| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08186626B1 |
GPS based orbit determination of a spacecraft in the presence of thruster maneuvers
A system for determining and controlling an orbit of a spacecraft may include a GPS receiver mounted to the spacecraft to receive GPS information from a plurality of GPS satellites visible to the GPS receiver for determining a position of the spacecraft relative to a reference coordinate system. The system may also include a filter configuration control module to sense a thruster maneuver operation to adjust the orbit of the spacecraft. The system may also include an orbit determination filter to determine at least one of a spacecraft position, velocity, and residue acceleration based on the GPS information and information from the filter configuration control module related to the thruster maneuver operation. |
| US08186623B2 |
Controllable drogue
A refueling drogue assembly including a refueling drogue receptacle, a control unit including a duct, and a refueling hose connector adapted to rigidly couple the control unit to an aerial refueling hose. In some embodiments, the control unit is flexibly coupled to the refueling drogue receptacle. In some embodiments, the control unit is adapted to change an orientation of at least a portion of the duct relative to a longitudinal axis of the control unit. |
| US08186615B2 |
Rotor head of remotely-controlled helicopter and remotely-controlled helicopter
A remote controlled helicopter of a single rotor type to be used indoors, having a flying operation that can be stabilized and operability that can be improved. The helicopter includes a center hub that supports a rotor head to a mainmast, and is divided into an upper center hub and a lower center hub. The upper and the lower center hubs are fixed around the shaft of the mainmast with a predetermined angle. A phase angle of a main rotor as an output with respect to an operation input from a swash plate becomes an acute angle, and the main rotor and a stabilizer are mounted to rotate with a phase difference of the acute angle. |
| US08186613B2 |
Device and method for cutting and winding a tubular resin film
A device and method are provided for continuously manufacturing a thermoplastic resin film product of any width having a small film thickness and uniform flat surface at an excellent yield.A tubular resin film cutting and winding device for cutting a tubular resin film 1a into a helical shape and winding a long film 1b, comprising a cutting device having a cutting member 2 for cutting a tubular resin film 1a; a winding device 4 for winding the cut long film 1b; and a guide rollers 3 for guiding the cut long film to the winding device, wherein the cutting member 2 and the guide rollers 3 have a mechanism for rotation in the circumferential direction of the tubular resin film. |
| US08186611B1 |
Segmented knife assembly with replaceable wear segments
A segmented knife assembly for a mixer apparatus is disclosed. The knife assembly has a front, a rear, and a perimeter with a cutting edge forming a portion of the perimeter. The segmented knife assembly includes a support portion positioned toward the rear of the knife assembly for positioning on the auger of the mixer apparatus when the knife assembly is mounted on the mixer apparatus, and a positioning portion on the support portion and defining at least one positioning pocket, with the pocket being oriented toward the cutting edge of the knife assembly. The assembly also include a cutting portion removably positioned in the pocket of the positioning portion. The cutting portion includes a cutting edge section that forms at least a portion of the cutting edge of the knife assembly. |
| US08186607B2 |
Hybrid irrigation system
An improved method and system is described for applying a leach solution to ore in the process of heap leaching. The Hybrid Irrigation System (HIS) relies on both surface solution delivery techniques as well as sub-surface solution application to improve the solution uniformity and metallurgical performance of a leaching process. The methods and systems allow for controlled application of leach solution with a hydraulic head applied that can be adjusted or varied depending on the conditions of the ore from negative, atmospheric or positive pressure, while distributing leaching solution in a uniform manner independent of surface variability with respect to elevation and infiltration capacity of the ore surface. The systems and methods have particular application to low permeability ores like high clay content copper, silver, uranium, and gold ores and nickel/cobalt laterite, but can be used in any heap leach application where control must be maintained with respect to surface ponding, stability and accessibility, and uniform reagent distribution, resulting in improved leaching performance. |
| US08186604B2 |
Thermostat apparatus
An apparatus includes a movable temperature sensing member capable of sensing mainly the temperature of high-temperature coolant flowing in from a high-temperature coolant port and driving toward the side of the high-temperature coolant port in dependence upon the sensed temperature; a main valve fitted integrally to the movable temperature sensing member and constructed so as to render a low-temperature coolant port and a mixing compartment openable in conformity to the driving of the movable temperature sensing member toward the side of the high-temperature coolant port, thereby controlling the inflow rate of low-temperature coolant from the low-temperature coolant port to the mixing compartment; and a high-temperature coolant inducing part communicating with the high-temperature coolant port and adapted to regulate the flow of high-temperature coolant from the high-temperature coolant port toward the surround of the movable temperature sensing member and effect outflow thereof to the mixing compartment. |
| US08186602B2 |
Multi-application contactless smart card
A multi-application contactless smart card system and method. The user may select application using selection mechanism located on the smart card or at the contactless reader. The selection means may be connected to the contact I/O pin of the processor of the smart card. In some embodiments, the processor of the smart card may read the user selection through the contact I/O pin during a simulated contact transaction, evoke the desired application and perform the contactless transaction. During the simulated contact transaction power up sequence is preserved by extracting power signals to the contact VDD pin from the RF signal. Alternatively, the state of the selection mechanism may be sampled continuously or at convenient time intervals, enabling further switching between applications during a single contactless session. |
| US08186595B2 |
Indicia reading apparatus having image sensing integrated circuit
There is provided in one embodiment an indicia reading apparatus having an integrated circuit that includes an image sensor array. The integrated circuit can output a pixel value output to represent an average of light incident on an adjacent set of pixels of the image sensor array. |
| US08186594B2 |
Image processing method and apparatus thereof
The characteristic variations of a printer largely influence the recognition precision of code information, and the recognition precision of code information appended to printed matter cannot often be guaranteed depending on printers. To solve this problem, a printer forms a predetermined chart, and the image forming characteristics of the printer are detected from the code information recorded on the chart. A generation method of generating code information obtained by encoding information to a regular sequence of a pixel cluster is controlled in accordance with the image forming characteristics. |
| US08186589B2 |
UAV decision and control system
The present invention relates to a hierarchical system and method for task assignment (TA), coordination and communication of multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (DAV's) engaging multiple attack targets and conceives an ad-hoc routing algorithm for synchronization of target lists utilizing a distributed computing topology. Assuming limited communication bandwidth and range, coordination of UAV motion is achieved by implementing a simple behavioral flocking algorithm utilizing a tree topology for target list routing. The TA algorithm is based on a graph-theoretic approach, in which a node locates all the detectable targets, identifies them and computes its distance to each target. The node then produces an attack plan that minimizes the sum of distances of the UAV's in the subtree of a given node to the targets. |
| US08186587B2 |
Tagging methods and apparatus
A method of tagging and sterilizing an item, the method including the steps of: providing an item (12) that is to be sterilized and tagged; applying an RFID tagging device (22) to said item, said tagging device including a data store (30) formed from an array of micromechanical resonant members (34), said resonant members being configured to vibrate in accordance with an applied RF signal, so as to provide a data response; and sterilizing said tagged item by autoclaving and/or by irradiation. |
| US08186586B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for smart card pin management via an unconnected reader
A system of changing the PIN associated with a smart card is described. A user can initiate the PIN change using a personal unwired smart card reader, rather than using a system, such as an ATM machine. The smart card reader, loaded with the smart card provides a cryptogram code, which can contain the user's requested new PIN or it can be provided to the issuer via alternative methods. Via various methods the cryptogram code is delivered to the card issuer's PIN change management system, including the user transposing the code from smart card reader screen to the card issuer's web site or audio DTMF transmission from the smart card reader speaker to the card issuer IVR system. Returned from the issuer, via a similar path, will be a command code that when processed by the smart card reader will result in a PIN change on the smart card. |
| US08186584B1 |
Control system for cashless transactions at metered vending output devices
A local area network has a first node to receive an input in the form of account identification data, and a second node to receive this input from the first node via a transport layer protocol. A vending control device connected to the second node includes a relay to be activated and deactivated by the second node. The relay is to enable and disable the functioning of an output device. A circuit is to meter an amount of output processed by the output device. The vending control device is to communicate the amount of output that has been processed to the second node. The second node calculates a cost of the processed output and sends the cost via the transport layer protocol to a remote server. The remote server in turn sends the costs to a gateway through which a payment transaction is settled. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08186567B2 |
Method for forming a weldbonded structure
A method for weldbonding at least two work-pieces together includes applying an adhesive to a first surface of a first work-piece, and bringing the first surface of the first work-piece into contact with a surface of a second work-piece. The first work-piece and second work-piece are then friction stir or friction stir spot welded together, and the adhesive is cured. The use of bonding tools to maintain the two work-pieces together during curing of the adhesive is eliminated. |
| US08186562B1 |
Apparatus for increasing coverage of shielding gas during wire bonding
A main body of an apparatus for delivering shielding gas during wire bonding of an electronic device has a through-hole in the main body which is sized for allowing a capillary tip of a bonding tool to be insertable through the main body when performing wire bonding. At least one gas outlet located on a bottom surface of the main body adjacent to the through-hole is operative to direct an inert gas in a direction towards the electronic device. At least one gas inlet in the main body is operative to supply the inert gas to the through-hole and to the gas outlet. |
| US08186560B2 |
Surgical stapling systems and staple cartridges for deploying surgical staples with tissue compression features
A surgical staple having at least one projection formed thereon. In various embodiments, the projection is formed on a crown of the surgical staple. In one various embodiment, the projection surrounds, or is positioned adjacent to, at least one deformable member of the surgical staple. In one embodiment, the projection can apply an increased compressive force or pressure to soft tissue surrounding the deformable member prior to the deformable members puncturing a hole in the soft tissue. As a result of the increased compressive force or pressure on the tissue, after staple deployment, blood flow proximate deformable member puncture holes can be reduced. |
| US08186558B2 |
Locking mechanism for use with loading units
A loading unit configured for engagement with a surgical instrument having a firing rod is disclosed. The loading unit comprises a proximal body portion, a tool assembly, and a knife assembly. The tool assembly is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the proximal body portion. The knife assembly is movably disposed at least partially within the proximal body portion and includes a proximal end positioned to engage the firing rod, and includes a first arm and a second arm. The first arm is biased towards the longitudinal axis via a biasing force. The biasing force is selected to allow the first arm to deflect when the firing rod is advanced. The first arm and the second arm of the knife assembly are configured to engage a firing rod of a surgical instrument as the surgical instrument is being actuated. |
| US08186556B2 |
Variable compression surgical fastener apparatus
A surgical fastener applying apparatus includes an anvil section and a cartridge section, where the cartridge section and the anvil section are movable from an unclamped position to a clamped position to clamp tissue therebetween. The cartridge section has a plurality of retention slots. A plurality of first surgical fasteners and a plurality of second surgical fasteners are disposed within a corresponding retention slot. The plurality of first surgical fasteners has a first backspan with a first configuration and the plurality of second surgical fasteners has a second backspan with a second configuration. The first configuration is different from the second configuration. In addition, when the first configuration applies a first compressive force to tissue upon formation of the plurality of first surgical fasteners and the second configuration applies a second compressive force to tissue upon formation of the plurality of second surgical fasteners, the second compressive force is different from the first compressive force. |
| US08186554B2 |
Tapered guide bushing for reciprocating driver and tool incorporating same
A guide bushing for a reciprocating nailer includes a body having a cylindrical portion and a tapered portion. An aperture extends through the body for receiving a driving rod. The tapered portion of the guide bushing extends from the nailer and is configured to fit into tight spaces, such as corners and along the tongues or grooves of, for instance, tongue and groove flooring, to fully support a nail as it is driven into the tight space. The guide bushing can be a multiple part or multiple stage bushing for more flexibility and utility. The aperture through the center of the bushing can also be stepped to cooperate with a stepped driving rod for closer holding of narrower nails. A boot can be placed at the tip of the guide bushing to provide a cushion and further retention of a nail held by the nailer. |
| US08186553B2 |
Fastener driving tool
A fastener driving tool providing a prolonged durability and stabilized fastener driving operation. The tool includes a housing 2, a motor 31 disposed in the housing 2, a plunger 63 disposed in the housing and driven by the motor 31 for driving a nail 1A, a cable member 52 connected to the plunger 63 for pulling the plunger 63 from its bottom dead center where the nail is driven into a workpiece to a top dead center, and a drum 51 driven by the motor for winding the cable member thereover. A cable member is wound over the drum by a length greater than a linear distance between the bottom dead center and the top dead center. The cable member is flexed or deflected due to own weight when the plunger is at the bottom dead center. |
| US08186551B2 |
Sheet material dispenser
A powered dispenser tor dispensing individual sheet segments from a continuous roll of sheet material provided with spaced tear lines comprises a powered feed mechanism, a releasable, powered drive mechanism, a powered transfer mechanism, a pair of web sensing sensors, a capacitive sensing system providing automatic sensitivity adjustment, and control circuitry. A dual power supply system provides a mechanical lock-out functionality, and the control system is protected from electrostatic build-up on the surface of the feed roller. The web sensor, and an antenna plate of the capacitive sensing system, are provided on respective printed circuit boards mounted in overlying relation. Utilizing signals received from the pair of web sensors and the capacitive sensing system, the control circuitry senses the presence of a user to activate the powered drive mechanism, and prevents further dispensing of the sheet material until a previously dispensed segment is separated from the roll. The web sensors detection of a leading edge of the sheet material initiates a predetermined interval of sheet material advancement providing a proper placement of successive tear lines. |
| US08186539B2 |
Trash bin
A cover device for a trash bin includes a base member, which has a first end and a second end. A compartment is formed at the first end and an opening is defined between the first and second ends of the base member through which trash can be thrown into the trash bin. A cover member includes a cover portion and a connected element. At least one elastic device includes an elastic element having a first end provided at the compartment and a second end coupled to the connected element. The cover member can be rotated between a first position and a second position. While in the second position of the cover member, the elastic element is released to lift the cover member upward, with the cover portion being completely exposed from the base member outward. |
| US08186538B2 |
Food-holding receptacle for use with a beverage container
An aid is provided for dining in situations where a food holding receptacle (such as a plate) and a beverage container must be simultaneously supported by a single hand. The food holding receptacle is stably mountable on an upright beverage container. The user holds a lower portion of the beverage container in one hand and uses the other hand to take food items from the receptacle that is supported on the beverage container. In order to drink from the beverage container the user removes the receptacle from the beverage container and drinks from the beverage container. The food holding receptacle is stably mounted on the beverage container in loose-fitting relationship so the receptacle can be repeatedly mounted on and demounted from the beverage container in a facile manner. The food holding receptacle may also be used to stably support a beverage container following inversion of the receptacle. |
| US08186537B2 |
Vented closure for container
A vented closure is provided for use on a liquid container. The body of the closure (16) includes a dispensing port and a vent (28) extending therethrough with the vent adjacent the dispensing port (26). The tube (32) extends through the dispensing port (26) and has a flange (38) extending laterally therefrom, engaging the outer surface (20) of the closure body. A flexible seal (40) member is positioned on the tube (32), spaced from the inner surface (28) and having a frusto-conical shape where the inner end (40a) of the member is formed at the tube (32). The outer end (40b) is spaced away from the tube (32) and engages the inner surface (28) of the closure body (16), forming a hollow area (41) between the member (40) and the tube (32). The flexible seal member (40) is movable radially away from the tube (32) and away from the inner surface (28) to the inflow of air through the vent and over the flexible seal member (40). |
| US08186532B2 |
Can lid
In this can lid, a rivet-slanting inhibitor which flows a metal of the can lid main body located between the rivet to the rivet side thereby correcting or preventing the slanting of the rivet is formed on a location in an opposite area which is opposed to an opening part across the rivet except for the coining part. |
| US08186531B2 |
Tamper-evident container
A container includes a receptacle having a bottom panel, at least one wall extending upwardly from the bottom panel, and a lid coupling region extending from an upper portion of the at least one wall. The lid coupling region includes an upstanding barrier wall, and a locking member movable from a blocking position to a non-blocking position. The container further comprises a lid having a receptacle coupling region extending about the periphery thereof. The receptacle coupling region includes an outer edge that seats behind the barrier wall. A portion of the outer edge can be exposed for gripping access to remove the lid when the locking member is moved to the non-blocking position. |
| US08186528B2 |
Pressure container with differential vacuum panels
An improved blow molded plastic container having generally rounded sidewalls that are adapted for hot-fill applications has two adjacent sides and two pairs of controlled deflection panels, each pair reacting to vacuum pressure at differing rates of movement, whereby one pair inverts under vacuum pressure and the other pair remains available for increased squeezability or extreme vacuum extraction. The opposing sidewalls are symmetric relative to vacuum panel and rib shape and placement. The ribs and controlled deflection panels cooperate to retain container shape upon filling and cooling and also improves bumper denting resistance, decreases vacuum pressure within the container, and increases light weight capability. |
| US08186525B2 |
Coupler and anti-creep mechanism for the same
An anti-creep mechanism for coupler includes a lower lockpin rod, a coupler shank and a rotation shaft. The rotation shaft is disposed in an elongate mounting hole of the lower lockpin rod and a circular mounting hole of the coupler shank so that the lower lockpin rod and the coupler shank are hinged together. A boss is axially disposed on an upper surface of the rotation shaft, and a groove is axially provided in a wall of the mounting hole of the coupler shank above the rotation shaft to receive the boss of the rotation shaft. The rotation shaft is axially movable relative to the lower lockpin rod and the coupler shank and has two operating positions. When the rotation shaft is moved to the first operating position, an inner end portion of the boss is positioned in the elongate mounting hole of the lower lockpin rod, and a top wall of this elongate mounting hole abuts against the boss. If this lower lockpin rod is rotated in a coupler unlocking direction, the anti-creep bulge of the lower lockpin rod abuts against the anti-creep surface of the coupler shank. When the rotation shaft is moved to the second operating position, the boss is positioned in the groove of the mounting hole of the coupler shank, and the top wall of this elongate mounting hole abuts against an outer circumferential surface of the rotation shaft. The anti-creep mechanism for coupler of the present invention has a reliable dual anti-unlocking performance for coupler. Besides, the present invention further discloses a coupler. |
| US08186524B2 |
Tray for carrying food and contained beverages
A tray is disclosed for carrying food on dinnerware between a restaurant kitchen to customers. The tray includes a vertically disposed support member having upper and lower ends with a handle being secured to the upper end of the support member. A plurality of vertically spaced and horizontally disposed disc-shaped members are selectively rotatably secured to the support member. Different sizes and shapes of dinnerware may be carried by the tray by inserting the inner ends thereof between the outer ends of the support members. The tray is also designed to be able to carry wine bottles and wine glasses. |
