actuators of an internal combustion engine, in which the circuit is checked for electrical errors, and whereby information from a misfire recognition is additionally taken into account. |
| US08000914B2 |
Systems and methods for electromechanical oscillation monitoring
Systems and methods for electromechanical oscillation monitoring are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for monitoring electromechanical oscillation in a power system includes forming a power density spectrum in frequency domain based on phasor measurements collected from a plurality of locations in the power system and identifying an oscillation in the power density spectrum. The oscillation has a power density larger than other oscillations. The method also includes analyzing the identified oscillation in time domain to determine a damping characteristic of the identified oscillation and indicating that an insufficiently damped oscillation exists in the power system if the determined damping characteristic of the oscillation meets a predetermined condition. |
| US08000913B2 |
System and method for providing power distribution system information
A system, method and computer program product for processing utility data of a power grid is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a datamart comprised of a plurality of physical databases storing utility data, a plurality of applications comprising an automated meter application configured to process power usage data from a plurality of automated meters, a power outage application configured to identify a location of a power outage, and a power restoration application configured to identify a location of a power restoration. The system may include an analysis engine comprising a plurality of analysis objects with each analysis object configured to process data to provide a specific analysis, wherein said analysis engine is accessible via one or more of the plurality of applications, and the system may include a report module configured to receive an output from the analysis engine and to output a report. The plurality of applications may also include a fault analysis application, a transformer analysis application, a theft detection application, a power flow application, a substation automation application, a load shed application and others. |
| US08000912B2 |
Instrument transformer and apparatus for detecting an amount of power using the same
Disclosed is an instrument transformer detecting an amount of power supplied to a load via a high voltage line, wherein the instrument transformer is integrally configured with a current level converter, a voltage level converter and a power amount calculating module so that it detects an amount of power supplied via the high voltage line and transmits the detected amount of power to a power amount management unit as a digital signal to correctly detect the amount of power. |
| US08000909B2 |
System and method for monitoring and controlling pressure relief valve performance
Methods, systems, and programs for monitoring operation of one or more pressure relief valves, each relief valve containing an internal flow passage with a valve seat and valve plug disposed therein. The temperature of a fluid is sensed in the internal flow passage downstream of the valve seat. A valve temperature signal is generated representative of the temperature of the fluid downstream of the valve seat. The valve temperature signal is monitored to detect a rate of change in the temperature of the fluid downstream of the valve seat. The internal pressure of an inlet pressure line is sensed, connected to the internal flow passage upstream of the valve seat. A line pressure signal is generated representative of the internal pressure of the inlet pressure line. The line pressure signal is compared against at least one expected line pressure value to determine a line pressure status. Operational status of the pressure relief valve is determined based at least in part on the detected rate of change of the fluid temperature downstream of the valve seat and at least in part on the determined line pressure status. |
| US08000907B2 |
Fluid flow rate sensor and method of operation
A probe for a thermo-anemometer-type fluid flow rate sensor is disclosed. The probe comprises a tubular body member having a thermally conductive housing disposed within a fluid passageway and a detection module in the housing. The detection module includes a detection circuit and a heating circuit and is adapted to provide an output that varies in response to a change in temperature. The detection module is made from a ceramic substrate upon which the detection circuit and the heating circuit are deposited. |
| US08000905B1 |
Computer-implemented methods, carrier media, and systems for determining sizes of defects detected on a wafer
Computer-implemented methods, carrier media, and systems for determining sizes of defects detected on a wafer are provided. One computer-implemented method includes separating the defects into groups based on output acquired for the defects by multiple channels of an inspection system used to detect the defects on the wafer. The method also includes separating the defects in one or more of the groups into subgroups based on the output acquired for the defects by one or more of the multiple channels. In addition, the method includes determining the sizes of one or more of the defects in one or more of the subgroups separately based on the output acquired for the defects by only one of the multiple channels and a calibration parameter. The calibration parameter is different for each of the subgroups and is acquired by using another system to measure actual sizes of defects detected on other wafers. |
| US08000900B2 |
Association-based predictions of pathogen characteristics
A system comprising a machine learning classifier trained on a plurality of associations between a host and a pathogen to predict a pathogen characteristic is described herein. The pathogen characteristic can relate to a disease state of the host. Computer-executable instructions for performing a method of forecasting a portion of a target molecule anticipated to influence an organism's condition also are described herein. The method comprises employing population data to automatically analyze one or more areas of the target molecule to determine the portion of the target molecule anticipated to influence the organism's condition. The population data can pertain to at least one relationship between at least one diverse organism trait and the target molecule. One or more epitopes forecast by employing the method also are contemplated. |
| US08000899B2 |
Borehole invariant porosity measurement method
The invention concerns a method for determining the porosity of an earth formation penetrated by a borehole. The method comprises conveying a tool along said borehole, wherein the tool comprises a source of neutron radiation and at least two detectors axially spaced from said source at at least two different spacings. At least one near detector and at least one far detector are selected and a correction computed. The porosity of the earth formation is determined by correcting the far detector porosity with the computed correction. |
| US08000897B2 |
Intersection collision avoidance techniques
System and method for preventing accidents between first and second vehicles at intersections in which the absolute position and velocity of the first vehicle are determined, map data relating to edges of lanes of roadways, edges of roadways and the location of traffic control devices is stored in a map database and the status of the traffic control devices is provided to the first vehicle when needed. The absolute position and velocity of the second vehicle are determined and a collision between the first and second vehicles is predicted based on the position and velocity of the first and second vehicles, the map data and the status of the traffic control devices. An action or changing operation is initiated by a reactive component or system in the first and/or second vehicle when a collision is predicted. |
| US08000896B2 |
Scale factor calibration and compensation for angular position resolver
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a resolver system has at least one resolver and at least one amplifier in electrical communication with each resolver. A reference circuit is in electrical communication with the amplifiers. The reference circuit provides reference signals to the amplifiers. A non-linearity calibration and compensation circuit in communication with each amplifier uses the amplified reference signals to provide scale factors, so as to enhance a precision of the resolver system. |
| US08000893B1 |
Use of a situational network for navigation and travel
A method of obtaining navigation information includes creating a first itinerary for a navigation route corresponding to a travel event for a first individual. Navigation information is searched for related to at least one location along the first itinerary via a situational network established with a plurality of devices corresponding to other individuals searching for navigation information. The navigation information found in the searching is received. The first itinerary is altered based on the received navigation information. |
| US08000892B2 |
Pedestrian mapping system
The present invention is directed toward a system and method for a web-based mapping and routing service for pedestrians, which may include wheeled transportation (e.g. buses). More specifically, the present invention is directed toward use on a college campus. The present invention provides customized pedestrian routes highlighting campus and community locations while providing navigation options concerning walking distance and safety factors. This provides custom routes to each user that are designed to be optimized for safety or speed depending on user input. |
| US08000890B2 |
Image-guided navigation employing navigated point computation method and system
Provided is a method of image-guided navigation comprising determining a final navigated point in a three-dimensional reconstructed coordinate system based at least partially on two or more navigated points in a coordinate system associated with a two-dimensional array of image pixels and without specifying a coordinate of each of the two or more navigated points in a direction orthogonal to the two-dimensional array of image pixels, wherein each of the two or more navigated points is for a different position of a C-arm gantry. Also provided is an image-guided navigation system. |
| US08000887B2 |
Method and system of directing vehicles traveling over roadway during emergency
A method of directing and/or alert vehicles during an emergency or other event. The method may include providing messages and other information to the vehicles through wireless communications. The message may detail the emergency and/or an evacuation strategy for avoiding the emergency. Different vehicles may receive different messages and instructions depending on vehicle location and other parameters. |
| US08000885B2 |
Engine stop control device
Target rotation speed at a reference point, which is set at a top dead center (TDC) preceding a target stop position of engine rotation by a predetermined crank angle, is set. A target trajectory of an engine rotation behavior extending since an engine rotation stop behavior starts until the target rotation speed at the reference point is reached is calculated based on the target rotation speed at the reference point and an engine friction. Torque of an alternator (electric machinery) is controlled to conform the engine rotation behavior to the target trajectory during the engine rotation stop behavior. The target rotation speed at the reference point is set to rotation speed that is equal to or lower than lower limit rotation speed of a rotation speed range, where the torque of the alternator is generated, and that is close to the lower limit rotation speed. |
| US08000878B2 |
Parallel sequential turbocharger architecture using engine cylinder variable valve lift system
An exemplary controller includes one or more processors, memory and control logic to individually control at least one of two exhaust valves of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine to either provide exhaust from the cylinder to a single exhaust turbine or to provide exhaust from the cylinder to two exhaust turbines where the two exhaust valves are mounted in a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. For example, such a controller may call for operation of one exhaust valve to provide exhaust to a single exhaust turbine and call for operation of two exhaust valves to provide exhaust to two exhaust turbines. Various other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed. |
| US08000875B2 |
Method and device as well as computer program for controlling an internal combustion engine
A method and a device as well as a computer program for controlling an internal combustion engine are provided, a torque model being used within the framework of calculating instantaneous variables and/or actuating variables. A correction of a basic value determined under standard conditions takes place in the process. In addition, to further improve the accuracy of the model, the efficiency for the conversion of the chemical into mechanical energy by which the optimum torque value is corrected, is determined at least as a function of a variable characterizing the combustion center point and a variable characterizing the opening instant of a discharge-side gas-exchange valve. |
