| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08056734B2 |
Merchandising system with flippable column and/or item stop
Disclosed herein is a merchandising system and method that permits access from the front of a column of shelves and along a side of the column of shelves, the shelves in each column extending from the front of the merchandizing system to a back area of the merchandising system. Each shelf can be of any suitable design for supporting products or items. The merchandising system can have at least one flippable column comprising at least one shelf suitable for supporting a single row of items. Various front item stops are also disclosed. |
| US08056733B2 |
Structures that inhibit microbial growth
Structures treated with a microbiological interception enhancing agent comprising of a water-soluble cationic material having a counter ion associated therewith at specific sites on the cationic material, in combination with a biologically active metal salt, wherein the counter ion associated with the cationic material preferentially precipitates with at least a portion of the cation of the biologically active metal salt such that precipitation of the biologically active metal cation and the counter ion associated with the cationic material occurs in proximity to the cationic material are disclosed herein. The microbiological interception enhancing agent may be incorporated into articles of commerce by treating the starting materials of the structure or by applying the microbiological interception enhancing agent on to at least one surface of the article. |
| US08056726B2 |
Method and apparatus for repairing a surface defect
A repair kit (10) includes a sealed package (12) having a plurality of isolated compartments (32, 42, 44) for holding substances (50, 52) that, when mixed together, form an adhesive, and for holding a flexible substrate (54). Pull tabs (60, 66, 80, 86) are arranged on the package (12) to aid in opening fluid communication between the compartments to permit adhesive mixture and to permit adhesive flow onto the substrate (54) for subsequent repair purposes. |
| US08056721B2 |
Package assembly of display cards
The invention provides a package assembly(100) including a base including a bottom portion (112) and a plurality of vertically oriented display cards (130)arranged on the base. Each display card includes a top edge (138), a bottom edge (140),a display portion (134) and a first support portion (136) attached to the display portion along a vertical fold (150). The display portion of each card is preferably disposed in a different plane and at a first angle with respect to the first support portion, wherein the bottom edge ofeach card is disposed on the base. The display cards are configured and adapted to withstand a vertical load applied to the package assembly. In accordance with another aspect, the invention can further include a shipping cover (160)disposed over the display cards, the shipping cover configured and adapted to protect the display cards during shipment. |
| US08056720B2 |
Method and system for medical instrument sterilization containers
The system contains a base with a plurality of base ventilation holes and a plurality of side walls. The base includes a base instrument holder fixed to the base. At least one stage with a plurality of stage ventilation holes is positioned within the base. The stage includes at least two legs fixed to the stage, at least one stage instrument holder fixed to the stage, and a stage notched member fixed to the stage and positioned to engage a medical instrument beneath the stage. A fixed or removable cover having a plurality of cover ventilation holes is included to surround the base. |
| US08056719B2 |
Multipurpose packages for sterile products or products to be sterilized
The invention concerns a package (2) for sterilized products or products to be sterilized comprising a plastic box (4) and a lid (16) fixed on the box (4) to seal the latter with a tight sealing zone. The invention is characterized in that the lid (16) comprises: a plastic cover sheet (20) transparent for electronic irradiation and for light radiation; at least a window (22) provided in the cover sheet (20); at least a sheet of selectively sealing material (24) integral with said cover sheet (20) and closing the window (22); and an opaque screen (26, 126) for at least an electronic irradiation passing through the cover sheet or the selectively sealing material, said screen extending inside the package (2), proximate to the cover sheet (20), so as to allow through a sterilizing gas, for example ethylene oxide (ETO) or water vapor, through the selectively sealing material (24). |
| US08056715B2 |
Portable dispensers for articles
Portable dispensers of nail strips, coils of roofing mails, roof staples, sheathing staples, welding rods, roofing nails, cartridge holders for diagonal nails which are put in a cartridge nail gun, framing nails, and the like. |
| US08056707B2 |
Heat resistant laminated conveyor belt and manufacturing method thereof
Provided are a heat resistant laminated conveyor belt and manufacturing method thereof by which a belt surface pressure when a liner and corrugated core paper are pressed and bonded together can be increased to thereby enhance a bonding performance. The heat resistant laminated conveyor belt comprises a belt core layer 11 made by a heat resistant non-metallic fiber substrate being impregnated with a fluororesin dispersion and then dried and sintered and a surface layer 13 (plain weave wire, etc., for example) formed on the belt core layer 11 via an adhesive layer 12 made by a fluororesin film, the surface layer having a fabric structure using an element wire or wires made of a ferrous metal or having a structure in which the element wire or wires are arranged together.As the surface layer 13, a fabric structure using an element wire or wires made of a non-ferrous metal, inorganic compound, organic compound or carbon is used or a structure in which the element wire or wires are arranged together (plain weave wire, parallel wire, etc., for example) is used. As the element wires, stranded wires, parallel wires or the like are used. |
| US08056706B2 |
Water carrying lift
This invention is about water carrying lift that enables water to be used in watering fields (agricultural fields), energy production, etc by increasing the level of water in places like rivers, streams, creeks etc. |
| US08056703B2 |
Container, such as a food or beverage container, lubrication method
A process for lubricating a container, such as a beverage container, or a conveyor for containers, by applying to the container or conveyor, a thin continuous, substantially non-dripping layer of a liquid lubricant. The process provides many advantages compared to the use of a conventional dilute aqueous lubricant. |
| US08056702B2 |
Feeder
There is equipped with a forward and reverse winder (31), a forwardly winding liner body (51), a reversely winding liner body (61) and a reciprocating body (71). The forwardly winding linear body (51) and the reversely winding linear body (61) are connected to the reciprocating body (71). The amounts of winding and rewinding the forwardly and reversely winding linear bodies (51) (61) by the winding drum (37) of the forward and reverse winder are equal to each other. The winding drum (37) of the forward and reverse winder (51) when the forwardly winding linear body (51) is forwardly wound axially moves corresponding to the winding and rewinding pitches of the linear bodies whereby a high precision based on a quiet stabilization of an operation state, durability and miniaturization of construction and a high precision based on proper winding and rewinding of the linear bodies and durability can be improved. |
| US08056700B2 |
Tray flipper, tray, and method for parts inspection
Manufacturing lines include inspection systems for monitoring the quality of parts produced. Manufacturing lines for making semiconductor devices generally inspect each fabricated part. The information obtained is used to fix manufacturing problems in the semiconductor fab plant. A machine-vision system for inspecting devices includes a flipper mechanism. After being inspected at a first station, a tray-transfer device moves the tray from the first inspection station to a flipper mechanism. The flipper mechanism includes two jaws, a mover, and a rotator. The flipper mechanism turns the devices over and places the devices in a second tray so that another surface of the device can be inspected. A second tray-transfer device moves the second tray from the flipper to a second inspection station. The mover of the flipper mechanism removes the tray from the first inspection surface and places a tray at the second inspection surface. |
| US08056699B2 |
Pan inverting and/or cleaning system
A pan inverting system (10) comprises a rotating table (11) having a central longitudinal axis (13), the table being rotatably mounted within a static frame (15) for rotation about the longitudinal axis (13). Conveyors (21) are disposed on opposed pan-receiving surfaces (20) of the table (11). The conveyors (21) are independently operable to displace a pan (12) along the table (11) in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (13). A pan engagement device (24) within the table (11) is operable to releasably fasten the pan (12) to the pan receiving surface (20) of the table (11), such that when the pan (12) is fastened to one of the pan receiving surfaces (20) by the pan engagement mechanism (24), rotation of the table (11) about the longitudinally extending axis (13) will invert the pan (12). The table (11) may also equipped with air headers (507), nozzles and/or air knives (508) to clean the pans (12), for example during the rotating operation, by injecting cleaning air jets onto the surfaces of the pan (12). |
| US08056697B2 |
Brake/differential lock pedal linkage
A brake/differential lock pedal linkage includes a two-stage manual control that may lock a differential before progressively engaging a brake. The manual control may be a foot pedal or hand lever. The linkage may include a brake cam lever that pivots on a brake cam shaft in response to movement of the manual control, a differential lock link connected between the brake cam lever and an actuator that can move a differential lock shaft to lock the differential, and a lost motion coupling between the brake cam lever and the actuator allowing the brake cam lever to pivot to a differential lock position in which the actuator moves the differential lock shaft sufficiently to lock the differential, before the brake cam lever pivots further to progressively engage the brake. |
| US08056696B2 |
Friction control element having a stroked state
A control element for opening and closing a drive connection between a first member and a second member includes a first ring engaged with the first member, displaceable among a disengaged position, a stroked position and an engaged position and formed with first serrations, a second ring engaged with the first member and including second serrations, a third ring engaged with the second member and including third serrations for alternately engaging with and disengaging from the first and second serrations, and a detent for resisting displacement of the first ring relative to the second ring when the first ring is in the stroked position and permitting displacement of the first ring relative to the second ring when the first ring moves from the stroked position to the engaged position. |
| US08056695B2 |
Adaptive soft start system for mower blade clutch engagement
An adaptive soft start system for mower blade clutch engagement includes an engine speed sensor providing engine speed inputs to a microcontroller that provides electrical power to an electromagnetic clutch for engaging an engine to at least one mower blade. The microcontroller repeatedly computes the rate of change of engine speed during mower blade clutch engagement and modulates the electrical power to the electromagnetic clutch each time the rate of change of engine speed is outside minimum or maximum thresholds. |
| US08056692B2 |
Sealing system and wet-running dual-clutch system with a sealing system
A sealing system with at least one sealing device for a pressurizing-agent-operable actuating device, for sealing off a pressure chamber assigned to the latter from the surroundings. The individual sealing element being placed in a groove formed by the actuating device and a thin sheet metal element connected to the actuating device, where at least two contact surfaces that describe the groove are formed on the actuating device for the sealing element. |
| US08056691B2 |
Device for axially positioning a clutch device
The invention relates to a device for axially positioning a clutch device, especially a dual-clutch device, on a rotary drive, wherein the clutch device is mounted so as to rotate about a rotational axis of said rotary drive. A retaining nut is coaxially screwed with the rotary drive, and the clutch device is indirectly or directly supported on said nut in an axial direction. |
| US08056688B2 |
Immersed wrap spring device
A wrap spring device includes a first hub and a second hub located axially to the first hub. A wrap spring is located externally and concentrically about the first and second hubs and glycol-based solution surrounds the spring. The spring is engaged and disengaged thereby causing the first and second hubs to engage and disengage each other. |
| US08056686B2 |
Torque converter with cover plate directly attached to piston
A torque converter includes a turbine, a lockup clutch including a piston, and a damper having at least one cover plate, the cover plate being attached directly to piston. A method for assembling the torque converter includes passing a section of the piston through a hole in the cover plate and attaching the piston to the cover plate at the hole. |
| US08056684B2 |
Vehicle drum-in-hat disc brake assembly and method for producing same
A vehicle drum-in-hat disc brake assembly comprises: a shield adapted to be secured to an axle flange; a drum brake portion carried by the shield; an abutment tower operatively disposed with the drum brake portion; and a caliper bracket assembly formed separate from the abutment tower and adapted to be secured to the axle flange; wherein at least one first fastener is provided for securing the abutment tower to the caliper bracket assembly and a plurality of second fasteners are provided for securing the caliper bracket assembly and the shield to the axle flange. |
| US08056683B2 |
Electric disk brake and lock mechanism
There is provided an electric disk brake including a caliper and a lock mechanism wherein the lock mechanism shifts with a pad pressing member, and is composed of: a shifting member provided with a plurality of claws with a predetermined pitch in a shifting direction; an engaging member provided with an engaging portion which is engageable with the claws of the shifting member; an actuator driving the engaging member in a direction that the engaging portion engages with the claws of the shifting member; and an energizing means normally energizing the engaging member in a direction that the engaging portion is detached from the claws of the shifting member, and the engaging portion is engaged with the claws provided on one-side surface of the shifting member when being locked while the engaging portion is positioned on the other-side surface of the shifting member when being unlocked. |
| US08056675B2 |
Safety harness
An improved safety harness and method of using same that allows for self-rescue and suspension trauma relief from either a vertical or horizontal anchor, such as a tree or an overhead beam, the safety harness having an adjustable front tie-in assembly whereby the distance between the waist strap and the thigh straps can be adjusted. The wearer is able to change from rear suspension to front suspension after a fall without the necessity of completely detaching from a safety line. |
| US08056674B2 |
Boom lift vehicle and method of controlling lifting functions
A tower boom path is controlled in a boom lift vehicle such that the tower boom nose pin follows a predetermined path. The boom lift vehicle includes a telescoping lift tower boom pivotally coupled at one end to a vehicle base. A main boom is pivotally coupled to the tower boom nose pin at an opposite end of the tower boom. Raising and lowering of the tower boom between a fully retracted position and a raised position is effected by pivoting the tower boom relative to the vehicle base and telescoping the tower boom. The raised position is defined according to any position up to a maximum angle of the tower boom relative to the vehicle base and a maximum boom length. In order to reduce vehicle weight and expedite the tower boom lift function, pivoting of the tower boom relative to the vehicle base and telescoping of the tower boom are performed simultaneously so that the tower boom nose pin follows the predetermined path. With this arrangement, positions of the tower and main booms conventionally generating large turning moments on the vehicle can be avoided, and consequently, a counterweight of lower mass can be used. |
| US08056670B2 |
Pump unit and working vehicle
A pump unit applied to a working vehicle includes an input shaft operatively connected to an output shaft of a driving source, first and second hydraulic pump bodies, a pump housing that accommodates the first and second hydraulic pump bodies having respective rotational axis lines parallel to the input shaft, a PTO shaft, and a mounting housing that couples the pump housing with the driving source in a state that the pump housing is free from the vehicle frame. The input shaft is supported by the pump and is parallel to the output shaft of the driving source, and extends outwardly from a surface of the pump housing that faces the driving source and is inserted into the mounting housing. The PTO shaft is supported by the pump housing and is parallel to the input shaft and extends outwardly from a surface of the pump housing that is opposite to the surface that faces the driving source. |
| US08056667B2 |
Autonomous parking strategy based on available parking space
A method controls a parallel parking of a vehicle. A distance between the first object and the second object is remotely sensed. The distance is compared to a first predetermined distance and a second predetermined distance. An autonomous first steering strategy maneuver is performed for parking the vehicle between the first object and second object if the distance is greater than the first predetermined distance. The first steering strategy maneuver consists of a first predetermined number of steering cycles for parking the vehicle. An autonomous second steering strategy maneuver is performed for parking the vehicle between the first and second object if the distance is between the first predetermined distance and the second predetermined distance. The second steering strategy maneuver consists of a second predetermined number of steering cycles for parking the vehicle where the second is greater than the first predetermined number of steering cycles. |
| US08056664B2 |
Intake cover
A system to prevent hot air from entering an intake cover is disclosed. The system includes overlapping extended portions disposed on the intake cover and a battery cover. The extended portions are configured to prevent hot air from entering the intake cover and allow water to drain from the intake cover. |
| US08056659B2 |
Power output apparatus and hybrid vehicle
The hybrid vehicle includes an engine, two motors, and a power distribution integration mechanism arranged coaxially with one another and a transmission. The transmission includes a transmission shaft extended in parallel with a first motor shaft and a second motor shaft, a first coupling gear train in combination with a second coupling gear train and a clutch arranged to selectively connect a ring gear and a sun gear of the power distribution integration mechanism to the transmission shaft, a deceleration mechanism connected with the transmission shaft and arranged to decelerate power from the transmission shaft and output the power of the reduced speed from a carrier, and a clutch arranged to selectively connect the carrier and the ring gear to a driveshaft. |
| US08056654B2 |
Snowmobile exhaust system
An exhaust system is provided for a snowmobile having a front portion in which an engine is mounted, a rearward portion, and a track belt for propelling the snowmobile. The track belt is in a track belt tunnel that extends from behind the engine to a rear portion of the snowmobile. The exhaust system includes an exhaust pipe that extends from an exhaust outlet of the engine to the track belt tunnel. At least one exhaust outlet is located within the track belt tunnel at a position within the inner circumference of the track belt. |
| US08056653B2 |
Hybrid electric tool carrier
A hybrid utility vehicle includes a tool-supporting frame and an electrical power source driven by an engine. Right and left rear wheels independently driven by permanent magnet electric motors and front wheels electrically steerable over a range of approximately 180 degrees operate under the control of a vehicle controller responsive to steering and speed input controls to provide zero turn radius operation with minimum slippage and tire scuffing. Space efficiency provided by the electric steering and an electrically driven tool deck facilitate a variety of tool mounting configurations including a rear discharge deck with a chute passing under the vehicle frame between the driven wheels. An inverter connected to the electrical power source provides 110/220 volt output. The power source also functions as a high powered, high rpm, low noise starter motor. |
| US08056651B2 |
Adaptive control concept for hybrid PDC/roller cone bits
An earth boring drill bit comprising a bit body having a longitudinal axis along a path of the bit, a first plurality of cutters mounted to the body, and a second plurality of cutters rotatably mounted to the body, wherein a longitudinal axial relationship between the first plurality of cutters and the second plurality of cutters is adjustable. The first and/or second plurality of cutters may be mounted to the body in such a manner as to allow them to slide parallel to the longitudinal axis. The longitudinal axial relationship may be adjusted to exchange the first plurality of cutters and the secondary plurality of cutters between a primary cutting position and a secondary cutting position. The bit may include a sensor to provide an indication of a formation type being excavated by the bit and a processor to control the longitudinal axial relationship based on the indication. |
| US08056649B2 |
Apparatus and methods for drilling wellbores that utilize a detachable reamer
An apparatus for use in a wellbore is provided that in one aspect includes: a drilling assembly configured to carry a first drill bit at an end thereof, a second drill bit disposed uphole of the first drill bit, and a connection device that is configured to selectively connect the second drill bit to the drilling assembly and disconnect the second drill bit from the drilling assembly. |
| US08056636B1 |
Jet pump with foam generator
A jet pumping system for use in a wellbore drilled for the production or petroleum products includes a packer disposed within the wellbore, an intake pipe extending through the packer, an injection system configured to inject pressurized gas into the wellbore and a jet pump connected to the intake pipe. The jet pump further includes a removable vortex generator. A method for selectively generating foam in-situ in a subterranean well includes the steps of installing a vortex generator in the jet pump with a wire line procedure and pumping a foam generating solution into the jet pump. Pressurized gas is injected into the annulus of the well, which creates a vortex in the jet pump as the pressurized gas is directed into the jet pump through injection ports. The resultant vortex aerates and mixes the foam generating solution and petroleum fluids to generate a foam in the jet pump. |
| US08056634B2 |
Off-center running tool for subsea tree
A running tool for lowering a christmas tree to a subsea wellhead. The running tool includes an off center adjustment to compensate for asymmetric weight distribution in the christmas tree. The running tool comprises a main body, latches for coupling the body to the christmas tree, an offset arm connected to the body, and a lift arm (drill pipe adaptor) connected to the lift arm and selectively positioned on the lift arm to offset and compensate for the christmas tree asymmetric weight distribution. |
| US08056633B2 |
Apparatus and method for removing subsea structures
An apparatus and method for removing a subsea structure wherein a housing defining a subsea structure receiving space and having a jetting system attached at or near the bottom of the housing is used to form an excavation around the subsea structure to the desired depth and a frame attached to or mounted in the housing carries a cutter assembly which is movable from a first position on the frame to a second position on the frame, the first position being on one side of the subsea structure, the second position being on the opposite side of the subsea structure. |
| US08056632B2 |
Downhole initiator for an explosive end device
A perforating gun that is usable with a well includes at least one perforating charge and a initiator. The initiator includes an explosive ballistic train to the perforating charge(s). The initiator is adapted to physically misalign components of the ballistic train to prevent inadvertent firing of the perforating charge(s) and physically realign the components to arm the ballistic train. |
| US08056628B2 |
System and method for facilitating downhole operations
A technique is provided to facilitate use of a service tool at a downhole location. The service tool has different operational configurations that can be selected and used without moving the service string. |
| US08056627B2 |
Permeability flow balancing within integral screen joints and method
A borehole system having a permeability controlled flow profile including a tubular string; one or more permeability control devices disposed in the string; and the plurality of permeability control devices being selected to produce particular pressure drops for fluid entering or exiting various discrete locations along the string and method. |
| US08056623B2 |
Surface formation monitoring system and method
A subsurface formation monitoring system and method is described. The system includes a conductive piping structure positionable within a borehole extending into a subsurface formation. The conductive piping structure is electrically decoupled from a production tubing by an insulating packer. The system also includes a downhole installed conductive casing sub that has one or more sensors. The conductive casing sub is electrically coupled to the conductive piping structure. The system further includes a surface installed power and communication module that has an alternate current generator. The power and communication module is electrically coupled to the conductive piping structure via a downhole intermediate module. The alternate current generator can inject a current signal that flows downhole to the conductive casing sub and then returns with sensor measurements to the surface power and communication module via a grounded return electrode that is coupled to the subsurface formation. |
| US08056622B2 |
Slickline conveyed debris management system
A wellbore cleanup tool is run on slickline. It has an onboard power supply and circulation pump. Inlet flow is at the lower end into an inlet pipe that keeps up fluid velocity. The inlet pipe opens to a surrounding annular volume for sand containment and the fluid continues through a screen and into the pump for eventual exhaust back into the water in the wellbore. A modular structure is envisioned to add debris carrying capacity. Various ways to energize the device are possible. Other tools run on slickline are described such as a cutter, a scraper and a shifting tool. A motor driven by an onboard power supply operates the circulation pump as well as a vibration device to agitate the debris and prevent coring into the debris if compacted. A shroud presents an alternate flow path if the housing lower end is embedded in debris. |
| US08056619B2 |
Aligning inductive couplers in a well
An apparatus that is usable with a well includes a first equipment section that includes a first inductive coupler and a second equipment section that includes a second inductive coupler. The second equipment section is adapted to be run downhole into the well after the first equipment section is run downhole into the well to engage the first equipment section. A mechanism of the apparatus indicates when the first inductive coupler is substantially aligned with the second inductive coupler. |
| US08056618B2 |
Flapper mounted equalizer valve for subsurface safety valves
An equalizing valve for a flapper in a subsurface safety valve has a valve member disposed in a passage in the flapper that is made of a material that changes shape when subjected to a stimulus such as heat, for example. In one configuration, the valve member closes off the passage and in another flow past or through the valve member defines the open position allowing pressure to equalize across the closed flapper. Other valve applications are envisioned for downhole use. The stimulus can come from applied electrical current that causes sufficient heating to have the valve member alter its shape. Mechanical assists to the shape altering can be provided which can also optionally be made of shape changing materials. Biasing into a sealed position is envisioned. |
| US08056612B2 |
Delivery device and method for using the same
A discharge device discharges liquid steel into a roller crystallizer for the continuous casting of thin strip. The discharge device reduces turbulence at the meniscus to a minimum so as to eliminate the relative defects on the cast strip by passing the steel between two crystallizer rollers. A relative casting process provides expedients for improving the steel feeding from a tundish to the crystallizer. Advantageously, the feeding of guided steel jet streams inside the nozzle, or delivery nozzle, eliminates the disturbance at the meniscus caused by the air bubbles which can form when free-falling jet streams come into contact with the air. |
| US08056611B2 |
Process and apparatus for direct chill casting
In one embodiment, an apparatus for direct chill casting of metal includes an open ended mold cavity formed by a casting surface with an upper end and a lower end, a refractory sleeve located at the upper end of the mold cavity being adapted to receive molten metal, a coolant delivery system below the lower end of the mold for supplying coolant to chill the descending hot metal body, and a boron nitride ring mounted between the refractory sleeve and the peripheral wall of the mold cavity. Another embodiment further includes a downspout instead of a refractory sleeve that is located at the upper end of the mold cavity being adapted to receive molten metal having a flow control rod or a floating baffle where the flow control rod controls the amount of molten metal to enter the mold cavity. |
| US08056604B2 |
Process for preparing a test casting and test casting prepared by the process
A test casting is useful for predicting the severity of skin that will form when compacted graphite iron or ductile iron is cast using a selected foundry mix. The mold is made from the foundry mix and has a gating system with at least two ingates, and with a hollow cylindrical shape associated with each ingate. The hollow cylindrical shapes are substantially the same height, but the diameter of each varies by at least 20% from the diameter of any of the other cylindrical shapes. Molten metal poured into the gating system fills each of the hollow cylindrical shapes. When the metal cools and solidifies, a solid cylinder of the metal is produced in each hollow cylindrical shape. The solid metal cylinders, each with a distinct diameter, are cut and inspected to measure the skin formed thereon. |
| US08056601B2 |
Self-contained tensioned roller shade system
A self-contained tensioned roller shade system that can be easily installed in an opening, such as a window or a skylight. The roller shade system comprises a free-standing frame, a roller tube rotatably mounted between first and second side channels of the frame adjacent a first end of the frame, and a shade fabric is windingly received around the roller tube. A tensioning cord is operatively coupled between the roller tube and a second fabric end opposite the first fabric end, and is windingly received about the roller tube. A pulley is operatively coupled to the frame adjacent the second frame end and windingly receives the tensioning cord. The tensioning cord is adapted to bias the second fabric end toward the second frame end, the second fabric end of the shade fabric adapted to move between the first and second frame ends as the roller tube is rotated. |
| US08056600B1 |
Pleated and cellular materials and method for the manufacture thereof using a splitter
A tabbed honeycomb structure or pleated panel is made from a stack of collapsed multi-cellular material. The stack is split at bond lines thereby forming the panels of pleated or honeycomb material having a joint tab on one face. |
| US08056599B2 |
System and method of making tapered looped suture
A system for forming a looped suture having a tapered cut is provided. The system includes a base for selectively retaining a portion of thread, a clamping device for receiving a first end of the thread, a tensioning device for receiving a second end of the thread, a welding assembly configured to join a first and second section of the thread to form a loop, and a cutting assembly configured to form a tapered end on the first section of the thread. |
| US08056593B2 |
Non-pneumatic tire
A non-pneumatic tire comprising side cavities that are staggered with respect to laterally opposing side cavities, and laterally extending tread grooves that are in substantial radial alignment with the cavities. In another embodiment, the invention is to a tire comprising side ribs that are staggered with respect to laterally opposing side ribs, and laterally extending tread grooves that are substantially offset relative to the side ribs. Also provided are processes for making such tires and to off-the-road (OTR) vehicles employing such tires. |
| US08056590B2 |
Woodworking machine with adjustment unit
An adjustment unit is installed to a woodworking machine including a base member and an auxiliary platform and is provided between the base member and the auxiliary platform. The adjustment unit includes an adjustment element including an operated portion formed on an end thereof and an adjustment portion formed on another end thereof. A first connective element includes a longitudinal first connective portion coupled to the adjustment portion of the adjustment element and a second connective element coupled to the first connective element and driving the operated portion of the adjustment element to adjust a horizontal position of the auxiliary platform. |
| US08056589B2 |
Overfill prevention control for fluid storage container
An overfill prevention device is provided for preventing overflow of a fluid storage tank. The overfill prevention device includes a filler cup designed to fit within the fill opening of the tank body and attach thereto. A seal that is adapted for receiving and sealing to a fill nozzle is placed between upper and lower regions of the filler cup. A breather piece, which defines a vapor path with first and second openings, is integrated with the filler cup. The first opening of the breather piece is fluidly coupled to the lower cup region, whereas the second opening is positioned above the first opening, located at or below the full level of the storage tank. |
| US08056587B2 |
Fabric, in particular for textile structures and/or coverings
The fabric for textile structures and/or coverings, consisting of warp threads and weft threads of PTFE-yarn, in which the number of warp threads is at least approximately twice the number of weft threads. A method for producing a fabric, in which during the weaving through the warp threads at least two parallel extending individual threads are led simultaneously through a shed of the warp threads. |
| US08056586B2 |
Woven fabric comprising weft wires
The invention relates to a woven fabric comprising warp threads or wires and comprising weft wires, wherein the woven fabric comprises an offset weft wire. The offset is particularly suitable for fastening objects separate from the woven fabric. |
| US08056583B2 |
Sealing means, kit and method for sealing of hollow hoses of flexible material
The present invention relates to sealing means made of a plastically deformable material for mechanical sealing of hollow hoses (2) of elastic material by means of an appliance having at least two jaws, at least one of which is movable towards and away from the other and which, when moving towards each other, crimp the sealing means against the hose (2) for contamination-tight sealing of the same, the sealing means (20) comprises at least one sealing member (4, 4′; 44, 44′; 64, 64′; 74, 74′; 84), which has two opposite ends and an opening (40, 40′) that extends between said ends to allow the at least one sealing member to be slipped onto the hose (2) to be sealed.The present invention also relates to a kit comprising a sealing means and an appliance for sealing of hollow hoses and to a method for mechanical sealing of hollow hoses. |
| US08056582B2 |
System of stepped flow rate regulation using compressible members
A series of compressible members disposed with a vessel lumen designed to produce a flow rate that increases with respect to an increasing flow material pressure with the rate of increase having a stepped behavior. The first compressible member is designed so as to partially restrict flow so as to allow for only moderate increases in flow rate with respect to flow material pressure. Subsequent compressible members are designed to allow for increases in flow rate greater than the moderate rate of increase when the flow material pressure is above a given flow material pressure. |
| US08056580B2 |
Fluid flow control cock fitted with a lever having several stable positions
A valve to control the flow of pressurized fluids, such as medical or industrial gases, consists of a body with an internal fluid distribution circuit, comprising a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a internal fluid passage connecting them. Fluid flow can be controlled by an operator manually actuating a lever. This lever can move between at least three stable positions that are angularly staggered in relation to each other. In the rest position, the lever is fixed and solidly connected to the body of the valve, and there is zero fluid flow in the internal fluid passage. In the intermediary released position, the lever is disconnected from the body, but the fluid flow remains zero. In the active position, the lever is disconnected from the body, and fluid flows thorough the internal fluid passage at a non-zero rate. Application also to gas cylinders equipped with such valves. |
| US08056569B2 |
Typically spherical applicator tip for application of cosmetic products
The applicator tip comprises: a) an application means comprising a rigid core and a plurality of flexible projections, b) an axial handle member having an axial direction and comprising an upper end adapted to be fixedly connected to a rod, and operatively associated with the rigid core through its lower end, and characterized in that: 1) the applicator tip has, along the axial direction, a length L0 ranging from 10 mm to 30 mm, application means having a length L1 which ranges from 6 mm to 15 mm, wherein L0=L1+L2, 2) the application means having a transverse width T, taken in a transverse plane, which is variable as a function of the axial distance L which varies from 0 to L1, the function T=f(L) having a maximum value of T1 for the transverse width when L is between 0.3.L1 and 0.7.L1. |
| US08056567B2 |
Assembly for perforating rod-shaped elements, particularly cigarettes
Assembly for perforating rod-shaped elements, particularly cigarettes, which comprises a driving shaft along which a number of rotary perforating cutters are arranged and the cutters are separated by distance rings, wherein each rotary cutter is positioned between two pushing elements and it protrudes from between those pushing elements. |
| US08056566B2 |
Smoking article with removably secured additional wrapper and packaging for smoking article
A smoking article includes a tobacco column, a binder surrounding the tobacco column, a first wrapper surrounding the binder, and at least one additional removable wrapper which surrounds the first wrapper and is removably secured to a wrapper beneath the additional removable wrapper. Packaging for a smoking article involves a supportive tube surrounding the smoking article and sealed in a package, where the package is made from a front and a rear sheet sealed together to form a sealed envelope. |
| US08056563B2 |
Nipple protector and method
A nipple protector is provided, which is able to protect a nipple of a user reliably, by protecting the nipple area so as to maintain a non-contact state with the nipple area and thereby avoiding the causing of pain or unpleasant irritation to the nipple area, as well as avoiding the leaving of marks while reducing irritation when abutted against the breast. A nipple protector having a hard outer member or shell and an inner member made of a material which is more flexible and deformable than the outer member, with an internal space being formed inside the nipple protector, wherein the internal space is formed by a cylindrical portion which extends from the outer member and/or the inner member, and the inner member has an abutting section which surrounds with no gap the nipple area of a wearer completely, and the abutting section is a deformable abutting section which deforms elastically and is capable of making contact, with no gap, with the perimeter of the nipple area. |
| US08056561B2 |
Full-face mask and mask cushion therefor
A full-face cushion (30B) comprises a substantially triangularly shaped frame (32) from which extends a membrane (34). The frame (32) has a scalloped edge (36) by which the cushion (30B) is affixed to a mask body (46) to form a full-face mask (60B). The membrane (34) has an aperture (38) into which the wearer's nose is received. The member (34) is spaced away from the rim (40) of the frame (32), and its outer surface (41) is of substantially the same shape as the rim (40). Respective notches (42, 44) receive the bridge of the wearer's nose. The wearer's nose and lips are received through the aperture (38) into the chamber within the mask body (46). The seal forming portion (45) thus contacts both the surface of the wearer's nose and a portion of the wearer's face in the region between the bottom lip and the chin, and around the sides and over the bridge of the nose. The shape of the seal forming portion (45) is particularly suited to effectively seal the difficult region of the facial contour that is the crease between the sides of the nose and the face. |
| US08056560B2 |
Universal dust mask/filter for ATV and dirt bike riders, method of making and method of using
A face/dust mask constructed from differently-shaped filter media parts, each part having a different function, and each part interconnected so as to form a fitted air filter. Dual filters assist in eliminating from the intake air a substantial amount of the dust and debris encountered by riders of dirt bikes, manual bicycles, All-Terrain Vehicles, and other machines operated over unimproved, dusty terrain. By the nature of the materials and contours of the component parts, the mask fits comfortably and effectively for both adult and child users. The invention is highly resilient so as to adapt itself to the interior shape of a protective helmet or the mouthpiece section of a motorcycle helmet or similar safety helmet which is placed into position over the mask. The mask is of versatile design so as to enable a variety of embodiments with different filtering capabilities. |
| US08056559B2 |
Characterisation of mask systems
A method and a CPAP apparatus for characterizing mask systems provided. The CPAP apparatus can be calibrated by including sensors configured to measure flow and pressure. When the flow generator is fitted to a new or changed mask system, a method for calibrating the flow generator for the new or changed mask system. The method includes determining air flow characteristics using flow measurements made during a first test period when the flow through the mask system is open, measuring or estimating pressure in the mask system during a second test period when the flow through the mask system is blocked and determining air flow characteristics of the diffuser of the mask system using the air flow characteristics of the air delivery hose determined during the first test period and the pressure measurements made during the second test period. |
| US08056556B2 |
Inhaler nozzle maintenance apparatus and method
A medication dispenser includes a thermal drop generator ejector head. Medication is maintained in a pressurized container connected to a valve under the control of control electronics and to a compliant chamber. Fluid flows from the container to the chamber and to the ejector head. In a first mode the dispenser is operable to dispense aerosolized medication. In a second mode the ejector head is purged with fluid from the container to maintain the ejector head. |
| US08056546B2 |
Multi-function throttle valve
An engine system comprises an air cleaner, a combustion chamber coupled to an intake port, and an intake manifold. The intake manifold is configured to receive air from the air cleaner, and, under some conditions to receive exhaust from the combustion chamber. The engine system further comprises a multifunction, barrel-type throttle valve coupled to the intake port via an outlet, the throttle valve having a first inlet coupled to the intake manifold and a second inlet coupled to the air cleaner. |
| US08056540B2 |
Method and system for fuel vapor control
A method and system for fuel vapor control in a hybrid vehicle (HEV). The HEV fuel vapor recovery system includes a fuel tank isolation valve, which is normally closed to isolate storage of refueling from storage of diurnal vapors. The method for fuel vapor control includes selectively actuating the fuel tank isolation valve during interrelated routines for refueling, fuel vapor purging, and emission system leak detection diagnostics to improve regulation of pressure and vacuum the HEV fuel vapor recovery system. |
| US08056537B2 |
Engine having fuel injector with actuator cooling system and method
An internal combustion engine, such as a direct injection compression ignition diesel engine, includes an engine housing having a plurality of cylinders and a plurality of fuel injectors associated one with each of the cylinders. The fuel injectors each include a first fuel inlet and a second fuel inlet, and an actuator subassembly which is configured to actuate a control valve assembly positioned within the fuel injector. The engine further includes a fuel system having a fuel supply circuit, and a cooling system for the actuator subassembly having a cooling circuit with a segment in common with a segment of the fuel system. The cooling system is configured to pass cooling fuel across a heat exchange interface of the actuator subassembly to exchange heat therewith. The actuator subassembly may include a piezoelectric actuator and a preloading spring, which are each fluidly sealed within a casing of the actuator subassembly. |
| US08056536B2 |
Ignition device for internal combustion engine