| US08186521B2 |
Wall rack
A wall rack includes two parallel sliding rails each having a plurality of protrusions spaced along the length, a frame having two pairs of first hooks at the front side, two stop members respectively connected to the first hooks and two pairs of second hooks hooked on and movable along the sliding rails, a storage basket having two mounting rods respectively secured to the first hooks, and a positioning device formed of an axle that is pivotally coupled to the frame, a retaining rod and a bearing member and biasable relative the frame to lock the frame to the sliding rails where the retaining rod is stopped at the top side of one protrusion of each of the two sliding rails and the bearing member is stopped against one stop member of the frame. |
| US08186519B2 |
Porous cured epoxy resin
A porous object comprising a three-dimensional network skeleton of a cured epoxy resin and having interconnecting pores, characterized in that the three-dimensional network skeleton forms a non-particle-aggregation type porous object constituted of a three-dimensional branched columnar structure, the proportion of aromatic-ring-derived carbon atoms to all the carbon atoms as a component of the cured epoxy resin is 0.10-0.65, and the porous object has a porosity of 20-80% and an average pore diameter of 0.5-50 μm. |
| US08186516B2 |
Document processing system having a turn-around loop with component repositioning
A document processing system is disclosed. The document processing system includes one or more document guide components defining a path of travel of documents, the path of travel of documents including an intersection portion. The document processing system also includes a component repositioning element at the intersection portion of the path of travel of documents, the component repositioning element arranged to align a document processing component with a portion of the path of travel in which a document resides. |
| US08186515B2 |
Method and separator system for separating magnetic particles, separator column for use in a separator system
Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) requires high-performing tracer materials that are highly magnetic monodispersed particles with fast remagnetization behavior. Known separation techniques only allow for fractionation of magnetic particles based on differences in magnetic volume. Proposed is a separation method, which allows for separation of magnetic particles with respect to their dynamic response onto an oscillating high gradient magnetic field. |
| US08186514B2 |
Transparent carrying case for portable electronic devices
A protective case for a portable electronic device combines a first side panel, a second, transparent side panel opposite the first side panel, and a peripheral side panel that is connected to both the first and second side panels. The second, transparent side panel is formed of first and second transparent layers that are bonded together to form a panel having a plurality of uniform, trapped-gas cells, each one fully sealed from all other cells. The transparent side panel enables full visibility of the contents of the case while providing cushioning for the contents. The first side panel also provides cushioning. |
| US08186513B2 |
Box construction
Box constructions suitable for packaging, storing and transporting small objects including flat rectangular objects of any size such as books, CD's, DVD's, and the like. The box construction has an outer member which surrounds an inner member. An object is packaged by attaching an object onto a surface of the inner member; positioning the inner member on the outer member; folding panel of the outer member around the object on the inner member; and attaching the panels of the outer member thus enclosing the object within the box construction. |
| US08186511B2 |
Apparatus and method for reconstituting a pharmaceutical and preparing the reconstituted pharmaceutical for transient application
An apparatus for preparing a pharmaceutical for transient application includes a tray having a sealed compartment, a vial of an ophthalmic formulation of mitomycin-C, a diluent carrier containing sterilized water, and a syringe that are all contained together in a single package. The component parts of the apparatus are used together to reconstitute the contents of the vial with the water in the diluent carrier, and then draw the reconstituted drug into the sealed compartment of the tray by a suction force produced by the syringe. In the tray compartment, the reconstituted drug is absorbed in an absorbent pad. The tray is opened to remove the pad and the absorbed drug from the tray compartment for use of the pad in transient application of the drug. |
| US08186507B2 |
Stand golf bag with mechanism to secure clubs
A mechanism cooperable with the stand mechanism in a stand golf bag secures the clubs in position when the bag is not on the ground and releases the clubs when the bag is set on the ground. |
| US08186501B2 |
Conveying device for packaged items and a method for operating such a device
A conveying device for packaged items, e.g. goods carriers, containers, storage boxes, packages etc., includes at least one conveying mechanism, e.g. a conveying roller, a conveyor belt, or a conveying chain. A method operates the conveying device with a drive device and with at least one operable coupling between a drive mechanism of the drive device and the conveying mechanism. The coupling includes a gap chamber designed for holding a transmission mechanism between a first and a second coupling element. Adjacent to the gap chamber a regulating element is arranged which creates a power coupling between the coupling elements and is controlled by a control or regulating device. |
| US08186491B2 |
Torque transmission device
The invention is a torque transmission device, in particular in the power train of a motor vehicle, having a hydrodynamic torque converter that includes a converter cover connected with a drive unit. The torque transmission device is connectable via an impeller with a turbine wheel. The connection with the turbine wheel can be bypassed by means of a torque converter clutch. The clutch comprises a piston, which relative to the converter cover, is displaceable axially restrictedly. The invention is characterized in that pins are fixed on the piston; the pins extend in the axial direction and serve for splined connection of the piston with the converter cover. |
| US08186486B2 |
Inertia brake
An inertia brake assembly is disclosed. In an embodiment, the inertia brake includes a rotor hub subassembly and an inertia brake subassembly. The inertia brake subassembly includes a first reaction plate arranged opposite a first side of the rotor hub assembly, a second reaction plate arranged opposite a second side of the rotor hub assembly, and one or more connector subassemblies connecting the first reaction plate to the second reaction plate. The one or more connector subassemblies include at least one or more resilient straps, and a spacer disposed between the one or more resilient straps and one of the first and second reaction plates. The spacer is arranged about a diameter of the rotor hub subassembly. In an embodiment, the inertia brake assembly includes a sleeve. An inertia brake subassembly is also disclosed. |
| US08186485B2 |
Electric parking brake
Disclosed is an electric parking brake. The electric parking brake includes a motor which forms torque through an electric device, multi-stage gears coupled with the motor, a gear wheel which is mechanically linked with the multi-stage gears, a screw nut which has a hollow structure, and is integrally formed with an inner circumferential surface of the gear wheel, a spindle geared with an inner circumferential surface of the screw nut to move in a shaft direction according to rotation of the gear wheel, a parking cable linked with the spindle at an outlet side of the spindle remote from the gear wheel, a stopper member fixed to an outer circumferential surface of a second end opposite to a first end of the spindle linked with the parking cable to prevent the spindle from excessively rotating when breaking is released. In the electric parking brake, the stopper member is fixed on the outer circumferential surface of an end opposite to one end of the spindle linked with the parking cable. In braking, the spindle moves in a direction to pull the parking cable such that the parking cable is pulled to the inner part of the screw nut. The length of the spindle and the space occupied by the spindle are reduced, so that the manufacturing cost can be significantly reduced. |
| US08186479B2 |
Roof scaffolding system
The disclosed scaffolding system utilizes elongated members/rails that define a rectangular, e.g., square, cross-section and are adapted to be joined relative to each other using a nesting sleeve or union. The elongated members/rails are thus routinely joined to each other in the field using pre-defined apertures and cooperative hitch pins. L-shaped rail-mounting brackets are typically mounted at “top” ends of the elongated members/rails, i.e., the ends of the elongated members/rails to be positioned at/adjacent the roof apex. The L-shaped rail-mounting brackets include a sleeve portion of rectangular/square cross-section that is adapted to cooperate with the elongated member/rail through a telescoping action, and appropriate pins/aperture alignment may be used for securement purposes. |
| US08186478B1 |
Multi-functional dual filtered hearing protector
The present embodiment represents a dynamic Multi-Functional Dual Filtered Hearing Protector that will allow the wearer to hear intelligible speech or warning sounds, while the wearer is present in an environment surrounded by loud noise or impact sounds. The automatic attenuation provided by this hearing protector will increase, as the sound pressure levels increase, thus requiring no human intervention. This hearing protector is especially useful in situations where sounds may be produced from unexpected spikes in sound intensity, while still enabling the wearer to hear warning buzzers, or approaching vehicles without compromising safety. By not requiring human adjustment the wearer will be protected from such sounds. In addition to being able to be connected to acoustic transducers, the invention also relates to a custom hearing protector incorporating features of the embodiment, and a method for manufacturing such a custom hearing protector. |
| US08186477B2 |
Rear-wheel steering vehicle
The present invention provides a rear wheel toe angle variable control system-equipped vehicle that is capable of assisting the steering of the front wheels by a power steering system mounted therein without deteriorating the steering feeling experienced by the vehicle operator even when the rear wheels have been steered. The rear wheel steering vehicle (1) of the present invention comprises a steering wheel (11) for steering right and left front wheels (4R, 4L), a power steering system (16) for providing an assist force so as to assist steering of the right and left front wheels (4R, 4L) according to operation of the steering wheel (11), and a rear wheel toe angle variable control system (20) for changing toe angles of right and left rear wheels (6R, 6L) in a same or opposite phase relationship relative to the right and left front wheels (4R, 4L) or in a toe-in or toe-out relationship by individually controlling actuation of right and left actuators (21R, 21L) mounted for the right and left rear wheels (6R, 6L), respectively, wherein the power steering system (16) changes the assist force according to the toe angles of the right and left rear wheels (6R, 6L). |
| US08186474B2 |
Wheel loader
A wheel loader includes a rear frame having left and right plate-shaped main beams. A reinforcing bracket is provided at an upper position substantially in a middle of a front-and-rear direction of the rear frame, and the reinforcing bracket bridges between the main beams. A substantially middle position of the rear frame exhibits a closed-section structure that includes the reinforcing bracket. The closed-section structure at the main beams specifically includes an axle support, a reinforcing plate, a reinforcing rib and the reinforcing bracket in the order from a lower side to an upper side. |
| US08186470B2 |
Motorcycle
A motorcycle includes front and rear brakes that respectively brake a front wheel and a rear wheel, an ABS unit that controls braking force of the brakes, pipes connecting each of the brakes and the ABS unit, a swing arm swingably supported on a body frame, and a rear cushion unit connecting the swing arm to the body frame and located in front of the rear wheel which is supported on a rear end portion of the swing arm. Further, the rear cushion unit is located on a body centerline, extending longitudinally while passing through the center in a vehicle width direction. Additionally, the ABS unit is located rearward of the rear cushion unit and on the body centerline. |
| US08186467B2 |
Wheel rotating device for in-wheel motor vehicle
A wheel rotating device (1) for an in-wheel motor vehicle includes a motor (2), a speed reducer (6) coupled to an output part of the motor (2), a hub (4) coupled to an output part of the speed reducer (6), and a spindle (5) fixed relative to a vehicle body and supporting the hub (4) in a manner that permits the hub (4) to rotate. The hub (4) is coupled to a wheel (13) to rotate the wheel (13). A stator (21) of the motor (2) is disposed inwardly in radial directions of the wheel (13) along an inner circumferential surface of the wheel (13). A rotor (22) of the motor (2) is disposed inwardly in radial directions of the stator (21). The speed reducer (6) is disposed between the rotor (22) and the hub (4) with bearings provided between the speed reducer (6) and the hub (4). |
| US08186465B2 |
Hybrid vehicle and controlling method thereof
When an ignition key is turned ON, a control apparatus predicts the arrival time to a chargeable location (such as home). When the control apparatus determines that the expected arrival time is in the nighttime, it sets SOC control upper and lower limit values for an EV traveling-importance mode that are lower than SOC control upper and lower limit values for an HV traveling-importance mode, and controls an SOC of a battery based on the upper and lower limit values. |
| US08186461B2 |
Omni-directional vehicle with full circumferential revolvable hitch
An omni-directional vehicle (ODV) with a circular frame revolvably coupled to an appendage ring using a full circumferential coupling assembly. The appendage ring serves as a point of attachment for a push bar, trailer, tool, vehicle chassis, or other device. Two independent drive wheels located on an axis through the center of the frame are mounted at the same distance from a central vertical axis through the frame. Each wheel is powered independently and can rotate at variable speeds in either direction. The ODV is capable of movement in any direction by rotating the axis of the drive wheels to a position which is perpendicular to the desired direction of travel. The ODV can spin about its vertical axis such that the axis of the drive wheels can be oriented at any direction without changing the original footprint of the space that the frame occupies over the ground. |
| US08186457B2 |
Offshore casing drilling method
A method of casing drilling a portion of an offshore well includes running a casing string with a drill bit assembly attached to it into a previously drilled portion of the well. Before the drill bit assembly reaches bottom, the operator attaches drill pipe to the casing string and lowers the casing string on the drill pipe. When the drill bit is at bottom, an upper end of the casing string should be below the blowout preventer. The operator then performs casing drilling by rotating the drill pipe. When at a desired depth for the casing string, the operator pulls the drill pipe from the well and lifts the casing string up until its upper end is at the rig floor. The operator then runs the casing string back into the well but using casing in this instance. The operator then cements the casing string. |
| US08186453B2 |
Power tool
It is an object of the invention to provide an effective technique for reducing adverse effect of a dust suction device on the operability of a power tool, in the power tool which can suck dust generated during operation. The power tool has a motor 111 and a tool body 103 that houses the motor 111. A tool bit 119 is coupled to a tip end region of the tool body and driven by the motor 111 to perform a predetermined operation. The power tool further includes a dust suction part 151 through which dust generated during operation by the tool bit 119 is sucked and which covers at least a tip end of the tool bit 119, a dust transfer passage 153 through which the dust sucked into the dust suction part 151 is transferred and which is partly disposed within the tool body 103, and a dust discharge port 174 through which the dust transferred through the dust transfer passage 153 is discharged to the outside. Further, the dust discharge port 174 is disposed on the opposite side of the motor 111 from the tool bit 119. |
| US08186451B2 |
Inboard blade lift eye
A blade for a work vehicle comprises longitudinally opposite first and second ends and a blade lift eye positioned closer to the first end than the second end atop the blade. The blade lift eye is inboard of the first end. |
| US08186448B2 |
Early suppression fast response fire protection sprinkler
An early suppression fast response pendent-type fire protection sprinkler is suitable for use in accordance with one or more of NFPA 13, NFPA 231 and NFPA 231C to protect single row rack storage, double row rack storage and multiple row rack storage, the sprinkler having a K-factor of about 25 and flowing pressure of about 15 pounds per square inch. Preferably, the sprinkler has a body defining an orifice and an outlet for delivering a flow of fluid from a source, and a deflector mounted with a first surface opposed to flow of fluid from the outlet. The deflector defines at least one pair of generally opposed reentrant slots extending from the first surface through the deflector, the reentrant slots extending from slot openings at an outer peripheral edge of the deflector inwardly from the peripheral edge toward a deflector axis. |
| US08186444B2 |
Flow control valve platform
A system that is usable with a well includes a tubing string that extends into an isolated zone of the well and a plurality of chokes modules that are disposed in the isolated zone to control communication between a passageway of the tubing string and the zone. Each choke module includes an associated choke, which is removable from the choke module without disassembly of the tubing string. Each choke module is independently controllable relative to the other choke module(s) to selectively enable and disable flow through the associated choke. |
| US08186443B2 |
Method and apparatus for containing an oil spill caused by a subsea blowout
A method and apparatus are described for containing an oil spill caused by a subsea blowout. A blowout preventer (BOP) stack, located on a floor of an ocean, may be circumvented with a hollow wall of a cylindrical containment assembly. The containment assembly may be reinforced by filling the wall with cement. A valve assembly having a hollow cavity may be positioned on a top perimeter of the wall and may be reinforced by filling the cavity with cement. Alternatively, a cylindrical containment assembly may be positioned such that a wall of the assembly circumvents a portion of a floor of an ocean where a subsea blowout occurred and at least one of oil or gas is spewing into the ocean. The wall may be reinforced with cement, a valve assembly may be positioned on a top perimeter of the wall, and the valve assembly may be reinforced with cement. |
| US08186441B2 |
Modular backup fluid supply system
A system and method to allow backup or alternate fluid flow routes around malfunctioning components using removable, modular component sets. In one exemplary embodiment, an ROV establishes a backup hydraulic flow to a BOP function by attaching one end of a hose to a modular valve block and the other end to an intervention shuttle valve, thus circumventing and isolating malfunctioning components. A compound intervention shuttle valve is provided that comprises first and second primary inlets, first and second secondary inlets, and an outlet. A modular valve block is provided that comprises a directional control valve, a pilot valve, a manifold pressure regulator, a pilot pressure regulator, stab type hydraulic connections and an electrical wet-make connection. |
| US08186440B2 |
Fluid injection device
The present invention regards a device designed for injection of fluids in a well bore, typically an offshore well bore for petroleum production and gas injection/gas lift system for fluid injection. The device comprises a outer hollow housing (1) with an internal body (2) moveable within the outer housing (1) with an internal bore (3) which in a first closed position is closed with a metal to metal seal system between the outer housing (1) and the internal body (2), which internal body (2) is operated by pressure differential across the internal body (2), where the internal body (2) is designed with slots (4) forming outlets of the internal bore (3) which in an open position of the device is positioned outside of the outer housing (1). |
| US08186436B2 |
Thermal insulating packer fluid
A method for ensuring the integrity of a well comprises selecting a thermally insulating fluid as a packer fluid, pumping the thermally insulating packer fluid into an annulus of the well and insulating the well by controlling the heat transfer from the production tubing to the outer annuli. Controlling the heat transfer may also mitigate annular pressure buildup and thereby reduce the incidence of casing failure. In one embodiment of the invention, the thermally insulating fluid comprises a silicone-based fluid. |
| US08186435B2 |
Method and apparatus for stimulating wells with propellants
The present invention relates to apparatus and methods to stimulate subterranean production and injection wells, such as oil and gas wells, utilizing rocket propellants. Rapid production of high-pressure gas from controlled combustion of a propellant, during initial ignition and subsequent combustion, together with proper positioning of the energy source in relation to geologic formations, can be used to establish and maintain increased formation porosity and flow conditions with respect to the pay zone. |
| US08186434B2 |
Method of stimulation using hollow, non-spherical particulates
Non-spherical particulates are useful in the stimulation of subterranean formations. A proppant pack composed of the non-spherical particulates exhibits greater porosity than a corresponding proppant pack composed of spherical particulates. Non-spherical particulates which are hollow and non-porous may further be at least partially filled with a chemical treatment agent including water-soluble or oil-soluble chemical treatment agents. |
| US08186432B2 |
Well logging fluid for ultrasonic cement bond logging
A well logging fluid, and methods of using the same, include a base fluid selected from water, water-based mud, or oil-based mud, and an additive material selected from silica or cork or alike. The fluid has an impedance substantially different from that of the base fluid. Such a modified impedance helps improve the measurement accuracy. |
| US08186426B2 |
Wellhead seal assembly
A seal assembly for sealing between wellhead members in a wellhead, the assembly may include a seal element and a lockdown member. The seal assembly is attachable to either one of the wellhead members by coupling the lockdown member to a locking surface on the wellhead member. The lockdown member and locking surface may include corresponding profiles for mating engagement thereby preventing relative movement between the wellhead member and seal assembly. |
| US08186425B2 |
Sympathetic ignition closed packed propellant gas generator
A downhole propellant gas generator includes a propellant assembly that comprises a plurality of individual lengths of an energetic material packed in a selected configuration and at least one initiator. A method for creating a pressure pulse includes igniting an initiator, wherein the one or more initiators are packed with a plurality of individual lengths of an energetic material in a propellant assembly; igniting the plurality of individual lengths of the energetic material subsequent to the igniting of the one or more initiators. A method for stimulating a well includes disposing in the well a propellant gas generator having a propellant assembly that comprises a plurality of individual lengths of an energetic material, and at least one initiator packed among the plurality of individual lengths of the energetic material; igniting the at least one initiator, which in turn ignites the plurality of individual lengths of the energetic material. |
