最新美国发明专利第2012-04-24期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US08162082B1	Superabrasive compact including multiple superabrasive cutting portions, methods of making same, and applications therefor Embodiments of the invention relate to superabrasive compacts including multiple superabrasive cutting portions and methods of fabricating such superabrasive compacts. In an embodiment, a superabrasive compact comprises a cemented carbide substrate including a first interfacial surface and a second interfacial surface longitudinally spaced from the first interfacial surface. A first superabrasive cutting portion may be bonded to the first interfacial surface of the cemented carbide substrate. The first superabrasive cutting portion includes a first working surface. A second superabrasive cutting portion may be bonded to the second interfacial surface of the cemented carbide substrate and spaced from the first superabrasive cutting portion. The second superabrasive cutting portion includes a second working surface that generally opposes the first working surface of the first superabrasive cutting portion.
US08162078B2	Vibrating downhole tool Disclosed is an apparatus for vibrating a downhole drill string operable to have a drilling fluid pumped therethrough. The apparatus comprises a tubular body securable to the drill string and having a central bore therethrough, a valve in the tubular body for venting the drilling fluid out of the drill string and a valve actuator for cyclically opening and closing the valve. The method comprises pumping a drilling fluid down the drill string and cyclically venting the drilling fluid through the valve so as to cyclically reduce the pressure of the drilling fluid in the drill string. The valve may comprise a tubular body port and a corresponding rotor port selectably alignable with the tubular body port as the rotor rotates within the central bore. The valve actuator may comprise at least one vane on the rotor for rotating the rotor as the drilling fluid flows therepast.
US08162077B2	Drill bit with weight and torque sensors A drill bit made according to one embodiment includes a bit body and at least one preloaded sensor in the bit body. In one aspect, the sensor may include a sensor element on a sensor body having a first end and a second end and wherein the sensor is preloaded after placing the sensor body in the bit body. In another aspect, the sensor may be preloaded outside the bit body and then placed in the bit body in a manner that enables the sensor to retain the preloading.
US08162074B2	Ergonomic hand-held power tool and methods of use An ergonomically enhanced electric power tool is disclosed that incorporates a new type of user grip and control system. This grip and control system is housed in a substantially rigid control-housing sheath, which provides enhanced leverage and control over the drilling process while reducing stress on the user's hand, wrist, and arm. The tool motor is disposed substantially in parallel with the user's wrist, but on a different plane, and eliminates the traditional “pistol” type of power-tool grip. The control-housing sheath contains a grip-controller assembly that allows the user to control most major drill operations within the gauntlet-like control-housing sheath. The inventive concepts described can be applied to myriad hand-held power tools, and a detailed example for a power drill is provided.
US08162067B2	System and method to expand tubulars below restrictions A method and apparatus for expanding a tubular below a restriction in a wellbore. An expandable tubular may comprise a first end having a first wall thickness, a second end having a second wall thickness, and a middle section disposed between the first and second ends and having a third wall thickness that is less than the first and second wall thicknesses. The first and second ends may include one or more grooves disposed along a length of the ends. A method for expanding a tubular below a restriction in a wellbore may comprise running the tubular past the restriction, wherein the tubular comprises a first end and a second end, each end having a wall thickness greater than a wall thickness of a middle section disposed between the ends. The method may include expanding the tubular, wherein the first and second ends of the expanded tubular have outer diameters greater than the outer diameter of the middle section.
US08162060B2	Gas-lift valve and method of use A gas-lift valve comprising an elongated vertically orientated tubular body with inlet ports positioned for communication with the inlet ports of a gas-lift valve mandrel, a valve seat and valve port at the upper end of the valve body, a movable gas charged dome positioned within the body below the valve seat, a valve ball assembly attached to the dome, and a collapsible bellows positioned to move the dome and manipulate the valve ball assembly downward onto and off of the valve seat in response to pressure from said inlet ports of the valve body and pressure on the seat and thereby allow injection gas to flow upward through the valve port to exit at the upper end of the valve body. A tubular latch is provided with a removable plug to provide for pressure testing and completion of the well with only one wireline trip.
US08162052B2	Formation tester with low flowline volume and method of use thereof A downhole tool for use in a well may comprise a vessel having a piston or a valve disposed therein and defining first and second volumes wherein the first volume is configured to receive formation fluid from an inlet port, and an actuator configured to extract formation fluid, the actuator being fluidly isolated from a fluid flow path extending between the inlet port and the first volume. The downhole tool may also comprise a flow-line configured to deliver formation fluid to the vessel, and an actuator configured to register an end of the flow-line with the inlet of the vessel.
US08162050B2	Use of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) in well treatments A method of servicing a wellbore, comprising placing a plurality of Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) sensors in a wellbore composition, pumping the wellbore composition into the wellbore at a flow rate, determining velocities of the MEMS sensors along a length of the wellbore, and determining an approximate cross-sectional area profile of the wellbore along the length of the wellbore from at least the velocities of the MEMS sensors and the fluid flow rate. A method of servicing a wellbore, comprising placing a plurality of Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) sensors in a wellbore composition, pumping the wellbore composition into the wellbore, determining positions of the MEMS sensors relative to one or more known positions along a length of the wellbore, and determining an approximate cross-sectional area profile of the wellbore along the length of the wellbore from at least the determined positions of the MEMS sensors.
US08162046B2	Blowout preventer with shearing blades The disclosure provides a blowout preventer (BOP) system with a ram having a shear blade with a shear blade profile to shear a tubular member disposed in the BOP. The shear blade profile can include a stress concentrator and centering shaped surface. The stress concentrator and the centering shaped surface can be laterally offset from a centerline of ram travel and on opposite sides of the centerline. An opposing second shear blade can have a mirror image of the shear blade profile with the stress concentrator and centering shaped surface reversed to the orientation of the first shear blade. Further, the ram can include a mandrel with a mandrel profile for the tubular member to deform around during the shearing process and to reduce an overall lateral width of the sheared tubular member in the BOP through-bore to allow retrieval of the deformed sheared tubular member from the BOP.
US08162043B2	In situ method and system for extraction of oil from shale A process for retorting and extracting sub-surface hydrocarbons. The process comprises drilling an energy delivery well extending from the surface to a location proximate a bottom of the hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbons are heated from the bottom to form a retort, the retort extending along a portion of the energy delivery well. A vapor tube is extended to a location proximate the retort, the vapor tube having an entrance corresponding to the region of the retort along the energy delivery well that is nearest the surface exit.
US08162038B2	Heat sink assembly A heat sink assembly includes a base, a fin group located at a top of the base, a heat pipe connecting the base with the fin group, a fan mounted on a side of the fin group and a supporting bracket mounted on the base and supporting the fan. The supporting bracket includes a mounting portion secured on the base and a pair of supporting arms extending from the mounting portion and fixed to the fan. Four screws extend through the fan to threadedly engage with the fin group. Lower two of the screws also extend through the supporting arms of the supporting bracket whereby the supporting bracket also connects with the fan.
US08162036B2	Heat pipe structure and flattened heat pipe structure A heat pipe structure including a pipe body and a working substance is provided. The pipe body has two closed ends opposite to each other, an inner surface, a compressed portion, and an expanded portion. The inner surface and the two closed ends form a cavity. The compressed portion includes a plurality of first grooves formed at the inner surface. Any one of the first grooves includes a first width. The expanded portion includes a plurality of second grooves formed at the inner surface. Any one of the second grooves includes a second width, and the first width is approximately equal to the second width. The working substance is contained in the cavity.
US08162029B2	Forging apparatus and forging method for rheocasting A forging apparatus and a forging method for rheo-casting are disclosed, in which primary rheo-casting using an upper mold and a lower mold, casting of a hub region of a product material using a first roller unit and casting of a rim region of the product material using a second roller unit are accomplished in series, enabling vehicular wheels having relatively complex shapes to be cast via a single casting process. Further, the product material includes wrought 6000 series aluminum alloys, which are easy to process and have relatively high strength and low weight, thus being suitable for the manufacture of vehicular wheels having complex shapes. Furthermore, recycling of the product material is possible.
US08162023B2	Film transfer apparatus with variable film web guidance An apparatus for film transfer includes at least one printing press and at least one transfer film supply roller, a transfer film guiding device for guiding the transfer film web from the transfer film supply roller to a transfer nip. In order to ensure a variable film transfer in different printing units of the printing press, up to now the transfer film supply roller is moved with a film module into the region of the desired printing unit. In order to make a variable film transfer possible without complicated moving, the guiding device has web guiding elements at least in the region of the at least one printing press and the web guiding elements are enabled to selectively guide the transfer film web to different positions on the at least one printing press, such as to possible potential transfer nips.
US08162021B2	Apparatus for sterile connection of tubing An apparatus for connecting together two sections of tubing using a laser. A pair of fixtures hold the two tubing sections in opposed, end-to-end relation so that axially facing surfaces of the tube sections at the ends are free from exposure to a surrounding environment. A photodiode laser emits an electromagnetic beam at a separate sheet of material positioned between the axial surfaces at the ends of the tubing sections. The sheet absorbs energy of the electromagnetic beam. The pair of fixtures move the two tubing sections to bring the respective axially facing surfaces of the two tubing sections into engagement with the sheet and after the axially facing surfaces of the two sections are brought into engagement with the sheet, the electromagnetic beam is directed onto the sheet for welding the two sections of tubing together.
US08162020B2	Infra-red thermal imaging of laser welded battery module enclosure components A thermal imaging system for a battery module enclosure that includes first and second battery module enclosure components between which a weld is formed includes a thermal imaging camera that focuses on the first and second battery module enclosure components within a predetermined amount of time after the weld is formed and that acquires a thermal signature. A control module includes an image processing module that receives the thermal signature and that locates a predetermined reference point in the thermal signature. An image comparison module receives the thermal signature and uses the predetermined reference point to compare the thermal signature to a template signature in order to verify structural integrity of the weld. The image comparison module computes a relative measure of deviation of the thermal signature from the template signature and identifies the weld as defective when the relative measure of deviation is greater than a predetermined value.
US08162011B2	Automated liquid dispensing system An automated liquid dispensing system employs a mechanism which moves a container [1230] relative to a fill tube [1240] to fill the container [1230] with the proper amount of liquid [1131] with a designated amount of foam [1137]. The system [1000] also includes a container dispensing unit [1400] which pre-chills containers [1230] then flips them into a drop tube [1510] to be received by a lift [1550]. Lift [1550] raises the container [1230] to a pouring head [1570] and fills the container [1230] as it lowers container [1230] to properly fill the container [1230] and create a desired amount of foam [1137].
US08162003B2	Fuel valve apparatus and method A fuel valve includes a housing defining a ported standpipe portion for extending upwardly into a fuel tank at a bottom opening thereof. The standpipe sealingly receives a ported and relatively rotational valving member, which also carries a respective resilient sealing collar aligned with and sealingly cooperating at each of the ports of the valving member. The valving member is selectively rotational and may be positioned relative to the standpipe portion in order to stop fuel flow through the valve, or to selectively allow fuel flow through the valve from one or more separate levels of fuel in the fuel tank. A handle on the exterior of the fuel valve provides for selective rotation and positioning of the valving member, and the fuel valve itself may be selectively and conveniently rotated relative to a fuel nipple attached to the fuel tank.
US08162001B2	Shower faucet having a second rotating element for pre-setting water temperature A mixing valve has a first rotating element connected to a valve stem for use as a valve handle, and a second rotating element for pre-setting the valve handle at a desired water temperature position. After pre-setting, user can turn the valve handle directly to the desired temperature position without trial and error.
US08162000B2	Adjustable pneumatic system for a surgical machine A pneumatic system for a surgical machine includes a reservoir, first and second proportional valves, and a controller. The reservoir holds pressurized gas. The first proportional valve is located on an input side of the reservoir and allows a variable amount of pressurized gas to enter the reservoir. The second proportional valve is located on an output side of the reservoir and allows a second variable amount of pressurized gas to exit the reservoir. The controller controls the operation of the first and second proportional valves. The controller adjusts the first and second proportional valves so that a constant gas pressure range is maintained at an output of the reservoir over a first range of input gas pressures and a second range of gas usage.
US08161998B2	Frozen/chilled fluid for pipelines and for storage facilities Methods of, and apparatus for, storing and transporting a hazardous fluid, such as a combustible fuel, include methods and means, respectively, for: (a) treating the fluid to reduce its hazardous condition; (b) storing and/or transporting the treated fluid in such a manner that the risk of its hazardous condition remains reduced; (c) thereafter retreating the fluid to restore it to its original hazardous condition so that the fluid may be used in its restored condition. The hazardous fluid may be treated by adding a substance to, or removing a substance from, the fluid, or by changing the state of the fluid. For example, if the fluid is a fuel, it may be treated by cooling it to near or below its freezing temperature to reduce its combustibility, volatility, explosivity and/or ease of ignition.
US08161997B2	Multipurpose flow module The present invention relates to a multipurpose flow module comprising flow plates and/or heat exchanger plates stacked together, which flow plate having a flow channel and one or more connection ports. To each flow plate or heat exchanger plate one or more barrier plates may be attached. The present invention further relates to a method for extraction, for reaction, for mixing, or combinations thereof in the multipurpose flow module, and to uses of the multipurpose flow module.
US08161993B2	Subsea system and method for protecting equipment of a subsea system A subsea system comprises a wellbore within a reservoir, equipment downstream of the wellbore, and a barrier connected to the equipment. The equipment is rated for a maximum pressure that is less than a maximum reservoir pressure and equal to or greater than the maximum reservoir pressure less external hydrostatic pressure experienced by the equipment. The barrier is rated for a maximum pressure that is equal to or greater than the maximum reservoir pressure.
US08161991B2	Multipurpose camping hammock A covered hammock that acts as both a hammock and a ground tent is disclosed which has a plurality of curved support means for keeping the upper fabric off the user and also for supporting the device as a tent when used on the ground.
US08161988B2	Central shaft control structure of self-opening/closing umbrella A central shaft control structure is provided for a self-opening/closing umbrella and is arranged in a handle of the umbrella for self-opening/closing of the umbrella, including a safety device composed of a reversal prevention wheel having a toothed surface, an operation bar comprising a pawl, and a barrel fit over the operation bar. The reversal prevention wheel comprises a safety rope wrapped therearound and having an end fixed to a third central shaft segment. When errors occur in the course of compression in closing the umbrella, the central shaft that is being compressed can be held in position, so that instantaneous spring back of the central shaft caused by an umbrella opening spring that is in a compressed condition can be prevented to ensure safety of operation and control of the self-opening/closing umbrella.
US08161986B2	Dish-washing machine Dish-washing machine comprising a chamber (2) for washing articles (3), an air inlet line and an air outlet line both communicating with the chamber, air circulating means for forcing an inlet airflow sucked from the atmosphere into the chamber (2) via said air inlet line and exhausting an outlet airflow saturated with moisture after passing over said articles (3) to the atmosphere via said air outlet line; heating means are provided for heating said outlet airflow before exhausting to the atmosphere in order to reduce the relative humidity of the discharged air.
US08161985B2	Method and apparatus for cleaning articles used in the production of semiconductors An apparatus and a method serve for cleaning articles used in the production of semiconductors, such as wafers, containers for transporting wafers (known as FOUPs), LCD substrates and photomasks. The articles are cleaned in a treatment chamber by means of a liquid and subsequently dried. A drying gas, such as air, is circulated within the treatment chamber and a condensation dryer is provided for extracting moisture from the gas.
US08161982B2	Hair ornament A hair ornament includes a body having an engagement section to be in contact with hair of a user. The engagement section includes a row of plates arranged along a length direction of the body. Two of the row of plates adjacent to each other are connected by a connecting member having first and second ends. The first end of each connecting member is pivotably connected to one of two adjacent plates. The second end of each connecting member is pivotably connected to the other of the two adjacent plates. A spacing between two adjacent plates is adjustable by pivoting the two adjacent plates to adjust an overall length of the body in the length direction of the body.
US08161978B2	Methods for treating asthma by damaging nerve tissue A method for treating the lung during an acute episode of reversible chronic obstructive pulmonary disease such as an asthma attack. The method comprises transferring energy to an airway wall of an airway such that a diameter of the airway is increased. The energy may be transferred to the airway wall prior to, during or after an asthma attack. The energy may be transferred in an amount sufficient to temporarily or permanently increase the diameter of the airway. The method may be performed while the airway is open, closed or partially closed.
US08161976B2	Systems and methods for applying a selected treatment agent into contact with tissue Systems and methods that treat disorders of the gastrointestinal tract by applying one or more treatment agents to tissue at or near the region where abnormal neurological symptoms or abnormal tissue conditions exist. The treatment agent is selected to either disrupt the abnormal nerve pathways and/or to alleviate the abnormal tissue conditions. The treatment agent can include at least one cytokine and/or at least one vanilloid compound to evoke a desired tissue response. The systems and methods can be used a primary treatment modality, or as a neoadjuvent or adjuvant treatment modality.
US08161975B2	Dual mode impulse noise protecting earplug (D-182) A two piece dual mode earplug including an integrally molded elongated member having a nose end and an open rear end and a channel extending through. An integrally molded insert member is formed with a base portion and a rod portion and with the rod portion seated within the open rear end of the elongated member and includes an attenuation filter integrally molded as part of the rod portion and includes first and second openings located on each side of a chamber and with the size and length of the openings together with the chamber providing attenuation of impulse noise. The insert member also includes the base portion integrally molded to have a third opening larger than the first and second openings in the rod portion and with the first, second and third openings together forming a passageway through the insert member to the channel extending through the elongated member.
US08161973B2	Reversible vasectomy device and method A reversible vasectomy device includes a first and a second connector piece for attachment to the severed ends of the vas deferens. Each connector piece has an outer vas deferens attaching end, an opposite inner end, and a passage from the outer to the inner end. A midpiece has end portions that are connectable to the inner ends of the connector pieces, a passage in one end portion and a vent from the passage to an exterior surface. When the connector pieces are connected to the end portions, the passage in one of the connector pieces is in fluid communication with the vent, but is not in fluid communication with the passage in the other connector piece.
US08161972B2	Detecting ventilator system anomalies while in a speaking mode A method of operating a ventilator assembly having inhalation and exhalation passages communicating with one another, and a respiration assembly that can perform repetitive respiratory cycles. The method includes (a) repetitively cycling the respiration assembly so that during the inhalation phase, gas in the inhalation passage flows to the patient, and during the exhalation phase, an exhalation valve is maintained relatively closed and the exhaled gases flow pass the vocal cords and out of the mouth thereby facilitating the patient's ability to speak, (c) monitoring the pressure within at least one of the passages during the exhalation phase, and (d) determining whether a circuit disconnect or an occlusion exists based on the pressure monitoring.
US08161971B2	Nasal and oral patient interface A patient interface for communicating fluids to and/or from a patient's nasal cavity and/or oral cavity is disclosed. In addition, a patient interface for fluid and physiological function monitoring proximate to the patient's nasal cavity and/or oral cavity is disclosed. An apnea monitor and a method for monitoring apnea are also disclosed.
US08161968B2	Medicament dispenser There is provided a medicament dispenser for containing plural elongate form medicament carriers, each having multiple distinct medicament dose portions carried thereby, the dispenser having a housing of generally non-circular form, and within said housing a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the distinct medicament dose portions carried by each of said plural medicament carriers. The mechanism comprises at least one receiving station for receiving each of the plural medicament carriers; a release for releasing in combination a distinct medicament dose portion from each of the plural medicament carriers on receipt thereof by said receiving station; an outlet, positioned to be in communication with the distinct medicament dose portions releasable by said release; and at least one indexer for individually indexing the distinct medicament dose portions of each of the plural medicament carriers. The dispenser contains plural elongate form medicament carriers, each having multiple distinct dose portions carried thereby. At least one of said medicament carriers has the form of a continuous loop.
US08161965B2	Vacuum solar thermal panel Vacuum solar thermal panel comprising a vacuum envelope (30) defining a sealed volume, able to withstand atmospheric pressure when evacuated, at least one heat absorber (12) being disposed inside the vacuum envelope (30), a pipe (13) entering and exiting the envelope (30) and being in contact with the heat absorber (12), said vacuum envelope (30) comprising a first plate (1; 101) made of glass, a peripheral frame (3) disposed substantially at the periphery of the first plate (1; 101), a metallic peripheral belt (4, 5; 104) joining the peripheral frame (3) to the first plate (1; 101), said metallic peripheral belt (4; 104) being joined to the first plate (1; 101) by means of a vacuum tight bulk glass-metal seal (8; 108), comprising glass material (14; 114) and obtained by fusion and subsequent solidification of said glass material (14; 114).
US08161963B2	Thin film solar collector A solar collector is provided that is formed from relatively thin polymer sheet(s). The sheet(s) are welded together to integrally define a storage tank, a plurality of fluid flow channel (e.g. risers), and other desired features within the collector. The storage tank is located at a first end of the panel and a heat exchanger is provided within the storage tank. The heat exchanger is arranged to transfer heat from the storage tank to a target fluid (such as water) that is to be heated or preheated by the collector. The collector is arranged so that when it is installed, the collector may be positioned with the storage tank located generally above the fluid flow channels. The storage tank and the fluid flow channels are arranged such that when the collector is installed and filled with a working fluid, a thermosiphon effect will cause the collection of hot water within the storage tank.
US08161961B2	Gas-heated laundry dryer having a heating device A gas-heated laundry dryer having a heating device. The heating device includes a gas burner, a valve with a gas nozzle configured to supply primary air for formation of a flame and a tubular heating channel configured to enclose the flame. The tubular heating channel includes an inlet opening configured to receive secondary air as combustion air and an outlet opening configured to receive tertiary air mixable with hot gases of the burner. The outlet opening is connected to a process air duct of the laundry dryer. An annular baffle member is disposed in the outlet opening of the heating channel and configured to center, by the secondary and tertiary air, at least one of the flame and a hot air stream in the channel.
US08161954B2	Fuel supply control apparatus A fuel supply control apparatus for an engine includes an alcohol concentration detector and an engine temperature detector. The apparatus increases an amount of fuel supplied to the engine as the detected alcohol concentration becomes higher. The apparatus increases the amount of fuel as the engine temperature becomes lower and as the alcohol concentration becomes higher. The apparatus feed-back corrects the amount of fuel by using a correction value such that an actual air-fuel ratio becomes a theoretical air fuel ratio. The apparatus determines that water is mixed with fuel when the correction value during a cold operational state indicates leaner than the lean value of the correction value used during a warm operational state. The apparatus reduces the increased amount of fuel when water is mixed with fuel.
US08161953B1	Adsorbent structures for removal of water and fuel contaminants in engine oil Devices and methods for removal of condensed, blow-by contaminants with small molecular dimensions from the circulating lubricating engine oil of internal combustion engines, including automotive engines, with a positive crankcase ventilation system are disclosed. These condensable blow-by contaminants include water, alcohols and hydrocarbons with preponderantly seven or fewer carbon atoms. A macroporous structure comprising alumino-silicate particles with micro-pores is at least partially immersed in the circulating oil. The micro-pores are sized to adsorb the small, condensed, blow-by, contaminant molecules but not the larger oil molecules. The particles may be multi-layered, with an inner layer adapted for adsorption of polar molecules. Adsorption is most extensive at lower oil temperatures and decreases as the oil temperature increases. Thus at low temperatures the contaminant molecules may be adsorbed, removed from the oil and temporarily stored in the micropores. At high temperatures some of the contaminants will desorb and be re-incorporated in the oil. The desorbed contaminants will be carried with the higher temperature oil into the engine crankcase where they may vaporize and be removed by the engine positive crankcase ventilation system.
US08161952B2	Electronically controlled blow-by gas returning apparatus for internal combustion engine An electronically controlled blow-by gas returning apparatus for an internal combustion engine which corrects a fuel injection amount is disclosed. This blow-by gas returning apparatus is provided with an electronically controlled ventilation valve and a control unit. The ventilation valve regulates the flow rate of blow-by gas. The control unit controls the ventilation valve. The control unit controls the opening degree of the ventilation valve such that the actual value of the opening degree of the ventilation valve is maintained at a demand value of the opening degree of the ventilation valve. The control unit corrects the demand value based on the degree of enrichment of the actual air-fuel ratio in relation to a target air-fuel ratio and an intake air amount which is the amount of air fed into a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine.
US08161950B2	Exhaust gas recirculating device for internal combustion engines In an exhaust gas recirculating device for an internal combustion engine, an EGR gas introduction port (32) for feeding EGR gas to an intake passage (20) includes an inlet end and an outlet end, and has a cross sectional area progressively increasing from the inlet end to the outlet end, the outlet end (49) opening out at an upper part of the intake passage. Because the EGR gas introduction port has a cross sectional area progressively increasing from the inlet end to the outlet end thereof, and the outlet end of the EGR gas introduction port opens out at an upper part of the intake passage, even when an intake flow is blown back from the engine main body, carbon and oil that may be contained in the EGR gas can be prevented from being deposited in the EGR gas introduction port, and this prevents the clogging of the EGR gas introduction port.
US08161942B2	Ignition control device The invention provides an ignition control device and a killing control device correspond. An ignition control device comprises an ignition circuit module and a killing control device corresponds. The ignition circuit module comprises a killing control device including a killing switch and a timing retard circuit module connected to the ignition circuit module. When the killing control operates, the ignition circuit stops igniting. The invention has following advantages: reasonable structure, low cost, stable control circuit and safe operation and so on.
US08161941B2	Control device for internal combustion engine A control device for an internal combustion engine which, at cold starting, enables an ignition timing retard control for warm-up of a catalyst device and a speed feedback control by means of ignition timing for converging an engine speed to a target speed includes a function for comparing a final ignition timing with a retard lower limit value, and a function for changing the target speed based upon the result of the comparing. When the final ignition timing reaches the retard lower limit value, the target speed is increased by a predetermined speed and when a difference between the final ignition timing and the retard lower limit value exceeds a predetermined angle on an advance side, the target speed is decreased by a predetermined speed. In this way, at cold starting, the engine speed is early converged to the target speed while restricting rotational variations and early warm-up of a catalyst device can be certainly realized.
US08161938B2	Method for operating an internal combustion engine with variable valve control In a method for operating an internal combustion engine (10) having a plurality of combustion chambers (12), wherein the combustion chambers (12) make moment contributions during operation of the internal combustion engine (10) to the resulting engine moment of the internal combustion engine (10) and each combustion chamber (12) is assigned at least one inlet valve (14) which is actuated on the basis of a predefined valve lift cam which can be selected from a plurality of valve lift cams, the moment contribution of each combustion chamber (12) is selected, in the case of a valve lift switchover from a first valve lift cam to a second valve lift cam, for a following ignition cycle in such a way that a deviation of a sliding mean value of the moment contributions of all the combustion chambers (12) over a plurality of consecutive ignition cycles from a predefined moment setpoint value is minimized.
US08161935B2	Multi-part piston for an internal combustion engine and method for its production A method for producing a multi-part piston for an internal combustion engine and the piston itself, which has an upper piston part and a lower piston part, each having an inner and an outer support element, which elements delimit an outer circumferential cooling channel and an inner cooling chamber. The inner support element of the upper piston part and/or the inner support element of the lower piston part have at least one recess on their surface. The upper piston part and the lower piston part are connected with one another by pressure welding.
US08161932B2	Moped transmission A moped transmission includes a crankcase assembled in four sections, namely a first section, a second section, a third section and a fourth section. A crankshaft is formed as an eccentric shaft, and the crankshaft has a crankshaft gear mounted to the crankshaft. The crankshaft passes through the first section, and the crankshaft passes through and is rotably mounted to the first planar vertical mounting face. An engine connected to the first section and the second section. A main shaft has a main shaft gear in mesh with the crankshaft gear. The main shaft passes through and is rotably mounted outside the first planar vertical mounting face. The main shaft gear is mounted to the main shaft outside the first section such that the main shaft gear is encapsulated between the first section and the third section.
US08161929B2	Switchable tappet The invention proposes a switchable tappet (1) of a valve train of an internal combustion engine, said tappet comprising a hollow cylindrical housing (3) comprising a bottom (2), an inner element (5) being guided for relative axial displacement in a bore (4) of the housing (3), an at least indirect support for a gas exchange valve extending on a cam-distal front end (6) of the inner element (5), two diametrically opposing pistons as coupling elements (8) being arranged in a radial bore (7) of the inner element (5), which coupling elements (8), for effecting coupling [full valve lift], can be displaced partly beyond a parting surface (9) between the housing (3) and the inner element (5) into an entraining surface (12) of the housing (3) by the force of a compression spring (10a) clamped between inner front ends (10) of the coupling elements (8), wherein the entraining surface (12) is an direct constituent of a separate annular member (13) that is fixed in a cam-distal region of the bore (4) of the housing (3), wherein only one compression spring as a lost motion spring means (16) extends in a cylindrical hollow space (15) formed between an underside (14) of the bottom (2) of the housing (3) and a cam-side flat front end (14a) of the inner element (5), and wherein the inner element (5) is substantially disk-shaped and the parting surface (9) between the housing (3) and the inner element (5) does not comprise any vertical stop means.
US08161924B1	Orbital, non-reciprocating, internal combustion engine A combustible fluid operated orbital engine has plural sets of cooperating cylinder and piston members with respective parallel axes of rotation, respective cylinder and piston carrier wheels with respective axes of rotation parallel to the members' axes of rotation carrying said members circularly and orbitally and at all times in opposed relation on a common longitudinal axis along intersecting counter paths. Respective gearing structures supported by the cylinder and piston carrier wheels rotate the members counter to their circular motion direction to maintain their opposed relation for their periodic interfittment when their respective paths intersect. A combustible fluid supply is provided to the cylinder member for combustion coincident with the periodic interfittment in engine operating relation. The common longitudinal axes of the cylinder/piston sets are at all times parallel with each other.
US08161921B2	Method to convert free-piston linear motion to rotary motion Embodiments described herein include a method for converting free-piston linear motion to rotary motion, comprising: providing a free-piston generator or motor/generator that has at least one piston having two compression heads; and, for each piston, a surface is provided on each compression head defining a helical channel, wherein the piston is rotated in a single direction due to the force imparted to the piston as compressed air in an air box is forced through the helical channel.
US08161919B2	Variable vent system integrated into a vehicle front end grill A system for variable engine compartment ventilation in a slim and compact unit with components used in non-related industries. The system can have at least one bank of movable louvers rotatably mounted within a louver frame for guiding a flow of air into a vehicle engine compartment; a motor to rotate the louvers with a motor gear formed on an output shaft rotatably connected in parallel to at least one helix cable by a helix cable drive gear and a louver pinion gear integral with each louver engaging the helix cable along its length; and a control unit for operating the assembly of movable louvers in response to an output signal from a vehicle communication bus. The output signal of the vehicle communication bus can be in response to input from an engine coolant temperature sensor or a vehicle speed sensor.
US08161916B2	Decubitus ulcer prevention garment for dogs Decubitus ulcer prevention garments for a dog are provided that include a fluid-filled bladder. The garments can include an inner layer that contacts and interacts with the body of the dog; an intermediate layer that interfaces with the inner layer and includes the fluid-filled bladder; and an outer layer joined to the inner layer and interfacing with the intermediate layer. The garments have a shape that is adapted to fit over and envelop the pelvic region of the dog such that the garments alleviate or reduce pressure on the soft tissues overlying the bony prominences of the pelvic region of a dog when the dog is lying in a recumbent position on a surface.
US08161914B2	Rawhide based molded chew with hollow core A edible rawhide-based molded chew with a hollow core is described. The chew is formed by cutting a rawhide sheet into multiple small rawhide pieces. The small rawhide pieces are mixed with a binding agent and water to form a rawhide-based mass. The rawhide-based mass is introduced to mold with a pin to form a molded chew having a hollow core therethrough. The molded chew is removed from the mold. Finally, a flavor basting is applied to the hollow core of the molded chew. The flavor basting provides a smell and flavor to entice a dog to begin and continue chewing on the chew. Thus, the resulting item is a rawhide-based molded chew with a hollow core that is coated with a flavor basting.
US08161911B2	Method and system for providing preidentified pets selective access to a predetermined location or object A method and system is provided that controls pet access to various different locations and/or objects. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides an automated system whereby pets wearing an ID tag are allowed access to various locations and/or objects, such as food contained within a feeder dish for example, while a sensor system, responding to the presence of other animals or people, causes the device to close preventing unauthorized access thereto. The feeder further includes one or more sensors using ultrasonic, infrared technology or both in combination for the identification of both tagged and non-tagged animals or children. Further embodiments employ the system to control access to litter boxes, pet toys, pet watering systems, pet gate access, pet containment systems or pet doors.
US08161907B2	Livestock waterer A device and method designed to provide a continuous supply of liquid to livestock is presented. The one-piece device comprises a storage tank and a drinking bowl. The storage tank can have a filling access hole for filling the tank. The tank can have at least one drinking bowl access hole which allows access from the tank to the bowl. Both the filling access hole and the drinking bowl access holes can be opened and closed. While filling, the drinking bowl access hole can be closed. After filling, the filling access hole can be closed and the drinking bowl access hole can be opened allowing liquid to flow from the tank into the bowl. Gravity and air pressure within the tank maintain a constant liquid level in the bowl while simultaneously preventing liquid from overflowing the bowl. A heating element can be placed into the tank to prevent freezing.
US08161897B2	Knee lever for sewing machine A knee lever a lever including a lever detachably attached to an attachment provided on a bed of a sewing machine; a knee rest mounted on the lever and operated by knee contact, with the lever being attached to the attachment; an adjustment mechanism allowing adjustment in position of knee contact of the knee rest; wherein the adjustment mechanism includes an engagement portion provided at the lever, and an engagement subject provided at the knee rest and being disengagably engaged with the engagement portion to switch a mounting position of the knee rest relative to the lever.
US08161895B2	Machine-assisted free-hand embroidery method A method and device for free-hand embroidering on a sewing material with a sewing machine which has a memory for stitch data for a sewing pattern and a processor for reading the stitch data and for causing the sewing machine to execute stitches according to stitch data, which sewing machine has a needle and a sewing material feeder for moving the sewing material in a direction, which processor controls movements according to the direction relative to the position of the needle for the execution of stitches according to the sewing pattern, and which method includes during use of the sewing machine in a free-hand mode: storage in the memory of stitch data for at least one stitch type for free-hand embroidering, choice of a stitch type, maneuvering, via first control signals, a movement of the sewing material feeder in any desired the direction by using a hand-operated control, detection of the first control signals in the processor, calculation in the processor, from the first control signals, of the direction and/or speed of the movement, and control of the sewing material feeder by the processor, via second control signals, for the execution of stitches in the direction and/or at the speed in accordance with stitch data for the chosen stitch type.