An ignition device for an internal combustion engine including: an exciter coil that generates an AC voltage having a positive half wave and first and second negative half waves generated before and after the positive half wave with rotation of the internal combustion engine; and an ignition control portion that controls an ignition position of the engine using a microprocessor to which a power supply voltage is supplied from a power supply circuit that converts the voltage having the negative half waves generated by the exciter coil to a DC voltage, wherein the ignition control portion is comprised so as to cause a timer to start a counting operation at the start of the operation of the microprocessor, regard a measurement value of the timer as time between generation of the first negative half wave and generation of the second negative half wave to arithmetically operate counting data for measuring the ignition position based on rotational speed information of the engine obtained from the time, and immediately measure the arithmetically operated counting data to generate an ignition signal. |
| US08056535B2 |
Intake control system for general-purpose engine
In an intake control system for a general-purpose engine, comprising: a motor which is attached to a first side wall, supporting one end portion of a valve shaft of a throttle valve, of a throttle body, and which drives the throttle valve to be opened and closed; a sensor unit which is attached to a second side wall supporting the other end portion of the valve shaft, and which detects an opening degree of the throttle valve; a fuel injection valve which is attached to a third side wall integrally connecting upper end portions of the first and second side walls to each other, and through which a fuel is injected into the intake path at a position downstream of the throttle valve; and an electronic control unit which is attached to a fourth side wall facing the third side wall, the electronic control unit is connected to the motor, the fuel injection valve and the sensor unit with first, second and third conducting wires, respectively. Accordingly, it is possible to allow significant shortening of wires, which electrically connect intake control elements to each other, by completing the wiring only around the throttle body. |
| US08056531B2 |
Shallow piston bowl and injector spray pattern for a gasoline, direct-injection engine
A combustion system for a direct-injection, spark-ignition engine is disclosed. A side-mounted fuel injector located outboard the intake valves directs multiple fuel jets into a shallow, spherical bowl formed in a domed piston. Both good mixing to facilitate good air utilization with early injection and an ignitable mixture at the spark plug with late injection to facilitate cold start are provided with such a combustion system. Because the bowl is smooth and shallow, the surface area of the combustion chamber is less than with a deeper bowl of complicated shape. Lowering surface area in the combustion chamber leads to improved fuel economy. |
| US08056527B2 |
Split-chamber rotary engine
The split-chamber rotary engine includes a rotary power module having a case with a circular rotor installed therein. At least one, and preferably two or more combustion chambers are formed peripherally in the rotor. The generally circular rotor cavity of the case includes at least one, and preferably two or more, peripheral expansion chambers. A corresponding number of reciprocating compressor modules are installed upon the case, with the compressor module axis being aligned generally tangentially to the rotor periphery. The compressor module includes concentric reciprocating pistons and valves that compress the air charge and transfer the compressed charge to the rotary power module for power production. The compressor module is driven purely by combustion gas pressure acting upon its inboard piston. No mechanical linkage exists from power module to compressor module. The engine may include multiple rotor and case rows, as desired. |
| US08056526B2 |
Magnesium oil pan
A magnesium oil pan prevents noise and vibration by attaching reinforcement members to portions that are weak in strength and are vulnerable to vibration. The magnesium oil pan includes a flange formed on an upper surface of the oil pan so as to be coupled with the cylinder block, a lower oil pan coupler formed on a lower surface of the oil pan so as to protrude downwards, and a bracket formed on a lateral surface of the oil pan so as to be coupled with a chain cover of the engine. The lower oil pan coupler includes a main reinforcement rib on an inner side of the oil pan which continuously runs between opposite inner walls of the lower oil pan coupler and protrudes downwards. Thus, the magnesium oil pan is made lightweight, improves noise-proof performance, and is hardly damaged by external impacts. |
| US08056525B2 |
Induction system for internal combustion engine
An induction system for an internal combustion engine includes an upper intake for receiving air from a supply, such as a turbocharger, and a lower intake which combines a cylinder valve actuator cover, a plenum for receiving air from the upper intake, and a number of intake runners which extend across, an integrally with, the cylinder valve actuator cover to cylinder head intake ports which are configured at outboard sides of the engine cylinder head. |
| US08056524B2 |
Lash adjuster
A return spring is formed using a compression coil spring that is installed so that its axial direction is an up-down direction. The return spring is provided in a high-pressure chamber, and powers a plunger in an upwards direction. A coil diameter of the return spring varies along the axial direction. When the return spring is in a maximally compressed state, an axial direction dimension (up-down direction dimension) is smaller than a dimension that is a thickness of a spring wire multiplied by the number of coil turns. Hence, an overall height of a lash adjuster A can be reduced in comparison to when a return spring with a constant coil diameter over an entire length is used. |
| US08056521B2 |
Bearing device
The present invention relates to a bearing device (1) for supporting a camshaft (2) in a cylinder head with at least two bearing blocks (3) which support the camshaft (2), and which are axially penetrated by the camshaft (2) to be supported in a first through-opening (6), and with a connection element (5), at which the at least two bearing blocks (3) are fastened in an aligned position, wherein the bearing blocks (3) together with the connection element (5) and the camshaft (2) form a prefabricatable module which is mountable in an aligned position at the cylinder head. |
| US08056520B2 |
Valve drive of an internal combustion engine
A valve drive of an internal combustion engine, which has a reciprocating poppet valve and a spring element which impinges the closed reciprocating poppet valve with force against the action of a valve seat. The force characteristics are substantially independent of the lift characteristics of the reciprocating poppet valve. The spring element is part of a snap-in locking device, which is stationarily mounted in the engine and surrounds the valve stem of the reciprocating poppet valve. The snap-in locking device has snap-in elements arranged in the power flux between the spring element and reciprocating poppet valve. The snap-in elements are supported in the direction of closure of the reciprocating poppet valve on a snap-in surface of the valve stem when the reciprocating poppet valve is closed and on a snap-in surface of the snap-in locking device when the reciprocating poppet valve is open. |
| US08056519B2 |
Camshaft phaser intermediate locking pin and seat
A vane-type camshaft phaser for an internal combustion engine, in which an intermediate locking pin and seat are provided for locking the camshaft phaser at a position intermediate of its full advanced and retard positions, one of the locking pin and seat having a non-circular cross section, and the cross-sectional shapes of the locking pin and seat being substantially dissimilar to each other. |
| US08056518B1 |
Valve lash adjustment nut
A valve actuating system determines a shape of its jam nut surface as a function of a resultant force on a ball stud exerted by a rocker arm on the ball stud during operation of the valve train. The contact surface of the jam nut, which is pressed against an associated surface of the head of an engine, is a conical surface with an included angle that is generally twice the magnitude of an angle between a resultant force on the ball stud and a central axis of the ball stud and its associated jam nut. Certain accommodations can be made in order to reduce the cost of the system that would occur if perfect mathematical preciseness with a most preferred embodiment of the present invention is employed. |
| US08056516B2 |
Variable valve lift transition control methods and systems
A system for controlling a variable valve lift system of an engine comprises a delay module that estimates a total delay based on at least one of a measured and an estimated delay of the variable valve lift system. A variable valve control module commands one of a first transition from a variable valve low-lift profile to a variable valve high-lift profile and a second transition from a variable valve high-lift profile to a variable valve low-lift profile based on the total delay. |
| US08056515B2 |
Method and device for the operation of a valve of the combustion chamber of a combustion engine, and a combustion engine
A device for the operation of a valve (5) to the combustion chamber (6) of a combustion engine, wherein the combustion engine comprises a cylinder, a piston (3) displacably arranged in the cylinder (2), and a combustion chamber (6) delimited by the cylinder (2) and the piston (3), and said valve (5), and wherein the device comprises a valve actuator (7) that comprises an actuator chamber (8), an actuator piston (9) displacably arranged in the latter and arranged to drive the valve (5), and a communication channel (11) through which a pressure fluid is conducted into the combustion chamber (8) for the driving of the actuator piston (9) and, thereby, the valve (5) in a direction in which the valve (5) is opened. The communication channel (11) extends from the combustion chamber (6) to the actuator chamber (8), and said pressure fluid comprises fluid pressurized by the pressure in the combustion chamber (6). |
| US08056514B2 |
Pressure device for a variable compression ratio engine
A pressure device maintains the raceways (48, 160 to 165) of the main moving components (3, 5, 7 and 40) of a variable compression ratio engine permanently in contact with one another and with the faces on which they rest in a cylinder case. The inventive device includes pressure elements which are solidly connected to the cylinder case (100) and which exert a pressure force on a control rack (7) having a toothed segment (75) formed by teeth (74). The pressure force is applied against a support surface (78) provided on the lower part of the rack (7). |
| US08056510B2 |
Potable water delivery system for animals
An animal water supply system includes disposable containers such as plastic bags that can be supplied in bulk in sterile form and filled under a change hood or other sanitary environment using a filling machine located in the sanitary environment. The containers preferably comprise plastic bags configured to be suspended from a hanger of a bag filling machine. The machine's hanger is preferably configured to support a plastic bag during both bag filling and the subsequent insertion of a watering valve into the bag. The bag is further configured to permit its placement in or on a conventional cage while protecting the tearable material of the bag from the animal. If desired, a liner can be provided to further protect and support the bag or other container on a wire bar lid. |
| US08056508B1 |
Syringe feeder with nipple and guard
A hand feeding system for small animals, such as kittens, uses a syringe that has a nursing nipple removably attached to the hub end of the syringe. Either a scratch pad is interposed directly between a shoulder of the syringe and the nipple or a plate is so interposed such that the plate is removably attached to a freestanding stand that has a scratch pad located thereon. |
| US08056507B2 |
Squirrel-proof sunflower seed bird feeder
A squirrel-proof sunflower seed bird feeder is provided which denies feeding access to squirrels by way of a unique connection system between an inner housing member and an outer housing member of the bird feeder. |
| US08056498B2 |
Inspection and testing indicator
An indicator is disclosed that detects the presence of a chemical residue. The indicator includes a substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface and a first portion and a second portion joined at a fold line. The first portion is smaller in area than the second portion. An adhesive coats the upper surface of at least the second portion of the substrate. A first reactant is adhered to the upper surface of the first portion of the substrate. When the second portion is contacted with a surface containing the chemical residue, the residue adheres to the adhesive and when the first portion is subsequently folded along the fold line so that the upper surfaces of the substrate contact each other, a portion of the adhesive on the second portion remains exposed and the first reactant and chemical residue react to provide the color indicia indicating the presence of the chemical residue. |
| US08056494B1 |
Propelling apparatus for a flotation device
The disclosure depicts and describes flotation device including a deck, and a chaira seat on the deck. A well extends downwardly from the deck, and a ledge extends upwardly from the deck. The deck has an aperture positioned adjacent the ledge; additionally, the invention includes a motor having a power head and tiller positioned above the deck, a shaft passing through the aperture, and a propeller adjacent the terminal end of the shaft. |
| US08056492B2 |
Vessel comprising a subsea equipment motion restraining and guidance system
A vessel (2) for handling subsea equipment comprising a subsea equipment hoist system including a winch and a hoist cable (3) for lowering and retrieving subsea equipment (5) in a hoist area of the vessel, a subsea equipment motion restraining and guidance system for restraining subsea equipment motion relative to the vessel in the hoist area. The subsea equipment motion restraining and guidance system includes a main trolley (7), an auxiliary trolley (8) and a vertical trolley guide structure (9) mounted on the hull of the vessel that allows for vertical travel of the trolleys and further a top end engagement member (10), which is movably supported by said main trolley and which is adapted to engage on a top end of the subsea equipment, and one or more rail engaging members (3a) mounted on said auxiliary trolley, each adapted to engage on a vertical rail (11) mounted on said subsea equipment as said subsea equipment passes vertically by said auxiliary trolley. |
| US08056491B2 |
Berthing system and structure for use therein
A separation and guidance structure comprises an arm having an inner end with a crosspiece secured in use to a pontoon or the like, and an outer end provided with fenders extending above and beyond the end of the arm. Flotation is provided to support the outer end of the arm, and may be in the form of a flotation member or be provided by the fenders. In use a number of such structures are secured in parallel to a pontoon or dock to form a berthing system. |
| US08056490B2 |
Watercraft having a kite-like element
The invention relates to a water craft comprising a kite-type element, which is connected to said water craft by means of a traction cable. Said water craft is characterized in that the kite-type element is equipped with adjusting devices, which are supplied with energy from the water craft, said energy being transmitted in the traction cable or by an element on the latter. |
| US08056489B2 |
Telescopic column, especially for height adjustable tables
A telescopic column, in particular for height-adjustable tables, comprises a first member (1) and a second member (2) arranged telescopically relative to each other, wherein the first member (1) is provided with a rack (12) and the second member (2) with a gear wheel (5) in mesh with the rack. Configuring the rack as a plurality of holes (12) in the member (1) allows the column to be made of a thin sheet. |
| US08056488B2 |
Pallet assembly
A pallet assembly includes an upper deck and a lower deck spaced by a plurality of columns. The weight of the pallet is reduced without significant reduction in strength by providing only a single cross beam in each of the upper and lower reinforcement members and orienting them perpendicular to one another. The reinforcement members are minimized for weight reduction and for improved performance in heat tests. The peripheral rail of the upper reinforcement member is reduced such that it rests on only an inwardly open recess on an inner corner of each of the corner columns. This reduces the size and weight of the upper reinforcement member, while still providing support to the upper deck. Additionally, the peripheral rails of both the upper and lower decks are reduced in length such that either ledge does not directly support them while the pallet is stored on a rack. As a result, in the case of sufficient heat source on the pallets, the pallets will eventually collapse without interference from the reinforcement members and at least partially smother the heat source. |
| US08056483B2 |
Cable or pipeline trolley for traveling along a carrier rail
The invention relates to a cable or pipeline trolley (2) for travelling along a carrier rail, comprising at least one chassis (1) and a carrier device (10) for cables or pipelines, in addition to a central plate (9) that connects the carrier device (10) to the chassis (1). Known cable or pipeline trolleys of this type are sensitive to high winds and are frequently derailed from the guides as a result of the large wind-exposure area. The aim of the invention is to develop a cable or pipeline trolley so that it is more operationally secure and the chassis can run more reliably along the carrier rail even when exposed to high winds or other stress. To achieve this, at least two rectangular cavities and two triangular cavities (6, 7) are positioned within the outer boundary of the central plate (9), said cavities being symmetrical in relation to the central axis of the central plate and being separated by a strut. |
| US08056482B2 |
Articulated bogie for a railway vehicle
A bogie includes two pairs of wheels (2), the wheels (2) of one pair being connected to one another by a shaft to form an axle (4), the axles (4) being connected to one another by two half-chasses (8) each having two side members (10) connected to one another by a cross-member (12). The side members (10) rest on one of said axles (4), the cross-members (10) of the half-chassis (8) being articulated by an articulation device (18) so as to permit rotation of one half-chassis (8) relative to the other about a substantially longitudinal axis (A). Each side member (10) of a half-chassis (8) is connected to a side member (10) of the other half-chassis (8) by a connector (20) mounted in an articulated manner about substantially transverse axes on the side members (10), the connector (20) extending at least partially in a horizontal plane offset in terms of height relative to the horizontal plane passing through the articulation device (18). |
| US08056478B2 |
Methods and apparatus for high-impulse fuze booster for insensitive munitions
A method for initiating a low-sensitivity explosive charge includes initiating a booster explosive charge within an explosive charge cavity in a booster housing, and generating a planar detonation wave. Generating the planar detonation wave includes directing a detonation wave through the booster housing along a first waveshaper surface of a detonation waveshaper. The detonation wave is directed around the first waveshaper surface toward a second tapered waveshaper surface. After progressing around the first waveshaper surface, the detonation wave is directed along the second tapered waveshaper surface. The detonation wave changes into a planar detonation wave as the detonation wave moves along the second tapered waveshaper surface, the planar detonation wave includes a planar wave front. The planar detonation wave strikes a flyer plate coupled over the explosive charge cavity of the booster housing, and the planar wave front makes planar contact along an inner face of the flyer plate. |
| US08056477B2 |
Protection system for use with airbag inflators and initiators
An inflator assembly may include an inflator housing and an initiator attached to the inflator housing. A varistor may be associated with the initiator and may be spaced apart from a surface of the inflator housing to define a first spark gap between the varistor and the surface of the inflator housing. |
| US08056469B2 |
Coffee machine with dispenser of a ready prepared chocolate-based beverage
Coffee machine, comprising at least one steam generator for producing steam and an apparatus for producing the coffee with associated dispensing device, a storage tank containing a ready prepared liquid chocolate product with a density suitable for being a conventional chocolate beverage, a heating device provided with an inlet and an outlet for the product to be heated and an inlet for introducing the steam, a line between said storage tank and the inlet of said heating device, a metering pump arranged along said line for conveying a predetermined amount of chocolate-based product from said storage tank to said heating device and for circulating it inside it, a line for the steam, connecting said steam generator to said inlet for the steam of the heating device, an intercept valve arranged along the said steam line as well as a beverage dispensing device connected to the outlet of the said heating device.The machine allows the dispensing of various types of beverages, such as chocolate, coffee, milk and cappuccino and owing to the presence of said intercept valve, said metering pump may dispense the chocolate beverage in hot condition or in cold condition. |
| US08056467B2 |
Fluid pressure apparatus for a bicycle
A fluid pressure apparatus for a bicycle comprises a piston, a housing with a chamber dimensioned to receive the piston therein so that the piston can move axially, and first and second fluid ports in fluid communication with the chamber. The first and second fluid ports are located so that the piston is disposed between the first and second fluid ports when the piston is disposed in a piston home position. A first positioning element moves from a first home position towards a first direction, and a first biasing element biases the first positioning element towards the first home position. A first coupling element couples the first positioning element to move with the piston in the first direction, but the first positioning element and the piston move relative to each other when the piston moves in an opposite second direction. |
| US08056464B2 |
Firing brakes for cannons or mortars
The invention relates to firing brake assembly for weapons of the type incorporating an actual firing brake and means to modulate the function of said firing brake wherein the modulating means are in the form of a chamber equipped with a piston delimiting an upstream chamber and a downstream chamber, the upstream chamber communicating with the gun barrel by means of an upstream circuit ensuring that part of the combustion gases are taken up and a downstream chamber filled with a fluid and communicating with the firing brake by means of a downstream circuit. |
| US08056460B2 |
Bolt carrier for gas-operated firearms
A kit for modifying a bolt carrier group actuating apparatus of a firearm manufacturer-configured with a gas-driven bolt carrier comprises a gas expansion assembly, an operating rod driven bolt carrier and an operating rod. The gas expansion assembly is configured for receiving combustion gases from an as-manufactured OEM gas block of the firearm and for facilitating expansion of said gases for generating a bolt carrier driving force. The operating rod driven bolt carrier includes an operating rod engaging lug. The operating rod driven bolt carrier is configured for being operably engaged within an as-manufactured OEM receiver body of the firearm with the operating rod engaging lug located in a gas tube lug receiving portion of the as-manufactured OEM receiver body. The operating rod is engagable between the gas expansion assembly and the operating rod engaging lug. |
| US08056456B2 |
Apparatus for producing thin sections
An apparatus for producing flat thin sections of a specimen (3) comprises a blade edge (7), a specimen carrier (4), a drive device (14) for producing a relative motion between the blade edge (7) and the specimen carrier (4) in a sectioning plane (5), and a light light-ribbon micrometer (8) arranged between the blade edge (7) and the specimen (3), wherein the light-ribbon micrometer (8) is arranged at a fixed distance (d) relative to the blade edge (7) and generates a light-ribbon in a plane perpendicular to the sectioning plane. A coding device (13) may be associated with the drive device (14) for controlling an alternating drive as a function of the distance (d) and of signals generated by the light-ribbon micrometer (8). |
| US08056448B2 |
Multi-size wrench
A multi-size wrench is defined with an engaging hole in a head thereof, and an inner surface of the engaging hole of the head is formed by six arc-shaped engaging concaves and six arc-shaped connecting convexes which are alternatively connected to each other in such a manner that between each two neighboring engaging concaves is connected a connecting convexes. An angle between the connecting lines from two ends of the respective arc-shaped engaging concaves to the center of the engaging hole is 50 degrees, and an angle between the connecting lines from the center of the engaging hole to a middle connecting point of each arc-shaped connecting convexes and to a connecting end of the connecting convex is 5 degrees. By such arrangements, the multi-size wrench is applicable to a Metric hexagonal fastener, an English hexagonal fastener and a torx fastener which are correspondingly sized. |
| US08056444B1 |
Automated surface covering removal machine
An automated surface covering removal machine having a handle, a housing, a lever member, a reciprocating cylinder and edge means for providing vertical or near vertical movement of the edge means relative to the surface covering to facilitate removal of the surface covering is disclosed. The surface covering may be shingles, carpeting, linoleum, or any other type of surface covering. The automated surface covering removal machine is lightweight and easy to use and does not exert a debilitating backwards force on the user. The reciprocating cylinder allows for a variable stroke height of the tooth bar allowing for more rapid removal of a surface covering. |
| US08056442B2 |
All-wheel drivetrain for a motor vehicle
An all-wheel drivetrain for a motor vehicle, which has at least two driven axles, comprising a characteristic torque converter transmission of longitudinal construction. To the input side of the transmission drive power is fed and the transmission serves for converting a characteristic of a drive engine. The output side of the transmission is connected to a transfer device, by means of which the drive power can be distributed to the two axles. The transmission has an output shaft which is connected to a first drive shaft for the first axle, and a countershaft parallel thereto. The output shaft and the countershaft are connected to one another by means of a first constant transmission ratio. The countershaft is connected by means of a second constant transmission ratio to a second drive shaft for the second axle. The transfer device is arranged coaxially with the second drive shaft. |
| US08056440B2 |
Adjustable pedal system
Provided is an adjustable pedal system. The adjustable pedal system includes: a support bracket having a predetermined hole and a guide groove which are substantially perpendicular; a driving part including a driving arm which can make a substantially vertical motion along the guide groove and provides a driving force to the driving arm; a control arm including a hinge hole which is coupled to the driving arm by a first pin and a sliding slot which is coupled to the predetermined hole by a second pin and formed oblique to the guide groove; and a pedal arm having a pedal at one end thereof and being connected to the control arm at other end thereof, the control arm slides obliquely along the sliding slot according to the working of the driving arm when moves vertically along the guide groove and thus this causes a position of each of the control arm and the pedal arm to be changed. |
| US08056436B2 |
Adjustable steering column assembly for a motor vehicle
A steering column assembly for a motor vehicle is disclosed having lower and upper steering column members that are slidingly interengaged. The upper column member is attached to a structural part of the motor vehicle by a ride down mechanism that allows the upper steering column to move in the event of a collision. A load transfer means is provided to bypass the ride down mechanism when an adjustment lever is moved to a position allowing the position of the upper steering column member to be adjusted thereby preventing accidental damage occurring to the ride down mechanism due to operator abuse. |
| US08056430B2 |
Transmission controller and vehicle including the same
A transmission controller includes a rotatable shaft that controls engagement and disengagement of a variable speed clutch. An actuator, such as an electric motor, drives the shaft. The shaft is rotated alternately in the normal and reverse directions by supplying a low level current to such an extent that a clutch transfer mechanism is not operated by the rotation. Rotation stop positions are detected. A play area between the rotation stop positions is calculated and can be used to correct for manufacturing inaccuracies or for wear occurring over time. |
| US08056428B2 |
Lubricating element and lubricating unit
The present invention relates to a lubricating element (12) for rolling element tracks, in particular linear systems, with a body composed of a lubricant-storing material, which includes an application section (34) capable of being brought in contact with a rolling element bearing surface to supply lubricant, and which includes a storage region (22) for lubricant that abuts the application section (34), the body being provided with at least one recess (38) in the storage region (22), on an end opposite to the application section (34). |
| US08056425B2 |
Device and method for detecting a volume while receiving and/or discharging a fluid having a gas portion
The invention relates to a device for detecting an amount while receiving and/or discharging a fluid having a gas portion comprising a measurement line for conducting the fluid, a flow measuring unit for the fluid, which is in fluid connection with the measurement line, a degree of filling measuring unit for the fluid, which is in fluid connection with the measurement line and which comprises an electrode arrangement for determining electrical properties of the fluid present in the measurement line, and an evaluation unit for determining the fluid amount conveyed which is in a signal connection with the degree of filling measuring unit and the flow measuring unit. According to the invention it is provided that the electrode arrangement of the degree of filling measuring unit has a plurality of electrode plates which form a plate stack in the region of the measurement line. |
| US08056422B2 |
Method and member for measuring stress distribution of natural bone, synthetic bone, or member attached to them
When visualizing the stress distribution of natural bone, synthetic bone, or a member attached to either thereof without omitted points, in order to measure accurately in a variety of modes using an inexpensive system, a mechanoluminescence material thin film 6 is formed in advance on a bone material peripheral surface 5 in an appropriate area thereof including the portion where an insertion support portion 4 of an artificial hip prosthesis 2 is inserted into a hollow inside 3 of a damaged femur 1 or a synthetic bone simulating the damaged femur. The mechanoluminescence material thin film 6 portion is photographed over its entire circumference with an IICCD camera 7 from the external peripheral side thereof as or after the artificial hip prosthesis 2 is inserted. The obtained image is fed to a computer 11 to obtain a luminescence image 8. The computer 11 outputs the intensities of the received light in the form of an image as is, so that the luminescence image 8 can be obtained easily. Particularly, the data about the intensities of the received light can be used as stress/strain data virtually as is. Such method is also suitable for dynamic analysis. |
| US08056420B2 |
Self-powered sensor
A self-powered sensor is provided for fatigue monitoring and other low power requirement applications. The self-powered sensor is comprised of: a piezoelectric transducer; a non-volatile memory comprised of at least one floating gate transistor; and a current reference circuit adapted to receive a voltage signal from the piezoelectric transducer and operable to output an injection current into the non-volatile memory. The current reference circuit may employ a floating gate transistor operating in a weak-inversion mode. |
| US08056415B2 |
Semiconductor device with reduced sensitivity to package stress
A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor (52) includes a substrate (62) a movable element (58) spaced apart from the substrate (62), suspension anchors (66, 68, 70, 72) formed on the substrate (62), and compliant members (74) interconnecting the movable element (58) with the suspension anchors. The MEMS sensor (52) further includes fixed fingers (76) and fixed finger anchors (78) attaching the fixed fingers (76) to the substrate (62). The movable element (58) includes openings (64). At least one of the suspension anchors resides in at least one of the multiple openings (64) and pairs (94) of the fixed fingers (76) reside in other multiple openings (64). The MEMS sensor (52) is symmetrically formed, and a location of the fixed finger anchors (78) defines an anchor region (103) within which the suspension anchors (66, 68, 70, 72) are positioned. |
| US08056414B2 |
Angular velocity sensor and angular velocity sensing device
An angular velocity sensor of a horizontally located type, in which influence of a translational acceleration applied thereto from a lateral direction is readily removed and a fixed portion thereof is easily fixed, is provided. It includes a fixed portion fixed to the top surface of a sensor element supporting portion of a casing, an upper detection arm portion and a lower detection arm portion respectively connected to the fixed portion on sides opposite to each other and extending along a plane parallel to the top surface of the sensor element supporting portion, and a pair of upper vibration arms connected to the fixed portion with the upper detection arm portion in between. The fixed portion includes one or more slits extending at least in a direction intersecting with the extending direction of the upper detection arm portion. |
| US08056410B2 |
Method for predicting imbalance of a propeller shaft assembly
A method for determining an imbalance of a propeller shaft assembly can include establishing balancing planes relative to certain areas of the propeller shaft assembly and identifying each component of the propeller shaft assembly that could have a potential imbalance condition due to a tolerance variation. The method can also include determining the potential imbalance condition for each identified component, and determining a contribution of each determined potential imbalance condition to a respective pair of the established balancing planes. The method can further include determining a total magnitude of imbalance at the respective pair of established balancing planes based on the determined contributions of each potential imbalance condition, and determining a statistically representative value of the determined magnitude of imbalance. |
| US08056402B2 |
Nanoprobe tip for advanced scanning probe microscopy comprising a layered probe material patterned by lithography and/or FIB techniques
By forming an appropriate material layer, such as a metal-containing material, on a appropriate substrate and patterning the material layer to obtain a cantilever portion and a tip portion, a specifically designed nano-probe may be provided. In some illustrative aspects, additionally, a three-dimensional template structure may be provided prior to the deposition of the probe material, thereby enabling the definition of sophisticated tip portions on the basis of lithography, wherein, alternatively or additionally, other material removal processes with high spatial resolution, such as FIB techniques, may be used for defining nano-probes, which may be used for electric interaction, highly resolved temperature measurements and the like. Thus, sophisticated measurement techniques may be established for advanced thermal scanning, strain measurement techniques and the like, in which a thermal and/or electrical interaction with the surface under consideration is required. These techniques may be advantageously used for failure localization and local analysis during the fabrication of advanced integrated circuits. |
| US08056395B2 |
Method for detecting a chemical substance
The present invention provides a method for detecting easily and efficiently a chemical substance contained in a gas sample at an ultralow amount.The present invention is directed to detecting method of a chemical substance contained in a gas sample, using an analyzing device with electrostatic atomizer. The analyzing device comprises a vessel, a inlet, a cooling part, an atomizing electrode, a counter electrode, an intermediate electrode, a liquid detecting part, and a detecting electrode. According to a detecting method of the present invention, the gas sample is condensed as a first condensate liquid at the surface of the atomizing electrode. The first condensate liquid is configured to be electric-charged fine particles to obtain a second condensate liquid at the surface of the counter electrode. The resulted second condensate liquid is brought in contact with the detecting electrode and a current voltage is applied between the counter electrode and the detecting electrode. The chemical substance is detected on the basis of the generated current value. |
| US08056391B2 |
Digital wound detection system
Methods and devices for a miniature, ultra-low power impact recorder for detecting, quantifying and recording the energy of an explosive blast or ballistic projectile impact. In one embodiment, the impact recorder can included a sensor comprised of an array of electromechanical resonators that is sensitive to the vibrations produced in selected, discrete frequency ranges that approximate the spectral signature characteristics of the shockwave resulting from the ballistic impact event, even after traveling through impacted material or body tissues. |
| US08056389B2 |
Sensor self-test transfer standard
A system, computer program product and method of obtaining a performance parameter associated with a sensor, such as an accelerometer, is provided. The method includes applying an acceleration to the accelerometer and a first frequency to obtain a sensitivity of the accelerometer at the first frequency. A first self-test is performed on the accelerometer. The first self-test includes stimulating the accelerometer with a first self-test stimulation signal encoded with the first frequency, such that the accelerometer outputs a first signal. A self-test equivalent acceleration is then determined based, at least in part, on the first signal and the accelerometer sensitivity at the first frequency. A second self-test is performed on the accelerometer. The second self-test includes stimulating the accelerometer with a second self-test stimulation signal encoded with the second frequency, such that the accelerometer outputs a second signal. A parameter of the accelerometer is determined at the second frequency based, at least in part, on the second signal and the self-test equivalent acceleration. The parameter may be sensitivity of the accelerometer at the second frequency. |
| US08056386B2 |
Pin bending device
An exemplary pin bending device (200) includes a base (210), a sliding member (230), a fixing member (240), and a latch member (250). The sliding member (230) is slidably positioned on the base and defines a plurality of holes (2303) for receiving first portions of pins. The fixing member is fixed on the base. The latch member is movably positioned on the base. The latch member is able to move towards the fixing member in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction of the sliding member and engage with the fixing member to fix second portions of the pins. |
| US08056385B2 |
Press forming die assembly
A press forming die assembly for press forming a blank material includes a draw forming portion that the blank material flows and a draw bead for controlling the amount of the blank material flowing into the draw forming portion. A first draw bead is provided at a periphery of the draw forming portion in a direction substantially parallel to an outer peripheral shape of the draw forming portion. A second draw bead extends from the first draw bead toward the outside of the draw forming portion in a direction intersecting the first draw bead. The blank material includes a thick sheet portion having a greater thickness than the other portion or a high rigidity portion having a higher rigidity than that of the other portion. The second draw bead is provided at a portion corresponding to the thick sheet portion or the high rigidity portion of the blank material. |
| US08056381B2 |
Device for producing patterns
A device for producing a pattern onto a work piece includes a die, an electromagnetic actuator and a base. The die includes a patterned surface, and the patterned surface includes a pattern. The electromagnetic actuator includes an plate body, a convex part and a strip unit connected to the plate body. The electromagnetic actuator is disposed in the base. When the electromagnetic actuator is activated while a work piece is being positioned between the patterned surface and the electromagnetic actuator, an inductive current is generated on the work piece by the electromagnetic actuator, and then a repulsive force is generated between the electromagnetic actuator and the work piece. The repulsive force causes the work piece to adhere to the patterned surface, forcing the work piece to deform against the patterned surface and to take on the shape of the pattern. |
| US08056380B2 |
Cylinder lock unit with an extra locking pin
A cylinder lock unit is disclosed, with an elongate housing portion (2′) extending outside and along a cylindrical bore, and the elongate housing being dimensioned for being accommodated in a structural part (S) to form a lock device, with a fixed external longitudinal configuration (L) fitting into the structural part. The elongate housing portion has a linear row of cylindrical holes (22′), registering with cylindrical chambers in a key plug having a key slot. The cylindrical holes are closely packed with mutual distances dimensioned in accordance with prescribed minimum standards, and at least one of the cylindrical holes (22′), located adjacent to one longitudinal end of the elongate housing portion (2′), has an inclined cylinder axis, so that, as compared to a lock unit with only mutually parallel cylinder hole axes in the linear row in the elongate housing portion, an extra cylindrical hole is accommodated in the linear row. |
| US08056378B2 |
Rekeyable lock cylinder and rekeying method thereof
A rekeyable lock cylinder comprises a cylinder body, a plug, an adjusting block and a plurality of rack component assemblies. The plug disposed within the cylinder body has a trench and a plurality of rack component runners communicating with the trench. The adjusting block disposed at the trench has an arc sidewall, a plurality of leading slots corresponding to the rack component runners one by one and a position groove recessed from the arc sidewall. The position groove has a notch portion and a groove inner portion, wherein a depth of the groove inner portion is larger than a depth of the notch portion. Each of the rack component assemblies comprises a first rack component disposed at the rack component runner and a second rack component capable of engaging with the first rack component. Each of the first rack components has a rib portion located at the leading slot. |
| US08056377B2 |
Tethered portable storage device
A portable safe (10) includes a safe body (15) and cover (20) that are selectively coupled with a locking mechanism (32). The safe cover (20) is permanently affixed to a tether (27) having a loop (29) at one end that is sized to allow the safe cover (20) to pass through but does not admit the safe body (15). Thus, the safe cover (20) can be installed on a fixed object by looping the tether (27) around the object, passing the safe cover (20) through the loop (29), and cinching the cover (20) to the fixed object. The safe body (15) can then be locked to the safe cover (20). |
| US08056376B2 |
Dual-lock type padlock having double reminding function
A lock includes a housing, a locking mechanism and an indicator. The locking mechanism is disposed in the housing and includes a first module and a second module both configured to lock or unlock the lock. The indicator is able to move from an original position to an indicative position outside the housing in response to operation of the first module. However, when being located in the indicative position, the indicator is unresponsive to the operation of the first module. |
| US08056374B2 |
Multiple compartments wash additives auto-dispenser in washer or dryer pedestal
Systems and methods for delivering a first additive to an appliance are disclosed. The systems include a first storage container located in a pedestal, a first pump operatively connected to the first storage container and the appliance. A controller is configured to activate the first pump upon receiving an input. The first pump configured to deliver the first additive from the first storage container to the appliance. The methods include receiving a first input. The first input specifying an amount of the first additive to be delivered to the appliance. The first additive is delivered by activating a first pump in response to receiving the first input. Activating the first pump causes the first additive to be delivered to the appliance. |
| US08056372B2 |
Knitting head for a knitting machine
A knitting head (11) for a circular knitting machine (1), with the knitting head comprising the complete main bearing (29) of the cylinder and being provided, on its lower end, with a standardized interface (34) for accommodation with a carrier ring (35) located on the side of the machine frame. The carrier ring (35) supports the head ring (30) along the entire circumference of said head ring, preferably by means of a continuous seating surface (36) extending around the entire circumference. |
| US08056365B2 |
Sheet glass forming apparatus
One embodiment of the present invention is an improved sheet glass forming apparatus. In another embodiment, a precise thermal control system redistributes the flow of molten glass at the weirs to counteract the degradation of the sheet forming apparatus which inevitably occurs during manufacturing. In yet another embodiment, the invention introduces a counteracting force to the stresses on the trough in a manner such that the thermal creep which inevitably occurs has a minimum impact on the glass flow characteristics of the forming trough. Another embodiment creates a variable external cross-section which provides hydraulic stresses that are in opposition to the surface tension and body force stresses and thus, reduces the influence of surface tension and body forces. In an alternative embodiment, the glass is preferentially cooled across its width to create forming stresses during solidification, which ensures that the glass sheet drawn is inherently flat. In an additional embodiment, the internal pressure is adjusted in each of the major components of the forming apparatus such that the pressure difference across any leakage path to the forming zone is essentially zero. Therefore, air leakage in the apparatus is minimized even though the cracks and openings exist during initial operation and develop during manufacturing. |