| US08000874B2 |
Vehicle headway maintenance assist system and method
A vehicle headway maintenance assist system is configured to perform a haptic notification control of an accelerator to prompt the driver to release the accelerator when the accelerator is being operated and to perform a deceleration control of the vehicle based on headway distance when the accelerator is being operated as long as the headway distance from a preceding vehicle is less than a prescribed headway distance threshold. |
| US08000870B2 |
Active brake pulsation control
A brake system is provided for minimizing brake pulsation feedback caused by surface variations of a brake system corner component. The brake system includes at least one sensing device configured to measure a pressure pulse caused by the surface variation of a brake system corner component. A controller module is in communication with the at least one sensing device and a hydraulic brake circuit. The controller module is configured to receive an output from the at least one sensing device and to adjust line pressure in the hydraulic brake circuit to substantially minimize brake pulsation feedback. |
| US08000866B2 |
Engine control system for torque management in a hybrid powertrain system
An engine is coupled to an input member of a hybrid transmission, the hybrid transmission operative to transfer power between the engine and a second torque machine and an output member. A method for controlling the engine includes monitoring an operator torque request, commanding operation of the hybrid transmission in a continuously variable operating range state, determining engine commands comprising a first engine torque request and a second engine torque request based upon the operator torque request and the operation of the hybrid transmission, determining an engine torque constraint comprising a maximum engine torque based upon a capacity of the hybrid transmission to react the engine torque, and controlling engine operation based upon the first engine torque request only when the second engine torque request exceeds the engine torque constraint. |
| US08000864B2 |
System and method for changing values stored in memory that relate to the operation of an automatic transmission
An automatic transmission may be coupled to an internal combustion engine. A shift selector may be coupled to the transmission and may have a plurality of user selectable inputs for controlling operation of the transmission that are electrically connected to a control circuit. The control circuit may include a memory having a value stored therein that relates to operation of the transmission. The memory may further include instructions stored therein that are executable by the control circuit to change the value stored in the memory to a different value upon detection of user selection of a predefined sequence of two or more of the plurality of user selectable inputs. |
| US08000863B2 |
Open-loop torque control with closed-loop feedback
A variator torque control system adjusts a variator output so that the actual output torque of the variator closely matches an expected output torque. In an example, pressure values of an existing torque control map are supplemented in real time with calculated pressure supplement values based on the current operation of the variator. The pressure supplement value for each mapped pressure value may be derived based on a prior application of the same or another map value. |
| US08000862B2 |
Swing control device and construction machinery
In a swing control device installed in an electric rotary excavator (a construction machine), when a leading edge or a trailing edge of a lever signal is sharp due to a quick operation of a swing lever, a gradient as a rise time Ta1 or a fall time Tb1 is provided to the leading edge or the trailing edge of the torque output and the acceleration that are output based on the lever signal so as to somewhat ease the edge. With the arrangement, an impact in acceleration or deceleration of a rotary body can be suppressed. Specifically, a gradient in the acceleration operation is provided such that the rise time Ta1 becomes 0.15 seconds or more, while a gradient in the stop deceleration operation is provided such that the fall time Tb1 becomes 0.1 seconds or more. |
| US08000860B2 |
Steering angle sensor
The present invention relates to a steering angle sensor, which includes a substrate. A shaft bore and a first gear are adapted on the substrate. The first gear has a shaft sleeve, which passes through the shaft bore. And a steering column of a steering wheel passes through the shaft sleeve. A second gear is adapted on the substrate, and is in mesh with the first gear. A rotary sensor is located atop and assembled with the second gear. Besides, a signal processing circuit is coupled electrically with the rotary sensor. By simply meshing the first and the second gears and passing the steering column of the steering wheel through the first gear, when the steering wheel turns, the second gear will be driven to turn as well, which, in turn, drives the rotary sensor. Thereby, the number of components in the steering angle sensor is reduced, and the volume thereof is reduced effectively as well. |
| US08000859B2 |
Duel control solenoid circuit
A solenoid control system for a vehicle comprises a primary controller, a failover controller, and a failover control module. The primary controller generates a first solenoid drive signal based upon a control signal. The failover controller selectively generates a second solenoid drive signal based upon the control signal. The failover control module receives an operating signal that indicates whether the primary controller is functioning properly and selects the second drive signal to drive a solenoid when the operating signal indicates that the primary controller is not functioning properly. |
| US08000855B2 |
Accumulated error time monitoring diagnostic control system
A diagnostic system includes N dedicated diagnostic modules that each correspond with a respective one of multiple control systems. The N dedicated diagnostic modules each generate status signals indicating results of respective diagnostic tests. A diagnostic error time monitor determines an accumulated error time value between error events for each of the control systems based on the status signals. The diagnostic error time monitor selectively reports a fault to a respective one of the N dedicated diagnostic modules based on the accumulated error time value. |
| US08000852B2 |
Vehicle preferential treatment system, electrically powered vehicle, server used for vehicle preferential treatment system, and vehicle preferential treatment method
A vehicle preferential treatment system includes a controller mounted in a hybrid vehicle, and a server performing wireless communications with the controller. The controller estimates an SOC of an electric storage (not shown) and transmits the SOC to the server. When the SOC of the electric storage exceeds a reference level, the server gives a preferential treatment to the hybrid vehicle. Then, information on the preferential treatment is transmitted from the server to the controller, and is displayed on a display unit of the controller. |
| US08000848B2 |
Integrated system for aircraft vortex safety
The invention relates to systems for preventing off-normal situations when there is a possibility that an aircraft penetrates into a dangerous area of the vortex shedding of a vortex generator. The inventive system consists of information sub-systems for recording and storing information on the expected relative position of the aircraft and trailing vortex areas in line with danger criteria which are specified by a user and concern dangerous aerodynamic forces and torques effecting the aircraft and induced by the trailing vortex of vortex generators, and for conveying said information to said user, who can be the aircraft crew and/or flight attendants, at a preventive distance from the aircraft and at a forecast moment. Said information can be visualised in a human-readable form and in a volume sufficient for forming a directive signal for carrying out a flight manoeuvre by the aircraft in order to move away from the dangerous trailing vortex area. |
| US08000847B2 |
Control system for automatic flight in windshear conditions
A flight control system is configured for controlling the flight of an aircraft through windshear conditions. The system has means for measuring values of selected flight performance states of the aircraft and a control system for operating flight control devices on the aircraft. A windshear detection system located on the aircraft uses at least some of the measured values of the selected flight performance states to calculate a gust average during flight for comparison to pre-determined values in a table for determining whether windshear conditions exist. The control system then operates at least some of the flight control devices in response to an output of the windshear detection system. |
| US08000846B2 |
Airborne electronics housing assembly
An aircraft electronics housing assembly maintains the electronics unit at given ambient conditions despite changes in conditions outside the housing during the aircraft flight cycle. |
| US08000842B2 |
Method to prevent excessive current drain of telematics unit network access device
The disclosed examples illustrate a system and method that prevent excessive current drain through the network access device (NAD) of a telematics unit and provide flexible discontinuous-receive management. Normally, when in a Standby State and where communication service is unavailable, the NAD may dissipate current at rate many times more than where communication service is available. A Standby Counter provides the length of the time interval for Standby State or the sleep cycle. Certain of the disclosed examples prevent excessive vehicle battery drain by operating the telematics unit in a first mode wherein a sleep cycle value of the telematics unit is above a first predetermined threshold, and if the communication service is available, operating the telematics unit in a second mode wherein a sleep cycle value is in a range from zero to the first predetermined threshold. |
| US08000841B2 |
Power management in a process transmitter
An industrial process transmitter for transmitting a process variable on a two-wire process control loop include, a loop current control to control a loop current level on the two-wire process control loop that is related to the process variable. Power is provided to primary circuitry of the process transmitter. A secondary current control circuit limits current delivered to secondary circuitry. |
| US08000839B2 |
Method and apparatus for actively canceling vibrations in a computer system
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system actively cancels vibrations in a computer system. During operation, the system monitors vibrations in the computer system. Next, the system analyzes the vibrations to identify one or more harmonics in the vibrations. The system then actively cancels one or more of the identified harmonics. |
| US08000836B2 |
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. |
| US08000831B2 |
Multi model registration (MMR) for a galvanometer and laser system
A multi model registration (MMR) process performed using a computer, for registering a plurality of workpiece vision models representing features on a workpiece that define a marking location thereon, to corresponding part vision models stored on the computer representing features that define a desired part marking location. The MMR process includes capturing a new image of the workpiece that includes one of the plurality of features on the workpiece that define its marking location; generating a workpiece vision model of that one workpiece feature included in the new workpiece image captured; registering the new workpiece vision model generated to the stored part vision model representing the corresponding one of the features defining the part marking location; and repeating these process steps for the remaining workpiece features defining the marking location thereon, for which there is respective corresponding stored part vision model representing a feature defining the part marking location. |
| US08000828B2 |
System and method for movement control
A system for controlling object movement on a machine. The system controls a speed of a working point of the machine according to a dynamic decay speed determined through an exponential function after the working point passes by a buffer distance. A related method and storage medium with instructions for performance of the method also provided. |
| US08000826B2 |
Predicting IC manufacturing yield by considering both systematic and random intra-die process variations
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that predicts manufacturing yield for a die within a semiconductor wafer. During operation, the system first receives a physical layout of the die. Next, the system partitions the die into an array of tiles. The system then computes systematic variations for a quality indicative value to describe a process parameter across the array of tiles based on the physical layout of the die. Next, the system applies a random variation for the quality indicative parameter to each tile in the array of tiles. Finally, the system obtains the manufacturing yield for the die based on both the systematic variations and the random variations. |