| US08186423B2 |
Apparatus for cooling a hot gas
An apparatus for cooling a hot gaseous medium includes a vessel, wherein a bundle of pipes is disposed in a coolant compartment, and wherein a liquid coolant flows around the bundle. The pipes are mounted near upstream ends in a thermal shield and extend through openings in a support plate mounted at a distance from the thermal shield defining a front space between the thermal shield and the support plate in the vessel separated from the coolant compartment. The apparatus permits addition of liquid coolant to the front space. The openings in the support plate are larger than the pipes, defining an annular space. Liquid coolant flows co-current with the hot gaseous medium in the pipes from the front space to the coolant compartment. A skirt type extension surrounds the pipe in the front space to the support plate and having an opening at the thermal shield. |
| US08186419B2 |
Method and system for internal cleaning of complex castings
A decoring method and system is provided. The method includes the steps of providing the casting having a core material disposed in the internal passage; providing the decoring apparatus configured to selectively oscillate the casting and selectively rotate the casting; securing the casting in the decoring apparatus; introducing a quantity of shot into the internal passage of the casting; oscillating the casting; and rotating the casting. A decoring apparatus configured to selectively oscillate the casting along a first axis, rotate the casting about a second axis, and rotate the casting about a third axis, is also provided. |
| US08186415B2 |
Method for manufacturing mold
A method for manufacturing a mold, including steps of (a) expanding a powder mixture containing a water-soluble inorganic salt powder and a water-soluble organic polymer powder in a plane on a table and then selectively spraying a spray liquid containing at least one selected from a water-miscible organic solvent and water through a nozzle on this powder mixture layer to make a bonding strength among particles of the powder mixture in a sprayed region higher than that among particles of the powder mixture in an unsprayed region, (b) further expanding the powder mixture on the powder mixture layer after spraying and then selectively spraying the spray liquid through the nozzle on this powder mixture layer, (c) repeatedly conducting the step (b) over several times to form a mold shaped by the sprayed regions, and (d) taking out the mold. |
| US08186411B2 |
Window blind assembly
A window blind assembly includes a roller blind unit, a curtain member unit, and a clamping unit. The roller blind unit includes a roller rod that extends horizontally and that is rotatably mounted at or in proximity to an upper edge portion of the window, and a roller blind cloth a top edge of which is connected to the roller rod and which is able to be wound around and extended from the roller rod. The curtain member unit includes a folding curtain cloth a top edge of which is mounted at or around the upper edge of the window. The clamping unit includes a connecting clamp that extends horizontally, and has a first clamping portion that clamps onto the folding curtain cloth and a second clamping portion that clamps onto the roller blind cloth. |
| US08186407B2 |
Labelling machine
A labeling machine includes a device for adjusting the position of a tape holding labels, which enables moving the tape progressively on an abutment surface in order to vary the position of the print on the label. The labeling machine further presents a self-regulating arresting element of a tape bearing labels. The arresting element presses the tape against an abutment surface when a label must be applied on a destination surface and releases the tape when, on the action of a control device, the tape is actuated to advance. The machine further includes a printing member whose ink roller is associated to a device that enables it to engage easily and smoothly on a corresponding support arm. The support arm is connected to a door providing access to interior areas of the labeling machine, whose opening causes the support arm to exit and the exposes the ink roller. |
| US08186403B2 |
Wheel end assembly high-temperature warning system
The present invention is directed to a wheel end assembly having a high temperature warning system for giving a warning in the event that the temperature in the assembly reaches a predetermined value such as caused by hub bearing failure or a brake related failure. In one embodiment the system may be a stand-alone system for installation on any vehicle such as a trailer. In another embodiment the system may be combined with an automatic tire inflation system. |
| US08186402B2 |
Device for automatically maintaining tire pressure
A device for automatically maintaining tire pressure is adapted to pump air into a tire up to two times per wheel revolution. Embodiments of the device include a flexible compression strip adapted for attachment to an inner peripheral surface of a tire. Opposing compression faces on the compression strip apply pressure to a compression tube attached to the compression strip. Air in an air reservoir inside the compression tube is expelled from a collapsible segment of the compression tube pressed on by the compression faces and into accumulator segments extending beyond the edges of the compression strip. A ratio of the combined volumes of the collapsible and accumulator segments to the volume of the collapsible segment determines a set point pressure. Air is expelled into a tire having an inflation pressure less than the set point pressure but is not expelled into a tire having pressure greater than the set point pressure. |
| US08186401B2 |
Tread comprising relief elements covered by a specific mixture
A tire tread comprising a plurality of elements in relief (1) comprising a contact face (2) intended to come into contact with the roadway during travel and lateral faces (13, 14, 15, 16), the intersection of each lateral face with the contact face forming a ridge (23, 24, 25, 26). The tread also comprises a plurality of cutouts (3, 4) in the form of grooves and/or incisions, said cutouts being defined by facing main faces. Each tread pattern element (1) is formed with at least one rubber mix (referred to as “base mix”). This tread, viewed in section in a plane containing the thickness of this tread, has at least one face defining at least one cutout covered at least in part with a second rubber mix, referred to as “covering mix”, this part having covering mix extending when new over a height Hr at least equal to 30% of the height H of the face, wherein at least one first base mix opens on to the contact face (2) when new or at the latest after wear at most equal to 10% of the height Hr. The base mix has an amount of carbon black greater than 2 phr of black and the covering mix has an amount of carbon black greater than 0 phr and at most equal to 2 phr. |
| US08186400B2 |
Cover for modules of fibrous material
A cover for a module of fibrous material consists of a top member; a first side wall member with a first gap at its midpoint; a second side wall member with a second gap at its midpoint; first and second end wall members; a channel running along the bottom edge of the wall members and interrupted by the firs and second gaps; a first support strap at the midpoint of the first side wall member and within the first gap; a second support strap at the midpoint of the second side wall member and within the second gap; a securing strap having first and second ends and running through the channel, said securing strap supported by the first and second support straps as it passes through the first and second gaps; and a buckle securing the first and second ends of the securing strap. |
| US08186398B2 |
Electric router
An electric router includes a housing, a base, a motor having an output shaft, a first switch for the motor, a locking member having a first end and a second end, a second switch connected in series with the first switch, and a connecting rod having a first end positioned proximate to the base and a second end positioned remotely from the base. The first end of the connecting rod is connected with the second end of the locking member, the second end of the connecting rod is connected with the second switch, and the second end of the connecting rod selectively keeps the second switch in one of a switch-off position when the first end of the locking member engages with the output shaft and a switch-on position when the first end of the locking member disengages from the output shaft. |
| US08186395B2 |
System for filling a tank
System for filling a tank comprising a fill pipe and a pipe head comprising an inlet valve and a moveable stopper in the head under the valve, characterized in that the valve comprises a peripheral part and a central part and in that only the peripheral part is coupled to the stopper and capable of causing the opening and/or unlocking of the latter under the pressure of a large-diameter fill nozzle, the central part being moveable with respect to this peripheral part so as to be able to swing under the action of a smaller-diameter fill nozzle, without acting on the stopper, while being connected to this same peripheral part so as to be entrained and swung with it under the pressure of a large-diameter fill nozzle. |
| US08186394B2 |
Device for avoiding errors in delivering fluid to a container
Device for avoiding fluid delivery errors, comprising a primary coil (6), placed in a container (1) in the vicinity of a fluid delivery orifice (2) of the container, a control and measurement electric circuit (7) supplying power to the primary coil (6) to generate electromagnetic waves in the fluid delivery orifice (2), detector means (7, 8) sensitive to the waveform of the currents or voltages that appear in the primary coil (6) and that distinguish the presence and the type of fluid delivery nozzle (4) as a function of said waveform of the currents or voltages in the primary coil (6). Comparator means (11) determine if the measured oscillation frequency (fm) is different from a reference oscillation frequency (fr). If necessary, the user is warned, by alarm means (12), that he is about to fill his container (1) with the wrong type of fluid. |
| US08186391B2 |
Reversible container
A reversible container is provided with a hollow housing and removable closures at each end. The container is filled with a substance, and when at least some of the substance has been removed, the container is refilled with the substance and inverted. In this way, the user is able to use substantially all of the contents of the container, and is able to use completely the older substance first, because the older substance is at the top of the container after the container is inverted. |
| US08186390B2 |
Woven fabric having cotton warp and polyester weft yarns
A woven textile fabric for use as a bed sheet is provided having spun cotton warp yarns and continuous multi-filament weft yarns, to provide a total yarn count of from 170 to 215, and wherein the construction of the fabric balances the tensile strength of the fabric in the warp and weft direction, to provide a tensile strength in one direction of the fabric that is at least 80% of the tensile strength in the cross direction. |
| US08186389B2 |
Yarn tuft transfer system
A yarn tuft transfer system for a carpet manufacturing machine, including one or more mounting devices secured to a belt or chain. Each mounting device includes a functional link element having a mounting for a payload, first securing device rotatably mounted on the functional link element about a first axis for securing the functional link element onto the belt or chain at a first position, and second for securing the functional link element onto the belt or chain at a second position spaced from the first, the device being rotatable relative to the functional link element about a second axis. The first securing device is moveable relative to the second securing device along a line perpendicular to and intersecting the first and second axes. The system further utilizing a yarn tuft holder mounted on each payload mounting. |
| US08186388B2 |
Composite insulation structure for the insulation of the interior surface of annular ducts
A flexible, composite duct insulation structure includes a first layer forming an insulation layer, and a second layer forming a structural support layer. The first layer is adhered to the second layer by an adhesive. The composite duct insulation structure has sufficient strength and radially outward-directed spring force of the structure alone so as to press and hold the insulation structure against the interior wall of a tubular duct without additional spring structure or retaining structure. |
| US08186384B2 |
Flow control apparatus and medical injection circuit using the same
A flow control apparatus 1 including a tubular outside member 4, a tubular inside member 10 placed in the outside member 4, and a valve member 20 is used. The inside member 10 includes a through-hole 14 passing through a side wall in a thickness direction and a contact portion 11 that is in contact with the outside member 4, which are arranged in that order in a direction from one opening 16 to the other opening 17. The valve member 20 is placed in the opening 17 of the inside member 10. The valve member 20 passes only a fluid supplied at a set pressure or higher in a direction from the one opening 16 to the other opening 17. The outside member 4 is formed so as to form a gap communicating with the through hole 14 between the outside member 4 and the contact portion 11 due to elastic deformation caused by an external force. The gap forms a flow path of a fluid in combination with the through-hole 14. |
| US08186383B2 |
Two eductor/four-way selector valve assembly
A selector valve assembly for use in conjunction with an eductor dispensing system which reduces the incidence of product carry-over when the valve is moved from one position to another. The selector valve assembly also reduces the incidence of improper dispensing. In a preferred manner, the selector valve assembly has a single valve member and accommodates four product inlet lines for selectively passing chemical concentrate to two eductors. The selector valve assembly is composed of a minimum of ports, thereby reducing maintenance and cost. |
| US08186372B2 |
Fuel shut-off valve
A fuel shut-off valve includes a casing, an ascendable and descendible float, and an upper valve element, which is actuated by the float to open and close connector passage that communicates the inside of fuel tank with the outside, and which includes a valve body and a ring-shaped seat member. The ring-shaped seat member makes a connector bore, which communicates with the connector passage, therein, and includes a base, a holding portion, a seating portion, a lip-shaped portion, and a thin-film-shaped portion. The seating portion opens and closes the connector passage, and defines an opening of the connector bore. The lip-shaped portion seats on and separates away from the float, and defines the other opening of the connector bore. The thin-film-shaped portion is disposed between the base and the lip-shaped portion, and is deformable elastically upon being pressed by the float when the float seats on the lip-shaped portion. |
| US08186366B2 |
Portable manual car wash assembly
A portable manual vehicle wash assembly including a base removably attachable to a top exterior surface of a vehicle. A hollow pipe is attached to the base and includes an inlet formed at a first end thereof, and an outlet at a second end thereof. The inlet is adapted to receive an end of a first hose in fluid communication with a water source. The outlet is generally directed away from the exterior surface of the vehicle, and has a swivel member attached thereto. The swivel member is connected to a water emitter, typically in the form of a second hose or a spray nozzle. |
| US08186361B2 |
Weftless extensions
Partial wig components for users who do not want to wear a full wig. The invention comprises a frontal strip 2 which would mimic a new hair line for person's with a receding hair line. Additionally strips of hair may be attached on other areas of the person's head to mimic a fuller look. A natural, synthetic resinous or rubber component or base is provided for hair strips in which the frontal portion comprising a skin toned or transparent material intended to be indistinguishable from the wearer's actual skin; weaved with individual strands of hair to compose a natural looking hair line. With time the base deteriorates with use, thus a replaceable liner is adhered to the base. Thus most wear and tear will occur onto the liner. The wig is manufactured by implanting hairs or groups of hairs in elongated strips which comprise the wig base. |
| US08186358B2 |
System and method for locating an internal device in a closed system
A system and method for locating an internal device separated by a boundary from and in wireless communication with an external device. External device includes an active emitter mechanism wherein a carrier signal is modulated by a location interrogation signal thereby generating an external RF power signal during transmission to the internal device. A secondary antenna of the internal device receives the external RF power signal and induces an RF power signal therein that is converted to a DC induced voltage signal. An indication signal proportional to the intensity of the DC induced voltage signal induced in the secondary antenna is produced by the external device. The process is repeated each time the user moves the external device to a new location proximate the patient's body until a maximum DC induced voltage signal measurement is ascertained representative of a specific area in which the internal device is located. |
| US08186355B2 |
Glossoplasty using tissue anchor glossopexy with volumetric tongue reduction
Methods and devices are disclosed for remodeling the tongue. One or more spaces or cavities are formed in the tongue using, for example, surgical or RF ablative techniques. The cavities can be closed or collapsed by inserting a tethered soft tissue anchor into the tongue and attaching the tethered portion of the soft tissue anchor to a bony structure such as the mandible or hyoid bone in order to exert a collapsing force on the one or more spaces or cavities. The insertion pathway of the tethered soft tissue anchor may pass adjacent to or even through one or more cavities. Also disclosed herein is a tongue remodeling system that includes means for creating a space in the tongue, and a tissue anchor configured to close the space. The tissue anchor may be tethered or expandable. |
| US08186352B2 |
Nasal assembly
A nasal assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a frame having an integrally formed first connector portion. A nozzle assembly includes a gusset or base portion and a pair of nozzles. At least one inlet conduit is structured to deliver breathable gas into the frame and nozzle assembly for breathing by the patient. A pair of second connector portions are removably and rotatably connected to respective first connector portions of the frame and are in communication with respective inlet conduits, e.g., directly or via angle connectors. A headgear assembly is removably connected to the pair of second connector portions and/or the angle connectors so as to maintain the frame and the nozzle assembly in a desired adjusted position on the patient's face. |
| US08186347B2 |
Patient breathing system
A patient breathing system includes a ventilator that provides a driving gas flow to generate patient inspiration. The ventilator further includes a gas inlet for driving gas, the patient breathing system being connectable to a circle which includes an inspiratory hose and an expiratory hose connected to patient, through which circle expired gases can be circulated back to the patient. The circle further includes a fresh gas inlet, an arrangement for enabling the gas flow in a desired direction, a unit for removal of the exhaled carbon dioxide, and a ventilator port for the ventilator connection. The patient breathing system further includes an arrangement by which driving gas of the ventilator has been separated from the patient gases flowing in the circle. |
| US08186341B2 |
Thin wall header with a variable cross-section for solar absorption panels
The invention relates to a thin wall header with a variable cross-section for solar absorption panels, manufactured in nickel-based superalloy and formed by a main thin wall body (18) and by a plurality of nozzles (16,21).The header (10) is connected to a series of junction nozzles (16) wherein respective solar absorption tubes (14) are connected, and at least one inlet or outlet nozzle (21) wherein at least a fed tube is connected. The body (18) can have a spindle shape or can be formed by two frustoconical sections joined by the larger base, and can further have a central cylindrical section at the height of the inlet or outlet nozzles (21).It is applicable in the collection of fluids at high temperature, especially in solar panels. |
| US08186336B2 |
Fuel control system and method for improved response to feedback from an exhaust system
An engine control system includes a proportional correction module and a variable proportional gain determination module. The proportional correction module generates a proportional correction for a fuel command to an engine based on a variable proportional gain and a difference between expected and measured amounts of oxygen in exhaust gas produced by the engine. The variable proportional gain determination module determines the variable proportional gain based on a nominal gain and an amount of time since a polarity of the difference has changed, wherein the nominal gain is based on engine operating parameters. |
| US08186334B2 |
6-cycle engine with regenerator
In an attempt to regenerate energy of exhaust gas by using a pressure regenerator secured to an exhaust port of a displacement type engine so as to realize the Atkinson's cycle, if the engine is a four-cycle engine, raising regenerative pressure may cause abnormal fuel combustion or melting damage of an exhaust valve. The present invention has successfully solved this problem by using a six-cycle engine. The six-cycle engine with a regenerator according to the present invention is capable of varying proportion of the power output that is generated by the six-cycle engine itself and that is generated by the regenerator. Using this principle enables the six-cycle engine with a generator to be used as an engine that is capable of generating two kinds of output power or as a six-cycle gas turbine with high controllability. The invented internal combustion engine is excellent and valuable in the fuel cost economy when it is used as a motor for a power station and a small generator as well as a motor for a movable body such as a ship or a vehicle. The invented internal combustion engine is especially suitable for a movable body such as a hybrid-system vehicle. Incidentally, the inventor is ready for granting the rights for practicing the present invention. |
| US08186333B2 |
Vehicle having internal combustion engine with supercharger
A vehicle having an internal combustion engine with a supercharger is provided for reducing the number of parts and for reducing the size of the engine in the transverse direction of the vehicle by effectively utilizing an outer space around the engine. A supercharger is fixed to a rear end of a crank shaft, the crank shaft extends to the rear from a crank case, and is disposed on one side-face side of a cylinder head with an intake port formed therein. An air cleaner for the supply of air to the supercharger is disposed on an upstream side of the supercharger at a position above the supercharger and behind an engine E. |
| US08186324B2 |
Resin intake apparatus
A resin molded body constituting a resin intake apparatus includes a surge tank and a plurality of branch passages each branching off from the surge tank. A communication passage is formed in a wall forming the surge tank to communicate a bottom of the surge tank with one of the branch passages. The resin molded body is formed by two split molded parts integrally welded to each other at welded portions so that the communication passage is formed between the welded portions. |