| US08056363B1 |
Method for producing a highly refractive composite gemstone, and product
A method for providing a protective coating and enhanced optical qualities to a gemstone. The method includes coating a first portion and a second portion of a gemstone with TiO2 doped with calcium oxide (TiO2+). The TiO2+ coated gemstone is next coated with a diamond like carbon (DLC) coating. The gemstone may be synthetic or natural. The composite gemstone, having been coated with both TiO2 and DLC, exhibits high refractivity and enhanced wear resistance and color. |
| US08056362B2 |
Method and device for purifying high melting organic raw products or compound mixtures by means of fractionated melting crystallisation from solvent mixtures
This invention relates to a method and a device for purifying and/or separating preferably high melting organic raw products or compound mixtures containing, in particular, high melting and/or degradable sterols, by layer crystallization on first heat exchanger surfaces. The raw product is received in a solvent or solvent mixture, and then brought into contact with heat exchanger surfaces. The desired product crystallizes on the heat exchanger surfaces by slow cooling. Solvent evaporating during the crystallization or sweating process is condensed and returned to the mixture. |
| US08056359B2 |
Fast freeze shelf
A refrigeration appliance includes an insulated cabinet forming an interior cavity and a refrigeration system for cooling the interior cavity. A thermally conductive shelf forms a support surface within the interior cavity, and a thermal sink is operatively coupled to the conductive shelf. The thermal sink is adapted to facilitate the transfer of thermal energy from the thermally conductive shelf. In one example, the thermal sink includes a plurality of thermal sinks operatively coupled to the conductive shelf. In another example, the thermal sink is removable from the interior cavity. |
| US08056355B2 |
HVAC drain system
The invention relates to a HVAC drainage system. There is a need for an HVAC drainage system which operates well in a vehicle which moves over rough terrain. An HVAC unit is mounted at a central portion of an inner roof panel over an air inlet opening. A collection recess is formed by the panel and surrounds the air inlet opening. Concentric walls formed by the inner roof panel in the collection recess surrounding the HVAC unit. Each wall has one or more gaps formed therein. The gaps in adjacent walls are mis-aligned with respect to each other so that fluid is prevented from flowing in a straight line through gaps in adjacent walls. Drainage ports are formed in the inner roof panel. Drainage grooves formed in the inner roof panel communicate the collection recess with corresponding drainage ports. |
| US08056348B2 |
Refrigerant charge control in a heat pump system with water heater
A heat pump system includes a compressor, a reversing valve, an outdoor heat exchanger and an indoor heat exchanger in a circuit, and a refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger. In the air cooling with water heating mode, the air heating with water heating mode and the water heating only mode, water from a water reservoir is passed through refrigerant-to-water heat exchanger. A refrigerant reservoir may be provided for use in refrigerant charge control. A refrigerant line (71) couples reservoir to the refrigerant circuit intermediate the outdoor and indoor heat exchangers for directing liquid refrigerant into the reservoir and a refrigerant line (73) couples the refrigerant circuit upstream of the suction inlet to the compressor for returning refrigerant to the refrigerant circuit. A controller controls flow into and from the refrigerant reservoir through selective opening and closing of control valve (72) in line (71) and control valve (74) in line (73). |
| US08056345B2 |
Hybrid cooling of a gas turbine engine
A hybrid cooling system for a gas turbine engine includes a vapor cooling assembly and a cooling air cooling assembly. The cooling air cooling assembly is configured to remove thermal energy from cooling air used to cool a first component of the gas turbine engine. The vapor cooling assembly configured to transport thermal energy from a vaporization section to a condenser section through cyclical evaporation and condensation of a working medium sealed within the vapor cooling assembly. The vaporization section is located at least partially within a second component of the gas turbine engine, and the condenser section is located outside the second component. |
| US08056344B2 |
Gas turbine engine and method for reducing turbine engine combustor gaseous emission
In a turbine engine hydrogen is injected into the combustor in response to a power output level of the turbine engine. In a preferred embodiment, gaseous hydrogen is always injected at low-power operations and switched off at mid-power and high-power operations. |
| US08056340B2 |
EGR mixer for high-boost engine systems
An EGR mixer comprises an upstream conduit section having a contracting flow area in a direction of air flow through the mixer, a downstream conduit section having an expanding flow area in the direction of air flow through the mixer, a slot formed in the downstream conduit section for admitting exhaust to the air flow, and an abrupt flow-expanding ridge disposed between the upstream and downstream conduit sections. With the EGR mixer configured in this manner, recirculated exhaust may be effectively homogenized into an intake air flow with reduced drag. |
| US08056339B2 |
Warming intake air using EGR cooler in dual-throttle boosted engine system
A method for providing intake air to an engine in a vehicle comprises delivering compressed fresh air and EGR to the engine via first and second throttle valves coupled to an intake manifold of the engine. During a higher engine-load condition, an EGR exhaust flow is cooled in a heat exchanger and the cooled EGR exhaust flow is admitting to the intake manifold. During a lower engine-load condition, fresh air is warmed in the heat exchanger, and the warmed fresh air is admitted to the intake manifold. |
| US08056333B1 |
Pump and engine configuration
An engine configuration is disclosed. The engine configuration incorporates hydraulic pumps within the sump of the engine, and drives the hydraulic pumps from one of the engine shafts. A portion of the hydraulic pumps extends outside the sump of the engine so that hydraulic lines may be connected between the hydraulic pumps and separate wheel motors used to propel a vehicle. |
| US08056329B2 |
Tractor trailer power system
The present invention relates to a tractor trailer power system for powering a hydraulic liftgate and other components in the trailer so the tractor engine does not have to run to maintain the battery charge of the trailer batteries. |
| US08056326B2 |
Regeneration device having cooled injection housing
A regeneration device for use in an exhaust treatment system is disclosed. The regeneration device has a first housing with a plurality of passages configured to receive coolant and injection fluid. A second housing is secured to the first housing and configured to receive coolant and injection fluid. The second housing has at least one cooling recess annularly disposed within the second housing to receive and circulate coolant in proximity to a tip end of the second housing. |
| US08056323B2 |
Method of controlling exhaust gas purification system and exhaust gas purification system
In an exhaust gas purification system provided with an exhaust gas purification device in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine, and at the same time, provided with a reductant supply means for supplying a reductant to the upstream side of this exhaust gas purification device, two or more of the oxygen concentration, the CO concentration, and the HC concentration of the exhaust gas detected by an exhaust gas component concentration detecting means are used as control parameters during the reductant supply control when the reductant is supplied into the exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust gas purification device. With this, the supply period and supply amount of the reductant can be optimized, and a decrease of fuel efficiency deterioration and suppression of deterioration of the quality of the components of the exhaust gas flowing into the atmosphere are attempted. |
| US08056318B2 |
System for reducing the sulfur oxides emissions generated by a turbomachine
A portion of the exhaust generated by a turbomachine is recirculated through an inlet portion by an exhaust gas recirculation system. The system reduces the level of Sulfur Oxides and other constituents within the exhaust before the exhaust is recirculated. The system may utilize sea water, fresh water, or combinations thereof; as part of a scrubbing process to reduce the Sulfur Oxides and other constituents. |
| US08056315B2 |
Chain connecting link
The invention relates to a chain connecting link, which has two link brackets (4, 5) coupled via their limbs (6, 9), and a bar (14a-14c) that is inserted transversely between the limbs (6, 9) of the link brackets (4, 5). One limb (6) of each link bracket (4, 5) comprises a neck section (7) and a pin (8) thicker than the neck section, and a neck recess (10) and a pin recess (11) are provided in a matching fashion at the other limb (9) of the link bracket (4, 5). According to the invention, conically configured flank surfaces (12) with respect to the vertical central longitudinal plane (MLE) are provided at each pin (8) and at each pin recess (11). |
| US08056313B1 |
Mobile machinery having a dust suppression system
A mobile harvesting unit which utilizes a high volume fan to separate crops from foreign matter, has a dust suppression system which substantially reduces particulates which are discharged with the fan exhaust. The dust suppression system has two stages. The first stage separates larger particles of foreign matter by deploying an air stream cleaning chain upstream of the fan. The second stage is contained within a air stream discharge duct. Within the air stream discharge duct, a liquid, such as water, is sprayed into the dust entrained air stream. The moistened air stream flows through a plurality of collection members which extend radially from a brush drum, where the moistened dust particles are accumulated on the collection members, such that the volume of dust particles contained within the air discharged from the harvesting unit is substantially reduced. |
| US08056311B1 |
Tensioning of the top roll of a crop conditioner
A crop conditioner includes a frame mounting a bottom fixed roller and a top liftable roller. The top roller is liftable at each end on a pivot member tensioned by a tension link, a tension spring and a bell crank connected between the tension link and the spring. The bell crank is mounted on the conditioner frame for pivotal movement about a pivot axis which lies transversely to a line parallel to the pivot axis of the second roller so that the bell crank extends from the tension link to the tension spring in a direction outwardly of the radial plane of the roller pivot axis. The spring extends upwardly and forwardly from the bell crank pivot at a rear flange of the frame to an adjustment screw of the spring at a top flange of the frame immediately adjacent an adjustment of a bottom stop of the top roller. |
| US08056310B2 |
Conditioner rolls having tread pattern coordinated with cutterbar crop discharge pattern
A conditioner roll tread pattern comprising a plurality of equally circumferentially spaced ribs separated by grooves extending across the axial length of the conditioner roll. The ribs are angled relative to the axial centerline, either with a fixed positive/negative angle or a continuously varying angle alternating between positive and negative extremes. The conditioner roll is configured to work in conjunction with a paralley disposed roll of similar tread pattern configuration, reversed end-for-end so that the ribs of one roll intermesh with the grooves of the adjacent roll. The location of the transition points at which the angle reverses along the axial length are coordinated with the transverse locations of converging and diverging crop flows being discharged from a forwardly disposed rotary disc cutterbar in a manner that results in a crop mat having more uniform thickness being discharged from the conditioner. |
| US08056302B2 |
Door panel
A door panel that is capable of maintaining the adhering strength of the adhesive is provided. An outer panel and an inner panel are joined together by an adhesive. Adhesive retaining portions, each of which includes an adhesive retaining channel for retaining the adhesive, are provided in adhering portions of the inner panel. Each adhering portion includes vertically extending portions, and the adhesive retaining portions of the inner panel are formed in the shape of an extended raised portion and extend vertically in the respective vertically extending portions of the adhering portions, along ventilation openings, which are formed at locations corresponding to groups of ventilation holes of the outer panel. Each adhesive retaining portion is provided at the middle of each vertically extending portion of the adhering portions so as to be flanked by adhesion margins of identical width. |
| US08056301B2 |
Method of framing a building shear wall structure compatible with conventional interior or exterior finishing materials and subsurface panel for use therewith
A shear wall structure is formed on a building wall or section thereof designed to accommodate anticipated wind or seismic shear loads by initially securing one or more subsurface shear panels on the interior or exterior sides of the wood or steel framing studs. Each shear panel consists of a thin steel sheet (0.015″ to 0.060″ thick) laminated to a thin rigid sheet material such as medium density fiberboard ( 1/16″ to ¼″ thick). Subsequently, the shear panels are covered with a conventional interior (e.g., drywall panels) or exterior (e.g., plaster) finishing materials. |
| US08056299B2 |
Foundation construction for superstructures
The installation of a foundation at a selected location enables a superstructure to be installed and supported in a desired attitude such as a vertical attitude at the foundation. An installation template is placed at the selected location and support sites on the installation template can be adjusted so that the installation template will support the foundation subassembly in a manner such that the superstructure can be supported in said desired attitude. The foundation subassembly is placed onto the installation template using a lifting subassembly that is secured to the foundation subassembly. The foundation subassembly is fixed in place by concrete or the like into which the foundation assembly is inserted. The superstructure can then be secured to the foundation subassembly. The superstructure and the foundation assembly can be elongated lengthwise relative to their lateral dimensions, and the superstructure can comprise a post adapted to hold a panel for deflecting road noise. |
| US08056295B2 |
Floor covering, floor panel and method for manufacturing floor panels
Floor covering, consisting of floor panels (2), which, at least at two opposite sides (3-4), comprise coupling parts (5-6), which, in the coupled condition of two of such floor panels (2), provide for a vertical as well as for a horizontal locking, characterized in that in coupled condition, at least at the location of the aforementioned two sides (3-4) of at least two mutually coupled floor panels (2), a strip (11), more particularly a prefabricated strip (11), is present in the floor covering (1), said strip extending up to the visible side of the floor covering (1). |
| US08056294B2 |
Concealed suspension ceiling with downward removable panels
A suspended ceiling system comprising metal grid members and rectangular composite acoustical panels, the panels having edges at their peripheries, the grid members having a cross section generally like an inverted T such that they provide oppositely extending flanges adapted to support the panels at their edges, a resilient element at a juncture between a support on the grid member flanges and at least one edge of each panel, the resilient element being arranged to temporarily deflect to permit a panel to be raised from below the grid member into an installed position and to extend itself to hold such panel in position on the grid. |
| US08056292B2 |
Low relflected-sound-pressure-level, low moisture-vapor-transmission-rate flooring system
A flooring system having a top floor layer, a sub-floor, and an underlayment material disposed between the sub-floor and the top floor layer is disclosed. The underlayment material may include a cross-linked, polyolefin foam having a moisture vapor transmission rate of less than about 3.0 lb/1000 ft2/24 hr, and an average sound pressure level of less than about 15 dB over a range of about 300 Hz to about 1000 Hz. The foam may have a compressive strength of at least about 0.85 kg/cm2. Foam density, gel fraction, and resin blend may combine to provide an underlayment material having such reflective sound and moisture vapor barrier properties. |
| US08056291B1 |
Concrete and light gauge cold formed steel building structure with beam and floor extending over a load bearing stud wall and method of forming
A series of spaced-apart light gauge cold formed steel studs underlie an elongated light gauge cold formed steel channel or box. A series of joist supports are connected to the channel and a series of joists, formed of a light gauge cold formed steel, are connected to the joist supports and extend outwardly from the box. Decking is supported on the joist. Concrete is poured into the channel to form a reinforced header or beam, and concrete is also poured onto the decking to form a concrete floor. Together, the concrete floor and header form a monolithic concrete structure that enables the joist to be misaligned with studs. |
| US08056290B2 |
Decorative molding
The invention includes an end cover (32) for disposition over an end of a mantel (20). The end cover (32) presents a front corner (38) extending between an upper wall (34) and a lower wall (36) and is symmetrical rearwardly to a pair of side edges (42) from the front corner (38) whereby the end cover (32) may be disposed over either end of the mantel (20). The upper wall (34) of the end cover (32) extends between the front walls (44) and the side edges (42) and the lower wall (36) extends between the front walls (44) and the side edges (42). The upper wall (34) and the lower wall (36) each has the shape of a square with equal sides. The front walls (44) define interior surfaces complementary to the irregular pattern of the decorative face (24) of the mantel (20) and the end cover (32) overlies the mantel (20) the thickness of each front wall (44). |
| US08056281B2 |
Device with multiple sights for respective different munitions
A device includes structure that can support the device on a weapon. One version of the device includes a first sight that facilitates weapon orientation in preparation to fire a first munition, and a second sight that facilitates weapon orientation in preparation to fire a second munition different from the first munition. A different version includes first and second sights that each facilitate weapon orientation, and an electronic control portion that is operatively coupled to and simultaneously exerts control with respect to each of the first and second sights, the first and second sights each displaying targeting information generated electronically by the electronic control portion. |
| US08056280B2 |
Firearm having an improved forearm fastening mechanism
A shotgun includes a forearm and a fastening mechanism that is used to couple the forearm to the remainder of the shotgun. The fastening mechanism moves between a first position where the forearm is coupled to the remainder of the shotgun and a second position where the forearm is uncoupled from the remainder of the shotgun. In one embodiment, the fastening mechanism is a lever-type fastening mechanism. In another embodiment, the fastening mechanism includes an anchor that is shaped to be received in a hole in a magazine of the shotgun. The anchor rotates between a first position where the anchor is unable to exit the hole so that the forearm is coupled to the magazine and a second position where the anchor is able to exit the hole so that the forearm is uncoupled from the magazine. |
| US08056277B2 |
Weapon grip assembly
A weapon grip assembly for attachment to a forward portion of a weapon is provided. The invention includes a base assembly supported for operative engagement by a handle. The base assembly includes clamps adapted to be secured to a forward portion of the weapon and further includes a post having a clamp end adapted to retain the clamps for pivot motion with respect thereto. The post of the base assembly is received within a bore of the handle, a mandrel being interposed between the handle and the clamps of the base assembly. As the base assembly is drawn into the handle, by rotation of the handle about the post of the base assembly, the mandrel receives the clamp end of the post, with an upper free surface thereof engaging the clamps for pivoted closure about a portion of the weapon in furtherance of securing the weapon grip assembly thereto. |
| US08056275B2 |
Waterless system for providing fan-shaped fountain effect
An apparatus for creating a water disk effect without water. The apparatus includes first and second disks, each having a first side with a substantially planar surface and a second side with a surface textured with a three dimensional (3D) pattern or topography including raised, arcuate ridges in a whirlpool or spiral arrangement. The apparatus includes a housing that supports the first and second disks for independent rotation about a common axis. The disks are positioned such that the first sides are proximate but spaced apart to avoid contact, such that the 3D patterns face outward toward viewers of the apparatus. The apparatus includes a drive assembly rotating the first disk in a first direction and concurrently rotating the second disk in a second direction opposite the first direction. A water disk effect is created during counter rotation when light from the Sun or other source strikes the disks. |
| US08056272B2 |
Steam appliance with pump
A steam appliance having a water pump controlled by an actuator or motion switch response to movement of the appliance is provided. In one embodiment, a micro-switch is turned ON and OFF by movement of a micro-switch actuator in operative engagement with the towel frame at the base if the appliance. In another embodiment, the actuator is operatively connected to a mechanical pump to activate the pump. The motor switch or actuator will be displaced whenever the unit is moved by a user, thus causing the pump to pump water to the boiler. Steam is then fed to a steam pad that may have a replaceable fabric pad fit snugly on the frame to distribute clean steam to a surface to be steamed. |
| US08056270B1 |
Dredge propulsion system
A dredge propulsion system mounted on the same boom as the cutter head. The propulsion system has one or more augers which can be operated individually to maneuver the dredge. In the preferred embodiment a pair of augers are mounted parallel to one another on a subframe which is connected to the boom of the cutter head. The subframe comprises a first member pivotally attached to the boom. Each auger is carried by a three bar linkage mounted to the first member. |
| US08056269B2 |
Article of footwear with lighting system
An article of footwear with a lighting system is disclosed. The lighting system includes three lighting devices disposed on the article of footwear. The lighting system is also associated with an automatic fastening system. |
| US08056268B2 |
Intelligent footwear systems
The invention is directed to intelligent systems for articles of footwear that adjust automatically in response to a measured performance characteristic. The intelligent systems include one or more adjustable elements coupled to a mechanism that actuates the adjustable elements in response to a signal from a sensor to modify the performance characteristic of the article of footwear. The intelligent system adjusts the performance characteristics of the article of footwear without human intervention. |
| US08056267B2 |
Article of footwear with cleated sole assembly
An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole assembly secured to the upper. The sole assembly includes a sole plate having a lower surface, and a plurality of cleats extending downwardly from the lower surface. Each cleat has a central recess formed therein, a core formed of a first material, and an outer layer on the core and formed of a second material that is softer than the first material. |
| US08056266B1 |
Pant-leg-covers for modified footwear, conventional footwear, and other foot-receiving apparatuses
Improved foot-receiving apparatuses that may include: a housing somewhat defining an interior (16) for receiving a foot, and having an external periphery; and at least one Pant-Leg-Cover (XX1) disposed substantially outside of the external periphery of the housing, where the Pant-Leg-Cover (XX1) extends upward from a fixable lower portion (A1) joined to the housing to a free upper portion (D1) movable relative to the housing, where a pant leg (99) can be at least accommodated, secured, and utilized between the housing and the Pant-Leg-Cover. The consumer may have the option to freely join or un-join the Pant-Leg-Cover with the housing to at least change the aesthetic appearance of the apparatus, e.g. depending on personal preference. This specification describes numerous embodiments that will create a sustainable competitive advantage for a select corporation. |
| US08056265B2 |
Shoe tying aid and method
A shoe can be tied using only one hand if provided with a tying aid in the form of a generally T-shaped unit comprising a leg having two laterally extending ears. The leg is secured between rows of eyelets on the opposed flaps of the shoe by one or more of the lengths of lace extending across the gap between the flaps. The lengths of shoelace that would otherwise be tied in a bow are instead wrapped around the ears of the tying aid in alternating fashion, preferably twice around each ear, in a manner similar to the manner in which a mooring line is secured to the cleat of a boat. |
| US08056261B2 |
Footwear sole construction
A sole construction having a heel carrier and an upwardly-arched heel pad. The heel pad is fitted into and supported by the heel carrier so that the heel pad provides a spring-like bending reaction to a load. The sole construction may further include a support element disposed above the heel pad and fitted into heel carrier. The support element may be upwardly-arching so that, like the heel pad, it provides spring-like bending reaction in response to a load. The support element and heel pad may be integrally formed, for example, by molding the heel pad directly onto the support element. The heel pad and/or support element may be fitted into slots in the lateral and medial sidewalls of the heel carrier to interconnect the heel pad, support element and heel carrier. The support element may have a forward extension to function as a shank. |
| US08056255B2 |
Manure removal and drying system
A manure removal and drying system is used in an agricultural setting. The system includes a static pressure control system for regulating an amount of static pressure in a high pressure area of the agricultural setting, a variable speed loading system for varying a speed of operation of the system based on an amount of manure being removed and dried in the agricultural setting, a moisture sensing control system for detecting moisture from the manure in order to activate or deactivate the system, a selective capacity control system for selectively scaling a distance the manure in the agricultural setting is moved, and a friction reduction system for reducing the buildup of friction within the system caused by the movement of belts. |
| US08056253B2 |
Systems and methods for drying a rotating substrate
A system of drying a surface of a substrate is provided. The system includes a rotary support for supporting a substrate; and an assembly comprising a first dispenser, a second dispenser, and a third dispenser, the assembly positioned above the surface of the substrate, the second and third dispensers positioned on the assembly adjacent to and in contact with one another and spaced from the first dispenser, the second dispenser having an opening that is larger than an opening of the third dispenser, and the second dispenser being located between the first and third dispensers; and means for translating the assembly generally parallel to the surface of the substrate. |
| US08056248B2 |
Digit level devices and methods
A digit level device that is attachable with a digit and that includes a spirit level with a length that is longer than it is wide that measures the relative vertical and horizontal angle of the length of a finger of thumb. A digit level device that includes a level that is configured to be attachable with at least one of the distal phalanx section or the middle phalanx section of at least one digit of the user. A digit level device that includes at least one laser level or digital level that is configured to attach to at least one finger of a user. A method for cutting hair. The method includes attaching a digit level device to a digit, and using the level to determine the angle of the cut in relation to the horizontal and vertical plane. |
| US08056244B2 |
Electric saw
In an electric saw includes a circular saw blade, a guard cover is arranged to surround an upper portion of the circular saw blade and a dust collecting case is arranged at the rear of the guard cover for collecting chips generated during a cutting operation performed by the circular saw blade. An openable lid unit is arranged in a position along a passage through which the chips pass. The guard cover is formed into a curved shape along the circular saw blade and the passage is defined by the guard cover to extend along a peripheral edge of the circular saw blade. The lid unit includes an opening portion formed in the passage and a lid member for closing the opening portion. The lid unit is opened toward the front of the guard cover as the lid member is rotated along a rotating plane of the circular saw blade. |
| US08056243B2 |
Power tool
A power tool comprising a housing displaceably mounted to a foot plate, a blade, a motor, an electric switch and an interlock for controlling movement of the housing with respect to the foot plate. The interlock has a control button mounted to one of the housing or foot plate which cooperates with a channel fixed in relation to the other of the housing or foot plate. The control button can select between a plunge cut mode wherein the blade can protrude below the foot plate, or a blade change mode wherein the blade is prepared for a blade change operation. The channel comprises a major leg in communication with a minor leg. Cooperation between the button and the major leg selects the plunge cut mode. Cooperation between the button and the minor leg selects the blade change mode. The interlock may also comprise a housing lock and a spindle lock. |
| US08056241B2 |
Utility cutter
A utility cutter includes a housing, a blade and blade shuttle, a blade trigger, and a trigger lock. The blade and blade shuttle are enclosed within the housing in a retracted position. The blade is extended from the housing in an extended position. The blade trigger includes a cavity and is coupled to the housing. The blade shuttle is conveyed from the retracted position to the extended position when the blade trigger pivots from a rest position to an engaged position. The trigger lock includes a projection and is accessible at the exterior of the housing through the blade trigger. The trigger lock is coupled to the blade trigger and the projection is in contact with the stop pin when the blade shuttle is in the retracted position. The blade trigger is pivotable from the rest position to the engaged position when the projection is released from the stop pin. |
| US08056239B2 |
Scrubbing razor
The scrubbing razor includes a housing and one or more cutting blades with a rounded cutting edge. The housing includes a top cover, a tubular outer safety ring mounted to the top cover, and one or more tubular anchor rings disposed within the tubular outer safety ring and mounted to the top cover. The one or more cutting blades are mounted to the one or more tubular anchor rings. |
| US08056238B2 |
Shaving head having a blade supporting member with reduced cross-sectional area
The invention relates to a shaving head (5) comprising at least two bladeshaped cutting members (7, 7′, 7″) each having a straight cutting edge (9, 9′, 9″) extending parallel to a longitudinal direction (Y) of the shaving head. Each cutting member is supported in a cartridge (11) of the shaving head by means of a supporting member (17) which supports the respective cutting member in a supported area (23) on the respective cutting member. Said supported area extends over a predetermined distance (D) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Each supporting member has a first portion (25) in contact with the supported area at a location remote from the cutting edge of the respective cutting member and a second portion (27) in contact with the supported area at a location near the cutting edge of the respective cutting member. The first portion has a basic cross-sectional area, seen perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction, and the second portion has a reduced cross-sectional area. According to the invention, the second portion (27) of the supporting member (17) of at least one of the cutting members (7, 7′, 7″) extends over at least half of said predetermined distance (D). In this manner, the free space between two adjacent cutting members is considerably increased. As a result, the rinsability of the shaving head is improved, so that the risk of shaving debris accumulation between two adjacent cutting members is reduced. |
| US08056234B2 |
Window component stock indexing
A stock supply station for use in a insulated glass unit component production line includes a plurality of rotatable sheet stock coils, an indexing mechanism, and an uncoiling mechanism. The indexing mechanism is coupled to the sheet stock coils for indexing a selected one of the sheet stock coils to an uncoiling position. The uncoiling mechanism selectively uncoils sheet stock from a sheet stock coil indexed to the uncoiling position to thereby provide sheet stock to a downstream processing station. |
| US08056233B2 |
Method of manufacturing an automotive component member
The invention provides a method for manufacturing an automotive component member, including the steps of: (A) positioning at least one insert into a mold, wherein the insert defines a plurality of holes; and (B) casting a portion of the automotive component member in the mold to substantially encapsulate the insert such that a major portion of the insert is substantially non-bonded with the casting material to provide a proper interfacial boundary with the casting material for damping. The method may include the step of coating the insert to prevent bonding between the insert and the casting material. A damped automotive component member having an insert cast therein is also disclosed. |
| US08056232B2 |
Method for manufacturing of fuel nozzle floating collar
A floating collar is metal injected moulded with an excess portion intended to be separated, such as by shearing, from the reminder of the moulded floating collar to leave a chamfer thereon and/or remove injection marks. |
| US08056230B2 |
Method for manufacturing plate stacks, particularly coolers or cooler elements consisting of plate stacks
A method for manufacturing plate stacks for the production of coolers, cooler elements or heat sinks made of at least one plate stack for cooling electric or opto-electric components. The process includes the manufacture of plates or boards of metal, stacking the plates to form a plate stack, joining of the plates with the application of heat and pressure to form a stack, and post-treatment of the plate stack. |
| US08056229B2 |
Method of manufacturing a tubular support structure
A method and apparatus particularly suited to the manufacture and assembly of cage-like, substantially cylindrical structures made of long, slender tubular components which, by themselves, are not self-supporting, employs an exo-skeleton structure to assemble cage-like, tubular structures in pie-shaped, longitudinal segments while in a horizontal or vertical position utilizing longitudinal or circumferential attachments. The apparatus comprises at least two segments which permit construction of subassemblies of the cage-like, tubular structure and their transportation, if necessary, to a remote site where they may be finally assembled. |
| US08056228B2 |
Electrodes with mechanically roughened surface for electrochemical applications
The invention relates to a method for roughening the surface of a metal sheet used as electrode support in industrial electrochemical applications, and an electrode made by such method. Mechanical roughening is imparted by skin-passing the sheet between two rollers of a rolling mill, at least one of which is patterned according to a predetermined profile to be transferred by compression to the surface of the metal sheet. |
| US08056225B2 |
Method for manufacturing electrical connectors for enhancing coplanarity
The present invention is a method for manufacturing an electrical connector comprising an insulative housing with a base side and an opposed side and lateral sides interposed between said base side and said opposed side and at least one conductive contact including a first leg that extends from the base side of the insulative housing, the at least one conductive contact further including a second leg extending laterally adjacent the top side of the housing. In this method there is provided a mold comprising a first die and an opposed second die all defining an interior cavity and an exterior area. A molding compound input port extends between the exterior area and the interior cavity. The conductive contact is then positioned in the interior cavity such that the second leg extends adjacent the second die along an entirety of a length of the second die between first and second bent ends. The interior cavity of the mold is then filled with a polymeric molding compound, and during at least a portion of the filling step, the second die is maintained in contact with the second leg along the entirety of the length. |
| US08056223B2 |
Method of producing a suspension board with circuit
A suspension board with circuit includes a circuit board containing a metal supporting board, an insulating pattern formed on the metal supporting board, and a conductive pattern formed on the insulating pattern; an optical waveguide disposed on the circuit board; and a positioning portion provided on the circuit board in order to position the optical waveguide with respect to the circuit board. |
| US08056222B2 |
Laser-based technique for the transfer and embedding of electronic components and devices
A laser direct write method used to transfer entire single components such as semiconductor bare dies or surface mount passive and active components on a substrate or inside recess in a substrate for making embedded microelectronics is disclosed. This method laser-machine the pockets, laser-transfer the individual components inside those pockets, and then laser-print the interconnects required to “wire” the components, thus resulting in a fully assembled embedded circuit required to make a fully functional microelectronic system. |
| US08056218B2 |
Crimping apparatus for cables, particularly shielded cables
Crimping apparatus for crimping separate parts of a metal sleeve arranged concentrically about the junction between a shielded cable and a plug connector, including a pair of colinearly arranged annular crimping dies that are operable by an annular operating member arranged concentrically about the crimping dies, such that upon a single angular movement of the operating member in a given direction from a retracted position to a crimping position, one end of the sleeve is crimped to the plug in one desired manner, and the other end of the sleeve is crimped to the shielded cable in another desired manner. |
| US08056217B2 |
Twist-lock handling system
An apparatus (10) for either securing twist-locks (400) to shipping containers (402) or releasing them therefrom or both, comprises a cradle (11) adapted to receive at least one shipping container and at least one manipulation device (14) operative to secure a twist-lock to the shipping container or release it therefrom, the manipulation device comprising an engagement device (27) operative to engage and rotate at least a portion of the twist-lock so as to secure the twist-lock in the shipping container or to release it therefrom. The manipulation device may form part of a twist-lock handling assembly (12) which includes a storage system for twist-locks (16) and a guide assembly (15) for feeding twist-locks into and out of register with the manipulation device (14). |
| US08056211B2 |
Method of assembling a stator for an electric motor
The apparatus of the present invention provides a stator for an electric motor. The apparatus includes a plurality of stator components assembled together to form a generally annular stator core. A wire is wrapped around at least a portion of the stator core to form a stator winding. A first generally annular end plate and a second generally annular end plate are mounted to axially opposite sides of the stator core such that the stator core is axially trapped and retained therebetween. A fastener applies a clamping load to the first and second end plates such that the stator core is compressed therebetween. The clamping load from the fastener is applied directly to the first and second end plates which distribute the clamping load to the stator core such that the plurality of components are held together without the fastener directly applying the clamping load to the stator core. A corresponding method for providing a stator is similarly provided. |
| US08056209B2 |
Tubular, especially can-shaped, receptacle for the accommodation of fluids, a method of manufacture and use
Tubular, especially can-shaped, receptacle for the accommodation of fluids, especially drinks, with a tubular body and a base and top section attached to this, wherein the top section is constructed in the shape of a shoulder and is suitable for attaching a closure device, especially a resealable one. The shoulder-shaped top section is at least partially enclosed, especially in the shape of a shoulder, by an upper edge of the tubular body and sealed with this. |
| US08056208B2 |
Method for cold joining a coupling element to a pipe
A method for joining flanges or other couplings to pipes, wherein a plurality of radially expanding segments (10) with circular ridges (11) on a tool inserted into the pipe (1), press beads (5, 6) in the pipe wall into corresponding grooves (3, 4) in the surrounding coupling element (2), where the pipe end, by means of a projection on the segments, is given an overbending outwards that prevents the pipe end from tapering inwards during the pressing of the beads. The invention comprises the interior configuration of the coupling element as well as a tool for pressing the beads. |
| US08056206B2 |
Methods for manufacturing face plates for golf club heads
In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a face plate for a golf club head comprises providing a label for the face plate of the golf club head, providing a mold apparatus, positioning the label in the mold apparatus, providing a mold compound in a non-solid form, positioning the mold compound over the label and in the mold apparatus, and changing the mold compound to a solid form defining the face plate after positioning the mold compound over the label and in the mold apparatus. Other examples, methods, and related apparatuses are disclosed herein. |
| US08056205B2 |
Method of manufacturing a reaction vessel
A method of adapting an axial flow reaction vessel having opposed ports to an opposed axial flow reaction vessel includes installing a process fluid collection system centrally within the body of the vessel in fluid communication with one or more outlet ports of the ports; wherein said process fluid collection system includes a perforate member defining a chamber and a conduit in fluid communication with the chamber, the conduit being adapted for attachment to the one or more outlet ports, providing the vessel with a bed of particulate catalyst or sorbent around said process fluid collection system; and adapting a feed to the vessel through one or more inlet ports of the ports such that a process fluid fed to the vessel is passed axially and in an opposite direction through the fixed bed of catalyst or sorbent and is collected by the process fluid collection system. |
| US08056203B2 |
System for transportation of blades on railcars
A fixation system for fixing wind turbine elements of a wind turbine to a vehicle is provided. The fixation system includes a first fixation device for fixing a first portion of a wind turbine element pivotably around a first axis of the first fixation device and around a second axis of the first fixation device to the vehicle. A second fixation device fixes a second portion of the wind turbine element pivotably around a first axis of the second fixation device and around a second axis of the second fixation device. One of the first fixation device and of the second fixation device is adapted for providing a translation movement of the wind turbine element with respect to the vehicle along a third axis. The first axis, the second axis and the third axis are different. |
| US08056200B2 |
Manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus for components
A manufacturing apparatus (2) for components (3), which has at least one movable loading station (20) designed as a tool magazine (13) and having reception points (39) with different tools (4, 5, 6, 7) for different component types A-I. The loading station (20) is connected to one or more machining stations (20, 22′) at which at least one machining device (23) and at least one handling device (24) for handling and releasing the components (3) from the tool (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) are arranged. The selected Figure is FIG. 5. |
| US08056199B2 |
Methods of producing multilayer capacitor
A method of producing a multilayer capacitor has steps of preparing a plurality of first and second ceramic green sheets, a step of laminating the plurality of first and second ceramic green sheets, and a step of cutting a ceramic green sheet laminate body along predetermined intended cutting lines to obtain laminate chips of individual multilayer capacitor units. When preparing the first ceramic green sheets, first and second internal electrode patterns are formed so that the first and second internal electrode patterns are alternately arranged in a perpendicular configuration, with the first and second internal electrode patterns being continuous across intended cutting lines. |
| US08056196B2 |
Quick release fitting
A quick release fitting including a housing assembly having a main portion and a housing arm extending from the main portion, a locking arm and a locking mechanism. The locking arm has a first locking arm end and a second locking arm end, the first locking arm is rotatably attached to the housing arm. The locking mechanism is disposed within the housing assembly, and communicates with the second locking arm end such the locking arm can be locked or unlocked to the housing assembly. When locked the locking arm is secured to the housing assembly and the housing arm, the locking arm and the housing assembly form a slot, when unlocked the locking arm is not secured to the housing assembly. |
| US08056194B2 |