| US08000825B2 |
System and method for automatically producing haptic events from a digital audio file
In an embodiment, a system and method for automatically converting a plurality of events in a plurality of channels in a structured representation sequence into haptic events. The method comprises calculating an event score for each event of the sequence in one or more channels. The method also comprises calculating a cumulative score based on the event scores in the one or more channels. The method includes selectively designating haptic events to the events based on the event scores in one or more selected channels, wherein the haptic events are output by a haptic actuator. This may be done by the system by calculating properties of the sound or by taking already existing values associated with those properties to efficiently produce haptic events. |
| US08000821B2 |
Audio communication unit and integrated circuit
An audio communication unit comprises a receiver for receiving an audio signal, a sigma-delta modulator operably coupled to the receiver and arranged to modulate the received audio signal, and a class-D amplifier stage operably coupled to the sigma-delta modulator and arranged to amplify the modulated received audio signal. One or more feedback path(s) is/are arranged from an output of the class-D amplifier stage to the sigma-delta modulator. The provision of one or more feedback path(s) from the output of the class-D audio amplifier to the sigma-delta modulator facilitates smaller die size; higher power efficiency and power supply rejection ratio/intermodulation cancellation performance. |
| US08000819B2 |
Manufacturing instruction evaluation support system, manufacturing instruction evaluation support method, and manufacturing instruction evaluation support program
A manufacturing instruction evaluation support system includes a data reading part that reads a manufacturing instruction parameter group and manufacturing performance data corresponding thereto, a parameter sorting part that calculates a risk rate for each manufacturing instruction parameter configuring the manufacturing instruction parameter group and an average value of risk rates among the manufacturing instruction parameters to identify as available choices the manufacturing instruction parameters having the risk rates no greater than the average value, a parameter identifying part that calculates an explanatory variable selection reference value for the manufacturing instruction parameter group and the manufacturing instruction parameters of the available choices with the multiple regression analysis program to identify the manufacturing instruction parameter group or the manufacturing instruction parameters of the available choices having the greater calculated explanatory variable selection reference value as optimum parameters, and a regression equation calculating part that calculates and displays a regression equation when employing the optimum parameters with the multiple regression analysis program. |
| US08000818B1 |
Systems and methods for coordination motion instructions
The invention provides systems and methods that integrate and/or control motion of a plurality of axes in a motion control environment. Grouped axes can be linked (e.g., via a tag) to provide desired multi-axis coordinated motion as well as provide control for corresponding aspects of motion such as acceleration, velocity, etc. Such axes can be integrated with other control functionality such as process and/or machine control to provide the user with a comprehensive control. The foregoing can provide simple mechanisms for moving devices in multiple axes of a coordinate system in a coordinated fashion. Such coordinated move functionality can provide a user-friendly interface for linear and circular moves in multi-dimensional space. The algorithm employed for path planning can provide fast execution and dynamic parameter changes (e.g., maximum velocity, acceleration and deceleration) along a desired path of motion. In this manner, such instructions can provide smooth transitions from one coordinated move to the next. |
| US08000815B2 |
Method for the supplying and installation of device-specific functionalities and/or data for the field devices of a distributed system
The invention relates to an arrangement and a method for the directed supplying and installation of device specific functionalities and/or data for field devices that are disposed in a distributed system. At least one device-specific component is provided which cooperates with at least two functional units that are linked thereto. Said at least one device-specific component comprises means that automatically cause device-specific functionalities and/or data for the field devices, which are stored in the functional units, to be supplied and installed. |
| US08000813B2 |
Ultrawideband antenna for operation in tissue
Method and apparatus for cellular and intracellular manipulation of cell functions with ultrashort electrical pulses and for targeted delivery of the electrical pulses into cell cultures, patients, and tissues. |
| US08000812B2 |
Electrostimulation face mask
An electrostimulation device comprises at least one shell (2) forming an inner compartment (21) and comprising an opening (22); at least one electrode (3) located at least partly outside the corresponding shell (2) at the opening (22). The device is characterised by the fact that the electrode (3) is connected to an articulated joint (4). The articulated joint (4) is at least partly inside the shell (2) and mobile in its seat (41). The electrode (3) can be angled and moved relative to the shell (2) as a result of the freedom of movement of the articulated joint (4) in its seat (41) depending on the anatomical form and structure of the treatment zone (8). |
| US08000809B2 |
Device for intracavity stimulation of the left atrium and/or ventricle through atrial transseptal puncture and removal of the catheter proximal end by the retrograde venous route toward the prepectoral region
A device for intracavity stimulation of the left atrium and/or ventricle of the heart from the prepectoral region through a less invasive and lower-risk approach is provided that allows the implantation of an intracavity catheter in the left cardiac chambers through a femoral approach atrial transseptal puncture, and the removal of the catheter proximal end by the retrograde venous route. |
| US08000806B2 |
Neural channel bridge aided by a micro-electronic system
Methods and equipment used to regenerate sensory, motorial, or visceral signals of injured, broken or diseased nerves of mammalia, such as humans, are provided. In some embodiments, a lineup of downward and upward channels to bridge injured neural channels is disclosed. The downward or upward channels can be connected to electrodes which are in contact with upper or lower nerve stumps. The channels can be used to detect, amplify, and recognize the motorial or sensory signals, to generate related Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) signals, and to supply the FES signals to the electrodes on the lower or upper nerve stumps. Neural signals can thus be regenerated and the injured motorial or sensory channels can be bridged. |
| US08000805B2 |
Implantable medical lead including tine markers
An implantable medical electrical lead particularly for stimulation of the sacral nerves comprises a lead body extending between a distal end and a proximal end, and the distal end having at least one electrode of an electrode array extending longitudinally from the distal end toward the proximal end. The lead body at its proximal end may be coupled to a pulse generator, additional intermediate wiring, or other stimulation device. A fixation mechanism is formed on or integrally with the lead body proximal to the electrode array that is adapted to be implanted in and engage subcutaneous tissue, particularly muscle tissue, to inhibit axial movement of the lead body and dislodgement of the stimulation electrodes. |
| US08000804B1 |
Electrode array for neural stimulation
An electrode array for neural stimulation is disclosed which has particular applications for use in a retinal prosthesis. The electrode array can be formed as a hermetically-sealed two-part ceramic package which includes an electronic circuit such as a demultiplexer circuit encapsulated therein. A relatively large number (up to 1000 or more) of individually-addressable electrodes are provided on a curved surface of a ceramic base portion the electrode array, while a much smaller number of electrical connections are provided on a ceramic lid of the electrode array. The base and lid can be attached using a metal-to-metal seal formed by laser brazing. Electrical connections to the electrode array can be provided by a flexible ribbon cable which can also be used to secure the electrode array in place. |
| US08000803B2 |
Implantable lead attachment
The invention is a lead attachment suitable for implantation in living tissue that enables connection of a wire that is comprised of stainless steel to a tack that in turn is bonded to a titanium swage cup, preferably Ti-6Al-4V. The wire is attached by crimping inside a crimping tube, to assure electrical continuity from the wire to the crimping tube. The tack is bonded by swaging a thinned swage ring and is further sealed by welding to swage cup, which is bonded by brazing to ceramic case. |
| US08000797B1 |
Systems and methods for providing neural stimulation with an asynchronous stochastic strategy
The present invention provides methods and systems for selecting one or more channels of a neural implant to stimulate. A channel selection unit is configured to asynchronously and stochastically select the winning channel or channels based, in part, on the richness of the input sensory environment. Thereafter, the channel selection unit reduces the likelihood that the selected channel or channels will be selected again for a period of time. |
| US08000796B2 |
Method and device for decoupling and/or desynchronizing neural brain activity
A device for decoupling and/or desynchronizing neural, pathologically synchronous brain activity, in which, the activities in a partial region of a brain area or a functionally associated brain area are stimulated by means of an electrode, resulting in decoupling and desynchronizing the affected neuron population from the pathological area and suppression of the symptoms in a patient. In an alternative embodiment of the device, the pathologically synchronous brain activity due to the disease is desynchronized which also leads to the symptoms being suppressed. The device has a stimulation electrode and at least one sensor which are driven by a control system in such a manner that they produce decoupling and/or desynchronization in their local environment. |
| US08000795B2 |
Cognitive function within a human brain
Methods and apparatus for improving cognitive function within a human. The invention utilizes an implanted device, such as an implantable signal generator or an implantable pump, to affect tissue elements within a Papez circuit of the human brain as well as tissue upstream or downstream from the Papez circuit. The implanted device delivers treatment therapy to thereby improve cognitive function by the human. A sensor may be used to detect various symptoms of the cognitive disorder. A microprocessor algorithm may then analyze the output from the sensor to regulate delivery of the stimulation and/or drug therapy. |
| US08000791B2 |
Cardiac pacing system and distributed cardiac pacing system
A distributed cardiac pacing system comprises a first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker adapted to be placed in an atrial myocardium and a second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker adapted to be placed in a ventricular myocardium. |
| US08000789B2 |
Capacitive interface circuit for low power sensor system
This disclosure describes a capacitive interface circuit for a low power system. The capacitive interface circuit is configured to achieve very low noise sensing of capacitance-based transducers, such as a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS)-based sensor, with high resolution and low power. The capacitive interface circuit uses a differential amplifier and correlated triple sampling (CTS) to substantially eliminate, or at least reduce, kT/C noise, as well as amplifier offset and flicker (1/f) noise, from the output of the amplifier. The capacitive interface circuit may further include an output stage that reduces glitching, i.e., clock transients, in the output signal by allowing transients in the amplifier output to settle. In this manner, the circuit can be used in a low power system to produce a stable, low-noise output. |
| US08000786B2 |
Multiple pulse defibrillation for subcutaneous implantable cardiac devices
Cardiac stimulation methods and systems provide for multiple pulse defibrillation, and involve sensing a fibrillation event, determining a fibrillation cycle length associated with the fibrillation event, and delivering a plurality of defibrillation pulses to treat the fibrillation event. Defibrillation pulses are delivered using a combination of subcutaneous non-intrathoracic electrodes. Delivery of each defibrillation waveform subsequent to a first defibrillation waveform is separated in time by a delay associated with the fibrillation cycle length. Delays between defibrillation waveform delivery may be associated with a percentage of the fibrillation cycle length. |