US08161891B2	Expandable table An expandable table that has a frame, at least one leg supporting the frame, first and second top portions movably connected or interconnected to the frame, an intermediate top portion movably connected or interconnected to the frame, and a movement mechanism connected or interconnected to the frame. The movement mechanism is configured to cause the first and second top portions to move along a longitudinal axis of the frame. The movement mechanism is also configured to cause the intermediate top portion to move normal to said longitudinal axis of a plane of movement of said first and second top portions.
US08161886B2	Short magnum shotshell cartridge and firing assembly A sabot-retaining shotshell cartridge and firing assembly including a barrel or barrel insert for firing the sabot-retaining shotshell cartridge. The shotshell cartridge includes a cylindrical hull, a sub-caliber projectile, a propellant charge, and a sabot. A central pathway or thin membrane is defined within the base of the sabot between the sub-caliber projectile and propellant charge. The barrel or barrel insert for firing the cartridge includes a transitional area between chamber and sub-caliber rifled bore to retain sabot in the cartridge. Upon cartridge firing, propellant gases flow through central portion of sabot base propelling projectile out of the sabot and into sub-caliber rifled bore.
US08161884B1	System and method for explosively stamping a selective fragmentation pattern A selective fragmentation pattern of explosive material is applied to a surface of a munition. None, some, or all of the explosive material in the selective fragmentation pattern may be detonated, selectively stamping the surface of the munition with the detonated explosive material. The portion of the selective fragmentation pattern selected for ignition is determined by lethality requirements of a target of the munition. Upon detonation of the munition, fragments are formed based on the selected portion of the selective fragmentation pattern. Consequently, igniting all, some, or none of the selective fragmentation pattern may vary lethality of a munition and one munition may be used for a wide range of lethality.
US08161880B2	Deflagration to detonation transition device A detonator assembly is provided. The detonator assembly comprises a deflagration to detonation transition body, a first thermally stable secondary explosive contained by the body, and a bulkhead coupled to the deflagration to detonation transition body. The bulkhead contains pressure within the body associated with firing the detonator assembly at least until a transition from a deflagration operation mode of the detonator assembly to a detonation operation mode of the detonator assembly has occurred. A second thermally stable secondary explosive may alternatively be included in the deflagration to detonation transition body, either separated from the first thermally stable secondary explosive or mixed with the first thermally stable secondary explosive. The detonator assembly comprises effectively no primary explosive.
US08161879B1	Methods and apparatus for sensing acceleration Methods and apparatus for sensing acceleration according to various aspects of the present invention comprises a non-rigid membrane and a switching latch electrically coupled to the membrane. The membrane is responsive to acceleration forces and is configured to produce a signal as a result of deflections in the membrane caused by acceleration. The signal is transmitted to the switching latch causing a change in state of the switching latch. This change in state allows a second signal to be sent to an activating device such as a squib.
US08161878B2	Safety and arming unit for a projectile A safety and arming unit for a fuze of a projectile has a rotor for interruption of a firing chain. The rotor can rotate from a safe position to an armed position. In order to allow the safety and arming unit to be designed to be physically compact and such that it can be assembled easily, it is proposed that it has a first and a second rotor safety device which each engage in the rotor in order to block rotor rotation to the armed position, wherein the first rotor safety device is designed to carry out a release movement by virtue of its inertia during a launch acceleration of the projectile, and the second rotor safety device has a pyrotechnic charge for producing a release movement.
US08161873B2	Servo press and operating method thereof The invention provides a servo press which can obtain a higher speed in a moving section of a slide, and a higher pressure in a pressurizing section near a bottom dead point without enlarging a capacity of a motor. The servo press is provided with a multi-toggle mechanism 10 moving up and down a slide 5 in which an upper die is to be fixed to a lower surface of the slide, and a toggle driving mechanism 20 provided on a crown 6 located to an upper side of the slide and driving the multi-toggle mechanism. The multi-toggle mechanism 20 is structured such as to include three or more toggles generating a force amplifying effect by a plurality of links 11, 12, 13, 14.
US08161867B2	Automatic dispenser of ground coffee An automatic dispenser for ground coffee composed of a reservoir for grounds, the reservoir having a bottom provided with an outlet opening, rotatable dosing paddles at the bottom of the reservoir for dispensing a predetermined quantity of ground coffee through the outlet opening; a drive cone having rotatable blades disposed above the dosing paddles and adapted to be rotated about a vertical axis by a motor assembly, and a mixer in the form or a pyramid disposed above, and forming an extension of, the drive cone. An automatic coffee maker equipped with this dispenser.
US08161866B2	Capsule for preparation of a beverage with a sealing member attached thereto and method of producing the same A method for producing a capsule containing beverage ingredients designed for insertion in a beverage production device in which a liquid under pressure enters the capsule in order to interact with the ingredients in the capsule and to form beverage. The method includes preforming the capsule body and at least a portion of said flange-like rim, placing a premade sealing member on the flange-like rim, crimping a portion of the flange-like rim on a portion of the sealing member so resulting in the sealing member becoming attached to the flange-like rim.
US08161863B1	Recoil-actuated gun scavenger A recoil-actuated gun scavenger for a gun having a bore, a breech, a recoiling mass, and a non-recoiling mass. The scavenger may include a pneumatic cylinder and a piston translatable therein. A rod may be fixed to the piston. The cylinder and rod may be fixed to respective recoiling and non-recoiling masses, or vice versa. The cylinder may include intake and exhaust ports with check valves, on both sides of the piston. The exhaust ports may communicate with an accumulator. The accumulator may discharge compressed air to jets located at the open breech end of the gun.
US08161862B1	Hybrid laminated transparent armor A transparent armor laminate system is described that utilizes a glass-ceramic material as the strike-face material, one or a plurality of intermediate layers, and a backing material. This laminate system offers improved performance with reduced weight over conventional all-glass or all-glass-ceramic transparent armor systems. The glass-ceramic material consists of a glass phase and a crystalline phase, the crystalline phase being selected from a group consisting of beta-quartz, mullite and combinations thereof.
US08161858B2	Table cutting machine One aspect of the invention can include a cutting machine having a table, a cutting machine body supported by the table via a sliding mechanism to allow movement in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, the cutting machine body including a fixed cover positioned around an upper side of a rotary blade mounted to a rotatably driven spindle, the rear edge portion of the fixed cover is recessed upward to enable a large cutting depth. The sliding mechanism includes an intermediate stopper mechanism that can be operated to switch between a state where the cutting machine body can slide within an entire slidable range and a state were the cutting machine body can slide only within a partial slidable range at a midway position.
US08161856B2	Apparatus for cutting food product A cutting apparatus having an annular-shaped cutting head and an impeller assembly coaxially mounted for rotation within the cutting head to deliver food products radially outward toward the cutting head. The cutting head has at least one knife extending radially inward toward the impeller assembly. The knife has a cutting edge at a radially innermost extremity and a radially outer face that defines a trajectory plane for slices removed from the products by the cutting edge. The knife is clamped to the cutting head with a clamping feature that provides clearance for slices when traveling the trajectory plane of the knife.
US08161853B2	Centering bushing for centering material bars The invention relates to a centering bushing for centering a material bar which is supplied to a chuck of a lathe. An outer construction and an inner construction arranged therein are rotatably arranged about the longitudinal axis of a material bar. The inner construction is arranged to be rotatable with respect to the outer construction. The outer construction has means to fix the inner construction with respect to the chuck. The outer construction has a centrifugal force device which produces a force corresponding to the rotational speed. The inner construction has a centering device which leads to a centering of the material bar due to a force exerted on the centering device. A force transmission unit is arranged between the outer construction and the inner construction and ensures that the inner construction can rotate, with respect to the outer construction, and transfers the force produced by the centrifugal force device to the centering device.
US08161852B2	Rotary centering device for the guided transfer of bars from a feeder to a lathe A rotary centering device for the transfer of a bar from the guiding channel of a feeder to a lathe, comprising a supporting element and provided with at least one circular seat in which a grip element for a bar is supported, the grip element being constituted by a bush which has a tubular portion and a plurality of sectors connected to the tubular portion, elastic elements being provided which act on the bush and are designed to control its axial movement between a first stop position, in which the sectors define a circular opening whose diameter is the same as that of the bar, and a second position, in which the sectors are moved until they form an opening to allow the passage of the bar pusher.
US08161850B2	Indexable cutting inserts and methods for producing the same A method of making a cutting insert includes: (i) forming a blank having a substrate and superhard material, the substrate having more than 4 pockets, the superhard material disposed within the pockets; (ii) removing cutting tips from the blank by cutting the blank along cutting lines; (iii) providing a cutting insert body having a plurality of cavities for receiving a corresponding number of cutting tips; (iv) inserting a cutting tip into each of the plurality of cavities; and (v) brazing the cutting tips to the cutting insert body. A related cutting insert includes: a cutting insert body having a plurality of cavities formed therein; a plurality of cutting tips, each of the plurality of cutting tips disposed in a respective cavity, the cutting tips having a geometry that provides a mechanical retention or lock when inserted into the cavities of the cutting insert body, the cutting tips further being brazed in the cutting insert body.
US08161847B1	Socket wrench apparatus A socket wrench device having multiple adjustable fastener engagement tool ends. A pair of ratchet engagement heads are pivotally secured in respective rotational and supportive orientation with extending handles pivoted together at their free ends to afford multiple socket engagement orientation by compound pivot and socket rotation within a single hand tool configuration.
US08161844B2	Sliding device composed of combined structure of screw bolt and nut An object of the present invention is to provide a sliding device that can surely reduce damage caused by mutual sliding behavior. To achieve the object, a sliding device in which a screw bolt having a male thread and a nut having a female thread hole in which a female thread is formed on an inner circumference are screwed together in a state capable of screw rotation and applied with repeating screw rotation so that the male thread and the female thread are subjected to a sliding load, wherein when Vickers hardness of a first metal material constituting the male thread of the screw bolt is H1, and Vickers hardness of a second metal material constituting the female thread on the inner circumference of the female thread hole in the nut is H2, \|H1−H2\|=300 HV0.1 to 350 HV0.1 is employed.
US08161842B2	Apparatus for generating hysteresis of electronic accelerator pedal for a vehicle An apparatus for generating hysteresis of an electronic accelerator pedal for a vehicle is provided, which includes a pedal arm that is pivotably connected to a housing; a friction block that is provided to be in contact with an inner wall of the housing; a friction block hole that is formed through the friction block to fit the fitting protrusion and has an elliptical shape in the longitudinal direction of the pedal arm such that the friction block fitted on the fitting protrusion slides on the bottom of the friction block mounting groove; a spring seat that is provided to be seated on the friction block; and an inner spring and an outer spring each of which one end is supported against the upper inner surface of the housing and the other is supported by the spring seat.
US08161840B2	Bicycle brake control device with reach adjustment A bicycle brake control device comprises a mounting bracket for mounting the device to a bicycle, a lever mounted to the mounting bracket for rotation around a pivot axis, and an adjustment unit. The adjustment unit comprises a first adjustment component and a second adjustment component, wherein the first adjustment component adjusts a selected position of the lever relative to the mounting bracket, and the second adjustment component adjusts a position of a brake operating element when the lever is in the selected position.
US08161839B2	Electrically powered tilt steering device A jacket unit for a steering shaft is pivotally connected to a vehicle body through a first pivot mechanism and a swing arm is pivotally connected to the vehicle body through a second pivot mechanism. A first free part of the swing arm is pivotally connected to the jacket unit. A first screw rod member is rotatably held by the jacket unit and has a first splined end portion. A nut member is operatively engaged with the first screw rod member and pivotally connected to a second free part of the swing arm. A holding structure is provided for rotatably holding one end of the first screw rod member on the jacket unit. An electric actuator is held by the jacket unit and includes an output shaft that has a second splined end portion. The first splined end portion is operatively engaged with the second splined end portion to achieve a united rotation of the output shaft and the first screw rod member while permitting an axial movement relative to each other.
US08161838B2	Method and apparatus for reducing at least one friction force opposing an axial force exerted through an actuator element Actuator elements such as cables or push rods in an instrument are used for manipulating an end effector or distal end of the instrument. Each actuator element extends within a tubular housing and either the tubular housing is axially rotated about the actuator element or the actuator element is axially rotated within the tubular housing to reduce at least one force opposing an axial force exerted through or movement of the actuator element.
US08161835B2	Multi-group transmission and method for changing gear in a multi-group transmission An automated multi-group standard transmission, for a utility vehicle, and a process for changing gears in the multi-group transmission. The multi-group transmission includes at least two multi-speed transmission groups arranged one after the other, such that a multitude of gears can be shifted. A transmission input shaft that can be connected to an engine, via a startup element, is associated with a first transmission group and a second transmission main shaft is associated with a second transmission group. Load shifting mechanisms produce a temporary direct connection between the transmission input shaft and the transmission main shaft such that an intermediate gear can be shifted during a gear change from an original gear into a target gear. The load shifting mechanism enables gear changes that are virtually free of interruptions in load transfer during a gear change from a lower to a higher gear, thus increasing a high operational comfort.
US08161834B2	Transmission with power take-off drive In a motor vehicle transmission with a power take-off drive, an auxiliary drive clutch in the form of a jaw clutch is arranged in the torque flow downstream of the transmission input clutch for coupling the power take-off drive to the transmission input shaft under the control of the drive motor clutch while the transmission is disconnected.
US08161833B2	Power take-off for an agricultural vehicle A power take-off device for an agricultural vehicle, in particular a tractor, wherein an input shaft is connected to a first and, selectively, a second output shaft by moving a sleeve-type selector between three selection positions, in the first of which, the input shaft is connected angularly to the first output shaft to rotate the first output shaft at a first speed, and in the second and third of which, the input shaft is connected angularly to the second output shaft to rotate the second output shaft at a second speed and a third speed, different from the second speed.
US08161831B2	Analyzer, sample transportation method for analyzer, and computer program product An analyzer comprising: a first measurement unit; a second measurement unit; a transportation device for transporting samples to at least one measurement unit selected from the first measurement unit and the second measurement unit; and a transportation controller for determining whether or not a sample is transportable to the selected one measurement unit on the basis of at least one of a state notification of the first measurement unit and a state notification of the second measurement unit, wherein the transportation controller controls the transportation device to perform a sample transportation operation of transporting the sample to the selected one measurement unit when the sample is transportable to the selected one measurement unit, and to perform the other transportation operation than the sample transportation operation when the sample is not transportable to the selected one measurement unit, is disclosed. Sample transportation method and a computer program product are also disclosed.
US08161830B2	Method, apparatus, and system for integrated vapor and particulate sampling A detection system for identifying an unknown substance includes a detector assembly configured to receive a particulate or vapor and determine a substance contained within the collected vapor or particulate sample, and at least one heater element operatively coupled in flow communication with the detector assembly. The heater element is configured to attract an airborne vapor when the detection system is in a vapor mode, and desorb at least a portion of the attracted particulate when the detection system is in a particulate mode.
US08161828B1	Load cell for monitoring torsion and having over load protection A load cell structure for receiving strain gages to monitor applied torsional forces wherein the opposing force-receiving ends have a plurality of sensing beams spaced about an axis of rotation. Limit posts located between the ends each have a discontinuity therein that includes a U-shaped gap to limit relative rotation about the axis and thereby providing overload protection.
US08161826B1	Elastically stretchable fabric force sensor arrays and methods of making Force or pressure transducer arrays have elastically stretchable electrically conductive polymer threads disposed in parallel rows and columns that contact at intersections thereof a piezoresistive material which has an electrical resistivity which varies inversely with pressure or force exerted thereon to form a matrix array of force or pressure sensor elements. The threads are fixed to a single one or pair of flexible elastically stretchable substrate sheets made of thin sheets of an insulating polymer such as PVC, or for greater elasticity and conformability to irregularly-shaped objects such as human body parts, an elastically stretchable fabric such as LYCRA or SPANDEX. Elastic stretchability of the sensor arrays is optionally enhanced by disposing either or both row and column conductive threads in sinuously curved, serpentine paths rather than straight lines.
US08161825B2	Orifice fitting with a drainage system An orifice fitting having a drainage system. In some embodiments, the orifice fitting includes a housing having a chamber therein, a flow path extending through the chamber, an orifice plate moveable between a first position in the flow path and a second position outside of the flow path, and a rotatable shaft extending through the housing into the chamber. The shaft has a flowbore extending between a first fluid inlet in fluid communication with the chamber and a fluid outlet formed adjacent the end of the shaft.
US08161813B2	Fill level measuring in mobile containers or transport silos A fill level in a mobile container or in a transport silo is determined using a position sensor that measures the angle of inclination of the container. The fill level data is acquired using a fill level sensor. On the basis of the measured data of the position sensor it is possible to detect whether or not the fill level measuring is valid. In this way incorrect readings may be rejected.
US08161812B1	High pressure fluid meter A high pressure rotary gas meter is described herein with an exchangeable cartridge which has a meter body surrounded by an open bracket. The meter body can have a chamber in fluid communication with an inlet and an outlet. An impeller can be located in the chamber and can include a plurality of rotors connected to a gear box and a meter index to display flow information. A counter can be coupled to the meter index, for counting revolutions of the rotors and for translating the revolutions into a measurement of fluid volume. A removable first sleeve insert and second sleeve insert can permit fluid to flow into the inlet port and out of the outlet port while simultaneously securing the bracket to the meter body.
US08161810B2	Syringe imaging systems A syringe imaging system for a syringe infusion pump is provided. The system comprises an imaging device configured to capture one or more images of a syringe, and a processor, which is configured to determine, based on the one or more captured images, an internal diameter of the syringe and a distance between a bung and a bottom of the syringe, and to calculate a remaining volume of the syringe based upon the determined internal diameter and distance. A syringe infusion pump is also provided. The pump comprises a housing having a bracket configured to receive a syringe, a syringe driver configured to actuate a plunger of the syringe, an imaging device configured to capture one or more images of the syringe, and a processor. The processor is configured to determine, based on the one or more captured images, an internal diameter of the syringe and a distance between a bung and a bottom of the syringe, and to calculate a remaining volume of the syringe based upon the determined internal diameter and distance.
US08161809B2	Brake wear measurement apparatus and method A brake wear measurement apparatus for use on a brake assembly equipped with a wear pin having a plunger slidably mounted in the plunger sleeve having a first end and second end and wherein when the brake wear measurement apparatus is placed over the wear pin, the wear pin contacts the plunger first end, and moves the plunger within the plunger sleeve to a retracted position corresponding to a retraction distance delta, and wherein the retraction distance delta corresponds to a wear pin exposed height indicating an amount of brake wear. A locking mechanism for locking the plunger in the retracted position may be provided. A brake wear correlation program whereby the input of a brake part number, a plunger retraction distance delta, and a number of performed landings will result in an output of an estimated number of remaining landings may also be provided.
US08161805B2	Method and apparatus for obtaining quantitative measurements using a probe based instrument A method includes determining the point at which a tip of a probe based instrument contacts a sample and/or the area of that contact by dynamically oscillating a cantilever of the instrument in flexural and/or torsional modes. The method additionally includes using oscillation characteristics, such as amplitude, phase, and resonant frequency, to determine the status of the contact and to provide quantitative data. Static and quasi-static measurements, including contact stiffness and elastic modulus, can be obtained from the thus obtained data. Quasistatic measurements, such as creep and viscoelastic modulus, can be obtained by repeating the static measurements for a number of force profiles at different force application rates and correlating the resultant data using known theories.
US08161804B2	Apparatus and methods for maintaining proper test piece orientation during corrosion testing A support stand for supporting a test piece within a corrosion chamber comprises first and second side members interconnected by first and second support rods. The relative position of the support rods is adjustable so as to modify the orientation of the test piece. In some examples, each side member has a base, a first row of spaced-apart holes generally parallel to the base, and a second row of spaced apart holes generally perpendicular to the base. By selecting the holes with which the support rods engage, the orientation of the test piece can be set to a predetermined value.
US08161801B2	Method of determining the viscosity of a fluid A method is used to determine the viscosity of a fluid. The method includes arranging a body (11) in a fluid-leading channel, with which vortices form in the flow direction (10) therebehind, which are detected with regard to measurement technology. Also, the flow speed in the channel, at which vortices arise for the first time or barely just continue to exist, is determined, and this speed is used as a measure for the viscosity of the through-flowing fluid.
US08161793B2	Mouth alcohol tester This application discloses a system for detecting mouth alcohol which is integrated with a breath-measuring instrument. In an embodiment, the breath-measuring instrument comprises a single fuel cell system, wherein the single fuel cell measures an individual's alveolar breath as well as detection of any mouth alcohol. In a further embodiment, the breath-measuring instrument comprises a first fuel cell and a second fuel cell, wherein the first fuel cell measures alveolar breath and the second fuel cell detects mouth alcohol.
US08161791B2	Prover self testing and validation apparatus A prover includes a piston supporting rod extending longitudinally through a cylinder, which cylinder receives and discharges a fluid to measure the volume and flow rate of the fluid by translation of the piston from the fluid receiving end to the fluid discharging end. Motive means includes at least one element for drawing the rod and piston toward the fluid receiving end of the cylinder. Travel of the piston in the direction from the fluid receiving end to the fluid discharging end of the cylinder is sensed at discrete locations to provide an indication of the quantity of fluid therebetween and the related flow rate. Each of a plurality of switches, linear encoder or laser detector provides position sensing signals reflective of the volume and rate of fluid flowing in the cylinder. These signals, representative of this volume and flow rate, are compared with preset parameters to determine the degree of equivalence. Thereby, self testing and validation occurs.
US08161790B2	Measurement system for powder based agents A measurement system for a dry powder agent includes a sensor system which includes at least one sensor head at least partially within a powder calibration column and a control system in communication with the sensor system.
US08161779B2	Lock for a sliding door A lock for a sliding door (14), with a lock case (24) for receiving a lock cylinder (30), the lock cylinder (30) being arranged in a recess (36) of the lock case (24) such that, in order to lock the lock (22), a bolt (28) of the lock case (24) is brought into engagement with a striking plate (26) of the lock (22) by a rotationally actuable driver (32) of the lock cylinder (30). The lock (22) has at least one support part (38, 40) which is arranged laterally on the lock case (24) in the region of the recess (36) to support the lock cylinder (30). A further characteristic relates to the securing of the lock against removal and for this purpose, the or each support part (38, 40) is fastened to the lock case (24) by retaining pins (60), a lock cylinder screw (58) for fastening the lock cylinder (30) to the lock case (24) being in engagement with the or each retaining pin (60) to prevent removal of the support parts (38, 40) and of the retaining pins (60).
US08161778B1	Card lock and key lock assembly A card lock and key lock assembly includes a housing, a lock latch movably disposed in the housing, a swivel member pivoted to the housing and having a block portion stoppable against the lock latch, a card key lock disposed in the housing and having a lifting plate, a rotating shaft, and a hook plate connected with the lifting plate and engagable with the rotating shaft for driving the rotating shaft to rotate when the lifting plate is moved downwards, such that the rotating shaft is stoppable against the swivel member for driving the block portion of the swivel member to move away from the lock latch, and a pin tumbler lock disposed in the housing and having a plug with an arm portion for driving the block portion of the swivel member to move away from the lock latch when the plug is rotated to an unlocked position.
US08161777B2	Washing machine with a removable basket A washing machine with a removable basket that comprises a fixing structure of the tank that has a frame (10) provided with orthogonal projections (11) on the base, including springs (30) on the upper edges and shock-absorbers (40) on the lower edges; a tank (20) that has, in the intermediary region of the surface, a ring (201) that connects the springs (30), said tank (20) having the base provided with a bearing (21) fixed, on the external extremity, onto a moving pulley (22) actuated by a motor (23), the motor and an electric pump being fixed at the base of the tank (20); a structure for supporting the basket (50) is arranged in the inner portion of the tank (20), said supporting structure (50) having a set of arms that follow the shape of the tank (20), with the arms being centrally joined on an axis (51) attachable to the bearing (21) of the tank (20) and attached directly to the mechanical set of the washing machine, and a removable basket (60) arranged in the inner portion of the tank (20) and fixed, on the supporting structure, (50) into the furrows (61) arranged on the external surface of said removable basket (60).
US08161775B2	Integrated hollow fabric structure In one aspect of the invention, an integrated hollow fabric structure includes a body having an axis and a thickness along a direction perpendicular to the axis, at least first and second groups of yarns, the yarns of each group space-regularly disposed in layers, where the yarn layers of the at least two groups of yarns are alternately stacked and interlocked together, and embedded in the body, and a third group of yarns through the thickness of the body to interlock the layers together, where the positions and the pattern of interlocking vary according to the need.
US08161774B2	Floating stitch needle for a crochet galloon machine A crochet galloon machine needle (26) in accordance with the invention is provided on its hook outside (39) with a guide projection (40) having a tip (43) that is preferably located above the center axis (A) of the needle (26). This needle (26) has an enlarged weft thread capture range and is thus particularly suitable for the manufacture of dense knitted goods. In addition, said needle enables the operation with reduced take-off tension and, optionally, also with reduced weft thread tension. This helps increase the service life of all system components.
US08161771B2	Method and apparatus for separating air Method and apparatus of separating a nitrogen from a compressed and purified feed stream in a cryogenic rectification plant that employs a distillation column to produce a nitrogen-rich vapor as a column overhead and an oxygen-rich liquid column bottoms. Reflux is generated for the column by condensing part of the nitrogen-rich vapor within a down-flow heat exchanger. A stream of the oxygen-rich liquid column bottoms is introduced into an ejector which draws a stream of an oxygen-rich liquid phase produced from the outlet of a down-flow heat exchanger. The combined oxygen-rich liquid exiting the ejector is fed to the down-flow heat exchanger to condense the nitrogen-rich vapor. In such manner, part of the oxygen-rich liquid phase is recirculated to prevent dry-out of the down-flow heat exchanger outlet and to maintain effective condensation of the nitrogen-rich vapor.
US08161770B2	Vehicle air conditioning system Disclosed is a vehicle air conditioning system including not less than two evaporators 3, 4, in which internal heat exchangers 5, 6 are provided to the respective evaporator 3, 4, a first evaporator 3 is placed in a front part of a compartment 8A whereas a second evaporator 4 is placed in a rear part of the compartment 8B; and the second evaporator 4 is connected to the internal heat exchanger 6 extended from the engine room 7 to the compartment 8. The internal heat exchanger 6 has a triple tube structure in which a heat insulator 15 is provided between a high-pressure medium passage 13 and a low-pressure medium passage 14.
US08161766B2	Refrigerator ice bin with thermal storage member The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a structure for allowing ice, which is received in an ice-storing device provided in a refrigerating chamber door, to be in a frozen state without being melted. The refrigerator of the present invention comprises a main body including at least a refrigerating chamber, a door for opening or closing the refrigerating chamber, a container provided in the door to store ice therein, and a cold heat storage member surrounding the container. According to the refrigerator of the present invention constructed as above, even though an ice bank for storing ice is provided in a refrigerating chamber door, it is possible to prevent a phenomenon by which ice is melted and stuck together.
US08161763B2	Method for controlling a compressor and a control valve of a refrigerator A refrigerator control method is disclosed which ensures efficient operation of a compressor. To control a refrigerator including a compressor, a first evaporator and a second evaporator connected to the compressor, and a refrigerant control valve that controls introduction of a refrigerant into the first evaporator and the second evaporator, the refrigerator control method includes operating the compressor, and controlling the opening and closing of the refrigerant control valve, to reduce not only consumption of electricity by the compressor, but also a pressure difference between an entrance and an exit of the compressor upon starting of the compressor.
US08161760B2	Utilities grid for distributed refrigeration system A distributed refrigeration appliance system for use in a residential kitchen and other locations in a dwelling and includes multiple separate refrigeration appliance modules, a central cooling system and a cooling circuit. The system can also include one or more satellite stations having a heat exchanger and arranged for supplying chilled air to one or more refrigeration appliance modules. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can include a thermal cascade cooling device to cool the module to lower temperatures than the cooling circuit can attain. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can be refrigeration/storage modules that can provide refrigerated, unconditioned or heated storage space. The central cooling system can be a vapor compression system having a refrigerant circuit connecting the modules. Alternately, the central cooling system can cool a secondary cooling medium circuit. The refrigeration system can also have more than one refrigeration machine providing cooling to the secondary refrigeration loop.
US08161758B2	Automatic defrost evaporator systems A method of defrosting a eutectic plate of a refrigeration system involves activating a defrost system when a power source is connected to the refrigeration system. The defrost system is operated for all or a portion of a defrost cycle and is then deactivated. The initiation of a subsequent defrost cycle is prevented until the power source has been disconnected from the refrigeration system for at least a selected amount of time. A defrost system may include a controller programmed to carry out the method and automatically initiate a series of defrost cycles.
US08161755B2	Heat exchanger unit for an aircraft A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a heat exchange unit through which a hot air stream and a cooling air stream flow. The heat exchange unit includes a hot air inlet pipe situated on a rear face of the heat exchange unit, to carry the hot air stream into the heat exchange unit, and a cooling air discharge pipe situated on the rear face of the heat exchange unit to expel the cooling air stream from the heat exchange unit, the hot air inlet pipe and the cooling air discharge pipe being concentric with each other. The hot air stream flows from the rear face forward to a front of the heat exchange unit, then from the front of the heat exchange unit, to a rear of the heat exchange unit, so as to be expelled via the rear face of the heat exchange unit.
US08161753B2	Brazed joint between a titanium-based metal part and a ceramic part based on silicon carbide (SIC) and/or carbon An assembly including a stack structure made up of the following elements assembled together by brazing: the titanium-based metal piece; a first intermediate piece suitable for deforming to accommodate differential expansion between the metal piece and a piece made of ceramic material based on silicon carbide and/or carbon; a second intermediate piece that is rigid, having a coefficient of expansion close to that of said ceramic material piece and made of aluminum nitride (AlN) or of tungsten (W); and the ceramic material piece is disclosed.
US08161751B2	High volume fuel nozzles for a turbine engine A fuel nozzle for a turbine engine is configured to deliver a large volume of a fuel which has a relatively low amount of energy per unit volume. The fuel nozzle includes a fuel swirler plate having fuel delivery apertures which are angled with respect to the flat surfaces of the swirler plate. A nozzle cap covers the end of the fuel nozzle to create a swirl chamber at the outlet end. The nozzle cap may include a plurality of air inlet apertures to allow the air to enter the swirl chamber.
US08161749B2	Cooled exhaust hood plates for reduced exhaust loss Cooled exhaust hood plates are provided in areas of high velocity steam flow within an exhaust steam flow of a steam turbine. Coolant is directed within double walled exhaust hood plates to cool plate surfaces adjacent to the high velocity exhaust steam flow. The cooled exhaust hood plates cool and condense the exhaust steam in proximity. Condensation will occur in low velocity area near the exhaust hood plate to reduce the boundary layer and improve the flow through the hood, improving overall turbine performance.
US08161745B2	Turbocharger The invention relates to a turbocharger (1) having a turbine (2); and having a compressor (3) connected to the turbine (2) by means of a bearing housing (4), the compressor comprising a compressor housing (5), which has a reference surface (BF) perpendicular to a turbocharger axis (AL), and a valve flange (6) equipped with a valve seat (11) for a wastegate valve and a connecting channel (9) to a compressor inlet (7), wherein the valve flange (6) has a flange surface (8) that is disposed at a calculable angle (α) to the reference surface (BF) in a tilted manner, and wherein the connecting channel (9) has a channel axis (AK), which is disposed at a calculable angle (β) in a tilted manner.
US08161740B2	Force transmission device with a rotational speed adaptive damper and method for improving the damping properties The invention relates to a force transmission device for power transmission between an input and an output, comprising at least an input and an output, and a vibration damping device disposed in a cavity that can be filled at least partially with an operating medium, in particular oil, the vibration damping device coupled with a rotational speed adaptive absorber, wherein the rotational speed adaptive absorber is tuned as a function of an oil influence to an effective order qeff, which is greater by an order shift value qF than an order q of an exciting vibration of a drive system.
US08161735B2	Clogging determining device for reducing agent passage and clogging determining method for reducing agent passage There are provided a clogging determining device for a reducing agent passage and a clogging determining method for a reducing agent passage, which can accurately detect clogging and estimate a clogged place when clogging occurs in any place of a supply line or a return line.The device includes pump driving control element for subjecting the pump to DUTY control so that a pressure value is kept to a predetermined value, driving DUTY determining element for determining whether the driving DUTY of the pump is less than a predetermined threshold value corresponding to the opening degree of the reducing agent injection valve, or not; pressure reduction amount calculating element for calculating a pressure reduction amount by which the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor is reduced within a predetermined time after the pump is stopped and the reducing agent injection valve is fully opened when it is determined that the driving DUTY of the pump is less than the threshold value, and clogging determining element for determining on the basis of the pressure reduction amount calculated by the pressure reduction amount: calculating element whether clogging occurs in the first reducing agent passage or the second reducing agent passage.
US08161733B2	Hydrocarbon retaining and purging system Methods and systems are provided for operating an engine having a hydrocarbon retaining system and an emission control device coupled to an engine exhaust, the engine exhaust comprising a venturi. One example method comprises, during a storing condition, routing exhaust gas through the venturi without generating a venturi action, and then to the hydrocarbon retaining system, while bypassing the emission control device, to store hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon retaining system, and during a purging condition, routing exhaust gas through the venturi while generating venturi action, then to the emission control device, and then to the hydrocarbon retaining system, to purge stored hydrocarbons, wherein a flow of purged hydrocarbons is drawn back to the venturi via venturi action.