Slider for slide fastener
The present invention provides a slider wherein a Y-shaped guide groove which allows a fastener chain to pass therethrough is provided in a body of a slider, the intermediate partition which is raised inward on both sides of a guide post and extends from an inside end of the guide post toward a rear mouth is provided on an inner surface of one of upper and lower blades, and a top surface of the intermediate partition is formed into an entirely inclined slope such that a shoulder mouth side is higher than a rear mouth side, thereby enabling to catch and introduce coupling heads of fastener elements exposed from the side edges of the fastener tapes, so that the coupling heads of the right and left fastener elements are engaged with each other between the guide post and the rear mouth. |
| US08056191B2 |
Low-profile adjustable buckle
A lightweight, secure, and low profile adjustable locking buckle has a first steel loop which overlies a second steel loop with a rear member spaced from a front member by two side members. The first loop front member has a forward projection which extends frontwardly and is dimensioned to fit within a central opening in the second loop. Each side member of the second loop has a ramped portion, such that the front member is spaced upwardly from the rear member. A fixed strap encircles the rear portions of the first loop and the second loop and is fixed to a supporting element. An adjustable strap extends beneath the first loop front portion and the second loop front portion, turns over the first loop forward projection and beneath the second loop front portion to be releasably secured to itself. Side tabs may be formed on the loops to facilitate adjustment. |
| US08056190B2 |
Buckle device having strap adjusting structure
A buckle device includes a female member having a chamber for receiving a strap, a male member having two tabs for engaging into the chamber of the female member and for detachably coupling the female member and the male member together, and a pressing device engaged into the chamber of the female member and having one end pivotally coupled to the female member with a pivot axle, and having the other end for engaging with the strap and for limiting the strap to move relative to the female member, and the tabs of the male member are engageable with the pressing device for forcing the pressing device to engage with the strap when the tabs of the male member are engaged into the chamber of the female member. |
| US08056186B2 |
Automatically opening hinge assembly for portable electronic devices
A hinge assembly (100) includes a cam (13), a follower (14), a first spring (12), a control member (18) and a second spring (16). The cam has a cam surface. The follower has a latching cam surface engaging with the cam surface. The first spring provides an elastic force causing the cam surface of the cam and the latching cam surface of the follower to resist each other. The control member slidably resists the follower. The second spring provides an elastic force to return the control member. The control member is movable to push the follower to rotate to realize the cam surface of the cam to rotate relative to the latching cam surface of the follower. |
| US08056180B2 |
Ground leaf blower with hose attachment
A mobile leaf blower includes a main blower assembly driven by an engine or motor. The blower has a deflector box at the blower outlet with deflector plates which enable the air flow to be either directed laterally and forwardly of the blower unit or to a flexible blower tube attached to the unit. The operator may either cause the air flow to flow through the flexible blower tube or forwardly and laterally of the blower unit along the ground. When not in use, the flexible blower tube can be wound around a hose reel attached to the main handles of the ground blower unit. |
| US08056170B2 |
Pulling tool
A multi-function tool having a handle portion and a plurality of structures operable therewith for the performance of a plurality of functions. The multi-function tool allows fast and convenient transition between any of the plurality of functions in order to enable completion of jobs or tasks requiring such functions without acquisition, storage, and/or maintenance of a plurality of specialized tools. |
| US08056168B2 |
Bamboo charcoal pillow
A pillow 1 stores a main part 2 and an elastic part 3 laminated by the main part 2 in a cover part 4. The main part 2 includes a core material 21 arranged along a longitudinal direction, and a storage object 23 in which charcoal 22 is stored at both sides, and is covered by a cover material 25. A concave portion 27 is formed in a position corresponding to the core material 21. The elastic material 3 has elastic materials 31, 32 and 33 having hardness which becomes larger as they come closer to the main part 2. A convex part 27 is formed in the surface, and a convex part 34 of the elastic part 3 is fitted to the concave portion 27, and a portion corresponding to the convex part 34 is formed thicker than a portion which does not support the convex part 34. |
| US08056167B2 |
Pillow speaker system and method
The invention discloses differing embodiments of pillow speaker systems and methods. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed of directing sound energy emitted from a speaker substantially into a cavity of a gas pillow. In other embodiments, pillow speaker systems are disclosed which direct sound energy emitted from the speakers substantially into the gas pillow cavity. |
| US08056166B2 |
Pillow adapted for music system engagement and use in the prone or supine head position
A pillow support for a user featuring an engageable pillow body to a base and at least one storage cavity formed therebetween. An aperture in the pillow body dimensioned to accommodate the face of a user positioned on the pillow communicates with a cavity in the base which communicates with air and light adjacent to the base to provide the user fresh air and light when face down. The storage cavity is adapted to hold a personal music player or phone and the pillow engages to the base with a strap or ridge surrounding the perimeter of the pillow. |
| US08056163B2 |
Patient support
A patient support apparatus, such as a bed, stretcher, or cot, includes a patient support deck that is directly coupled to elevation adjustment mechanisms without the need for an intervening frame. The elevation adjustment mechanisms may be placed outside the perimeter of the support deck to allow the support deck to be lowered to a greater extent and provide room for attaching side rails to the support deck. The width of the patient support deck may be adjusted by way of extenders, and the sleep surface may also be adjusted by way of foldable strips. A jack type of actuator may be used to pivot the different sections of the support deck with respect to each other. The elevation adjustment mechanisms may include vertical threaded shafts that rotatingly engage threaded collars and raise or lower the collars when the shaft and the collar rotate with respect to each other. |
| US08056162B2 |
Patient support apparatus with motorized traction control
A patient support apparatus, such as a hospital bed, comprises a lower frame, an upper frame supported above the lower frame and configured to support a patient, and a support structure coupled to the lower frame. The support structure includes a lift having a movable portion that is movable generally vertically relative to the lower frame and relative to the upper frame. The movable portion of the lift is configured to carry a patient care equipment support. |
| US08056160B2 |
Siderail for hospital bed
A siderail assembly for a hospital bed is provided. In one embodiment the bed is a chair bed having a first deck section, a second deck section and a third deck section. The siderails are provided adjacent the third deck section. The siderails remains stationary relative to the third deck section during movement of the third deck section from a generally horizontal to a substantially vertical position. The siderails are configured to be gripped by a patient while the patient is entering and exiting the chair bed. |
| US08056158B2 |
Devices and methods for body elevation
Devices and methods are presented for elevating seat devices. The device allows a vertical and forward motion of a seat from a first position to a second position. Such motion more resembles a natural body motion during the standing motion. A similar but converse motion is also possible with movement from a standing position to a sitting position. |
| US08056156B2 |
Vacuum relief unit and method for a pool
A vacuum relief unit and method for venting air into a pool pumping system when a pressure level within the system drops below a first pressure level limit. The unit includes a closed air chamber, a device for venting chamber air from the air chamber into the pool pumping system when the pressure level in the pool pumping system drops below the first pressure level limit, a device for venting atmospheric air into the air chamber when the pressure level within the air chamber drops below a second pressure level limit that is lower than the first pressure level limit, and a device for delaying operation of the atmospheric air venting device when the pressure within the air chamber is no longer below the second pressure level limit. |
| US08056155B1 |
Method of cleaning a swimming pool
Methods of cleaning a swimming pool using a swimming pool cleaning head. A first method may include intermittently raising a nozzle head under water and ejecting a stream of water under water, incrementally rotating the nozzle head in a clockwise direction, retracting the nozzle head, sliding a cam reverser, and reversing the direction of rotation of the nozzle head with the cam reverser to counterclockwise. A second method may include rotating a stem by sliding at least one pin coupled to the stem through at least one channel in a cam, the stem configured to release a stream of water under water in a swimming pool. The method may further include reversing the direction of rotation of the stem by sliding a slidable section of the cam with the at least one pin. |
| US08056151B2 |
Buckle for a chin strap assembly for a sports helmet
A chin strap assembly for a protective sports helmet features a buckle that comprises a body portion, an attachment portion, a first side rail, and a second side rail. The body portion has a first strap opening and a second strap opening formed therethrough. The body portion has a first end segment and a second end segment. The attachment portion is adapted to interact with a fastener on the helmet. The first and second side rails are opposed and extend between the first and second end segments, and have a generally arcuate shape. First and second lateral holes are positioned internal to the first and second side rails. |
| US08056147B1 |
Necktie having fastening system for securing necktie to shirt button
A necktie has an integrated system to limit movement of the free ends of the necktie when worn. The necktie has a wide end section and a narrow end section. The necktie has a selected width transition from the wide end section to the narrow end section. The overall length of the necktie is selected to allow the necktie to be secured to a person's neck using a selected knot-tying technique such that the wide end of the necktie is positioned at a selected location with respect to the person's waistline and such that the narrow end of the necktie is positioned behind the wide end of the necktie. At least one loop is secured to the back of the wide end of the necktie. The narrow end of the necktie passes through the loop. At least one buttonhole is formed through the narrow end of the necktie. |
| US08056146B2 |
Disposable isolation hospital gown
A disposable isolation hospital gown is provided having a main body and a pair of sleeves. Integrally formed with the hospital gown is a disposable wrapper that is particularly positioned or placed such that the gown can be rolled or folded into a bundle, after which the disposable wrapper is reversed and in the process of reversing the disposable wrapper, the bundled gown is stuffed or placed into the reversed disposable wrapper for disposal. |
| US08056145B2 |
Food holder
A food tray is disclosed that prevents direct contact of the food items with the hands of a consumer and prevents the food to spill on the consumer clothes. In some embodiments, the food tray includes a back panel, two side panels, four flaps, and a midsection. During the consumption of the food item, the two side panels and the midsection form an apron which is placed under the chin of the consumer to prevent the food from spilling on the consumer cloths. In some embodiments, the midsection includes a chin curve that facilitates placing the apron under the chin of the consumer. |
| US08060942B2 |
Film fingerprinting
A technique for film marking includes coding a print identifier into a binary-coded serial number; identifying particular frames (bit frames) that will be used to convey the bits (binary digits) of the binary-coded serial number and marking these bit frames in accordance with the particular bit values of the binary-coded serial number. The presence of a predefined mark on a bit frame is representative of a binary digit having a value of one, while the absence of the predefined mark on a bit frame is representative of a binary digit having a value of zero. |
| US08060941B2 |
Method and system to authenticate an application in a computing platform operating in trusted computing group (TCG) domain
A method and system for verifying authenticity of an application in a computing-platform operating in a Trusted Computing Group (TCG) domain is provided. The method includes computing one or more integrity measurements corresponding to one or more of the application, a plurality of precedent-applications, and an output file. The output file includes an output of the application, the application is executing on the computing-platform. Each precedent-application is executed before the application. The method further includes comparing one or more integrity measurements with re-computed integrity measurements. The re-computed integrity measurements are determined corresponding to one or more of the application, the plurality of precedent-applications, and the computing-platform. |
| US08060940B2 |
Systems and methods for controlling access to data through application virtualization layers
A computer-implemented method for controlling access to data is. A request to access data is received. A determination is made that an access-control policy of the data is satisfied. A virtualization layer is activated to allow access to the data after determining that the access-control policy is satisfied. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08060935B2 |
Security incident identification and prioritization
Techniques are disclosed for protecting a computer environment. The technique comprises providing an index; comparing a first event with the index; determining whether the first event is unusual; and determining whether a security incident associated with the first event has occurred. |
| US08060931B2 |
Security authorization queries
In an example implementation, a bifurcated security scheme has a first level that does not allow usage of negations and a second level that does permit usage of negations. In another example implementation, an authorization query table maps respective resource-specific operations to respective associated authorization queries. In yet another example implementation, authorization queries are permitted to have negations, but individual assertions are not. |
| US08060930B2 |
Methods and systems for imaging device credential receipt and authentication
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for imaging device credential submission wherein credentials are extracted by scanning graphical indicia on user documents using a primary document scanner. |
| US08060926B1 |
Techniques for securely managing and accelerating data delivery
Techniques are provided for securely managing and accelerating the delivery of data associated with remote sites. A client desires to establish secure communications with a remote site. Requests made from the client to the remote site are intercepted or forwarded to a proxy, which locates a local managing service associated with handling the requests. The local managing service acts as an intermediary between the client and the remote site and communicates securely with the client. Data associated with the client's requests is at least partially cached by the local managing service for purposes of accelerating the delivery of that data to the client. |
| US08060922B2 |
Consumer internet authentication device
A method of allowing a user to authenticate to an authentication service while isolating information associated with the user from the authentication service includes generating a service user identifier (SUID) associated with an authentication code source, a subscribing site and an authentication service. The method includes creating an association of the SUID with the information associated with the user, and isolating the association within the subscribing site. The method includes providing an authentication code generated by the authentication code-generating device from the user to the subscribing site, and providing the authentication code along with the SUID and information identifying the subscribing site to the authentication service. The method includes identifying the code-generating device, using the SUID and the information identifying the subscribing site, and generating an authentication decision for the authentication code with respect to the code-generating device, and providing the decision to the subscribing site. |
| US08060920B2 |
Generating and changing credentials of a service account
Technologies are described herein for generating and changing credentials of a service account. In one method, a credential schedule is retrieved. The credential schedule specifies when a plurality of credentials are scheduled to be changed. A determination is made whether a current credential associated with the service account is scheduled to be changed according to the credential schedule. Upon determining that the current credential is scheduled to be changed, at least part of a new credential is generated. The current credential is replaced with the new credential for the service account. |
| US08060917B2 |
System and method for hosting multiple kerberos service principal names
An authentication system and method for allowing an administrator to host a plurality of service principal names (SPNs) over a common network port of a backend server. The authentication system includes a client computer, a backend server, and a service principal name (SPN) apparatus. The client computer sends an authentication request to the backend server. The backend server performs an authentication procedure in response to a reception of the authentication request from the client computer. The SPN apparatus configures a plurality of service SPNs for the web service application over the common network port. |
| US08060915B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing electronic message authentication
A method for providing electronic message authentication employs an article, such as a card, sticker, or any other suitable article, that includes sender authentication information and location information such as row and column headings. In one example, each recipient of interest is issued an article that embodies unique sender authentication information that is identifiable by corresponding location information such as column and row identifiers. In both an apparatus and method, when the sender of an electronic message wants to send a message to a recipient of interest, the sender sends the electronic message and both location information and corresponding desired sender authentication information located at the coordinate identified by the location coordinate information. If the sent desired sender authentication information matches authentication information found on the article, the sender of the message is trusted. |
| US08060912B2 |
Content reproduction device and control method thereof
A mobile phone, which is capable of reproducing a broadcast program supplied through a broadcast wave and stored programs stored in a program data storage, is provided with (i) a program ID extraction section that obtains a broadcast program ID for identifying a supplied broadcast program and a stored program ID for identifying a stored program, and (ii) a program reproduction control section that selects, as a reproduced program, at least one of a broadcast program and stored programs. On this account, a suitable program is selected and reproduced even if a broadcast program is broadcasted in a one-to-many manner. As a result, a suitable reproduced program is selected at suitable timing, in accordance with a supplied broadcast program and stored programs, and hence diversified needs of the users are satisfied. |
| US08060906B2 |
Method and apparatus for interactively retrieving content related to previous query results
The invention relates to a method and system for automatically identifying and presenting video clips or other media to a user at a client device. One embodiment of the invention provides a method for updating a user profile or other persistent data store based on user feedback to improve the identification of video clips or other media content responsive to the user's profile. Embodiments of the invention also provide methods for processing user feedback. Related architectures are also disclosed. |
| US08060904B1 |
Dynamic load based ad insertion
A system and method are provided for dynamically adjusting advertisement (“ad”) time for a multicast channel. In one embodiment, a variable ad insertion function operates to receive one or more multicasts of media content from a core distribution network, insert ad timeslots into the media content, and optionally perform late-binding of ads to the ad timeslots. The media content including the inserted ad timeslots and late-binded ads, if any, is then multicast to associated client devices over a feeder network using corresponding multicast channels. For each multicast channel, insertion of ad timeslots into the associated media content is dynamically controlled based on the number of users currently consuming or predicted to consume the multicast channel, the number of client devices receiving or predicted to receive the multicast channel, or both. |
| US08060903B1 |
Signal processing apparatus and methods
A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc. At receiver stations, signals in received transmissions and from local inputs (225, 218, 22) cause control processors (200) and computers (205) to automate connection and operation of converters (201), tuners (215), decryptors (224), recorder/players (217), computers (205), furnaces (206), etc. Processors (71, 200) meter and monitor availability and usage of programming. |
| US08060900B2 |
Data storage means
Apparatus in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention includes a data storage cartridge and/or a receiver configured to receive the cartridge in facilitation of data transfer to and/or from the cartridge. The cartridge and the receiver each include respective connector portions configured to connect when the cartridge is inserted into the receiver. The cartridge and/or the receiver also include guide features configured to facilitate alignment of the connector portions for connection as the cartridge is inserted into the receiver. |
| US08060893B2 |
Data storage cartridge with optical waveguide
According to the invention, an electronic data storage cartridge for removable coupling to a computing system is disclosed. The electronic data storage cartridge includes a cartridge body, a connector, an optical waveguide, a hard disk drive, and a mechanical write-protect switch that prevents modification of information on the hard disk drive when active. The cartridge body includes at least two outer surfaces. The connector can be used for removable coupling to the computing system, where the connector couples information outside the cartridge body. The optical waveguide is configured to couple light between the two outer surfaces. The hard drive is coupled to the connector. |
| US08060891B2 |
Management of external hardware appliances in a distributed operating system
Embodiments are provided to manage external hardware appliances from a distributed operating system interface in a computer network using a driver model to communicate with device drivers associated with the external hardware appliances. In one embodiment, a request to manage an external hardware appliance in the computer network may be received in a distributed web-based operating system interface. A driver model may be selected which is configured to interface with a device driver for managing configuration settings for the external hardware appliance. The driver model may be utilized to manage the external hardware appliance configuration settings from the interface. The settings may include managing domain name changes, firewall settings, proxy settings, and the like. In another embodiment, the driver model may be utilized to manage external hardware appliance settings during a network configuration operation initiated from the distributed operating system interface. |
| US08060889B2 |
Method and system for real-time event journaling to provide enterprise data services
A data management system or “DMS” provides a wide range of data services to data sources associated with a set of application host servers. The data management system typically comprises one or more regions, with each region having one or more clusters. A given cluster has one or more nodes that share storage. To facilitate the data service, a host driver embedded in an application server connects an application and its data to a cluster. The host driver provides a method and apparatus for capturing real-time data modifications and application state notifications and, in response, generating data transactions in the form of an event journal that is provided to the data management system. The driver functions to translate traditional file/database/block I/O into a continuous, application-aware, output data stream. Using the streams generated in this manner, the DMS offers a wide range of data services that include, by way of example only: data protection (and recovery), and disaster recovery (data distribution and data replication). |
| US08060888B2 |
Messaging interface system for customer care
A system is disclosed for serving a message to a target system. A database message is converted to a common data model to conform to at least two systems and an architecture of the target system. The common data model is transformed into a specified data type of the architecture of the target system. Calls are managed using specified functions available through an application programming interface offered by the architecture of the target system. Functions of the application programming interface are invoked to implement a target message in the architecture of the target system. The message is written to the target system. |
| US08060886B2 |
XML scripting of SOAP commands
A computer-implemented method processes a simple object access protocol (SOAP) command. The method includes interpreting an XML script to perform a function contained in the XML script, the XML script containing the SOAP command, parsing the SOAP command from the XML script, and passing the SOAP command to a SOAP interpreter for execution. |
| US08060885B2 |
Creating task queries for concrete resources using alias selection fields specifying formal resources and formal relationships
A solution is proposed for facilitating the selection of execution servers to be used in a scheduler for submitting the execution of jobs. Each job is defined by a corresponding descriptor. The descriptor specifies the execution servers to be used by the jobs in a formal way (through their properties); in addition, the descriptor may also include the definition of formal relationships to be satisfied by the execution server with other resources of the system (in turn defined in a formal way through their properties). A query is created according to the descriptor for selecting (concrete) execution servers having the desired properties and satisfying the desired relationships with the resources of the system. This query is then run on a central database, wherein all the concrete execution servers, resources and relationships are defined. In this way, it is possible to obtain a list of concrete execution servers eligible to execute the job in a single transaction. |
| US08060882B2 |
Processing tasks with failure recovery
A method and apparatus is provided for processing tasks with failure recovery. The method includes storing one or more tasks in a queue, wherein each task has an associated exit routine, and determining at least one task to process based on a priority scheme. The method further includes processing the at least one task, and calling the exit routine based on determining that the task has not completed processing within a preselected period of time. |
| US08060867B2 |
Systems and methods for excluding user specified applications
A method for blocking the execution of prohibited files, includes requesting execution of a file to be executed, identifying the file to be executed, comparing the identified file to be executed to a list of files that are prohibited and executing the identified file to be executed when the identified file to be executed does not match a file listed in the list of files that are prohibited. |
| US08060864B1 |
System and method for live software object interaction
Systems, methods, apparatus and software can provide object interaction tools and techniques that allow a user to interact with a software object using familiar user interface elements. Information about the target object is provided so that an instance can be constructed. The object is introspect so available data and methods information can be used to populate a corresponding object interaction description and present an object interaction session. |
| US08060860B2 |
Security methods and systems
The present invention describes methods for improving security when accessing applications and other executable programs. In one exemplary method, a user is warned if an application that has never been previously run is being launched by the user. Other methods, as well as data processing systems and machine readable media, are also described. |
| US08060859B2 |
Core object-oriented type system for semi-structured data
A type system employing structural subtyping is disclosed herein. A core type system supports several structural types, such as stream, choice, intersection and sequence. Also part of the core type system is a new invariant type, which denotes values whose dynamic type is the same as its static type, and type restrictions for limiting a range of a base type. Furthermore, a streamlined structural version of delegates, called structural delegates and a validation method thereof are introduce into the type system. To further facilitate type safety, strict statically checked interface casts are introduced. |
| US08060857B2 |
Automated partitioning of a computation for parallel or other high capability architecture
A method and a system for transformation-based program generation using two separate specifications as input: An implementation neutral specification of the desired computation and a specification of the execution platform. The generated implementation incorporates execution platform opportunities such as parallelism. Operationally, the invention has two broad stages. First, it designs the abstract implementation in the problem domain in terms of an Intermediate Language (IL) that is unfettered by programming language restrictions and requirements. Concurrently, the design is evolved by specializing the IL to encapsulate a plurality of desired design features in the implementation such as partitioning for multicore and/or instruction level parallelism. Concurrently, constraints that stand in for implied implementation structures are added to the design and coordinated with other constraints. Second, the IL is refined into implementation code. With this invention, porting an implementation neutral computation to an arbitrary architecture can be automated. |
| US08060854B2 |
Semiconductor device using a plurality of high-potential-side reference voltages
A plurality of third fixed potential lines are wired in parallel. A group of high-potential-side fixed potential lines containing a first fixed potential line and a second fixed potential line are wired in a plurality at predetermined intervals in a direction perpendicular to the third fixed potential line. In a layout region, surrounded by a pair of adjacent third fixed potential lines and a pair of groups of adjacent high-potential-side fixed potential lines, where a first element or a second element is arranged, either one of the first fixed potential line and the second fixed potential line is wired between the pair of third fixed potential lines. In a layout region used for second elements, a second fixed potential line connecting a pair of second fixed potential lines contained respectively in a pair of groups of high-potential-side fixed potential lines that form the layout region is wired between a pair of third fixed potential lines that form the layout region. |
| US08060853B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit designing apparatus, semiconductor integrated circuit designing method and semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of logical elements and a plurality of wiring lines. The plurality of wiring lines have a wiring line which connects the logical elements to each other, and a wiring line which is disconnected on one end from one of the logical elements and connected on the other end to another one of the logical elements. |
| US08060851B2 |
Method for operating a secure semiconductor IP server to support failure analysis
A method for operating a secure semiconductor IP access server to support failure analysis. A client presents a test failure and failure type to an automated server which traverses an electronic product design, definition, and test database to report specifically those components and interconnect likely to cause the failure with geometrical information which may be displayed on the client. Other aspects of semiconductor IP are protected by the server by limiting the trace mechanism and renaming components. |
| US08060842B2 |
Method, program product and apparatus for model based geometry decomposition for use in a multiple exposure process
A method of decomposing a target pattern having features to be imaged on a substrate so as to allow said features to be imaged in a multi-exposure process. The method includes the steps of: (a) segmenting a plurality of the features into a plurality of polygons; (b) determining the image log slope (ILS) value for each of the plurality of polygons; (c) determining the polygon having the minimum ILS value, and defining a mask containing the polygon; (d) convolving the mask defined in step (c) with an eigen function of a transmission cross coefficient so as to generate an interference map, where the transmission cross coefficient defines the illumination system to be utilized to image the target pattern; and (e) assigning a phase to the polygon based on the value of the interference map at a location corresponding to the polygon, where the phase defines which exposure in said multiexposure process the polygon is assigned. |
| US08060837B2 |
Information processing device and program
An information processing device includes: a receiving unit configured to receive an instruction input by a user; a display control unit configured to control a display unit to display a plurality of windows in a display area of the display unit; and a window control unit configured to control a size or position of a window displayed on the display unit in response to the instruction received, the window control unit being configured to control, if the receiving unit receives an instruction to expand a first window and the expanded first window overlaps a second window, a size or position of the second window in response to a positional relationship between the first window and the second window. |
| US08060836B2 |
Navigating displayed content on a mobile device
Methods and systems are provided for displaying scrollable information with an improved indicator of relative position. Certain embodiments may be use a focus element that indicates, by its relative position within the display, the relative position of the scrollable information displayed. |
| US08060835B2 |
Three dimensional defect mapping
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for a three dimensional presentation of defects in a system. In response to a request to present a set of defects using a three dimensional presentation, information is retrieved for the set of defects from a database, wherein the information includes an identification of a defect and a location of the defect in the system. A three dimensional model of the system is retrieved in which the defects are located. The defects are placed in the three dimensional model of the system to generate a modified three dimensional model. The modified three dimensional model is presented on a graphical user interface. |
| US08060834B2 |
Graphics integration into a process configuration and control environment
Graphic elements and graphic displays are provided for use in a process environment to display information to one or more users about the process environment, such as the current state of devices within a process plant. The graphic elements and displays may be associated with various logical and physical elements within the process plant during configuration of the process plant, and may be configured and downloaded to the hardware within the process plant along with other configuration items, such as control routines. In particular, the graphic elements and graphic displays may be created and stored in a library, and may then be configured by being associated with various logical or physical entities within the plant. During the configuration process, the graphic elements and graphic displays may be associated with areas, equipment, process modules, control routines or control strategies of the plant as defined elsewhere in the plant configuration, or may be associated with interfaces or display devices, to define the hardware on which the graphic displays will execute during runtime, as well at to define the process entities to which these displays will be bound for display purposes. Still further, each of the graphic displays may be defined with a role or a functional use, such as an operator view, a maintenance view, etc., and these roles may be used to define the proper access and use of the graphic displays within the runtime environment. |
| US08060832B2 |
Managing information display
Systems and methods for managing information display include the ability, at least in one implementation, to receive a message indicating that the information of a resource is to be displayed and to form a user interface for displaying the resource information by defining a pane in which to display the information and selecting a renderer operable to render the information in the pane. |
| US08060828B2 |
Window overlay for online collaboration platform
In an example embodiment, an online advertising management platform maintains an account that includes data relating to an order for advertising provided by an ad network affiliated with the platform. When the platform receives a login that identifies a user as having access rights to the account, the platform displays a view that includes a window displaying data relating to the order and a toolbar in a standardized location relative to the window. The toolbar includes a tab. When the user clicks on the tab, the platform displays a tabbed window that includes a list of the informational messages, regardless of whether an informational message on the list has been read or dismissed by another user allowed access to the account. The platform locates the window contiguous to the toolbar over some but not all of the view displaying the data relating to the order. |
| US08060825B2 |
Creating digital artwork based on content file metadata
A computer-implemented method is disclosed. The method applies to a set of content files including a subset of the content files that do not have associated digital artwork. For each content file in the set of content files, whether the content file has associated digital artwork is determined. For each content file in the set of content files that does not have associated digital artwork, digital artwork for the content file is created based on metadata associated with the content file. The digital artwork for a plurality of content files in the set of content files is displayed. |
| US08060822B2 |
System and method for creation of an object within an object hierarchy structure
A system and method relating to creation of object(s) in an object hierarchy structure is provided. An object generator that in response to a command to expand a node/object provides a initiator node that facilitates generation of a new object within the object hierarchy upon expansion of the node. A display component concurrently displays the initiator node with the expanded node. The initiator node used for creating objects placed (e.g., in-line) within an object hierarchy structure. To create a new object, an instruction (e.g., user input) to expand a node having a initiator node is received. By selecting the initiator node and entering a name, an object of type defined by the initiator node is created. For example, once the object is created the user can enter information defining parameter(s) of the object. Information can be entered through a user interface box (e.g., text box) that is displayed upon the creation of the object. Also, a grid can overlay the object hierarchy structure allowing information to be entered directly into grid cell(s). The grid can further be employed to display defined parameter(s). |
| US08060819B2 |
Method for automated permutation of computerized lists of text data objects with selected columns of imaged parametric data excluded from sorting
A method for a computer generated data table of parametric text data objects to be permuted based on automated sorting of a lesser number of parameters than are imaged on the data table. |
| US08060814B2 |
Error recovery within processing stages of an integrated circuit
An integrated circuit includes a plurality of processing stages each including processing logic 1014, a non-delayed signal-capture element 1016, a delayed signal-capture element 1018 and a comparator 1024. The non-delayed signal-capture element 1016 captures an output from the processing logic 1014 at a non-delayed capture time. At a later delayed capture time, the delayed signal-capture element 1018 also captures a value from the processing logic 1014. An error detection circuit 1026 and error correction circuit 1028 detect and correct random errors in the delayed value and supplies an error-checked delayed value to the comparator 1024. The comparator 1024 compares the error-checked delayed value and the non-delayed value and if they are not equal this indicates that the non-delayed value was captured too soon and should be replaced by the error-checked delayed value. The non-delayed value is passed to the subsequent processing stage immediately following its capture and accordingly error recovery mechanisms are used to suppress the erroneous processing which has occurred by the subsequent processing stages, such as gating the clock and allowing the correct signal values to propagate through the subsequent processing logic before restarting the clock. The operating parameters of the integrated circuit, such as the clock frequency, the operating voltage, the body biased voltage, temperature and the like are adjusted so as to maintain a finite non-zero error rate in a manner that increases overall performance. |
| US08060812B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for class verification
A system for class verification includes a data storage device holding verification caches; and a host system in communication with the data storage device, the host system executing a virtual machine (VM), including a class verifier. The VM is configured to perform: initiating loading of a class; searching for the class in the verification caches, wherein a record from the verification caches, including a checksum, is returned upon locating the class; comparing the checksum in the record to a checksum of the class being loaded; completing the loading of the class when the checksums match; performing bytecode verification of the class upon one of: a checksum comparison mismatch, and a failure to locate the class in the verification caches; calculating new checksum of the class upon a successful bytecode verification; and storing the new checksum in the verification caches. |
| US08060811B2 |
Low complexity optimal soft MIMO receiver
A low-complexity optimal soft MIMO detector is provided for a general spatial multiplexing (SM) systems with two transmit and NR receive antennas. The computational complexity of the proposed scheme is independent from the operating signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and grows linearly with the constellation order. It provides the optimal maximum likelihood (ML) solution through the introduction of an efficient Log-likelihood ratio (LLR) calculation method, avoiding the exhaustive search over all possible nodes. The intrinsic parallelism makes it an appropriate option for implementation on DSPs, FPGAs, or ASICs. In specific, this MIMO detection architecture is very suitable to be applied in WiMax receivers based on IEEE 802.16e/m in both downlink (subscriber station) and uplink (base station). |
| US08060809B2 |
Efficient Chien search method and system in Reed-Solomon decoding
An efficient Chien search method in Reed-Solomon decoding is adapted for use in a processor having a parallel processing instruction set. The method includes the following steps: (a) if an error location polynomial that has been found matches a preset condition, finding at least one error symbol location directly through table lookup; (b) if the error location polynomial does not match the preset condition, executing steps (c) to (e); (c) calculating an error evaluation value; (d) if the error evaluation value is equal to 0, storing an error symbol location in an error location memory; and (e) if the error evaluation value is not equal to 0, the flow returning to step (c). |
| US08060807B2 |
Content and channel aware object scheduling and error control
A method and system for wireless data communication. A request is accepted for communication of a data collection including a plurality of data objects. For each of the plurality of data objects, content importance and error resilience properties are evaluated. A transmission order of the data objects is determined based upon evaluated content importance, error resilience properties, past channel conditions and predicted channel conditions, and one or more data objects are selected based on the determined order. An error control level is selected for transmission of data packets for communicating the selected data objects based upon error resilience properties and current channel conditions to achieve communication of the data collection. |
| US08060805B2 |
Apparatus and method to transmit/receive signal in a communication system
An apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving a signal in a communication system are provided. A signal reception apparatus of a communication system receives a signal and generates a child Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codeword vector by decoding the received signal according to a child parity check matrix supporting a first coding rate. The child LDPC codeword vector includes an information vector including A (A≧1) information bits, and when the first coding rate is equal to a coding rate for a case where D (D≧1) parity bits are punctured among B (B≧1)+C (C≧1) parity bits included in a parent LDPC codeword vector generated by encoding the information vector according to a parent parity check matrix supporting a second coding rate, a child bipartite graph corresponding to the child parity check matrix is generated such that a parent bipartite graph corresponding to the parent parity check matrix corresponds to an edge merge scheme. |