| US08000784B2 |
Lumen-traveling device
Lumen-traveling devices and associated methods and systems are described. Lumen-traveling devices capable of traveling within a body lumen may include a propelling mechanism to produce movement of the lumen-traveling device within the lumen, as well as additional components such as a sensor, an active portion, and/or control circuitry. In some embodiments, a sensor may be used to detect a local condition, and an action may be performed within the body lumen. Actions that may be performed include, but are not limited to, transmitting information, releasing a material within the lumen, performing a surgical step, or collecting a sample, among others. |
| US08000782B2 |
System and methods for performing surgical procedures and assessments
The present invention involves systems and related methods for performing surgical procedures and assessments, including the use of neurophysiology-based monitoring to: (a) determine nerve proximity and nerve direction to surgical instruments employed in accessing a surgical target site; (b) assess the pathology (health or status) of a nerve or nerve root before, during, or after a surgical procedure; and/or (c) assess pedicle integrity before, during or after pedicle screw placement, all in an automated, easy to use, and easy to interpret fashion so as to provide a surgeon-driven system. |
| US08000778B2 |
Atrial tachyarrhythmia detection system and method
A system and method provide for detecting atrial arrhythmias within an implantable medical device capable of sensing and pacing at least an atrium of a heart. Arrhythmia of the atrium is detected. In response to detecting atrial arrhythmia, delivery of pacing signals to the atrium is inhibited under certain conditions. While delivery of the pacing signals to the atrium is inhibited, the detected arrhythmia of the atrium is confirmed during a period of further evaluation. Delivery of pacing signals to the atrium is enabled upon ceasing of the atrial arrhythmia. Inhibiting delivery of the pacing signals during atrial arrhythmia evaluation advantageously provides for an increase in the rate at which the detected arrhythmia is confirmed. |
| US08000775B2 |
Systems and methods for tomographic image reconstruction
Optical tomography systems that provide light of multiple distinct wavelengths from a plurality of sources are described. The systems direct light into mammalian tissue, and light from the mammalian tissue is collected at a plurality of reception points. Collected light from each reception point is separated according to its wavelength, and received by a photodetector to produce path attenuation signals representing attenuation along paths between the source locations and the reception points. An image construction system generates a tomographic image of the mammalian tissue from the path attenuation signals. One embodiment of an optical imaging system includes an optical coherence tomography-near infrared probe. The systems and methods may utilize a spectral derivative approach that provides insensitivity to the boundary and boundary artifacts in the signal, thereby improving the quality of the reconstructed images. |
| US08000774B2 |
Method and system for intra luminal thrombus detection
A method for detecting a complete or partial obstruction in a vessel through an intervening fluid includes receiving spectroscopic responses at different locations of a vessel wall, e.g., a vein or artery, through an intervening fluid, preferably blood. Spectroscopic responses are generated by irradiating the vessel wall at different locations and detecting spectra at those locations. In preferred embodiments, the radiation used is in the near infrared (NIR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The thrombus is located by determining whether fluctuations, spatial and/or spectral, of the spectral responses are indicative of thrombus. |
| US08000771B2 |
Method and apparatus for catheterization by detecting signals indicating proximity to anatomical features
A guiding catheter for use in medical procedures includes a flexible shaft with one or more audio transducers and a distal tip. An audio signal may be sent to one or more of the transducers and a reflected signal is received at one or more transducers. The reflected signal is used to detect the presence of an anatomical structure to assist in navigating the catheter to its destination. In another arrangement, the transducer can be used passively to detect physical characteristics of the heart such as sound, subsonic energy or temperature, that indicate relative proximity of a destination vessel. |
| US08000768B2 |
Method and system for displaying blood flow
A method and system are disclosed for presenting anatomical and blood flow information contained in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) dataset. A three-dimensional (3D) representation of blood flow is generated which varies with time, referred to herein as a four-dimensional (4D) presentation or display. The system allows the visualization of the dynamics of blood flow and the visualization of anatomical information via the fusion of different types of MRI data sets. |
| US08000766B2 |
Methods to diagnose treat and prevent bone loss
Methods of diagnosing and preventing bone loss and/or enhancing bone formation are disclosed. The invention additionally provides methods of diagnosing a predisposition to bone loss. The methods mathematically combine the information provided by imaging tests with the information provided by biomarkers to provide an index value. The index value is used for diagnosis of bone diseases, and to assess the progress of treatment of bone diseases. |
| US08000765B2 |
Catheter with contractable mapping assembly
The invention is directed to a mapping catheter useful for mapping tubular regions in and around the heart. The catheter comprises an elongated tubular catheter body. A mapping assembly is provided at the distal end of the catheter body. The mapping assembly comprises a tubular structure comprising a pre-formed generally circular main region generally transverse and distal to the catheter body and having an outer circumference. The tubular structure comprises a non-conductive cover over at least the main region of the mapping assembly. A plurality of electrodes are carried by the generally circular main region of the mapping assembly. A control handle is mounted at the proximal end of the catheter body. A contraction wire extends through the catheter body and non-conductive cover of the mapping assembly for contracting the generally circular main region of the mapping assembly. The contraction wire has a distal end anchored in the non-conductive cover and a proximal end anchored to a mechanism in the control handle that facilitates longitudinal movement of the contraction wire relative to the catheter body. The portion of the contraction wire extending through the non-conductive cover is positioned on the side of the generally circular main region closer to the center of the generally circular region. |
| US08000763B2 |
Integrated devices having extruded electrode structures and methods of using same
The present disclosure provides electrode structures and integrated electrode structures having one or more conductive materials coextruded with one or more dielectric materials. The disclosed electrode structures can be configured for use as analyte sensors. Also provided, are methods of making and using the electrode structures and integrated electrode structures described herein. |
| US08000761B2 |
Resposable pulse oximetry sensor
A pulse oximeter sensor has both a reusable and a disposable portion. The reusable portion of the sensor preserves the relatively long-lived and costly emitter, detector and connector components. The disposable portion of the sensor is the relatively inexpensive adhesive tape component that is used to secure the sensor to a measurement site, typically a patient's finger or toe. The disposable portion of the sensor is removably attached to the reusable portion in a manner that allows the disposable portion to be readily replaced when the adhesive is expended or the tape becomes soiled or excessively worn. The disposable portion may also contain an information element useful for sensor identification or for security purposes to insure patient safety. |
| US08000759B2 |
Portable electronic device
A portable electronic device includes a main body and a screen protection component. The main body includes a front surface, a display screen positioned on the front surface, a slide rail, a back surface opposite to the front surface, a top surface between the front surface and the back surface, and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface. The screen protection component includes a first rotating shaft and a protection layer configured to cover the front surface and having a fixed end adjacent to the top surface and a free end adjacent to the bottom surface. The first rotating shaft is positioned along the intersection of the front surface and the top surface. The fixed end of the protection layer is engaged with the first rotating shaft. One side of the protection layer is received in the slide rail. |
| US08000758B2 |
Portable terminal device
A portable terminal device having a folding structure includes a body unit 20 having operation keys 21, a display unit 10 movably connected to the body unit 20 and having a display 11 on an opposite surface to the operation keys 21 when folded, and a protruded portion 12, for preventing damage to the display, provided along an outer edge portion of the display 11 on the opposite surface of the display unit 10 and formed so that its height on the connecting side to the body unit 20 is smaller than on the side of a free end of the display unit 10. |
| US08000757B2 |
Side key seal for a portable electronic device
A seal section for a side key of a portable electronic device is provided contiguously with a main seal. The seal section includes a flexible exterior and an exposed portion, the exposed portion facing the device exterior toward an adjacent side key. The flexible exterior also includes an extension opposite the exposed portion that extends inward toward the interior of the device. When a user depresses a side key, the inward movement of the side key is transmitted through the seal section via the exposed portion and inward extension. The inward movement of the side key is thus transmitted through the seal section to a switching element to convert the manual user input into an electrical input signal command. In this manner, side keys may be sealed without having to provide separate sealing elements, while maintaining the functionality of the side keys. |
| US08000748B2 |
Method and mobile device for facilitating contact from within a telephone application
The described embodiments involve use of a mobile communication device in the context of facilitating contact from within a telephone application. The described embodiments are primarily concerned with enabling quick and efficient access to contact methods other than by telephone from within the telephone application. This is done by generating a contact list, which may have one or more contacts, using an integrated dialing field provided by the telephone application and then displaying all available contact types or methods available for contacting a particular contact selected from the list. |
| US08000744B2 |
Apparatus and method for beamforming in a communication system
An apparatus and method for beamforming in a communication system are provided, in which a base station receives a channel vector from each of a plurality of mobile stations, generates an uplink channel matrix using the received channel vectors, generates a beamforming weight vector using the uplink channel matrix and a fixed constant that minimizes a channel error rate, and forms beams using the beamforming weight vector. |
| US08000740B1 |
Image translation device for a mobile device
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for an image translation device for use with a mobile device are described herein. The image translation device may include an image capture module to capture surface images of a medium and a positioning module to determine positioning information based at least in part on navigational measurements and the captured surface images. A print module of the image translation device may cause print forming substances to be deposited based at least in part on the positioning information. A mobile device may include one or more features of the image translation device including the image capture module, the positioning module, and the print module. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08000738B2 |
Mobile terminal with leakage current prevention
A mobile terminal including a terminal housing having a first ground, a printed circuit board disposed in the terminal housing and having a second ground, and a leakage current preventing member installed between the first and second grounds and configured to block a direct current (DC) and passing an alternating current (AC) so as to prevent a leakage current from flowing to the terminal housing during a recharging of the mobile terminal. |