US08161730B2	Apparatus, system, and method for reducing NOx emissions on an SCR catalyst Various embodiments of an apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for reducing NOx emissions on an SCR catalyst. For example, according to one representative embodiment, an apparatus for reducing NOx emissions in an engine exhaust includes a NOx reduction target module that is configured to determine a NOx reduction requirement that includes an amount of NOx in the exhaust gas stream to be reduced on a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst. The apparatus also includes an ammonia target module that is configured to determine an ammonia addition requirement that includes an amount of ammonia added to the exhaust gas stream to achieve the NOx reduction requirement. The apparatus also includes a reductant target module that is configured to determine a reductant injection requirement that includes an amount of reductant added to the exhaust gas stream to achieve the ammonia addition requirement. The apparatus further includes a reductant limiting module that is configured to determine whether at least one reductant limiting condition is met and to limit the amount of reductant added in response to the at least one reductant limiting condition if the at least one reductant limiting condition has been met.
US08161726B2	Cooling exchanger duct A method for using a heat exchange system in operating equipment in which a working fluid is utilized in providing selected operations thereof, including for use in lubricating systems for aircraft turbofan engine equipment, the heat exchange system for providing air and working fluid heat exchanges to cool the working fluid at selectively variable rates in the operating equipment developed airstreams. A heat exchanger core is provided in a controlled air flow duct system opening at its entrance to those airstreams and having its outlet end opening downstream in those airstreams.
US08161724B2	Hybrid biomass process with reheat cycle Methods and systems for the generation of electrical energy through the combination of steam flows produced from different fuel sources. Steam produced from processing of a biomass fuel source is combined with steam produced from the processing of natural gas or fossil fuel and routed through a steam turbine generator to produce electrical energy. The steam is preferably reheated after partial processing in the steam turbine generator and then recirculated for further processing in the steam turbine generators. Following extraction of all available energy from the steam, the steam is condensed to water, the feedwater is then reheated and pumped to the boilers of both energy sources for conversion into steam.
US08161722B2	Cable stranding methods employing a hollow-shaft guide member driver Cable-stranding methods for performing SZ-stranding of strand elements about at least one core member are disclosed. One method includes passing initially spaced apart strand elements through peripheral guide holes and passing at least one core member through a generally central location of at least one guide member. The method also includes actuating a controller that controls the rotation of the at least one guide member and rotating the at least one guide member to form the SZ-stranded assembly.
US08161721B2	Cable stranding apparatus employing a hollow-shaft guide member driver A cable-stranding apparatus for performing SZ-stranding of strand elements about at least one core member is disclosed. A first stationary guide member individually guides the strand elements in a spaced apart configuration and centrally passes the at least one core member. At least one hollow-shaft motor is arranged downstream of the stationary guide member. A rotating guide member is disposed in the hollow shaft and rotates with the hollow shaft according to a rotation relationship. The rotation relationship controls the rotational speed and direction of the rotating guide member to SZ-strand the strand elements about the at least one core member to form an SZ-stranded assembly. Embodiments of cable-stranding apparatus having multiple hollow-shaft motors and respective multiple rotating guide members are also disclosed.
US08161719B2	Rotary disk crop harvesting header with an auger and impellers for converging the crop A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening. A crop converging system includes two over-shot auger elements defined by a common auger shaft with an auger flight carried thereon arranged generally longitudinal of the cutter bar so as to carry the cut crop longitudinally of the cutter bar to the entrance opening. Each auger element is arranged with a forwardmost tangent to the auger flight located behind the axes of the rotary disks and with an outer end thereof spaced outwardly of the respective end of the entrance mouth. The common auger shaft is driven by a common rotary drive with the bottom roll of the conditioner rolls. The augers terminate inwardly of the outer end of the cutter bar to locate the drive inboard of the end plates.
US08161718B2	Self-propelled agricultural working machine In a self-propelled agricultural working machine having working units whose working parameters are adjustable, moving at a ground speed that is regulated automatically as a function of at least one crop-material parameter and/or one working parameter of the working machine using a forward-travel regulator, and having at least one control, operating, and display unit, with which the crop-material parameters and/or the working parameters of the working machine may be adjusted and displayed, the operator of the working machine has access to information regarding the state of the forward-travel regulator when the ground speed is being regulated using a forward-travel regulator. For this purpose, the crop-material parameter and/or working parameter of the working machine that currently limits the ground-speed control via the forward-travel regulator is displayed directly to the operator of the working machine in the control, operating, and display unit.
US08161713B2	Modular unit for applying opening devices to packages of pourable food products A modular unit for applying opening devices to packages of pourable food products includes a first conveyor for feeding the opening devices successively along a first path, a second conveyor for feeding the packages successively along a second path, a transfer mechanism for transferring the opening devices along a third path from a pickup station located along the first path, to an application station for applying the opening devices to respective packages and located along the second path, and a processing device for performing specific operations on the opening devices prior to application of the opening devices to the respective packages. The transfer mechanism defines a base module of the unit, and the processing device includes different types of processing devices forming part of different auxiliary modules selectively connectable to the base module to define different units for applying the opening devices to respective packages.
US08161711B2	Reinforced plastic panels and structures A partition system may include one or more panels. A panel may be constructed using blow-molded plastic. A panel may include one or more depressions, which may be aligned with one or more depressions on an opposing side of the panel. The depressions may provide additional structural integrity for a panel. The depressions on opposing sides of the panel may extend toward and engage each other. The panels may include patterns with which one or more depressions may intersect. The panels may include symmetric patterns on opposing sides. The partition system may include one or more connectors adapted to receive a portion of one or more panels. The partition system may include one or more feet that may be attached to one or more panels. The panels may include one or more reinforcing members of various shapes disposed proximate one or more edges of a panel.
US08161708B2	Finishing set for a floor covering and holder, as well as finishing profile, for a finishing set, and method for manufacturing a finishing profile and a skirting board Finishing set for a floor covering, whereby this finishing set at least consists of, on the one hand, a finishing profile and, on the other hand, a holder with at least an attachment portion for attaching said finishing profile at the holder, characterized in that the holder comprises an underlay portion, which at choice can or cannot be provided underneath the remaining portion of the holder, as well as a stop-forming positioning portion.
US08161707B2	Building frame structure A family of beam cross-connections, including column/beam and beam/beam connections, between beams and columns in a building frame. Each connection within a cross-connection features (a) a pair of parallel-spaced, upright, planar plate components operatively associated with either a side of a column or a side of a beam, (b) an elongate, generally horizontal cross-connection beam including a generally upright, planar central web with an end which, with respect to a pair of such plate components, extends into the space that exists between those components, and (c) a structural relationship involving the plate components in a pair which accommodates (1) vertical-motion placement of a web end between the components, with (2) the automatic establishment thereby of correct relative, spatial, three-dimensional relationships and dispositions of the specific, associated column and/or beam elements so connected.
US08161704B2	Perimeter insulation strips A perimeter insulation strip for use when laying laminate or parquet floors is described. The perimeter insulation strips comprises a vapor barrier film including a perimeter insulation strip bonded on a front side and at least one adhesive layer arranged behind the perimeter insulation strip on a back side. The vapor barrier film has at least one overlapping section starting from the perimeter insulation strip to connect with a vapor barrier film below a floor covering to be laid.
US08161703B2	Compressible insulation element with reduced friction A compressible mineral fiber insulation element (1) having a first major surface (3) opposed to a second major surface (4), and having side surfaces (5) connecting the two major surfaces (3, 4) and defining a thickness of the insulation element (1). The thickness is at least 10 cm. The insulation element comprises a facing (20) provided with at least one extension flange (21) of which the outer end (22) is not secured to the insulation element. The facing (20) is attached to at least a part of the first major surface (3), and the extension flange (21) is prepared for extending over and covering a substantial part of the side surface (5) of the insulation element (1). A method of installing a compressible insulation element is also disclosed.
US08161699B2	Building construction using structural insulating core The present invention relates to a structural insulating foam core wall that is versatile to be used as an independent framed wall, combination of an independent wall and Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) wall, in conjunction as part of a precast wall or as part of forming system to form a concrete beams and column structure, and modular units with concrete beams and columns. The structural insulating core wall, can also be used as individual foam spacer blocks, with or without brackets and horizontal bracing channels. Various types of flanges extensions are added to form different support channel flanges. The interlocking foam spacers and support channels which can be glued or screwed together to form structural insulating panels (SIPS), independent walls or as part of a precast wall with columns and beams integrated within the wall panels.
US08161696B2	Sleeve system and method of using Herein is disclosed a sleeve system and methods of using the system. The system uses an elongated open-ended sleeve, and mounting plate parts which mate with each other to form a mounting plate and which are securable to each other and to a wall. The mounting plate thus formed comprises a collar which, when the mounting plates parts are secured together, presses against portions of the outer surface of the sleeve to hold the sleeve in place.
US08161695B2	Shock supressor A shock suppressor has a first base, a second base and a connecting device. The second base is parallel to the first base. The connecting device is slidably mounted between the first base and second base to connect the first and second bases and has a universal connector. The first base abuts against the connecting device in a curved contact surface to provide a first sliding mechanism in multiple directions. The second base abuts against the connecting device to provide a second sliding mechanism in a unidirection.
US08161694B1	Burial crypt for cremains and method of fabrication An improved burial crypt for cremains designed to be placed below grade within a standard cemetery burial plot, suitable for containing a plurality of burial urns; the crypt comprised of a container, an access means, and a support means, with the container being sealable, substantially water tight, and fabricated of precast concrete walls, the access means being located within the interior of the container and suitably adapted to allow a human to descend into and ascend out of the container, and the support means being located within the interior of the container and suitably adapted to support a plurality of burial urns; and a method of fabrication of same.
US08161691B2	Precast composite structural floor system A precast composite flooring system utilizes girders and floor panels having steel lower structures placed in tension and concrete upper structures places in compression. Openings through a stem wall allow ducts, pipes, and conduits to be run therethrough. The system provides reduced weight over conventional precast or pour in place systems, allowing further reduction in the weight and size of other building components. The floor deck does not use tensioning strands, allowing openings to be formed at nearly any stage of construction and with reduced concern over cutting steel reinforcement. The floor panels and girders bolt together and bolt to a steel column frame, allowing for more efficient assembly.
US08161690B1	Interlocking portable rollout attic flooring with overlapping planks An interlocking portable rollout attic flooring having a plurality of planks laid in a mutual abutting relationship of side edges of the planks, to define a common longitudinally extensive top and bottom surfaces, the common bottom surface having longitudinally directed notches oriented orthogonal to the side edges. The longitudinally directed notches engaged with spaced apart beams for support and stability of the flooring. The side edges of the planks configured in a mutually overlapping relationship wherein each plank supports a portion of weight applied to each adjacent plank. At least one longitudinally directed flexible strap fixed to the top surface of the flooring to secure the planks in the abutting relationship while allowing the planks to be rolled into a cylindrical configuration.
US08161685B2	Door draft excluder A draft excluder for excluding drafts between a door and the floor. The draft excluder is made up of an elongated angled bracket, at least one clip, a flexible covering, and an elongated weight. The flexible covering can take the form of a cloth covering. The elongated angled bracket defines first and second sidewalls with an interior angle there-between. The first and second sidewalls respectively define first and second elongated terminal edges. During normal use the at least one clip holds the first sidewall of the bracket to the bottom of a door such that the interior angle faces downward and towards the floor beneath the door. The flexible covering defines a cover portion that extends between the first and second elongated terminal edges. The cover portion defines an interior surface and an exterior surface. The elongated weight is affixed to the interior surface of the cover portion.
US08161684B2	Window securing means and methods An assembly for securing a hinged building window (11) in closed position relative to an aperature defined by a main frame (12). The assembly includes a compressible gasket disposed between the hinged building window (11) and the main frame (12) defining the aperature. The hinged building window (11) and the main frame (12) each includes a respective portion (20) of a magnetic means for securing the hinged building window said (11) to the frame (12), where the magnetic means for securing includes a two magnetic magnets that are magnetically attracted to one another.
US08161677B1	Trip-up signal device for a rod and reel A bite-signaling device comprises a clamp member securing the device to the rod of the rod and reel combination. A linear support member is pivotally connected at a first end to the clamp member. The second end of the linear support member includes a perpendicular section with a linear signal member rotatably attached thereto. The linear signal member includes a weighted first end and a signaling second end. A line attachment member is secured to the signaling second end of the linear signal member and releasably secures a fishing line attached to a reel of the rod and reel combination. The fishing line secured to the line attachment member maintains the weighted first end of the signal member elevated relative to the signaling second end thereof. Releasing the fishing line from the line attachment member causes the weighted first end to rotatably descend and elevate the signaling second end of the signal member.
US08161676B1	Deep throw casting net A casting net is provided that allows for easy use. The casting net includes a tail portion and a mouth portion that are connected by a mesh lattice netting. The tail portion is of a smaller diameter than the mouth portion, and the tail portion is substantially closed allowing only a torque line assembly to pass through. The mouth portion is of a substantially larger diameter than the tail portion, so as to provide a larger area for capturing targeted species. A plurality of weights are affixed along the circumference of the mouth portion for providing weight so as to sink the casting net assembly. Along the circumference of the mesh lattice, and in close proximity to the mouth portion, a reinforcing means is affixed so as to provide structural support to the mouth portion and thereby maintaining an open position of the mouth portion as the casting net falls through the water.
US08161675B2	Aiming device and method for guns An aiming device for guns, which comprises a transparent plate that shows to the user a critical image when the plate has a predetermined orientation, and shows a deformed image when said plate has any other different orientation. The transparent plate is so mounted in the device and the device is so mounted on the gun, such that the critical image is seen by the user when and only when the axis of the gun barrel is parallel to the line of sight passing through the user's eye and the center of the transparent plate.
US08161670B2	Ironing roller An ironing roller includes a first annular chamber in communication with an inlet and an outlet arranged to rotate about a longitudinal axis, where the first annular chamber forms a passage through which a heat carrying fluid heated by heating device located inside the ironing roller circulates, a circuit external to the annular chamber being arranged to lead the heat carrying fluid from the outlet to the inlet of the chamber. A second annular chamber adjacent and coaxial to the first annular chamber is provided, the two annular chambers being intercommunicated for the circulation of the heat carrying fluid from one of the annular chambers to the other, and where one of the annular chambers carries out a heat uptake function and the other one carries out a heat transfer function.
US08161668B2	Animal limb protective boot A protective boot for an animal including a generally cylindrical leg portion having a top end and a bottom end and a top closure affixed to and circumscribing the top end of the leg portion that is drawn inward against the leg of the animal to protect against the infiltration of extraneous material into and against the self-removal of the protective boot by the animal. The base portion of the protective boot is sealed to the bottom end of the leg portion and is enhanced with a non-slip material to provide substitute traction for the animal. At least one strap is fixedly connected to the leg portion and is operable to reduce the diameter of the leg portion in the vicinity of the strap. The protective boot is sealed at each seam or point of attachment between elements so that the boot is waterproof.
US08161663B2	System and method for drying and torrefaction A method and apparatus for torrefaction of water containing cellulosic materials is performed in an inert atmosphere. The cellulosic material is cascaded through the apparatus between a plurality of rotatable trays vertically stacked within multiple processing zones. Steam being generated from heating of the cellulosic material is recycled back to the apparatus to provide an inert atmosphere. The steam may be superheated in a heat exchanger. Exhaust from the torrefaction zone of the apparatus has some moisture and other volatiles removed prior to being reheated in a burner. The heated exhaust is used in the heat exchanger to superheat the recycled steam.
US08161659B2	Measurement device The disclosure provides a measurement device for measuring a work piece defining a first circular hole and a second circular hole. The measurement device includes a base, a location member fixed on the base, a fixing pin fixed on the location member, and a measuring pin slidably positioned on the location member. The fixing pin and the measuring pin are configured for being received in the first circular hole and the second circular hole of the work piece, respectively. A diameter of the measuring pin is substantially equal to a standard diameter of the second circular hole minus doubled tolerance. The distance between axes of the fixing pin and the measuring pin is substantially equal to a standard value of the distance between centers of the first and second circular holes of the work piece.
US08161658B1	Combined fabric measuring and cutting jig and associated method A fabric measuring and cutting jig for simultaneously holding, measuring and cutting a piece of fabric preferably includes a cutting matt, a ruler pivotally connected to the cutting matt, and a pin removably positioned through two holes selected from first, second, third, fourth and fifth groups of holes, respectively, such that the ruler is pivotally displaced along the cutting matt while the proximal end of the ruler remains pivotally anchored to the pin. A fabric material is intercalated between the cutting matt and ruler wherein a cutting implement is used to cut the fabric material along a longitudinal edge of the ruler.
US08161657B2	Measuring force control apparatus A position controller provided in a controlling module obtains a difference between a detected rotation angle of a stylus and a target rotation angle, and determines an energization amount to a voice coil motor so that the difference becomes zero. A variable limiter circuit limits a driving current, which is supplied from the position controller, to a limitation value so that a rotation force applied to the stylus from the voice coil motor is constant. A target rotation angle issuing portion switches over the target rotation angle based on a relative position of a contact portion of the stylus.
US08161652B2	Hand-held power tool A hand-held power tool, in particular a hand-held power tool for sawing, includes a drive unit (12a), which includes a drive shaft (14a; 14b), and a dust-extraction device (16a; 16b) with a suction unit (20a; 20b) and a drive shaft (22a; 22b). A transmission unit (24a; 24b) is installed upstream of the drive shaft (22a; 22b) of the suction unit (20a; 20b).
US08161649B1	Differential gear assembly housing The gear housing may be a housing to enclose a gear assembly of a land mobile vehicle. The gear housing may have an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion. The lower housing portion may have a wall reference position below a lowest surface structure of a gear assembly wherein a wall of smooth, generally non-planar surfaces may be positioned below a gear assembly centerline with an interior surface at the wall reference position adjacent the lowest surface structure with sufficient separation to avoid contact between the gear housing and the gear assembly. The wall may have at least one concave curved segment to position the wall adjacent to a contour of outer surface structures of the gear assembly, but not contacting the gear assembly. An upper housing portion may be attached to the lower housing portion to enclose the gear assembly.
US08161647B2	Recording head and method for manufacturing the same A method for manufacturing a recording head includes providing a recording element substrate and a circuit board having an inner lead connector, the recording element substrate including an energy generating element configured to generate energy used to discharge ink and an electrical connector to be electrically connected to the element, bonding the electrical connector of the recording element substrate to the inner lead connector of the circuit board, and applying a thixotropic sealant to the inner lead connector to seal the inner lead while exerting shear force on the sealant by ultrasonic vibration.
US08161643B2	Method for forming a cooling jacket for an electric motor A cooling jacket for a motor includes an extruded jacket body having an outer peripheral surface, an inner peripheral surface, and a plurality of discrete cooling passages located between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces that provide multi-directional fluid flow. A fluid inlet is provided to direct cooling fluid into the jacket body and a fluid outlet to direct heated fluid away from the jacket body.
US08161641B2	Compound electromachining A preform includes an airfoil stub and a dovetail hub. The hub first undergoes electrochemical discharge machining to form a rough dovetail. The airfoil stub undergoes electrochemical machining to form an airfoil. The rough dovetail then undergoes electrochemical discharge machining to form a rough tang. The rough tang is finish machined to form a dovetail extending from the airfoil in a unitary rotor blade.
US08161635B1	Methods for forming a single cap via in pad of substrate Novel methods are provided that results in the formation of single-cap VIPs in a substrate are described herein. As a result, fine pitch trace patterns may be formed on the substrate. The methods may include initially providing a substrate having a first and a second side, the first side being opposite of the second side. A via may then be constructed in the substrate, the via being formed within a via hole that extends from the first side to the second side of the substrate, the formed via having a first end located at the first side of the substrate, and a second end opposite the first end located at the second side of the substrate. A selective deposition may be performed of a conductive material on the second end of the via to form a conductive pad directly on the via on the second side of the substrate without depositing the conductive material onto the first side of the substrate.
US08161633B2	Method of fabricating non-planar circuit board A method for forming a circuit board is provided. The method includes forming a circuit board substrate (112) from a circuit board material. The method also includes positioning the circuit board substrate on a rigid structure (114) having a three dimensional contoured surface (300). The method further includes applying heat and applying pressure to the circuit board substrate to at least partially conform the circuit board substrate to the three dimensional contoured surface. If the circuit board substrate (112) is a clad circuit board substrate, then a circuit pattern is formed on the circuit board substrate prior to the steps of applying heat and applying pressure. However, if the circuit board substrate (112) is an unclad circuit board substrate, then a circuit pattern is disposed on the circuit board substrate after the steps of applying heat and applying pressure.
US08161630B2	Rotor attachment apparatus and rotor attachment method A rotor attachment apparatus for attaching a rotor of a motor coaxially to a crankshaft by inserting the rotor into a rotor housing that is attached to an engine, including: a rotor support member; rotor positioning members that engage some of a plurality of bolt insertion holes provided in the rotor, to thereby position the rotor; a temporary fixation bolt that temporarily fixes the rotor on the rotor support member; a drive shaft a tip portion of which is engaged with a shaft end portion of the crankshaft, and which supports the rotor support member movably in an axis direction via a screw mechanism; a base member that moves the rotor support member toward and away from the rotor while rotatably supporting a base end of the drive shaft; base positioning members that engage the rotor housing; and a fastening mechanism which engages a head of a coupling bolt inserted into at least one of the bolt insertion holes, and which is supported by the rotor support member so as to bias the coupling bolt toward the rotor.
US08161629B2	Backlight module assembling apparatus A backlight module assembling apparatus for attaching a reflector plate to a driving circuit board is disclosed. The backlight module assembling apparatus includes an assembling portion and a pressing movably connected to the assembling portion. The assembling portion defines a receiving space configured for receiving and positioning a driving circuit board therein. The assembling portion includes a top plate and a first opening defined in the top plate. The first opening communicates with the receiving space. The assembling portion includes a number of blades arranged around the first opening for cutting a reflector plate. The pressing portion includes a pressing plate. The pressing plate is movable toward and away from the blade and configured for pressing the reflector plate against the blades thus allowing the blades cutting the reflector plate to a shape conforming to the first opening and attaching the reflector plate to the driving circuit board.
US08161628B2	Assembling device with complementary receiving members and manufacturing combination incorporating same An assembling device for attaching a light guide plate and a reflecting member together is provided. The assembling device includes a first receiving member and a second receiving member. The first receiving member defines a first recess therein for accommodating the light guide plate. The second receiving member defines a second recess therein for accommodating the reflecting member. The assembling device has an open position and a closed position. The light guide plate is capable of being loaded in the first recess and the reflecting member is capable of being loaded in the second recess when the assembling device is in the open position. The first receiving member and the second receiving member are aligned with and parallel to each other when the assembling device is in the closed position.
US08161621B2	Method for fastening plastic drivers in washing drums Fastening plastic drivers in a washing machine drum having at least two domes on the inside, which comprise a cavity extending along its center line, and are oriented perpendicular to the sheet casing of the drum and which serve to fasten the driver. A hole pattern corresponding to the arrangement of the domes of a driver is punched into the sheet casing of the drum. The driver is placed with its dome ends, which project beyond the contact surface of the driver with the sheet casing, onto the sheet casing so that the dome ends pass through the holes of the hole pattern. Counter holders are inserted from the opposite side into the cavities of the domes. From the fastening side, hold-down elements are driven against the sheet casing. Heated form punches are driven against the dome ends until the dome ends have mushroom-shape ends.
US08161618B2	Method of forming barbs on a suture A method is provided for forming a barbed medical device which includes the steps of providing a blank workpiece and forming at least one barb on the blank workpiece by applying vibrational energy to a tool and bringing the tool and the blank workpiece into contact with each other at an angle such that the tool cuts into the surface of the blank workpiece. A barbed medical device formed by this method is also provided.
US08161616B2	Method of manufacture for a plastic-capped panel fastener A captive panel fastener is manufactured by first overmolding a plastic cap around the head of a screw, the cap having a cylindrical plastic skirt extending downwardly beyond the base of the screw head and formed with a circular opening at the bottom. After a compression spring is placed around the shank of the screw, the screw is pressed against a top surface of a ferrule to a point where the capped-skirt extends downwardly below a ferrule flange. At that point, heat and pressure are applied radially inwardly around the periphery of the plastic skirt along its bottom edge until it is permanently deformed to a point where the bottom of the skirt is smaller in diameter than the ferrule flange. The screw is thereby captivated to the ferrule between extended and retracted positions.
US08161615B2	Apparatus and method for clamping and processing conveyor belt ends and the like An apparatus and method for clamping and processing conveyor belt ends includes a stationary stand and a clamping member supported on the stand and configured to selectively retain an associated conveyor belt end therein. A belt processing member is configured to process the conveyor belt end retained in the clamping member, and a rail is detachably mounted on one of the stand member and the clamping member, and movably supports thereon the belt processing member for movement of the same along the conveyor belt end retained in the clamping member.
US08161611B2	Tool for installation of tubing in flooring A tool for installing tubing in channels of floor panels comprises a handle attached to an upper portion of a front frame and a pair of wheels attached to a bottom portion of the front frame, a pneumatic drive, mounted between a front frame spacer and a bearing block, drives a hammer assembly for pushing the tubing into the channels, and a steering block is secured under the bearing block by a bearing assembly which enables the steering block to rotate about a bearing. An upper portion of a rear strut attaches to the bearing block and a pair of wheels attach to the lower portion of the rear strut. The tool quickly and efficiently installs the tubing into the flooring channels as the tool is rolled along the floor panels when an air source is attached to an air coupling on the pneumatic drive.
US08161609B2	Methods of fabricating an array capacitor Methods of fabricating an array capacitor are disclosed, in which via structures of the array capacitor have increased uniformity in their transverse areas. One method involves perforating a capacitor body to form first holes extending from a first surface and partially through the capacitor body. The capacitor body may be further perforated to form second holes extending from a second opposed surface of the capacitor body. The second holes are to connect to the first holes to provide through holes extending across a thickness of the capacitor body. An appropriate conductive material may then be filled in the through holes to form via structures with increased uniformity in their transverse areas.
US08161608B2	Method of manufacturing quartz-crystal resonator To provide a method of manufacturing a quartz-crystal resonator, in which without adding new processes, a desired quartz-crystal piece can be obtained from a quartz-crystal wafer by etching and electrodes can be provided without restraint. When a quartz-crystal piece 10 is formed, etching masks 6 having dummy regions 44, 48 that are provided at two positions corresponding to corner portions on a +X side of the quartz-crystal piece 10 and extend toward a +X axis direction of a wafer W are formed, and when the quartz-crystal piece 10 is formed, etching in groove portions 7 at positions corresponding to the dummy regions 44, 48 is delayed. Accordingly, it is possible to form the quartz-crystal piece 10 without chipped portions at the corner portions in a state where the quartz-crystal piece 10 and the wafer W are connected to and supported by a connection support portion 11.
US08161603B2	Hinge A hinge according to the present invention includes: a housing; a shaft received in the inside of the housing; a guide member linearly moving along the shaft; and a first elastic member compressed and expanded along the movement of the guide member, wherein any one of the guide member and the housing is formed with a track groove and the other is formed with a guide projection moving the track groove and, the track groove is formed to move the guide projection to different paths according to a forward rotation and a reverse rotation of the shaft.
US08161602B2	Hinge assembly and portable electronic device using same A hinge assembly includes a mounting sleeve defining a pivoting hole, a fastening seat, an elastic member, and a right side cover. The pivoting hole is enclosed by an interior peripheral wall. The interior peripheral wall defines a stopping slot. The fastening seat defines a fastening hole. The elastic member is received in the mounting sleeve. The right side cover includes a pole. The pole includes a first resisting bar and a second resisting bar. The pole is received in the pivoting hole and the fastening hole. The first resisting bar is slidably embedded in the stopping slot. The elastic member compresses the first resisting bar to abut against the fastening seat. When the first resisting bar slides out of the fastening hole and abuts against the fastening seat, the second resisting bar is slidably embedded in the stopping slot.
US08161601B2	Hinge and latch mechanism The invention relates to a door hinge system which includes an integral exposed vertically oriented pin as a portion of a doorframe bracket, and a central latch bracket as engaged to a door. The pivotal manipulation of the door engages the latch of the central latch bracket to the pin, to secure the door to the doorframe. The central latch bracket includes a channel for receipt of the pin which is securely and releasably retained in the channel by the leading cam edge of the latch and safety slide. Disengagement of the latch from the pin enables a door to be easily separated from doorframe for re-hanging at a future time.
US08161595B1	Vacuum cleaner with scrubbers This patent discloses and electrical appliance device to scrub clean a floor using a cleaning solution and to collect resulting dirty water from the floor. The electrical appliance device may include an upright portion attached to a handle assembly and a horizontal portion connected at a bottom of the upright portion, where the upright portion may be configured to pivot relative to the horizontal portion. A dirty water reservoir may be connected to the upright portion. The horizontal portion may include brushes, a brush motor, a suction pipe, a suction bar, and a solution reservoir having a brush motor cavity formed within a lower side of the solution reservoir. The brush motor may reside within and be surrounded by the brush motor cavity.
US08161594B2	Plural sided cleaning implement A plural sided duster removably attachable to a handle. The duster may have two construction portions, each with an inwardly facing surface joined to the other to form a laminate construction. The construction portions may be longitudinally offset. The arrangement allows an attachment mechanism associated with the inwardly facing surface to be visible to the user, so the handle may be easily and removably attached to the duster at the attachment mechanism.
US08161593B2	Mop A mop comprising a roller and mop pad system and a roll of absorbent mopping material operably coupled to the roller and mop pad system. The mop enables the user to replace the soiled mopping material with clean mopping material by using the roller system to roll the soiled mopping material away from the mop pad and thus replace the soiled mopping material with clean mopping material from a supply roll.
US08161591B2	Oral care implement with customizable element An oral care implement with an oral care region having cleaning elements for engaging oral tissue and a body for gripping the implement including a handle with a front and a removable faceplate is described. The removable faceplate may be transparent or translucent and may also include design features. The faceplate may provide protection to a user inscription surface on one of the surfaces of the handle which is may be configured to receive user indicia that may later be removed and further indicia provided. A method for marketing the oral care implement and various features of the oral care implement including one or more thematic faceplates is also contemplated and described.
US08161587B2	Therapy mat table and table carrier and methods of use A therapy mat table has an upper surface and removable mat. A portion of the mat and a separate plate is rotatably mounted within the flat top so as to be capable of being selectively raised and lowered to form a seat back for a patient reclining or sitting on the pad on an elongated side edge of the table. The table may also include transfer bars which help to move a patient on and off the table or when moving to a standing position or while simply standing. The table may further include a stowable foot stop, which prevents backward movement of the patient's feet when the patient is standing between the transfer bars. The table may also include a knee blocker, which helps to limit or prevent buckling of the patient's knees when the patient is standing between the transfer bars.
US08161584B1	Crib bumper and mat assembly system A bumper system having a fitted crib sheet with a secondary layer which is attached to a top surface of the fitted crib sheet using an attachment means which secures a perimeter of the secondary layer to the fitted crib sheet, a bumper component having a first, second, third and fourth side panel, wherein the bumper component is attached to the top surface of the fitted crib sheet so that when the fitted crib sheet engages a crib mattress, the bumper component extends upwardly with respect to the top surface of the fitted crib sheet, in which a bottom portion of the bumper is constructed from a material having mesh and a top portion of the bumper is constructed from a padded material, and an adjustable strap on the bumper component which has a latch where the adjustable strap is adapted to secure the bumper component to a slat of a crib.
US08161580B2	Sanitary washing toilet seat device and toilet device A sanitary washing toilet seat device according to the invention comprises a nozzle head having a water discharge port; a first cylinder capable of housing at least part of the nozzle head; a second cylinder capable of housing at least part of the first cylinder; and a driver configured to advance or retract at least one of the nozzle head and the first and second cylinder. The driver includes a flexible rack with one end connected to the nozzle head; a motor; and a transmission mechanism configured to transmit rotation of the motor to the flexible rack. At least one of the nozzle head and the first and second cylinder is advanced or retracted in accordance with the rotation of the motor. In a sanitary washing toilet seat device and a toilet device equipped therewith, a multistage washing nozzle can be accurately advanced/retracted.
US08161574B2	Apparel with raised course crease An article of apparel may include a textile element that defines a crease. The textile element may be knitted to have a first course and a second course that are adjacent to each other in some areas of the textile element and spaced from each other by a raised course in other areas of the textile element. The crease extends along the third course and has a length that is substantially equal to a length of the third course. In manufacturing the textile element, the raised course may be formed between portions of the first course and the second course through a knitting process, such as a flat knitting process.
US08161569B2	Core assembly for an athletic protective pad A core assembly for an athletic protective pad is provided. The core assembly comprises a backing member and a deflection shield overlaid on the backing member. The backing member includes a plurality of backing pieces that are assembled together. The deflection shield is located on the backing member using cooperating interlocking members provided on the deflection shield and at least one of the backing pieces. The core assembly may be inserted within an outer envelope to form a protective hockey goaltender leg pad.
US08166568B2	Contact probe pin for semiconductor test apparatus It is an object to provide a contact probe pin for a semiconductor test apparatus, including an amorphous carbon type conductive film formed on the probe pin base material surface. The conductive film is excellent in tin adhesion resistance of preventing tin which is the main component of solder from adhering to the contact part of the probe pin during contact between the probe pin and solder. The contact probe pin for a semiconductor test apparatus, includes an amorphous carbon type conductive film formed on the conductive base material surface. The amorphous carbon type conductive film has an outer surface with a surface roughness (Ra) of 6.0 nm or less, a root square slope (RΔq) of 0.28 or less, and a mean value (R) of curvature radii of concave part tips of the surface form of 180 nm or more, in a 4-μm2 scan range by an atomic force microscope.
US08166566B2	Controlling the downloading and recording of digital data A method and apparatus for enabling a licensed end user to record digital data as described is particularly useful to the music industry as it enables them to make audio data available over the internet but to retain control of the uses to which that audio data can be put. Thus, upon completing a financial transaction to pay for the required audio tracks, the end user is enabled to download and decrypt encrypted music tracks and to play them on the end user's personal computer. The end user can also be allowed to burn a CD including the downloaded music tracks. However, the end user is only enabled to decrypt and record the music tracks onto the CD if the music tracks are recorded together with copy protection.
US08166565B1	Encryption and access method and system for peer-to-peer distributed file storage A system for secure distributed data storage that uses a network, where the system includes a file stored on a plurality of storage elements that are accessible over the network. An access control list associated with the file includes a list of users with read access to the file and a list of users with write access to the file. Data representing contents of the file, metadata associated with the file, data related to functioning of distributed data storage and the access control list is available to users of the network.