| US08060804B2 |
Method, system, and access device for implementing error correction
A method, a system and an access device for implementing error correction are disclosed. The method includes upon receiving a data stream, identifying, by an access device, the data stream on which a forward error correction (FEC) needs to be performed and performing FEC coding on the data stream, and then sending out an FEC data stream generated by FEC coding together with a raw data stream, or sending out directly a data stream on which the FEC does not need to be performed. The system includes a data source for sending out a data stream and an access device for receiving the data stream from the data source, identifying the data stream on which a FEC needs to be performed, performing FEC coding on the data stream, and then sending out an FEC data stream generated by FEC coding together with a raw data stream, or sending out directly a data stream on which the FEC does not need to be performed. The bandwidth can be saved when the FEC is performed in data stream transmission, and it can be adapted to conditions of different access lines according to the invention. |
| US08060803B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program product providing soft iterative recursive least squares (RLS) channel estimator
Disclosed is an apparatus having a detector for an iterative LDPC-coded MIMO-OFDM system, where the detector is configured to use a structured irregular LDPC code in conjunction with a belief propagation algorithm. Also disclosed is an apparatus having a detector for a structured irregular LDPC-coded MIMO-OFDM system, where the detector is configured to use an iterative Recursive Least Squares-based data detection and channel estimation technique. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also disclosed. |
| US08060798B2 |
Refresh of non-volatile memory cells based on fatigue conditions
In one or more of the disclosed embodiments, memory cells in a memory device are refreshed upon an indication of a fatigue condition. In one such embodiment, controller monitors behavior parameters of the cells and determines if any of the parameters are outside of a normal range set for each one, thus indicating a fatigue condition. If any cell indicates a fatigue condition, the data from the block of cells indicating the fatigue is moved to another block. In one embodiment, an error detection and correction process is performed on the data prior to being written into another memory block. |
| US08060797B2 |
Semiconductor storage device
A semiconductor storage device can efficiently perform a refresh operation. A semiconductor storage device is provided which includes a non-volatile semiconductor memory storing data in blocks, the block being a unit of data erasing. A controlling unit is further included monitoring an error count of data stored in a monitored block selected from the blocks and for refreshing data in the monitored block in which the error count is equal to or larger than a threshold value. |
| US08060795B2 |
Solution for automatically incorporating diagnostic data within screen capture images
The present invention can include an automated solution for incorporating diagnostic data within an image of a screen capture image. When a screen capture event is detected, a screen capture image can be generated. The software applications contained within the screen capture image can be identified. Diagnostic data pertaining to the identified software applications can be automatically collected and incorporated into the screen capture image file. |
| US08060792B2 |
Monitoring and automated recovery of data instances
The monitoring and recovery of data instances, data stores, and other such components in a data environment can be performed automatically using a separate control environment. A monitoring component of the control plane can include a set of event processors for monitoring a workload of the data environment, where an event processor detecting a problem in the data plane can cause a recovery workflow to generated in order to recover from the detected problem. The event processors can communicate with each other such that if one of the event processors becomes unavailable, the other event processors in a set are able to automatically redistribute responsibility for the workload. |
| US08060784B1 |
Programmable logic device and methods for providing multi-boot configuration data support
In one embodiment of the invention, a programmable logic device includes configuration memory and a controller. The controller can read a first bitstream from a first memory block of non-volatile memory and detect whether the first bitstream contains a valid preamble as the first bitstream is read from the non-volatile memory and before configuration data in the first bitstream is programmed into the volatile configuration memory. If a valid preamble is detected in the first bitstream, the controller programs the configuration memory with configuration data in the first bitstream. If a valid preamble is not detected in the first bitstream, the controller reads a second bitstream from a second memory block of the non-volatile memory. |
| US08060783B2 |
Distributed runtime diagnostics in hierarchical parallel environments
A technique is disclosed for distributed runtime diagnostics in hierarchical parallel environments. In one embodiment, a user is allowed to configure, during runtime, a processing element on which to perform diagnostics, an algorithm for the processing element to execute, a data set for the algorithm to execute against, a diagnostic function for the processing element to execute, a condition for executing the diagnostic function, and visualization parameters for memory local to the processing element. As a result, runtime diagnostics can be performed with sufficient degree of control and customization to aid debugging in a hierarchical parallel environment. |
| US08060782B2 |
Root cause problem identification through event correlation
Correlating activity events to identify a root cause of a process failure. Activity event data is received from a process executing on a computing device. The activity event data corresponds to a plurality of activity events. Each of the activity events has a correlation identifier, a resolution status, and an occurrence time value associated therewith. Each of the activity events are assigned to one of a plurality of event groups based on the correlation identifier of the activity event. Thereafter, at least one of the event groups is determined to have an activity event with a resolution status indicating failure of the process. One of the activity events within the determined event group is selected as a root cause activity event based on the occurrence time values. In some embodiments, the root cause activity event is identified to a user of the computing device. |
| US08060781B2 |
Data processing apparatus and program
A data processing apparatus which saves data in a volatile memory into a nonvolatile memory when power is off, the data processing apparatus including: a detecting circuit for outputting a momentary interruption detecting signal when a power source voltage is below a first threshold voltage, and a power failure detecting signal when the power source voltage is below a second threshold voltage that is lower than the first threshold voltage; and a control section adapted to start saving of the data in the volatile memory into the nonvolatile memory when the detecting circuit has output the momentary interruption detecting signal, continue save of the data, and carry out a predetermined shutdown processing when the detecting circuit has output the power failure detecting signal after the detecting circuit has output the momentary interruption detecting signal. |
| US08060780B2 |
Transient transaction execution with on-demand persistency
The subject matter disclosed herein provides methods and apparatus, including computer program products for handing transactions. The method may include, for example, processing, at a state correlation engine, a plurality of transactions; saving the effects of at least one of the transactions to a persistence, when the at least one transaction includes a reliable interaction with an external application; saving other transactions to a buffer rather than to the persistence; and reading the at least one transaction from the persistence and continuously executing rules representing the other transactions in response to a failure causing a recovery. Related systems, apparatus, methods, and/or articles are also described. |
| US08060779B2 |
Using virtual copies in a failover and failback environment
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for using virtual copies in a failover and failback environment. Updates are copied from a primary first storage at the primary site to a secondary first storage at the secondary site during system operations. A second storage is maintained at at least one of the primary and secondary sites. A failover is performed from the primary site to the secondary site after a failure at the primary site. The at least one second storage is used after recovery of the primary site to synchronize the secondary site to the primary site. Only updates made to the secondary site during the failover are copied to or from the at least one second storage in response to the recovery at the primary site. |
| US08060778B2 |
Processor controller, processor control method, storage medium, and external controller
A processor having a plurality of hardware resources can perform separate controls within a proper range according to the dependent relations of hardware resources troubled. In case a notification is made of the failure of the hardware resources constituting the processor, a processor control method decides the range of the hardware resources, which cannot be used because of that failure, as a failure range, on the basis of the dependencies of the individual hardware resources predetermined, and stops the use of the hardware resources of the failure range on the basis of that decision result. When the use of the hardware resources indicated by the failure range is stopped, the hardware is not stopped before a predetermined operation is performed not to affect the instruction processing procedure outside of the failure range. |
| US08060773B1 |
Systems and methods for managing sub-clusters within a multi-cluster computing system subsequent to a network-partition event
A computer-implemented method for managing sub-clusters within a multi-cluster computing system subsequent to a network-partition event may include: 1) identifying a plurality of computer clusters, 2) identifying a network-partition event that partitions each of the plurality of computer clusters into multiple sub-clusters, 3) identifying, within the multiple sub-clusters, a plurality of nodes that share a common attribute or property, and then 4) ensuring that only those nodes that share the common attribute survive subsequent to the network-partition event. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08060767B1 |
Ultra low power sleep mode
An integrated circuit in accordance with one embodiment of the invention can include a plurality of storage elements that can be coupled in a first mode and a second mode. The first mode includes the plurality of storage elements being coupled to enable normal operation of the integrated circuit, and the second mode includes the plurality of storage elements being coupled together as a shift register. The integrated circuit also includes a rewritable non-volatile memory and a sleep controller that is coupled to the rewritable non-volatile memory. The sleep controller is for switching the plurality of storage elements between the first mode and the second mode. The sleep controller is for extracting data from the plurality of storage elements in the second mode and storing the data with the non-volatile memory to record the operating state of the plurality of storage elements in the first mode. |
| US08060765B1 |
Power estimation based on block activity
A power monitor for electronic devices, such as computer chips, is used to estimate the power consumption and to compare the estimated power consumption against the power budget. The estimated power consumption is based on activity signals from various functional blocks of the computer chip. The activity signals that are monitored correlate accurately to the total number of flip-flops that are active at a given time. If the estimated power consumption exceeds the power budget, the speed of the clock signals supplied to the computer chip is reduced. |
| US08060764B2 |
Power supply converting circuit
A power supply converting circuit includes a multi-phase pulse-width modulation (PWM) controller, a single-phase PWM controller, some first voltage converting circuits, a second voltage converting circuit, first and second electrical switch units. The multi-phase PWM controller provides some first PWM signals and a second PWM signal. The single-phase PWM controller provides a third PWM signal. The first voltage converting circuits receive the first PWM signals to output a first power supply to a central processing unit (CPU) chipset. The first electrical switch unit receives the second and third PWM signals to selectively output the second or third PWM signal to the second voltage converting circuit to output one of the first and second power supplies. The second electrical switch unit receives one of the first and second power supplies from the second voltage converting circuit to selectively output one of the first and second power supplies to the CPU chipset. |
| US08060760B2 |
System and method for dynamic information handling system prioritization
Modular information handling systems supported in a modular chassis, such as blade information handling systems, have power allocation managed by dynamic and automated prioritization of power application to each modular information handling systems. A priority list of modular information handling systems is generated and updated by analysis of priority factors discovered from the modular information handling systems, such as with periodic polling of the modular information handling systems or detection of predetermined events at the information handling systems. |
| US08060759B1 |
System and method of managing and optimizing power consumption in a storage system
Described is a storage system and method for managing and optimizing power consumption in a storage system. Logical devices are mapped to physical disk drives. A plurality of power profiles is defined. Each power profile is associated with a mode of operation for a physical disk drive. One of the power profiles is assigned to each logical device. One of the physical disk drives is identified for which every logical device mapped to that physical disk drive has been assigned the same power profile. The identified physical disk drive is operated in the mode of operation associated with said same power profile. The mapping of the logical devices to the physical disk drives may be changed in order to group logical devices assigned the same power profile onto the same physical disk drive. |
| US08060757B2 |
Decryption and encryption during write accesses to a memory
An encryption part or a decryption part of an encryption/decryption apparatus or a part common to both parts is used both for encryption and decryption of a datum to be stored and the encrypted memory content and for the generation of the address-individual key and the address-dependent key, respectively. |
| US08060756B2 |
Data security and digital rights management system
A system and method is described for enhancing data security in a broad range of electronic systems through encryption and decryption of addresses in physical memory to which data is written and from which data is read. It can be implemented through software, hardware, firmware or any combination thereof. Implementation in Digital Rights Management execution using the invention reduces cost, enhances performance, and provides additional transactional security. |
| US08060755B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing user-generated key schedule in a microprocessor cryptographic engine
An apparatus and method for performing cryptographic operations within microprocessor. The apparatus includes an instruction register having a cryptographic instruction disposed therein, a keygen unit, and an execution unit. The cryptographic instruction is received by a microprocessor as part of an instruction flow executing on the microprocessor. The cryptographic instruction prescribes one of the cryptographic operations, and also prescribes that a user-generated key schedule be employed when executing the one of the cryptographic operations. The keygen unit is operatively coupled to the instruction register. The keygen unit directs the microprocessor to load the user-generated key schedule. The execution unit is operatively coupled to the keygen unit. The execution unit employs the user-generated key schedule to execute the one of the cryptographic operations. The execution unit includes a cryptography unit. |
| US08060752B2 |
Twisted signature
Sampling and transforming (“twisting”) of biometric data are performed at client based on information known at client only. Twisting includes shuffling the arrays of biometric data and may include changing of values in these arrays. Twisted biometric data are submitted to server. Amount of information contained in twisted data is enough to verify and/or identify the client using proposed correlation procedure, however, is not enough to restore the client's real biometrical data in case of interception of submitted data and in case of compromising security of server. As a result the privacy of the client is guaranteed in the highest degree. |
| US08060747B1 |
Digital signatures for embedded code
Generating a digital signature of an entire embedded code project while maintaining certain exclusion areas so that a productivity application can incorporate application-specific information into the embedded code project without hampering the digital signature. |
| US08060744B2 |
Computer architecture for an electronic device providing single-level secure access to multi-level secure file system
Method for providing a single level secure (SLS) user processor (402, 502) with access to a multi-level secure (MLS) file system (300). The method begins by authenticating a user to a cryptographic processor (302) by communicating one or more types of user authentication information to the cryptographic processor. Based on such authentication, the MLS file system services are provided such that the SLS user processor (402, 502) has access to files (306, 308, 310, 312, 314) at only one defined security classification level at a time. The method also includes zeroizing one or more data stores used by the SLS user processor each time the SLS user processor transitions between accessing classified data files at a first security classification level and a second security classification level. |
| US08060735B2 |
Portable device and method for externally generalized starting up of a computer system
An improved portable device for start-up of a computer system is disclosed. This portable device for externally starting up a computer system comprises a connection interface to the computer system and a data medium comprising data and executable codes of a host operating system that can be activated by a start-up program of the computer system and configured to automatically detect hardware and/or software elements of the computer system and to activate the corresponding computer drivers. The data medium further comprises data and executable codes of a management software interface, configured to present the computer drivers activated by the host operating system in the form of at least one predetermined generic computer driver, and data and executable codes of a guest operating system that can be activated by the management software interface and configured to manage the hardware and/or software elements on the computer system using the predetermined generic computer driver. |
| US08060733B2 |
Apparatus for displaying BIOS POST code and method thereof
An apparatus for displaying a basic input output system (BIOS) power-on self-test (POST) code and a method thereof are provided. The apparatus includes a BIOS, a conversion module, and an output module. The BIOS is used for generating a POST code. The POST code is transmitted via a low pin count (LPC) interface. The conversion module receives the POST code and converts the POST code into a system management bus (SMBus) format. The output module is used for receiving and outputting the POST code transmitted by the conversion module. The output module is an SMBus interface. |
| US08060730B2 |
Selective MISR data accumulation during exception processing
A plurality of test points are located at predetermined circuit nodes in a processing system. Test code which includes a set of software-controllable interrupts is executed using a multiple input shift register (MISR) to generate a MISR signature. One or more selected software-controllable interrupt types are determined. During execution of the test code, the MISR is used to also accumulate data values from the plurality of test points during exception processing of one or more of the software-controllable interrupts within the set of software-controllable interrupts which are of the one or more selected software-controllable interrupt types to generate the MISR signature. A test control register has a plurality of fields, each for selecting or not selecting a corresponding software-controllable interrupt type. |
| US08060728B2 |
Generating stop indicators during vector processing
A method for performing parallel operations in a computer system when one or more memory hazards may be present, which may be implemented by a processor, is described. During operation, the processor receives instructions for detecting conflict between memory addresses in vectors when operations are performed in parallel using at least a portion of the vectors, and generating one or more stop indicators corresponding to any detected conflict between the memory addresses, where a given stop indicator indicates a memory hazard. Next, the processor executes the instructions for detecting the conflict between the memory addresses and generating the one or more stop indicators. |
| US08060724B2 |
Provision of extended addressing modes in a single instruction multiple data (SIMD) data processor
Executing a first memory access instruction with update by an N-bit processor includes accessing at least one source register of a plurality of registers, wherein the accessing includes accessing a first register, wherein each register of the plurality of registers includes a main portion of N bits and an extension portion of M bits, wherein the main portion of the first register includes a first address operand. The execution of the first instruction further includes forming a memory access address using the first address operand; using the memory access address as an address for a memory access; producing an updated address operand; and writing the updated address operand to the main portion of the first register. The producing includes accessing an extension portion of a source register of the at least one source register to obtain modifying information and using the modifying information in the producing an updated address operand. |
| US08060720B2 |
System and method for removing a storage server in a distributed column chunk data store
An improved system and method for removing a storage server in a distributed column chunk data store is provided. A distributed column chunk data store may be provided by multiple storage servers operably coupled to a network. A storage server provided may include a database engine for partitioning a data table into the column chunks for distributing across multiple storage servers, a storage shared memory for storing the column chunks during processing of semantic operations performed on the column chunks, and a storage services manager for striping column chunks of a partitioned data table across multiple storage servers. Any data table may be flexibly partitioned into column chunks using one or more columns with various partitioning methods. Storage servers may then be removed and column chunks may be redistributed among the remaining storage servers in the column chunk data store. |
| US08060713B1 |
Consolidating snapshots in a continuous data protection system using journaling
In one aspect, a method of consolidating snapshots includes storing snapshots using a journal in a continuous data protection environment. Each entry of the journal corresponds to one of a unique group of DO METADATA stream data blocks and a unique group of UNDO METADATA stream data blocks. The method also includes receiving a user input designating at least two snapshots to consolidate, storing changes to the data blocks from the at least two snapshots in a temporary stream on the journal and consolidating the at least two snapshots by replacing the at least two snapshots in the journal with a single consolidated snapshot comprising the changes for each data block from the temporary stream. Storing changes includes storing one of the oldest changes of the UNDO METADATA stream data blocks and the latest changes of the DO METADATA stream data blocks. |
| US08060711B2 |
Storage system
Provided is a storage system capable of holding data by associating main data for long-term retention with sub data for maintaining its readability. The storage system: stores first data in a first location within a storage area upon reception of a storage request for the first data with a first file identifier being specified; holds information for associating the first file identifier, the first location, a retention period of the data, and first version information with one another; stores second data in a second location within the storage area upon reception of a storage request for the second data with the first file identifier and second version information being specified; holds information for associating the first file identifier, the second location, and the second version information with one another; and inhibits the first data and the second data from being changed before elapse of the retention period of the data. |
| US08060703B1 |
Techniques for allocating/reducing storage required for one or more virtual machines
Techniques for allocating/reducing storage required for one or more virtual machines are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for allocating storage for one or more virtual machines. The method may comprise providing one or more virtual machines. The method may also comprise creating one or more master images containing one or more commonly used blocks. The method may also comprise creating one or more Copy on Write volumes, where each Copy on Write volume may be associated with at least one of the one or more virtual machines and at least one of the one or more master images, and wherein updated blocks may be stored in at least one of the one or more Copy on Write volumes, thereby reducing storage required for one or more virtual machines. |
| US08060695B1 |
System and method for proxying data access commands in a clustered storage system
A system and method proxies data access commands across a cluster interconnect between storage appliances in a cluster. Each storage appliance activates two ports for data access, a local port for data access requests directed to clients of the storage appliance and a proxy port for data access requests directed to the partner storage appliance. Clients utilizing multi-pathing software may send data access requests to either the local port of the storage appliance or the proxy port of the storage appliance. |
| US08060694B2 |
Techniques for storing system images in slices on data storage devices
A data storage device has a data storage medium. A data storage capacity of the data storage device is divided into slices. Each slice has a set of sectors. Data storage device firmware is configured to store copies of a system image in the slices on the data storage device. Each of the slices stores a different copy of the system image. |
| US08060693B2 |
Data processing apparatus, data processing method, and computer readable medium
A data processing apparatus includes: a storage that has first to nth storage areas and stores data in the first to nth storage areas; a specific area erasion section that erases the data stored in the first storage area of the storage; a area erasion section that erases the data stored in at least one of the second to nth storage areas; and a erasion control section that controls the specific area erasion section and the area erasion section so that erasion of the specific area erasion section takes precedence over erasion of the area erasion section, wherein n is natural number. |
| US08060690B1 |
Controlling memory operations using a driver and flash memory type tables
Systems and processes may include a first memory and a second memory. A driver and/or an application may be stored in the first memory. Flash memory type data of the first memory may be stored in the second memory. The driver may control the first memory at least partially based on the flash memory type data. The first memory may be exchanged for a third memory. The driver may be stored on the third memory. The flash memory type data for the third memory may be stored on the second memory. |
| US08060689B2 |
Method for manipulating state machine storage in a small memory space
A method includes configuring a flash memory device including a first memory sector having a primary memory sector correspondence, a second memory sector having an alternate memory sector correspondence, and a third memory sector having a free memory sector correspondence, copying a portion of the primary memory sector to the free memory sector, erasing the primary memory sector, and changing a correspondence of each of the first memory sector, the second memory sector, and the third memory sector. |
| US08060681B2 |
Interface protocol and API for a wireless transceiver
A wireless protocol may be implemented in a smart transceiver device that contains the physical (PHY) and media access control (MAC) layers of the wireless protocol stack. In various embodiments, a serial peripheral interface (SPI) based design may be used. Disclosed is an embodiment of a protocol which may be used to provide control and data transfer to and from the smart transceiver. In particular, an exemplary format of the protocol, the commands, and responses is disclosed. In a further embodiment, an application programming interface (API) is disclosed. The API may provide hardware independent services that can be used to establish, maintain, and transport data to and from the system and the smart transceiver device. In particular, an exemplary and non-limiting set of services, function calls, configuration methods, events, and parameters is disclosed. |
| US08060677B2 |
Real-time industrial ethernet ethercat communication control
A real-time industrial Ethernet EtherCAT system including a communication master and a plurality of slave nodes, wherein one slave node acts as a logic control master and the further slave nodes act as logic control slaves, and wherein a communication flow is as follows: the communication master sends a data fetching frame, when the data fetching frame passes through the logic control master, the logic control master inputs control data for the logic control slaves into the data fetching frame, when the data fetching frame passes through the logic control slaves, each logic control slave inputs status data into the data fetching frame, after return of the data fetching frame to the communication master, the communication master sends a data sending frame with output data, said output data being reorganized according to the control relationship between the logic control master and the logic control slaves by the communication master, when the data sending frame passes through the logic control master, the logic control master gets the status data of the logic control slaves from the data sending frame, and when the data sending frame passes through the logic control slaves, each logic control slave gets command data from data sending frame. |
| US08060676B2 |
Method of hot switching data transfer rate on bus
The present invention provides a method of hot switching data transfer rate on the bus to hot switch the data transfer rate of the bus between the control chips without the process of RESET. When the bus between the control chips demands a large amount of data transfer, the bus is hot switched to a higher data transfer rate to fulfill the data transfer requirement. Contrarily, when the bus between the control chips demands less amount of data transfer, the bus is hot switched to a lower data transfer rate to save power consumption. |
| US08060675B2 |
Computing module with serial data connectivity
A computing module includes an interface to asynchronously, serially exchange parallel system bus data with one or more other modules of a computer system that includes the computing module. The computing module can asynchronously, serially transfer first parallel bus data to another module of the computer system, and can asynchronously, serially receive second parallel bus data from another module of the computer system. |
| US08060668B2 |
Low latency data packet reception and processing
Devices in a process control system communicate by data messages over a communication medium segment. Each device includes a communication controller that includes a data queue and a queue of received message objects. The data queue stores a plurality of messages received on the communication medium. The received message objects contain information about a corresponding message in the data queue. |
| US08060665B2 |
Integrated circuit input/output interface with empirically determined delay matching
An integrated circuit input/output interface with empirically determined delay matching is disclosed. In one embodiment, the integrated circuit input/output interface uses empirical information of signal traces coupled to the integrated circuit to adjust a transmit/receive clock of each pin of the interface so as to compensate for delay mismatches caused by differences in signal trace lengths. In one embodiment, values representative of the empirical information are stored for use by the integrated circuit to generate trace-specific signals so as to compensate for delay differences that are at least partially caused by unmatched signal trace lengths. The empirical information, in one embodiment, includes signal flight time of each signal trace, which can be pre-measured or pre-calculated from known signal trace lengths. The empirical information, in another embodiment, includes trace-specific phase offset values calculated from pre-calculated or pre-measured signal flight times or signal trace lengths. |
| US08060662B2 |
Recording control apparatus, recording control method, and computer program product
A determining unit performs a position determination determining whether a nonvolatile memory is mounted in a right position or in a wrong position. When the determining unit determines that the nonvolatile memory is mounted in the wrong position, a protecting unit protects data stored in the nonvolatile memory. |
| US08060658B2 |
Auto addressing devices on a common power and communication bus structure and method therefor
A method for auto-addressing a device in communication with a controller is disclosed. The method includes communicating a pulse from a first contact of a controller, receiving the pulse at a second contact of a device in communication with the controller, communicating a number of pulses from a first contact of the device, and receiving the number of pulses at a second contact of the controller, wherein the number of pulses indicates a number of devices in communication with the controller. |
| US08060655B1 |
User interface for customer premises communications gateway
A user interface is provided for an apparatus located at a customer premises location that manages routing of network services to communication endpoints at the customer premises location. The apparatus aggregates network traffic for the customer premises location and routes the network traffic to any of a variety of different communication endpoints at the customer premises location. Routing of network traffic may be based on user-configurable customer management rules. The user interface facilitates access to and interaction with network services and control of the customer management rules. |
| US08060653B2 |
Background synchronization
Systems, methods and computer program products for determining a schedule for synchronizing a server and a client are described herein. The method operates by tracking user usage of the client to develop usage patterns. A sync schedule is generated using the usage patterns, where the sync schedule enhances at least one of sync usefulness and sync transparency. The server and client are synchronized according to the sync schedule. More particularly, a sync fitness measure for an interval t is determined. The sync fitness measure is based on at least one of (a) sync transparency; and (b) sync usefulness. It is determined whether the sync fitness measure satisfies a threshold. If the sync fitness measure satisfies the threshold, then the server and client are synchronized during interval t. |
| US08060650B2 |
Diagnosing a path in a storage network
Described herein are exemplary storage network architectures and methods for diagnosing a path in a storage network. Devices and nodes in the storage network have ports. Port metrics for the ports may be ascertained and used to detect link problems in paths. In an exemplary described implementation, the following actions are effectuated in a storage network: ascertaining one or more port metrics for at least one device at a first time; ascertaining the one or more port metrics for the at least one device at a second time; analyzing the one or more port metrics from the first and second times; and determining if the analysis indicates a link problem in a path of the storage network. |
| US08060645B1 |
Semi reliable transport of multimedia content
Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) segments received from a server are processed to result in improved reliability. An embodiment of the method comprises receiving a first TCP segment from a server and placing the first TCP segment in a segment queue, the first TCP segment having a first sequence number. A determination is made as to whether a second TCP segment is missing from the segment queue based at least in part on a first sequence number. Responsive to determining that the second TCP is missing from the segment queue, placing a placeholder for the second TCP segment in the segment queue. The first TCP segment is delivered to an application responsive to the first TCP segment being the next TCP segment in a sequence. |
| US08060643B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically managing bandwidth for clients in a storage area network
A method for managing bandwidth allocation in a storage area network includes receiving a plurality of Input/Output (I/O) requests from a plurality of client devices, determining a priority of each of the client devices relative to other client devices, and dynamically allocating bandwidth resources to each client device based on the priority assigned to that client device. |
| US08060642B2 |
Techniques for host to host transfer of sequential media and use of persistent reservation to protect media during host to host transfer
Techniques for host to host transfer of media and the use of persistent reservation to protect media during host to host transfer is disclosed. Exemplary embodiments may be realized as methods and systems for transferring a sequential media loaded in a drive from a first host to a second host without physically unloading the media. The first host may have a persistent reservation or non-persistent reservation of the drive. Likewise, the second host may have a persistent reservation or non-persistent reservation of the drive. Logical unload, logical load and preemption commands are utilized as is error recovery from a failed reservation. |
| US08060641B2 |
Media article adaptation to client device
Systems and methods provide for on-the-fly adaptation of a send rate for content sent to a client based on a detected read rate of the client system for data previously sent. The system and method work within the bounds of simple, existing, open protocols and the media files served are playable by standard media playback clients. The method is driven by a request for media content from a client, in response to which the server provides portions of the media content and monitors the reception rate of the content as it is sent to the client. This method allows for dynamic modification of the send rate of the content after the server has calculated an adjustment to correct for the difference between the reading rate and sending rate, thereby allowing for a send rate most compatible with the client. |
| US08060639B2 |
System and method for utilizing asynchronous client server communication objects
A session-based client-server asynchronous information search and retrieval system for sending character-by-character or multi-character strings of data to an intelligent server, that can be configured to immediately analyze the lengthening string and return to the client increasingly appropriate search information. Embodiments include integration within an Internet, web or other online environment, including applications for use in interactive database searching, data entry, online searching, online purchasing, music purchasing, people-searching, and other applications. In some implementations the system may be used to provide dynamically focused suggestions, auto-completed text, or other input-related assistance, to the user. |
| US08060637B2 |
Playback apparatus and playback control method
In a playback apparatus adapted to receive stream data transmitted from a server and play back the received stream data, attribute information is sequentially received from the server and stored in an attribute information buffer, and, on the basis of the attribute information stored in the attribute information buffer, a request is issued to the server to transmit stream data corresponding to the attribute information. The stream data received from the server is sequentially stored in a first-in-first-out stream data buffer. When an end part of the stream data being currently played back has been stored in the stream data buffer, attribute information corresponding to stream data to be played next is read from the attribute information buffer, and on the basis of this attribute information, a request is issued to the server to transmit the stream data to be played next. |
| US08060636B2 |
Content reproducing method and apparatus
A content reproducing method and a content reproducing apparatus capable of continuously reproducing content by searching for an apparatus having optimal capabilities for reproducing the content, when a plurality of content reproducing apparatuses with similar functions are located within a short range of each other. |
| US08060632B2 |
Method and system for user-determined attribute storage in a federated environment
A system is presented for facilitating management of user attribute information at one or more attribute information providers (AIPs), which can manage the user's attribute information in accordance with user-selected or administratively-determined options, including options that are stored in attribute release policies and/or dynamically determined during a transaction. E-commerce service providers (ECSPs), such as online banks or merchants, also maintain a relationship with an AIP such that the ECSP can trust the user attribute information that is provided by the AIP on behalf of the user. The user can complete transactions that require user attribute information at any ECSP without having to have previously established a relationship with that particular ECSP. If the ECSP has a relationship with one of the user's AIPs, then the user will be able to direct the ECSP to an AIP when the ECSP needs user attribute information to complete a transaction for the user. |
| US08060629B2 |
System and method for managing information requests
A system for managing information requests a header data library accessible by a processor. The system also comprises a security module accessible by the processor. The security module is adapted to receive a request for information from a client where the request comprises header data and direct the request to a server if the request header data corresponds to the library header data. |
| US08060624B1 |
Initiating a communication session from a presence enabled media host device
A presence enabled media host device is provided for accessing presence information associated with a number of communication endpoints and requesting the initiation of a communication session with at least one of the communication endpoints. The presence enabled media host device may access presence information, which includes information relating to the availability of a number of first communication endpoints. The presence enabled media host device may also receive a command requesting establishment of a communication session between at least one of the first communication endpoints and one or more second communication endpoints. The presence enabled media host device may then communicate a request for the communication session to a proxy server. |
| US08060621B2 |
Method and system for establishing session for message communication between converged IP messaging service client and short messaging service client
A converged IP messaging client transmits a session establishment request for interactive message communication. When a converged IP messaging server receives the request, it determines whether a target client of the interactive message communication uses a converged IP messaging service. If not, the converged IP messaging server transmits the session establishment request to an IWF. If it is determined that the target client is an SM client, the IWF generates an interactive message communication request by transforming a format of the session establishment request into an SMS format and transmits the interactive message communication request to the SM client. If the IWF receives an acceptance response from the SM client in response to the interactive message communication request within an effective response time, a session for the interactive message communication can be established between the converged IP messaging client and the SM client. |
| US08060613B2 |
Resource invalidation in a content delivery network
A repeater server in a content delivery network (CDN) maintains a list of resources that are no longer valid. When the server gets a request for a resource, it checks whether that resource is on the list, and, if so, it replicates the resource from a content provider's content source such as an origin server. Otherwise the repeater server tries to serve a copy of the requested resource or to obtain a copy from another location in the CDN. |
| US08060611B2 |
Content providing system for enabling a user to change destination of contents
A server for providing content, including a registration unit that stores first destination information representing a first destination in a memory, if the registration unit receives a command for registration accompanied by the first destination information, a content providing unit that provides content to a client device corresponding to the first destination stored in the memory, and a switched content providing unit that operates to switch offering of content by the content providing unit from the first destination to a second destination for a predetermined time period if the switched content providing unit receives a command for switching accompanied by second destination information representing the second destination, to provide content to a client device corresponding to the second destination, and to switch offering of content from the client device corresponding to the second destination information if the predetermined time period has elapsed back to the first destination. |