| US08186321B2 |
Method and apparatus for operating traveling spark igniter at high pressure
An ignition circuit and a method of operating an igniter (preferably a traveling spark igniter) in an internal combustion engine, including a high pressure engine. A high voltage is applied to electrodes of the igniter, sufficient to cause breakdown to occur between the electrodes, resulting in a high current electrical discharge in the igniter, over a surface of an isolator between the electrodes, and formation of a plasma kernel in a fuel-air mixture adjacent said surface. Following breakdown, a sequence of one or more lower voltage and lower current pulses is applied to said electrodes, with a low “simmer” current being sustained through the plasma between pulses, preventing total plasma recombination and allowing the plasma kernel to move toward a free end of the electrodes with each pulse. |
| US08186317B2 |
Hydraulic fluid passage with particle gettering magnet field of the invention
Combination of a housing having a fluid passage and one or more solenoid actuated fluid control valves communicated to the fluid passage wherein a permanent magnet is disposed in fluid passage upstream of the fluid control valves to magnetically capture or getter ferrous particles in fluid prior to entry into the fluid control valve. |
| US08186311B2 |
Dog leash assembly
A leash assembly designed to attach at least one waste holding device, such as a plastic bag, in such a manner that the plastic bag is able to swivel about and not get tangled as the dog moves from side to side. This eliminates the need of the person walking the dog to constantly move the leash from one hand to the other hand in order to prevent the waste bag from getting tangled. In other words, as the dog move in different directions the waste bag holding device is able to adjust its' position by swiveling about the device attached to the leash allowing the walker to have their hands free. The swivel can also be adapted to hold other items such as keys, extra bags for dog cleanup and hand wipes. All of these items would also be able to swivel about the device. The present invention eliminates the need for the person walking the dog from carrying the waste bag and switching the bag from hand to hand as the dog moves from side to side until a waste receptacle is reached that the waste can be disposed of properly. |
| US08186306B2 |
Livestock confinement pen
The invention provides an indoor livestock confinement system that includes a plurality of hollow plastic panels. Each panel includes a plurality of spaced tabs at its ends. A first end of each panel includes a first set of tabs, and a second end of each panel includes a second set of tabs. Each set of tabs includes at least one tab at a top portion of the end, at least one tab at an intermediate portion of the end, and at least one tab at a lower portion of the end. The tabs of the first set are offset vertically from the tabs of the second set such that the first set of tabs of a first panel fit vertically between the second tabs of another panel when the ends of the panels are put together. Each tab includes a hole such that a rod can be inserted down through the tabs to lock the panels together. The livestock confinement system may include additional features, such as ventilation components, reinforced panels, and bucket holders. |
| US08186301B2 |
Apparatus for manufacturing gas barrier plastic container, method for manufacturing the container, and the container
The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing a gas barrier plastic container which simultaneously satisfies the condition that the same vacuum chamber can be used even when the container shapes are different, the condition that a high-frequency power source is unnecessary, and the condition that film formation can be carried out for a plurality of containers inside one vacuum chamber in order to make the apparatus low cost. In an apparatus for forming a film on the inner surface of a container, a thermal catalyst is supported on a source gas supply pipe, and the source gas supply pipe is inserted into the port of the container, followed by film formation. In an apparatus for forming a film on the outer surface of a container, a thermal catalyst is arranged on the periphery of the plastic, and a source gas is blown out through the source gas supply pipe while bringing the source gas into contact with the thermal catalyst for film formation. Cooling is carried out to avoid the thermaldeformation of the container by heat radiated from the thermal catalyst. For example, a container on which a hydrogen-containing SiNx thin film having a film thickness of 5 to 100 nm and a hydrogen content ratio of 1 to 10 atomic % has been obtained. |
| US08186300B2 |
Plasma processing apparatus
A plasma processing apparatus for processing a surface of a to-be-processed substrate includes a processing chamber, a first electrode provided in the processing chamber, a second electrode arranged in opposition to the first electrode, a main power source for supplying the first or second electrode with power for generating a plasma, a biasing power source for supplying the second or first electrode with biasing power, a gas supplying unit for supplying a processing gas into the processing chamber and a control unit for controlling the main power source, the biasing power source and the gas supplying unit. The control unit performs a control such that, during a time of transition from a stationary state of plasma, in which a plasma processing is to be carried out, to a plasma quenching, an output of the main power source is kept not larger than an output of the biasing power source. |
| US08186299B2 |
Evaporation apparatus and thin film forming method using the same
Provided are an evaporation apparatus and a thin film forming method using the same. The evaporation apparatus and the thin film forming method are used to form a uniform thin film, even for a large substrate, and can be easily employed without changing equipment even if a substrate size is changed. The evaporation apparatus includes a first evaporation source, a second evaporation source separated from the first evaporation source, and a compensation member disposed between a target object and the first and second evaporation sources. The compensation member performs a linear movement simultaneously with the first and second evaporation sources. The compensation member includes a first compensation plate disposed in a position corresponding to the first evaporation source, and a second compensation plate disposed in a position corresponding to the second evaporation source. |
| US08186298B2 |
Coating film forming apparatus, use of coating film forming apparatus, and recording medium
A coating film forming apparatus that holds a substrate upon a spin chuck and forms a coating film by supplying a chemical liquid upon a top surface of said substrate comprises: an outer cup provided detachably to surround the spin chuck; an inner cup provided detachably to surround a region underneath the substrate held upon the chuck; a cleaning nozzle configured to supply a cleaning liquid for cleaning a peripheral edge part of the substrate, such that the cleaning liquid is supplied to a peripheral part of a bottom surface of the substrate; a cutout part for nozzle mounting, the cutout part being provided to the inner cup to engage with the cleaning nozzle; and a cleaning liquid supply tube connected to the cleaning nozzle, the cleaning nozzle being detachable to the cutout part in a state in which the cleaning liquid supply tube is connected. |
| US08186295B2 |
Submarine provided with a device for releasing and recovering a secondary underwater vehicle
A submarine (1) includes a bridge (4), a bridge fin (3) and a device (8) for releasing and recovering a secondary self-propelled underwater vehicle (90). The device (8) includes a handling element (8A) which can be used to move the secondary underwater vehicle between a storage zone (18) and a release or recovery zone (19) and a reversible grip element (14) solidly connected to the handling element (8A), which can be used to free the secondary underwater vehicle (90) at the moment of release and to attach the vehicle at the moment of recovery. The release and recovery device (8) is designed such that the release and recovery zone is located outside the turbulent zone (7) that surrounds the moving submarine. |
| US08186290B2 |
Sewing machine and computer-readable recording medium with recorded sewing machine control program
A sewing machine for a user to perform sewing while moving a work cloth includes: a detecting device that detects the work cloth; a movement calculating device that calculates, by two-dimensional coordinate data, a movement direction and a movement quantity of the work cloth between previous detection and current detection of the work cloth when the work cloth is detected; a movement data storage device that stores movement data serving as two-dimensional coordinate data indicative of the movement direction and the movement quantity; a movement data creating device that detects the work cloth on a one by one needle basis of sewing, calculates the movement data, and stores the calculated data in the movement data storage device; a cloth feed mechanism that moves the work cloth; and a reproduction sewing control device that performs sewing while moving the work cloth based on the movement data stored in the movement data storage device. |
| US08186288B2 |
Method of applying an input to an agricultural field
A method of applying an input to a field is provided when using an implement having row or section control and when using an automated location and guidance system, enabled by GPS or other position technology, to avoid double application of inputs in areas covered more than once by the implement or machine. The present invention provides an application pattern and control in which double application is avoided by turning off row units or sections of row units during the first pass over the area, leaving the actual application of inputs to the second pass over that area. The minimizes or eliminates areas where a previously applied input is disturbed during a second time over that area and minimizes or eliminates areas where the soil is compacted around previously planted seed by driving over the area a second time after seeding. |
| US08186285B2 |
Slider assembly for ATM
A slider assembly for moving an ATM into and out of an ATM housing comprises a driving mechanism and a mount. Vertically spaced apart upper and lower bearing structures extending outward from the mount partially define a horizontal channel. A platform for supporting the ATM has a front end, a rear end and opposite first and second side margins. The platform is operatively connected to the driving mechanism to impart generally linear forward and rearward movements of the platform relative to the mounts between extended and retracted positions. The first side margin of the platform is received within the horizontal channel between the upper and lower bearing structures to support the platform and to facilitate the linear movement of the platform by the driving mechanism. |
| US08186283B2 |
Cradle and leg joints for customizable furniture
A cradle joint for customizing furniture comprises a recess in a horizontal support bracket, the recess defined by two opposing jaws forming a top opening, two angled support ribs, and a bottom bar, two rod cams disposed in the recess adjacent the side walls and movable between rod cam clearance pockets disposed below the jaws and lower corner regions adjacent the bottom bar, the bottom bars having inclined apertures for receiving threaded fasteners, the fasteners threadedly received in the rod cams, a cross beam have an I-shaped profile, two upper flanges and two lower flanges, the cross beam received in the recess perpendicularly to the support bracket and secured in the recess by tightening the rod cams into overlocking engagement with the oblique upper portions of the outer edges of the lower flanges. |
| US08186281B2 |
Modular furniture system
A modular furniture system includes a framework assembly comprising vertical and horizontal frame members that can be shared by back-to-back workstations. The vertical and horizontal frame members are configured to facilitate routing of various utility service lines through the framework assembly to locations near the workstations. In another embodiment, a horizontal frame member facilitates routing of electric service wires to outlets near the workstations, while concealing fasteners and other structure of the outlets. |
| US08186279B2 |
Removable bulkhead for a railcar
A removable bulkhead for a railcar is provided, wherein the railcar includes a pair of spaced-apart side sills, at least one side stake pocket, and at least one end stake pocket. The removable bulkhead includes a support structure removably attachable to the railcar. The support structure of the removable bulkhead includes at least one bottom connecting mechanism, and the bottom connecting mechanism is receivable in a corresponding end stake pocket of the railcar. The removable bulkhead further includes at least one stabilizing mechanism operatively connecting the support structure to the railcar. |
| US08186267B2 |
Tool for inserting “run flat” device into tire and for removing “run flat” device from tire
A tool for compressing a run flat device is provided. The tool contains a spool and a belt. The belt is wrapped around spool and the run flat device, and when the spool rotates, an effective length of the belt decreases to compress the run flat device. |
| US08186266B2 |
Oil expeller
An oil expeller has a stand with an upper cylinder and a lower cylinder, an oil filter mounted on the stand and a control device controlling the upper and lower cylinders. The oil filter has a filter tank and two pressing panels mounted in the filter tank. Raw materials are disposed between the pressing panels. Thus, the upper cylinder presses a corresponding pressing panel and the raw materials to extract oil from the raw materials. The lower cylinder pushes a corresponding pressing panel and waste product out of the filter tank. The oil expeller takes up little space, operates easily and extracts oil from the raw materials 40 and removes the waste product alternately. Moreover, the user is allowed to provide fresh oil based on his needs when extracting oil from a suitable amount of raw materials. |
| US08186260B2 |
Translating adjacent-blast shield and method for protecting external slots of missiles in launcher tubes
Embodiments of a translating adjacent-blast shield and method of protecting external slots of a missile from a high-temperature, high-pressure gas plume of a missile that is launched from an adjacent or nearby launcher tube of a launcher are disclosed herein. The translating adjacent-blast shield may be provided circumferentially around each of the missiles in a launcher and may cover at least portions of external slots of the missiles. The translating adjacent-blast shield may translate along the missile during launch to expose the external slots and may remain on the missile after launch. |
| US08186257B2 |
Laminate flooring saw
A laminate flooring saw system which can be used for both rip cuts and miter cuts in one embodiment includes a fence, a base including a first locking member configured to cooperate with the fence to lock the fence along a first fence axis, a second locking member configured to cooperate with the fence to lock the fence along a second fence axis, the second fence axis perpendicular to the first fence axis and a support arm positioned above the base for supporting a power tool. |
| US08186251B2 |
Device for machining rotationally symmetrical surfaces of a workpiece
To produce rotationally symmetrical surfaces of a workpiece (10), the rotationally driven workpiece (10) is subjected to rotational machining. For this purpose, a tool is used (12), whose blade (16) is advanced in a circular arc motion (f). The blade (16) takes the form of a coaxial helix in relation to the rotational axis (A1) of the tool. |
| US08186241B2 |
Shifting device for an automatic transmission
A shifting device for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle with a gear-shift lever, which can be moved in an automatic shift track to select gear-shift positions; with a locking mechanism for blocking the adjusting movements of the gear-shift lever into at least one gear-shift position and/or out of at least one gear-shift position; and with a release button arranged on the gear-shift lever to release the blocking action of the locking mechanism. An increased level of functional reliability can be achieved by establishing a drive connection between the release button and two blocking elements, which are arranged redundantly on the gear-shift lever with the freedom to move up and down, that an actuation of the release button produces a synchronous stroke of the two blocking elements, where each of the blocking elements cooperates with an arresting gate comprising gate sections assigned to the gear-shift positions. |
| US08186236B2 |
Actuator
Actuator of the type where a driving rod (11) is extended by a nut (10) on a driven spindle. A manually operated emergency lowering device (14) for the driving rod (11) is mounted between the driving rod (11) and a mounting bracket (16) at the end thereof. The emergency lowering device (14) comprises a first cylindrical part (15) connected with the mounting bracket (16) and a second cylindrical part (17) connected with the driving rod (11). The two cylindrical parts are coupled together by a screw spring (21). The spring is released by an operating grip (19) constructed as a bushing in which the one end (22) of the spring (21) is secured. The other end (23) of the spring (21) is secured in the cylindrical part (17) connected with the driving rod (11). Rotation of the bushing causes the spring (21) to be released, whereby the driving rod (11) may be screwed back by the manually applied torque. |
| US08186234B2 |
Hand-held trace vapor/particle detection system
A hand held detector system that has a housing with a passage that can receive a sample, and a concentrator that captures the sample. The hand held system further includes a single detector coupled to the concentrator and a fluid system that provides fluid communication between the housing passage and the concentrator, and between the concentrator and the detector. The system is powered by a battery. The system may include a controller that heats the concentrator with a temperature profile that causes a first trace molecule to desorb at a time different from the desorption of a second trace molecule. The system and components may be powered by a battery. |
| US08186232B2 |
Displacement sensor
A displacement, strain, and/or force sensor assembly (10, 110) has a mounting structure (12) with an anisotropic stiffness to facilitate the measurement of displacements, strains, and/or forces along the X-axis, while minimizing errors due to undesired displacements, strains, and/or forces along the Y- and Z-axes, and rotations about the X-, Y-, and Z-axes. A pedestal (30, 130) configured to respond to axial displacements along the X-axis is centrally disposed on the X-axis of the mounting structure (12), and a displacement or strain sensor (38) is coupled to the pedestal (30) to provide a measure of the displacements, strains, and/or forces. Contact pads (14, 114) are formed on opposite ends of the X-axis of the mounting structure, to enable the displacement and/or strain sensor assembly to be secured to an application structure. |
| US08186230B1 |
System and method for airflow sensing and monitoring
A system and method for measuring the airflow in an air handling unit, comprising a pressure plate with a plurality of apertures having a known surface area, a differential pressure manometer, and two. The first end of the leads is attached to a differential pressure manometer and second end of the leads is attached to the pressure plate. The pressure plate is placed in the filter rack of an air conditioning system the differential pressure manometer measures the differential pressure loss across the pressure plate allowing the user to determine airflow conditions and the location of obstructions. Additional embodiments of the system and method herein include placing two sensor tubes having apertures along the thereof at specific locations within the air handling unit that, when attached to a manometer, measure the differential pressure loss across the two locations. Various methods for establishing and monitoring proper airflow in an air handling unit are also contemplated. |
| US08186227B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining load amount in a laundry treating appliance
A method for determining the amount of laundry in a laundry treating appliance comprises determining a first load amount based on a characteristic of the oscillating of a drum and determining if the first load amount satisfies a load amount threshold. When the first load amount satisfies the load threshold, the drum may be rotated in accordance with a laundry inertia algorithm to determine inertia of the load. The second load amount may then be determined based on the inertia of the laundry. |
| US08186225B2 |
MEMS vacuum sensor based on the friction principle
The invention relates to a sensor element for pressure measurement, having a substrate (5) and at least one mass element (1), which is arranged spaced apart from the substrate (5) and is connected in an oscillating manner to the substrate (5) and/or a support body (6) fixed relative to the substrate (5), so that a gap is formed between the mass element (1) and the substrate (5), the width of which can be varied through oscillations of the mass element (1). At least one recess and/or at least one bushing (4) is located in the surface of the substrate (5) delimiting the gap, which recess is used for reducing the damping of the oscillation of the mass element through the gas or plasma surrounding the mass element (1). The sensor element is used in particular in pressure sensors for measuring pressures in the vacuum range. Through the use of the sensor element according to the invention as a pressure sensor, maximum pressures up to the range of atmospheric air pressure can be recorded. The lowest pressures to be determined are in the range of 10−6 mbar. |
| US08186220B2 |
Accelerometer with over-travel stop structure
An accelerometer (50, 100, 120, 130) includes a substrate (58) and a proof mass (54) spaced apart from a surface (56) of the substrate (58). Compliant members (62) are coupled to the proof mass (54) and enable the proof mass (54) to move parallel to the surface (56) of the substrate (58) in a sense direction (68). Proof mass anchors (60) interconnect the compliant members (62) with the surface (56). The accelerometer (50, 100, 120, 130) includes an over-travel stop structure (52, 102, 122, 132) having stop anchors (70, 72) coupled to the substrate (58). The stop anchors (70, 72) are coupled to the substrate (58) at positions (76) on the surface (56) residing at least partially within an anchor attach area (71) bounded in the sense direction (68) by locations (78) of the proof mass anchors (60) on the surface (56). |
| US08186216B2 |
Device, system, and method for determining fitting condition of connector
Provided are a device, a system, and a method for determining a fitting condition of a connector, which are capable of improving the accuracy for determining the coupling condition of the connector. A connector fitting condition determination device (10) includes an input section (11) that is attached to an operator and receives detection results including sound information and acceleration information that are measured at a time of fitting a connector; a sound information determination section (13) that determines whether the sound information satisfies predetermined conditions based on the detection results input to the input section (11); and an acceleration information determination section (15) that determines whether the acceleration information satisfies predetermined conditions, on detection results satisfying the conditions in the sound information determination section 13. The determination device (10) determines that the connector is fitted, only when both the sound information and the acceleration information satisfy the predetermined conditions. |
| US08186215B2 |
Method and system for determining non-uniformity characteristics of a vehicle tire and rim