US08166564B2	Content distribution system, content distribution method, and client terminal The user of any one portable terminal sends a content information request including a user ID to a distribution server. In response, the distribution server distributes a stream data of content that can be used on the user's terminal. If the user of a first portable terminal intends to let a second portable terminal try out a certain content, the user sends to the distribution server the trial permission information including the user's own user ID, a content ID of the content of interest, and a digital signature. The distribution server authenticates the received information before distributing a streaming data of a trial-oriented content with the content ID and user ID attached to it as search keys. This allows the content that can be used on a given user terminal to be tried out on another user terminal without the latter user having recourse to the steps of searching for the content in question.
US08166560B2	Remote administration of computer access settings The present disclosure provides systems and methods for controlling computer access. Briefly described in architecture, some embodiments of such a system provide a control unit for controlling user access to a computer in accordance with a user profile. An administrator of the computer is enabled to remotely access and modify the user profile. The user profile is stored at least in a remote database that is accessible via a server. Other systems and methods are also provided.
US08166555B2	Content reproducing device and content preproducing method When a secure counter malfunction detection unit 212 deters a malfunction in a secure counter 211, a content playability judgment unit 206 performs a content playability judgment based on information managed by a malfunctioning-state playback processing management unit 214. The malfunctioning-state playback processing management unit 214 stores a malfunctioning-state playback condition composed of information such as a playback count and a playback time. The content playability judgment unit 206 judges that content is playable when the malfunctioning-state playback condition is met, and a content playback unit 210 splays the content.
US08166553B2	Method and apparatus for detecting unauthorized-access, and computer product An unauthorized-access detecting apparatus that detects unauthorized access to a server that provides a service via a network includes a storing unit that stores a series of process request, which is made by an unauthorized user via an unauthorized client, as an unauthorized-access event string; and a judging unit that compares a new process request with the unauthorized-access event string stored in the storing unit, and judges whether the process request is the unauthorized access based on a result of comparison.
US08166552B2	Adaptive configuration management system An automated configuration management system (ACMS) oversees resources of a virtualized ecosystem by establishing a baseline configuration (including, e.g., security controls) for the resources; and, repeatedly, monitoring and collecting data from the resources, analyzing the data collected, making recommendations concerning configuration changes for the resources of the virtualized ecosystem based on the analysis, and either adopting and implementing the recommendations or not, wherein new states of the virtualized ecosystem and reactions to recommended changes are observed and applied in the form of new recommendations, and/or as adjustments to the baseline. The recommendations may be implemented automatically or only upon review by an administrator before being implemented or not. The various data may be analyzed according to benchmarks established for security and compliance criteria of the resources of the virtualized ecosystem, for example static/pre-defined or dynamically derived benchmarks/best practices.
US08166549B2	Hash-based systems and methods for detecting and preventing transmission of polymorphic network worms and viruses A system (200) detects transmission of potentially malicious packets. The system (200) receives, or otherwise observes, packets and generates hash values based on variable-sized blocks of the packets. The system (200) then compares the generated hash values to hash values associated with prior packets. The system (200) determines that one of the received packets is a potentially malicious packet when one or more of the generated hash values associated with the received packet match one or more of the hash values associated with the prior packets.
US08166545B2	Method and apparatus for detecting executable code There are provided an apparatus and method for detecting an executable code, capable of verifying reliability of an extracted signature by determining whether there is present an executable code in network data by using instruction pattern information related calling mechanism of function for distinguishing the executable code from a non-executable code, the method including: forming instructions by reverse assembling network data suspicious as an attack; comparing the respective formed instructions with instruction patterns according to calling mechanism of function; and determining whether there is present an executable code in the network data according to a result of the comparing.
US08166544B2	Network-based infection detection using host slowdown Host malware (or change) may be detected by (1) receiving baseline set of response time information for each of one or more transactions involving (A) the host and (B) at least one peer of the host, (2) determining or receiving a later set of response time information for each of the one or more transactions involving the host and the at least one peer of the host, and (3) determining whether or not host slowdown has occurred using the baseline set of response time information and the later set of response time information. The execution of a host malware (or change) protection policy may be controlled using at least the determination of whether or not host slowdown has occurred.
US08166541B2	Information processing apparatus and data management system It is an object to provide an information processing apparatus and a data management system which can access data and maintain security even in an environment where the apparatus cannot be connected to a security managing server. To accomplish the object, a secure application discriminates whether or not authentication can be obtained from the managing server. If it is decided that the authentication cannot be obtained from the managing server, a process of secure data is executed in accordance with use restriction information of the data. If it is decided that the authentication can be obtained from the managing server, a process of the data is executed in accordance with access right information from the managing server.
US08166539B2	Authentication of baseboard management controller users in a blade server system User authorization and access information may be stored in a remote assistant card or chassis management module (CMM). The CMM may be in communication with each baseboard management controller (BMC) in a blade server system. Each BMC may authenticate its authorized users from the CMM using a simple user authorization retrieval command, e.g., IPMI Get Auth Code command. When an administrator wants to add or delete a user, the CMM may be updated instead of having to update each blade BMC. Each user may have a privilege list for any or all of the blades in the blade server system. This privilege list may define which user(s) apply to which blades, input-output (I/O) modules, and/or blade server system chassis.
US08166537B1	Service-based network access In a telephony communication system, an operator network provides access to data networks through gateways. The gateways provide access in response to network access requests from equipment such as mobile devices. The mobile devices and gateways providing access to the networks support service-based network access requests. These service-based network access requests permit networks to manage user access based on particular services requested.
US08166536B1	Transformation of network filter expressions to a content addressable memory format A network device, such as a firewall, may be configured to filter network traffic. The filter may include regular expressions that are converted by the firewall into a format that can be stored in a ternary content addressable memory. In one exemplary implementation, the filter definition may include one or more input regular expressions that include variables that are compared to a result based on an equality/inequality relationship, where multiple variables are combined using logical operations selected from a set of logical operations including (but not limited to) logical AND and logical OR operations. The firewall may convert the input regular expressions into a format in which the equality/inequality relationships are converted to a pure equality relationship and the multiple variables are combined using only logical OR operations. The firewall may program the ternary content-addressable memory to implement the filter based on the converted one or more input regular expressions.
US08166535B2	Universal media firewall A universal media firewall allows a parent to control filtering of multiple media providers via a single firewall policy. The firewall(s) may be a stand-alone device or may be preformed with software on a home computer or at a remote site. Parental controls are accessible by the media provider so that media is filtered according to the parental settings prior to entering the home media network.
US08166534B2	Incorporating network connection security levels into firewall rules Embodiments of the present invention are directed to establishing and/or implementing firewall rules that may employ parameters based on connection security levels for a connection between devices. A firewall may thus provide greater granularity of security and integrate more closely with other security methods to provide better overall security with fewer conflicts.
US08166533B2	Method for providing media communication across firewalls The present invention supports a method for transmitting information packets across network firewalls. A trusted entity is provisioned with an address designation for a pinhole through the firewall during setup of a communication session between two communication devices. This pinhole address is used throughout the communication session between the two communication devices to transmit information packets onto and out of the communication network.Information packets addressed to the communication device inside the firewall are received by the trusted entity, which replaces address header information in the information packet with the address for the pinhole. The information packet is routed to the pinhole where it passes onto the network for routing to the communication device inside the firewall. Information packets transmitted from the network are also routed to the trusted entity for routing toward the communication device outside the firewall.
US08166532B2	Decentralized access control framework A functional architecture is provided for decentralizing the authorization function of an access control system that incorporates user carried access devices, such as smart cards, and door controllers that interact so as to make access decisions. Access to individual rooms is guarded by parameters partially carried by the user carried access devices and partially included in the door controllers.
US08166530B2	Method and system for supporting portable authenticators on electronic devices Systems and methods are provided for facilitating access to an electronic device. Password information is stored on the electronic device, and on a portable authenticator. When a user attempts to access the electronic device, the user is prompted to enter a password at the electronic device. The portable authenticator determines the validity of the entered password. The electronic device receives the results of the validity determination from the portable authenticator, and provides access to the electronic device based on the received validity determination.
US08166529B2	Method and device for authenticating a user in a variety of contexts The invention relates to a method and device for authenticating a user of an electronic device in usage contexts being able to use in said electronic device by using a usage context identifier, wherein in the method, a usage context being used in the device is selected by the user. The method comprising maintaining a centralized register of the usage contexts available for the user in the device and the user profiles associated to said usage contexts, the device identifying an usage context selected by the user, selecting at least one user profile in response to the identified service, and authenticating the user in the selected usage context on the basis of the selected user profile.
US08166518B2	System and method providing session aware remote access A computer implemented method provides remote access to a plurality of sessions at a computer. The method includes initiating a master process in a context independent from the sessions, establishing a first slave process in a context of a first session, and maintaining communication between the master process and the first slave process. The master process provides access to the computer's display while the display is under control of the first session, detects a second session, having a respective second slave process, communicates with the second slave process, and provides access to the computer's display while the display is under control of the second user session.
US08166514B2	Hardware module for adding functionality to television using mechanical and wireless links A set-box (SBB) is advanced into a receptacle on the rear of a TV to add functionality to the TV. Digital video information is conveyed from the SBB to the TV using respective HDMI connectors on the SBB and TV that mechanically engage each other, whereas bi-directional control information is passed wirelessly between the SBB and TV.
US08166507B2	Dynamically generating video streams for user interfaces based on device capabilities The present invention provides for transferring user interface information from a host computing device to an electronic device that typically has limited resources. A request to display a user interface on an electronic device is received. Further, information about the electronic device is received for determining the capabilities of the electronic device. Based on the determination, a video codec is utilized for dynamically generating a video data stream that includes user interface information corresponding to at least a portion of the user interface. The video data stream is then transmitted to the electronic device for rendering the user interface on a display of the electronic device.
US08166497B2	Methods and apparatus to collect media monitoring information Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to collect metering information associated with media presented media presentation devices are disclosed. A disclosed example system for collecting metering information includes a media meter to generate media monitoring information in response to media presented by a media presentation device. The example system also includes a peripheral memory device removably couplable by an audience member to the media meter to receive the media monitoring information.
US08166493B2	Media processing device including host computer capable of measuring the height of blank media The media storage status of a target medium stacker is reported to the user through a host computer. In response to a height measurement command for measuring the height of blank media stacked in a blank media stacker and processed media stacked in a processed media stacker, a height measurement step measures the height of blank media and processed media based on operation of the media transportation arm, and a measurement transmission step sends the measurement acquired in the height measurement step to the host computer in response to a measurement transmission request from the host computer.
US08166490B2	System and method for consolidated information handling system component drivers An information handling system which includes plural processing components operable to process information wherein at least one processing component has plural region-specific modes of operation, a driver package associated with the at least one processing component wherein the driver package has plural region-specific drivers, and an encrypted key stored on a processing component wherein the encrypted key designates one of the plural region-specific drivers to manage the processing component.
US08166489B2	Image processing apparatus, image processing method and image processing program having multi-processing mode An image processing apparatus that executes, on the basis of a command transmitted from a driver apparatus, predetermined processing corresponding to the command includes a setting-information acquiring unit that acquires setting information indicating setting contents of processing instructed by the driver apparatus, a setting-information displaying unit that displays the setting information acquired by the setting-information acquiring unit, an operation accepting unit that accepts operation for the setting-information displayed by the setting-information displaying unit, and a setting executing unit that executes processing with the setting contents that reflect the operation accepted by the operation accepting unit.
US08166488B2	Methods of directly accessing a mass storage data device Methods of directly accessing a mass storage data device without communicating through an operating system layer are useful in recovering information previously stored in the mass storage device.
US08166486B2	Adjusting workload to accommodate speculative thread start-up cost Methods and apparatus provide for a workload adjuster to estimate the startup cost of one or more non-main threads of loop execution and to estimate the amount of workload to be migrated between different threads. Upon deciding to parallelize the execution of a loop, the workload adjuster creates a scheduling policy with a workload for a main thread and workloads for respective non-main threads. The scheduling policy distributes iterations of a parallelized loop to the workload of the main thread and iterations of the parallelized loop to the workloads of the non-main threads. The workload adjuster evaluates a start-up cost of the workload of a non-main thread and, based on the start-up cost, migrates a portion of the workload for that non-main thread to the main thread's workload.
US08166475B1	Storage area network access for virtual machines Detailed herein are approaches to allowing individual virtual machines executing on a single physical host to have their own substantially unique identifier for access to a storage area network (SAN). In one approach, a substantially unique identifier (SUI) is associated with a virtual machine, and the physical node is instructed to use that SUI when logging into the SAN and when performing input or output operations on behalf of the virtual machine.
US08166472B2	Installation utility system and method An installation manifest defines associations of one or more application installation files with operating system installation files. An installation manager determines an installation type for a software installation on a device and provides installation options related to the determined installation type.
US08166465B2	Method and system for composing stream processing applications according to a semantic description of a processing goal A method for assembling a stream processing application in which data source descriptions, component descriptions and a stream processing request are input and used to assemble a stream processing graph. Each of the data source descriptions includes a graph pattern that semantically describes an output of a data source, each of the component descriptions includes a graph pattern that semantically describes an input of a component and a graph pattern that semantically describes an output of the component, the stream processing request includes a goal that is represented by a graph pattern that semantically describes a desired stream processing outcome and the stream processing graph includes at least one data source or at least one component that satisfies the desired processing outcome.
US08166463B2	Method of code coverage utilizing efficient dynamic mutation of logic (EDML) A method and computer program product for code coverage utilizing efficient dynamic mutation of logic (EDML) are provided. A source code is read, and instrumentation points are located. Self Modifying Code (SMC) is inserted at the instrumentation points producing instrumented code. Additional functions are inserted in the source code to enable read and/or reset of code coverage statistics. The instrumented code is compiled, and executables are run for a period of time during which zero or more instrumentation points are executed. In response to executing instrumentation points, instructions are executed to record execution of the instrumented code. Instructions of the instrumented code overwrite themselves at certain points so that a next execution of the instrumentation points skips over the instrumented code at the certain points. Code coverage statistics are gathered and recorded. The code coverage statistics are reset to begin another period of time for gathering code coverage statistics.
US08166461B2	Adaptive profiling by progressive refinement A system/method for profiling a sequence of values from a range to determine a frequency of occurrence of a subrange includes, for a current block, determining whether cells of the current block include a count cell or a pointer cell. If the cell includes a pointer cell, follow an address that the pointer makes reference to and designate a new block as the current block and repeat the determining step for the new block. If the cell includes a count cell, increment the count cell and compare the incremented count cell to a threshold. If the count exceeds the threshold, convert the count cell to a pointer cell, which points to a newly allocated block. The newly allocated block is made the current block, and the steps are repeated until count cells do not exceed the threshold or a limit resolution is achieved.
US08166458B2	Method and system for automated distributed software testing Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for automated distributed testing of software. A testing service may utilize a distributed architecture that provides a standardized framework for writing tests, scheduling the tests, and gathering and reporting results of the tests. Multiple distributed labs are integrated into the testing service and their environments can be centrally managed by the testing service. The testing service permits the scheduling and performance of tests across multiple machines within a test lab, or tests that span across multiple test labs. Any of the machines in the test labs may be selected based on variety of criteria. The testing service may then automatically locate the appropriate machines that match or satisfy the criteria and schedule the tests when the machines are available. The testing service may also automatically create and set up a desired test environment according to the desired specifications for the test.
US08166456B2	Programming language type system with automatic conversions A programming language type system includes, in a memory, a set of numeric type including integer types, fixed-point types and floating-point types, a set of type propagation rules to automatically determine result types of any combination of integer types, fixed-point types and floating-point types, constant annotations to explicitly specify a result type of a literal constant, context-sensitive constants whose type is determined from a context of a constant according to the set of type propagation rules, an assignment operator to explicitly specify a type of a value or computation, and operator annotations to explicitly specify a result type of a computation.
US08166455B2	Desktop application factory and application templates Methods, systems, and apparatuses for producing computer desktop applications, such as widgets, are described. A desktop application factory includes an interface and a desktop application generator. The interface enables an application developer to select a desktop application template, and to provide configuration information for the selected desktop application template. The desktop application generator is configured to generate a desktop application by configuring the selected desktop application template according to the provided configuration information.
US08166454B2	Object oriented based methodology for modeling business functionality for enabling implementation in a web based environment A computer method and apparatus defining Business Classes for modeling business activities comprising the steps of representing business activities as the interaction between one or more Business Classes, and entering into a computer and storing in an electronic format the Business Classes and the relationships existing between the Business Classes.
US08166448B2	Rapid development of distributed web service Development tools and a methodology for efficient development of distributed web services. A tool tracks changes in packages used to create images deployed for testing. Rather than build a complete image for each change, a current image may be created by substituting changed packages in a previously created image. Another tool allocates components of an image to a number of servers specified by a user of the tool. Such a tool simplifies integration testing of the web service by allowing a developer to initially test a web service on a single server or a small number of servers and then easily scale-up the test environment. The servers may be physical servers or may be virtual servers. Interface rules for packages that constitute the software for the web service are defined to reduce the likelihood of integration problems as the environment is scaled up.
US08166447B1	Power delivery network calculator tool for printed circuit board capacitors A method of calculating a system power distribution network impedance is presented. The impedance calculation calculates the impedance as separate elements of the printed circuit board (PCB). An approximation of the power and ground via inductance of the printed circuit board is made based on the configuration of the printed circuit board. The decoupling capacitors of the PCB are modeled as a parallel combination of inductors, capacitors, and resistors, and the parallel combination is used to calculate the impedance. In addition to the impedance associated with the decoupling capacitors, the method calculates an inductance associated with a mounting orientation of the decoupling capacitors. The power and ground planes of the printed circuit board have an associated capacitance and inductance, which is calculated. The resultant simulated impedance profile illustrating the board configuration impedance over a frequency range is displayed.
US08166445B1	Estimating Icc current temperature scaling factor of an integrated circuit An embodiment of the present invention reduces resources needed to estimate the Icc Current Temperature Scaling Factor (ITSF) of a device, and provides a method and apparatus to estimate ITSF from the device speed and performance characteristics which can be measured at room temperature. In one embodiment, a method for estimating the ITSF of an integrated circuit includes: determining a level of propagation delay of a portion of the integrated circuit; and determining an estimated Icc current temperature scaling factor from a correlation between the level of the propagation delay and a modeled Icc current temperature scaling factor.
US08166442B2	Local preferred direction architecture Some embodiments of the invention provide a Local Preferred Direction (LPD) wiring model for use with one or more EDA tools (such as placing, routing, etc). An LPD wiring model allows at least one wiring layer to have a set of regions that each have a different preferred direction than the particular wiring layer. In addition, each region has a local preferred direction that differs from the local preferred direction of at least one other region in the set. Furthermore, at least two regions have two different polygonal shapes and no region in the set encompasses another region in the set. Some embodiments also provide a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that facilitates a visual presentation of an LPD design layout and provides tools to create and manipulate LPD regions in a design layout.
US08166439B2	Techniques for selecting spares to implement a design change in an integrated circuit A technique for implementing an engineering change order includes determining spares that are available to implement a modification to a circuit design. One of the available spares is then selected to implement the modification to the circuit design based on performance criteria associated with each of the available spares.
US08166429B1	Multi-layer distributed network Apparatuses and processes for distributing signals in an integrated circuit are disclosed. An embodiment to use a custom layer together with a base layer on an integrated circuit for testing the integrated circuit includes having a structured network on the base layer. The custom layer connects the network to logic elements on the integrated circuit. The network may be evenly distributed across the base layer of the integrated circuit. Even distribution of the network may reduce skew of the test signals. Buffers are also placed along the structured network. The buffers may be placed to ensure a deterministic test signals distribution. Unused buffers in the base layer may be tied off to reduce current leakage.
US08166423B2	Photomask design verification Solutions for verifying photomask designs are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of verifying a photomask design includes: simulating an initial semiconductor manufacturing process using a plurality of mask shapes and variation models for the initial semiconductor manufacturing process, to generate a plurality of contours for the initial semiconductor manufacturing process; simulating a subsequent semiconductor manufacturing process using the contours for the initial semiconductor manufacturing process and variation models for the subsequent semiconductor manufacturing process, to generate a plurality of contours for the subsequent semiconductor manufacturing process; repeatedly simulating at least one further subsequent semiconductor manufacturing process using a plurality of contours for the subsequent semiconductor manufacturing process and variation models for the further subsequent semiconductor manufacturing process; and generating and storing a verification result for the photomask design on a computer readable storage medium.
US08166414B2	Tab order mapping of user interfaces An approach is provided to display a common display page on a variety of display devices using the item's tab order property to determine the display order. Controls that are displayed on a display device typically have a tab order. When a window that has controls is displayed, the cursor is typically placed at the control with the lowest (i.e., first) tab order. When the user presses the tab key, the cursor moves to the control corresponding to the next lowest tab order. This allows the designer to design a single window (or panel) that is displayed differently on constrained devices. However, even though the window is displayed differently, using tab order mapping maintains a consistent visible proximity between controls despite the type of display device being used by the user.
US08166411B2	Data transferring system and method, and electronic device having the same A data transferring system includes a reading unit, a display unit, a selecting unit, an orientation sensing unit, an analyzing unit and a transferring unit. The reading unit is configured for reading contents. The display unit is configured for displaying the read contents to allow selection of contents. The selecting unit is configured for selecting contents in response to user inputs. The orientation sensing unit is configured for sensing the orientation of the electronic device. The analyzing unit is configured for determining whether the electronic device is higher than the storage device based upon the sensed orientation. The transferring unit is configured for transferring selected contents from the electronic device to the storage device if the electronic device is higher than the storage device and transferring selected contents from the storage device to the electronic device if the electronic device is lower than the storage device.
US08166410B2	Methods and systems of online mapping and planning driving tours This invention is directed to methods and systems of online mapping and planning driving tours. The invention may include a user interface capable of displaying a map with one or more destinations and/or displaying a travel route to visit each destination. The travel route may vary based on customizable options. The invention may also provide a tour summary that may show the driving directions for the travel route.
US08166409B2	Image processing method and image processor for trimming an object image In a client, a photo frame for which guidelines have been set at predetermined positions based on an operator's setting operation is provided as a trimming frame TF with guidelines. While the trimming frame TF with guidelines is displayed on a processing object image in an overlapping manner, the trimming frame TF with guidelines is shifted and displayed on the processing object image based on the operator's shifting operation as well as the trimming frame TF with guidelines is enlarged or contracted and displayed so as to become a similar form based on the operator's enlarging or contracting operation. The operator can thus shift and enlarge or contract the trimming frame TF with guidelines so that the guidelines set by him/herself and a target contained in the processing object image have a desirable positional relationship.
US08166401B2	Providing a presentation in a remote location A method for providing computer readable instructions for a presentation in a remote location is disclosed. In the method non-editable computer readable instructions for a presentation at a remote location are received from a central data storage via a data network. A user at the remote location then provides at least one set of computer readable instructions that are associated with the presentation. A modified presentation is presented at the remote location based on the non-editable set of computer readable instructions and the associated computer readable instructions. The associated computer readable instructions can then be sent to the central data storage for use in at least one subsequent execution of the presentation.
US08166399B1	In-page full screen internet video method A method is provided for playing a video clip on a computer monitor in a full screen mode. Activation of a link to the video clip on a web page results in the video clip being played automatically in full screen mode on the computer monitor. Upon the video clip ending, the full screen mode ends and returns the display to the previous view of the web page. The full screen mode plays the video clip with integrated with a transparent video control panel that has controls to enable user control of the playing of the video clip.
US08166395B2	Information processing method and apparatus An information processing apparatus having the action modes, including an operating mode for performing an operation on the apparatus and an explaining mode for presenting an explanation corresponding to the operation on the apparatus presents the explanation for an operation input made in the explaining mode and stores the operation input. And it makes a movement from the explaining mode to the operating mode as well as executes the action according to the operation input stored in storage unit in accordance with a preset first operation input.
US08166394B1	Systems and methods for implementing and using event tracking and analytics in electronic content A tool or other feature is provided during electronic content creation that allows the designer or other content creator to configure analytics for electronic content being created. For example, an analytics tool icon may be selected from a palette of other common tools used during content creation. In response, the user's mouse takes on a specific look to indicate to the content creator that he or she can now begin implementing analytics. The content creator can then click various objects within their content, select corresponding events to track, and otherwise specify the details of the analytics that he or she wishes to add to the content. As a specific example, after selecting a component on a content development canvas, a component-specific dialog box is displayed showing a menu that allows the creator to instrument various events associated with the component with analytics.
US08166391B2	Template generating apparatus, image layout apparatus, modified template generating apparatus, and programs therefor A template that can deal with images of various scenes is generated. Image area setting means sets image areas wherein images are inserted in a layout area of a predetermined size, and template file saving means saves information on the image areas laid out in the layout area in a template file. Attribute information adding means adds attribute information representing attributes of images to be laid out in the image areas, to information on the image areas in the template file.
US08166388B2	Overlaying electronic ink Overlaying electronic ink over a document. A typical scenario may be where one it would be useful to mark up a document with electronic ink, such as by making handwritten comments, drawings, and the like over the underlying document. In some embodiments, a developer may easily define an inking surface, such as a transparent or opaque window, over a document. The inking surface may act as an input interface such that a user may write onto the inking surface such that is appears that the document itself is being marked up.
US08166384B1	Environment-based bookmark media A server within an online environment is configured to store a set of bookmark media objects that provide a multimedia preview of the destinations within the environment. The bookmark media objects can be graphic thumbnails of corresponding web pages, audio streams, video streams or any combination thereof or other suitable media that provides a representation of the destination. A client device is communicatively coupled to the server and is configured to store references to the network destinations and references to the corresponding bookmark media objects. A web browser executing in an operating environment provided by the client device is configured to retrieve and present the bookmark media objects to a user for selection. Based on the selection, the web browser accesses the corresponding network destination. Each bookmark media object is updated as a function of a current state of the corresponding network destination, user information or general conditions of the computing environment.
US08166383B1	System and method for sharing content based on positional tagging Systems and methods for sharing digital content based on positional tagging on a digital platform. For example, in one embodiment, the systems and methods generally include: (a) providing a first user with an interface to tag content on a first digital platform; (b) creating a positional identifier that identifies the location of the tagged content on the first digital platform; and (c) posting, on a second digital platform, a link to the first digital platform. When a second user on the second digital platform activates the link on the second digital platform, the second user is directed to the first digital platform. The systems and methods thereafter include: (d) identifying when a second user has accessed the first digital platform via the link on the second digital platform; and (e) highlighting the tagged content on the first digital platform.
US08166382B2	Data processing apparatus, method of registering electronic document, and computer program An apparatus includes a temporarily registered document creating unit configured to create a temporarily registered document in which a document to be registered is temporarily registered; a condition setting unit configured to set a condition used for updating the temporarily registered document to a finally registered document; a condition determining unit configured to determine whether the finally registered document meets the condition set for the temporarily registered document in response to a request for updating the temporarily registered document to the finally registered document; and an updating unit configured to update the temporarily registered document to the finally registered document in accordance with the request if the condition determining unit determines that the finally registered document meets the condition.
US08166379B1	Calculating soft information from a multi-level modulation signal Apparatus and methods are provided for calculating soft information in a multi-level modulation scheme using one or more nearest neighbors. The nearest neighbors correspond to signal points in a signal constellation set nearest to the value of a received signal. The nearest neighbors of a received signal can be found by using a second symbol-to-signal point mapping for the signal constellation set that is different from the mapping actually used by the signal modulator. The second symbol mapping can be used to simplify the discover of nearest neighbors. Once the nearest neighbors are found in the second symbol mapping, the nearest symbols can be translated back into the actual symbol mapping using, for example, table lookup. The nearest neighbors in the actual symbol mapping can then be used to compute soft information in the form of, for example, log-likelihood ratios (LLRs).
US08166378B2	Encoding circuit and encoding method correcting EDC generated from main data according to header An encoding circuit is disclosed, which has a memory unit, an EDC generating circuit, a scrambler, a header generator, an EDC correcting circuit, and an encoder. The EDC generating circuit generates a first EDC according to at least one main data. The scrambler generates a scrambled main data according to the main data. The header generator generates a header according to header information. The EDC correcting circuit, corrects the first EDC according to the header to generate a second EDC. The encoder encodes an optical data according to the second EDC and the scrambled main data.
US08166376B2	Techniques for correcting errors and erasures using a single-shot generalized minimum distance key equation solver A system corrects errors in a codeword. The system includes a channel that sorts reliability numbers of symbols in the codeword to create an ordered list of candidate erasure locations. The system also includes a generalized minimum distance decoder that iteratively processes the ordered list of candidate erasure locations and at least two syndromes of the codeword using a single-shot key equation solver to generate an error locator polynomial and an error evaluator polynomial. The generalized minimum distance decoder processes the least reliable candidate erasure locations first within the ordered list of candidate erasure locations.
US08166375B2	Radio communications device and reception method A radio communications device includes a first error detection part configured to perform error detection on a header included in a packet; a determination part configured to determine whether there is consistency with respect to the length of the packet based on the header in response to the first error detection part detecting no error in the header; a decryption part configured to decrypt the packet in response to the determination part determining that there is consistency with respect to the length of the packet; and a second error detection part configured to perform error detection on the packet in response to the determination part determining that there is consistency with respect to the length of the packet, wherein the decryption part is configured to start to decrypt the packet before completion of the error detection by the second error detection part.
US08166371B2	Semiconductor memory system and signal processing system A semiconductor memory device provided with a data input portion for receiving 1 page's worth of data, dividing it to a plurality of code words, generating and adding check code (parity data) for each code word, successively forming main code words and transferring the same to a bank (A) or a bank (B), and a data output portion for receiving 1 page's worth of data including main code words transferred from the data latch circuit, correcting the error data when there is within a predetermined number of error data for each main code word, adding the error information for read each read code word except check code (parity data), and transferring the same to a host side, and a signal processing system using the same.
US08166370B1	Efficient RAID ECC controller for RAID systems A Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID) controller comprises a RAID error correction code (ECC) encoder module that receives data for storage and that generates code words for data drives and one or more parity drives, which have physical locations. The code words are generated based on the data and a cyclic code generator polynomial. Logical locations correspond to index positions in the cyclic code generator polynomial. A mapping module maps the physical locations of the data and parity drives to the logical locations. The mapping module adds a new data drive to an unused one of the logical locations. A difference generating module generates a difference code word based on the new data drive. The RAID ECC encoder module encodes the difference code word and adds the encoded difference code word to an original code word generated before the new data drive is added.
US08166366B1	Partial configuration of programmable circuitry with validation Partial configuration of programmable circuitry with validation for an integrated circuit is described. An integrated circuit with programmable circuitry is obtained. The programmable circuitry is configured with a first bitstream in a non-dynamic mode of operation, after which the integrated circuit includes a configuration controller coupled to a buffer, an internal configuration access port, and an error checker. A portion of a second bitstream is loaded into the buffer for a dynamic partial configuration mode of operation. The portion of the second bitstream loaded into the buffer is validated with the error checker as being acceptable, after which the portion of the second bitstream is instantiated in the programmable circuitry via the internal configuration access port.
US08166355B2	System and method for mitigating memory requirements A receiver is provided, which is adapted to receive MPE-FEC frames and to correct erroneous sections within a received MPE-FEC frame by detecting unreliable sections and storing in an erasure list (“ESL”) table compressed data that includes the base address of each detected erroneous section, together with the respective section's size. The size of the ESL table may be fixed, or it may correlate, or dynamically change according to the actual number of detected erroneous sections. The data stored in the erasure list may then be forwarded to a decoder to correct erroneous sections. The erroneous sections may be detected by using CRC, and the decoder may be a Reed-Solomon decoder. If the application data table of the MPE-FEC is error-free (or full or errors), in which case the erasure structure list is empty (or full of errors), in which case the erasure structure list is empty (or full), this means that no FEC reception and error corrections are required, because there are no sections to correct in the first case and the decoder is incapable of correcting too many sections in the second case. Therefore, the receiving circuitry, or at least the decoder, may be disabled to save battery power.
US08166354B2	Apparatus, and associated method, for estimating a bit error rate of data communicated in a communication system Apparatus, and an associated method, for estimating a bit error rate of data communicated to a receiving station of a digital communications system, such as a GSM/EDGE cellular communication system. Soft decision values, indicative of confidence levels that decided values have been correctly decided are compared with threshold values by a comparator. A count is accumulated by a counter to whose counted value is representative of decided data values having associated therewith low levels of confidence that the decided values are correct. The count value is used in the formulation of the BER estimation.
US08166349B2	Communicating with USB devices after a computer system crash One embodiment is a method of transferring data from a computer system to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device after a computer system crash where interrupts are masked, the method comprising: (a) detecting the computer system crash; (b) transferring at least a portion of the data to a USB driver for the USB device; (c) the USB driver transferring the portion of the data to a USB controller driver for a USB controller for the USB device; (d) the USB controller driver causing the USB controller to transfer the portion of the data to the USB device; (e) polling the USB controller to determine whether the data transfer was completed; and (f) if the data transfer was completed, providing a notification to the computer system. Another embodiment is a method of transferring data from a Universal Serial Bus (USB) device to a computer system after a computer system crash where interrupts are masked, the method comprising: (a) detecting the computer system crash; (b) identifying a USB device used to communicate data to the computer system; (c) polling a USB controller for the identified USB device to determine whether new input has been received; (d) if so, obtaining the new input; and (e) transferring the new output to the computer system for further processing.
US08166348B1	Method of debugging a software system A method, system, and a computer program product for debugging a software system. An aspect of the present invention provides a user with the combination of an error determined in the software system and a set of recommendations for fixing the error, thereby enabling the user to debug the software system more efficiently. In one embodiment, the error is determined by inspecting the execution states of the software system at different time instances prior to receiving a debug indication from the user. The set of recommendations for fixing the error is identified by searching a knowledge base that stores the recommendations (e.g., possible solutions, suggestions, and workarounds) for each of the errors.