| US08000736B2 |
User programmable switch for portable data processing devices
The various methods and devices described herein relate to devices which, in at least certain embodiments, may include at least one mechanical switch for user to select a user profile interface setting and at least one processor for causing the device to respond to the mechanical switch. The mechanical switch may be dedicated for the purpose of switching profiles and may allow for a selection of a plurality of profiles. Further, in conjunction with an optional shift key, the user may select preferences programmed within a profile. |
| US08000732B2 |
Methods and apparatus for push to talk type service
A method and apparatus for processing a floor request in a push to talk type service in which a floor is required for a first terminal to distribute media to a second terminal. The first terminal sends a floor request message to a PoC Server. The message relates to at least two different types of media content and indicates how and to what extent the granting or denial of the different media types interrelate. The message may indicate, for example, that if a first media type is denied, the others should be denied; or that the granting or denial of the first media type should not affect the other media types. The message may also indicate other conditions and relationships. The PoC Server processes the request based on the indicated interrelationships and/or conditions, and grants or denies each media type. |
| US08000728B2 |
System and method for message-based access
A method and system for providing message-based access to services includes receiving a request message from a mobile subscriber relating to a service that is desired by the mobile subscriber, routing the request message for processing, performing one or more activities in accordance with the requested service, returning a response message to the mobile subscriber, and facilitating/enabling/etc. access to the requested service. |
| US08000726B2 |
Network manager system for location-aware mobile communication devices
Embodiments of a location sharing network manager process are described. The process is executed on a server computer coupled to a plurality of mobile communication devices over a wireless network. Each mobile device is a location-aware mobile communication device. The process determines the geographic location of a mobile communication device operated by a user within an area, displays a map representation of the area around the mobile communication device on a graphical user interface of the mobile communication device, and superimposes on the map the respective locations of one or more other trusted users of mobile communication devices coupled to the mobile communication device over the network. A comprehensive network manager process provides management functions to allow communication with mobile phone users outside of the service network and allows for efficient communication with groups of users within the service network. |
| US08000725B2 |
Method and apparatus for transparent invocation and transport of encrypted position location data
In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method for locating a mobile terminal in a communication network. The method includes: receiving a request data frame for locating the mobile terminal; uniquely encoding at least a portion of the request data frame (at an LCS client); determining the location of the mobile terminal (by a PDE); communicating the location information of the mobile terminal in a response data frame having an encrypted portion; and decrypting the location information of the mobile terminal (at the LCS client). |
| US08000724B1 |
Method and system for subnet-based transmission of mobile station location
A method and system for reporting mobile subscriber location is disclosed. Upon receipt of a request to report the location of a given mobile subscriber, a server may identify the subscriber's “buddies” and then determine, for each buddy, whether the buddy is located in the same zone as the given subscriber. The zone may be, for example, a subnet of a network. Additionally, the server may determine whether a rule is set to block reporting of the given subscriber's location to the buddy. Provided that the buddy is located in the same zone as the given subscriber and provided that reporting is allowed, the server may then send a location-reporting message to the buddy, indicating the given subscriber's location, preferably in terms of proximity to the buddy. The server may further receive a reply from the buddy and then send a location-reporting reply message to the given subscriber, indicating the location of the buddy. |
| US08000721B2 |
Wireless communication terminals and methods that display relative direction and distance therebetween responsive to acceleration data
Wireless communication terminals are disclosed that display the direction and distance between them so that users can, for example, travel away from each other and then later find one another. The terminals are configured to track their movement using acceleration data. Some of the terminals may operate as slave terminals in which they transmit their movement data to a master terminal which determines therefrom the relative direction and distance between the terminals. The master terminal may then transmit the relative direction and distance data to the slave terminals where it can be displayed to their users. |
| US08000719B1 |
Multi-mode location services
A wireless device including a first communication module, a second communication module, and a processor. The first communication module is configured to communicate with a cellular antenna tower of a cellular network. The second communication module is configured to communicate with a device associated with a Wi-Fi network. The processor is configured to determine a first territorial range in which the wireless device is located based on a location of the cellular antenna tower of the cellular network, determine a second territorial range in which the wireless device is located based on a location of the device associated with the Wi-Fi network, and in response to the second territorial range being within the first territorial range, establish a location of the wireless device as being within the second territorial range. |
| US08000716B2 |
Load balancing apparatus and method in wireless network hotspots
Disclosed is a load balancing apparatus and method in wireless network hotspots, which comprises a resource allocation module and a load balancer. The resources reallocation module establishes the resources module and the relationship between access points (APs) and STAs in the wireless network hotspots, and seeks possible load balance shift paths (LBSPs). From these possible LBSPs, an LBSP is selected. Based on the selected LBSP, the load balancer reallocates network resources and dynamically arranges the load among the APs in the wireless network hotspots. This invention can be applicable to a centralized or a decentralized wireless communication system. |
| US08000713B2 |
Apparatus and method for implementing detection of system information changes in universal mobile telecommunications systems
In a mobile telecommunications system comprising a network of a plurality of cells and at least one user equipment device, the user equipment is arranged, when the user equipment re-configures itself to enter a new state or performs cell reselection, to read broadcast system information and, when the broadcast system information indicates a change in system information, to update the system information of the user equipment device. |
| US08000710B2 |
System and method for providing a handoff leg associated with a preexisting leg in a network environment
A method for facilitating communications between wireless networks is provided that includes communicating with a mobile station and transferring a communication session from a first wireless link to a second wireless link. The mobile station is operable to negotiate a first wireless link with a first wireless network, to establish a communication session with a device using the first wireless link, and to facilitate a session handoff with a second wireless link with the second wireless network using the second wireless interface. The handoff is enabled by associating the first wireless link to the second wireless link. |
| US08000709B2 |
User initiated mobile learning of preferred femtocell
A method and apparatus are provided to allow a mobile communications device to identify and store the locations of femtocells which are not contained on a preferred femtocell list of the mobile communications device. Upon identifying a specific femtocell, an authorized mobile communications device may register with the specific femtocell to initiate and receive calls. Furthermore, the present invention allows the mobile communications device to employ the stored location information to automatically identify the specific femtocell whenever the mobile communications device is in a vicinity of the specific femtocell. |
| US08000707B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer program product providing 3.9G mobile-assisted cell change
Disclosed herein are apparatus, method and computer program product providing 3.9G mobile-assisted cell change. During an active state of user equipment, it is determined whether at least one trigger condition exists. If at least one trigger condition is determined to be present, the user equipment performs an autonomous cell change. Alternatively, if at least one trigger condition is determined not to be present, the user equipment performs a cell change under network control (non-autonomous). |
| US08000705B2 |
Apparatus and method for connecting call in mobile terminal
Provided is an apparatus and method for preventing successive failures in a call connection in a mobile communication terminal. When a call connection is attempted, a cell with the highest RX power is selected among cells and an RRC Connection Request message is transmitted from the mobile terminal to a BS of the selected cell. It is determined whether the mobile terminal receives an RRC Connection Accept/Reject message from the BS. If the mobile terminal receives an RRC Connection Reject message from the BS of the selected cell, it is determined whether the selected cell is able to perform the RRC connection by detecting a Connection Reject message frequency that is the number of times of rejection of an RRC connection request for a predetermined period. If the selected cell is not able to perform the RRC connection, a neighboring cell is reselected and an RRC Connection Request message is transmitted to the reselected neighboring cell. |
| US08000701B2 |
Correlation mechanism to communicate in a dual-plane architecture
A system and method is disclosed that correlates the MSISDN of a target mobile by performing an out of band request using a IMSI. The correlation between the MSISDN and the IMSI of IMEI is cashed at a database for retrieval. The correlation of the MSISDN allows the position of a mobile device to be determined using a CoPL and/or SUPL location determination sessions. |
| US08000700B2 |
Device diagnostics and monitoring method and system
A diagnostics and monitoring method and system is disclosed for generating diagnostics and monitoring information and transmitting the diagnostics and monitoring information to a remote terminal using an improved diagnostic and monitoring policy. The method includes selecting, at a remote terminal, one of available diagnostics and monitoring policies; transmitting a diagnostics and monitoring configuration information including at least one of a diagnostics and monitoring object, a memory allocation size, and a diagnostics and monitoring cycle from the remote terminal to a device management system; transmitting a diagnostics and monitoring message generated on the basis of the diagnostics and monitoring configuration information from the device management system to a mobile device; generating, at the mobile device, diagnostics and monitoring information with reference to the diagnostics and monitoring message; and transmitting the diagnostics and monitoring information. |
| US08000698B2 |
Detection and management of rogue wireless network connections
A method of detecting rogue devices that are coupled to a wired network without generating false negative or false positive alerts is provided. When a wireless monitor detects an observed SSID and/or BSSID, various tests are run to determine whether the observed device is actually coupled to the wired network. To guard against the suspect device spoofing an authorized SSID and/or BSSID, location information is gathered so that the network administrator can pinpoint the location of the rogue device. If the device is not recognized, various other tests are run to determine whether the unrecognized device is actually connected to the wired network. These tests include an association test, a MAC address test, an ARP test, a packet replay test, a correlation test, and/or a DHCP fingerprint test. Once it is determined that the suspect device is a rogue connected to the wired network, an appropriate alert is generated. |
| US08000692B2 |
Mobile device manners propagation and compliance