| US08060610B1 |
Multiple server workload management using instant capacity processors
In one embodiment, a method for workload management using instant capacity (iCAP) processors comprises generating performance data related to workloads on multiple servers, determining processor resources appropriate for the workloads using the performance data, communicating a request from a first server to reallocate processor resources in response to the determining, deactivating at least one iCAP processor on a second server in response to the request, and activating at least one iCAP processor on the first server in conjunction with the deactivating. |
| US08060603B2 |
Persistent personal messaging in a distributed system
A persistent personal messaging system provides tuple space functionality supporting a user changing between a plurality of client devices, even within a loosely coupled, distributed system for persistent personal messaging. A user, irrespective of which messaging client they are using, logs on to the system. The act of logging on places a tuple, representing the user, into the tuple space. A “contacts” service agent finds the friends and groups that the user belongs to and notifies other users that the user has logged on. Given the on-line status of other users and groups, a “history” service agent will retrieve previous messages from the tuple space that formed the user's conversations with users and groups, as if the user had never logged off or switched devices. When the user adds a new message to any conversation, the message is added as a tuple to the tuple space. |
| US08060602B2 |
Network usage collection system
A system includes a first database to associate a sub-interface identifier with customer information, a second database to store a history of customer usage records, and a first device. The first device may receive information from a routing device, where the information includes the sub-interface identifier for a sub-interface of the routing device and information identifying an amount of network traffic received at or transmitted from the sub-interface over a time period, use the sub-interface identifier to obtain the associated customer information from the first database, associate the customer information with the information identifying an amount of network traffic received at or transmitted from the sub-interface over a time period to create a new customer usage record, and store the new customer usage record in the second database. |
| US08060601B1 |
Detecting content and user response to content
A first set of data including a first tracking identifier for a first webpage component and a destination address for the first webpage component is accessed. A second set of data that includes an address for retrieving a second webpage component, is accessed. The address includes a second tracking identifier. Whether the second tracking identifier is the same as the first tracking identifier is determined. The second webpage component is associated with the destination address when the second tracking identifier is the same as the first tracking identifier. |
| US08060598B1 |
Computer network multicasting traffic monitoring and compensation
A method is provided for monitoring multicasting traffic in an internetwork between a multicasting source in a first domain and a multicasting destination in a second domain. The multicasting source offers connections to a predetermined multicast stream according to predetermined multicast group information. The multicasting destination sends a join message to a router within the internetwork in order to initiate routing of the predetermined multicast stream to the multicasting destination. A notification of the joining is sent from the router to a ledger application, the notification including identifying information of the multicasting destination and the multicasting source. The multicasting source transmitting datagrams of the predetermined multicast stream to the multicasting destination via the router. The ledger application receives and logs the notification as a transaction event. The transaction events are aggregated in response to the first domain of the multicasting source and in response to the second domain of the multicasting destination, thereby allowing reimbursement of costs between domains for transporting the multicasting traffic. |
| US08060592B1 |
Selectively updating network devices by a network management application
A network device management application may manage a number of network devices. When managing the network devices, the management application may receive requests from administrators to modify a configuration of the network devices. In response, the management application may apply the requested modification to a model of the network device and synchronize configuration information of the model of the network device to the configuration information of the real network device using a configuration-based state machine. |
| US08060587B2 |
Methods and apparatus for launching device specific applications on storage area network components
A storage area network (SAN) of the type has a plurality of components including one or more digital data processors in communication with one or more storage devices via a switching fabric. An interface process, e.g., resident on a manager digital data processor, permits the operator/administrator to effect execution of at least a process residing on the manager and at least one process, such as a management application, residing on another SAN component. |
| US08060586B2 |
Dynamic web service deployment and integration
A computer system receives registration information from a service provider registering web services with the dynamic web service configuration store. The registration information indicates a mapping of which web service components are to be used with corresponding user requests. The computer system receives a request from a user requesting a portion of web service functionality and provides the web service functionality using the web service component indicated in the mapping. The computer system receives an indication from the service provider that various web service components are to be updated, where the indication includes updated web service component portions. The computer system also dynamically updates the web service component, so that subsequent user requests for the same portion of web service functionality are processed using the updated web service component. |
| US08060582B2 |
Geocoding personal information
A computer-implemented method for generating geocoded user information is disclosed. The method comprises searching user data across multiple different data corpuses for entries having location-related information and determining locations for the location-related information. The method further comprises generating a map showing a current location of a mobile device along with representations of the entries having location-related information, at the determined locations, for entries from the multiple different data corpuses. |
| US08060579B2 |
User location dependent DNS lookup
A system and method which may directly resolve a URL into the IP address of a web server running a regional website of a web service provider based on a user's geographic location. A user may type a URL of a website in his browser. A user location analyzer may decide the user's geographic location according to his IP address. With the user's geographic location, a DNS server may resolve the URL to a regional website of a web service provider which provides services specific to the user's geographic location. Consequently, the user may be presented a regional website of a web service provider without delays caused by re-directing, and save the user's time and effort to look for a regional website himself. |
| US08060578B2 |
Output information management system
There are provided an output information management system and a method therefor that prevent an output device, which outputs information onto media from being used by an unauthorized third party and allow efficient investigation of an unauthorized activity by an authorized user. A server which constitutes the output information management system stores ID information stored on an IC card for a user and information to be outputted by the output device in an output information database in association with each other. Thus, in case that an unauthorized output is performed, specific evidence as to who outputted what information on the output device is preserved. Therefore, an unauthorized output can be deterred and, if by any chance an unauthorized activity is committed, the activity can be efficiently identified. |
| US08060577B1 |
Method and system for employing user input for file classification and malware identification
A method and apparatus for employing user input to classify unknown files whereby when a given unknown/unclassified file is downloaded and/or activated on a given computer system associated with a given user, the given user is asked to provide input regarding the legitimacy of the given unknown/unclassified file. The classification of the given unknown/unclassified file is then determined via one or more sources other than the given user's input. The accuracy of the given user's input regarding the legitimacy of the given unknown/unclassified file is then determined and used to calculate, and/or transform, a reliability score that is then associated with the given user. A given user's reliability score is then used to determine the given user's eligibility to provide further input regarding the legitimacy of other unknown/unclassified files, and/or to determine a value to be place on, or otherwise filter, future input from the given user regarding the legitimacy of other unknown/unclassified files. |
| US08060574B2 |
System and method providing quality based peer review and distribution of digital content
A digital content review and distribution system and method are provided. In general, a number of authors of digital content register with a content review and distribution agent, which may be hosted by a central server. The authors agree to review digital content submitted by other authors in exchange for review and distribution of their own content. In operation, an author submits metadata associated with digital content to be reviewed and optionally the digital content to the content review and distribution agent. In response to the submission, the content review and distribution agent effects a review of the digital content by one or more groups of reviewers, where the groups of reviewers are selected from the other authors registered with the content review and distribution agent based on the metadata for the digital content and reviewer credentials of the other authors. |
| US08060570B2 |
Systems and methods for sending and receiving e-mail on a network community platform
A network platform for supporting a network-enabled application, comprising a plurality of communication channels to respective plurality of wireless network carries, each of the wireless network carriers having a plurality of users, the network platform comprises at least one processor, at least one interface having access to the internet, a mobile desktop applications, at least one email application, an address book widget, a private view widget, a fake public view profile, and a real public profile. |
| US08060569B2 |
Dynamic email directory harvest attack detection and mitigation
Dynamic directory harvest attack detection and mitigation system is accomplished by altering the logic surrounding how a receiving email server enforces its email delivery rules. The email server's assumed response to received emails is changed when it is determined that the server is under attack, thereby foiling the unauthorized acquisition of valid email addresses and other information retained by the email server. |
| US08060566B2 |
Automatically enabling the forwarding of instant messages
Methods and systems are provided for forwarding an electronic message. In one implementation, a method is provided for receiving an electronic message and an indication of a sender-specified destination for the electronic message. The method further includes determining whether the destination is available to receive an electronic message using a first mode of communication, determining whether an identity associated with the sender-specified destination is known by the sender, and determining whether to transmit a communication that is based on the electronic message using a mobile telephone number associated with the identity. |
| US08060565B1 |
Voice and text session converter
In one embodiment, a communication system is provided that includes:(a) an input operable to receive incoming instant messages;(b) a text-to-speech converter 220 operable to convert a text message in an incoming instant message into a voiced equivalent thereof;(c) a speech-to-text converter 232 operable to convert a voice signal into a text equivalent thereof;(d) a message completion agent 428 operable to convert the text equivalent into an outgoing instant message; and(e) an output operable to send the outgoing instant message to a selected recipient. |
| US08060562B2 |
Real time update notification
Computer method and apparatus for communicating information between a plurality of client computers by means of a communications network. A data server computer coupled to the network communicates data from the data server computer to one or more of a plurality of client computers in response to a request for data by a client computer in the form of a hypertext transfer protocol update request. The data server computer sends the data made available from the data server computer in response to a data update request from one of the plurality of client computers to said data server computer. A communications server computer coupled to the communications network for communicating the fact that the data on the server has been updated by communicating a client to client message from the client computer that updated the data on the data server computer to other client computers thereby prompting said other client computers to request updated data from the data server computer. |
| US08060559B2 |
Systems, methods and protocols for securing data in transit over networks
Methods, systems, and protocols are described for securing data in transit over networks. A communication session is initiated between a client and a server. One or more communication channels can be set up between the client and the server. Each established communication channel may have zero or more intermediary nodes that are selected by the client or by the server to process information exchanged between the client and the server via the communication channels. |
| US08060555B2 |
Electronic content management systems and methods
Electronic content management systems and methods are disclosed. Geographic locator addresses such as mailing addresses are associated with respective, unique, geo-specific electronic addresses. For example, unique electronic addresses may be generated based on information specifying geographic locator addresses. The electronic address associated with a geographic locator address, to which information is to be distributed, may then be determined, and electronic content which includes the information to be distributed can be made available through the electronic address. The geo-specific nature of the electronic addresses may also be used to make electronic content that has local significance available through an electronic address. A user system may determine a type of the electronic content obtained through an electronic address and process the electronic content according to the determined type. |
| US08060554B2 |
System and method for enabling asynchronous push-based applications on a wireless device
There is provided a system and method of enabling asynchronous push-based applications on a wireless device in a system having an application gateway server including an application repository and a server proxy including an event sink for communicating between the system and the device. The method comprises reading a Web service interface, generating a Web service interface therefrom conforming to a notification protocol, creating a notification-based application bundle for the Web service, publishing the notification-based application bundle, creating an event source. The system comprises an application gateway server, an application repository and an application registry. The application gateway includes an event sink for communicating between the system and the device. The application gateway server is configured for communication with a backend server including an event source. |
| US08060552B2 |
Self-organizing hive of computing engines
A self-organizing hive of computing engines is used to process information. A network communicatively couples multiple of hive engines together. These hive engines are configured to self-organize into a cooperative hive for performing computing of client jobs, with the cooperative hive including a multiple processing regions and a request region. This self-organization includes self-forming the processing regions and the request region by the hive engines such that each of the hive engines belongs to at least one of the processing regions; and wherein each the request region includes multiple of the plurality of hive engines. |
| US08060547B2 |
Pade approximation convert circuit of direct digital frequency synthesizer
This invention relates to Pade approximation convert circuit of the direct digital frequency synthesizer in which a multiplier receives and multiplies a first input signal and a variable signal so as to produce a multiplication signal; a divider receives and divides a second input signal and a variable signal so as to produce a division signal; an adder receives and adds the multiplication signal and the division signal so as to generate an output signal, that is then returned back to the divider. A quarter period of a sinusoidal wave signal is completed by the proceeding of direct calculation two times such that the time for the calculation of a complete sinusoidal wave can be saved and the area of the calculation circuit can be reduced. |
| US08060545B2 |
Composition of decimal floating point data, and methods therefor
A decimal floating point finite number in a decimal floating point format is composed from the number in a different format. A decimal floating point format includes fields to hold information relating to the sign, exponent and significand of the decimal floating point finite number. Other decimal floating point data, including infinities and NaNs (not a number), are also composed. Decimal floating point data are also decomposed from the decimal floating point format to a different format. |
| US08060534B1 |
Event management
Managing network event information from a plurality of network appliances is disclosed. Each network appliance provides a network service and each has a version of a common database. Managing includes detecting network event information at a first network appliance, updating a version of the common database on the first network appliance with the network event information, and propagating the network event information to other versions of the database on other network appliances. |
| US08060525B2 |
Method and system for generating media recommendations in a distributed environment based on tagging play history information with location information
A computer-implemented method and system are provided for generating media recommendations in a media recommendation network. Aspects of the method and system include receiving by a server a plurality of play histories of media items from a plurality of users of devices, wherein at least a portion of the media items are tagged with corresponding time and location data indicating a time and location of play; receiving by the server a media recommendation request from a requester, including receiving seed information indicating a current location of the requester; using at least one of user preferences of the requester and the seed information to identify correlated users from which to search corresponding play histories from among the plurality of play histories; comparing the seed information to the corresponding play histories and generating a list of related media items contained therein; and returning the list of related media items to the requester. |
| US08060523B2 |
Search system and method using a plurality of searching criteria
Disclosed is a search system using a plurality of search references, and a search method thereof. When a search word is provided by a user terminal through a network, search targets to be searched are established based on the search word. The search process is performed by applying different search references to the respective search targets, and search results are provided to the search targets. According to the present invention, more reliable information is provided. |
| US08060522B2 |
Parallel data processing system
A tree-structured index to multidimensional data is created using naturally occurring patterns and clusters within the data which permit efficient search and retrieval strategies in a database of DNA profiles. A search engine utilizes hierarchical decomposition of the database by identifying clusters of similar DNA profiles and maps to parallel computer architecture, allowing scale up past previously feasible limits. Key benefits of the new method are logarithmic scale up and parallelization. These benefits are achieved by identification and utilization of naturally occurring patterns and clusters within stored data. The patterns and clusters enable the stored data to be partitioned into subsets of roughly equal size. The method can be applied recursively, resulting in a database tree that is balanced, meaning that all paths or branches through the tree have roughly the same length. The method achieves high performance by exploiting the natural structure of the data in a manner that maintains balanced trees. Implementation of the method maps naturally to parallel computer architectures, allowing scale up to very large databases. |
| US08060520B2 |
Optimization of targeted advertisements based on user profile information
A system and method to facilitate optimization of targeted advertisements based on user profile information are described. A set of event keywords associated with an event or action performed by the user or an agent of the user is identified in a data storage module. User profile information, if available, is further retrieved from the data storage module. A set of profile keywords is further identified from the retrieved user profile information and the set of profile keywords is compared to the set of event keywords based on predetermined business rules to determine a set of resulting keywords. Advertising information related to the set of resulting keywords is further retrieved from an advertising storage module. The retrieved advertisements are ranked based on one or more parameters within one or more keyword/advertisement matrices based on user, segment, or time parameters, and, finally, top ranked advertisements are transmitted to the user or the agent of the user for further display in connection with the requested content. |
| US08060518B2 |
System and methodology for extraction and aggregation of data from dynamic content
A system and methodology for extraction and aggregation of data from dynamic content is described. In one embodiment, for example, a method is described for extracting and structuring items of data from content available via the Internet, the method comprises steps of: receiving input of a user specifying at least one source of content available via the Internet, types of data to be extracted from the at least one source, and fields for structuring extracted items of data; retrieving content from the at least one source; parsing the retrieved content to extract items of data of the types specified by the user; and mapping the extracted items of data to the fields specified by the user so as to transform the extracted items of data into a structured format. |
| US08060508B2 |
Identifying and changing personal information
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for analyzing information about a user are presented which include obtaining at least one search result based on at least one search terms describing the user; presenting the at least one search result to the user; receiving an indication from the user of the desirability of a search result; and performing an action based on the desirability of the search result. Systems, apparatuses, and methods are also presented for determining a reputation score representing the reputation of a user which include collecting search results from data source, determining an effect on the reputation of the user of the search results from the data source, and calculating a reputation score for the user based on the determined effect on the reputation of the user from the search results from the data source. |
| US08060505B2 |
Methodologies and analytics tools for identifying white space opportunities in a given industry
A method for analyzing predefined subject matter in a patent database being for use with a set of target patents, each target patent related to the predefined subject matter, the method comprising: creating a feature space based on frequently occurring terms found in the set of target patents; creating a partition taxonomy based on a clustered configuration of the feature space; editing the partition taxonomy using domain expertise to produce an edited partition taxonomy; creating a classification taxonomy based on structured features present in the edited partition taxonomy; creating a contingency table by comparing the edited partition taxonomy and the classification taxonomy to provide entries in the contingency table; and identifying all significant relationships in the contingency table to help determine the presence of any white space. |
| US08060500B1 |
Method and system for selecting a healthcare provider with minimal office wait times
A method and system for selecting a healthcare provider includes a process for selecting a healthcare provider whereby healthcare provider list data is obtained, along with various data regarding the healthcare providers on the healthcare provider list, and the data is stored in a healthcare provider database. When a healthcare consumer initiates a healthcare provider search request, one or more healthcare consumer criteria for acceptable/desired healthcare providers and/or healthcare services needed is obtained and used to search the healthcare provider database to identify one or more healthcare providers most closely meeting the healthcare consumer's criteria. The availability of appointments and/or estimated wait times for the identified one or more healthcare providers are then obtained. The healthcare consumer is then provided information regarding the one or more identified healthcare providers along with the available appointments and/or estimated office wait times for the one or more identified healthcare providers. |
| US08060499B2 |
Simple discovery UI of location aware information
A system and method for rendering location dependent information on a communications terminal. A position of the communications terminal is retrieved and presented in a spatial orientation metaphor. A predetermined set of categories comprising objects with location dependent information are retrieved and criteria is determined for the objects to be retrieved. The determined objects associated with the set of categories are retrieved. Location dependent information associated with a first object of the determined objects is retrieved. The first object in the spatial orientation metaphor is presented. |
| US08060498B2 |
Broadcast network platform system
A commercial search engine for searchmercials. The system manages and searches advertising media video and audio files and associating the media with one or more calls to action. The system contains Metadata utilized for various queries including search, channels of distribution and account information. The system uses a manually data entry interface or a custom retrieval system to selectively update media files and Metadata from Meta tags or feeds on a scheduled basis automatically without having to manually update this data in the system. The system spiders these custom Meta tags or feeds for new Metadata on a scheduled basis to automate the submission and programming of the searchmercials content over the search engine. The system provides videos tailored for search in the results list in order to better inform users as to the contents of a link URL. The system can also provide users with other call to action options such as click to call, literature, order forms, etc. The system can schedule searchmercials to target users by time of day, location, device, and other parameters to offer a call to action to different audiences. |
| US08060495B2 |
Query execution plan efficiency in a database management system
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for improving query execution plan efficiency in a database management system. The present invention binds both static database queries and dynamic database queries to new query execution plans (QEPs) that produce the same result set as a former QEP bound to the database queries. Next, the present invention identifies one of the former QEPs and the new QEP as an active QEP and automatically collects execution statistics for one of the former QEPs and the new QEP. Finally, the present invention automatically selects one of the former QEPs and the new QEP as the active QEP in response to completion of the automatic collection of execution statistics, the active QEP selected such that the automatically selected QEP provides optimal execution performance based on performance criteria in comparison to the automatically unselected QEP, the active QEP selected based on the execution statistics. |
| US08060491B2 |
Automatic extraction of semantics from text information
The present invention provides systems, methods and computer program products for extracting semantic information from text data having metadata associated therewith. A method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes selecting an ordered set of scale values for a plurality of scales and, for each of the scale values, determining one or more subset of metadata information related to the scale value. For each of the scales and associated subsets, a statistic on occurrences of content associated with the metadata in each subset is determined and the statistics are aggregated for each scale and associated subsets to determine a semantic level for the content. The scales and associated subsets having content with a semantic level above a threshold may be determined to extract semantic information across multiple time frames with the ordered set of scale values for the plurality of scales. |
| US08060490B2 |
Analyzer engine
Methods and systems provide a tool for searching and analyzing XPS files. In accordance with the described embodiments, a user can search and analyze XPS files without having a full understanding of an associated software development kit (SDK). Further, in at least some embodiments, the tool can load an XPS file, analyze XPS/OPC/ZIP metadata information, and store the metadata information into a set of predefined rules. |
| US08060488B2 |
System and method for classifying and defining relationships between product information data
A system and method for classifying and defining relationships between product information data is provided. The method classifies the product information data to two different data types. Each data type includes a plurality of items. The items of each of the two types are arranged in a product information tree. The items of all the product information trees are associated to construct a new tree for showing the relationships of the product information data. |
| US08060487B2 |
Searching for and launching data files not associated with an application
A technique may receive a search query including at least one search term. In response to this search query an index of a plurality of data files may be searched to identify data files containing the at least one search term. Subsequently, a list of one or more links to launch having a corresponding data file identified as containing the at least one search term is generated. In some variations, each data file corresponds to an application and has a file extension that is not associated with the application. Related techniques, apparatuses, systems, articles of manufacture are also described. |
| US08060486B2 |
Automatic conversion schema for cached web requests
Various embodiments are directed to a proxy system for implementing an automatic conversion schema which allows data results from a publishing application to be extracted and displayed by a display application other than the publishing application. In one embodiment, a proxy publisher may receive a request from a publishing application to retrieve a data result from a data server. The request may include a path to the data server and appended publishing parameters. In accordance with the automatic conversion schema, the publishing parameters may comprise decode parameters associated with the publishing application for allowing a display application other than the publishing application to decode variables of the data result and to transform the decoded variables for display. The proxy publisher may cache the request including the appended publishing parameters and retrieve the data result from the data server. The proxy publisher may locally store the data result along with the cached publishing parameters and may respond to a query from a display application for data associated with the publishing application by providing the cached data result and the publishing parameters to the display application. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08060482B2 |
Efficient and consistent software transactional memory
A method and apparatus for efficient and consistent validation/conflict detection in a Software Transactional Memory (STM) system is herein described. A version check barrier is inserted after a load to compare versions of loaded values before and after the load. In addition, a global timestamp (GTS) is utilized to track a latest committed transaction. Each transaction is associated with a local timestamp (LTS) initialized to the GTS value at the start of a transaction. As a transaction commits it updates the GTS to a new value and sets versions of modified locations to the new value. Pending transactions compare versions determined in read barriers to their LTS. If the version is greater than their LTS indicating another transaction has committed after the pending transaction started and initialized the LTS, then the pending transaction validates its read set to maintain efficient and consistent transactional execution. |
| US08060481B1 |
Time indexed file system
A method and mechanism for managing a time-indexed block map in a file system configured to store multiple versions of file data. A file system includes inodes or other structures corresponding to files in the system. Responsive to creating a file, one or more blocks are allocated for use in storing the file data. A block map is maintained for the file and is updated to include an identification of the blocks storing the file data and a timestamp corresponding to the stored data. In response to creating a file, data corresponding block map is maintained. In addition, a new entry is created in the block map which identifies the newly allocated blocks. Further, an entry of the block map is updated to (i) identify the particular blocks to which the write was directed and (ii) include a timestamp corresponding to the time of the write. |
| US08060480B2 |
Processing substantial amounts of data using a database
Among other disclosed subject matter, a computer-implemented method for handling large amounts of data is to be initiated. The method includes receiving, using an application program executed from local memory of a computer system, portions of information from a first file. The method includes generating a database table in a peripheral storage device. The method includes storing the portions of information in the database table of the peripheral storage device. The method includes locking the database table, wherein the locking exclusively provides the application program a database accessing technique to the database table. The method includes processing by the application program the portions of information in the database table using the database accessing technique. The method includes clearing the database table upon a termination of the application program. The method includes, unlocking the database table upon the termination of the application program. |
| US08060479B1 |
Systems and methods for transparently restoring data using file streaming
A computer-implemented method for transparently restoring data using streaming may comprise identifying an attempt to access backed-up data that is not present on a computing device, transmitting a request to a server to restore the backed-up data, receiving the backed-up data from the server via streaming, and restoring the backed-up data to the computing device. A corresponding method for streaming backed-up data to a target computing device is also disclosed. In addition, corresponding systems and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08060474B2 |
Backing up and restoring security information for selected database objects
A mechanism to selectively restore portions of a monolithically backed up database, while maintaining security relationships associated with the restored portions of the database is provided. Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer-readable storage medium for receiving a request to restore a selected object from among a plurality of backed up objects in a database backup, accessing security-related information associated with the selected object in the database backup, restoring the selected object using the information associated with the selected object in a target area, and associating elements of the security-related information with the restored selected object. |
| US08060472B2 |
Information processing system, information processing method, and computer-readable storage medium
An information processing system which utilizes apparatus data recorded in a database in conformity with a data definition which can be updated as needed, comprises a storage unit configured to store a data definition history in which a data definition version is associated with a period for which a data definition in the data definition version is used, a data definition library configured to register a data definition version and a data definition in the data definition version in association with each other, an extractor configured to extract, from the database, apparatus data which meets an extraction condition including an extraction period designated via a user interface, and a converter configured to convert an expression of the apparatus data extracted by the extractor into an expression conforming to a data definition designated via the user interface. |
| US08060466B1 |
Service for accepting and selectively exposing user-created lists of items
Information retrieval systems and methods are disclosed for presenting items of interest to a user of a computer-based data repository, where the items are presented in the form of lists generated by other users. Users of a data repository may generate lists of items from the repository that are accessible by other users. In various embodiments, users generating lists may add supplemental commentary about the items and other personalizing information. The information retrieval systems and methods store the user-generated lists for future presentation to other users. When a user of the data repository submits a search query, items returned in the query's results are interpreted to be items of interest to the user, and in response, one or more lists determined to be similar to the items of interest are presented to the user. |
| US08060465B2 |
Data management system, and information processing device and computer readable medium therefor
A data management system includes an external device and information processing device communicably connected with the external device. The information processing device includes a data sending unit sending a data file to the external device, a specifying information storing unit storing data specifying information, a request unit sending a request for data information regarding a data file stored in the external device to the external device, a response receiving unit receiving the data information as a response to the request, a judging unit judging whether the data file specified by the data information includes the data file specified by the data specifying information, and a deletion request unit sending a deletion request for deleting the data file specified by the data specifying information to the external device when the judgment is affirmative. |
| US08060458B2 |
Method and system of knowledge component based engineering design
The present invention relates to an engineering design method and a system of implementing same. In one embodiment, the method includes a construction process of knowledge components and a design process based on the knowledge components. The knowledge components pack universal modules in the standard forms. Accordingly, the knowledge components are independent from design layouts or design processes of products, and reusable in different projects and platforms. The design process integrates a variety of software platforms via a uniform environment and calls the knowledge components to complete the engineering designs. Further, the design process defines a data relation and an execution relation of the knowledge components and establishes a relationship between the knowledge components without programming. The universal module comprises at least operations, methods, rules and/or flows of an engineering design process and engineering analysis process. |
| US08060454B2 |
Method and apparatus for improved reward-based learning using nonlinear dimensionality reduction
The present invention is a method and an apparatus for reward-based learning of management policies. In one embodiment, a method for reward-based learning includes receiving a set of one or more exemplars, where at least two of the exemplars comprise a (state, action) pair for a system, and at least one of the exemplars includes an immediate reward responsive to a (state, action) pair. A distance measure between pairs of exemplars is used to compute a Non-Linear Dimensionality Reduction (NLDR) mapping of (state, action) pairs into a lower-dimensional representation, thereby producing embedded exemplars, wherein one or more parameters of the NLDR are tuned to minimize a cross-validation Bellman error on a holdout set taken from the set of one or more exemplars. The mapping is then applied to the set of exemplars, and reward-based learning is applied to the embedded exemplars to obtain a learned management policy. |
| US08060453B2 |
System and method for funds recovery from an integrated postal security device
Systems and methods for providing funds recovery for mailing machines including integrated circuits such as those used in postal security devices are described, and in certain configurations, systems and methods for recovering data such as postal funds records from a partially disabled single integrated circuit in a postal security device are described. |
| US08060449B1 |
Partially delegated over-the-air provisioning of a secure element
A system for provisioning a secure element on a mobile device is provided. The system comprises a first trusted service manager associated with a credit card, a second trusted service manager associated with a wireless service provider, and a mobile device. The mobile device has a secure element to hold the credit card and an over-the-air client to communicate wirelessly with the first trusted service manager and the second trusted service manager. When the second trusted service manager receives a message from the first trusted service manager to provision a personalization information for the credit card to the mobile device, the second trusted service manager transmits to the over-the-air client a message to initiate transfer of the personalization information for the credit card. |
| US08060448B2 |
Late binding tokens
A system for verifying intent in a card not present transaction is provided. The system includes a late binding token that is distributable to consumers without necessarily being bound to an account. The system also includes a client software that locates a token server configured to facilitate managing and communicating with the late binding token. The system also includes a protocol concerning how to build a verifiably secure structured proposal that carries an offer to the consumer through the client software. |
| US08060447B2 |
Method of providing transactions employing advertising based verification
A method of improving electronic security establishes a secure trusted path between a user and an institution seeking an electronic signature to verify a transaction before any request for signature and completing electronic transaction activities occurs. The secure trusted path providing the user with a first predetermined portion of a branded watermark, for instance an advertisement, provided from the institution in conjunction with the request, and a second predetermined portion of the branded watermark being provided upon a personalized device that cannot be intercepted or manipulated by malware, allowing the user to verify that the request as displayed upon the user's primary computing device is valid. |
| US08060446B2 |
Method of providing services including essay providing and review services based on authentication of college students, and system therefor
Provided are a method and system for providing services based on authentication of college students. According to the present invention, a verification code is transmitted to an email account that is provided by a college, a college student who inputs the same verification code is authenticated, and the authenticated college student provides the services including an essay providing service or an essay review service, based on the verified identity of the college student. |
| US08060441B2 |
Electronic payment and authentication system with debit and identification data verification and electronic check capabilities
An electronic payment and authentication system that includes features to verify the authenticity of a payer, validate debit data, and facilitate debit (as opposed to credit) payment transactions. The electronic payment system allows a consumer to purchase items and services via a network while utilizing a debit transaction. The invention provides merchants with the ability to verify the identity of the consumer, determine if the consumer is a good debit transaction risk, and retrieve debit data associated with a particular consumer. |
| US08060439B2 |
Method and system for reporting cashflows to clients
A system and method of providing a client with cashflow monitoring during a transfer of services (e.g. pre-authorized debits and credits) from a first account to a second account, the method comprising the steps of: (i) determining an effective date for the transfer of each service, said effective dates creating a transfer window; (ii) determining cashflows for said first account and said second account during said transfer window; (iii) adjusting effective dates for transfer of each services to avoid cashflow interruptions in said first and said second accounts; and (iv) providing a cashflow analysis to the client that lists all the effective dates for each service transfer and predicted cashflows for said first and said second account during said transfer window. |
| US08060438B2 |
Automated loan processing system and method