US08166344B2	Method for controlling an operating mechanism and a manipulation unit A method for controlling an operating mechanism using a manipulation unit, in which the operating mechanism includes at least one microcontroller, at least one memory with a plurality of memory cells and at least one first value in a first memory cell and at least one debug interface, and the debug interface exhibits a monitoring functionality for monitoring a program code executed by the operating mechanism and using the debug interface a first pre-set timepoint is detected when processing the program code and, using the information transmitted by the debug interface for the first timepoint to the manipulation unit, a trigger timepoint results for a processing routine through the manipulation unit (IN) and a second value is written using the debug interface by the manipulation unit using the processing routine for a second timepoint in the first memory cell before the first memory cell is read by the operating mechanism for a third timepoint.
US08166343B2	Processing system hardware diagnostics A method for diagnosing hardware failures in a data processing system includes a configuring a portion of a programmable logic device to create a state machine. The state machine tests a communication bus and a plurality of component devices connected by the communication bus and identifies the test failures. The state machine communicates the test information to external test equipment. The communication bus is used in the operation of the data processing system and the testing includes tests at full clock speed of the data processing system.
US08166341B2	Systems and methods for testing results of configuration management activity Embodiments relate to systems and methods for testing results of configuration management activity. In embodiments, a configuration management server can control and maintain the configuration state of one or more targets, hosts, servers, clients, or other machines in a managed. In aspects, a testing tool hosted on the configuration management server can verify the correct implementation of configuration instructions. In embodiments, the testing tool can access or receive an anticipated or target configuration state for one or more target(s) or other machines, indicating the status of services, memory, security, storage, and/or other configuration parameters after a selected configuration command is to be transmitted and run on the recipient machine. After the configuration change or update is performed, the test tool can receive results indicating the actual configuration state achieved after running the configuration management command(s), and compare those to the anticipated configuration state. Any discrepancies can be flagged, and corrective commands can be issued.
US08166338B2	Reliable exception handling in a computer system A method provides exception handling for a computer system. As an error in the computer system's hardware is detected, an exception vector pertaining to the hardware error is determined, and execution flow is transferred to a dispatcher that corresponds/pertains to the exception vector. A specific instance of a plurality of instances of a main exception handler is selected, and the specific instance of the main exception handler is executed. The actual exception handler thus contains two distinct parts, a dispatcher, which is unique and preferably resides in a safe memory region, and a main exception handler, multiple copies of which reside in an unsafe memory region.
US08166336B2	Method and system for campaign management Campaign-production management is performed for a plurality of campaigns on at least a primary server or a secondary server. The plurality of campaigns is processed on the primary server. The contents of the plurality of campaigns are synchronized between the primary server and the secondary server. On failure of the primary server, processing of the plurality of campaigns is transferred to the secondary server. Further, the failback of the processing of the campaigns is performed on the primary server.
US08166333B2	Network signal processing apparatus A network signal processing circuit includes a first signal processing module, a first sampling rate converter, a second signal processing module, a second sampling rate converter and a timing controller. The first signal processing module is utilized for processing a network signal to output a first processed signal. The first sampling rate converter is utilized for performing signal frequency conversion on the first processed signal according to a first clock timing adjusting signal and outputting a first converted signal. The second signal processing module is utilized for processing the first converted signal to output a second processed signal. The second sampling rate converter is utilized for performing signal frequency conversion on the second processed signal according to a second clock timing adjusting signal and outputting a second converted signal. The timing controller is utilized for generating the first and second clock timing adjusting signals.
US08166332B2	Treatment system for enhancing safety of computer peripheral for use with medical devices by isolating host AC power A method and system for enhancing computer peripheral safety is provided. In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, the exemplary method and system are configured to monitor and/or isolate alternating current (A.C.) supplies with and/or from any peripheral subsystems or devices. An exemplary method and system comprises an A.C. supply, a host computer system, and a peripheral subsystem or device connected to the host computer system, such as an ultrasound imaging and/or therapy peripheral, and an isolation subsystem configured for monitoring and/or isolating the A.C. supply from the peripheral subsystem or device. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, an isolation subsystem comprises application software and associated modules and functions that when executed continuously monitors and/or polls the host computer's hardware and/or operating system for the presence of an isolated source, such as a battery, or an unisolated power source, such as through a battery charger and/or other connection path to the A.C. main supply. In accordance with other exemplary embodiments, an isolation subsystem can comprises a wireless or other safe/isolated electrical link for connecting a patient contact device, and/or a verification link or other verification mechanisms configured between an isolation transformer and host computer to monitor or observe usage to power the host computer and peripheral subsystem.
US08166330B2	Controlling auxiliary power to logic devices Various example implementations are disclosed. According to one example implementation, a system may include multiple logic devices, a power input, and a logic controller. The logic devices may each be configured to assert a request for auxiliary power to a logic controller. The power input may be configured to provide the auxiliary power to one or more of the logic devices. The logic controller may be configured to poll the logic devices by polling less than all of the logic devices at a time to determine whether the logic devices assert the request for the auxiliary power.
US08166329B2	Circuit for facilitating computer system waking up from sleep state A circuit for a computer system, includes a pulse width module (PWM) module and a control circuit. The PWM module is capable of converting a first voltage to a second voltage. The first voltage is capable of decreasing slower than the second voltage to have the PWM module entering in an unwanted state when the computer system is changed from a first state to a second state. The PWM module includes a disabling pin capable of locking the PWM module when a voltage of the disabling pin is low. The control circuit includes a control pin connected to the disabling pin, a ground pin connected to ground, and a monitoring pin capable of monitoring the computer system being changed from a first state to a second state to control the control pin and the ground pin to pull the disabling pin low to lock the PWM module to prevent the PWM module from entering in the unwanted state.
US08166325B2	Non main CPU/OS based operational environment A computing system is described that includes a main system bus that remains active while said computing system operates within a non main CPU/OS based operational state. The computing system also includes a controller that operates functional tasks while the computing system is within the non main CPU/OS based operational state. The computing system also includes an I/O unit coupled to the main system bus that remains active while the computing system operates within the non main CPU/OS based operational state.
US08166316B2	Single interface access to multiple bandwidth and power memory zones In an embodiment, a system comprises a first memory module interface unit (MMIU) configured to couple to a first one or more memory modules, and a second MMIU configured to couple to a second one or more memory modules. The first MMIU is configured to operate the first one or more memory modules at a first frequency and the second MMIU is configured to concurrently operate the second one or more memory modules at a second operating frequency different from the first operating frequency.
US08166314B1	Selective I/O to logical unit when encrypted, but key is not available or when encryption status is unknown A method is provided for controlling I/O request access to an encrypted storage device when the encryption key for the encrypted storage device is not available. The method comprises the unordered steps of: providing an I/O filter driver in operable communication with an encrypted storage device, such that all I/O requests to the encrypted storage device are processed first through the I/O filter driver; receiving at the I/O filter driver an I/O request to the encrypted storage device; determining, for each I/O request, the type of the I/O request and, if the I/O request comprises a read, SCSI read, write, or SCSI write, determining a location on the storage device to which the I/O request is directed; determining, in a processor, whether a time period for obtaining the encryption key is still running; and, based on at least one of the I/O request type, whether the time period for obtaining the encryption key is still running, and, if applicable, the location on the device to which the I/O is requested, determining, in a processor, whether the I/O request to the encrypted storage device will be allowed.
US08166312B2	Method of individually fitting a hearing device or hearing aid The present invention provides a method of providing parameters for the fitting process of individually shaped or customized hearing devices by collecting and storing fitting parameters during a fitting process by a local fitting computer; generating an individual encryption key related to the hearing device; sending the stored fitting parameters encrypted with the encryption key to a remote database; storing the encryption key in the memory of the hearing device; reading out the encryption key from the hearing device; reading out data from the remote database using the encryption. Thus, the privacy of the individual fitting data of a hearing device is secured.
US08166311B1	Methods and systems for promoting authentication of technical service communications in a telecommunications system In one embodiment of the present methods and systems, a computer-assisted method is provided for authenticating at least one service related communication with a technician in a telecommunications system. The method includes the steps of receiving at least one of a password and a user identification from an access device employed by the technician; combining a token with at least one of the password and the user identification data to form a combined authentication password; permitting access to the telecommunications system by the technician subject to an authentication of at least the combined authentication password. In another aspect, one embodiment of the present methods may include a service related communication that includes at least one wireless communication. Computer-readable media embodiments and system embodiments associated with the present methods are also provided.
US08166310B2	Method and apparatus for providing temporary access to a network device A method and apparatus for providing access to resources of a network device is provided. A user instructs a network device to generate a user password that is concealed from the user of the network device. The network device generates the user password based on, at least in part, public input provided by the user, and an algorithm which is concealed from the user, but known to a support service provider. The user communicates the public input to the support service provider. The support service provider uses the public input to generate a provider password based on, at least in part, the algorithm. The support service provider may access the network device via a network by providing the provider password to the network device. If the provider password matches the user password generated, then the support service provider is granted access to resources of the network device.
US08166306B2	Semantic digital signatures A method is provided for adding intended meaning to digital signatures. A message, being base content, is received to be signed. Assertions, ontologies, and description of a reasoner are adjoined to the message. Ontologies are a formal specification of vocabulary and rules used to state the assertions. The reasoner validates the assertions against the corresponding ontologies. A compound message is formed including the message, the assertions, the ontologies, and the reasoner. The compound message is signed using a cryptographic digital signature, where the assertions indicate an intended meaning of the digital signature. During verification of semantic signatures, a digital signature is received for a compound message, where the compound message includes assertions, ontologies, and reasoner. The digital signature is verified, and the compound message structure is checked for semantic signature conformance. In response to proper verification, the reasoner is utilized to verify a conformance of the assertions to the ontologies.
US08166296B2	User authentication system Techniques are provided for users to authenticate themselves to components in a system. The users may securely and efficiently enter credentials into the components. These credentials may be provided to a server in the system with strong authentication that the credentials originate from secure components. The server may then automatically build a network by securely distributing keys to each secure component to which a user presented credentials.
US08166293B2	Client server distributed system, client apparatus, server apparatus, and message encryption method used therefor When encryption information including an encryption rule, an encryption range, and an encryption key is input to a server apparatus from a local maintenance console in advance, the server apparatus stores the encryption information in an encryption information setting unit, creates an SIP request message including the encryption information, and transmits the SIP request message to a client apparatus. The client apparatus receives the SIP request message including the encryption information. If confirming normality of the encryption information, the client apparatus sets the encryption information therein. After completion of a setting of the encryption information, the client apparatus transmits a notification of the completion of the setting of the encryption information to the server apparatus. Upon receiving the notification of the completion of the setting of the encryption information, the server apparatus acknowledges the completion of the setting of the encryption information, sets the encryption information therein, transmits the notification of the completion of the setting of the encryption information to the local maintenance console, and causes the local maintenance console to display the completion of the setting of the encryption information.
US08166292B2	Configurable encryption/decryption for multiple services support A system to transmit a set of programs from a transmitter to a receiver is used to accommodate different levels of security used for each program. When a high level of security is necessary for transmitting or receiving a program the transmitter and/or receiver is operable to accommodate that level of security. Thus, both transmitters and receivers are operable to be reconfigured to encrypt or decrypt, respectively, at different levels. Accordingly, differing amounts of programs can be transmitted or received based on the resource requirements needed at any level of security. Consequently, a high level of encryption/decryption requires more resources and allows the processing of fewer services, while a lower level of encryption/decryption allows more services to be transmitted/received.
US08166291B2	System for managing program applications storable in a mobile terminal Management server 16 may obtain application programs from content server 20 in response to requests of mobile terminal 11. Management server 16 may transmit the obtained application programs to mobile terminal 11 with information concerning reliabilities of the application programs. After mobile terminal 11 receives the application programs from management server 16, mobile terminal 11 manages operations of the application programs. Operations of the application programs are coordinated with operations of other programs using the information concerning the reliabilities corresponding to the application programs. Management of the coordinated operations of the application programs avoids problems concerning information security, where valuable information may be distributed unexpectedly because of operations of low reliable application programs. As a result, convenience of users of mobile terminals 11 can be improved without deteriorating the information security of mobile terminals 11.
US08166290B2	Information processing apparatus and information processing method An information processing apparatus including a hardware device, at least one application program configured to execute an operation utilizing the hardware device, an operating system, a first device driver and a second device driver to manage the hardware device, a first storage unit configured to store the first device driver and the second device driver, and a second storage unit configured to include a storage area for operating the first device driver and the second device driver using the operating system. The operating system controls the first storage unit and the second storage unit to load the second driver on the storage area in response to booting of the information processing apparatus. The operating system also controls the first storage unit and the second storage unit to load the first device driver on the storage area when a predetermined condition is satisfied after booting the information processing apparatus.
US08166289B2	Trusted boot In one embodiment, a method for trusted booting of a cryptographic processor system is disclosed. Default image(s) is loaded into a field-programmable logic chip or circuit (FPLC). The default image(s) cannot perform cryptographic processing, but can perform a first algorithm that is unclassified. A processor, internal or external to the FPLC, can be used with the default image. A multi-layer or multi-part key has portions stored in two different places. A protected image is decrypted with the multi-layer key using the first algorithm and loaded into the FPLC. Cryptographic processing is performed using a second algorithm classified by the government.
US08166286B2	Data pipeline with large tuning range of clock signals The invention relates to a data pipeline comprising a first stage with a data input for receiving a digital data input signal, a clock input and a data output, and a first bi-stable element being adapted to be switched in response to an edge of a first clock signal, and a dynamic latch stage comprising an input transfer element, and a second bi-stable element coupled between the input transfer element and a dynamic latch data output, wherein the input transfer element is adapted to be switched by a second clock signal and a delayed second clock signal, which is delayed with respect to the second clock signal by a first period of time being shorter than half a period of the second clock signal, such that the input transfer element allows signal transfer only during the first period of time.
US08166284B2	Information processing device An information processing device having a function for efficiently debugging a parallel processing program by controlling snoop operation is provided. The information processing device is so configured that the following is implemented: the setting for receiving a snoop request from a central processing unit can be set at a snoop controller that controls snoop operation; and as the result of reception of a snoop request, a debug controller can stop multiple central processing units.
US08166281B2	Implementing instruction set architectures with non-contiguous register file specifiers There are provided methods and computer program products for implementing instruction set architectures with non-contiguous register file specifiers. A method for processing instruction code includes processing a fixed-width instruction of a fixed-width instruction set using a non-contiguous register specifier of a non-contiguous register specification. The fixed-width instruction includes the non-contiguous register specifier.
US08166279B2	Method for predictive decoding of a load tagged pointer instruction Predictive decoding is achieved by fetching an instruction, accessing a predictor containing predictor information including prior instruction execution characteristics, obtaining predictor information for the fetched instruction from the predictor; and generating a selected one of a plurality of decode operation streams corresponding to the fetched instruction. The decode operation stream is selected based on the predictor information.
US08166277B2	Data prefetching using indirect addressing A technique for performing indirect data prefetching includes determining a first memory address of a pointer associated with a data prefetch instruction. Content of a memory at the first memory address is then fetched. A second memory address is determined from the content of the memory at the first memory address. Finally, a data block (e.g., a cache line) including data at the second memory address is fetched (e.g., from the memory or another memory).
US08166273B2	Degeneration method and information processing apparatus By including detecting an abnormality in a first system common unit; reading a priority indication, from the storage portion, indicating whether or not the first system common unit is to be degenerated when an abnormality occurs in the first system common unit for each of the partitioned portions; carrying out, when an abnormality is detected in a partitioned portion to which the priority indication is set, suspend processing on the information processing apparatus by the system control portion on the partitioned portion; and carrying out degeneration processing for suspending operation of the first system common unit and switching to the second system common unit, quick recovery is achieved when a significant partition is down due to a fault experienced in a common unit.
US08166272B2	Method and apparatus for allocation of buffer Provided are a method and apparatus for allocating a storage space that is to be used by a plurality of modules sequentially processing data. The method includes acquiring first capacity information regarding the capacity of a storage space needed for data processing of a first module and second capacity information regarding the capacity of a storage space needed for data processing of a second module that processes data consecutively to the first module, and allocating a first storage space to be used by both the first module and the second module based on at least one of the first capacity information and the second capacity information.
US08166270B2	Storage control apparatus, data management system and data management method for determining storage heirarchy based on a user policy A storage control apparatus according to the present invention includes a plurality of connecting units connected to one or more host computers and one or more hard disk drives as storage media for storing data, one or more non-volatile storage media which are of a different type from the hard disk drives and which store data WRITE requested from the host computer, a plurality of processing units for processing WRITE and READ requests from the host computer by using the hard disk drives or the non-volatile storage media and, a plurality of memory units for storing control information to be by the processing units.
US08166268B2	Memory command delay balancing in a daisy-chained memory topology A methodology for a daisy-chained memory topology wherein, in addition to the prediction of the timing of receipt of a response from a memory module (DIMM), the memory controller can effectively predict when a command sent by it will be executed by the addressee DIMM. By programming DIMM-specific command delay in the DIMM's command delay unit, the command delay balancing methodology according to the present disclosure “normalizes” or “synchronizes” the execution of the command signal across all DIMMs in the memory channel. With such ability to predict command execution timing, the memory controller can efficiently control power profile of all the DRAM devices (or memory modules) on a daisy-chained memory channel. A separate DIMM-specific response delay unit in the DIMM may also be programmed to provide DIMM-specific delay compensation in the response path, further allowing the memory controller to accurately ascertain the timing of receipt of a response thereat, and, hence, to better manage further processing of the response.
US08166267B2	Managing a LBA interface in a direct data file memory system Data files are assigned addresses within one or more logical blocks of a continuous logical address space interface (LBA interface) of a usual type of flash memory system with physical memory cell blocks. This assignment may be done by the host device which typically, but not necessarily, generates the data files. The number of logical blocks containing data of any one file is controlled in a manner that reduces the amount of fragmentation of file data within the physical memory blocks, thereby to maintain good memory performance. The host may configure the logical blocks of the address space in response to learning the physical characteristics of a memory to which it is connected.
US08166261B1	Systems and methods for seeding a fingerprint cache for data deduplication A computer-implemented method for seeding a fingerprint cache for data deduplication associated with a single-instance-storage computing subsystem may comprise: 1) maintaining server-side fingerprint usage data for a plurality of fingerprints associated with data stored in the single-instance-storage computing subsystem and 2) building, based at least in part on the fingerprint usage data, a server-side fingerprint cache for use in client-side data deduplication, the server-side fingerprint cache comprising at least a subset of the plurality of fingerprints. The method may further comprise: 1) receiving a request for the server-side fingerprint cache from a client-side data deduplication computing subsystem and 2) transmitting data representative of the server-side fingerprint cache to the client-side data deduplication computing subsystem for use in client-side data deduplication associated with the single-instance-storage computing subsystem. Other exemplary fingerprint cache seeding and data deduplication methods, as well as corresponding exemplary systems and computer-readable media, are also disclosed.
US08166253B2	Memory management system in a computer system with shared memory mappings A memory management sub-system includes code executable by a processor fir performing selecting a plurality of contexts, and selecting a sample of the separately allocable portions of an address space for each of the contexts. For each of the selected allocable portions, a corresponding portion of the host memory to which the selected allocable portion is mapped is determined, and a count corresponding to a number of separately allocable portions of any context that are commonly mapped to the corresponding portion of the host memory. For each context, a metric is computed that is a function of the counts for that context. Host memory is allocated among the contexts at least in part based on their respective metrics.
US08166252B2	Processor and prefetch support program A processor loads a program from a main memory, detects a register updating instruction, and registers the address of the register updating instruction in a register-producer table storing unit. Moreover, the processor loads the program to detect a memory access instruction, compares a register number utilized by the detected memory access instruction with a register-producer table to specify an address generation instruction, and rewrites an instruction corresponding to the address generation instruction.
US08166250B2	Information processing unit, program, and instruction sequence generation method An information processing unit includes at least one cache memory provided between an instruction execution section and a storage section and a control section controlling content of address information based on a result of comparison processing between an address requested by a hardware prefetch request issuing section for memory access and address information held in an address information holding section, wherein when the control section causes the address information holding section to hold address information or address information in the address information holding section is updated, overwrite processing on the address information is inhibited for a predetermined time.
US08166249B2	Performing a least recently used (LRU) algorithm for a co-processor A method to perform a least recently used (LRU) algorithm for a co-processor is described, which co-processor in order to directly use instructions of a core processor and to directly access a main storage by virtual addresses of said core processor comprises a TLB for virtual to absolute address translations plus a dedicated memory storage also including said TLB, wherein said TLB consists of at least two zones which can be assigned in a flexible manner more than one at a time. Said method to perform a LRU algorithm is characterized in that one or more zones are replaced dependent on an actual compression service call (CMPSC) instruction.
US08166239B2	Translation lookaside buffer and related method and program product utilized for virtual addresses A program product, a translation lookaside buffer and a related method for operating the TLB is provided. The method comprises the steps of: a) when adding an entry for a virtual address to said TLB testing whether the attribute data of said virtual address is already stored in said CAM and if the attribute data is not stored already in said CAM, generating tag data for said virtual address such that said tag data is different from the tag data generated for the other virtual addresses currently stored in said RAM and associated to the new entry in said CAM for the attribute data, adding the generated tag data to said RAM and to the associated entry in said CAM, and setting a validity flag in said CAM for said associated entry; else if the attribute data is stored already in said CAM, adding the stored attribute data to the entry in said RAM for said virtual address; and when performing a TLB lookup operation: reading the validity flag and the tag data from the entry in said CAM, which is associated to the entry in said RAM for said virtual address, and simultaneously reading the absolute address and the tag data from the entry in said RAM for said virtual address, and generating a TLB hit only if the tag data read from said CAM is valid and matches the tag data read from said RAM.
US08166238B2	Method, device, and system for preventing refresh starvation in shared memory bank A multi-port memory device includes a refresh register and a refresh controller for preventing refresh starvation in a shared memory unit of the memory device. The memory device further includes a plurality of ports sharing access to the shared memory unit. The refresh register stores information regarding at least one refresh command. The refresh controller determines whether to activate an internal refresh operation at a transition in port authority according to such information stored in the refresh register.
US08166237B1	Configurable allocation of thread queue resources in an FPGA A programmable logic device includes a hard-logic portion that selectively aggregates bandwidth of data ports and maps logically and physically the transactions from these ports. The memory interface structure is a part of a hard-logic portion that includes random access memories (RAMs), multiplexers, and pointers that allow static or dynamic bandwidth configuration as function of instruments examining the system traffic using queues. The interface allows many initiators having many logical threads to share and use many physical threads in different queue modules.
US08166234B2	Method of fabricating systems including heat-sensitive memory devices A system code is stored in a first nonvolatile memory. The first nonvolatile memory and a second nonvolatile memory are heated during assembly of an electronic device including the first nonvolatile memory and a second nonvolatile memory. The heating is to a temperature sufficient to change a state of at least some memory cells in the second nonvolatile memory device. After the heating, the system code stored in the first nonvolatile memory is copied into the second nonvolatile memory. The first nonvolatile memory may he less vulnerable to temperature-related data alteration than the second nonvolatile memory. For example, the first nonvolatile memory may include a NAND flash memory and the second nonvolatile memory may include a variable resistance memory.
US08166233B2	Garbage collection for solid state disks Described embodiments provide a method of recovering storage space on a solid state disk (SSD). An index and valid page count are determined for each block of a segment of an SSD. If the valid page count of at least one block in the segment is zero, a quick clean is performed. A quick clean deallocates blocks having zero valid pages and places them in a queue for erasure. Otherwise, a deep clean is performed. A deep clean determines a compaction ratio, N-M, wherein N is a number of partially valid blocks and M is a number of free blocks required to compact the valid data from the N partially valid blocks into M entirely valid blocks. At least one data structure of the SSD is modified to refer to the M entirely valid blocks, and the N partially valid blocks are placed in the queue for erasure.
US08166226B2	Apparatus and related method for maintaining read caching data of south bridge with north bridge A computer system has a central processing unit, a north bridge electrically connected to the central processing unit, memory electrically connected to the north bridge, a south bridge electrically connected to the north bridge, and a peripheral device electrically connected to the south bridge. The south bridge includes a register for storings a plurality of pre-fetched read data to provide the pre-fetched read data to the peripheral device. The north bridge has an address queue module for storing an address of the pre-fetched read data, and a snooping module for checking whether a data value corresponding to the address is updated by the CPU. The north bridge assists the south bridge in obtaining and maintaining the pre-fetched read data for high efficiency and accuracy of read caching of the south bridge.
US08166223B2	Apparatuses to provide a message signaled interrupt to generate a PCI express interrupt Machine-readable media, methods, and apparatus are described to issue message signaled interrupts. In some disclosed embodiments, a device generates message signaled interrupts in a manner that enables a device driver written with level-sensitive semantics to properly service the device despite the edge-triggered characteristics message signaled interrupts.
US08166221B2	Low-power USB superspeed device with 8-bit payload and 9-bit frame NRZI encoding for replacing 8/10-bit encoding A Low-power flash-memory device uses a modified Universal-Serial-Bus (USB) 3.0 Protocol to reduce power consumption. The bit clock is slowed to reduce power and the need for pre-emphasis when USB cable lengths are short in applications. Data efficiency is improved by eliminating the 8/10-bit encoder and instead encoding sync and framing bytes as 9-bit symbols. Data bytes are expanded by bit stuffing only when a series of six ones occurs in the data. Header and payload data is transmitted as nearly 8-bits per data byte while framing is 9-bits per symbol, much less than the standard 10 bits per byte. Low-power link layers, physical layers, and scaled-down protocol layers are used. A card reader converter hub allows USB hosts to access low-power USB devices. Only one flash device is accessed, reducing power compared with standard USB broadcasting to multiple devices.
US08166219B2	Method and apparatus for encoding/decoding bus signal Provided is a bus signal encoding/decoding method and apparatus. The bus signal encoding method includes receiving a bus signal, XOR-operating all but the first byte sequence of the bus signal in a bitwise manner, inverting the even-numbered byte sequences of the XOR-operated bus signal in a bitwise manner, and serializing the inverted bus signal.
US08166217B2	System and method for reading and writing data using storage controllers A controller for interfacing a host and storage device is provided. The controller includes a channel that can receive data from the storage device in a first format and store the data in an intermediate buffer memory in a second format. The channel includes conversion logic that converts data from the first format to the second format and from the second format to the first format depending upon whether data is being read or written from the buffer memory. The conversion logic uses a shuttle register and shuttle counter for aligning data that is being transferred between the storage device and the buffer memory by appropriately concatenating data to meet the first and second format requirements. The first format is based on 10-bit symbols and the second format is based on 8-bits.
US08166213B2	Controller with indirect accessible memory A controller has an interface, a buffer memory, a first set of registers for accessing the buffer memory, a second set of registers independent from the first set of registers for accessing the buffer memory, and a control unit for decoding and executing buffer memory access commands received by the interface to access the buffer memory through either the first or second set of registers.
US08166212B2	Predictive DMA data transfer A compression and storage device comprises: a compressor configured to compress data; a central processing unit (CPU) configured to control storage of the compressed data and to perform at least one additional task; an electronic memory organized as storage blocks each having a storage block size; a direct memory access (DMA) engine configured to operate autonomously from the CPU to transfer a current transfer block of compressed data into one or more storage blocks of the electronic memory; and a transfer block size estimator configured to select a transfer block size for the current transfer block based on previous DMA transfers of compressed data, the selected transfer block size being generally different from the storage block size.
US08166210B2	Electronic device and control method therefor According to this invention, when initialization of a storage medium such as a flash memory is erase of the data area, the processing can be stopped. When the processing is stopped, at least initialization of the management area has been completed, and processing using the storage medium can be executed. If erase processing is not stopped but proceeds to the end, no erase processing need be performed in writing new data, and high-speed write is promised. For this purpose, when complete formatting is designated, the management area of the file system is first initialized. Then, erase processing for the data area of the file system is executed by a predetermined block size. If it is determined that stop is designated during the data area erase processing, the processing ends, but the management area has already been initialized.
US08166208B2	Method and system for XML data transfer transactional coalescing A system, method, and computer readable medium. A method includes setting a maximum translation delay. The method includes, while a current delay is less than the maximum transfer delay, repeatedly performing the steps of searching for an additional transfer having a same source and target as a current transfer, and when an additional transfer is found, adding the additional transfer to a transfer list that identifies transfers to be made together. The method includes performing a transfer of the transfers identified by the transfer list when the current delay has met or exceeded the maximum transfer delay.
US08166207B2	Querying a device for information In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving in a processor complex a first write request from a peripheral device, obtaining information of the processor complex responsive to the first write request, and transmitting a second write request from the processor complex to the peripheral device including the information. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08166203B1	Server selection based upon time and query dependent hashing In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for selecting a server from a plurality of servers to process a query. A query is converted into a query number. A hashing operation is performed on a combination of the query number and a second number that is associated with a present time interval. The hashing operation generates a hash value associated with the query and the present time interval. A length of the present time interval is increased as a quantity of servers in a plurality of servers increases. A server in the plurality of servers is selected to process the query, based on the hash value. The query is sent to the selected server.
US08166202B2	Computer supporting remote scan A computer acquires first connection information related to a path connecting a host computer and a local storage, and acquires second connection information related to a path connecting storage systems. The computer creates route management information based on the connection information. The route management information is information related to a plurality of routes. A single route is configured from two or more nodes connected in series and an inter-node path. The start node of the two or more nodes is a host computer, and the other node of the two or more nodes is a storage system. Based on the route management information, the computer selects, as the host computer for executing a remote scan, the host computer that is the start node of the optimum route from among the plurality of routes having the scan-targeted remote storage as the end node.
US08166201B2	Configuring intercommunications between computing nodes Techniques are described for configuring intercommunications between multiple computing nodes, such as multiple virtual machine nodes hosted on one or more physical computing machines or systems. In some situations, virtual networks may be established and maintained for groups of computing nodes, such as those operated by or on behalf of various users. Such virtual networks may be established in some situations by automatically configuring various communication manager modules to associate communications from a computing node belonging to a virtual network with one or more networking identifiers associated with the virtual network, such that other communication manager modules may appropriately forward or otherwise process such communications.
US08166199B2	Communication apparatus, network system, communication method and program A communication apparatus which eliminate the necessity of providing a particular server in a predetermined network and which makes it possible to participate into the network with the use of a predetermined address. A first communication apparatus participating in a predetermined network holds a predetermined address to be used by a second communication apparatus not participating in the predetermined network in order to communicate with a third communication apparatus participating in the predetermined network when participating into the predetermined network, as the address of the first communication apparatus. The second communication apparatus communicates with the first communication apparatus with the use of the predetermined address when the second communication apparatus participates into the predetermined network. The first communication apparatus requests the third communication apparatus to hold the predetermined address as the address of the third communication apparatus in the case where the communication apparatus separates from the predetermined network.
US08166196B2	Introducing cascaded intelligent services in a SAN environment Techniques are disclosed for redirecting fiber channel data transmitted between nodes in a fiber channel fabric. The redirection allows traffic sent from a host to a target in a storage area network (SAN) to flow through a cascade of applications provided by certain nodes of the fabric (or in some cases, by external appliances). That is, techniques are disclosed for application chaining in the SAN. Doing so allows the SAN to be used as a true network platform for providing a variety of intelligent services within the network (e.g., data migration, encryption, etc).
US08166192B2	Method of processing non-real time service and broadcast receiver A method of receiving and processing a broadcast signal including a Non-Real Time (NRT) service and a broadcast receiver are disclosed herein. A method of processing a Non-Real Time (NRT) service in a broadcast receiver, the method comprises receiving and processing a signaling information table including access information of the NRT service, receiving data of the NRT service based on the signaling information table in non-real time and storing the received data of the NRT service in a storage medium, extracting service information including service type of the NRT service and detail information of the NRT service from the signaling information table, and controlling processes of the NRT service based on the extracted service information.
US08166187B2	Distributed IP gateway based on sharing a MAC address and IP address concurrently between a first network switching device and a second network switching device In one embodiment, a method comprises assigning, by a distributed gateway protocol circuit in a first network switching device, a shared Media Access Control (MAC) address to a shared Internet Protocol (IP) address, the shared MAC address and the shared IP address enabling connected network devices to reach a distributed IP gateway in a network; and sending, by a layer 2 forwarding circuit in the first network switching device, an instruction via a peer data link to a peer layer 2 forwarding circuit in a second network switching device in response to the distributed gateway protocol circuit claiming active control of the distributed IP gateway, the instruction enabling the second network switching device to operate as part of the distributed IP gateway based on concurrent use of the shared MAC address and the shared IP address by the first network switching device and the second network switching device.
US08166186B2	Content distribution method, program, and information processing apparatus A content distribution method includes sending, by a client apparatus, distribution requests to server apparatuses via a network, the distribution requests requesting distribution of content data in a distributed manner on a packet basis; distributing, by the server apparatuses, the content data to the client apparatus in response to the distribution requests; and playing back, by the client apparatus, the content data by assembling packets distributed from the server apparatuses. The distribution requesting step includes assigning areas of each block of the content data to the server apparatuses, and sending distribution requests for the respective areas to the server apparatuses. The distributing step includes dividing the content data into blocks when distribution of the content data is requested, and distributing the areas of each block in response to the distribution requests. The playback step includes the step of reconstructing the blocks on the basis of the areas distributed from the server apparatuses.
US08166185B2	System and method for enterprise software distribution A method for distributing software is provided. The method includes distributing a message from an application server to one or more application layer routers, such as servers that are being used to route enterprise software distribution messages, using a modified publish and subscribe architecture that includes the route to all recipients in the message address and that uses existing network communications. The message can thus be distributed to one or more subscribers on a first channel. The message is then distributed to one or more subscribers using the modified publish and subscribe architecture on one or more second channels selected from a second channel layer if necessary. This process is repeated until the message reaches all subscribers listed as recipients in the message.
US08166184B2	Integrating enterprise identity authorization in conferences Disclosed herein are embodiments for validating a user joining a conferencing session. According to various embodiments, a first identifier is received. A user is identified from a plurality of users based at least in part on the first identifier. A second identifier is received that corresponds to the first identifier and the user and the user is validated based on both the first identifier and the second identifier. The user may then join the conferencing session, with the user's identity being revealed to others attending the conferencing session.