A method and system for a wheel assembly service system are provided. The system includes a rotatable spindle configured to receive a wheel assembly wherein the wheel assembly includes at least a rim and a tire. The system further includes a load device configured to apply a load to the tire during a rotation of the wheel assembly on the spindle, and a controller configured to determine a first force variation vector of the wheel assembly, initiating rotation of the tire with respect to the rim, determine a second force variation vector of the wheel assembly with the tire rotated with respect to the rim, and determine a force variation of at least one of the tire and the wheel using the first and second force variation vectors. The system also outputs at least one of the determined force variation vector values. |
| US08186214B2 |
Method and device for determining the level L of a liquid within a specified measuring range by means of radar signals transmitted to the liquid surface and radar signals reflected from the liquid surface
The invention relates to a method for determining the level L of a liquid within a specified measuring range by means of radar signals transmitted to the liquid surface and radar signals reflected from the liquid surface, comprising the steps of i) transmitting radar signals to the liquid surface in time sequence; ii) receiving radar signals reflected from the liquid surface in time sequence; iii) determining the level L partially on the basis the transmitted radar signals and the reflected radar signals. The invention further relates to a device for determining the level L of a liquid within a specified measuring range, at least comprising a radar antenna disposed above the liquid for transmitting radar signals to the liquid and receiving radar signals reflected from the liquid surface, as well as means for determining the liquid level L on the basis of the transmitted radar signals and the reflected radar signals. |
| US08186213B2 |
Thermal-type flowmeter
The present invention provides a highly-sensitive thermal-type flow-rate sensor with enhanced reliability. Provided is a thermal-type flow-rate sensor including: a passage into which a measurement-target fluid is introduced; and a sensor element which is provided in the passage and which measures the flow rate of the measurement-target fluid. The sensor element 1 includes: a semiconductor substrate; a hollow portion formed in the semiconductor substrate; and a heating resistor formed on an electric insulating film above the hollow portion. The sensor element measures the flow rate of the measurement-target fluid by radiating heat from the heating resistor to the measurement-target fluid. When Lh is the length of the heating resistor in a direction perpendicular to a flowing direction of the measurement-target fluid and Wd is the shortest distance to an upstream-side edge of the heating resistor from an edge of the hollow portion (an outer peripheral edge of a diaphragm) in the flowing direction of the measurement-target fluid, Wd≧0.4×Lh is satisfied in a relation between Lh and Wd. |
| US08186211B2 |
In-borehole gas monitor apparatus and method
A self-contained in-borehole gas monitor (IGM) apparatus (8) comprising a detector for measuring a gas variable, and a controller (54) configured to automatically periodically use the detector to measure a gas variable. |
| US08186199B2 |
Tubular member having multiple sized splines
A driveshaft assembly includes a tubular slip member having a first spline member having a plurality of splines formed thereon having a first tolerance and a second spline member having a plurality of spline sections. The plurality of spline sections includes a plurality of splines formed thereon having a second tolerance. The second spline member cooperates with the first spline member. A zone is disposed on the second spline member and has a first profile. The zone is disposed adjacent to at least one of the plurality of spline sections of the second spline member, and the first profile defines a clearance relative to the first spline member. |
| US08186196B2 |
Method and device for lubricating tool and workpiece at cutting
A method and device for lubricating tool and workpiece at cutting and forming, especially fine blanking of a workpiece with 5 mm or more thickness and with complex part geometry from a flat strip lubricates a tool and workpiece at cutting and forming, so that fine blanking of thicker parts is reproducible, with high quality. Extended the edge life of the tools is achieved by lubricating the active surfaces without the provided lubricating film breaking off. One quantity of cutting oil is accumulated in a micro-surface structure of a functional surface of shearing punch and cutting die and evenly distributed on the functional surfaces as quasi-stationary cutting oil film by cooperation of functional surfaces moving past each other when the tool is closed, and another quantity of accumulated cutting oil, via the respective effective gaps, is provided to the active surfaces of shearing punch and workpiece in the forming zone. |
| US08186195B2 |
Operating method for a multi-stand rolling mill train with strip thickness determination on the basis of the continuity equation
A strip is fed a rolling stand of a multi-stand rolling mill with a known inlet thickness and exits with a strip thickness. Measurement parameters are determined that are characteristic of the inlet-side and outlet-side strip velocities. With the measurement parameters, the inlet-side and outlet-side strip velocities are determined with respect to the rolling stand. With the inlet thickness, the inlet-side and outlet-side strip velocities, the strip thickness is determined with respect to the rolling stand. Taking into account the determined strip thickness, further measures are taken. The measurement parameter for the inlet-side velocity is the roller peripheral velocity directly prior to the rolling stand. Alternatively or in addition, the measurement parameter for the outlet-side velocity is the roller peripheral velocity. The peripheral precession of the strip is modeled. The respective strip velocity is determined using the respective roller peripheral velocity and the peripheral strip precession in the respective rolling stand. |
| US08186193B2 |
Lock cylinder structure
A lock cylinder structure comprises a cylinder body, a plug disposed within the cylinder body, a pin assembly and a key positioning assembly. The cylinder body has a plurality of upper pin holes and an accommodating hole. The plug has an outside wall, a keyhole, a plurality of lower pin holes and a through hole in communication with the outside wall and the keyhole. The pin assembly comprises a plurality of upper pins disposed within the upper pin holes and a plurality of lower pins disposed within the lower pin holes. The key positioning assembly comprises a first movable member disposed at the accommodating hole of the cylinder body and a second movable member disposed at the through hole of the plug. The second movable member contacts against the first movable member and has a push-receiving surface. |
| US08186192B2 |
Electromechanical rotary lock cylinder
Disclosed is a rotary lock cylinder including a blocking element that engages into the rotor in a closed position while releasing the rotor in an open position. An actuator can be controlled in accordance with data located on the key. In order to displace the blocking element from the closed position into the open position, a latch element is provided which can be moved along with the key. The blocking element can be attached by means of the actuator. The energy required for moving the blocking element is supplied by the user when introducing the key into the key duct such that the load on the power source used for actuating the actuator is minimal. |
| US08186190B2 |
Key device
A regulating member, an allowing member and an urging member are easily assembled to a subject to which these members are assembled. When assembling of an interlock unit is carried out, with a fitting convex portion of a link being fitted into a fitting concave portion of a release link, a torsion spring (particularly, a connecting portion) is temporarily elastically deformed, and a pair of spiral portions of the torsion spring are mounted to spring holding shafts of the link and the release link, respectively. As a result, the link, the release link and the torsion spring can be brought into a temporarily assembled state, and can be easily assembled to a unit box. |
| US08186189B2 |
Latch assembly
A door latch assembly having a latch mechanism and a substantially flush-mounted actuator. The actuator may raise and lower a latch within the latch mechanism to engage and disengage the strike plate of an adjacent door jam. Similar to the actuator, a key cylinder may be substantially flush-mounted on an opposite side of the door. The key cylinder may lock or unlock the assembly latch assembly latch assembly. |
| US08186184B2 |
Washing-drying/drying machine
A washing-drying/drying machine includes a tub mounted in a cabinet; a drum rotatably disposed in the tub for receiving laundry; a cooling water supply unit for supplying cooling water to condense moisture in air discharged from the drum; and a condensing plate mounted between the drum and an inner wall of the tub for receiving the cooling water to condense the moisture in the air. |
| US08186182B2 |
Surge fill apparatus and method for top load washing machine
A surge fill apparatus and method for a top load washing machine is disclosed. A top load washing machine includes a cabinet, a tub positioned within the cabinet, and a basket for receiving a wash load rotatably supported within the tub. The washing machine further includes a reservoir in fluid communication with the tub. The reservoir has the capacity to store a volume of wash fluid. The reservoir releases the volume of wash fluid into basket when the volume of wash fluid in the reservoir reaches a threshold level. In this manner, the apparatus and method of the present disclosure provides for a surge of wash fluid to be provided to the top portion of a wash load such that the top portion of the wash load can be cleaned and rinsed more efficiently. |
| US08186180B2 |
Ejector-type refrigerant cycle device
An ejector-type refrigerant cycle device includes: a first evaporator 15 that evaporates refrigerant flowing out of an ejector 14; a branch passage 17 that branches a flow of refrigerant between a radiator 13 and the ejector 14 and guides this flow of refrigerant to a vapor-phase refrigerant suction port 14c of the ejector 14; a throttling mechanism 18 disposed in the branch passage 17; and a second evaporator 19 disposed downstream of the throttling mechanism 18 with respect to the flow of refrigerant. The throttling mechanism 18 is constructed to be provided with a fully opening function, and to fully open the branch passage 17 when the second evaporator 19 is defrosted. Therefore, in an ejector-type refrigerant cycle device including multiple evaporators, the function of defrosting the evaporators can be carried out with a simple construction. |
| US08186178B2 |
Container for the cooling and/or cold storage of foods and/or beverages
In order to provide a container for the cooling and/or cold storage of foods and/or beverages which comprises at least one storage tank for a multi-phase flowable cooling medium wherein the cooling effect is still as uniform as possible over the entire height of the storage tank even when the multi-phase flowable cooling medium has been stored in the storage tank for a long period of time, it is proposed that the storage tank be divided into a plurality of storage tank segments which are separated from each other by partition walls which extend horizontally or are inclined to the vertical. |
| US08186174B2 |
Temperature control system for an electronic device cabinet
An electronic device cabinet includes a first temperature control system positioned to direct a conditioned airflow into a first electronic device storage zone of the cabinet and a second temperature control system positioned to direct a conditioned airflow into a second electronic device storage zone of the cabinet. The first temperature control system includes a first plurality of vortex tubes having a compressed air inlet and a first cooling air outlet that guides cooling air into the first device storage zone. The second temperature control system includes a second plurality of vortex tubes having a compressed air inlet and a second cooling air outlet that guides cooling air into the second device storage zone. A controller selectively delivers compressed air to respective ones of the first and second temperature control systems upon sensing a demand for cooling in corresponding ones of the first and second electronic device storage zones. |
| US08186170B2 |
Floating LNG regasification facility with LNG storage vessel
An LNG terminal is disclosed which includes an offshore mooring turret, an LNG storage vessel operatively coupled to the mooring turret, the LNG storage vessel including at least one LNG storage tank for the storage of liquid natural gas and a regasification vessel operatively coupled to the LNG storage vessel. A method of operating an offshore LNG terminal is also disclosed which includes obtaining liquefied natural gas from at least one LNG storage tank on an LNG storage vessel that is operatively coupled to a mooring turret, regasifying the liquefied natural gas from the LNG storage vessel using a regasification vessel operatively coupled to the LNG storage vessel, and supplying the regasified gas to at least one subsea pipeline via the mooring turret. |
| US08186168B2 |
Thrust balance of rotor using fuel
A method of at least partially balancing axial thrust loads and an engine in which the method is carried out is disclosed herein. The engine includes a combustion chamber and a fuel system operable to direct pressurized fuel to the combustion chamber. The engine also includes a rotor operable to rotate about a centerline axis and subjected to axial thrust loads during operation. The engine also includes a balance piston engaged with the rotor. The balance piston includes a pressure face positioned in a thrust cavity. The engine also includes a fluid passageway extending between the fuel system and the thrust cavity. Pressurized fuel is delivered to the pressure face to counteract axial thrust loads on the rotor. |
| US08186160B2 |
Thermal engine for operation with combustible and noncombustible fuels and electric energy
A thermal engine includes a cylinder and piston and an insulated thermal battery including at least a thermal mass such as the engine block itself for storing and retaining heat to enhance or cause fluid expansion within the cylinder and drive the piston, the thermal battery optionally including an electrolyte chamber containing a thermal electrolyte for functioning as an electric thermal battery. Heat is stored in the thermal battery such as by activating electric resistance heating elements in the thermal mass. The stored heat either causes expansion of a non-combustible expansion fluid such as water or enhances the expansion of a combustible expansion fluid such as gasoline. Where the thermal battery is an electric thermal battery containing an electrolyte, the storage of heat also stores electricity which can be used to power an electric motor. |
| US08186144B2 |
Component ventilation and pressurization in a turbomachine
A dual-flow turbomachine (10), essentially comprising a fan (14), a compressor (20), a combustion chamber (21), a turbine (22) and an exhaust casing (24), which comprises an auxiliary air compressor (48) driven by a Stirling engine (53) mounted downstream of the combustion chamber (21) and having a hot chamber in thermal contact with the flow (B) of hot gases leaving the turbine and a cold chamber in thermal contact with a flow (A) of cold gases generated by the fan (14) and flowing around the turbine (22) and the exhaust casing (24). |
| US08186143B2 |
Morphing structure and method
A method of controlling mixing of a flow exiting a nozzle associated with a jet engine. The method may involve pivotally supporting a mixing structure forming a hinge device at a downstream edge of the nozzle. A shape memory alloy (SMA) element may be used to couple to the mixing structure. Heat may be generated by a flow exiting the nozzle to induce a phase change in the SMA element. The phase change may cause an axial length of the SMA element to constrict, to cause a pivoting movement of the mixing structure into a path of the flow exiting the nozzle. |
| US08186142B2 |
Systems and method for controlling stack temperature
Systems and a method for controlling a temperature of an exhaust gas stack are provided. The system includes a first heat exchanger positioned upstream in exhaust gas flow communication to an exhaust gas inlet to the stack, a second heat exchanger positioned upstream in exhaust gas flow communication to the first heat exchanger, and a water side conduit configured to direct a flow of relatively hot water from the second heat exchanger to the first heat exchanger such that a temperature of a flow of exhaust gas flowing through the first exchanger is maintained within a predetermined range. |
| US08186141B2 |
Method for producing welded round and profile chains, chain links for a round or profile chain and round or profile chain made of chain links of said kind
A method for producing welded round and profile chains of chain links that are connected to each other. The chain links for round and profile chains produced by this method include two chain link partial pieces that are connected to each other by friction welding. |
| US08186133B2 |
Method for displaying a package assembly into a tray
A packaging assembly having an open design for displaying a product is provided. The packaging assembly is configured for storage and display in high density arrays of packaging assemblies, such as storage in pallets, and is configured to display visual information to a user from any perspective, even when the packaging assembly is packed in high density arrays of packaging assemblies. The packaging assembly includes an inner portion designed to contain a product and a housing designed to house the inner portion, wherein the inner portion includes a substantially transparent cover that facilitates display of the product. The packaging assembly includes an outer portion having a three dimensional window box frame, wherein portions of the window box frame are configured to couple to flanges provided on the inner portion. |
| US08186130B2 |
Method for installing an elevator and method for installing the guide rails of an elevator
The object of the invention is a method for installing an elevator, in which method the guide rails of the car are installed by fixing the guide rail sections into position from the bottom upwards. After installation into position of the lowermost guide rail section at least one working platform is built between the guide rails of the lowermost guide rail section, the guide rails of the second guide rail section are fixed as an extension of the guide rails of the lowermost guide rail section using the working platform as an aid, diverting pulleys are fixed to the top ends of the guide rails of the second guide rail section, a hoist and the rope suspension of the working platform are fitted to the working platform, in which rope suspension the hoisting rope is led at its first end from the hoist over the diverting pulleys and under the diverting pulleys that are in connection with the working platform to its fixing point of the second end on the working platform, and the working platform is lifted to the next working height by means of the hoist and is locked into position. |
| US08186128B2 |
Multi-storey insulated concrete foam building
Multi-storey ICF building having concrete walls poured into insulated concrete forms with adjustments mounted between floors and an outside foam layer and guides for an inside for layer. ICF buildings can be constructed with greater than three stories and masonry or stucco exteriors without the use of supplementary forms. |
| US08186119B1 |
Thermal isolating housing structure
An improved wall structure for HVAC enclosures utilizing thermoplastic standoffs to form an air space and to separate the exterior wall structure of the enclosure from the interior wall structure. The position of the thermoplastic standoffs and the selection of the design for the standoffs insure that metallic fasteners would secure the exterior walls of the enclosure to the enclosure do not transmit thermal energy from the external wall to the internal wall. |
| US08186116B2 |
Tile tray
A tile tray (1) including a generally planar base (2) and two or more retaining members (5) adapted to locate and retain a tile (7) to the base. The tile tray (1) further includes a coupling means for connecting two or more of the tile trays in a substantially aligned configuration. |
| US08186115B2 |
Modular panel assemblies for building foundations
A perimeter foundation wall is constructed from a plurality of modular wall panels. The wall panels include a generally planar exterior wall surface, a side flange on both vertically extending sides of the panel, a top cap, and a base pan. The wall may also include vertical reinforcing studs and brackets on an inner surface of the wall panels. The wall may also have leveling assemblies including threaded rods passing through the base pan. |
| US08186110B2 |
Transportable, modular, self contained shipping container building
A transportable, modular, self-contained shipping container building which has an optional means to collect, store, and distribute power from natural resources and a means to collect store, distribute and/or purify potable and/or non-potable water. |
| US08186109B2 |
Re-configurable armored tactical personnel and collective training facility
The present invention is generally directed to a reconfigurable armored unit for use in training exercises. In one aspect, a reconfigurable training facility is provided. The reconfigurable training facility includes a first modular unit. The reconfigurable training facility further includes a second modular unit, wherein each modular unit includes a frame with corner connection members and a grid system, whereby the corner connection members are used to connect the modular units together and whereby the grid system is used to selectively support a plurality of panels. In another aspect, a modular unit for use in a reconfigurable training facility is provided. In yet another aspect, a method of forming a reconfigurable training facility is provided. |
| US08186103B2 |
Sliding window assembly
A sliding window assembly includes a fixed window panel and a sliding window panel that is movable along a guide rail relative to the fixed window panel between an open position and a closed position. A window frame is fixed to the sliding window panel and includes a first guide feature. A locking frame is coupled to the window frame and includes a second guide feature. The guide rail, in cooperation with the first and the second guide features, initially guides the sliding window panel to an offset position relative to the fixed window panel, and then guides the sliding window panel in a lateral direction to uncover an opening in the fixed window panel. A locking mechanism cooperates with the locking frame to selectively lock the sliding window panel to the guide rail. |
| US08186101B2 |
Live goods planter cage and container
Planter apparatus for supporting live goods has an upwardly open container with a sidewall, a wire planter cage frame supported on the sidewall, and clips releasably securing the planter cage frame to the container. The planter cage frame has downwardly extending legs with distal ends that are received on an inner peripheral ledge of the container. The distal ends may engage the container without clips, or may rest on the rim of the container. The clips are deformable C-shaped clips with end hooks that engage the container rim and a transverse rib of the planter cage frame. |
| US08186100B2 |
Photovoltaic greenhouse structure
A photovoltaic greenhouse includes a house structure having upstanding walls and a roof thereover to enclose a greenhouse space therein, and at least one thin-film solar cell module mounted on the roof for converting solar energy within a pre-selected light band of sunlight into electricity, wherein light not absorbed by the thin-film solar cell module passes through and enters the greenhouse space, which can be utilized by plants or crops for photosynthesis. The thin-film solar cell module has high transmittance of light in the wavelength intervals, for example, 400-450 nm and 640-700 nm, required by the cultured plants or crops inside the greenhouse space for photosynthesis. |