The present invention includes methods and technologies for defining and administering device manners policy (“DMP”), propagating DMP, reception and recognition of, and compliance with DMP. Such policy may be used to communicate to various mobile and other devices the “manners” with which compliance is expected or required. Similar to some of the social manners honored among people, such as with “no smoking” or “employees only” zones, “no swimming” or “no flash photography” areas, and scenarios for “please wash your hands” or “no talking out loud”, devices may recognize and comply with analogous “device manners” policy. |
| US08000689B2 |
System and methods for monitoring the context associated with a mobile communication device
Systems, methods and interfaces are disclosed for managing communications associated with a mobile communication device. Mobile communication devices process environmental inputs and transmit mobile communication device context information to a communication management system. The context information may, for example, reflect the motion and/or geographic location of the mobile device, and may reflect the risk associated with using the device to handle a call or other communications session. The communication management system uses the context information, optionally in combination with communication device profiles, to determine how to manage incoming and/or ongoing calls or other communication sessions. Mobile device users may also be inhibited from initiating communication sessions. |
| US08000686B2 |
Extensible phone application
The present invention provides an extensible phone application that uses extensions to interact with other applications executing in a mobile communication device. The extensible phone application is operable to handle wireless communication for the mobile communication device. Another application may interact with the extensible phone application by incorporating an extension. The extensible phone application enables the extension to register with the phone application for receiving a notification associated with an event. In response to the event, the extensible phone application sends the notification to the extension. |
| US08000684B1 |
Managing transmission power for message waiting notification
Disclosed herein is a mechanism to help improve message waiting notification. In accordance with the mechanism, when a RAN transmits an MWI to a mobile station after unsuccessful call setup paging of the mobile station, the RAN will transmit the MWI at a higher power level than the RAN used for transmitting the call setup paging. Using a higher transmission power specifically for the MWI should help the MWI reach the mobile station, particularly in a scenario where a reason for call setup paging failure was noise on the air interface. Consequently, the disclosed mechanism should help improve user experience by increasing the likelihood that mobile stations will receive and process MWIs soon after the associated voice mail messages are left. |
| US08000681B2 |
System and method for managing communication records
A system and method for managing communication records of a communication device include setting a phone number of an authorized user, transmission options, and a transmission period, and generating communication records according to recorded communication information of the communication device. The system and method further include transmitting the communication records to the authorized user according to the transmission options and the transmission period. |
| US08000680B2 |
Security management method and apparatus in multimedia middleware, and storage medium therefor
A security management method in multimedia middleware of a terminal that can download a multimedia service provided from an external entity. The security management method includes if there is an access request for a particular multimedia service, determining whether there is a corresponding multimedia service; if the access-requested multimedia service does not exist in middleware of the terminal, performing negotiation for secure session setup with the external entity; setting up a secure session to the external entity using a security parameter selected as a result of the negotiation; and receiving information for the download from the external entity through the secure session, and determining whether to execute the download. |
| US08000674B2 |
Canceling self-jammer and interfering signals in an RFID system
Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a method and device capable of canceling self-jammer and one or more other interfering signals in an radio frequency identification system or the like is disclosed. |
| US08000669B2 |
Automatic beat/tone removal algorithm
A system for detecting and removing undesirable noise, such as beats and tones, from radio signals. The system includes a manual oscillator that is a manually tuned by a user to a selected manual frequency from one of a plurality of frequencies. An electronic oscillator is electronically tuned to a selected electronic frequency from one of the plurality of frequencies. A processor isolates and stores at least one interference frequency associated the selected electronic frequency and determines a correction signal to correct any interference frequencies within a particular selected electronic frequency. The selected manual frequency is corrected using the determined correction signal for the particular selected electronic frequency when the selected manual frequency is the same as the particular selected electronic frequency. |
| US08000665B2 |
Systems and methods for adjusting headroom of a power amplifier
Systems and methods are provided for controlling headroom of an amplifier (e.g., in a transmitter). A method comprises obtaining a target output power for a current interval and obtaining a target headroom for a subsequent interval. The method continues by adjusting, during the current interval, the power output capability of the amplifier based on the target headroom and adjusting the input power of an input signal based on the target output power, such that the output power of the amplifier is substantially constant during the current interval as the power output capability of the amplifier is adjusted. |
| US08000661B2 |
Communication system with frequency-adaptive predistorter design
A communication system comprises a predistorter for distorting an input signal according to at least one parameter to generate a distorted signal, an amplifier for amplifying the distorted signal according to an input-output characteristic to generate an output signal, and a frequency-domain adaptive calibration module for adaptively adjusting the parameter of the predistorter according to a frequency characteristic of the output signal. Because the calibration is performed in the frequency domain, there is no need to precisely estimate the group delay formed by the feedback path. The system complexity is therefore reduced without loss of performance. |
| US08000659B2 |
Polar modulation transmission apparatus
A polar modulation transmission apparatus is disclosed, which reduces the circuit scale by removing isolators and which reduces the heat loss of a power amplifier. In this apparatus, current detecting section 130 detects current value Icc of current flowing from power supply voltage section 120 to power amplifier 180, and power control section 140 outputs control signal S31 to power apply section 150 based on power control signal S30 to be inputted and current value Icc. Power apply section 150 forms amplitude modulation signal S13 by multiplying baseband amplitude modulation signal S11 by control signal S31, and regulator 160 supplies to power amplifier 180 power supply voltage S22 converted into power supply voltage S21 by amplitude modulation signal S13. Power amplifier 180 obtains RF transmission signal S15 by amplifying the power of phase modulation high-frequency signal S14 as the power supply of power supply voltage S22. |
| US08000656B1 |
Apparatus and methods for performing calibration of a mobile computing device
Various embodiments for performing calibration of a mobile computing device are described. In one or more embodiments, a device under test and a calibration test bench may be coupled by at least one of a wireless connection and a wired connection. The device under test may be arranged to receive one or more test command instructions from the calibration test bench and, in response, send an acknowledgment to the calibration test bench. In some embodiments, the device under test and the calibration test bench may be arranged to communicate according to a wireless device calibration protocol. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08000655B2 |
Uplink multi-cell signal processing for interference suppression
A node (e.g., base station, signal processing unit) is described herein that includes a symbol detector and a method which are capable of suppressing interference caused by one user device (which may be in softer handoff mode) to reduce performance degradation to other intra-cell user devices and/or other inter-cell user devices (which may not be in softer handoff mode). |
| US08000652B2 |
Sending and receiving information
The present invention relates to a method in a sending device for sending information to a receiving device. The sending device is adapted to emit electromagnetic radiation with different wavelengths. The method comprises sending electromagnetic radiation of a norm wavelength to the receiving device and sending electromagnetic radiation of a second wavelength to the receiving device. The difference between the first wavelength and the second wavelength per time unit represents information to be sent to the receiving device.The present invention also relates to a computer program for performing a method of sending information, a sending device, a method for receiving information, a receiving device and a computer program for performing a method of receiving information. |
| US08000646B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
An image forming apparatus includes: an image transfer unit that transfers an image to continuous paper provided with a plurality of sprocket holes along a paper length direction on both sides in a paper width direction; an image fixing unit that fixes the image transported to the continuous paper by the image transfer unit; a transport unit that includes a plurality of protruding parts inserted into the sprocket holes on both sides in the paper width direction, that is placed downstream in a paper transport direction from the image fixing unit for moving the protruding parts in the paper transport direction, and that transports the continuous paper; a change unit that changes the spacing between the protruding parts in the paper width direction; and a control unit that controls drive of the change unit. |
| US08000644B2 |
Powder transporting device and image forming apparatus
A powder transporting device includes a drop path that allows powder to drop, a first crushing member that is located in the drop path and crushes the powder cohesion in the drop path by reciprocating along the drop path, and a second crushing member that located in the drop path that crushes the powder cohesion in the drop path by reciprocating along the drop path, wherein when the first crushing member moves toward a downstream side in a dropping direction of the powder in the drop path, a tip of the first crushing member at the downstream side in a dropping direction is inclined to a side where the second crushing member is located, and comes in contact with the second crushing member. |
| US08000642B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus including the fixing device using a dielectric material heated by an electric field
A fixing device and an image forming apparatus including the fixing device. The fixing device includes a fixing member having a dielectric body to fix a toner image onto a recording medium by heating and melting the toner image onto the recording medium, a dielectric heating portion to heat the fixing member by dielectric heating, and a pressure member to press against the fixing member to form a nip portion therebetween to nip the recording medium as the recording medium is conveyed therebetween. |
| US08000635B2 |
Developer homogenizer for multi-engine printing system
An apparatus and method for homogenizing developer allow variations in image quality between marking engines to be reduced. The apparatus includes a developer homogenizer in communication with the marking engines which receives developer from the first marking engine and developer from the second marking engine and combines them. A first portion of the combined developer is returned to the first marking engine for forming images therewith and a second portion of the combined developer is returned to the second marking engine for forming images therewith. |
| US08000634B2 |
Image forming apparatus and cartridge
An image forming apparatus includes: an electrostatic latent image bearing member; a toner cartridge; a developing member; a transfer member; a developing device; a toner-circulating member; a drive-force output unit; and a circulating-member driving unit. The toner cartridge is removably coupled to the developing device. The toner-circulating member is incorporated in the developing device and circulates toner between the developing device and the toner cartridge. The drive-force output unit is provided in the toner cartridge and is configured to output to the developing device a drive force for driving the toner-circulating member. The circulating-member driving unit is provided in the developing device and is configured to drive the toner-circulating member upon receiving the drive force outputted from the drive-force output unit while the toner cartridge is being coupled to the developing device. |