US08166174B2	Methods and systems for providing proprietary access to a server Systems and methods are disclosed for providing proprietary access to a server. The disclosed systems and methods may include receiving a first service request from a client. The first service request may include a client identifier. Furthermore, the disclosed systems and methods may include creating a session identifier when it is determined that the client identifier is valid and transmitting the session identifier to the client. Moreover, the disclosed systems and methods may include receiving a second service request from the client. The second service request may include the session identifier and client data that may have at least one of a proprietary format and a proprietary scheme. In addition, the disclosed systems and methods may include servicing the second service request when it is determined that the session identifier received in the second service request is valid.
US08166173B2	Inviting assistant entity into a network communication session A method is provided for inviting an assistant entity, such as a customer service representative acting through a endpoint system, into an existing network communication session established by a service system. The service system controls the joining of endpoint entities to the session and enables endpoint entities joined to the session to communicate with each other. The method involves a first party associated with an endpoint system already joined to the session, indicating to the service system that the presence of an assistant entity is required. The service system selects an appropriate assistant entity taking account of the current context of the communication session, and joins the selected assistant entity to the session.
US08166163B2	Server checking using health probe chaining A load balancer sends a probe packet to a first server in a list of servers. Each server in the list sends the probe successively down the list of servers and acknowledges the probe if the server is healthy. The final server in the list sends a signal to the load balancer to indicate that the chain of server probing has completed successfully. In this manner, the load balancer (or other device performing the checking) only needs to send a single probe rather than probe each server in the list separately. Embodiments include serial and recursive acknowledgments from the servers, sending a beacon message upon failure, and other features.
US08166161B1	System and method for ensuring privacy while tagging information in a network environment A method is provided in one example and includes receiving data propagating in a network environment and verifying whether the data is associated with a first end user represented in a registered user list. The method also includes verifying a ratification of a policy associated with data monitoring related to the first end user. Selected words can be identified within the data based on a whitelist, where the whitelist includes a plurality of designated words to be tagged. A resultant composite of the selected words that are tagged is generated. In more specific embodiments, the method can include verifying whether the data is associated with a business email domain. In still other embodiments, the method can include verifying whether the data is associated with a business uniform resource locator (URL) domain.
US08166159B2	Creating dynamic signatures for virtual locations In one embodiment, a method for forming location signatures for a device, the method comprising: retrieving information regarding one or more digital devices detected around the device during a first set time period; and creating a first signature for a location based on information regarding the one or more digital devices detected during the first set time period.
US08166158B2	Validating service components through data mining A method and apparatus for validating service components via data mining. In one embodiment, the method includes making service components to be available for use in a production environment of a service subscriber, receiving data produced by instances of the service components in the production environment, and storing the received data in at least one database. The method may further include identifying a service component that is being evaluated, retrieving, from the database, data produced by instances of the service component being evaluated, and providing the retrieved data to a recipient, where the retrieved data indicates effectiveness of the service component being evaluated.
US08166155B1	System and method for website experimentation A data processing system comprises web page generation logic and website experimentation logic. The web page generation logic is configured to generate web pages to be provided to visitors of a website. The website experimentation logic is coupled to the web page generation logic. The website experimentation logic is configured to detect a change in the manner in which the web page generation logic generates one or note of the web pages and to assess how the change impacts visitor interactions with the website.
US08166151B2	Method and apparatus for determining a spanning tree It is realized that the use of a spanning tree protocol in particular portions of a network may not necessarily be desired due to performance and stability reasons. A method and system is provided for executing a revised spanning tree algorithm that performs more optimally in particular network topologies. In one aspect, a spanning tree protocol is executed over a first and second network connected by a third network, wherein the spanning tree network is disabled in the third network. The third network may be, for example, a core network through which first and second Layer 2 networks are bridged. The first and second networks may be coupled by another network or network connection, and it may be preferable to allow the operation of the spanning tree network between the first and second coupled networks for the purpose of fail over to redundant paths. In network forwarding devices positioned at edges of the core network, the operation of the STP over interfaces where network tunnels of each network forwarding device attached to the core network may be inhibitied (e.g., turned off). A phantom root bridge may be created that does not correspond to an actual network forwarding node, and this phantom root bridge may have a bridge identifier which is used by network forwarding nodes as the root bridge. In this manner, STP protocols may work as intended in peripheral networks, while STP does not need to be executed in the core.
US08166150B2	Systems and methods enabling interoperability between network-centric operation (NCO) environments A system is disclosed for enabling interoperability of different Network-Centric Operation (NCO) environments. A first computer executable module may enable plug-able import proxies and export proxies for respectively importing data from and exporting data to different NCO environments. A second computer executable module may enable plug-able software operable for configuring imported data. An infrastructure may be incorporated that integrates the first and second computer executable modules.
US08166148B2	Method for distributing content data packages originated by users of a super peer-to-peer network A method for distributing content data packages 7 originated by users of a super peer-to-peer network is proposed, wherein the content data packages 7 are to be cached in caching nodes CN1,CN2,CN3,CN4 of said network. The network comprises a plurality of caching nodes CN1,CN2,CN3,CN4 and user nodes 5 of said users and a plurality of data lines that extend between adjacent of said nodes and the users are being grouped in user groups and listed in a user group list. Content data traffic is to be delivered on traffic connections between user nodes 5 of the network. The method comprises the steps of: a) receiving a request for uploading an upload content data package 7 from a requesting user of the users by an agent network node of said network, b) looking up all user group members of the users being member of a current user group UG1 of said requesting user in said user group list and determining the user nodes of said user group members, c) determining in which of the caching nodes CN1,CN2,CN3,CN4 of the network said upload content data package 7 is to be cached by applying a decision matrix, wherein said decision matrix defines a relationship defining at which caching node content data packages 7 have to be cached for which user node, d) caching said upload content data package 7 in the determined caching nodes CN1,CN2,CN3,CN4.
US08166146B2	Providing improved message handling performance in computer systems utilizing shared network devices In a massively parallel computer system embodiment, when receiving a message at a compute node from an input/output node, the compute node performs the steps of: obtaining a lock on a collective network device; checking a shared storage location for a message pending for a thread; if such a message is pending, receiving the message's remaining packets directly to a user's buffer, unlocking, and returning; if no such message is pending, receiving one packet from the network device; if the packet indicates that the message is for the thread, receiving the message's remaining packets directly to the user's buffer, unlocking, and returning; and if the packet indicates that the message is for another thread, updating the shared storage location with a thread id of the other thread, unlocking, waiting for a time out, locking, and repeating from the checking step. Accordingly, data copying is eliminated with an attendant performance benefit.
US08166141B1	Method and apparatus for emulating web browser proxies A user device disposed on a local area network (LAN) requests a proxy auto-configuration file from a first proxy server. Where the first proxy server is not present on the LAN, a second proxy server on the LAN intercepts the request and responds to it by causing a replacement proxy auto-configuration file to be sent to the user device. The user device utilizes the replacement proxy auto-configuration file to configure itself to utilize the second proxy server on the LAN.
US08166140B1	Automatic application of implementation-specific configuration policies Techniques are described for application of implementation-specific configuration policies within a network device. For example, a device, such as a router, may comprise memory to store operational configuration data and candidate configuration data. The device further includes a control unit to apply changes to the candidate configuration data based on input from a client, and apply an implementation-specific configuration policy to a copy of the changed candidate configuration data. Based on a result of applying the implementation-specific configuration policy, the device selectively commits the changes made to the candidate configuration to the operational configuration. In the event an error occurs while applying the implementation-specific configuration policy, the device does not commit the changes to the operational configuration. In this manner, the device does not allow changes that violate the implementation-specific configuration policy to be committed to the operational configuration, thereby detecting misconfiguration that may otherwise be syntactically and semantically correct.
US08166139B2	Method and system for generating and sending a hot link associated with a user interface to a device The invention sends a hot link to a device. The device may be on a wireless network, a wired network, or directly coupled to the device sending the hot link. The hot link contains an associated action that is performed by the device receiving the hot link. The associated action may be performed when a user interface is activated or automatically when the hot link is received by the device. The action (1105) can be a broadcast action (1110), Internet action (1120), call action (1150), download action (1130), or upload action (1140). The broadcast action instructs the device to tune to a particular broadcast in response to the selection of the user interface. The Internet action instructs the device to access an Internet site in response to the selection of the user interface. The call action instructs the device to call a telephone number in response to the selection of user interface.
US08166138B2	Network evaluation grid techniques Network evaluation grid techniques are presented. Local specifications for traffic patterns are evaluated for local traffic on local grids of a grid computing environment and reported out. The local traffic reported out is then evaluated in response to global traffic pattern specifications and a global traffic policy in order to identify one or more remedial actions to take or to recommend in response to that evaluation.
US08166137B2	Control of network plug-and-play compliant device When the network protocol controller 302 of the network device 200 receives a message sent from a client, it interprets the message header in accordance with network plug-and-play protocol without interpreting the content of the message body; and sends the message body to the device controller 402 in accordance with another communication protocol. The device controller 402 interprets the content of the message body and causes the service devices 404, 406 to execute service.
US08166133B1	Systems and methods for providing a broadcast entertainment service and an on-demand entertainment service The present invention provides systems and methods for, in some cases, supplementing a broadcast media service with an on-demand and personalized media service.
US08166129B2	Method and system for providing media content to a user For providing to a user on a communication terminal (1) media content (31) from a content server (3), a Session Initiation Protocol message, addressed to a resource identifier identifying the media content (31), is transmitted from the communications terminal (1) to a Call Session Control Function unit (S-CSCF), in response to the user activating a hyperlink associated with the media content (31). If there are filter criteria (iFC) associated with the user and associating the first message with an application server (SIP-AS), the resource identifier is transmitted from the Call Session Control Function unit (S-CSCF) to the application server (SIP-AS). The application server (SIP-AS) transmits to the communication terminal (1) accessing means for the user to retrieve the media content (31) from the content server (3). Generating und submitting in the communication terminal (1) the Session Initiation Protocol message make it possible to route the request for the media content (31) through an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), thereby making use of filtering features of the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) for user authentication and access control such that there is no need for separate proprietary access control mechanisms for the content server (3).
US08166127B2	Apparatus and methods for efficient insertion and removal of MPA markers and RDMA CRC digest The invention relates to insertion and removal of MPA markers and RDMA CRCs in RDMA data streams, after determining the locations for these fields. An embodiment of the invention comprises a host interface, a transmit interface connected to the host interface, and a processor interface connected to both transmit and host interfaces. The host interface operates under the direction of commands received from the processor interface when processing inbound RDMA data. The host interface calculates the location of marker locations and removes the markers. The transmit interface operates under the direction of commands received from the processor interface when processing outbound RDMA data. The transmit interface calculates the positions in the outbound data where markers are to be inserted. The transmit interface then places the markers accordingly.
US08166122B2	Method and apparatus for generating a figure of merit for use in transmission of messages in a multi-level secure environment A method and apparatus that generate a figure of merit for use in transmission of messages in a multi-level secure environment. The method may include receiving a message having a data provenance wrapper, examining each data provenance record of the message and any attachments for discrepancies, identifying any discrepancies in the examination of each data provenance record of the message and any attachments, generating a figure of merit based on objective and subjective information, substituting the figure of merit for the data provenance information, and transmitting the figure of merit with the message across the security domain.
US08166121B2	Situation based presence notification leveraging Presence messages are managed for one or more members of a pre-defined group of e-mail users. An unavailability time period, during which a pre-defined group of e-mail users will be unavailable in the future, is established. A notice, which notifies the pre-defined group of e-mail users that an unavailability control instruction will be sent in the future to participating members of the group of e-mail users, is transmitted to the group of e-mail users. An acceptance signal, identifying the participating members, is received, indicating which members of the group of e-mail users agree to permit the unavailability control instruction to be received and implemented on their participating computers in the future. The unavailability control instruction is then transmitted to the participating computers at an initiation of the unavailability time period, in order to auto-generate an appropriate presence message for the participating members.
US08166119B2	Messaging device for delivering messages to recipients based on availability and preferences of recipients A messaging device facilitates delivery of messages to recipients based on availability and preferences associated with recipients. In some embodiments, messages are composed by a user via a touchscreen display. Icons representing potential message recipients are displayed, and the user may deliver a message to a recipient by associating the message with the icon that represents the desired recipient. The facility uses availability information—which reflects recipients' availability and willingness to communicate—and system- and recipient-defined preferences to determine the best method(s) of delivery for a message and other features of message delivery. Recipients' availability and preferences may be displayed to users on an interface. Users may make decisions regarding delivery method, timing, and other details of message delivery based on the displayed availability and preference information.
US08166116B2	Automatic distribution of corrective configuration information Methods and apparatus for allowing a central network manager to distribute corrective configuration information to customers using e-mail are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method includes determining if an issue is reported by a first customer system that supports a first device. The issue is associated with the first device. The method also includes obtaining updating information if the issue is reported by the first customer system, and providing the updating information to the first customer system. The first customer system is arranged to distribute the updating information to the first device and to cause the updating information to be implemented on the first device.
US08166113B2	Access limited EMM distribution lists An electronic mail message (EMM) addressed to a distribution list of an enterprise is received at a server of the enterprise from a sending address outside of the enterprise. If the distribution list has no external addresses, then the EMM is blocked from being delivered to the distribution list. In an embodiment, if the distribution list has an external address and the sending address is identified in a safe sender list corresponding to the distribution list, then the EMM is delivered to the distribution list. In an embodiment, if the distribution list has an external address, the sending address is not in a safe sender list corresponding to the distribution list, and the content of the message is approved, then the EMM is delivered to the distribution list.
US08166108B1	Systems and methods to uniquely identify assets in a federation Some embodiments provide different frameworks that implement conflict avoidance systems and methods for ensuring uniqueness in identifying assets for different customers that are deployed to server capacity of one or more distributed platforms participating in a federation. Specifically, different frameworks are provided whereby the distributed platforms authorize use of a domain before configuring the domain to identify assets of a customer. A method performed in one such framework includes receiving a domain that is specified for identifying assets of a first customer belonging to a first distributed platform of the federation. The method determines whether the domain conflicts with a domain that is configured by a second distributed platform of the federation. The method then communicates with the first distributed platform (i) to configure the received domain when there is no conflict and (ii) to prevent the first distributed platform from configuring the received domain when there is a conflict.
US08166103B2	Apparatus for interpreting image position An apparatus for interpreting an image position is used for respectively reflecting an image of a target to a lens of at least one camera by means of first and second reflection mirrors to be respectively taken a photo as first and second images by the lenses. A microprocessor processes the first and the second images to obtain a relative coordinate value of a target in an operation plane range. A horizontal optical axis of at least one camera is parallel to the operation plane. Whereby, a position of an input zone touched by a user is interpreted more quickly so as to elevate the inputting efficiency of a data input device, and whether the user touches the input zone is interpreted more accurately so as to elevate the inputting accuracy of the data input device.
US08166100B2	Cross site, cross domain session sharing without database replication A method of providing access to data via a public communications network includes the receiving a first data session request having a storage group mark, the storage group mark defining a server storage group, a load balancer route the request to a first server that processes request and any related session information, storing any altered first session data in a data storage. The load balancer receives a second request, wherein the second request also has the same storage group mark. The load balance selects a second server to respond to the second request. As before, the second server processes the second request and the altered first session data loaded from the data storage. After processing, the second server stores any altered second session data in the stored data on the first server as well as the second server and returns the altered second session data.
US08166097B2	Using distributed queues in an overlay network The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for using distributed queues in an overlay network. Embodiments of the invention can be used to replicate queue state (e.g., inserted and/or deleted messages) within an overlay network and can be used to continue a process at a different node within the overlay network based on replicated queue state. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention can be used to increase the availability of queue state, compensate for node failures within an overlay network, and promote replication of consistent queue state between nodes within an overlay network.
US08166094B2	Coordinated quiesce of a distributed file system A process for quiescing a master and a plurality of subordinate computer systems in a cluster. An original or a pending state may be entered that is a quiesce or an online state. The master instructs the subordinates the quiesce or online state be made the pending state. The subordinates prepare to change accordingly, determine whether successful, and vote to commit or abort. Based on whether all voted to commit, the master instructs the subordinates to either commit or abort. If to commit and the pending state is the quiesce state, an operation is performed in the subordinates. If to commit and the pending state is the online state, the subordinates prepare to resume the original state. The subordinates change from the original to the pending state. Otherwise, if to abort, the subordinates prepare to remain in the original state and reset the pending to the original state.
US08166093B2	Method and apparatus for processing multimedia programs for play on incompatible devices An apparatus and method is provided to generate digital audio signals, such as stereo signals, from a multimedia program. The program can be distributed directly through an electronic network, or indirectly by recording the program on a medium such as a DVD or CD. The multimedia program is normally compressed using a standard DVD, MPEG or similar compression protocol. In accordance with the invention, the program is decoded to generate a multimedia output signal and an audio output signal. The multimedia signals can be played immediately or at will on a suitable multimedia device. The audio output signal is compressed, using for instance MP3 or ATRAC3, and then transmitted to an external device for storage as a digital file. The digital file can then be replayed at will.
US08166089B2	Sampled data averaging circuit A sampled data averaging circuit which comprises sampling means for sampling input data at predetermined timing by a number of sampling times set, division means for dividing the sampled data by the number of sampling times for each time the input data is sampled, and accumulation means for sequentially accumulating the division result, and an average value is obtained from the accumulation result of the accumulation means.
US08166087B2	Microprocessor performing IIR filter operation with registers A filter operation circuit of a microprocessor executes an IIR filter operation by using data provided from registers R0 to R2 and outputs one sample of data Y[n] subjected to filter operation and transfer data P[n] to be used in the next IIR filter operation. Register R0 provides filter coefficients to the filter operation circuit. Register R1 provides past transfer data P[n−1] and P[n−2] to the filter operation circuit and is overwritten and updated with new transfer data P[n] output from the filter operation circuit. Register R2 holds multiple samples of data X[n] to X[n+3] to be subjected to filter operation and provides X[n] to the filter operation circuit. An area of register R2 in which X[n] has been held is overwritten and updated with Y[n].
US08166080B2	Optimized computer diagramming method A computer method and system of diagramming provide a diagram of a subject model. In response to a primary edit to the subject model, the invention method and system generate a non-persistent view for secondary edits. The diagram is formed of notational elements corresponding to model elements of the subject model. The invention method and system provide a notation meta-model for persisting the notational elements with references to corresponding model elements. The notation meta-model allows notational elements to be recreated and changed dynamically in a manner free of replacing original notational elements.
US08166078B2	Design process recording Description of works such as “requirement”, “definition”, and “confirmation” in the narrow sense in a design process is made possible. A design work recording unit (22a) records in a data storage device (6) an inputted “design work name” as one of “external requirement name”, “concept definition name”, “internal requirement name”, “detailed definition name”, and so on. An inter-work relation recording unit (22b) records in the data storage device (6) a relation between two “design work names” selected from “external requirement name”, “concept definition name”, “internal requirement name”, “detailed definition name”, and so on recorded in the data storage device (6). Here, the inter-work relation recording unit (22b) records a relation between “external requirement name” and “concept definition name”, a relation between “concept definition name” and “internal requirement name”, a relation between “internal requirement name” and “detailed definition name”, and so on.
US08166074B2	Index data structure for a peer-to-peer network An index data structure comprises a plurality of index keys for uniquely identifying potential data object context nodes. Each index key is, in turn, associated with one or more potential context nodes. Moreover, the index key has a label that provides semantic content to a user. The index data structure further comprises one or more routing tables associated with each index key that generally include a plurality of path references.
US08166073B2	Information processing device, storage device and computer-readable medium for accepting description information of multi-media content including keywords and reference information indicative of duplicative occurrence of each keyword and retrieving location information in the content using the respective keywords and associated reference information There are provided a storage device and a computer readable medium capable of efficiently storing keywords contained in description information and efficiently retrieving the keyword. A list producing portion extracts the keywords from the description information and produces a keyword list correlating the keywords with the scene information containing the keywords. A description information converter converts the keywords contained in the keyword list received from the list producing portion among the keywords contained in the externally received description information into reference information for specifying the keywords in the keyword list received from the list producing portion. A storage stores the converted description information provided from the description information converter and the keyword list provided by the list producing portion.
US08166071B1	System and method for efficiently securing enterprise data resources Some embodiments provide a system and method that secures access to data objects of an enterprise that includes multiple data objects and multiple user applications that access data attributes of the data objects. In some embodiments, secure access is provided via a secure resource that secures access to data attributes of at least two objects by defining access control permissions for the secure resource and applying the defined access control permissions to the data attributes of the secure resource.
US08166068B2	Location based authorization of financial card transactions systems and methods Systems, methods, and software for identifying location based rules related to a network connected device are described. A network connected device may transmit a set of data identifying the location of the device and an identifier unique to the device to a server. The server may also receive an action request, wherein the action request is associated with the identifier. The server may select a rule in a database to address the action request, the rule applicable to the identifier and location of the device. Various embodiments related to financial card transactions, access to financial information, emergency services contact, and electronic message filtering are also addressed.
US08166058B2	Identifying interest twins in an online community Techniques are described for identifying one or more “interest twins” of a user. An interest twin of a user in another user that has demonstrated interests in items that are the same as or similar to the items in which the user has demonstrated an interest. Various techniques are described for reducing the overhead in interest twin determination operations. Once the interest twins for a user have been identified, the knowledge of the interest twins may be used in a variety of ways to enhance to experience of the user. For example, a mechanism may be provided which allows the user to see a list of items in which the user's interest twins have indicated an interest.
US08166057B2	Data providing apparatus, data providing method and program A data providing apparatus for providing search result information corresponding to-be-searched data including a search query includes a storing part storing the to-be-searched data which has been non-reversibly encoded according to a predetermined method, and the search result information to be provided as a search result with respect to the to-be-searched data, in association with each other. A converting part of the apparatus non-reversibly encodes the search query according to the same method as the predetermined method. An obtaining part of the apparatus obtains the search result information which is associated with the non-reversibly encoded to-be-searched data, with the use of the non-reversibly encoded search query. A providing part of the apparatus provides the thus-obtained search result information.
US08166056B2	System and method for searching annotated document collections Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture therefor, are disclosed sharing and searching annotated document collections. In one embodiment, the method may be performed by: transforming a plurality of document identifiers and their associated set of tags into a set of URL/TAG pairs; constructing a bigraph using the set of URL/TAG pairs; using the bigraph to compute tag profiles and document profiles using spreading activation for document identifiers and tags in the set of URL/TAG pairs; for a selected tag or document, identifying a tag profile or a document profile associated with the selected tag or document, respectively; arranging by relevance those tags or documents in the identified tag profile or document profile associated with the selected tag or document, respectively.
US08166050B2	Temporally-aware evaluative score A method includes processing a performance query to a dimensional data model by processing dimension coordinates that exist within the dimensional data model, wherein the dimension coordinates have a first particular grain (“finer grain”) that is finer than a second particular grain (“coarser grain”), the method to determine an evaluative score for a particular finer grain value based on performance facts for dimension coordinates associated with the particular finer grain value. Performance parameters are determined relative to a particular coarser grain value, against which to measure the performance facts associated with the finer grain value, including processing the temporal relationships of finer grain values to coarser grain values for the dimension coordinates. The evaluative score is determined for the particular finer grain value based on performance facts of dimension coordinates having the particular finer grain value, in view of the determined performance parameters.
US08166049B2	Techniques for computing similarity measurements between segments representative of documents Keyword frequency data for a plurality of document-derived segments is represented in a matrix form in which each segment is represented as a vector of dimensionality equal to the number of keywords. The matrix may be subdivided into a plurality of sub-matrices, each preferably corresponding to a non-overlapping portion of the plurality of keywords. When determining a similarity measurement between any pair of segments, at least a portion of the keyword frequency data for each sub-matrix's non-overlapping keywords are used to determine a sub-matrix dot product for the pair of segments. The resulting plurality of sub-matrix dot products are then summed together in order to provide the similarity measurement. Keywords that are synonyms of each other may be accommodated through the modification of keyword frequency data. Where the keyword frequency data in the matrix representation is relative sparse, compressed views of the matrix representation may be provided.
US08166048B2	Method and apparatus for data integration and management A system for maintaining master reference data for entities is disclosed. The system includes multiple reference data sets at multiple different data storages. A reference data set for a particular entity uniquely identifies the particular entity. The system also includes a first master reference data set at a first data storage that is at least as reliable as a second reference data set at a second data storage. In some embodiments, the first data storage can be updated through real-time process or an offline process (e.g., a batch process). The first master reference data set includes at least one data record, and content metadata regarding the data record. In some embodiments, content metadata comprises lineage data that includes each preceding value that was contained in the data record. In some of these embodiments, lineage includes other factors that affected the present and previous values contained in the data record.
US08166047B1	Systems, devices, and/or methods for managing data Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a method, which can comprise automatically storing and computing a sketch of a dataset that supports an automatically determined estimator of properties of a dataset. The dataset can be related to any population. For example, the dataset can comprise data flows through a network node (e.g., a router), sales data, and/or marketing data, etc. The estimator can be based upon a sketch of the dataset.
US08166045B1	Phrase extraction using subphrase scoring An information retrieval system uses phrases to index, retrieve, organize and describe documents. Phrases are extracted from the document collection. Documents are the indexed according to their included phrases, using phrase posting lists. The phrase posting lists are stored in an cluster of index servers. The phrase posting lists can be tiered into groups, and sharded into partitions. Phrases in a query are identified based on possible phrasifications. A query schedule based on the phrases is created from the phrases, and then optimized to reduce query processing and communication costs. The execution of the query schedule is managed to further reduce or eliminate query processing operations at various ones of the index servers.
US08166041B2	Search index format optimizations A search index structure which extends a typical composite index by incorporating an index which is optimized for fast retrieval from storage and which eliminates data which is specific to phrase searching. Other data is represented in a manner which allows it to be calculated rather than stored. Associating variable length entries with logical categories allows their length to be inferred from the category rather than stored. Using delta values between document IDs rather than the ID itself generates a compact, dense symbol set which is efficiently compressed by Huffman encoding or a similar compression method. Using an upper threshold to remove large, and thus rare, delta values from the symbol set prior to encoding further improves the encoding performance.
US08166035B2	Grid-based data clustering method A grid-based data clustering method comprises: a parameter setting step, a partition step, a searching step, a seed-classifying step, an extension step, and a termination step. Through the above-mentioned steps, data in a data set are disposed in a plurality of grids, and the grids are classified into dense grids and uncrowded grids for a cluster to extend from one of the dense grid to gradually combine data in other dense grids nearby. Consequently, convenience in parameter setting, efficiency and accuracy in data clustering, and performance in noise filtering are achieved.
US08166034B2	Saving device for image sharing, image sharing system, and image sharing method The saving device for image sharing includes an image acquiring unit configured to acquire the images offered by a sharer of the images, a sharee information storing unit configured to store sharee information with respect to at least one sharee, a subject assessing unit configured to assess whether or not a person subject is included in the acquired images, an image associating unit configured to associate the images assessed as not including a person subject with the images assessed as including a person subject, based on the sharee information, and a shared image determining unit configured to determine the images to be shared with the sharee or sharees from among the associated images and the images assessed as including a person subject, based on the sharee information. The image sharing system and an image sharing method use such a device.
US08166033B2	System and method for matching and assembling records A system and method for matching and assembling records is provided. One embodiment of the invention assembles records by applying a method for grouping records based on matching fields, assembling a new record as a composite of the matched records, and then repeating the grouping, matching and assembling steps in a cascade where the matching grouping and assembling steps are modified as a function of the cascade step and the assembled records created in earlier steps.
US08166031B2	System and method for providing context based services In one aspect of the disclosure, a method of delivering content to a portable electronic device is provided that comprises receiving a request for content; determining a subscription level for a subscriber of the portable electronic device; determining, based on the subscription level, whether to deliver supplementary content with the content; and, if delivery of the supplementary content is to be effected then determining a method of delivery of the content; determining a method of delivery of the supplementary content; determining the supplementary content; and delivering the content and the supplementary content.
US08166027B2	System, method and program to test a web site Computer system, method and program product for testing a web site are disclosed. Numbers of hyperlinks required to navigate from one web page of the web site to other, respective web pages on the web site are determined. A score for ease of navigation though the web site based at least in part on the numbers is generated, such that lower numbers correlate to easier navigation through the web site. Another computer system, method and program product for testing a web site are disclosed. First keyword searches are conducted in the web site, using a search engine in the web site, based on sets of search terms ANDed together. Second keyword searches are conducted in the web site, using the search engine at the web site, based on respective subsets of the sets of search terms. Each subset is either a single term within the respective set or two or more terms within the respective set ANDed together. A score for effectiveness of the search engine is determined based at least in part on the frequency at which search results of the first keyword searches are contained in search results for the respective second keyword searches.
US08166015B2	Web advertising management method The invention relates to a method, system and computer program for management of paid advertisements displayed in response to a search query entered into a search engine. A vendor's inventory is discovered by reading from an inventory database. Search terms are determined for item categories in the inventory database, reading from fields of the inventory database. A user can specify additional or replacement search terms to be associated with a particular item. Advertisement sets are then created for items which are currently available or “in stock,” each set containing an advertisement corresponding to an item, the associated search terms, and a landing page identifier. The landing page displays search results from the vendor's inventory database, relating to the corresponding item category for that advertisement.
US08166013B2	Method and system for crawling, mapping and extracting information associated with a business using heuristic and semantic analysis A method and system for crawling multiple websites containing one or more web pages having information relevant to a particular domain of interest, such as details about local restaurants, extracting content from such websites, such as hours, location and phone number as well as reviews, review dates and other business specific information, and associating the extracted content with a specific business entity.
US08166008B2	Processing of a generalized directed object graph for storage in a relational database Creating transaction instructions is disclosed. A description of a set of objects is received. For each of at least a subset of objects in the set of objects, a description of one or more associated relationships is received. The description of the set of objects and the descriptions of the one or more associated relationships for each object in the at least a subset of the set of objects are processed to create an ordered list of transaction instructions for storing the set of objects and the one or more associated relationships for each object in the at least a subset of the set of objects.
US08166003B2	Permission-based document server Detailed herein is a technology which, among other things, identifies and provides an audience-appropriate version of a document, upon request. In one approach to this technology, a request for the document is received at a document-specific access point associated with that document. This document request is associated with specific file access authorizations. These specific file access authorizations are used to identify one of the available versions of the document. The version of the document so identified is then retrieved.
US08165998B2	Fast comparison using multi-level version format A system and method to implement a technique to compare a collection of files. A reference index is extracted from a reference version file. The reference index specifies contents of a reference directory at a binary level. A target index is extracted from a target version file. The target index specifies contents of a target directory at the binary level. The target index is compared against the reference index to determine whether the contents of the target directory match the contents of the reference directory.
US08165997B1	Method and system for classifying postings in a forum A method for classifying a previously unclassified posting that includes extracting a plurality of terms from the previously unclassified posting on an application forum, calculating a term answer probability and a term comment probability for each term of the plurality of terms. The term answer probability defines a probability that the term is in an answer posting assigned to an answer class, and the term comment probability defines a probability that the term is in a comment posting assigned to a comment class. The method further includes performing a Bayesian analysis using the term answer probability and the term comment probability for each term of the plurality of terms to select a posting class for the previously unclassified posting. The posting class is either the answer class or the comment class. The posting class is assigned to the previously unclassified posting.
US08165996B2	Policy-based management of a redundant array of independent nodes An archive cluster application runs in a distributed manner across a redundant array of independent nodes. Each node preferably runs a complete archive cluster application instance. A given nodes provides a data repository, which stores up to a large amount (e.g., a terabyte) of data, while also acting as a portal that enables access to archive files. Each symmetric node has a set of software processes, e.g., a request manager, a storage manager, a metadata manager, and a policy manager. The request manager manages requests to the node for data (i.e., file data), the storage manager manages data read/write functions from a disk associated with the node, and the metadata manager facilitates metadata transactions and recovery across the distributed database. The policy manager implements one or more policies, which are operations that determine the behavior of an “archive object” within the cluster. The archive cluster application provides object-based storage. Preferably, the application permanently associates metadata and policies with the raw archived data, which together comprise an archive object. Object policies govern the object's behavior in the archive. As a result, the archive manages itself independently of client applications, acting automatically to ensure that all object policies are valid.
US08165994B2	Integrated governance and version audit logging A server auditing process that stores only a single up-to-date data record along with the differences relative to previous changes in the record that allow the user to move “backward in time” to recreate previous values. The auditing feature introduces a baseline database table and a difference database table for each existing database table. The baseline table stores the most recent auditing data and the differences table complements the baseline table by storing pairs in the form of attribute name and previous value. By applying difference rows to baseline data, the user is able to recreate the data as it existed at any given timestamp and at a minimal storage cost. The architecture minimizes the impact of auditing on system performance by employing an asynchronous priority queue so that task processing is deferred until the system has adequate resources and other work is not affected.
US08165993B2	Business intelligence system with interface that provides for immediate user action A business intelligence system includes a business activity monitor with a data cache to receive and store enterprise data integrated from a plurality of enterprise applications, the data cache being updated in real-time as the enterprise data changes. A computer coupled with the data cache runs a program that produces a graphical user interface on a display. The graphical user interface provides a user with a real-time report of the enterprise data and a page that allows the user to specify at least one action affecting operation of the enterprise. The page also including a button selection of which causes the computer to send a first message designating one or more selected actions to the BAM. In response, the BAM sends a second message to one or more of the enterprise applications to execute the one or more selected actions in real-time. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US08165991B2	Management of recorded data for online simulations Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to online simulations. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for managing recorded data for an online simulation can be provided. The method can include determining that a first experience of a user of the online simulation shall be recorded. The method can further include generating a recording of the first experience and associating metadata with the recording. The method can further include reading metadata of a second experience of the user of the online simulation and determining that the metadata of the second experience matches the metadata of the first experience. The method can further include notifying the user that the recording is associated with the second experience.