| US08186095B2 |
Adjustable fishing outrigger apparatus
An adjustable outrigger for use on a marine vessel for supporting and selectively positioning a fishing outrigger pole includes a rotatable driving device which is coupled to a ball screw mechanism a rotatable member of which is coupled to a piston and to a track pitched in a direction along an axis to concurrently rotate the outrigger pole about the axis and angulate the outrigger pole in a plane perpendicular to that axis. |
| US08186094B2 |
Device and method for aligning or adjusting sight for a firearm
The combination of a firearm and a device for aligning an adjustable sight element of an open sight or telescopic sight is disclosed. The combination includes a firearm having a longitudinally extending barrel, a bore extending through the barrel and a longitudinally extending optical axis extending through the bore and an open or telescopic sight with an adjustment mechanism on the barrel of the firearm. The combination also includes a generally bullet shaped device having a metal body including a forward cylindrical portion and a rear cylindrical portion with a larger diameter than the forward portion abutting the forward portion as well as a laser pointer and battery powering the laser pointer disposed in the rear cylindrical portion and wherein the forward cylindrical portion is constructed and dimensioned to slidingly fit within a rear portion of the bore so that the laser pointer projects the light beam through the barrel and along the longitudinal axis and out of said barrel to thereby form a light spot on a distant target. Then the open or telescopic sight can be aligned with the light spot to thereby zero the firearm. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the laser pointer includes a red/orange diode to produce a laser beam with an output power of no greater than 1 milliwatt and a wavelength of about 635 nanometers. |
| US08186086B2 |
Magazine status indicator with graduated tape
The present invention provides a magazine with an indicator displaying the number of cartridges present therein. The magazine has a graduated tape having printed thereupon, a series of numbers representing the number of cartridges present in the magazine. A portion of the tape is displayed in an indicator window present on the magazine housing, to show an indication of the number of cartridges remaining in said magazine. |
| US08186085B2 |
Signage with sell by feature
A sign for the display of perishable goods in a display case. The sign includes a front face and rear face, the front face being visible to a consumer when in use providing information to the consumer regarding the perishable goods. The rear face has at least one rotating dial, individual or folded panel for selection of at least one date on which the perishable goods would be removed from the display case. |
| US08186081B2 |
Torsion control devices and related articles of footwear
Torsion control devices for use in an article of footwear are disclosed. An article of footwear comprises: a sole having a forefoot portion and a rearfoot portion; and a torsion element disposed in the sole, wherein the torsion element allows the forefoot portion to rotate in a first direction relative to the rearfoot portion and restricts rotation of the forefoot portion relative to the rearfoot portion in a second direction. |
| US08186079B2 |
Article of footwear with sipes
A sole structure for an article of footwear is disclosed. The sole structure includes an outsole and a midsole. The outsole includes a tread pattern with a nonlinear configuration. A plurality of sipes are provided on the outsole and the midsole. The plurality of sipes have a nonlinear configuration that is substantially similar to the nonlinear configuration of the tread pattern. |
| US08186078B2 |
Article of footwear having a polygon lug sole pattern
Articles of footwear, including athletic footwear, include one or more of: (a) an upper; (b) a sole structure including a midsole and an outsole, the outsole having a plurality of polygonal lugs arranged about a base surface of the outsole. The outsole may include one or more regions wherein the characteristics of a portion of the lugs within a region differ from the characteristics of a portion of the lugs in another region. The lugs may differ, for example based on size, construction and/or spacing between the lugs. Methods of manufacturing such articles of footwear also are disclosed. |
| US08186073B2 |
Quilting template and ruler
A combined template and ruler for use in quilting is formed from a rigid plastic material and includes a plurality of spaced slots that correspond to cutting and sewing lines that are marked on layers of fabric using the template. The cutting and sewing lines are positioned such that a plurality of half square triangles of two ply material are formed without cutting the thread. A template and method of forming snowball blocks in a similar fashion is also disclosed. |
| US08186072B1 |
Quilting templates
A plurality of templates include cutting and sewing lines for forming a plurality of various pieces of two coordinating fabrics for use in quilt making. The template is made of a relatively rigid sheet of transparent or semi-transparent material such as acrylic. The cutting and sewing lines are formed by a plurality of spaced openings extending through the sheet material. |
| US08186067B2 |
Portable circular saw having light irradiation unit
A portable circular saw includes a housing, including a motor, a circular saw blade, a saw cover, and a light irradiation unit. The blade is driven by the motor for cutting in a cutting direction. The circular saw blade has one side surface and another side surface. The saw cover is provided to the housing for partially covering the circular saw blade. The light irradiation unit is provided on the saw cover. The light irradiation unit includes a first irradiation device located on the one side surface side of the blade and a second irradiation device located on the another side surface side of the blade for emitting a light to illuminate a region including a leading end portion of the circular saw blade and a spot on the cutting object. The spot is ahead of the leading end portion in the cutting direction. |
| US08186064B2 |
Shaving apparatus
Shaving apparatus with cutting members which are movable relative to one another and are each provided with a row of substantially V-shaped teeth having edges, a cutting opening between each pair of cooperating teeth for catching hairs, said cutting opening having a shearing angle between 1° and 30°, wherein the cutting openings are not completely closed during operation of the shaving apparatus. |
| US08186062B2 |
Safety razor with filament guard
A razor cartridge is provided with a skin engaging structure at the cap and/or guard surface of the razor cartridge. The skin engaging structure has an array of closely spaced elongated protrusions integrally formed with a substrate. In use, the protrusions produce a pleasant tactile sensation tending to reduce shaving discomfort. The protrusions are formed by closely packed molded flexible filaments that can be less than 0.25 mm wide and have spacing between adjacent protrusions less than 0.2 mm. The protrusions can have a density greater than 5 protrusions per mm2. The skin engaging structure can be molded from e.g. an olefin polymer. The substrate can be integrally formed with a housing of the razor cartridge. |
| US08186058B2 |
Exhaust system component having insulated double wall
An exhaust system component (18, 10) for use in an exhaust system of a motor vehicle. The exhaust system component comprises a double wall surrounding a space (9, 11; 21) through which exhaust gas may flow when the exhaust system component is in use in an exhaust system. The double wall is comprised of a first and second metal wall (12, 14; 26, 28) that define between them a gap. The gap comprises an insulation material (16) made of chopped aluminium or magnesium aluminium silicate glass fibers. The insulation material can be in the form of, for example, an end cone perform. The exhaust system component can be an exhaust pipe (18). |
| US08186056B2 |
Turbine vane restoration system
A system and method for reconfiguring a turbine vane. In at least one embodiment, the system may be used to straighten an airfoil of a turbine vane segment to remove lean, twist, or racking, or any combination thereof. The airfoil may be straightened by fixing portions of the forward and aft hooks of the inner and outer shrouds of the turbine vane, restricting other portions of the forward and aft hooks of the inner and outer shrouds of the turbine vane to only move rotationally about a centerline of the inner or outer shrouds, and applying a load to various portions of the inner and outer shrouds and the airfoil to return the turbine vane to be within predetermined specifications. |
| US08186053B2 |
Circuit board and method of manufacturing the same
A circuit board has plated through holes which are laid out with a fine pitch and meets requirements relating to characteristics such as strength and thermal expansion coefficient. A method of manufacturing a circuit board includes: a step of forming a core portion by thermal compression bonding prepregs formed by disposing carbon fibers so as to produce openings at positions where plated through holes will pass through and impregnating the carbon fibers with resin; a step of forming through holes that pass inside the openings at positions of the openings in the core portion; and a step of forming a conductive layer on inner surfaces of the through holes to form plated through holes at positions that do not interfere with the carbon fibers and thereby produce a core substrate. |
| US08186052B2 |
Method of producing substrate
The method of producing a substrate comprises the steps of: forming a through-hole in a base member; filling the through-hole with an insulating material; performing electroless plating to coat the surface of the base member, in which the through-hole has been filled with the insulating material, with an electroless-plated layer; applying photo resist on the electroless-plated layer formed on the surface of the base member; optically exposing and developing the photo resist so as to form a resist pattern coating an end face of the through-hole filled with the insulating material; etching an electrically conductive layer formed on the surface of the base member with using the resist pattern as a mask; and removing the resist pattern coating the end face of the through-hole from the base member with using the electroless-plated layer as a release layer. |
| US08186049B2 |
Method of making a circuit structure
A manufacturing method of a circuit structure is provided as follows. Firstly, a base conductive layer is formed on the carrier board and a first patterned plating-resistant layer having at least one trench for exposing a part of the base conductive layer is formed on the base conductive layer. A first patterned conductive layer is then formed in the trench and a second patterned plating-resistant layer is formed which covers a part of the first patterned conductive layer and a part of the first patterned plating-resistant layer. A second patterned conductive layer is formed on the exposed first patterned conductive layer. The first and the second patterned plating-resistant layers and the base conductive layer exposed by the first patterned conductive layer are removed. Then, a patterned solder mask is formed for covering a part of the first patterned conductive layer. |
| US08186047B2 |
Method of mounting electronic component
The invention is directed to prevention of interference of an operation of mounting proper electronic components and improvement of usability without reduction of a manufacturing speed of printed boards. Suction states of electronic components held by suction by suction nozzles are detected by a line sensor unit. When the detection result shows that there is an improper electronic component, the improper electronic component is disposed of, and after the disposal a component recognition camera takes images of electronic components judged proper as a result of the detection and a recognition processing device performs a recognition process. When the recognition result shows that there is an improper electronic component, the improper electronic component is disposed of, and after the disposal only electronic components judged proper as a result of the recognition are mounted on a printed board. |
| US08186040B2 |
Methods for creating slanted perpendicular magnetic pole via metal liftoff
A method in one embodiment includes forming a resist structure above an upper surface of a substrate, wherein a portion of the upper surface of the substrate is a shaping layer, wherein the resist structure has an undercut; depositing a layer of magnetic material above exposed regions of the substrate, wherein a portion of the layer of magnetic material tapers towards the substrate as it approaches the undercut; removing the resist structure; and forming a write pole above the layer of magnetic material. Additional methods are disclosed. |
| US08186039B2 |
Method of manufacturing coil assembly
A method of manufacturing a coil assembly of a rotary electric machine is disclosed wherein first and second coil wire segments are located on an axis direction in opposition to each other to allow first turn portions of the first and second coil wire segments to intersect with each other (in locating step). Engaging movement, composed of a forward transferring movement, a rotating movement and a translating movement, is conducted on the second coil wire segment with respect to the first coil wire segment to allow the first turn portion of the second coil wire segment to engage a second turn portion of the first coil wire segment (first engaging step). Conducting the engaging movement allows to engage a third turn portion of the first coil wire segment (second engaging step). |
| US08186038B2 |
Method for building a component of an electrical rotating machine
A method for building a component for an electrical rotating machine is provided. The method includes providing a powdered magnetic material and an electrically conductive material, positioning these materials within a mold selected to produce the required dimensions in the materials after the application of a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) procedure, and applying at least one HIP procedure to the materials in the mold. Temperatures and pressures of the process are chosen to ensure that the electrically conducting and magnetic portions of the component are bonded without the materials seeping into each other. The method may be employed to build small compact motor systems using motor components formed as described to produce uniform grain structure and consistent magnetic and structural properties in the motor components that are useful in vehicle drive wheels. |
| US08186036B2 |
Metal sheet, method for fixing said metal sheet by flow drilling and assembly comprising same
A method of flow drilling a metal sheet includes flow drilling the metal sheet to produce a tubular extension from a surface of the metal sheet. The flow drilling is performed by forming two parts in the tubular extension, including an external part defining a hole of constant diameter and a seating part between the metal sheet and the external part. A cross-sectional shape of the seating part is hexagonal. |
| US08186033B1 |
Hand-held tool for inserting flexible tags into a shelf-mounted price channel
A hand-held tool has a leading edge which is inserted into a price channel and which has a tag exit port defined therein to be located in the price channel when in use and a trailing edge having a tag entrance port defined therein and into which a flexible tag is inserted. A bore connects the entrance port to the exit port and a flexible tag is forced through the entrance port, through the bore and out of the exit port to be positioned in the price channel. |
| US08186025B2 |
Brassiere back closure
A brassiere back closure has an inelastic textile patch attached to the end of one of the brassiere wings and carries a plurality of transversely extending and longitudinally spaced rows each having at least two transversely spaced eyes on the back face. A flat body has an inner end attached to the end of the other of the wings, an opposite outer end, a front face at least partially overlapping at the outer end the back face of the patch, and a back face opposite the body front face. Respective plastic hooks generally complementary to and matable with the eyes are fixed to the body front face at the outer end so as to align with and interfit with the eyes. A transversely rigid bar on or forming part of the body prevents transverse relative movement of the hooks and bending of the body at the hooks. |
| US08186019B2 |
Gripping handle for supporting a tool extension
A handle for a rotating tool extension is disclosed. The handle includes a body member having a central portion with first and second end portions. The body member is positionable along an axis of rotation of the rotating tool extension and includes a bore formed in the body member extending therethrough along the axis of rotation. A liner may be at least partially disposed within the bore, and may be at least partially removable from and insertable within the bore. A rotating tool extension is at least partially inserted within the liner. Alternatively, the body member may include at least one roller bearing member contacting at least a portion of the rotating tool extension during rotation of the extension. The handle and extension may be provided as a combination and also as a kit. |
| US08186013B2 |
Double motion door hinge for motor vehicles
A double motion door hinge for a vehicle door includes an upper door connection plate having a second motion assembly pivotally mounted to the upper door connection plate. The axis of rotation of the second motion assembly is perpendicular to the upper door connection plate. A first motion assembly is mounted to the second motion assembly at a first motion hinge. The first motion assembly is adapted to connect to an upper portion of a vehicle door. The lower door connection plate includes a lower door connection plate stopper and a lower shock connection. The lower door connection plate stopper has a lower door double motion stopper surface. |
| US08186009B2 |
Vacuum cleaner equipped with agitator and clutch assembly
An upright vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle assembly having a suction inlet and a rotary agitator. A canister assembly is pivotally connected to the nozzle assembly. The vacuum cleaner also includes a suction generator and a dirt collection vessel. Still further, the vacuum cleaner includes a clutch assembly for controlling power transmission from the drive motor of the suction generator to the rotary agitator. The clutch assembly includes a pulley driven by the drive motor, a first clutch element connected to the pulley, a second clutch element connected to the rotary agitator and an actuator for displacing the second clutch element between a first, engaged position and a second, disengaged position. |
| US08186008B2 |
Agitator and suction nozzle for vacuum cleaner having the same
An agitator includes an agitator body rotatably accommodated within a suction nozzle having a suction port, and comprising a plurality of bristles planted in an outer circumference, and an air moving device formed on the outer circumference of the agitator body to cause air to move in a space defined between the agitator body and an inner wall of the suction nozzle, if the agitator body is rotated. |
| US08186003B2 |
Wiper strip, wiper blade and designing method of wiper strip
A relationship between a thickness of a water film at a location of a maximum pressing pressure and a maximum pressure gradient value is deduced. Each corresponding design factor of a wiper blade is determined based on this relationship, and the wiper blade is manufactured. In this way, at the wiper blade, a thickness of the water film right after wiping falls in an appropriate range. |
| US08185995B2 |
Portable surface treating apparatus
A portable surface treating apparatus includes a shaft part (12) and a frame structure (22). The shaft part (12) has a handle part (13) that is capable of guiding the apparatus on the surface to be treated. The frame structure (22) has several rolls (29, 31) about which an endless conveyor belt (27) for liquid and dirt particles is arranged. A portion of the belt between the rolls is placed such that it is mainly parallel to the surface. |
| US08185994B2 |
Hairbrush, comb and makeup brush cleaning device
The present invention thoroughly cleans hairbrushes and combs and comprises an upper portion with at least two openings for containing a hair remover and an item to be cleaned, a rotating roller brush, and a housing portion. The roller brush, together with the hair remover, effectively clean and remove hair from styling combs and brushes and prevent accumulated hair from impeding the cleaning action by removing it from the roller brush. The device is configured in a specialized concave crescent shape, and the pattern of bristles on the roller brush is configured to optimize cleaning action on hairbrushes and styling combs. |
| US08185993B2 |
Brush head for a toothbrush and method for producing the brush head
The brush head of the toothbrush has filaments that are pointed at one end and led through clearances in the bristle carrier. These filaments have a length of about 10-20 mm. The tips of the pointed filaments produce a height profile other than that of a plane and the ends of the pointed filaments that are remote from the tips are melted. |
| US08185992B2 |
Hand-guided device and tool connectable thereto
A hand-guided device has a housing and a drive component with a drive element that is movable relative to the housing by way of a motor. A tool is releasably connectable to the drive element. In order to achieve a universal usability of the device by equipping it with various tools as well as with a different way of movement each, the drive element is eccentrically mounted in the drive component with an eccentricity and on the housing, a fixed bearing is disposed at a distance from the drive element for an optional cooperation with a tool. |
| US08185986B2 |
Adjustable bed base having vibrating motor in pocket
An adjustable bed (10) includes an adjustable bed base (12) for supporting a mattress (14). The adjustable bed base (12) comprises an articulated deck (50) comprising head, seat, leg and foot deck boards (54, 56, 58, 58) hingedly joined together and supported from a frame (32). At least one of the support sections has an opening (72, 74) and a pocket (86) secured underneath the opening. Inside the pocket (86) is located a vibratory motor (100), the vibratory motor (100) being electrically coupled to a powered drive unit (66) for vibrating a portion of the adjustable bed (10). |
| US08185983B2 |
Aircraft sink with integrated waste disposal function
A sink system includes a sink coupled to a storage area. The storage area is coupled to a bypass line and a common line, and a vacuum blower may apply pressure to the common line. First and second valves control the flow of fluids between the bypass line, storage area and common line, for operation of the system in a drain mode and a disposal mode. |
| US08185981B2 |
Adjustable curved shower rod assembly
A shower curtain support system includes a first rod having a first arcuate portion and a first end portion and a second rod having a second arcuate portion and a second end portion. The second arcuate portion is telescopically mounted within the first arcuate portion. A first end support is removably and pivotably mounted to the first end portion and a second end support is removably and pivotably mounted to the second end portion. |
| US08185977B2 |
System for flushing of a vacuum toilet in an aircraft
A system for flushing a vacuum toilet, includes a drain that is connected to a drain conduit, which vacuum toilet is connectable to a vacuum system by way of a suction valve. With the use of a combined valve including, for example, a flow-optimised intermediate storage device, inflow nozzle, bypass conduit with silencer and hose odor seal, the flow noises at the urinal bowl drain, urinal bowl overflow and upper end of the bypass conduit can be effectively suppressed. With the combination disc valve or the shut-off valve and suction valve, during the suction process the air stream is only drawn through the bypass conduit with a special odor seal and silencer. |
| US08185976B2 |
Flush valve mechanism