A browser based automated loan system includes a loan engine offered individually to financial institutions to set up, operate and manage loan product offerings, a consumer website interface having a loan application form with data fields relevant to the loan product offerings, a designer component that establishes tasks in the form of a loan process checklist associated with each loan product offering, and a workflow engine for automatically evaluating the loan application form using the applicable loan process checklist in conjunction with rules, logical mathematical computational components, and risk based offer configurations for generating an instant loan offer when a borrower qualifies. Each task has attributes available for establishing entry conditions to provide workflow automation, and each task is performed when the entry conditions associated therewith are satisfied. The consumer website interface enables selecting a category of loan product offerings, and each checklist is associated with the selected category. |
| US08060437B2 |
Automatic termination of electronic transactions
A system and method of terminating a transaction between a merchant and customer are disclosed. |
| US08060436B2 |
Software application domain and storage domain risk analysis process and method
A method for analyzing management risk of a computer network includes selecting a portion of a storage system, determining a first downtime cost associated with a component included in the portion of the storage system, assigning the first downtime cost to the component, and disseminating the assigning of the downtime cost to a user. |
| US08060435B2 |
Systems and methods for providing a trading interface
Systems and methods for configurable trading interfaces that allow a trader to quickly and easily submit trading commands to a trading system are provided. Using these systems and methods, a trader can using various trading interfaces to initiate trading commands, configure various display features and default command settings, and control a level of command entry verification that is provided to protect against inadvertent entry of incorrect trading commands. |
| US08060433B2 |
Method of determining an exchange allocation that promotes truthful bidding and improves the obtainment of exchange objectives
In an apparatus and method of solving a combinatorial exchange, a plurality of candidate allocations of input bids is determined from input bids and a set of bid vectors is formed from the input bids. A probability value, representing how likely the bids of a bid vector will comprise the bids from which a final allocation is determined, is associated with each bid vector. A mapping is then determined between each bid vector and at least one of the candidate allocations based on a set of objectives and a set of constraints. A candidate allocation is selected as a final allocation based on a comparison of another set of bids that define an exchange event bid vector with at least one of the bid vectors. |
| US08060431B2 |
Hedging risks associated with variable priced orders for derivative financial products
Systems and methods are provided for executing a hedge transaction in connection with the execution of a derivative product order in which the price of the derivative product is defined by one or more variables. The hedge transaction may be executed at an exchange or match engine that is different from the exchange or match engine executing the derivative product order. The execution of derivative product transaction may be contingent on the existence of an appropriate hedge transaction. Alternatively, a best efforts approach may be used to fill the hedge transaction order after executing the derivative product transaction. |
| US08060430B1 |
System and method for implementing a recurrent bidding process
A system and method for implementing a recurrent bidding process is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method for implementing a recurrent bidding process to dispose of a portfolio of consumer debts may comprise the steps of: offering the portfolio of consumer debts in an initial bidding among a plurality of potential buyers to identify a first buyer and a second buyer, wherein the first buyer is the highest bidder in the initial bidding and is allocated a first portion of the portfolio, and wherein the second buyer is the next highest bidder in the initial bidding and is allocated a second portion of the portfolio; maintaining the allocation of the portfolio of consumer debts between the first buyer and the second buyer for a first time period; designating a portion of the portfolio as an at-risk volume for a second time period; offering the at-risk volume in a second bidding between the first buyer and the second buyer, wherein the highest bidder in the second bidding is allocated the at-risk volume; and maintaining the resulting allocation of the portfolio of consumer debts between the first buyer and the second buyer for the second time period. |
| US08060428B1 |
System and method for managing tax-deferred retirement accounts
A system and method of managing tax-deferred retirement accounts may allow a plurality of participants to invest in a portfolio having a plurality of exchange traded funds (ETFs) according to an asset allocation model. The system and method may use at least one regular contribution to selectively buy at least one underweighted exchange traded fund to cause a participant's portfolio to more closely conform to the asset allocation model. The system and method may allow a plurality of participants to conduct calculations of estimated retirement savings based on a plurality of parameters. |
| US08060425B2 |
Evaluation and adjustment of settlement value curves
Disclosed is a method that is useful in connection with providing discount factors for an exchange-traded mark-to-market derivative product that has a variable tick rate, such as an interest rate swap product. In some embodiments, the method includes providing a series of consecutive settlement values, which collectively represent a settlement value curve for the derivative product. The curve is evaluated by determining, for each consecutive pair of settlement values, whether the difference between the first settlement value in the pair and the second settlement value in the pair exceeds a threshold. The threshold represents the value at which a discount factor derived from said pair of settlement values, in conjunction with other parameters, would be negative. In other embodiments the disclosed invention encompasses an apparatus and a computer-readable medium. |
| US08060423B1 |
Method and system for automatic categorization of financial transaction data based on financial data from similarly situated users
Financial data associated with one or more “contributing consumers” is obtained from one or more sources and categorized and associated with a specific expense/income category. One or more attributes associated with the contributing consumers are then identified and used to analyze, aggregate, and categorize the financial data according to the attributes. Data representing a user financial transaction is then obtained for categorization and one or more specific user attributes associated with the user are identified. The user financial transaction is then categorized based, at least in part, on the categorization of similar contributing consumer financial transactions by contributing consumers having at least one of the specific user attributes. |
| US08060420B2 |
Gift card reimbursement system and method
A method for purchasing goods and services in transactions utilizing a valued card includes issuing to a card owner from an issuing institution a valued card pursuant to an agreement between the card owner and the issuing institution. The valued card has a purchase value. The valued card is transferred to a recipient having authority to purchase goods and services utilizing at least a portion of the purchase value. The card owner is reimbursed a percentage of a remaining balance of the purchase value at an expiration date pursuant to the agreement. |
| US08060417B2 |
Date effective quantity on hand and adjusted unit cost calculation
An accounting method can insert changes that affect average cost calculations after the initial average cost calculations. The method can go back in time and add in transactions that affect average cost and re-calculate average cost based on the added entry to all entries after the added entry. |
| US08060416B2 |
Method and system for providing advertising inventory information in response to demographic inquiries
The present invention relates to a method and system for providing advertising inventory information. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and system for providing advertising inventory information in response to demographic inquiries. In an exemplary embodiment, a server responds to a demographic query. Based on the query, the server queries an advertising inventory database and a contract database to retrieve relevant information. Using the relevant information, the total inventory and the total sold inventory are obtained. Using the now obtained total inventory and the total sold inventory information, the server then provides an estimation of the total available inventory matching the query. |
| US08060415B2 |
Method for generating sales of a conversational voice response system
In one aspect, the invention provides a method for generating a sales lead for the sale of a CVR system. The method comprises initiating a call in which a human calls an organization and interacts with an interactive voice response (IVR) system that defines an interface to a database for an organization in order to obtain information from the database; generating a first audio file comprising a recording of the interaction; generating a second audio file comprising a recording of an interaction of the caller with a CVR system in order to obtain the same information from the database; presenting the first and second audio files to a decision maker in the organization who has some influence on a decision to purchase the CVR system; tracking when the decision maker accesses the audio files; and initiating contact with the decision maker once access of the audio files is established. |
| US08060414B1 |
Encoding and decoding of product properties in a uniform resource locator
Disclosed are various embodiments for generating bundle uniform resource locators (URL). A URL is generated that contains a parameter with a value corresponding to a product available in the electronic commerce system. At least one parameter with a value corresponding to configurable features of the product is also encoded in the URL. The URL parameters are validated to determine whether the product and configurable features are compatible. |
| US08060408B2 |
Diagnostic data interchange
The present invention provides a bi-directional communication network which provides monitoring, data collection, and control of food service industry operations. The system includes a computer and control logic implemented by the computer which may be configured to perform various tasks. A communication network may be provided linking the computer with equipment and appliances having a microprocessor based controller capable of communicating with the system. In one embodiment, the system automatically verifies the performance of equipment-related manual tasks in food preparation. In another embodiment, the system schedules the maintenance of a plurality of kitchen appliances. In another embodiment, the system provides a hold timer for tracking the hold time of cooked food products and determines when the hold time elapses. In yet another embodiment, the system manages the inventory of cooked food products in a food preparation establishment. |
| US08060405B1 |
Methods and systems for correlating connections between users and links between articles
Methods and systems for correlating connections between users and links between articles to identify search and/or ad spamming are disclosed. Social networks can be used to identify connections between users for correlation with links between articles, which can be identified through searches of article contents and/or back tracing accesses to articles. One disclosed method comprises identifying first associations between a plurality of users in a network of associated users; identifying second associations between one or more users and one or more articles; identifying third associations between at least some of the articles or between some of the users and access to some of the articles; and determining at least one of the third associations is correlated with one or more of the first associations. |
| US08060400B2 |
Fleet management system
Systems of hardware and software are provided for enabling mobile assets to communicate across a wireless network environment. Systems, computer-implemented methods and computer program products are also provided for leveraging wireless communication and/or processing capabilities of mobile assets against a robust software solution to implement enterprise wide asset management functions, to integrate mobile asset data into existing enterprise workflows and/or to enable trusted third party integration into the enterprise for enhanced asset and/or workflow management. |
| US08060388B1 |
Resource distribution
Provided are techniques for allowing consumers to reserve a resource, in which potential consumers have a choice among a number of different reservation contracts for reserving a resource to be provided at a future time. Each reservation contract allows a corresponding contracting customer to elect whether to receive the resource and requires the contracting customer to make a first payment in aggregate if the resource ultimately is elected and to make a second payment in aggregate if the resource ultimately is not elected, with the first payment being higher than the second payment, and with both being nonzero. |
| US08060384B2 |
Program for alternative funding of employee and retiree benefits
An insurance program for funding benefits by maintaining assets in the insurance program that includes an employer or employee owned trust account and at least one life insurance contract obtained directly or indirectly from a captive insurance company. The life insurance contract is purchased with assets from the trust account and the captive insurance company is a least partially owned by the employer. When paying or reimbursing benefits, the employer or the trust may pay the benefit and if the employer pays the benefit, the trust may reimburse the employer. |
| US08060382B1 |
Method and system for providing a healthcare bill settlement system
A system and method for providing a healthcare bill settlement system whereby a given healthcare service consumer's EOB data relating to a given healthcare service item is obtained and is translated into a description of the services in language, and/or a format, that a typical healthcare service consumer can understand. The healthcare service consumer's EOB data is also used to present the healthcare service consumer with a payment calculation display and an explanation of how the healthcare service consumer's portion of the claim amount was calculated. The healthcare services consumer is then provided communication access to the healthcare services provider to propose a settlement payment prior to the healthcare services consumer receiving an invoice from the healthcare services provider. The healthcare services provider is then provided the capability to accept or reject the proposed settlement payment. |
| US08060381B2 |
User interface for analyzing opportunities for clinical process improvement
User interfaces are provided for analyzing opportunities for optimizing clinical processes within clinical facilities. An optimized practice process model may be defined for a particular clinical procedure, setting forth an optimal clinical process. In addition, critical levers may be identified within the optimal clinical process, representing the activities that have the greatest impact on outcomes. Clinical facilities may collect current measures for the critical levers, and the current measures may be compared against an optimal, benchmark, and/or target measure. Based on the comparison, opportunities for clinical process optimization may be identified. User interfaces are provided for analyzing the opportunities. |
| US08060380B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing phone-in prescriptions
An apparatus and method are disclosed for processing phone-in prescription requests. The apparatus is in the form of a prescription processing network that includes a prescription processing system and a communication device remotely located from the prescription processing system. The communication device is used to establish a communication channel with the prescription processing system and submit a prescription request over the communication channel. A pharmacist, associated with the prescription processing system, prepares a completed prescription form based, at least in part, on the submitted prescription request. The prescription processing network also includes a pharmacy for receiving the completed prescription form, and filling the prescription request based on the completed prescription form. |
| US08060379B1 |
Systems and methods for alternate pricing for prescription drugs
Systems and methods may be provided for alternate pricing. The systems and methods may include receiving first information associated with a first claim transaction, where the first information identifies a first drug, a first quantity of the first drug, and a first price for the first drug, determining a first product classification for the identified first drug, where the first product classification indicates that the identified first drug is a preferred drug, and updating an alternate pricing database with the first price for the first drug. The systems and methods may also include utilizing the alternate database to identify one or more lower-cost alternate drugs that are therapeutic alternatives for a requested drug. Customers may be provided with information regarding the identified lower-cost alternate drugs. |
| US08060378B2 |
Disease management system and method including question version
A system and method for allowing a patient to access an automated process for managing a specified health problem called a disease. The system performs disease management in a fully automated manner, using periodic interactive dialogs with the patient to obtain health state measurements from the patient, to evaluate and assess the progress of the patient's disease, to review and adjust therapy to optimal levels, and to give the patient medical advice for administering treatment and handling symptom flare-ups and acute episodes of the disease. The medical records are updated, the progression of the disease is stored and tracked, and the patient's preferences for treatment are stored and then used to offer medical advice based on the current state of the disease. A prestored general disease trend curve is compared against a patient specific disease trend curve, and the system makes an automated response such as adjusting therapy. |
| US08060377B2 |
System and method for collaborative patient care
A system for developing a patient care plan and executing the patient care plan and assessing the success of the planning and execution of the patient care plan. A coordinated, collaborative approach to the development of a patient care plan at the admission of a patient to a health care facility and may include a plurality of healthcare professionals in the development of the plan. The plan may include a plurality of phases spanning from admission through treatment and discharge of the patient from the health care facility. A system of executing the patient care plan with specific milestones established before transitioning the treatment from one stage of the care plan to the next stage of the care plan. A method of developing, executing and assessing the execution of a patient care plan including a plurality of phases of patient care and milestones to be met before transitioning to the next phase of care. |
| US08060376B2 |
System and method for collection of community health and administrative data
The present invention involves a health care patient document system and method which enable patients to enter clinical, administrative, and financial information normally completed on a clipboard in a medical office into a computerized system that stores the information. The patient is then enabled to direct the stored information to any health care provider whether the provider is enabled to receive the data electronically or not. For those provider clinicians and organizations not enabled to receive the information electronically, the system completes the paper-based forms already in use within the organization and sends the completed form by facsimile or mail delivery. |
| US08060375B2 |
Adapting masking thresholds for encoding a low frequency transient signal in audio data
An improved audio coding technique encodes audio having a low frequency transient signal, using a long block, but with a set of adapted masking thresholds. Upon identifying an audio window that contains a low frequency transient signal, masking thresholds for the long block may be calculated as usual. A set of masking thresholds calculated for the 8 short blocks corresponding to the long block are calculated. The masking thresholds for low frequency critical bands are adapted based on the thresholds calculated for the short blocks, and the resulting adapted masking thresholds are used to encode the long block of audio data. The result is encoded audio with rich harmonic content and negligible coder noise resulting from the low frequency transient signal. |
| US08060374B2 |
Slot position coding of residual signals of spatial audio coding application
Spatial information associated with an audio signal is encoded into a bitstream, which can be transmitted to a decoder or recorded to a storage media. The bitstream can include different syntax related to time, frequency and spatial domains. In some embodiments, the bitstream includes one or more data structures (e.g., frames) that contain ordered sets of slots for which parameters can be applied. The data structures can be fixed or variable. The data structure can include position information that can be used by a decoder to identify the correct slot for which a given parameter set is applied. The slot position information can be encoded with either a fixed number of bits or a variable number of bits based on the data structure type. |
| US08060369B2 |
System and method of providing a spoken dialog interface to a website
Disclosed is a system and method for training a spoken dialog service component from website data. Spoken dialog service components typically include an automatic speech recognition module, a language understanding module, a dialog management module, a language generation module and a text-to-speech module. The method includes converting data from a structured database associated with a website to a structured text data set and a structured task knowledge base, extracting linguistic items from the structured database, and training a spoken dialog service component using at least one of the structured text data, the structured task knowledge base, or the linguistic items. The system includes modules configured to implement the method. |
| US08060368B2 |
Speech recognition apparatus
A voice recognition apparatus 10, which performs voice recognition of an input voice by referring to a voice recognition dictionary and outputs a voice recognition result, has an external information acquiring section 14 for acquiring from externally connected devices 20-1-20-N connected thereto a type of each externally connected device, and for acquiring data recorded in each externally connected device; a vocabulary extracting analyzing section 15 and 16 for extracting a vocabulary item from the data as an extracted vocabulary item, and for producing analysis data by analyzing the extracted vocabulary item and by providing the extracted vocabulary item with reading; and a dictionary generating section 17 for storing the analysis data in the voice recognition dictionary corresponding to the type. For each type of the externally connected devices, one of the voice recognition dictionaries 13-1-13-N is assigned. |
| US08060366B1 |
System, method, and computer-readable medium for verbal control of a conference call
A system, method, and computer readable medium that facilitate verbal control of conference call features are provided. Automatic speech recognition functionality is deployed in a conferencing platform. Hot words are configured in the conference platform that may be identified in speech supplied to a conference call. Upon recognition of a hot word, a corresponding feature may be invoked. A speaker may be identified using speaker identification technologies. Identification of the speaker may be utilized to fulfill the speaker's request in response to recognition of a hot word and the speaker. Particular participants may be provided with conference control privileges that are not provided to other participants. Upon recognition of a hot word, the speaker may be identified to determine if the speaker is authorized to invoke the conference feature associated with the hot word. |
| US08060365B2 |
Dialog processing system, dialog processing method and computer program
A dialog processing system which includes a target expression data extraction unit for extracting a plurality of target expression data each including a pattern matching portion which matches an utterance pattern, which are inputted by an utterance pattern input unit and is an utterance structure derived from contents of field-independent general conversations, among a plurality of utterance data which are inputted by an utterance data input unit and obtained by converting contents of a plurality of conversations in one field; a feature extraction unit for retrieving the pattern matching portions, respectively, from the plurality of target expression data extracted, and then for extracting feature quantity common to the plurality of pattern matching portions; and a mandatory data extraction unit for extracting mandatory data in the one field included in the plurality of utterance data by use of the feature quantities extracted. |
| US08060363B2 |
Audio signal encoding
For an audio coding, noise suppression is applied to an original audio signal to obtain an audio signal with reduced noise. A coding mode is selected based on the audio signal with reduced noise. The original audio signal is then encoded using this selected coding mode. |
| US08060362B2 |
Noise detection for audio encoding by mean and variance energy ratio
The techniques described are utilized for detection of noise and noise-like segments in audio coding. The techniques can include performing a prediction gain calculation, an energy compaction calculation, and a mean and variation energy calculation. Signal adaptive noise decisions can be made both in time and frequency dimensions. The techniques can be embodied as part of an AAC (advanced audio coding) encoder to detect noise and noise-like spectral bands. This detected information is transmitted in a bitstream using a signaling method defined for a perceptual noise substitution (PNS) encoding tool of the AAC encoder. |
| US08060358B2 |
HMM alignment for combining translation systems
A computing system configured to produce an optimized translation hypothesis of text input into the computing system. The computing system includes a plurality of translation machines. Each of the translation machines is configured to produce their own translation hypothesis from the same text. An optimization machine is connected to the plurality of translation machines. The optimization machine is configured to receive the translation hypotheses from the translation machines. The optimization machine is further configured to align, word-to-word, the hypotheses in the plurality of hypotheses by using a hidden Markov model. |
| US08060357B2 |
Linguistic user interface
A system for retrieval of text includes a processor which identifies grammar rules associated with text fragments of a text string that is retrieved from an associated storage medium, and retrieves text strings from the storage medium which satisfy the grammar rules. A display displays retrieved text strings. A user input device in communication with the processor enables a user to select text fragments of the displayed text strings for generating a query. The processor identifies grammar rules associated with the user-selected text fragments and retrieves text strings from the storage medium which satisfy the grammar rules. |
| US08060352B2 |
Geospatial modeling system using void filling and related methods
A geospatial modeling system may include a geospatial model data storage device and a processor cooperating therewith for determining a void within a geospatial model data set defining a void boundary region, and selecting at least one raw fill region from within the geospatial model data set for filling the void. The processor may also cooperate with the geospatial model data storage device for adjusting elevation values of the at least one raw fill region based upon elevation differences between corresponding portions of the void boundary region and the at least one raw fill region, and updating the geospatial model based upon the adjusted elevation values of the at least one raw fill region. |
| US08060350B2 |
Method of performing computational aeroelastic analyses
Computational aeroelastic analyses typically use a mathematical model for the structural modes of a flexible structure and a nonlinear aerodynamic model that can generate a plurality of unsteady aerodynamic responses based on the structural modes for conditions defining an aerodynamic condition of the flexible structure. In the present invention, a linear state-space model is generated using a single execution of the nonlinear aerodynamic model for all of the structural modes where a family of orthogonal functions is used as the inputs. Then, static and dynamic aeroelastic solutions are generated using computational interaction between the mathematical model and the linear state-space model for a plurality of periodic points in time. |
| US08060349B2 |
Method of designing a static synchronous compensator based on passivity-based control
This invention presents a method of novel nonlinear control for designing Static Synchronous Compensators (STATCOM). A passivity-based approach is proposed for designing robust nonlinear STATCOM controller. The mathematical model of STATCOM will be represented by an Euler-Lagrange (EL) system corresponding to a set of EL parameters. By employing the Park's transformation, the differential geometry approach is used to investigate the power system dynamics with considering STATCOM under the synchronous d-q frame. The energy-dissipative properties of the proposed model derived in the synchronous d-q rotating frame are fully retained. This model also consider the dynamic response of the changable load. Finally, the passivity-based control is employed by using energy shaping and damping injection techniques to produce the proper control signals for Voltage Source Converter. So that the system embedded with STATCOM is more robust and stable. |
| US08060347B2 |
Complexity management for vehicle electrical/electronic architecture design
Disclosed herein are computer aided design (CAD) techniques to implement a unified data schema and graphical user interface (GUI) to link ECU/devices, in-vehicle communications, and vehicle harness information together with respect to architectural relation, performance relation, and cost relation, and to facilitate a designer's understanding and manipulation of this information. The domain-specific information from each domain is converted to objects in this unified data schema and stored in a unified database that is accessible to every domain, so that the impact of the current state in the device domain can be accessed and analyzed by a designer from any domain. This approach enables design data sharing and real-time collaboration between different electrical/electronic (E/E) design domains, thereby facilitating the realization of design data collaboration, design change management, and product lifetime management (PLM) and product data management (PDM) implementation. |
| US08060346B2 |
Thin client graphical presentation and manipulation application
A distributed graphical presentation and manipulation application executes as a thin client application in a network. The networked graphical presentation and manipulation application can generally be used without requiring a user to install any specific software prior to using the application. In one aspect, code may be received from a server, and a local environment may be generated based on the code, where the local environment may be configured to display a view of the graphical model. One or more model views to be requested may be predicted, and the predicted views may be stored in a memory for display in the local environment. |
| US08060344B2 |
Method and system for automatically performing a study of a multidimensional space
A method and system comprising a Master station, a processor and one or more targets that allows a user of said system to automatically generate a 3 dimensional graphical representation of a construction site and also overlay a drawing onto the graphical representation to guide the user within a virtual space being displayed by the processor. |
| US08060343B2 |
Semiconductor device and noise measuring method
Provided is a semiconductor device for outputting only the necessary information from non-periodic noise information to the outside. An analysis object information extracting section specifies analysis object information used to analyze noise associated with a malfunction from the non-periodic noise information having a large amount of information and extracts only the specified analysis object information from the noise information. A communication section outputs the extracted analysis object information to the outside. Thus, the amount of the information can be reduced and the noise information can be outputted by an inexpensive communication section such as a serial communication device. |
| US08060339B2 |
Multistatic concealed object detection
Concealed object detection using electromagnetic and acoustic multistatic imaging systems and methods. A method of simultaneously screening plural subjects for concealed objects includes transmitting a signal into a screening area where there is at least one subject to be screened having an associated object, receiving a reflected signal from the object when the object is located within the screening area, processing the reflected signal using multistatic Fourier space sampling and tomographic reconstruction to generate a three-dimensional image of the object and displaying the three-dimensional image. The transmitting and receiving are performed using a multi-directional array including at least three sensors. An object detection system includes a screening area, a multi-directional array including at least three sensors, a processor configured to execute multistatic Fourier space sampling and tomographic reconstruction and a display. |
| US08060337B2 |
Method and apparatus for estimating a motion parameter
A system for estimating motion parameters corresponding to a user. The system may generally include a receiver operable to receive a signal from an external source, an inertial sensor operable to be coupled with the user and arbitrarily oriented relative to the direction of user motion for generation of a signal corresponding to user motion, and a processing system in communication with the receiver and inertial sensor. The processing system can be operable to utilize the receiver signal to estimate a first parameter corresponding to a first motion parameter type, utilize the inertial sensor signal to estimate a second parameter corresponding to a second motion parameter type, generate a user-specific motion model to correlate the first parameter type and second parameter type using at least the first and second estimated parameters, utilize the inertial sensor signal to estimate a third parameter corresponding to the second parameter type, and utilize the motion model and the third parameter to estimate a fourth parameter corresponding to the first parameter type independent of the receiver signal. |
| US08060333B2 |
Test apparatus and test method
Provided is a test apparatus that tests a device under test, including a pattern list storage section that stores a plurality of pattern lists that each designate, in a prescribed order, the test patterns to be output by the device under test, and a pattern list processing section that (i) sequentially outputs the test patterns by sequentially executing the pattern lists according to test results of the device under test and, (ii) when transitioning from a current pattern list to a subsequent pattern list, repeatedly outputs a prescribed idle pattern until execution of the subsequent pattern list is begun. |
| US08060323B2 |
Secondary-battery life estimation apparatus and method
A secondary-battery life estimation apparatus includes: a voltage measuring portion measuring a terminal voltage of a secondary battery to be measured; a first memory storing in advance a terminal voltage V0 of a non-degraded secondary battery before the non-degraded secondary battery discharges after fully charged; a second memory which stores in advance a life-estimation data map as a look-up table associating a voltage difference dV between a terminal voltage V of the secondary battery to be measured before the secondary battery to be measured discharges after fully charged and the terminal voltage V0 with a residual life of the secondary battery to be measured; and a CPU calculating the voltage difference dV between the terminal voltage V measured by the voltage measuring portion before the secondary battery to be measured discharges after fully charged and the terminal voltage V0 stored in the first memory and estimating the residual life of the secondary battery to be measured based on the life-estimation data map stored in the second memory using the voltage difference dV. |
| US08060322B2 |
Battery management system and driving method thereof
Battery management system and a driving method thereof including a sensing unit and an MCU. The sensing unit measures a battery current and a battery voltage. The MCU sets an OCV during a no-load state period at time increments measured from the beginning of the no-load state period, and estimates an SOC corresponding to the set OCV. |
| US08060319B2 |
Acoustic structural integrity monitoring system and method
A method and system for detecting structural damage in a structure by detecting acoustic emissions from damage in a structure to obtain acoustic emission data, and processing the acoustic emission data in accordance with a model characterising acoustic paths. The model is built by inducing a plurality of types of acoustic emissions at each of a plurality of positions on a structure, the plurality of types of acoustic emissions corresponding to a respective plurality of types of structural damage. The acoustic emissions are detected using at least three sensors arranged on the structure, and the detected acoustic emissions are processed for each position to determine model data characterising effects on each type of acoustic emission from each position of acoustic paths between the positions and the sensors. The processed data is then stored as model data. |
| US08060318B2 |
Assessment method to process a glucose concentration signal and devices thereof
Embodiments of an assessment method for processing a signal corresponding to a glucose concentration and performing a retrospective analysis comprises the steps of: a) initiating a first trigger, wherein the first trigger defines the beginning of a segment of a continuous measurement of glucose concentration or defines the first of a series of spot measurements of glucose concentration; b) collecting data of the continuous measurement or the series of spot measurements of glucose concentration to be analyzed, wherein the collected data relates to a glucose concentration excursion corresponding to a reaction to a relevant event such as a meal or physical activity; c) analyzing the collected data initiated by a second trigger, wherein the second trigger defines the end of the collected data to be analyzed, wherein a measure for a grading of the excursion is determined from the collected data, and d) displaying the results of the analysis. |
| US08060317B2 |
Method for measuring the incidence of hospital acquired infections
Disclosed is a method and system for analyzing patient hospitalization data to determine a Nosocomial Infection Marker (NIM), the method comprising receiving from a database hospitalization data associated with at least one patient, calculating from the hospitalization data the number of specimens with non-duplicate hospital isolates (SNDHI) markers, calculating from the hospitalization data antibiotic utilization criteria (AUC) markers, and determining the nosocomial infection marker (NIM) for each patient, based upon the calculated SNDHI and AUC markers. |
| US08060313B2 |
Simulation system using electromagnetic field analysis and circuit analysis and recording medium storing simulation program
A simulation system includes electromagnetic field analyzing units that execute electromagnetic field analysis with respect to electromagnetic field analysis areas obtained by division of an area to be analyzed into the electromagnetic field analysis areas; one or more circuit analyzing units that execute circuit analysis with respect to a circuit unit in the area to be analyzed; and an aggregating unit that aggregates, from the electromagnetic field analyzing units, data for the circuit analysis by the one or more circuit analyzing units and transmits the data to the circuit analyzing units. The simulation system links plural processing units that mutually exchange data. |
| US08060300B2 |
Navigation systems
Systems, methods, and programs, store map data including a roadway network, detect a current position of the vehicle, and detect or receive at lest one of a distance to another vehicle, a speed of another vehicle, and traffic congestion information. The systems, methods, and programs determine whether the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a passing lane, a climbing lane, or a lane for slower traffic based on the detected current vehicle position and the map data. If the vehicle is within the predetermined distance, the systems, methods, and programs provide guidance regarding the passing lane, the climbing lane, or the lane for slower traffic based on at least one of the distance to the other vehicle, the speed of the other vehicle, and/or the received traffic congestion information. |
| US08060298B2 |
Multiple directions to a destination without providing a specific origin
The automatic generation of multiple sets of directions for navigating geographically to a specific destination without specification of an origin. Based on the destination, candidate roads or other transportation conduits are selected for analysis. Candidate meta-departure points are analyzed and selected along the roads based on distribution about the destination, cardinal directions relative to the destination, road metadata, distance to the destination, driving time, and other factors. The number of departure points generated to represent routes to the destination from the several logical cardinal directions is minimized. The generated departure points also represent routes that a majority of people would likely take to the destination. Additionally, the generated departure points originate from places that users are likely to be familiar with and can get to without additional guidance. The final instruction sets for navigating to the destination are presented along with a map that identified the departure points. |
| US08060295B2 |
Automated separation manager
A separation management system includes a data input module for receiving and filtering aircraft information and airspace information related to a control aircraft and a relevant aircraft, the aircraft information enabling the calculation of a trajectory window for each aircraft. A conflict monitoring module may be included in the system for monitoring the trajectory window for each aircraft with respect to time and probabilistic location, the conflict monitoring module determining when a trajectory overlap occurs resulting from the intersection of the trajectory window for the control aircraft and the relevant aircraft. In addition, the system may include a separation routing module for rerouting the control aircraft when a trajectory overlap for the control aircraft is detected by the conflict monitoring module. |
| US08060292B2 |
Cetane number detection means and engine having the cetane number detection means
A cetane number detection device in which an angular velocity detection device (10) for detecting the rotation angular velocity of the crankshaft (11) of an engine (54), and which detects a variation in the value of the amplitude of the angular velocity detected by the angular velocity detection device (10) as a variation in cetane number. |
| US08060291B2 |
Internal combustion engine control system
After power supply from a backup power source to a volatile memory is restored from temporary suspension, a remaining data determining section determines whether data of change history remaining in the volatile memory is data that has been stored immediately before the suspension of the power supply. When it is determined that the data remaining in the volatile memory is not the data that has been stored immediately before suspension of the power supply, a reference value learning section moves an actuator to a limit position, assigns the reference value to an initial value, and clears the change history. When suspension of the power supply from the backup power source reoccurs before completion of the reference value learning by the reference value learning section, a control section invalidates the determination of the remaining data determining section and performs the reference value learning, after the power supply is restored. |
| US08060289B2 |
Vehicle driving assist system
A vehicle driving assist system is provided that calculates the risk potential of the host vehicle with respect to a preceding object existing in front of a host vehicle. A first driving assistance control system controls at least one of an actuation reaction force exerted by a driver-operated driving operation device and a braking/driving force exerted against the host vehicle based on the calculated risk potential. A second driving assistance control system configured to control the braking/driving force of the host vehicle such that at least one of a host vehicle speed and a headway distance between the host vehicle and the obstacle is maintained. An operating state reporting section reports an operating state of the first driving assistance control system based on an operating state of the second driving assistance control system, the risk potential, and an accelerator pedal actuation state. |
| US08060286B2 |
Torque converter clutch control
A clutch control system comprises a clutch torque determination module and a clutch pressure control module. The clutch torque determination module determines a desired torque value for a torque converter clutch (TCC) based on a torque output of an engine, a pump torque value for a pump integrated with a torque converter, a desired engine acceleration, and an inertia value of the engine. The clutch pressure control module selectively controls pressure applied to the TCC based on the desired torque value. |
| US08060285B2 |
System and method of intelligent agent management using an overseer agent for use in vehicle diagnostics