US08165987B2	System and method of machine-aided information extraction rule development An automatic rule generation system generates rules for fact extraction. A rule generation module receives a sample and generates a rule from the sample. A rule relaxation module generates a relaxed rule from the rule. A rule testing module generates a reverse index from a corpus, applies the relaxed rule to the reverse index, and generates text segments. An information extraction module generates modified text segments from the relaxed rule and the text segments. A candidate suggestion module performs a candidate generation process: if the candidate generation process generates no candidates, the candidate suggestion module signals the rule relaxation module to generate a further relaxed rule to use as the relaxed rule. A user evaluates a candidate and provides the candidate as an additional sample for the automatic rule generation system to generate another rule to use as the rule. As a result of performing these actions iteratively, the rule is eventually generated and relaxed to result in an appropriate rule to use for fact extraction.
US08165982B2	Method and apparatus for limiting how rule components can be modified using tag definitions and verbs Various embodiments herein include one or more of systems, methods, data structures, and software operable to limit how rules, or components thereof, may be modified. Some embodiments include receiving a rule definition in a system, the rule definition including one or more rule components, each component including a reference to one or more values from which an inference is made when the rule is applied. Such embodiments further include associating one or more rule components with one or more tag definitions that limit how the one or more associated rule components are modifiable by one or more rule administrators. The rule definition and the associations of tag definitions to the rule components may then be stored in a data store.
US08165981B2	Dynamic constraint satisfaction problem solver that recreates structure across sessions A dynamic constraint solver for solving a constraint satisfaction problem model receives a request for a current solving session to recreate a first solving session for the model. The solver then collects a deferred port list comprising one or more ports in the model that need a sub-problem and creates one or more runtime constraints for the model. For each of the created runtime constraints, the solver propagates the constraint and determines if the propagation generates a conflict. If the propagation generates a conflict, the solver dismisses the constraint and reverts the model to a state before the constraint was propagated.
US08165979B2	System and method for resource adaptive classification of data streams A system and method for resource adaptive classification of data streams. Embodiments of systems and methods provide classifying data received in a computer, including discretizing the received data, constructing an intermediate data structure from said received data as training instances, performing subspace sampling on said received data as test instances and adaptively classifying said received data based on statistics of said subspace sampling.
US08165977B2	Systems, methods, and apparatus for otoacoustic protection of autonomic systems Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments an autonomic unit transmits an otoacoustic signal to counteract a potentially harmful incoming signal.
US08165976B2	Systems, methods, and apparatus for otoacoustic protection of autonomic systems Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some embodiments an autonomic unit transmits an otoacoustic signal to counteract a potentially harmful incoming signal.
US08165973B2	Method of identifying robust clustering A method of finding robust clusters comprises the use of principal component analysis and consensus ensemble clustering. In another aspect, the method may comprise normalizing a data set; identifying attributes of the data set that contribute to most of variation in the normalized data set; selecting data having the attributes that contribute to most of variation in the normalized data set; identifying a plurality of clusters from the selected data using consensus ensemble clustering; and identifying robust clusters from the plurality of clusters. The method can be used in healthcare and life science.
US08165972B1	Determining a feature related to an indication of a concept using a classifier A related feature determination system determines a feature related to an indication of a concept. A set of positive cases and a set of negative case are selected using the indication of a concept. A classifier is induced for the concept using the set of positive cases in a manner blinded to the indication of a concept. The set of negative cases is applied to the classifier. A feature related to the indication of a concept is determined using results of applying the classifier to the set of negative cases.
US08165968B2	Method and system for evaluating costs of various design and maintenance approaches The method and system quantify the impact of various design and operational solutions for equipment modules of a structure and the overall structure based upon economic factors. In particular, the method and system provide cost evaluation of various maintenance approaches for at least one equipment module that is part of an overall structure. In addition, a baseline and alternate equipment module may be specified for each equipment module. The costs associated with each of the maintenance approaches for each baseline and alternate equipment module then may be compared and the costs associated with the overall structure having a chosen maintenance approach for each baseline and alternate equipment module may be evaluated. The sensitivity of the costs associated with the overall structure to changes in one or more of the parameter values also may be calculated.
US08165966B2	Systems and methods to collect and augment decedent data Systems, methods, and software to collect, validate, and disseminate or otherwise use of data of decedents. Some embodiments include receiving and obtaining decedent data from various sources to augment decedent data and making the augmented decedent data available to others.
US08165962B1	System and method for financial instrument pre-qualification and offering The invention is related to a system and method for offering a financial instrument to a pre-qualified consumer. Potential consumers are pre-qualified for a variety of financial instruments, which pre-qualifications are stored in one or more databases and are linked to the consumer by a unique identifier and information that may later be verified. When a consumer contacts an entity operating, or otherwise in contact with, the system and method of the invention, the system determines whether that particular consumer has been pre-qualified for one or more financial instruments. The system may also determine whether one or more of the financial instruments which the consumer is pre-qualified for is appropriate for offering to the consumer according to pre-determined conditions linked to the financial instrument. Further checks may be performed at the time of the consumer contact for any indicators that the consumer should not be offered one or more of the financial instruments. The consumer may then be offered one or more of the financial instruments for which he or she has been pre-qualified. Typically, the consumer contacts the system for a purpose unrelated to requesting any financial instruments, and the invention permits the marketing of financial offerings to pre-qualified consumers.
US08165959B2	Method and apparatus for pricing calculation A method and apparatus for providing a competitive bid from a provider comprising receiving billing data from a user, the billing data including provider information, location, and total bill amount. The method further comprising calculating a complex usage pattern based on the billing data and statistical data for the location. The method additionally comprising calculating a competitive bid for the user, based on the complex usage pattern and a pricing structure of the provider.
US08165957B2	System and method for a trading interface incorporating a chart A graphical interface and method are provided for displaying market information corresponding to a tradeable object. One graphical interface includes a chart region for displaying historical market data in relation to a first value axis, and a market grid region in alignment with the chart region. The market grid region comprises a plurality of areas for receiving commands from a user input device to send trade orders, and the areas are displayed in relation to a second value axis. A plurality of values displayed along the second value axis is a subset of values displayed in relation to the first value axis, and can be modified to a new plurality of values that corresponds to a new subset of values on the first value axis.
US08165956B2	Bill availability notification and billing information request Systems and methods for presenting billing information are provided. A notice may be transmitted via a network by a bill presentment service provider system comprising one or more computers. The notice may be transmitted in accordance with an e-mail protocol, and the notice may indicate availability of billing information via a bill present service provider system. Subsequent to transmitting the notice, a request for the billing information may be received by the bill presentment service provider system via the second protocol. The request may be received responsive to a selection of the hyper-link. Responsive to receiving the request, at least a portion of the billing information may be transmitted by the bill presentment service provider system via the network.
US08165955B2	Method and system for computer-implemented trading of secondary market debt securities A computer-implemented method and system for trading of debt securities (bonds), where multiple dealers participate and compete on a single platform (100). Dealers and investors have respective interfaces (250, 230) for communicating. In one aspect, dealers announce new debt security issues (400), the investors communicate an indication of interest (IOI) (500) in purchasing the new debt security issues, and the issues are allocated to the investors. In another aspect, issues from multiple dealers are made available to investors on a secondary trading market in a searchable format (1000). In response to price inquires sent by investors (1200), the dealers provide offers (1300) which are briefly held and released to the investor concurrently to allow the investor to consider all offers together. In another aspect, the dealers post bid and offer terms for actively traded issues (1700) that are updated in real-time to avoid the need for the inquiry procedure.
US08165953B2	System and method for creating and trading a derivative investment instrument over a range of index values An investment instrument based on a range of index values is disclosed that allows investors to take risk positions relative to the size, or length, of the range. The investment instrument has a monetary value that increases as the index value increases within a low range interval of the range, decreases as the index value increases within a high range interval of the range, and is fixed or capped if the index value falls within a middle range interval of the range. Typically, one settlement amount will be zero and the other will be an amount greater than the investment instrument price.
US08165952B2	Electronic trading system An electronic trading system facilitates electronic trades of fungible trading elements. Fungible trading elements are electronically displayed and the system facilitates the trading operations. A risk factor for a particular transaction may be determined and based on this risk factor, the electronic trading system may elect straight through processing (STP) operations to conclude a trade. Otherwise the risk factor may indicate avoiding the STP and allowing other settlement means. The electronic trading system also include the dematerialization of the trading elements, therefore verifying ownership prior to exchange and as such as more robust and secure trading platform.
US08165950B2	Method and a system for trading stripped bonds In an automated trading system for matching bids and offers entered into the system by a number of traders connected to the system, a server hosts a matching processor and an associated memory forming an orderbook of the system where both fixed-income instruments paying a coupon, referred to as bonds, and fixed-income instruments not paying a coupon (zero-coupon), referred to as stripped bonds, are traded. The system derives prices for bonds using information from stripped bonds.
US08165948B2	System for selecting and purchasing assets and maintaining an investment portfolio The invention is in the field of computer implemented systems and methods for generating a profile of an investor's risk tolerance, providing automated investment allocation advice based on the risk tolerance of the investor, generating at least one list of investments for the portfolio of the investor, allowing for review of the at least one list of investments and information relating to historic and/or hypothetical performance and a description of asset selection methodology, performing automated electronic execution of transactions pertaining the investments, maintenance and monitoring of investment portfolios, and rebalancing of investment portfolios.
US08165946B2	Customized financial transaction pricing Enabling innovative merchant transaction pricing capability, while improving pricing process efficiency, is disclosed. When a merchant submits financial transaction account records to a payment processor for payment, the payment processor utilizes granular transaction data to calculate complex merchant transaction pricing rules. The system accesses individual transaction data, aggregate transaction data, transaction history, customer data, merchant data and product data to enable flexible, innovative and dynamic pricing capabilities that increase revenue and increase customer satisfaction.
US08165945B2	Transaction velocity counting for fraud detection Methods and systems for detecting fraud based on velocity counts are disclosed.
US08165941B2	Method and system for integrating savings and credits with different interest rates A method and system for operating a new financial instrument and payment card integrates savings and credit transactions belonging to the same payment plan into a single account. Transactions can be carried out at different periods in time, for any amount, agreed on with different fixed or adjustable interest rates, without losing the payment conditions of each savings and credit. A financial account card as a financial instrument can be used to carry out long, medium and short-term savings and credit financial transactions. The card can also be used as a payment card to buy and sell anything of value. The card is operated through financial institutions and service centers by a computer system, which manages transactions between cardholders themselves and with financial institutions, maintains account balances, determines installments for debt and savings balances, manages available credit limits and guarantees, and manages other financial and payment services.
US08165938B2	Prepaid card fraud and risk management A method of monitoring fraud associated with prepaid devices includes configuring fraud platform parameters which comprise one or more limits defined by one or more values, each limit associated with a particular platform parameter, one or more thresholds defined by one or more values, each threshold associated with a particular platform parameter, and one or more rules that define restrictions for certain prepaid device activities. The method further includes applying the fraud platform parameters to prepaid device production data and determining whether to issue the prepaid device depending on whether any parameters were triggered by the production data.
US08165936B2	Payroll system and method A paycheck-centric payroll system and method for generating, accumulating and reporting on payroll information including payroll deductions and payroll tax deposits.
US08165935B2	Construction payment management system and method with budget reconciliation features A computer-implemented method of reconciling a primary budget for a construction project. One embodiment of the invention includes generating a primary budget for the construction project and assigning a first primary budget line item from the primary budget to a participant. A secondary budget is then generated for the primary budget line item. Before administering a draw that includes a payment to the participant, the computer-implemented method ensures that the total sum of the budget amounts in the secondary budget is consistent with the budget amount for the primary budget line item. In some embodiments, the secondary budget is consistent when the total sum of the budget amounts is less than the primary budget line item. In some embodiments, the secondary budget is consistent when the total sum of the budget amounts is equal to the primary budget line item.
US08165932B2	Enhancement of network accounting records A system and method are provided for processing network accounting information. A first network accounting record is received from a first source. Thereafter, the first network accounting record is correlated with accounting information available from a second source. The accounting information with which the first network accounting record is correlated is then used to enhance the first network accounting record.
US08165930B2	Crate tool A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for processing aircraft software parts. A crate containing an aircraft software part is received from a source. Signatures are validated for the crate and the aircraft software part. If the signatures are valid, the crate is unpacked. The contents of the incoming crate are displayed. The aircraft software part is unpacked. Responsive to a request to upload the stored part to a library in the aircraft software part management apparatus, a determination is made as to whether the stored part meets a policy. If the stored part meets the policy, the part is signed. The signed part is placed in a crate and is signed to form a signed crate wherein signatures for the signed aircraft software part and the signed crate are different from the set of signatures in the incoming crate. The signed crate is sent to the library.
US08165928B2	Managing events within supply chain networks A supply chain network system comprises a site data appliance (SDA) and a Universal Data Appliance Protocol (UDAP) adapter coupled with one or more data source equipments (DSE). The SDA collects specification information comprising event information from the one or more DSE. A server is coupled with the SDA in the supply chain network. In response to the server requesting the specification information, the SDA sends to the server the specification information in a Description Document. A data center (DC) is coupled with the server in the supply chain network. The DC receives the Description Document and maps the event information in the specification information with event handlers. A mapping of the event information with the event handlers is sent from the DC to the server. When an event is generated by the one or more DSE, the map is used to select an appropriate event handler to execute.
US08165926B2	Method, medium, and system for detecting errors in item requests Under the present invention, user-initiated and system-initiated item request are received by a “purchasing/requisition application” or the like. Upon receipt, a set of tables are populated using data within the requests. Thereafter the item requests are processed with the system-initiated item requests typically being processed in batch. Should an error arise in processing one of the system-initiated item requests (e.g., due to lack of supplier/approver, or a data level error within the request), the failed system-initiated request is placed into a failed request queue. Upon demand, an administrator can be presented with a view of the failed request queue so that he/she can see all requests that have failed. The system could also allow the administrator to view and edit the data corresponding to any of the user-initiated or system-initiated requests. Any views that are presented to the administrator are presented within a single browser window for GWA compliance.
US08165922B2	Physical on demand testing with version support A method for testing versions for remote manufacturing of software media from a network is described. An interface to a user is provided for creation of a physical on demand product. A product version is created for the physical on demand product that includes an electronic copy of a product and information about the product. Approval of the created product version is requested from quality assurance. A test order capability is provided to the user after approval from quality assurance such that the user may have a physical on demand product order fulfilled prior to release of the product version for general sale in a commerce engine. The delivery of the test order is processed based upon who is requesting the test order. A software system that performs the testing method described above for the creation of compact discs (CDs) or digital video discs (DVDs) containing full product files (executables, binaries, music, video, etc.) also is described.
US08165920B2	System for concurrent optimization of business economics and customer value A computer-implemented system and method to provide options on products to enhance customers' experience. A computer-implemented system is operated that delivers to a customer an option to utilize up to n of m selected products, where m and n are whole numbers and n is less than or equal to m. Information is recorded in a data store, pertaining to said option. In addition, a system is operated to define each of the n chosen products, whereby after each of the n chosen products is defined, the customer can utilize said chosen product. The information pertaining to said defined products is recorded in a data store.
US08165919B2	Web based product ordering method with shopping carts actions queued Call center order system and process allows a customer service representative to make remote calls to a server to perform shopping cart actions, all on one web page. Historically, representatives would need to enter client information and product information on several different web pages to satisfy a purchase. Eventually, the representative would have “loaded” several different pages to enter product and customer information. This method resulted in a high amount of errors and increased the risk of fraud. The system utilizes AJAX and dynamic HTML technology. The representative is able to add, update, or remove products in the cart without waiting for the page to “refresh” after every action. Cart actions are flagged with a “ticking” indicator bar. Orders may be placed in a “queue” instead of loading a different page. A mild fraud mode to allow multiple orders is also described. A storefront is used in this process.
US08165915B1	Advertisement customization Methods, systems and computer program products for customizing one or more advertisements are described. Specifically, advertisements may be customized using information from content of a web page prior to viewing by a user. For example, the rendering of the text of an advertisement may be in a same size, color, and font type as the text on the web page into which the advertisement is integrated. In addition, the advertisement may be displayed using a same color scheme as that used by the web page such that the advertisement may be enhanced in terms of notice and interaction by the user.
US08165913B2	System, method, program for assigning virtual attribute to product, and system, method, and program for tracing cause of phenomenon occurring in product A system for tracing a cause of a phenomenon occurring in products produced in a production process chain is provided. The system is provided with a storage unit for storing a virtual attribute in association with corresponding second products, a receiving unit for receiving information for specifying third products in which a phenomenon occurs, a correlation calculation unit for calculating a correlation coefficient between the third products specified by the information for specifying the third products and the group of the second products having a common virtual attribute, for every kind of second products used in the third products, and a cause identification unit for identifying the second products belonging to the kind of the second products for which a maximum correlation coefficient is calculated as the cause of the phenomenon.
US08165912B2	Methods and systems for portfolio investment thesis based on application life cycles The disclosure provides a product/service portfolio investment calculation methodology based on an application life cycle. The present invention defines an application life cycle with a plurality of phases, and provides a mechanism to define a location within the application life cycle improving product and service investment decisions. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention maps the application life cycle with respect to telecommunications and datacommunications products and services.
US08165911B1	Market maturity optimization of web-based service Historical web-based service performance metric values and the historical web-based standards are analyzed to determine maturity classifications for a plurality of regions over a time period. The historical web-based standards applied to each of the regions at different times within the time period are compared, and current web-based standards for one or more regions are adjusted based on the comparison to improve web-based service performance in the one or more regions.
US08165908B2	Tool tip with additional information and task-sensitive direct access help for a user An interactive software application provides workflow assistance related to the proper performance of work steps in the workflow. The workflow assistance may include step by step instructions detailing the proper operation of the user interface to complete the current work step. Additionally, the workflow assistance may include a virtual simulation demonstrating the proper operation of the user interface to complete the work step. Alternate workflow assistance may be provided for alternate manners of completing the work step. The software application also may initiate the performance of a work step via a primary operation on an icon associated with the work step. Workflow assistance associated with the work step may be presented via a secondary operation performed on the icon. Workflow assistance also may be directly accessible from the user interface or from a help menu superimposed upon other images displayed on the user interface.
US08165905B2	Data processing unit, data processing method, and program product for determining a transshipment method A data processing unit, a data processing method, and a program product for determining a transhipment method are provided. The data processing unit may include a solution search processor for performing solution search processing of a plurality of physical objects. In the data processing unit, a data representation of a loading state of an object may have a corresponding variable which takes as a value an identification number of a heap at a predetermined physical location. The data representation of the loading state may include a coordinate value indicating a loading order of the object in the heap. The data processing unit may also include an initial condition inputter. The solution search processor may perform the solution search processing by constructing a search tree.
US08165903B1	System, method and computer program product for facilitating informed decisions relating to family risk A system, method, and computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium are provided. In use, an application is executed which is capable of performing decision logic. Further, information is retrieved from a database in accordance with the decision logic. Information is also received from a user in accordance with the decision logic utilizing a user interface. Still yet, the information is processed utilizing the decision logic. The executing, retrieving, receiving, and processing are carried out by a platform capable of accomplishing the executing, retrieving, receiving, and processing for different purposes by executing different applications each capable of performing different decision logic and using different databases. In one embodiment, the different applications are capable of being executed simultaneously. In another embodiment, the different applications (e.g. insurance, investments, etc.) are each related to asset risk management.
US08165901B2	Method and system for developing or tracking a program for medical treatment This invention relates generally to a system and method for providing to patients a medical treatment program, such as a program for physical therapy, and for tracking whether the patient has performed the program correctly. In one aspect, the system and method determines whether the patient has performed the program correctly by comparing feedback from the patient for various parameters associated with an exercise to anticipated values for those parameters. In another aspect, the invention assists medical treatment providers in selecting exercises and tutorials to include in the medical treatment program.
US08165900B2	Patient check-in/scheduling kiosk A method and system for facilitating activity scheduling for a patient including the steps of providing an interface device for checking a patient in at the facility, receiving identifying information for the patient, identifying currently scheduled appointments for the patient where the currently scheduled appointments are associated with currently scheduled appointment activities, identifying at least one additional unscheduled activity for the patient in addition to the currently scheduled appointment activities, identifying at least one suggested appointment schedule including at least one open time slot during which the patient may complete the additional unscheduled activity and the currently scheduled appointment activities and presenting the at least one suggested appointment schedule to the patient.
US08165897B2	Medical decision system including interactive protocols and associated methods An interactive protocol system for a medical decision system includes a plurality of medical related information databases containing medical related information and rules, a patient information database including patient information, a medical practices database including information relating to medical practices, a questions database including questions to be presented to a user relating to medical care, and an answers database including answers related to the respective questions in said questions database. The medical practices database may include a plurality of protocols. Each of the plurality of protocols may include a different plurality of narrowing questions to be presented to the user. The questions may relate to at least one of the plurality of protocols and may be presented to the user based on the answers to the questions provided by the user. The narrowing questions in at least one of the plurality of protocols may be answered by the user to provide the user an indication relating to medical practices.
US08165896B2	Compliance data for health-related procedures Exemplary embodiments provide a verification technique that facilitates administration of a health-related procedure to an intended recipient patient or group of patients. An interface template or signal protocol may be configured to establish suitable matching between the patient and various types of objects used to administer the health-related procedure. In some embodiments real-time monitoring data regarding administration of a health-related procedure to a recipient patient is posted to a patient data record that has restricted read/write access. In some instances the monitoring data is processed to determine compliance or non-compliance based on comparison of the health-related procedure with a predetermined benchmark standard.
US08165892B2	Monitoring drug packaging in clinical trial process A method for automatically tracking compliance in a clinical trials process involving one or more operations comprising selecting a container; associating an identifier with the container, the identifier having a unique signature data item thereon; reading the unique signature data item to a relational database; performing a first operation relating to the container; checking the performance of the first operation against a compliance standard; following the successful completion of the first operation, writing an associated compliance data item to the relational database; optionally performing one or more further operations relating to the container; and following the successful completion of each optional further operation or a package thereof, writing an associated compliance data item to the database.
US08165891B2	Green rating system and associated marketing methods A method and system for assigning a rating to an entity based on a plurality of metrics, for example, assigning a rating to an entity which reflects that entity's level of environmental performance, and then assigning an indicia to the entity which reflects the rating relative to other like entities. The system includes ways to generate revenue based on the entity's use of the indicia, such as integrating the display of the indicia with search engines such that the indicia is displayed when the entity's link appears on a search results list and charging a per impression and/or a per click through microfee. The invention also comprises a filtered search facility which only features rated member entities on its search results list. A website is also provided which contains landing pages for each rated entity which may be accessed by clicking on the displayed indicia in the search results list.
US08165884B2	Layered prompting: self-calibrating instructional prompting for verbal interfaces A plurality of prompting layers configured to provide varying levels of detailed assistance in prompting a user are maintained. A prompt from a current prompting layer is presented to a user. Input is received from the user. A level of detail in prompting the user is adaptively changed based on user behavior. Upon the user making a hesitant verbal gesture that reaches a threshold duration, a transition is made from the current prompting layer to a more detailed prompting layer. Upon the user interrupting the prompt with a valid input, a transition is made from the current prompting layer to a less detailed prompting layer.
US08165879B2	Voice output device and voice output program A voice output device, includes: a compound word voice data storage unit that stores voice data in association with each of compound words which is formed of a plurality of words; a text display unit that displays text containing a plurality of words; a word designation unit that designates any of the words in the text displayed by the text display unit as a designated word based on a user's operation; a compound word detection unit that detects a compound word in which voice data is stored in the compound word voice data storage unit, from among the plurality of words in the text containing the designated word; and a voice output unit that outputs voice data corresponding to the compound word detected by the compound word detection unit as a voice.
US08165877B2	Confidence measure generation for speech related searching A voice search system has a speech recognizer, a search component, and a dialog manager. A confidence measure generator receives speech recognition features from the speech recognizer, search features from the search component, and dialog features from the dialog manager, and calculates an overall confidence measure for voice search results based upon the features received. The invention can be extended to include the generation of additional features, based on those received from the individual components of the voice search system.
US08165873B2	Speech analysis apparatus, speech analysis method and computer program A speech analysis apparatus analyzing prosodic characteristics of speech information and outputting a prosodic discrimination result includes an input unit inputting speech information, an acoustic analysis unit calculating relative pitch variation and a discrimination unit performing speech discrimination processing, in which the acoustic analysis unit calculates a current template relative pitch difference, determining whether a difference absolute value between the current template relative pitch difference and a previous template relative pitch difference is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold or not, when the value is not less than the threshold, calculating an adjacent relative pitch difference, and when the adjacent relative pitch difference is equal to or less than a previously set margin value, executing correction processing of adding or subtracting an octave of the current template relative pitch difference to calculate the relative pitch variation by applying the relative pitch difference as the relative pitch difference of the current analysis frame.
US08165872B2	Method and system for improving speech quality A method and system for improving speech quality may include estimating at least one component of a distorted portion of a speech signal from at least one component of an undistorted portion of the speech signal and reinforcing the component of the distorted portion based on the estimating. The components may include the pitch, spectral envelope and spectral energy of the speech signal. The undistorted portion of the speech signal may be delayed and the components of the distorted portion may be interpolated from the components of a delayed undistorted portion and a current undistorted portion of the speech signal. The components of the distorted portion of the speech signal may be extrapolated from a current undistorted portion of the speech signal. Components of the distorted portion of the speech signal may be estimated from frequency bands other than the frequency band affected by the distortion.
US08165869B2	Learning word segmentation from non-white space languages corpora Illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for learning word segmentation from non-white space language corpora. In one illustrative embodiment, the computer implemented method receives text input characters and calculates a ratio-measure for each pair of characters in the input characters. The computer implemented method further determines whether the ratio-measure of each pair of characters is equal to a predetermined threshold value. Responsive to determining the ratio-measure is less than the predetermined threshold value, and a local-minimum value, the computer method further identifies the pair as a weak pair and breaks the weak pair of characters.
US08165868B2	Speech translating system Disclosed is a speech translating system for translating speech from a first language to a language selected from a set of second languages. The system includes an input unit, a processor, and an output unit. The input unit is capable of receiving the speech in the first language. The processor is operatively coupled to the input unit and is capable of converting the speech in the first language to the speech in the selected language. The output unit is operatively coupled to the processor. The output unit is capable of outputting the speech in the selected language.
US08165866B2	Emulation system An emulation system includes a controller, an emulation calculator, an emulation storage unit, and an interface unit. The emulation calculator includes a device under test (DUT) and emulates the DUT. The emulation storage unit stores emulation data of the DUT emulated by the emulation calculator under the control of the controller. The interface unit distributes and transfers the emulation data to a plurality of computers under the control of the controller.
US08165860B2	Thermodynamic process control based on pseudo-density root for equation of state A system for thermodynamic modeling is provided. The system comprises a computer having a processor, a thermodynamic process simulation application, and a thermodynamic equation of state application. When executed by the processor, the thermodynamic equation of state application determines a density root based on a first and second point of departure from an equation of state and based on a first and a second extrapolation equation. The first departure point satisfies the equation ∂ P ∂ ρ = β ⁢ P ρ + Ω . The second departure point satisfies the equation α ⁡ ( ∂ P ∂ ρ - R ) + ( 1 - α ) ⁢ ( ∂ P ∂ ρ ) ⁢ \| dp ⁢ ⁢ 1 = 0. The density root is determined as a pseudo-density in a phase two when the specified pressure is greater than the second departure point pressure and in a phase one when the specified pressure is less than the first departure point pressure. When executed by the processor, the thermodynamic process simulation application invokes the thermodynamic equation of state application to determine a result based on the density root.
US08165859B2	Method of designing an airfoil assembly A method of analyzing a finite element model of an airfoil assembly. The airfoil assembly comprises a main airfoil element and a plurality of control surfaces. The method comprises: generating a loads interface model of the airfoil assembly comprising: data which defines the spatial positions of a set of nodes, and data which associates each node with either the main element or one of the control surfaces. Load data is generated which defines loads acting on the nodes of the loads interface model, and mapped onto a finite element model to produce a loaded finite element model. A stress analysis is then performed on the loaded finite element model, and the finite element model can be refined as a result of the stress analysis.
US08165850B2	Determining the direction of a signal source A system for measuring signals received by an apparatus. An antenna system in the apparatus may include two or more antennas. A receiver in the apparatus may be configured to measure signal response induced in the antenna system in accordance with a pattern. After the signal response for the antenna system is measured at least once, the pattern may be altered and the signal response for the antenna system may be measured again in accordance with the altered pattern. The signal response in the antenna system measured for the pattern may then be averaged with the signal response in the antenna system measured for the altered pattern, and the average may be utilized as input to, for example, a directional determination process.
US08165848B2	Method of inspecting equipment A method of inspecting equipment to ensure quality control that employs a computer program to assist in the inspection. The program contains an inspection protocol adapted to specific equipment. The inspector follows the protocol to inspect component parts of the equipment. The inspection protocol can only be closed, indicating completion of the inspection, when the protocol has been followed. The program is capable of generating a variety of inspection reports.
US08165842B2	Measuring device for vehicle data, in particular for the speed of a vehicle running on wheels A measuring device for measuring the speed of a vehicle running on wheels has a first sensor and a second sensor. The two sensors are arranged on the same wheel of a vehicle and rotate with this wheel. Both sensors are arranged in such a way that they measure forces which are each perpendicular to the axis of the wheel and at an angle to one another, and act on the same point. An evaluation device is provided to which the measured values of the two sensors are fed, with the evaluation device obtaining the acceleration of the vehicle in the direction of travel therefrom, and calculating the current vehicle speed from it.
US08165840B2	Posture sensor automatic calibration A system and method automatically calibrate a posture sensor, such as by detecting a walking state or a posture change. For example, a three-axis accelerometer can be used to detect a patient's activity or posture. This information can be used to automatically calibrate subsequent posture or acceleration data.
US08165837B1	Multi-scale classification of defects A computerized method for categorizing defects on a substrate. A list of defects on the substrate is received as input to a processor, where each defect is represented by a defect location and an associated micro-defect code. The input is analyzed with the processor to detect spatial clusters of defects on the substrate. The spatial clusters are analyzed with the processor to determine which of the spatial clusters represent known macro-defects and which of the spatial clusters represent unknown macro-defects. The micro-defect code associated with each defect that is included in one of the spatial clusters that is determined to be a known macro-defect is changed with the processor with a macro-defect code that is associated solely with the known macro-defect. The processor analyzes the defects that are included in one of the spatial clusters that is determined to be an unknown macro-defect to determine a predominantly occurring micro-defect code. The processor changes the micro-defect code associated with each defect that is included in the one spatial cluster that is determined to be an unknown macro-defect with the predominantly-occurring micro-defect code. The processor sends the changed list of defects on the substrate as output.
US08165836B2	Measurement apparatus and computer readable medium storing program for measuring error of a quadrature demodulator or quadrature modulator A measurement apparatus that measures, as an error under measurement, at least one of a gain error and a phase error of a quadrature demodulator or a quadrature modulator as a measurement target. The measurement apparatus includes an output control section that causes the measurement target to output a signal, a detecting section that detects a measured signal representing a real component and an imaginary component of the signal output from the measurement target, and a calculating section that calculates, as the gain error or the phase error, a solution for a variable that maximizes a correlation value between the measured signal detected by the detecting section and an ideal signal that includes the error under measurement as the variable and that represents the measured signal that should be output by the measurement target.
US08165835B1	Complex wavelet filter based power measurement and calibration system A power measurement and calibration system provides power and line frequency measurements by using a bandpass filter having complex voltage and current outputs from which real and imaginary power components can be determined. Calibration of the filter may be omitted if a complex wavelet filter is used to implement the bandpass filter and a determination of line frequency can also be provided for downstream use. A processor receiving data from the output of the filter can compute real and imaginary power, power factor and the line frequency. The filter may be implemented by a processor executing program instructions, or a digital circuit implementing the filter and optionally a CORDIC rotator for computing the current-to-voltage phase relationship can provide input to the processor for power measurement and calibration of the sample rate to line frequency relationship and for other uses.
US08165833B2	Wireless sensor network systems, method for placing a plurality of sensor nodes in wireless sensor network system, and methods for computing sensing energy consumption per area of a plurality of sensor nodes A wireless sensor network system, a method for placing a plurality of sensor nodes in a wireless sensor network, and a method for computing sensing energy consumption per area of a plurality of sensor node are disclosed. The wireless sensor network system includes a plurality of sensor nodes which are deployed at the same distance in a two-dimensional plane and have sensing areas of the same size, and an extra sensor node which has a sensing area of a smaller size than the size of the sensor nodes to sense a gap area which is not covered by the sensing areas of the sensor nodes.
US08165831B2	Water level measuring apparatus and measuring method A water level measuring apparatus and a water level measuring method, in which a water level L0 of a liquid is read from a water level indicator secured to a liquid tank, and a filter value FLT is calculated by applying a filter with a time constant greater than one second to the water level L0, and the filter value FLT is output as a final water level L. Accordingly, even if the surface sloshes and the water level L0 fluctuates up and down, the water level L0 is smoothed by the filter. Hence there is little influence of the liquid sloshing, and the water level measurement accuracy can be improved.
US08165830B2	Meter electronics and methods for determining a phase difference between a first sensor signal and a second sensor signal of a flow meter Meter electronics (20) for processing sensor signals in a flow meter is provided according to an embodiment of the invention. The meter electronics (20) includes an interface (201) for receiving a first sensor signal and a second sensor signal and a processing system (203) in communication with the interface (201) and configured to receive the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal, generate a ninety degree phase shift from the first sensor signal, and compute a frequency from the first sensor signal and the ninety degree phase shift. The processing system (203) is further configured to generate sine and cosine signals using the frequency, and quadrature demodulate the first sensor signal and the second sensor signal using the sine and cosine signals in order to determine the phase difference.
US08165829B2	Method of diagnosing system, method of operating aggregating system for system diagnosis, and aggregating system for system diagnosis The invention provides a method of diagnosing a system, a method of operating an aggregating system for system diagnosis and an aggregating system for system diagnosis, which are effective for achieving comprehensive and effective system cost reduction. For a target system 1, at least two or more kinds of diagnoses selected from a trap operation diagnosis, a fluid leakage diagnosis, a system improvement diagnosis and maintenance improvement diagnosis are effected in a batch and in reporting the results of these diagnoses in a batch, there are reported an economic advantage MQt″ obtained by reduction in a trap-passed seam loss Qt″, an economic advantage MQs, MQp, MQn obtained by reduction in fluid leakage loss Qs, Qp, Qn, an economic advantage Ma obtained by system improvement and an economic advantage Mb obtained by method improvement in a maintenance method.