A flush valve is provided for flushing a toilet bowl. The flush valve includes a center tube having a lug, a flush activation device configured to initially raise the center tube, at least one latching mechanism configured to control movement of the center tube, and at least one rack configured to have movement controlled by the at least one latching mechanism. The at least one latching mechanism controls volume of fluid used during a flush. |
| US08185975B2 |
Self-rinsing toilet rim cover and method for using it
One embodiment of a self cleaning toilet bowl rim cover having a water conveyance (5) one end of which is hydraulically connected to water intake valve (9) the other end of water conveyance (5) opens over higher end of inclined surface (1) which slopes downward to drain (4) which is positioned over toilet bowl interior (7) Other embodiments are described and shown. |
| US08185974B2 |
Toilet with magnetic attraction between bearing and pivot
The present invention relates to a toilet in which the bowl (1) has at least one bearing (4) with an open cross section, preferably a curved wall, particularly in the general shape of a C, against which is rotatably engaged at least one part forming a pivot (20) attached to a moving part such as a flap forming a lid, a seat or a urinal, characterized in that said pivot (20) and said bowl each comprise means of mutual magnetic attraction (6) so arranged that said moving part (2) can be moved between a lowered position resting on the bowl (1) or roughly parallel to the upper plane of the bowl, and a raised position, wherein said pivot (20) is engaged in said bearing (4), and this pivot (20) can be separated from said bearing (4) provided said moving part (2) is pulled strongly enough to overcome the force of magnetic attraction. |
| US08185971B2 |
Apparel with reduced drag coefficient
An athletic garment including a panel designed to reduce frictional and pressure drag around an appendage of an athlete competing in a high-speed event, such as running and cycling. The panel is positioned to encircle the appendage, and is provided with regions having different surface texture roughnesses. The leading edge of the panel includes texture designed to enhance the laminar boundary layer, while the adjacent portion of the panel includes texture intended to trip the boundary layer to turbulent flow. The drag-reducing panel may be the cuff of a sock, a sleeve, wristband, a headband, or the like. |
| US08185970B2 |
Faux-shirt girdle
A faux-shirt girdle for use to shape and support the abdomen of a user while also serving to substantially cover a user's midriff and lower back regions is discloses. The girdle comprises a girdle portion and a shirt portion coupled to the bottom of the girdle portion. The girdle portion is configured to provide support to the user's abdomen region. The shirt portion is configured to cover the user's midriff, and to reduce migration of the lower portion of the girdle portion toward the user's chest line. The shirt portion attached to the bottom of the girdle portion and an elastic or resilient band attached to the top of the girdle portion both work to reduce migration or bunching of the girdle portion around the middle of the torso. The shirt portions can be made of any fabric and can be tucked into, or worn over, a user's other external clothing layer. |
| US08185969B2 |
Protective gear
A protective head gear for a user having an outer panel, an inner panel, a retention pleat on the inner panel, a respirator, and an indexed fastener. The outer panel is disposed relative to the inner panel to provide efficacious spatial separation therebetween. The fastener is formed to adjustably and releasably secure at least a portion of the inner panel to the user. An indexing element is attached to the fastener, and is formed of material substantially tactilely different from the fastener, the outer panel, or the inner panel, to permit the user to unambiguously locate the point of fastening. The outer panel, inner panel, and respirator, can be composed of fabrics having one or more layer, and one layer can have a repellent characteristic different from another (e.g., hydrophobic vs. hydrophilic). |
| US08191167B2 |
Secure system and method for processing data between a first device and at least one second device provided with monitoring means
A secure system (1) for processing data includes a first device (2), and at least one second device (3) is characterized in that—each second device (3) comprises monitoring elements (7) suitable for transmitting operating information to the first device (2), and—the first device (2) includes elements (8) for storing a behavioral model of each second device (3) and elements (9) for comparing the operating information received from each second device (3) with the behavioral model so as to determine whether the operation of the second device (3) is compliant with the behavioral model stored, and validation elements (10) suitable for preventing the running of a sensitive operation on this second device or for instructing a change of state of the second device if the second device does not manifest compliant operation. A method and a computer program are also described. |
| US08191165B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for controlling distribution of digital content in a file sharing system using license-based verification, encoded tagging, and time-limited fragment validity
A method for controlling distribution of digital content includes fragmenting a digital content file into fragments and tagging at least some of the fragments with corresponding tags to provide tagged fragments for distribution. The tags may be generated using a pseudo-random number (PRN) bit sequence. A digital rights license is generated for the digital content file based on the tags and/or fragments. The digital rights license is configured to allow reassembly of the tagged fragments to provide the digital content file. Later, the fragments may be re-tagged with corresponding second tags to provide second tagged fragments for distribution that are different from the first tagged fragments. Related systems and computer program products are also discussed. |
| US08191161B2 |
Wireless authentication
A wireless authentication system for authenticating a user before allowing access to a protected resource is described herein. An authentication device receives an indication of an intent to access a protected resource. The authentication device sends a request for a key. The wireless user device and the authentication device may engage in a key exchange. The authentication device determines whether the one or more keys obtained via the key exchange are valid and may allow access to the protected resource if the one or more keys are valid. The authentication device may request further verification of the identity of the user, such as a keyholder verification. The authentication device may allow access to the protected resource if the key and the keyholder verification are valid. |
| US08191160B2 |
Method and system for auditing and correcting authorization inconsistencies for reception equipment in a content delivery network
A method and system for auditing unauthorized usage in a subscriber content delivery network is described. The method and system includes identifying an indicator relating to accessibility for a receiver intended for receiving signals through the network; obtaining an indicator relating to authorization for a pre-determined service offering of the network; and determining whether the indicator of access ability is consistent with the indicator relating to authorization to thereby ascertain that the receiver is capable of engaging in unauthorized usage. The method and system may optionally include undertaking an action to change at least one of the indicator of access ability and the indicator relating to authorization. |
| US08191158B2 |
Systems and methods for secure transaction management and electronic rights protection
The present invention provides systems and methods for secure transaction management and electronic rights protection. Electronic appliances such as computers equipped in accordance with the present invention help to ensure that information is accessed and used only in authorized ways, and maintain the integrity, availability, and/or confidentiality of the information. Such electronic appliances provide a distributed virtual distribution environment (VDE) that may enforce a secure chain of handling and control, for example, to control and/or meter or otherwise monitor use of electronically stored or disseminated information. Such a virtual distribution environment may be used to protect rights of various participants in electronic commerce and other electronic or electronic-facilitated transactions. Distributed and other operating systems, environments and architectures, such as, for example, those using tamper-resistant hardware-based processors, may establish security at each node. These techniques may be used to support an all-electronic information distribution, for example, utilizing the “electronic highway.” |
| US08191155B2 |
Microprocessor
A microprocessor having a processor core includes an information acquisition unit that acquires information encrypted to be used by the processor core, from outside; a decryption unit that decrypts the information with a symmetric key to obtain plain text; and a controller that controls processing on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit based on the symmetric key. |
| US08191152B1 |
Methods systems and articles of manufacture for generating and displaying video related to financial application
Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for generating a video such that when another person views the video, the other person can view non-private information but not private information of the person who generated the video. A first interview screen is generated by a financial application and displayed to a first person or user of a financial application. The screen includes private data related to the first person such as a name, address and social security number of the first user or a relative of the first user, which may be entered by the first person or on behalf of the first person. A video of the interview screen is generated and may be transmitted over a network to a second person who may also utilize a financial application. The video is displayed to the second person, but the second person cannot view the private data related to the first person due to blurring or masking of the private data. |
| US08191147B1 |
Method for malware removal based on network signatures and file system artifacts
A network communication corresponding to a malicious network signature associated with malicious code is detected on a host computer system. A determination is made whether or not the malicious network signature is validated as associated with a non-malicious code process. Upon a determination that the malicious network signature is not validated, the corresponding network communication is blocked, and the associated malicious code is located on the host computer system and removed from the host computer system. In some embodiments, the host computer system is further evaluated for the presence of residual artifacts of the malicious code on the host computer system. |
| US08191146B2 |
Virus localization using cryptographic hashing
Methods for using integrity checking techniques to identify and locate computer viruses are provided. A method for virus localization for each of three types of virus infections is provided, including the steps of computing a sequence of file blocks, calculating hashes for the sequences of file blocks from a host file and calculating hashes for the same or related sequences of file blocks from an infected file, and comparing the hashes from host file to the hashes from the infected file from the same or related sequences of file blocks such that when some of said first hashes and said second hashes do not match, a location of a virus is output. Methods are provided for computing the sequence of file blocks depending on the type of virus infection, and for calculating the hashes using a collision resistant hash function, a digital signature scheme, a message authentication code, or a pseudo-random function. |
| US08191145B2 |
Virus immunization using prioritized routing
An apparatus, device, methods, computer program product, and system are described that determine a virus associated with communication data on a communications network, the communications network associated with at least one network policy device, associate an anti-viral agent with at least one identifier, prioritize transmission of the at least one identifier through the at least one network policy device, relative to the communication data, and provide the anti-viral agent on the communications network, in response to the prioritizing transmission of the at least one identifier through the at least one network policy device. |
| US08191142B2 |
Detecting whether an arbitrary-length bit string input matches one of a plurality of known arbitrary-length bit strings using a hierarchical data structure
Generating and using a high-speed, scalable, and easily updateable data structure are described. The proposed data structure provides minimal perfect hashing functionality while intrinsically supporting low-cost set-membership queries. In other words, in some embodiments, it provides at most one match candidate in a set of known arbitrary-length bit strings that is used to match the query. |
| US08191141B2 |
Method and system for cloaked observation and remediation of software attacks
A method and system provide security for a communication network and for one or more nodes within the network. Software can be distributed throughout the network from a centralized location or administrative console. The software can be made resident in the kernel of the operating system of a receiving node. The software can provide an observation functionality, an analysis functionality, a reporting functionality and a remediation functionality or some subset of those functionalities. |
| US08191136B2 |
Connection based denial of service detection
A system for detecting network intrusions and other conditions in a network is described. The system includes a plurality of collector devices that are disposed to collect data and statistical information on packets that are sent between nodes on a network. An aggregator device is disposed to receive data and statistical information from the plurality of collector devices. The aggregator device produces a connection table that maps each node on the network to a record that stores information about traffic to or from the node. The aggregator runs processes that determine network events from aggregating of anomalies into network events. |
| US08191125B2 |
System, apparatus and method for restricting data access
An embodiment comprises a semiconductor integrated circuit for restricting the rate at which data may be accessed from an external memory by a device coupled to the circuit. The rate of data access is restricted if the data access satisfies one or more conditions. For example, one of the conditions is that the device which is requesting the data is insecure. Another condition is that the requested data is privileged. A data access monitor is provided to monitor data accesses and to is arranged to generate an access signal to indicate whether the conditions are satisfied or not. A bandwidth comparator determines whether data access exceeds a threshold and, if so, the semiconductor integrated circuit is impaired to prevent further data access. |
| US08191124B2 |
Systems and methods for acquiring network credentials
Exemplary methods and systems for acquiring network credentials for network access are described. The exemplary method includes receiving network configuration information from a network device on a communication network, generating a credential request, transmitting the credential request to a credential server over a standard protocol of the network device, receiving the credential request response, and providing a network credential from the credential request response to the network device to access the communication network. |
| US08191122B2 |
Provisioning a network appliance
A method and system for generating identity certificates. The method may include receiving a user login at a network appliance, determining that the network appliance is not initialized, and requesting and receiving a unique identifier from a service provider, where the unique identifier is used for identifying the network appliance. The method may include generating a certificate signing request (CSR) and sending the CSR with the unique identifier to the service provider. Upon receiving a signed certificate from the service provider at the network appliance, the network appliance is initialized using the received signed certificate. |
| US08191121B2 |
Methods and systems for controlling access to resources in a gaming network
A Web authorization service facilitates the control of access to resources in a casino gaming network system. |
| US08191116B1 |
User equipment validation in an IP network
An authentication and validation architecture utilizing a P-CSCF (proxy-call session control function) service to validate a source IP address against a registered contact IP address upon receiving an initial request for a dialog or a standalone request (except REGISTER) from a registered user. This provides a security measure to prevent IMS (IP multiemdia subsytem) identity spoofing, when SIP security (IPsec) access security is not enabled, or not used, between the user equipment (UE) and P-CSCF service. |
| US08191114B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for determining an originator of a network packet using biometric information
Methods, systems, and computer program products for determining an originator of a network packet using biometric information are disclosed. A network packet is received from a network device. A header or a trailer of the network packet is analyzed to determine whether the header or trailer includes an identifier of biometric identification information of a network user. The network packet is identified as having originated from the network user if the header or trailer includes the identifier of biometric identification information of the network user. Identifying the network packet as having originated from the network user does not require reading a payload of the packet. |
| US08191109B2 |
Application verification
A device that is configured for wireless communication and for execution of at least one client application is disclosed. The device comprises an integrated security function configured to process a request for verification of a client application from an external device. A server configured to request for a verification of a client application from an integrated security function of a device is also disclosed. The server is adapted to receive a response from the device, to compare the response to reference data, and to decide, based on the comparison, if the client application is allowed to use a service. |
| US08191105B2 |
System and method for handling electronic messages
A system and method for handling secure-format messages includes a message server that receives secure-format messages from senders and operates in conjunction with a secure message handler to detect and prevent the delivery of invalid secure-format messages. When a secure-format message is determined to be invalid, the secure message handler may take one or more of the following actions: replace the body of the invalid message with a template message, send a message to the sender of the invalid message indicating the message was rejected, delete the invalid message from the recipient's mailbox, or log the message on the message server and mark it for review. Additionally, the handling of invalid messages is configurable. In particular, the actions to take and the conditions under which those actions are to be taken may be specified by an administrator. |
| US08191101B2 |
Packet timing method and apparatus of a receiver system for controlling digital TV program start time
A system for the delivery of video on demand (VOD). A wireless remote control device generates keystroke signals for controlling a TV display and has a single button for restarting a selected program at a beginning of the selected program. A head-end unit supports separate downstream virtual channels for each separate TV set connected on a common TV feeder-cable; The head-end unit locally records and stores many programs, and transmits each program using a compressed digital format. The Compressed digital format may use MPEG-2 or MPEG-4. The head-end unit has means for protecting against signal theft. A set top unit encapsulates the keystroke signals and transmits the keystroke signals via a two-way channel to the head-end unit. |
| US08191096B2 |
Control device and method for channel searching in image display device
Provided are a system and a method for channel searching in an image display device. When there are requests for channel searching and setting with respect to a broadcasting signal received through a signal receiving unit, image or audio data set by a user are outputted to a standby screen or while the channel searching. Or, after calculating a required time for the channel searching, image or audio data having a playing time close to the calculated required time are extracted for output while channel searching. |
| US08191093B2 |
Providing information pertaining to audio-visual and personal bi-directional services
The present invention provides methods and systems for accessing services in a television system. In one embodiment, a DHCT presents a subscriber an EPG presentation containing a plurality of selectable bi-directional services that are purchasable for a period of time and rendered to a buying subscriber on an individualized basis as offered by the cable television system. The subscriber navigates an EPG menu presentation with an input device such as a remote control device and selects a purchasable service by choosing the visual representation that corresponds to the desired service. The DHCT receives the user input, translates the selected command into an executable program call that queries service availability and, if the service is available, initiates the selected bi-directional audiovisual service on a personalized session. |
| US08191092B2 |
Method and system for replacing/obscuring titles and descriptions of recorded content
A method and system for replacing and obscuring titles and/or descriptions pertaining to individual pieces of recorded content. In one embodiment, the method enables a user, such as a parent, to rename titles and replace descriptions for selected pieces of content, thereby obscuring the content information for those pieces of content from other users, such as children. In another embodiment, the method enables an administrative user (e.g., a parent) to define allowed access levels and assign the same to various users of the system. The administrative user is also enabled to assign access levels to individual pieces of content. In response to a user selection to view content information pertaining to recorded content, the system identifies the user and determines whether to display an original title/description or a new title/description based on the allowed access levels assigned to the user and the respective access levels assigned to the pieces of content. |
| US08191089B2 |
System and method for inserting advertisement in contents of video program
The invention provides a system and method for inserting advertising in a video program, wherein appropriate advertisements are displayed at scheduled times in the process of a video program, characterized by matching image frames of a video program with object information and providing matching scores when an object information corresponding to an image frame; and inserting an advertisement corresponding to the object information having the matching score into the corresponding image frame in the video program. |
| US08191082B2 |
System and method for accessing really simple syndication (RSS) enabled content using session initiation protocol (SIP) signaling
A system and associated method for subscribing Really Simple Syndication (RSS) enabled content using the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) are disclosed. An application server intermediates a SIP message and a request for a RSS feed. An end device requests subscription of the RSS feed in a SIP message. The application server processes the SIP message, register the RSS feed, and tracks changes in the RSS feed over the Internet. The application server retrieves a web content linked to the RSS feed responsive to finding changes in the RSS feed. The application server stores update of the web content in a media cache. The end device subscribing the RSS feed fetches the web content from the media cache in later part of the subscription. |