| US08000633B2 |
Charging member, charging device, image forming apparatus, and process cartridge
The present invention provides a charging member, a charging device, an image forming apparatus, and a process cartridge that minimize local unevenness in potential of a charged object resulting from soiling of the charging member with soiling microparticles or soiling aggregates, that do not cause image failure such as unevenness in image density and scumming, and that output good images through the life of the charging member. The charging member charges a surface of the object by receiving a voltage while being in contact with the object, and satisfies the condition that Rzjis≦30 and Rsk≦0, where Rzjis represents the ten-point average roughness of a surface of the charging member in contact with the object and Rsk represents the skewness of a roughness curve. |
| US08000629B2 |
Process cartridge having charger and image forming device provided with the process cartridge
An image forming device includes a process cartridge, a wall section, and a flow restrictor. The process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a charger, and a frame. The charger is disposed spaced away from the photosensitive drum for charging the photosensitive drum. The frame is formed with a first opening at a position opposite to the photosensitive drum with respect to the charger. The frame is also formed with a first vent hole for ventilation of a space defined by the frame. The first vent hole is positioned upstream of the first opening and downstream of the image transfer position of the photosensitive drum in the rotational direction of the photosensitive drum. The wall section is positioned in direct confrontation with the first opening. The flow restrictor restricts air flow and is provided between the frame and the wall section. |
| US08000627B2 |
Charging device, process cartridge, image forming apparatus, and toner
The present invention provides a charging device which comprises a charging roller (14a) and a cleaning component (14b). The charging roller charges a surface of an image-recording medium (11) with a voltage which is applied from an external source. The cleaning component cleans a surface of the charging roller. The charging roller includes a resistance adjustment layer which is made of a resin composite and formed on an outer periphery of a core metal. The hardness of the charging roller is 45 degrees or more in JIS D hardness. The cleaning component has a portion which is in contact with the charging roller. This portion is made of resin foam which has a continuous foam structure. The density of the resin foam is 5 to 15 kg/m3 and its tensile strength is 1.7±0.5 kg/cm2. |
| US08000624B2 |
Fusing circuit for driving operation of heating unit in an image forming apparatus and control method thereof
An image forming apparatus is provided with: a heating unit which generates heat to fuse a toner on a printing medium; a switch which selectively supplies alternating current (AC) power to the heating unit; a first switching driver which drives the switch to supply the AC power to the heating unit; and a first supply limiter which allows the AC power to be supplied to the heating unit by the first switching driver if a polarity of the AC power is the same as a preset polarity, and cuts off the AC power supplied to the heating unit if the polarity of the AC power is opposite to the preset polarity. |
| US08000621B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus is configured to reduce follow-up delay in impedance fluctuation and to reduce an accuracy fall in power supply control. The image forming apparatus includes a transfer element, a supply element, a detection element, a modification element, and a switch element. The supply element supplies electricity that depends on a set value to the transfer element. The detection element detects the control object value supplied to the transfer element. Depending on a difference between the control object value detected by the detection element and a target value, the modification element operates modification of the set value. The switch element switches between a short interval mode and a long interval mode. In a short interval mode, an execution time interval for modification of the set value is shorter, while, in a long interval mode, the execution time interval for modification of the set value is longer. |
| US08000619B2 |
Fixing device usable with an image forming apparatus
A fixing device usable with an image forming apparatus having a fixing roller to fix a toner on a recording medium, a heater to heat the fixing roller, and an alternating current (AC) power source to supply an AC electric power to the heater may include a power converting part to convert the AC electric power of the AC power source and to supply the converted power to the heater; a relay including a first relay contact point disposed on a first AC power supply line between the AC power source and the power converting part and a relay coil to open and close the first relay contact point, the relay selectively supplying the AC electric power from the AC power source to the heater and the power converting part; a direct current (DC) power supplier to supply a DC power to the relay coil; and a thermoswitch interposed between the relay coil and the DC power supplier and mounted adjacent to the fixing roller so as to interrupt the DC power from the DC power supplier to the relay coil, when a temperature of the fixing roller exceeds a threshold temperature, causing the relay coil to open the first relay contact point. |
| US08000617B2 |
Image forming apparatus having toner containers of varying sizes
An image forming apparatus including cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) developing units using a C developer, a M developer, a Y developer, and a K developer, respectively; at least one auxiliary developing unit using a developer other than the C, M, Y, and K developers; a plurality of photosensitive media formed in the C, M, Y, and K developing units and the auxiliary developing unit, respectively; a plurality of cleaning members formed in the C, M, Y, and K developing units and the auxiliary developing unit, respectively, so as to clean surfaces of the plurality of photosensitive media; and waste developer storage units formed in the C, M, Y, and K developing units and the auxiliary developing unit, respectively, so as to collect waste developer cleaned by the plurality of cleaning members. The developer storage unit and waste developer storage unit of at least one of the C, M, Y, and K developing units, in which there is a large amount of developer consumed and a large amount of waste developer generated, are larger than the developer storage unit and waste developer storage unit of the auxiliary developing unit. |
| US08000616B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus to which a paper handling unit is connected thereto is provided. The image forming apparatus detects the size of a sheet in a direction in which the sheet is conveyed for image formation. The image forming apparatus outputs sheet size mismatch information indicating that the size of the sheet does not match a predetermined size to the paper handling unit before a size detecting operation thereof has been completed detecting the trailing edge of the sheet is greater than the predetermined size. |
| US08000615B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
In an image forming apparatus, a timer unit measures a time interval between a current time and a time point when previous supply of toner to a developing unit ended and an adjusting unit adjusts an amount of toner to be supplied to the developing unit based on the time interval measured at the timer unit. |
| US08000613B2 |
Flexible nanowire sensors and field-effect devices for testing toner
A system, including an improved sensor, for determining toner particle uniformity is described. The sensor measures toner particle charge, typically be having the charge on the toner particle control a current flow through the channel of a thin film transistor. By measuring the charge on many toner particles, the system determines whether sufficient toner degradation has occurred that the toner should be replaced. The sensor is particularly suitable for being formed on a thin diagnostic sheet that is input through the paper path of a printing system. |
| US08000612B2 |
Optical transmission device
An optical transmission device is provided with an external optical modulator including three or more Mach-Zehnder interferometers and outputs a single-sideband optical intensity-modulated signal with suppressed optical carrier component, wherein an optical carrier component and an unnecessary one sideband component contained in the outputted optical signal are suppressed. A light branching section (51) branches an optical signal outputted by an external optical modulator (4) into two signals. A photodetector section (52) converts one of the optical signals to an electric signal. An optical carrier component extracting section (54) extracts an optical carrier component signal that is in the vicinity of a frequency f1 from the electric signal. An optical carrier component suppressing section (56) applies a bias voltage for suppressing the optical carrier component to the external optical modulator (4) based on the signal level of the optical carrier component. A vestigial sideband component extracting section (57) extracts a vestigial sideband component signal in the vicinity of a frequency 2×f1 from the electric signal. A vestigial sideband component suppressing section (59) applies a bias voltage for suppressing an unnecessary one sideband component to the external optical modulator (4) based on the signal level of the vestigial sideband component. |
| US08000608B2 |
Integrated circuit for communications modules
An integrated circuit product, for bidirectional communication, has two inputs and two outputs. The first input is located on a first edge of the integrated circuit product. The first output is located on a second edge of the integrated circuit product, the second edge being located adjacent to the first edge. The second input is located on a third edge of the integrated circuit product, the third edge being opposite the first edge. The second output is located on a fourth edge of the integrated circuit product, the fourth edge being opposite the second edge. The integrated circuit product can be mounted diagonally in a transceiver module, allowing straight signals paths from the inputs and outputs of the integrated circuit product to the corresponding inputs and outputs of the transceiver module. The inputs and outputs of the integrated circuit product can be located in the respective centre regions of their respective edges, so that connection pads of the integrated circuit within the integrated circuit product can be connected to the package landings of the integrated circuit product by means of the shortest available bond wires. |
| US08000607B2 |
Optical transceivers with closed-loop digital diagnostics
Systems and methods for performing closed-loop diagnostics in optical transceiver. The TOSA of an optical receiver includes a primary transmit module and a secondary receiver module. The transmit module transmits a data signal to a ROSA of another optical transceiver. The ROSA has a secondary transmit module that can transmit a diagnostic data signal back to the secondary receiver module of the TOSA. The TOSA can use the diagnostic data received from the ROSA to automatically adjust itself and perform closed-loop feedback functions. The closed loop diagnostics can be implemented in a network where one transceiver may be connected with more than one other transceiver in a multi-node configuration. |
| US08000604B2 |
Orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) based passive optical network (PON) architecture and its extension to long distance
A passive optical network (PON) device, system and method include an optical line terminal (OLT) receiver configured to receive multiple signals at different wavelengths simultaneously and enable multiple transmitters to operate at the same time during one upstream time slot. The optical line terminal employs Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) to transparently support a plurality of applications and enable dynamic bandwidth allocation among these applications where the bandwidth is allocated in two dimensional frequency and time space. |
| US08000603B2 |
WDM systems and methods
A WDM optical system includes first and second WDM's including an optical link therebetween. Each WDM includes circuitry for linking multiplexer and demultiplexer circuitry to a plurality of modular elements. The modular elements include a first set of modules for converting between native protocol media signals and common format signals. A second set of modules converts between the common format signals and optical signals at separate wavelengths for communication with the multiplexers and demultiplexers. A dual path transmit and receive optical link is provided between near and far end WDM's. |