US08165826B2	Data driven method and system for predicting operational states of mechanical systems There is provided an automated data driven method for predicting one or more operational states, such as wear or degradation, of a mechanical system over time. The method has the steps of collecting data on the mechanical system from a data recording device, preprocessing the collected data, selecting a training data set that represents a base condition for statistical comparison, fitting a statistical model to the training data set to relate a predicted response to nuisance variables at the base condition, and using an output model to predict what an observed response would have been at the base condition and calculating the difference between the observed response and the predicted response to predict the one or more operational states of the mechanical system.
US08165825B2	Method for electromagnetically measuring physical parameters of a pipe The invention discloses a method for electromagnetically measuring physical parameters of a pipe that includes measuring a pipe inner diameter ID and a pipe ratio of magnetic permeability to electrical conductivity μ2/σ2 by means of a measuring arrangement 1 comprising a transmitter coil 2 and a receiver coil 3, both coils being coaxial to and longitudinally spaced from each other, the measuring arrangement being adapted to be positioned into the pipe CS and displaced through the pipe.
US08165822B2	Reverse progeny mapping Provided is a method for mapping traits in organisms, in particular in plants. The method comprises a) providing a population of SDR-0 organisms, in particular plants, that each arise from one member of a population of unreduced cells resulting from second division restitution, in particular a population of unreduced spores; b) producing SDR-1 progeny populations of each of these SDR-0 organisms; c) phenotyping the SDR-1 progeny populations to identify segregating traits within each SDR-1 progeny population; d) if segregating progeny are present in a SDR-1 progeny population, genotyping the corresponding SDR-0 organism and comparing the genotype thereof with the genotype of the other SDR-0 organisms to identify heterozygous chromosomal regions associated with the occurrence of the segregating trait identified in the SDR-1 progeny population.
US08165821B2	System and methods for indel identification using short read sequencing Systems, methods, and analytical approaches for short read sequence assembly and for the detection of insertions and deletions (indels) in a reference genome. A method suitable for software implementation is presented in which indels may be readily identified in a computationally efficient manner.
US08165817B2	Method for integrating reservoir charge modeling and downhole fluid analysis A method for estimating properties of fluids in rock formations at selected locations within a geologic basin includes generating an initial model of the basin. The model includes as output spatial distribution of a rock formation mineral composition, rock formation porosity and composition of fluids in the rock formation porosity. An initial estimate of fluid composition is generated for a rock formation, and a sample of fluid is extracted from pore spaces of the rock formation. Composition of the fluid sample is analyzed from within, and the initial model of the basin is adjusted to substantially match the analyzed fluid composition. The adjusted model is used to generate an initial estimate of fluid composition.
US08165816B2	Fluid injection management method for hydrocarbon recovery A method for controlling fluid injection parameters to improve well interactions and control hydrofracture geometries is provided. The method incorporates a systematic, transient analysis process for determining the formation effective displacement, stress and excess pore pressure field quantities at any depth within a stratified subterranean formation resulting from the subsurface injection of pressurized fluids.
US08165809B1	System and method for optimized flight planning A computer-implemented system and method for the processing and optimization of flight plans is disclosed. Information regarding a plurality of previous flight plans is received over a digital network and is stored in at least a database. The database preferably includes aviation fuel price information, aircraft performance information, and aviation weather information as well. Upon receiving a request, a server generates at least an optimized portion of a flight plan. In one form, historical flight plan data of others is automatically used to aid in the determination of the optimized route offered to the user for review, with the resulting final flight plan being electronically filed with the FAA upon approval. In a further form, the user may arrange fuel transactions at intermediate destinations with the service provider receiving a fee in exchange for facilitating the transaction.
US08165808B2	Techniques for representing location information Methods and apparatus are described for representing points of interest relative to a user-defined geographic area in a map interface. Representation of the geographic area and a plurality of point-of-interest (POI) locations corresponding to the points of interest is facilitated in the map interface using a color scheme in which variations in color represent variations in density of the POI locations within the geographic area.
US08165807B2	Multipath mitigation using sensors Systems, methods and devices for multipath mitigation are presented. Specifically, embodiments of the invention can advantageously use sensor inputs to mitigate the effect of multipath signals received at a receiver. The use of physical sensors in navigation systems is deemed particularly advantageous.
US08165805B2	System and method for marking a region of a road map displayed by a vehicle navigation system In the case of a system for marking a region within an image of a road map detail displayed on a vehicle video screen, a regional location can first be selected by a control element. The region, which represents one of several administrative levels, can be constantly fixed via an enter function of the control element. The administrative level and thereby the size of the region can be changed by a rotational movement of the control element, which can be rotated about a longitudinal axis.
US08165804B2	Navigation apparatus, method, and program for same A normal route guidance of a navigation apparatus based on guidance information retrieved from a hard disk drive is switched to a turn list display based on the guidance information from an external memory when a vehicle enters a high-altitude area. The navigation apparatus calculates a navigation route to a destination, and determines if the navigation route passes a high-altitude area. If the route passes the high-altitude area, the guidance information of a high-altitude area section of the navigation route is written in the eternal memory. Thus, while the vehicle is traveling, the navigation apparatus having the hard disk drive continues its navigation operation by displaying the turn list even when an operation of the hard disk drive is stopped due to a function restriction in the high-altitude area.
US08165802B2	Method and apparatus of vehicle navigation system for detecting and avoiding city with crowded streets A system for comparing various routes, identifying delays among the routes, and selecting a more desirable route, even if the desirable route is not the shortest distance, is described. In one embodiment, the more desirable route is the faster route. In one embodiment, the more desirable route is a route with fewer in-route delays. In one embodiment, the system loads a map from a memory and retrieves road level information based on position information of roads and delays. The roads in the map are described at various levels of detail, wherein lower levels contain more detail and relatively higher levels that contain less detail. One embodiment includes detecting a route having links with a substantially larger number of delays and adding an additional penalty cost for the links at higher levels based on penalties computed from the links at lower level road levels. If a current road level is not the highest, one embodiment include adding the additional penalty cost into a “penalty list” of a higher level link having the links of a current road level in order to detect the higher links with a large number of delays while calculating route at a higher level. When calculating a route (or portion of a route) at a higher road level, an additional penalty cost is added to the higher level links if based on the penalty list.
US08165801B1	Navigation service over wireless voice networks A wireless communication device transmits first text messaging to a navigation computer system. The first text messaging indicates an identity, initial location, and destination location for the wireless communication device. The navigation computer system processes the first text messaging to determine navigation instructions from the initial location to the destination location and to initiate a voice call to the wireless communication device. The wireless communication device processes a caller number for the voice call to answer the call in speaker-phone mode and to transfer second text messaging to the navigation computer system. The second text messaging indicates current locations of the wireless communication device. The navigation computer system processes the second text messaging to transfer the navigation instructions over the voice call based on the current locations of the wireless communication device. The wireless communication device receives the navigation instructions over the voice call and audibly presents the navigation instructions.
US08165800B2	Apparatus for and method of providing data to an external application A method of providing data to an external application is provided. The location and time of an object are periodically recorded to form a record of sightings. The record of sightings is then analysed in accordance with at least one criterion specified by the external application to which the data is to be provided. Lists of sightings from the record meeting the at least one criterion are supplied for use by the external application.
US08165798B2	System for evaluating POI and method thereof The present invention relates to a system for evaluating a point of interest (POI) and a method thereof. The system includes a vehicle information center that stores position information of a POI, and a POI evaluation unit for determining whether a user uses the POI or not by using the POI position information, and sends an evaluation result to the vehicle information center after receiving an evaluation of the POI from the user.
US08165791B2	Vehicular fuel consumption notification apparatus and in-vehicle system An actual fuel consumption rate and a tentative fuel consumption rate are repeatedly acquired from an air-conditioning apparatus. The tentative fuel consumption rate is a fuel consumption amount per unit time to generate a power consumed under a post-offset preset temperature being different from a present temperature by an offset temperature. Based on the acquired actual fuel consumption rate and the acquired tentative fuel consumption rate, an actual fuel consumption accumulation amount and a tentative fuel consumption accumulation amount are calculated in the same record period and are recorded as a data set in a travel history database. Then, several data sets recorded over the several record periods are read out from the travel history database. The total of the actual fuel consumption accumulation amounts and the total of the tentative fuel consumption accumulation amounts over the read several data sets are notified.
US08165790B2	Dynamic weather selection The different advantageous embodiments provide a system comprising a weather band selection process and a processor unit. The processor unit is configured to run the weather band selection process. The weather band selection process identifies a flight trajectory associated with an aircraft, identifies weather information for the flight trajectory, and identifies a weather band selection for the aircraft using the flight trajectory, aircraft information and the weather information.
US08165787B2	Method for adjusting engine air-fuel ratio A method for adjusting an air-fuel ratio of an engine is disclosed. In one example, the engine air-fuel ratio is adjusted in response to a duty cycle and frequency of a post catalyst oxygen sensor. The method may improve catalyst efficiency.
US08165784B2	Apparatus and method for learning reference position of variable valve unit In a variable valve unit provided with a variable valve mechanism that varies opening characteristics of an engine valve by rotary motion of a control shaft, an actuator that generates a rotary motion of the control shaft, a stopper restricting the rotary motion of the control shaft, and an angle sensor capable of outputting signals corresponding to angle positions of the control shaft, when the signal of the angle sensor at an angle position where the rotation of the control shaft is restricted by the stopper are learned, the actuator is controlled such that the control shaft is pressed against the stopper, after which drive torque of the actuator is reduced and with the drive torque reduced, signals of the then-angle sensor are stored.
US08165780B2	Boosted engine control responsive to driver selected performance Various systems and methods are described for operating an engine in a vehicle in response to a driver performance/economy mode. One example method comprises delivering a first fuel to a cylinder of the engine from a first injector, delivering a second, different, fuel to the cylinder of the engine from a second injector, varying a relative amount of said first and second fuel as an operating condition varies; and adjusting delivery of at least said second fuel based on a driver-selected performance mode.
US08165779B2	Cascade control of HCCI phasing The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine that can be operated in a homogeneous charge combustion mode as well as a method and a computer readable storage device for controlling such an engine. The engine comprises at least one fuel injector, a fuel injection controller that controls a fuel amount injected into a first cylinder, and a piston in the first cylinder whose compression causes an air and fuel mixture to be ignited. The engine further comprises at least one intake valve, at least one exhaust valve, a valve operation controller, and at least one sensor for measuring an engine operation parameter in the first cylinder. The engine is particularly characterized in that the valve operation controller is adapted to determine the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves of the first cylinder on the basis of a first fuel injection or injections.
US08165777B2	Method to compensate for transmission spin loss for a hybrid powertrain system A powertrain system includes an engine coupled to an input member of a hybrid transmission. The hybrid transmission is operative to transmit torque between the input member and a torque generating machine and an output member. A method for controlling the powertrain system includes monitoring an operator torque request, determining an output torque command and an output speed of the output member, iteratively selecting candidate input speeds to the input member, determining mechanical power loss in the hybrid transmission for each of the candidate input speeds and the output speed, and selecting a preferred input speed comprising the candidate input speed that achieves a minimum mechanical power loss in the hybrid transmission at the output speed.
US08165776B2	Drive assist system A drive assist system includes an assist starting part starting assist, a detection part detecting relative distances and speeds between a vehicles, a calculation part calculating collision risks when changing a lane by the basis of the relative distances and speeds, a first judgment part judging whether the lane can be changed by the relative distances, speeds and the collision risks, a decision part deciding a target space for lane change by the relative distances and speeds when the lane cannot be changed, a second judgment part judging whether a lane changeable space is in the target space, a setting part setting a target speed for the vehicle go to a lane change waiting position when no space and to setting a target speed the vehicle enters a lane changeable position when there is the space, and a control part controlling a speed of the vehicle reaches the target speed.
US08165775B2	System and method for controlling running of a vehicle A vehicle driving control system and method which enables the vehicle can travel through each curve at the optimum speed on an ordinary road and also on a highway. The controller and method uses a car navigation system to detect road classification about the road ahead of where the vehicle is running under guidance. When the road is an ordinary road, the following with respect to the preceding vehicle is given priority; when the road is a highway, the target vehicle speed obtained from the navigation information of car navigation system and the vehicle speed in the following mode are compared with each other, and the lower vehicle speed is selected (select-low) under control. As a result, it is possible to travel through the curves at a reliable speed not only on ordinary roads, but also on highways.
US08165774B2	Cruise control interaction with deceleration fuel cutoff A vehicle control system includes a sensor that generates a vehicle speed signal. A cruise control system generates a cruise control signal to maintain a vehicle at a target speed. A control module compares the vehicle speed signal to the target speed signal. The control module calculates different cruise control gains to delay changes in throttle position of the cruise control system when the vehicle speed signal is greater than the target speed.
US08165773B1	Destination arrival estimates auto-notification based on cellular systems The present, in one embodiment, is directed to a method for determining vehicular speeds over various travel routes that includes the steps: (a) for a plurality of mobile communication devices, determining a respective first geographic location at a first time and a second geographic location at a second later time; (b) determining a respective velocity for each cellular communication device over the distance between the first and second geographic locations; and (c) based on the respective velocities, providing to a driver at least one of (I) a velocity over a selected travel route, (ii) a traffic volume over the selected travel route, and (iii) an estimated time of travel over the selected travel route.
US08165771B2	Vehicle The center of gravity of a vehicle is estimated to obtain, a limit lateral acceleration alim (=aMin, aMax), and the vehicle turns in a target running state (V, γ) requested by an occupant provided the lateral acceleration a* does not exceed the limit lateral acceleration alim. On the other hand, if the requested running state (V, γ) exceeds the limit lateral acceleration aaim, an ideal target running state (V, γ) is limited to an actual target running state (V˜, γ˜) so that the lateral acceleration a* equals to the limit lateral acceleration aaim. Because turning speed and turning curvature are not limited more than necessary, it is possible to achieve maximum use of turning performance of the vehicle up to the limit thereof.
US08165770B2	Trailer oscillation detection and compensation method for a vehicle and trailer combination A system and method of controlling a vehicle with a trailer comprises determining the presence of a trailer, generating an oscillation signal indicative of trailer swaying relative to the vehicle, generating an initial weighted dynamic control signal for a vehicle dynamic control system in response to the oscillation signal, operating at least one vehicle dynamic system according to the dynamic control signal, and thereafter, iteratively generating a penalty function for the weighted dynamic control signal as a function of the oscillation signal response. A neural network with an associated trainer modifies the dynamic control signal as a function of trailer sway response.
US08165768B2	Method for determining trailer braking output A method for providing a trailer equipped with trailer brakes with an electronically controlled trailer braking output to help slow a vehicle/trailer combination as quickly as possible, but in a stable and balanced manner. In situations where a low friction environment is detected, such as a wet or icy road, the present method can brake the trailer in a more aggressive manner than a gain setting would normally allow. This gain-independent segment of the trailer braking output can result in a shorter stopping distance for the vehicle/trailer combination, without causing excessive trailer wheel lockup.
US08165766B2	Method for controlling a drivetrain of a vehicle, with a drive motor and a gearbox A method for controlling a vehicles drivetrain including an engine and automatic transmission, such that transmission ratios are shifted within a range of transmission ratios in a continuous and/or stepped manner as function of preset target speeds that are adjustable via a vehicle speed control and actual vehicle inclinations in relation to the vehicles longitudinal axis. When the actual speed of the vehicle differs from a preset threshold speed, a request to change an actual ratio of the transmission is generated, if it has been determined that the output torque is smaller than a threshold value or an output torque required to adjust the preset threshold speed of the vehicle. The ratio of the transmission is shifted so the torque applied to the output is modified toward the output torque required to adjust the threshold speed.
US08165764B2	Method for controlling an automatic multi-step shift transmission A method of controlling an automatic transmission arranged in a vehicle between a drive motor and an axle drive of a drive axle or a transfer box such that the current road inclination is determined and, after driving onto a downhill stretch of road, to increase a braking action of the drive motor and/or a permanent brake, a shift to a lower gear is carried out and after a transition to a traction operation or after driving onto level ground, a shift to a higher gear is carried out. To improve transmission shifting behavior, when transitioning between a downhill stretch and level ground, it is provided that a function for detecting a downhill run-out is started and if a downhill run-out is detected, and a shift to a higher gear is carried out while still in a thrust operation before driving onto the level ground and/or before the transition to traction operation.
US08165761B2	Apparatus to control airbag for side collision An apparatus to control an airbag for a side collision includes a vehicle inclination detecting unit which detects an inclination of a vehicle relative to a horizontal direction, and a threshold value changing unit which changes a threshold value to operate the airbag for the side collision corresponding to the inclination of the vehicle relative to the horizontal direction detected by the vehicle inclination detecting unit.
US08165760B2	Method and system for electronically operating a vehicle occupant seat safety restraint system An electrically activated, electronically controlled web grabber in conjunction with a pre-impact braking system that holds the vehicle safety belt from the moment of activation, restricting forward movement of the occupant and can be activated prior to the impact to ensure occupant containment and deactivated upon command in order to release after an accident is avoided, or once the impact has started to allow other safety devices to take over control of the belts, for example, by load limiters.
US08165756B2	Steering control device for vehicle A vehicle steering control device includes a yawing value obtaining unit which obtains a yawing value corresponding to a vehicle yawing motion, a stabilizing force calculating unit which calculates a stabilizing force for assisting an operation of a steering operation member, operated by a driver for steering a steered wheel of the vehicle, in a direction opposite a direction of the vehicle yawing motion, based on the yawing value, and a force applying unit which applies the stabilizing force to the steering operation member in the direction opposite the yawing motion direction, wherein the stabilizing force calculating unit includes a counter-steer value calculating unit which calculates a counter-steer value indicating a degree of steering the steered wheel in the direction opposite the yawing motion direction, and wherein the stabilizing force is adjusted based on the counter-steer value.
US08165754B2	Steering control system A steering control system is connectable to a motor configured to control a steering and a LAN (Local Area Network) and is allowed to receive a control signal for controlling said motor from the LAN is received. The steering control system includes: a motor configured to control a steering; a main calculation unit connectable to the LAN; a motor drive circuit connected to the main calculation unit and configured to drive the motor; a sub calculation unit connectable to the LAN; and a motor drive limiting unit connected to the sub calculation unit and configured to limit a drive of the motor.
US08165753B2	Vehicle operation assisting system When a collision avoidance operation determiner determines a collision avoidance operation by a driver, a target assist electrical current calculator calculates a target assist electrical current based on a deviation between a standard yaw rate corrected in accordance with avoidance momentum calculated by an avoidance momentum calculator and an actual yaw rate; and the target assist electrical current is supplied to a steering actuator to assist the collision avoidance operation by the driver. At this time, when an under-steer determiner determines an under-steer state, an assist electrical current is decreased by a reaction force electrical current calculated in a reaction force electrical current calculator. Therefore, a steering angle is prevented from becoming too large due to excessive assist, thereby facilitating a return operation after avoiding an obstacle.
US08165750B2	Vehicle motion control device and method The objective of the present invention is to provide a vehicle motion control device capable of controlling the driving force distribution to the wheels with superior stability and response while effectively utilizing the tire grip. Specifically, the present invention provides a vehicle motion control device for a vehicle, the vehicle having a plurality of wheels and a driving device for driving the wheels based on a driving force/load distribution ratio, having: a force detection unit for detecting forces that act on the wheels; a target distribution ratio calculating unit for obtaining nonlinear terms by use of a group of parameters including the forces detected by the force detection unit, and obtaining a target value of the driving force/load distribution ratio so as to minimize the nonlinear terms, the nonlinear terms being included in elements of a system matrix of equations of state that describe a state of motion of the vehicle; and a driving device control unit for controlling the driving device based on the target value of the driving force/load distribution ratio.
US08165749B2	Control system for adjustable damping force damper A control system for an adjustable damping force damper of a suspension apparatus of a vehicle, includes a lateral acceleration detecting unit detecting a lateral acceleration of the vehicle at a gravity point thereof, a yaw rate detecting unit detecting a yaw rate of the vehicle and a control unit controlling a damping force of the damper. The control unit calculates a first target damping force based on an output of the lateral acceleration detecting unit, calculates a second target damping force based on a lateral acceleration at an axel position which is estimated by an output of the yaw rate detecting unit, compares an absolute value of the first target damping force with that of the second target damping force and sets a target controlling value of the damping force in accordance with the first or second target damping force which has a larger absolute value.
US08165746B2	Industrial truck control system The present invention relates to an industrial truck control system (10) for influencing the driving operation of an industrial truck (A, B) according to irregularities along the route to be traveled by the industrial truck (A, B), the system comprising a sensor device (14) for recording irregularities along the route in assignment to the position of irregularities concerned, a memory device (16) for storing the data recorded by the sensor device, and means (16) for influencing the driving operation of the industrial truck (A, B) in dependence on the respective position of the industrial truck (A, B) and according to the data of the sensor device (14) stored in the memory device (16).
US08165734B2	Method and device for guiding an aircraft Disclosed is a method and device of guiding an aircraft along a flight trajectory to comply with a time constraint for arriving at a required arrival time at a waypoint of the flight trajectory. Speed setpoints are determined according to a speed profile that complies with the required arrival time at the waypoint, based on estimated values of parameters relating to the flight of the aircraft, and by taking account of an upper limit for a maximum speed at which the aircraft flies along the flight trajectory. The determined speed setpoints are applied to the aircraft during guidance of the aircraft along the flight trajectory.
US08165733B2	Stall, buffeting, low speed and high attitude protection system A flight control system moves elevators according to a pilot command summed with an automatic command. The flight control system monitors a set of flight parameters to determine if the flight vehicle is operating inside a permitted envelope. The flight controls system incorporates automatic protections thru the automatic elevator command if the flight vehicle is close to its envelope limits. The exemplary illustrative non-limiting implementation herein provides automatic protections in order to protect the flight vehicle from low speeds, high attitude, stalls and buffetings.
US08165731B2	System for aerial delivery of fire retardant A system for launching, controlling and delivering in a preselected target pattern a plurality of low-cost, guided fire-retardant-containing vehicles, i.e., “smart water bombs” equipped with control surfaces sufficient to provide limited lift and maneuverability to respond to guidance command to place it at a selected GPS coordinate within a large footprint in time and space and to discharge its payload of fire retardant at a preselectable altitude in a very precise manner and dispersion pattern. A controller determines bombing patterns and timing for all bombs and trajectories for each guided bomb. Dynamic differential equations are used to determine location and time of release of the guided bombs to achieve the target while avoiding collisions among guided bombs and aircraft.
US08165729B2	Method and device for estimating the forces exerted on a control surface of an aircraft Disclosed is a method and device for estimating forces exerted on at least one aircraft control surface. The method includes steps of, and the device includes components that carry out steps that include: generating current aircraft flight data; determining, from the generated aircraft flight data, a value Bl based on current deflection data and geometrical characteristics of a lever arm actuator of the at least one aircraft control surface; calculating, from the determined value Bl, at least one hinge moment; summing each calculated hinge moment; and dividing the sum by the value Bl to obtain an estimate of the forces exerted on the least one aircraft control surface.
US08165728B2	Method and system for providing a GPS-based position A cooperative engagement group-position determining system employs a group of at least three cooperative units, for example a group of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV's), with each unit including a GPS system for determining a GPS-based position, an inter-distance measurement module for measuring a distance of the unit relative to at least one other unit, and a computer having a computer-readable storage medium encoded with a program algorithm for correcting the GPS-based position based on at least one relative distance between two units, providing an improved GPS-based position for the unit and for the group. The system can also include a ground controller, for example, for providing flight control for UAV's.
US08165727B2	Information processing apparatus and cooling control method According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a main body, a heating device provided in the main body, a cooling fan provided in the main body, which cools the heating device, a temperature sensor provided in the main body, which senses a temperature of the heating device, and a fan control unit provided in the main body, which rotates the cooling fan at a first rotation speed or higher during power-on of the main body and switches a rotation speed of the cooling fan to a second rotation speed which is higher than the first rotation speed when the temperature of the heating device sensed by the temperature sensor reaches a given threshold value.
US08165726B2	Water heater energy savings algorithm for reducing cold water complaints An energy savings water heater is described. The water heater is controlled by an energy savings algorithm that uses one or more of a variable setpoint differential, a variable setback threshold, additional setback thresholds, and an adjustable minimal setpoint to improve the operation of an energy efficient water heater. Additionally or alternatively, a different setback control algorithm may be used that obtains additional data to adjust the setpoint. As a result, the operating cost of the water heater is reduced, while minimizing user complaints of cold water.
US08165723B2	Real-time system for verification and monitoring of protective device settings within an electrical power distribution network and automatic correction of deviances found A system for real-time verification of protective device system configuration settings on a monitored system, is disclosed. The system includes a data acquisition component, a virtual system model database, a protective device system verification engine. The data acquisition component is communicatively connected to a sensor configured to real-time protective device configuration data output from a protective device that is part of the monitored system. The virtual system model database is configured to update a virtual mode of the system based on the status of the protective devices and to store a virtual system model of the monitored system, including preset protective device configuration settings for the protective device. The protective device system verification engine configured to monitor the real-time protective device configuration data and the preset protective device configuration settings and generate a warning when there is a difference between the real-time protective device configuration data and the preset protective device configuration settings.
US08165720B2	Automatic environmental adjustment system A system automatically adjusts environmental condition by detecting an environment value and controlling a window blinds and an environmental regulator according to a comparison between the environment value and a predetermined environment value.
US08165719B2	System and method for an electrical insulating shutter system A system, and a method for manufacturing that system, for electrically and automatically opening, closing and otherwise controlling window shutters on a building, for the purposes of limiting radiant, conductive, and convective thermal losses from the inside of the building to the outside during the heating season, and limiting radiant, conductive, and convective thermal gains from the outside of the building to the inside during the cooling season. The system further comprises an interface to accommodate connection to other sensors not used to control the thermal environment of the building, such as motion detectors, burglar alarms, CO sensors and the like.
US08165699B2	Programmable controller system A programmable controller system includes a programmable controller apparatus, a remote input and output apparatus connected to the programmable controller apparatus via a field bus and a monitoring apparatus configured to be located on a communication path between the programmable controller apparatus and the remote input and output apparatus and to monitor a communication data therebetween. The monitoring apparatus includes a rewritable tag for prescribing a condition for issuing a transmission request command with respect to an external equipment deterioration diagnosis and a command issuing part issues a transmission request command required for the external equipment deterioration diagnosis with reference to the tag. A preferable data logging operation is carried out properly without any PLC operation.
US08165698B2	Face mask A face mask for cleansing of facial skin. The face mask 100 comprises two or more electrodes 22, 23 to which an electric cleansing signal generated by a cleansing signal generator of the face mask is conveyable, the electrodes provided in the face mask 100 being arranged as electrode pairs 24 which comprise a positive electrode 22 and a negative electrode 23 such that all electrode pairs 24 reside in the face mask 100 substantially in the facial area. The face mask is characterized in that the outer edge of the face mask 100 has an edge portion 101 provided with gripping means 120 for fitting the face mask onto the skin of a user of the face mask.
US08165694B2	Thermal management of implantable medical devices Systems and techniques for thermal management of implantable medical devices. In one aspect an implantable device includes an active component configured to perform medical activities, a charging component configured to convert energy from outside a body in which the implantable device is implanted into potential energy, and a thermal barrier between the charging component and the active portion. The thermal barrier thermally isolates the charging component from the active portion so that thermal resistance between the charging component and the active component is above the thermal resistance between the charging component and the body.
US08165689B1	Methods and systems of compensating for a disabled electrode An exemplary method of compensating for a disabled electrode within an array of electrodes includes selecting at least two non-adjacent electrodes surrounding the disabled electrode and simultaneously applying stimulation current to the at least two non-adjacent electrodes. The stimulation current is configured to generate a pitch associated with the disabled electrode. Corresponding systems for compensating for a disabled electrode are also described.
US08165688B2	Frequency analyzer for MEMS based cochlear implant with self power supply Disclosed is a frequency analyzer for a MEMS based cochlear implant with self power supply. The frequency analyzer for a MEMS based cochlear implant includes: an upper structure including a first substrate, and a nano wire contact portion formed under the first substrate and coated with a high conductivity metal; and a lower structure including a second substrate having a space filled with a fluid and an upper portion of which is opened, a membrane formed on the fluid filled in the space of the second substrate, a first electrode formed on the membrane, and a nano wire formed on the first electrode and having the piezoelectric characteristics related to an arbitrary direction in which the nano wire is grown.
US08165683B2	Method and apparatus for detection of nervous system disorders Systems and methods for detecting and/or treating nervous system disorders, such as seizures. Certain embodiments of the invention relate generally to implantable medical devices (IMDs) adapted to detect and treat nervous system disorders in patients with an IMD. Certain embodiments of the invention include detection of seizures based upon comparisons of long-term and short-term representations of physiological signals. Other embodiments include prediction of seizure activity based upon analysis of physiological signal levels. An embodiment of the invention monitors the quality of physiological signals, and may be able to compensate for signals of low signal quality. A further embodiment of the invention includes detection of seizure activity following the delivery of therapy.
US08165681B2	Method for blocking activation of tissue or conduction of action potentials while other tissue is being therapeutically activated A desired effect is produced by therapeutically activating tissue at a first site within a patient's body and a corresponding undesired side effect is reduced by blocking activation of tissue or conduction of action potentials at a second site within the patient's body by applying high frequency stimulation and/or direct current pulses at or near the second site. Time-varying DC pulses may be used before or after a high frequency blocking signal. The high frequency stimulation may begin before and continue during the therapeutic activation. The high frequency stimulation may begin with a relatively low amplitude, and the amplitude may be gradually increased. The desired effect may be promotion of micturition or defecation and the undesired side effect may be sphincter contraction.
US08165674B2	Methods and apparatus to increase secretion of endogenous naturetic hormones A method and apparatus for treatment of heart failure by increasing secretion of endogenous naturetic hormones ANP and BNP such as by stimulation of the heart atria. Heart pacing is done at an atrial contraction rate that is increased and can be higher than the ventricular contraction rate. Pacing may include mechanical distension of the right atrial appendage. An implantable device is used to periodically cyclically stretch the walls of the appendage with an implanted balloon.
US08165668B2	Method for magnetic modulation of neural conduction Methods and related systems for modulating neural activity by repetitively blocking conduction in peripheral neural structures with magnetic stimuli are disclosed. Methods and systems for reversing effects of blocking stimuli and/or for producing substantially permanent conduction block are also disclosed.
US08165667B2	Methods and systems for optimizing exercise compliance diagnostic parameters A medical device detects certain patient activity based on a programmable activity threshold and determines the duration of detected activity. The activity threshold may be optimized by obtaining first and second duration measurements for at least one of a first activity session and second activity session. The first duration measurement is based on the activity threshold, while the second duration measurement is based on actual start and stop of the activity session. An adjustment of the activity threshold is suggested based on a correspondence between the first duration measurement and the second duration measurement of the first activity session, or a correspondence between the first duration measurement and the second duration measurement of the second activity session. One of the first and second activities is non-significant activity expected to be undetected by the device, while the other of the two activities is low-level activity expected to be detected by the device.
US08165666B1	System and method for reconstructing cardiac activation information An example system and method of reconstructing cardiac activation information are disclosed. A first cardiac signal and a second cardiac signal are processed via a computing device to determine whether there is a point of change in a derivative of the first cardiac signal with respect to a derivative of the second cardiac signal above a threshold. An activation onset time is assigned in the first cardiac signal at the point of change to define cardiac activation indicating a beat in the first cardiac signal if it is determined that the point of change is above the threshold.
US08165664B1	Systems and methods for increased specificity in diagnostics Specific embodiments provided herein relate to diagnosing, with improved specificity, occurrences of episodes relating to disorders that are known to affect T-wave morphology. One or more propensity metric is obtained, each of which is indicative of a patient's propensity for a specific disorder that is known to affect T-wave morphology. T-wave variability is monitored. Additionally, there is monitoring for a specific change in T-wave morphology that is known to be indicative of episodes relating to a disorder. When the specific change in T-wave morphology is detected, a diagnosis is determined for detecting the specific change in T-wave morphology, taking into account the propensity metric(s) and the T-wave variability.
US08165663B2	Vasculature and lymphatic system imaging and ablation In an embodiment, an untethered device includes one or more first energy sources configured to provide energy to elicit one or more image responses associated with one or more blood vessels or lymph vessels. The device includes one or more sensors configured to capture the one or more image responses. Control circuitry is provided and coupled to the sensors for at least partially identifying one or more targets at least partially based on the captured one or more image responses. One or more inserts are provided, which are configured to be disposed in the one or more blood vessels or lymph vessels, and slow or trap the blood vessels or lymph vessels therein. One or more second energy sources are provided for ablating the one or more targets when they are slowed or trapped by the one or more inserts.
US08165659B2	Modeling method and apparatus for use in surgical navigation A modeling method for use in surgical navigation is provided. The method acquires a finite number of pre-defined points from a patient's bone and registers the points with a surgical navigation system. The navigation system generates and displays a three-dimensional image of a warped bone model that is manipulatable and accurate in at least the locations of the points taken and can be used to calculate the locations of bone cuts, implant positions and sizes, as well as display all of this information on the three-dimensional warped model.
US08165654B2	Textile structure for detecting body surface electrical signals of human and signal detector using the same A textile structure for detecting body surface electrical signals of human is provided. The textile structure includes a non-conductive textile, a conductive textile, and a plurality of test terminals. The non-conductive textile covers the human body. The conductive textile has a first region, a second region, and a third region. The first region is interdigitated into but not electrically coupled to the third region. The first to third test terminals are respectively coupled to the first to third regions of the conductive textile. The first and second test terminals are used for detecting ECG signals. The first and third test terminals are used for detecting respiratory signals.
US08165645B2	Mobile communication terminal case and method of manufacturing the same There is provided a mobile communication terminal case including: a case body of a mobile communication terminal having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a via hole formed through the first surface and the second surface; a conductive pattern provided on the first surface of the case body; a carrier film provided on the first surface of the case body to cover the conductive pattern; and conductive epoxy filling the via hole and having one end thereof in contact with the conductive pattern.

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