A system and method of intelligent agent management within a vehicle intelligent agent system includes a host system, an overseer agent, and an agent that are all in communication via a communications network. The system includes an executable overseer agent management program that uses the identification code of the agent to determine if the agent identification code has been copied and deletes the agent from the intelligent agent system if the agent identification code has been copied. If the agent identification code has not been copied, the agent gathers new information, and the information in the agent knowledge database is updated using the new information and the updated information is transferred from the agent knowledge database to the overseer agent knowledge database. The overseer agent checks the validity of the transmitted information, and agent is deleted and a new agent is generated if the learned information is not valid. |
| US08060280B2 |
Vision system for deploying safety systems
A control system for safety deployment. The control system includes a processor, a first imaging sensor, and a second imaging sensor. The first and second imaging sensor are in electrical communication with the processor. The processor generates a safety system activation decision based on two-dimensional information received from the first imaging sensor and three-dimensional information based on the first and second imaging sensor. |
| US08060279B2 |
Method and device for generating at least one feature for an occupant protection system
A method is described for generating at least one feature for an occupant protection system, which is determined from at least one basic feature and analyzed for generating a triggering signal for an occupant protection device, and a corresponding device. During normal operation, at least one short-term window integral is calculated from the at least one basic feature and used as a starting value for calculating a corresponding long-term integral when a starting condition for a crash operation obtains, the at least one long-term integral being made available to a following method as a feature for generating the triggering signal for the occupant protection system. |
| US08060273B2 |
Method for diagnosing a component of a vehicle
A method for diagnosing a component of a vehicle, which presents the steps of: identifying a series of classes, each of which is associated to a given mode of operation of the component; identifying at least one control signal of the component; providing a mathematical model of the component designed to classify an evolution in time of the control signal, assigning a respective class to the evolution in time of the control signal itself; detecting a number of evolutions in time of the control signal; classifying each evolution in time of the control signal by the mathematical model of the component; and determining a diagnosis of the component on the basis of the classification of the evolutions in time of the control signal. |
| US08060268B2 |
Control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle and method for controlling the same
A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle that is capable of suppressing overheating of the second clutch is taught herein. Control is switched between engine-used slip drive control and motor drive control on a basis of a vehicle load such as weight or a road incline gradient. Control methods for hybrid vehicles are also disclosed. |
| US08060267B2 |
Method for controlling power flow within a powertrain system
A method for operating a powertrain system includes monitoring a state of charge of an energy storage device and determining an effective state of charge based upon the monitored state of charge of the energy storage device and a range of available power from the energy storage device. A preferred output power to an output member is determined. A preferred charge state for operating the powertrain is concurrently selected with operating an engine in one of a cylinder deactivation state and an all-cylinder state based upon the effective state of charge and the preferred output power to the output member. |
| US08060265B2 |
Method of steering aquatic vessels
There is provided a boat (200) including a hull (20), and two engines (30, 50) couplable to rotationally drive mutually spaced separate corresponding propeller assemblies for providing thrusts. Directions of the thrusts are angularly adjustable (α1, α2) relative to the hull (20). A control unit (70) receives first and second user commands (S1, S2) and sends corresponding signals for controlling powers (P1, P2) coupled from the engines (30, 50) to their propeller assemblies. The control unit (70) determines a difference in power (ΔP) to be coupled to the propeller assemblies as a function of the first and second user commands (S1, S2). The control unit (70) controls coupling of power (P1, P2) to the propeller assemblies so that the propeller assemblies develop a difference in thrust which is a function of the difference in power (ΔP). The control unit (70) adjusts angles (α1, α2) of the directions of thrusts as a function of the difference in power (ΔP) to assist the difference in power (ΔP) coupled to the propeller assemblies to enhance maneuverability of the vessel (200). |
| US08060264B2 |
System for monitoring railroad cars
A system for monitoring railroad cars comprising a hatch cover assembly including a cover body, a sensor, a wireless transmitter for transmitting data received from the sensor, a wireless receiver for receiving the data from the wireless transmitter, and a satellite transmitter for transmitting the data to a satellite. The wireless receiver and the satellite transmitter are attached to the hatch cover assembly. In one embodiment, the sensor is a pressure sensor having a sensing unit situated in the plenum of a vented hatch cover. In another embodiment, the sensor is an air flow sensor having a sensing unit situated in the plenum of a vented hatch cover. In another embodiment, the sensor is a chain tension sensor attached to a handbrake chain. In another embodiment, the sensor is a hatch cover position attached to the hatch cover assembly. |
| US08060263B2 |
System and method for forecasting the composition of an outbound train in a switchyard
A system for forecasting the outbound workload in a switchyard. The system has a processing entity for which receives information on railcar traffic for handling by the switchyard, wherein the railcar traffic includes railcars that are yet to be switched into classification tracks of the switchyard. For every departure train of two or more departure trains, the processing entity applies logic rules to the information to compute a forecast of railcar traffic that will be available to the departure train for transport out of the switchyard. An output releases data derived from the forecast of railcar traffic, describing the traffic available for each train of the two or more departure trains. |
| US08060261B2 |
Method and system of determining effectiveness of an aircraft braking system on an aircraft during an aircraft landing
A method of determining effectiveness of an aircraft braking system on an aircraft during an aircraft landing including generating a scalar deceleration value when a predefined braking event occurs that corresponds to effectiveness of a braking system associated with an aircraft landing operation during occurrence of a predefined braking event on an aircraft; and disseminating the generated scalar deceleration value to downstream users. A system includes a data collection module adapted to collect data relating to braking data associated with each of an associated plurality of segments of deceleration of the aircraft during a predefined braking event; a calculation module adapted to generate a scalar deceleration value based on data obtained; and a communication module in signal communication with the calculation module and with at least one downstream user of the system adapted to communicate the scalar deceleration value to at least one downstream user. |
| US08060260B2 |
Adaptive vehicle control system with driving style recognition based on vehicle passing maneuvers
An adaptive vehicle control system that classifies a driver's driving style based on vehicle passing maneuvers. A process determines whether the vehicle has started a lane change from a first lane to a second lane as a first phase of the passing maneuver. If so, the process determines whether the lane change to the second lane has been completed as a second phase of the passing maneuver. If the lane change to the second lane has been completed, the process determines whether there has been a lane change back to the first lane to complete the passing maneuver as a third phase of the passing maneuver. Further, the process determines whether a time threshold has been exceeded after the passing maneuver is in a second phase, but no lane change back to the first lane has occurred. |
| US08060259B2 |
Wide-area, real-time monitoring and visualization system
A real-time performance monitoring system for monitoring an electric power grid. The electric power grid has a plurality of grid portions, each grid portion corresponding to one of a plurality of control areas. The real-time performance monitoring system includes a monitor computer for monitoring at least one of reliability metrics, generation metrics, transmission metrics, suppliers metrics, grid infrastructure security metrics, and markets metrics for the electric power grid. The data for metrics being monitored by the monitor computer are stored in a data base, and a visualization of the metrics is displayed on at least one display computer having a monitor. The at least one display computer in one said control area enables an operator to monitor the grid portion corresponding to a different said control area. |
| US08060258B2 |
Multivariable process controller and methodology for controlling catalyzed chemical reaction to form phthalic anhydride and other functionalized aromatics
A multivariable method and process controller is for controlling a catalyzed chemical reaction to form phthalic anhydride (PA), produced by a production unit including a chemical reactor having a plurality of pipes connected in parallel having inner surfaces affixed with at least one solid catalyst. The reactor implements a process for forming PA by receiving flows of reagents including at least one oxidizable substituted aromatic and an oxygen including source gas at one or more inlets of the reactor. A dynamic multivariable model for the process represents the effects of moving a plurality of manipulated variables (MVs) including a flow of the oxygen including source gas and a flow or temperature of the oxidizable substituted aromatic on controlled variables (CVs) including a temperature at a plurality of positions along a length of the pipes. During the process, a first parameter related to performance of the catalyst in producing PA and a second parameter including a temperature at one or more of the plurality of positions in measured. Using the dynamic model, the temperature in the plurality of positions along the length of the reactor are automatically adjusting based on at least the first measured parameter, which permits the temperature profile to be adjusted to compensate for ageing of the catalyst to improve production efficiency. |
| US08060257B2 |
Network architecture for remote robot with interchangeable tools
Systems, methods and devices for the remote control of a robot which incorporates interchangeable tool heads. Although applicable to many different industries, the core structure of the system includes a robot with a tool head interface for mechanically, electrically and operatively interconnecting a plurality of interchangeable tool heads to perform various work functions. The robot and tool head may include several levels of digital feedback (local, remote and wide area) depending on the application. The systems include a single umbilical cord to send power, air, and communications signals between the robot and a remote computer. Additionally, all communication (including video) is preferably sent in a digital format. Finally, a GUI running on the remote computer automatically queries and identifies all of the various devices on the network and automatically configures its user options to parallel the installed devices. Systems according to the preferred embodiments find particular application in the pipeline arts. For example, interchangeable tool heads may be designed to facilitate inspection, debris clearing, cleaning, relining, lateral cutting after relining, mapping, and various other common pipeline-related tasks. |
| US08060255B2 |
System and method of distributed control of an interactive animatronic show
A system of distributed control of an interactive animatronic show includes a plurality of animatronic actors, at least one of the actors having a processor and one or more motors controlled by the processor. The system also includes a network interconnecting each of the actors, and a plurality of sensors providing messages to the network, where the messages are indicative of processed information. Each processor executes software that schedules and/or coordinates an action of the actor corresponding to the processor in accordance with the sensor messages representative of attributes of an audience viewing the show and the readiness of the corresponding actor. Actions of the corresponding actor can include animation movements of the actor, responding to another actor and/or responding to a member of the audience. The actions can result in movement of at least a component of the actor caused by control of the motor. |
| US08060254B2 |
Method, apparatus, and medium for building grid map in mobile robot and method, apparatus, and medium for cell decomposition that uses grid map
Provided are a method, apparatus, and medium for building a grid map in a mobile robot and a method, apparatus, and medium for cell decomposition using the grid map building method and apparatus. A mobile robot for building a grid map includes a grid map building unit obtaining grid points by sensing a distance to an external space or obstacle, and building a grid map, a feature point extraction unit extracting feature points from the grid points, a feature point update unit estimating the pose of the robot after the robot moves, and obtaining updated feature points by SLAM (Simultaneous Localization And Map building) algorithm, a transform formula calculation unit calculating a transform formula that transforms feature points extracted by the feature point extraction unit into feature points updated by the feature point update unit, and a grid map update unit updating the grid map according to the obtained formula. |
| US08060252B2 |
High throughput method of in transit wafer position correction in system using multiple robots
Methods correcting wafer position error are provided. The methods involve measuring wafer position error on a robot, e.g. a dual side-by-side end effector robot, during transfer to an intermediate station. This measurement data is then used by a second robot to perform wafer pick moves from the intermediate station with corrections to center the wafer. Wafer position correction may be performed at only one location during the transfer process. Also provided are systems and apparatuses for transferring wafers using an intermediate station. |
| US08060251B2 |
Interface for robot motion control
Systems and methods are presented that enable a higher-level software application to control a robot's motion through a generic motion interface. In one embodiment, a system includes a controller, an interface, and a set of robot driver modules. The interface receives a command from the controller and translates the command into another command to send to the driver modules. The interface includes a client, a server, and a network. The server includes two interfaces: a client interface to communicate with the client and a driver interface to communicate with the driver modules. The server also includes two buffers: a command queue and a reply queue. The command queue stores commands received from the controller (via the client). The reply queue stores replies received from the driver modules. |
| US08060248B1 |
Robotic arm and method for using with an automatic pharmaceutical dispenser
There is provided an automated prescription filling system using a robotic arm in combination with an automatic pharmaceutical dispenser having a plurality of individual pill-counting units, each under the control of its own microprocessor. The automatic pharmaceutical dispensers are modified for use with the robotic arm. Because tablet counting is completely independent of the robotic arm, system throughput is higher than in systems of the prior art. Unlike systems of the prior art, each individual pill-counting unit can be removed from behind the pharmaceutical dispenser so that the system need not be stopped for such service. The fact that counting operations are divorced from robotic arm movements allows the arm movements to be optimized and multiple prescriptions to be processed simultaneously. Controller software optimizes movement of the robotic arm based upon such factors as the fullness of the vial being transported. |
| US08060244B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus and carrier adjusting system
An object of the present invention is to perform replacement of parts of a substrate processing apparatus more rapidly than that by the prior art. The present invention is a substrate processing apparatus constituted of a plurality of component parts for performing predetermined processing for a substrate, identification marks being attached to the respective component parts, the apparatus including: a storage unit for storing part information on each of the component parts necessary when placing an order for a component part, in correspondence with the identification mark; an input unit for inputting an identification mark of a component part to be ordered; and a display unit for displaying the part information in the storage unit corresponding to the inputted identification mark. |
| US08060235B2 |
Saw adjustment mechanism
The present invention relates to a saw including a sawhead pivotably connected to a base. The pivotable connection may define a pivot axis therethrough, wherein the pivot axis may be parallel to the horizontal plane. In addition, the sawhead may rotate around the pivot axis and may be axially displaceable along the pivot axis. |
| US08060234B2 |
Accurate tracking of web features through converting processes
There is described a method and apparatus for tracking the location of web features through a converting process, one application of which can involve tracking paper defects from a paper machine as detected by a camera system, to a winder where the sheet is wound to rolls so that the web defects can be repaired in the winder before making the rolls. The method to track web features is based on pattern identification of inherent sheet variability or defects. The apparatus involves two or more sheet property or defect monitoring web sensors arranged at the same cross directional location at different stages of the converting operation, augmented by tachometers and/or roll diameter sensors. A full automation system for drive control on the winder based on this information is preferably added to make maximum advantage of this information. |
| US08060230B2 |
System for synchronizing part design and die design, server, part design terminal apparatus and die design terminal apparatus used therefor
Information with regard to each finished part model is transmitted from a part design terminal 1 to an exclusive server 3 at each time of finishing each part model formed in steps for designing a part. Further, the information with regard to the each part model is acquired by making access to the exclusive server 3 from a die design terminal 2. Therefore, tasks with regard to designing the die can be progressed in parallel based on the acquired information without awaiting for finishing all of the respective part models for designing the die. |
| US08060223B2 |
Editing lifecycle and deployment of objects in an industrial automation environment
An editor in an industrial automation environment comprises an input component that receives modification data relating to at least one of lifecycle and deployment of an object, the object is associated with a programmable logic controller and configured in accordance with a hierarchically structured data model. An implementation component can implement the modification data with respect to the object. The editor can further comprise a security component that determines that an entity providing the data to the input component is authorized to implement the modification data. |
| US08060221B2 |
Peripheral device of programmable logic controller
A tracing-result optimization processing unit generates an optimized tracing result. A tracing-result collation processing unit collates the optimized tracing result and a time chart as a basis of a sequence processing for an external apparatus and detects shift of the optimized tracing result. A tracing-result storing unit accumulates and stores therein a tracing result obtained by a programmable logic controller at predetermined time intervals. Every time the tracing result is stored in the tracing-result storing unit, the tracing-result optimization processing unit generates the optimized tracing result. |
| US08060218B2 |
Inductive element for intravascular implantable devices
An inductive element adapted for use in implantable intravascular devices (IIDs) having an elongate form factor with a cross-section. The inductive element includes a core that has an outer surface contour that corresponds to the form factor. A set of elongate, or oblong, windings are situated lengthwise along the major length dimension of the inductive element. The windings are also situated to direct a magnetic field along a radial direction in relation to the elongate form factor. In one embodiment the form factor is generally cylindrical and the cross-section is generally round. |
| US08060217B2 |
Neural device using at least one nano-wire
The present invention relates to a neural device comprising wires transmitting and receiving electric signals. More specifically, the present invention relates to a structure of the neural device comprising wires which effectively obtain electric signals developed in nerve fibers and transmit electric stimuli to the nerve fibers.The neural device according to the present invention is connected to a processing module processing electric signals detected from nerve fibers, and the neural device is inserted in nerve fibers via nanowires to obtain electric signals from the nerve fibers, or inserted in the nerve fibers to transmit electric stimuli. The neural device may further provide with at least one through-hole and support.The neural device according to the present invention has an advantage that may obtain electric signals without killing nerve fibers or provide them with electric stimuli. |
| US08060214B2 |
Implantable medical device with inductive coil configurable for mechanical fixation
An embodiment of a system for gathering physiologic data related to a human body includes a sensor device implanted in the human body, an inductive coil communicably coupled to the implanted sensor device; and a manager device in communication with the implanted sensor device via the inductive coil. The coil may be wrapped around the sensor device or attached to the sensor device fixation. An embodiment of a method for gathering physiologic data related to a physiologic parameter in a human body includes communicably coupling an inductive coil to communication circuitry of an implantable medical device (IMD), deploying the inductive coil and the IMD into a vessel of the human body, and inducing current in the inductive coil via the communication circuitry, the current representative of data associated with the IMD. |
| US08060213B2 |
Medical telemetry system and operating method therefor
A method in a telemetry system for establishing a connection between a base station and an implantable medical device includes the steps of: starting, in the base station, a first timer B-T2; determining, in the base station 4, channels that are free for communication among a number of available channels, and selecting one of the free channels; starting, in the base station, a second timer; transmitting, as long as the first or second timer has not expired, a recognition message on the selected channel to the implantable medical device; and establishing, upon receipt of a recognition reply message from the implantable medical device, communication between the base station and the implantable medical device on the selected channel. The invention is readily adaptable for fulfillment of different requirements, such as stipulated by the ETSI standard. |
| US08060203B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining variation over time of a medical parameter of a human being
An apparatus for determining variation over time of a medical parameter of a human being obtained from a sensed signal has a sensor implantable in the human being for sensing the signal. A comparator compares at least one characteristic property, derived from the sensed signal obtained for at least one predetermined first level of activity of the human being, with corresponding reference property of a sensed reference signal, obtained for a predetermined reference level of activity of the human being, for determining a relation between the characteristic property of the sensed signal and the reference property. A trend determining unit determines trends in the medical parameter by analyzing the relation between the characteristic property of the sensed signal obtained at different times and the reference property. A corresponding method also function an implant for heart failure diagnostics also function as described. A sensor is then arranged to pick up dynamic mechanical information from the heart of the human being and generate a corresponding signal. A heart stimulator includes such an implant and a control unit arranged to control stimulation of the heart depending on determined trends in the medical parameter. |
| US08060200B2 |
Self-adjusting optimal waveforms
An exemplary method includes detecting fibrillation, measuring impedance of a defibrillation circuit that includes myocardial tissue, determining one or more defibrillation shock parameters based at least in part on the impedance, delivering a defibrillation shock using the one or more defibrillation shock parameters and, if the shock was unsuccessful, adjusting a membrane time constant and determining one or more new defibrillation shock parameters based at least in part on the adjusted membrane time constant. Various other exemplary methods are disclosed as well as various exemplary devices, systems, etc. |
| US08060198B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating a composite farfield electrogram
Method and apparatus that uses dual-chamber (RA-RV), three-chamber (BiA-RV, or RA-BiV), or four-chamber (BiA-BiV) implantable cardiac devices including pacemakers, defibrillators and cardioverters, which stimulate cardiac tissue electrically to control the patient's heart rhythm. The method and apparatus are further configured to create a far-field intra-atrial electrogram (AEGM) and a far-field intra-ventricular electrogram (VEGM) that are independently filtered, scaled, and then summed to form a composite far-field electrogram. |
| US08060197B2 |
Parasympathetic stimulation for termination of non-sinus atrial tachycardia
Apparatus is provided, which includes an electrode device, configured to be coupled to an atrial site of a subject containing parasympathetic nervous tissue, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to, responsively to a detection of an episode of non-sinus atrial tachycardia, restore normal sinus rhythm (NSR) of the subject, by driving the electrode device to apply a parasympathetic stimulation signal to the atrial site, and configuring the parasympathetic stimulation signal to activate the parasympathetic nervous tissue sufficiently to restore the NSR. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08060196B2 |
Device for determining thoracic impedance
An electromedical implant includes a measuring signal generator, an impedance measuring unit to determine the impedance of human or animal tissue, a control unit which, for controlling the measuring signal generator and the impedance measuring unit, is at least indirectly connected to the measuring signal generator and to the impedance measuring unit, as well as an electrode arrangement comprising at least two electrodes which can be directly or indirectly connected or at least temporarily connected to the measuring signal generator and to the impedance measuring unit, or to a connection for such an electrode arrangement. The measuring signal generator is designed to generate and emit a current pulse or a series of current pulses, and the control unit is designed at a specific point in time to cause the measuring signal generator (to generate and emit a current pulse, and to cause the impedance measuring unit to measure the voltage that is present between the electrodes connected to the measuring signal generator and the impedance measuring unit after the passing of at least two time periods of different length that start with commencement of the current pulse being emitted and end before the end of emitting the current pulse, and to issue a voltage value which in each case represents the measured voltage. |
| US08060195B2 |
Devices, systems and methods for bioimpedance measurement of cervical tissue and methods for diagnosis and treatment of human cervix
Featured are apparatuses for measuring bioimpendence of tissues of the cervix, more specifically the mammalian cervix. Also featured are methods for examining the tissues of the cervix for clinical or diagnostic purposes such as during routine gynecological examinations to determine early onset of labor in pregnant patients or to assess such tissues for the presence of abnormalities such as cancerous lesions in both pregnant and non-pregnant women. Also featured are methods for treating onset of early or pre-term labor that embody such devices, apparatuses and methods of the present invention. Also featured are systems embodying such devices, apparatuses and/or methods, where such systems preferably are configured to provide diagnostic and/or clinical information to further assist the diagnostician or clinician in diagnosing and/or examining pregnant or non-pregnant patients. |
| US08060193B2 |
Systems and methods for graphic display of ST-segment deviation
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring a patient and graphically representing ST-segment deviations. A receiver acquires, from a plurality of leads, electrocardiogram (ECG) signals that each includes an ST-segment. A processor processes the ECG signals to determine baseline and current ST-segment deviations relative to an isoelectric value. A display module displays a graph that includes a first axis representing ST-segment deviation values and a second axis representing the plurality of leads. At each location along the second axis representing a respective lead, the graph displays a first set of graphic indicia representing the baseline ST-segment deviations and a second set of graphic indicia representing the current ST-segment deviations. In certain embodiments, the graphic indicia are represented by bar graphs. In other embodiments, the graphic indicia are represented by symbols that may be connected by line segments. |
| US08060192B2 |
Method and system for detecting T-wave alternans
A method for generating a cardiac electrical instability assessment is disclosed herein. The method includes obtaining a short duration T-wave alternans (SDTWA) measurement, obtaining a long duration T-wave alternans (LDTWA) measurement, and obtaining a cardiac electrical instability assessment based on both the SDTWA measurement and the LDTWA measurement. |
| US08060187B2 |
Near-infrared spectroscopic analysis of blood vessel walls
The invention relates to methods and devices for characterizing tissue in vivo, e.g., in walls of blood vessels, to determine whether the tissue is healthy or diseased, and include methods of displaying results with or without thresholds. |
| US08060182B2 |
MRI-monitored equipment with built-in MR signal reception coil and signal emitter
In a system having a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus and MRI-monitored medical equipment, the MRI-monitored medical equipment has an inductive coil built into the equipment that receives magnetic resonance signals from a subject and generates inductive electromagnetic signals according to the received magnetic resonance signals. The magnetic resonance imaging system has at least one reception coil that is positioned externally of the MRI-monitored medical equipment and that is connected to the magnetic resonance imaging system via a cable. The reception coil receives the electromagnetic signals that are generated by the inductive coil that is built into the medical equipment. |
| US08060178B2 |
System and method for performing probabilistic classification and decision support using multidimensional medical image databases
A system and method for providing decision support to a physician during a medical examination is disclosed. Data is received from a sensor representing a particular medical measurement. The received data includes image data. The received data and context data is analyzed with respect to one or more sets of training models. Probability values for the particular medical measurement and other measurements to be taken are derived based on the analysis and based on identified classes. The received image data is compared with training images. Distance values are determined between the received image data and the training images, and the training images are associated with the identified classes. Absolute value feature sensitivity scores are derived for the particular medical measurement and other measurements to be taken based on the analysis. The probability values, distance values and absolute value feature sensitivity scores are outputted to the user. |
| US08060177B2 |
Registration of computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) image scans with automatic patient motion correction
A method for combined computed tomography (CT) imaging and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging uses respiration-gated CT imaging in which the optimal criteria for CT scan gating are determined after the PET scan has been performed. After acquisition of first CT scan image data and PET scan image data with strain gauge levels being recorded, optimal gating criteria are calculated based on the strain gauge levels, and a second CT scan is then performed with triggering in accordance with the optimal gating criteria. |
| US08060171B2 |
Medical sensor for reducing motion artifacts and technique for using the same
A sensor for pulse oximetry or other applications utilizing spectrophotometry may be adapted to reduce motion artifacts by fixing the optical distance between an emitter and detector. A flexible sensor is provided with a stiffening member to hold the emitter and detector of the sensor in a relatively fixed position when applied to a patient. Further, an annular or partially annular sensor is adapted to hold an emitter and detector of the sensor in a relatively fixed position when applied to a patient. A clip-style sensor is provided with a spacer that controls the distance between the emitter and detector. |
| US08060163B2 |
Seamless slider
The present invention relates to a radio communication terminal comprising a first casing, a second casing and a slider mechanism, comprising a slider and a base, the slider is mounted on either one of the first casing and the second casing and the base is mounted on the other of the first casing and the second casing, wherein the first casing is adapted to be moved in relation to the second casing in a first and a second direction between at least a first and a second position, and wherein said first and second directions are situated in a two dimensional plane. |
| US08060161B2 |
Portable electronic device and method for selecting operation mode thereof
A portable electronic device includes: first and second bodies connected to be relatively movable; a position sensing unit configured to sense at least one relative position set between opened and closed positions of the first and second bodies; and an output unit mounted on at least one of the first and second bodies and outputting an operation mode corresponding to the sensed relative position. A desired operation mode can be selected easily when the mobile terminal is moved to be opened and closed. |
| US08060160B2 |
Mobile terminal having speaker control and method of use
An apparatus and method for speaker control in a mobile terminal is provided. The mobile terminal includes a first body having first and second key input units, and a second body having a display unit and swingably connected in at least one of a clockwise and counterclockwise rotation, such that the display can be positioned in a vertical direction in a closed state and in a horizontal direction in an open state, and at least two sound emission holes are formed on an upper surface of the second body for outputting sounds from at least two speakers, based on the open and closed state. |
| US08060159B2 |
Slidably and rotationally attaching unit and electronic device
A slidable and rotationally attaching unit configured to slidably and rotatably attach a movable housing on a supporting base so that a part of the movable housing is overlapped with the supporting base, the slidable and rotational attaching unit includes a base plate provided between the supporting base and the movable housing and attached to the supporting base; a plate cam provided between the supporting base and the movable housing and attached to the movable housing; a slide guide provided on a surface of the base plate facing the plate cam, the slide guide being formed by a slit or a groove along upper and lower directions in a standard pose that is a basic using state of the movable housing; a guide pin provided on a surface of the base plate facing the plate cam, the guide pin being positioned on an extended line of a lower end of the slide guide; and a connecting pin slidably and rotatably engaged with the plate cam so that the connecting pin prevents the plate cam from coming off from the slide guide. |
| US08060157B2 |
Recessed hinge
An apparatus including a first housing section having a first one-piece housing member; a second housing section having a second one-piece housing member; and a hinge rotatably connecting the first and second housing sections to each other. The hinge includes the first housing member forming a first hinge section at a first end of the first housing section which is pivotably connected to a second hinge section formed by the second housing member at a second end of the second housing member. The first and second hinge sections form opposite outer lateral ends of the hinge. The first and second hinge sections are spaced from outer lateral sides of the first and second housing sections. An axis of rotation of the hinge extends generally between the outer lateral sides. |
| US08060156B2 |
Filter having impedance matching circuits
A filter package is provided with a support structure, a filter device having terminals, impedance matching circuits formed on the support structure and electrically connected to at least some of the terminals of the filter device, and at least one electrical ground structure electrically connected to the impedance matching circuits. Moreover, the filter package has an outer housing to contain the support structure, filter device, impedance matching circuits, and at least one ground structure. |
| US08060155B2 |
Port cover opening/closing device for portable terminal
A port cover opening/closing device for a portable terminal to open or close a plurality of port covers using a single cover dummy is disclosed. The device includes a cover opening; a first sliding cover and a second sliding cover slidably combined along the longitudinal direction of the cover opening to selectively open or close a first opening/closing space, and a second opening/closing space of the cover opening; a cover dummy provided between the first and second sliding covers, overlapping the first and second sliding covers when the first and second opening/closing spaces are opened respectively, and positioned parallel with the first and second sliding covers when the first and second opening/closing spaces are closed respectively; and an elastic member in the cover opening, providing an elastic force to the cover dummy. |
| US08060153B2 |
Measurement method and apparatus of user equipment having variable measurement period in a mobile communication system
A method and apparatus for performing measurement by a User Equipment (UE) in a mobile communication system are provided. The UE has a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) mode for discontinuously receiving data and a continuous reception mode for continuously receiving data. The mobile communication system also has a serving cell where the UE is located, and a neighboring cell located near the serving cell. Signal strength of the serving cell is measured according to a period of the DRX mode. The signal strength measurement is continuously performed on the serving cell and the neighboring cell, if the measured signal strength of the serving cell is less than or equal to a particular threshold. The continuous signal strength measurement is stopped and signal strength of the serving cell is measured according to the period of the DRX mode, if the continuously measured signal strength of the serving cell is greater than the particular threshold. |
| US08060149B1 |
Wireless radio and headphones system and associated method
A system includes a portable transmitting unit and at least one portable receiving unit in wireless communication therewith. The receiving unit has at least one receiver positioned within a user ear and at least one microphone. A mechanism removably secures the receiving unit to the user ear, and a mechanism removably attaches the transmitting unit to a user body part. A mechanism protects the transmitting unit from damage caused by harsh environmental conditions and is removably attached to the transmitting unit. |
| US08060147B2 |
Feeder cable reduction
The present invention allows transmission of multiple signals between masthead electronics and base housing electronics in a base station environment. At least some of the received signals from the multiple antennas are translated to being centered about different center frequencies, such that the translated signals may be combined into a composite signal including each of the received signals. The composite signal is then sent over a single feeder cable to base housing electronics, wherein the received signals are separated and processed by transceiver circuitry. Prior to being provided to the transceiver circuitry, those signals that were translated from being centered about one frequency to another may be retranslated to being centered about the original center frequency. |
| US08060146B2 |
Base station device and base station device installation error detection method
In a base station device (10), a reference installation direction storage unit (54) stores at least one reference installation direction serving as a reference installation direction. An acceleration sensor (52) measures an installation direction of the base station device. An inclination judgment unit (56) calculates inclination angles each defined by each reference installation direction stored in the reference installation direction storage unit (54) and the installation direction measured by the acceleration sensor (52). Moreover, the inclination judgment unit (56) judges whether each of the inclination angles exceeds a predetermined value. Then, an installation error alarm unit (58) issues a predetermined alarm when the inclination judgment unit (56) judges that some or all of the inclination angles exceed the predetermined angle. |
| US08060143B2 |
Combined base transceiver station and base station controller
A combined base station controller (12) and base transceiver station (14) comprises a selector distribution unit (SDU, 20), a main call control (MCC, 22) coupled to the SDU, a radio call control (RCC, 18) coupled to the MCC, and a channel element control (CEC, 16) coupled to the RCC. |
| US08060142B2 |
Method for reducing power consumption for detachable card and mobile communication terminal thereof
Disclosed are a method for reducing power consumption of a card for a mobile communication terminal and a mobile communication terminal thereof, in which power consumption of a battery is reduced by differently supplying voltage to first and second cards according to an operation or non-operation state of the first card or the second card. |
| US08060140B2 |
Method and apparatus for increasing data read speed from subscriber identity module
Provided is a method of efficiently reducing time taken for reading data from a SIM. For this purpose, the valid records of each EF are checked and only valid records with data are selectively read from a desired EF. |
| US08060128B1 |
Intelligence in power control algorithm
A method and system is disclosed for intelligent power control in a wireless communication system. In accordance with an example embodiment, a first device will operate in a dynamic-power state in which it responds to each power-increment command and power-decrement command received from a second device by incrementing or decrementing transmission power on an air interface. While operating in the dynamic-power state, the first device will recognize when a first threshold number of alternating power-increment and power-decrement commands have been received, and responsively will transition to operating in a steady-power state in which it no longer increments or decrements transmission power in response to power-control commands from the second device. While operating in the steady-power state, the first device will recognize when receives a particular sequence of power-control commands from the first device, and based at least on the recognition will transition to operating in the dynamic power state. |
| US08060127B2 |
Method and arrangement for power control
A method for setting a power control level (600) in a wireless communication system. The method includes the steps of obtaining (620) transmission information from a wireless subscriber unit, and modifying a power control level and/or a communication channel format (660) in response to said transmission information. Preferably, the transmission information is re-transmission requests from a wireless subscriber unit, which are transmitted frequently. In this manner, rapid adjustment of power control can be attained utilising an optimal selection of the available communication channel format, followed by a fine-tuning power control operation. |
| US08060126B2 |
Method of allocating transmission power based on symbol error rate for orthogonal space-time block codes in a distributed wireless communication system
Disclosed is a device for allocating transmission power using a symbol error rate (SER) for orthogonal space-time block codes (OSTBC) in a wireless communication system. The device includes: a plurality of antennas, which are distributed geographically and independently linked to a central processing unit; a receiver to select an optimum subset of the SER performance, using a preset power allocation to each of available antenna subset combinations, and sending the selected subset to a transmitter; and a central processing unit to allocate power by applying an OSTBC symbol having a unit average power to the optimum subset from the receiver. |
| US08060119B2 |
Adaptive wake-up period of roaming wireless terminals
A method for controlling a wireless terminal operating in a hibernation cycle alternating between a wake mode and a hibernation mode includes communicating with a first wireless network during a first waking period having a first duration, and with a second wireless network during a second waking period following the first waking period. The second waking period is extended to a second duration, greater than the first duration, responsively to detecting that the second wireless network is different from the first wireless network. Network information relating to the second wireless network is received during the second waking period. |