| US08000599B2 |
Optical transmission system and optical transmission method
In an optical transmission system, a transmitting transceiving node generates a multiplexed optical-packet signal by performing optical wavelength multiplexing on a plurality of optical packets, and transmits the multiplexed optical-packet signal to a receiving transceiving node. The receiving transceiving node transmits the multiplexed optical-packet signal back to the transmitting transceiving node. The transmitting transceiving node detects a skew amount of the optical packet allocated to each wavelength band of the multiplexed optical-packet signal received from the receiving transceiving node, and adjusts a delay amount of the optical packet based on the detected skew amount. |
| US08000597B2 |
Input device
An input device for zooming and shutter releasing includes a shutter release button; a pressing protrusion; a tact switch located on a substrate and configured to be pressed when the shutter release button is pressed downward; a rotary member rotatably supported at the periphery of the shutter release button; a magnet configured to be rotated in association with rotation of the rotary member, the magnet having a through hole at the center thereof, the pressing protrusion supported to extend through the through hole; and a magnetic sensor located at a position to face the through hole in the height direction and configured to detect a rotational magnetic field that is generated by the magnet because of the rotation of the rotary member, the tact switch and the magnetic sensor arranged side by side on the substrate. |
| US08000596B2 |
Camera body and imaging apparatus
A camera body includes an imaging unit for generating image data from an optical signal incident via the interchangeable lens, a detector for detecting a light quantity of the optical signal, a controller for setting an aperture value of a diaphragm of the interchangeable lens and an exposure condition which is a setting relating to exposure other than a setting of the diaphragm, a sending unit for sending a control signal for control with the set aperture value to the interchangeable lens, and a mode setting unit for selecting one from a plurality of operating modes. The plurality of operating modes includes a first mode for automatically adjusting the aperture value of the diaphragm and the exposure condition according to the detected light quantity during capturing of a moving image, and a second mode for automatically adjusting the aperture value with the exposure condition being fixed according to the detected light quantity during capturing of the moving image. An average drive speed of the diaphragm for automatically adjusting the aperture value in the second mode is slower than that in the first mode. |
| US08000595B2 |
Optical receiver, optical communication device, and optical signal receiving method
An optical receiver including a demodulator to convert an in-phase signal of a received differential phase modulated optical signal into a first electrical signal, and to convert a quadrature signal of the received differential phase modulated optical signal into a second electrical signal; a decision member deciding logic states of the first and second electrical signals; a logic controller using the decision result of the decision member to control logic states of the first and second electrical signals; and a memory storing information relating to the decision result. The logic controller controls the logic state using the information relating to the decision result stored in the memory. |
| US08000594B2 |
Diffuse reflective illuminator
An apparatus including a curved light-reflecting surface including a pair of opposing curved edges and a pair of opposing longitudinal edges that extend between corresponding endpoints of the opposing curved edges; a pair of reflective surfaces, each reflective surface being attached to a corresponding one of the curved edges; at least one flange coupled to one of the pair of longitudinal edges and projecting toward the opposing longitudinal edge; and at least one light source mounted on the at least one flange. Other embodiments and aspects are also disclosed and claimed. |
| US08000588B1 |
Miniaturized turret-mounted camera assembly
A light weight camera mounting assembly allowing for tilt and pan of a camera through a significant portion of a spherical rang of view with minimal parts count, minimal weight and minimal weight in the rotated portion of the assembly. A retraction/extension assembly for a light weight camera with minimal weight and complexity. Doors which open to allow a camera to extend beyond the surface of a vehicle and close to protect the camera and allow for landing of the vehicle without external skids. |
| US08000585B2 |
Information recording medium wherein stream convertible at high-speed is recorded, and recording apparatus and recording method therefor
An information recording medium capable of converting a stream including seamless connection, which is recorded in a constrained format allowing format conversion, from a first format (MPEG-TS) to a second format (MPEG-PS), into a second stream, and an apparatus and method for recording information in the information recording medium. The constrained format is provided for enabling conversion from a first format (for example, MPEG transport stream) to a second format (for example, MPEG program stream). According to the constrained format, when the connection information of the playback portion indicates a seamless playback, the system stream immediately before a seamless connection point ends with a complete data management unit (Capsule). |
| US08000582B2 |
System and method for disposal of digital media
A system and method are described for rendering Compact Discs (CDs) and Digital Video Discs (DVDs) unreadable. Embodiments comprise a frame, a guide for constraining motion of the frame with respect to a disc, and at least one scraping element. Scraping elements may be positioned to damage the disc volume descriptor while the frame moves in a constrained manner relative to the disc. The guide may comprise a spindle which engages the center hole of a disc to hold the frame in a radially-fixed position. A scraping element on the frame damages the disc as the disc rotates relative to the frame. The guide may be integrated, such that the frame comprises a slot through which the disc passes. A scraping element inside the slot damages a disc as it passes through. Embodiments are hand operated, not motorized, and some have no moving parts. Embodiments also function with non-optical media. |
| US08000575B2 |
Polarization maintaining and single polarization optical fiber
An optical fiber, comprising: (i) a core, (ii) a cladding surrounding the core, (iii) at least one stress member adjacent the fiber core and situated within the cladding, said stress member comprising silica co-doped with B and F. |
| US08000571B2 |
Light emitting device and planar waveguide with single-sided periodically stacked interface
Light emitting and waveguide devices with single-sided photonic bandgaps are provided. The light emitting device is formed from a heavily doped silicon (Si) bottom electrode, and a Si-containing dielectric layer embedded Si nanoparticles overlying the bottom electrode. A transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) top electrode overlies the Si-containing dielectric layer, and a photonic bandgap (PBG) Bragg reflector underlies the Si bottom electrode. The PBG Bragg reflector includes at least one periodic bi-layer of films with different refractive indexes. The single-sided photonic bandgap planar waveguide interface is formed from a planar waveguide and a PBG Bragg reflector underlying the planar waveguide. |
| US08000570B2 |
Sequentially increasing effective area in higher-order mode (HOM) Signal Propagation
Disclosed are multi-stage optical amplifiers that propagate higher-order mode (HOM) signals. One embodiment, among others, comprises a first segment of optical fiber in which a first HOM signal propagates, a second segment of optical fiber in which a second HOM signal propagates, and a mode converter that converts the first HOM signal into the second HOM signal. |
| US08000565B2 |
Buried dual taper waveguide for passive alignment and photonic integration
A buried dual taper waveguide has a flat surface after taper processing thus facilitating further processing with more complex photonic integrated circuits. This allows for light coupling between a large core size fiber and a small waveguide photonic integrated circuit. The taper structure disclosed enables monolithic integration of silicon photonic components and passive alignment for low-cost packaging. |
| US08000564B2 |
Photoelectric conversion module for direct optical interconnection and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are a photoelectric conversion module for direct optical interconnection and a method of manufacturing the same, wherein an optical element array is bonded to a side surface of an IC board having a semiconductor chip mounted thereon and an optical waveguide array is bonded to one end of the optical element array having the other end bonded to the IC board to be optically connected to the optical element array, thereby improving the efficiency of optical coupling between optical elements and optical waveguides, and wherein since the optical coupling between the optical elements and the optical waveguides is realized on the same plane between the optical waveguides having the same array as the optical elements, multi-channel optical coupling can be facilitated to enable easy implementation of an optical design. |
| US08000560B2 |
Virtual slide generation device, virtual slide generation method, virtual slide generation program product and virtual slide generation program transmission medium
In a virtual slide generation device for generating a virtual slide by patching/combining a plurality of observation images obtained by shooting and picking up an observation object observed by a microscope, by comprising an image patching/combination information calculation unit for calculating image patching/combination information about an area overlapping between observation images for the patching/combination on the basis of a plurality of observation images shot and picked up by a first observation method and an image patching/combination unit for patching and combining a plurality of image areas shot and picked up by a second observation method on the basis of the image patching/combination information calculated by the image patching/combination information calculation unit, image patching/combination computation by a plurality of microscopic examination methods can be reduced, thereby more particularly preventing the fading when shooting and picking up a fluorescence (FL) observation image and obtaining a high-quality image. |
| US08000558B2 |
Thumbnail generating apparatus and image shooting apparatus
Based on, for example, the image at the start of a movie, a thumbnail image is tentatively generated and is stored in a header file. If a predetermined triggering condition is fulfilled during movie shooting, a thumbnail image is generated from the frame image at the timing that the triggering condition is fulfilled, and the thumbnail image existing in the header file is replaced with the newly generated thumbnail image. The triggering condition is fulfilled, for example, if, after zooming-in, the angle of view has been kept fixed for a predetermined period or longer, or if the focus has been kept locked for a predetermined period. |
| US08000557B2 |
Method for generating an image and an image generator
An image is generated by receiving a first image that is acquired during a first exposure period and defining the first image as a reference image; defining multiple reference regions of interest within the reference image, wherein an aggregate number of pixels within the multiple reference regions of interest is substantially smaller than a number of pixels of the first image; receiving a second image that is acquired during a second exposure period; and updating the reference image in response to a content of the reference image, content of the second image and a first type of spatial relationship (e.g., a shift) defined between the reference image and the second image, wherein the shift is defined in response to multiple spatial relationships between the multiple reference regions of interest and between multiple regions of interest of the second image. |
| US08000553B2 |
Acquiring a series of gradient stops from a bitmap source
An apparatus and method provide for generation of a gradient or other image pattern based on a captured image. In one example, a portion of a displayed image may be selected. The selected portion of the displayed image may include an image pattern such as a gradient. The selected image pattern may be applied to a gradient tool such that the image pattern may be stored as a series of gradient stops. Any of the gradient stops may have an associated characteristic of the image pattern such as, for example, a color or position within the selection of a corresponding pixel of the image. The generated gradient or image pattern may be applied to any object or displayed component. |