| US08191078B1 |
Fault-tolerant messaging system and methods
A fault-tolerant messaging system comprises a primary broker, a first network, a back up broker, and a second network. The primary broker and the back up broker are coupled to the first network for communication with clients thus creating a messaging system. The primary broker and the back up broker are also coupled to the second network for replicating state from the primary broker and the back up broker, and also sending transaction events immediately to maintain synchronization. The brokers further comprise a replication module for communicating state between the primary broker and the back up broker, a recovery module for performing recovery on the back up broker upon failure of the primary broker, and a fault-tolerant connection module for establishing a fault-tolerant connection between the primary broker and the back up broker over the second network. The present invention also includes a number of novel methods for performing fault tolerance. |
| US08191076B2 |
Method and apparatus for making inter-process procedure calls through shared memory
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates making an inter-process procedure call through a shared memory that is shared between a client process and a server process, wherein the client makes the inter-process procedure call as if the client is making a local procedure call, but the procedure call actually executes on the server. The system operates by an Application Programming Interface (API) to allow the client to make an inter-process procedure call. The system then allocates a section of the shared memory for the data structure parameters of the inter-process procedure call. |
| US08191073B2 |
Method and system for polling network controllers
Improving the performance of multitasking processors are provided. For example, a subset of M processors within a Symmetric Multi-Processing System (SMP) with N processors is dedicated for a specific task. The M (M>0) of the N processors are dedicate to a task, thus, leaving (N−M) processors for running normal operating system (OS). The processors dedicated to the task may have their interrupt mechanism disabled to avoid interrupt handler switching overhead. Therefore, these processors run in an independent context and can communicate with the normal OS and cooperation with the normal OS to achieve higher network performance. |
| US08191070B2 |
Dynamic resource allocation
A computer-implemented method includes detecting an actual workload representative of a pattern of access of a plurality of items of content; comparing the actual workload against a prescriptive workload to determine an occurrence of a substantial deviation from the prescriptive workload; and upon determining the occurrence of the substantial deviation, revising the prescriptive workload based at least in part on the actual workload. The plurality of items is stored on resources of a storage environment according to one of a plurality of resource allocation arrangements. The prescriptive workload including a plurality of categories, each category being associated with a respective one of the plurality of resource allocation arrangements. |
| US08191069B2 |
Method of monitoring performance of virtual computer and apparatus using the method
Provided are a method and an apparatus for monitoring performance of a virtual computer. In a method of controlling a computer system including a computer, the computer executes a virtualization program for causing logically divided resources of the computer to operate as first and second virtual computers, the first virtual computer executes a first OS, and the second virtual computer executes a second OS. In the method, information regarding the resources allocated to the first virtual computer and the second virtual computer by the virtualization program is obtained from the virtualization program, information indicating performance of the first virtual computer is obtained from the first OS, information indicating performance of the second virtual computer is obtained from the second OS, the obtained information and information indicating a time of obtainment of the information are stored in a storage system, and stored information is output. |
| US08191067B2 |
Method and apparatus for establishing a bound on the effect of task interference in a cache memory
A method and apparatus are disclosed for establishing a bound on the effect of task interference in an instruction cache shared by multiple tasks. The bound established by the present invention is the maximum number of “live” frames of a given task that are coexistent during the execution of an application. A “live cache frame” contains a block that is accessed in the future without an intervening eviction. The eviction of blocks from a live frame by an interrupt causes a future miss that would not otherwise occur and evictions from live frames are the only evictions that cause misses that would not otherwise occur. The invention provides a more accurate estimate of the maximum additional execution time of a task that results from servicing an interrupt during its execution. Additional accuracy is obtained by exploiting knowledge of the character of an intervening task to achieve a tighter bound, when possible. |
| US08191062B2 |
System for processor frequency governors to govern a processor frequency by deriving CPU utilization information based on the state of virtual machine monitor
A method, apparatus and system enable processor frequency governors to comprehend virtualized platforms. Specifically, in one embodiment, the processor frequency governor in a virtual host may be para-virtualized. As a result, the processor frequency governor may run in a partition on the virtualized platform and nonetheless collect and process central processing utility (“CPU”) information on the virtualized platform based on the activity of a plurality of virtual machines on the virtual host. |
| US08191054B2 |
Process for handling shared references to private data
Methods and apparatus are provided for a linker to resolve references from shared memory to private memory in a multi-core system. |
| US08191047B2 |
Multi-tiered certification service
A method for certifying whether a software solution is compatible with an operating environment that includes one or more backend systems associated with a software product. Provide an advanced certification routine including a plurality of tests associated with determining a compatibility between the software solution and the software product and including access to the one or more backend systems. Provide a basic certification routine associated with determining a compatibility between the software solution and the software product without access to the one or more backend systems, wherein the basic certification includes a subset of the plurality of tests associated with the advanced certification routine. Receive a request associated with certifying the software solution based on the advanced certification routine or the basic certification routine. Certify whether the software solution is compatible with the operating environment based on a performance of the advanced certification routine or basic certification routine as determined from the request. |
| US08191044B1 |
System and method for maintaining requirements traceability
A front end client-server application configured to synchronize requirements between a requirements repository and a testing repository. The front end client-server application validates a requirement, processes at least one filter associated with the requirement, determines a requirement type of the requirement, and processes the requirement. In addition, the method comprises updating a testing application in accordance with the processed requirement. In addition, it can be determined whether a plurality of requirements received by the front end client-server application that need to be synchronized contain traceability relationships. If so, the front end client-server application replicates the traceability relationship between the requirements to be synchronized and any relevant, existing requirements at the testing repository. Furthermore, the front end client-server application allows a user to customize the requirements synchronization process. |
| US08191043B2 |
On-demand composition and teardown of service infrastructure
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for creating a composite service. Dependencies are identified utilizing a set of active objects used to manage services to form identified dependencies in response to receiving a request for the composite service. The identified dependencies specify requirements of the composite service. The composite service has multiple components. Components are identified for the composite service using the identified dependencies to form identified components. The composite service is created using the identified components. |
| US08191042B2 |
Continuation based declarative definition and composition
Declarative definition and composition of activities of a continuation based runtime. When formulating such a declarative activity of a continuation-based runtime, the activity may be formulated in accordance with a declarative activity schema and include a properties portion that declaratively defines one or more interface parameters of the declarative activity, and a body portion that declaratively defines an execution behavior of the declarative activity. The declarative activities may be hierarchically structured such that a parent declarative activity may use one or more child activities to define its behavior, where one or more of the child activities may also be defined declaratively. |
| US08191038B1 |
Using a templating language to produce a host language factory for a safe subset of a templated language
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system that facilitates converting a template written in a templating language into a function written in a host language, wherein the function produces a string (or a capability that encapsulates a string) in the templated language. During operation, the system receives a template in the templating language at a translator. The system then compiles the template with the translator to create a function in the host language. Next, the system merges the function in the host language with a subset of code written in the host language. Note that in some embodiments of the present invention, the subset of code written in the host language was originally embedded in the templating language, while in other embodiments the subset of code written in the host language is received from an external file. The system then converts the subset of code written in the host language into a safe subset of code written in the host language, wherein the safe subset of code written in the host language adheres to a pre-determined schema and a pre-determined set of constraints. Finally, the system translates the safe subset of code written in the host language to a subset of code written in the templated language. |
| US08191035B1 |
Tool with graphical interconnect matrix
Techniques and mechanisms provide numerous representations and/or control of component interconnections in a digital design. For example, aspects of the invention provide a connection panel where connections can be presented in different modes. The different modes can run concurrently with each other or separately from each other. The different modes can also be manually or automatically selected to switch from one mode to another mode. For instance, the modes can be manually selected using an on-screen button or automatically selected by examining the location of the mouse pointer on the connection panel. Based on the different modes, component interconnections can be easily and efficiently handled and presented. Further, components can be automatically organized to minimize the number of crossing interconnects between them and/or maximize the amount of interconnection information presented. |
| US08191030B2 |
Identifying parasitic diode(s) in an integrated circuit physical design
A method comprises tracing a first and second terminal of a junction through a circuit layout to associated power supplies to determine their respective defined bias values. The method further comprises comparing the defined bias values of each terminal in order to determine, based on the comparison, whether the junction is forward biased. |
| US08191027B2 |
Validation of an integrated circuit for electro static discharge compliance
An aspect of the present invention validates ESD compliance by examining netlist data generated from a schematic level design of an integrated circuit. Routing and placement may be performed only after confirming that whether each protected circuit (having exposure to ESD current, without the protection circuit) is protected by an appropriate protection circuit. As a result, the design cycle time may be reduced. According to another aspect of the present invention, layout guidelines for each protection circuit is also considered in performing the routing and placement. As a result, the number of iterations in a design cycle may be reduced. |
| US08191023B2 |
System and method for selecting high speed serial signals
A system for selecting high speed serial signals includes a loading module, a layout selecting module, a data processing module, and an output module. The loading module reads a chip package length file; a layout selecting module reads a layout file and selects high speed serial signals preset by a user; the data processing module selects pins information of a start chip and a terminal chip transmit the selected high speed serial signals and finds the chip package length information, and analyzes interrupt points of the layout character from the start chip and outputs the chip package length information of the start chip, the layout length information, and the chip package length information of the terminal chip in sequence to the output module, to convert into a table and displays the table via a display device. |
| US08191022B2 |
Stochastic steady state circuit analyses
A method for simulating a system without a time invariant or periodically time-varying steady state is provided. The method limits the number of states included in a Markov chain model by discretizing the states based on Gaussian decomposition, utilizes a state exploration algorithm that discovers only recurrent states, and/or utilizes a state truncation algorithm that eliminates states with negligible stationary probabilities. |
| US08191021B2 |
Single event transient mitigation and measurement in integrated circuits
A method for single event transient filtering in an integrated circuit device is described. The device comprises three sequential elements, each having a data input and a data output with each of the three data outputs coupled to one of three inputs of a voting gate. The method comprises generating first and second nominally equivalent logic signals in first and second SET domains, converting the first and second nominally equivalent logic signals into first, second and third nominally equivalent data channels, and transmitting the first, second and third nominally equivalent data channels to the data inputs of the first, second and third sequential elements. Provision is made for applying the method to logic designs implemented in programmable logic integrated circuit devices. |
| US08191020B1 |
Graphical user aid for technology migration and associated methods
A graphical user aid that may be used for migrating source devices, such as programmable logic designs (PLDs or FPGAs) into target devices, such as equivalent or substitute application-specific integrated circuits (“ASICs”) is provided. A device selector guide is provided for evaluating migration prospects from the source device to the target device before completing the migration. |
| US08191019B2 |
Non-predicated to predicated conversion of asynchronous representations
Methods, circuits and systems for converting of a non-predicated asynchronous netlist to a predicated asynchronous netlist are described. These may operate to identify one or more portions of an asynchronous netlist corresponding to a partially utilized portion of an asynchronous circuit. The asynchronous netlist may be modified to control the partially utilized portion. Additional methods, circuits, and systems are disclosed. |
| US08191018B1 |
Methods and software for printing materials onto a substrate
Methods and software for correcting printable circuit layouts. The methods generally including steps of identifying shapes in an input circuit layout, applying a plurality of correction rules to the shapes, and producing an output printed circuit layout in accordance with the identified shapes and the correction rules. The input circuit layout generally comprises a bitmapped image or other description of at least one printable layer of at least one electronic component, device, or die. Embodiments of the present invention further allow for more precise control of spreading and effective coverage of features (e.g., source/drain terminal regions, gates, capacitors, diodes, interconnects, etc.) on a substrate by a printed ink composition including electronic materials. |
| US08191015B2 |
Personalized content management
A personalized content manager is disclosed. The personalized content manager comprises an apparatus, system, method, and computer readable medium that includes or performs the steps of receiving input regarding the filtering of broadband content, filtering the broadband content with one or more content categories based on the filtering input, filtering the content with one or more of a plurality of content sources based on the filtering input, and generating a personalized content management interface screen that includes a list of titles of the filtered content. |
| US08191012B2 |
Method and system for creating theme, topic, and story-based cover pages
A method creates cover pages for news themes, topics, and stories, with elements to allow viewing more information from the theme, topic, or story. A database of stories is provided, comprising text, images, and possibly other web-accessible content. For a theme-based cover page, a theme is selected, and topics relevant to that theme are chosen. Search strings generated from the topics are used to search the database for matching stories. Representative images for the matching stories are then chosen from the database, and headlines are created based on the story content. For a topic-based cover page, a topic is selected and is used to search the database for matching stories. The cover page, comprising the image and information about the theme, topic, or story, is then created and displayed, with clickable elements to view more information about the theme, topic, or story. |
| US08191011B2 |
Motion activated content control for media system
A media system is described including a graphical display that presents an iconic menu and a textual menu. The iconic menu includes a plurality of icons arranged in a two-dimensional collection, where each icon provides access to media content. The textual menu includes a structured textual list that provides access to a media library including the media content. The iconic menu may be unlocked responsive to a first user input received at the user input device and may be locked responsive to a second user input received at the user input device. The plurality of icons of the iconic menu may be shuffled relative to each other without shuffling the structured textual list responsive to motion of the media system. The plurality of icons may be maintained in a fixed relative arrangement even if motion of the media system occurs if the iconic menu is locked. |
| US08191006B2 |
Information processing apparatus, control method of information processing apparatus, computer program and storage medium
An information processing apparatus that receives data from a plurality of external devices connected via a network and displays an operation window based on a content of the data includes a reception unit that receives a plurality of pieces of data transmitted from the plurality of external devices, an analysis unit that analyzes the received data and identifies a first constituent portion common to the respective data and a second constituent portion not included in the first constituent portion, and a display unit that displays information included in the first constituent portion in a common display area of an operation window, and displays information included in the second constituent portion in an individual display area of the operation window. |
| US08191002B2 |
Summarizing portlet usage in a portal page
A portal summary controller stores detected usage of at least one instance of at least one portlet application within at least one portal page at each of a plurality of different times. Responsive to a trigger to generate a summary portal page, the portal summary controller dynamically creates a summary portal page displaying a separate instance of the at least one portlet application for at least one of each of the plurality of different times specified according to the separate usage stored at each of the plurality of different times, such that the summary portal page provides a summary of at least a selection of previous usage of the at least one portal page. The trigger to generate a summary portal page includes a user selecting which previous stored portal usage, including usage of individual portlet applications, to summarize in the summary portal page, such that the summary portal page renders a summary of only that content selected by the user. |
| US08190999B2 |
System and method for in-context, topic-oriented instant messaging
A method for grouping IM statements together into a plurality of topics and displaying the topics in separate windows comprising a Configuration Program (CP), a Topic Creation Program (TCP), and a Statement Classification Program (SCP). The CP allows a user to configure the global options for the present invention such as designating the parties authorized to create a topic, specifying whether the topic name and/or keywords are negotiable, and specifying whether icons should be displayed with the topic name. The TCP allows a user to create a topic by specifying the topic name, selecting a statement classification method, designating keywords to be used in searching the statements, and adding an icon to the topic name. When a statement is submitted to an IM channel, the SCP places the statement into one of the topics based on the statement classification method selected in the TCP. |
| US08190995B2 |
Information processing apparatus and information selecting method
An information processing apparatus and an information selecting method are disclosed which can easily restore an original state after checking the result of executing predetermined processing based on different information. If an operator of an operation unit is pressed in an already processed state where a processing execution unit is executing predetermined processing using already selected information set in a selected information memory, information assigned to the operator is newly set in the selected information memory to execute the predetermined processing with the processing execution unit. After that, if the pressed operator is released, the processing execution unit is restored to the already processed state. With this operation, after checking a new processing state using different information from already selected information by pressing an operator, the already processed state can be restored simply by releasing the pressed operator. |
| US08190986B2 |
Non-destructive media presentation derivatives
The claimed subject matter relates to various architectures that can, inter alia, facilitate creation of a synch file as well as facilitate interpretation of the synch file. Both creation and interpretation can be accomplished in conjunction with an original media asset. The synch file can include transformation commands that can operate on a presentation of the asset rather than upon the asset itself. Accordingly, what is actually perceived by a content consumer during a presentation of the asset need not be exactly what the asset creator fixed in a tangible medium. Rather, the content consumer can observe a derivative media presentation based upon interpretation of the synch file. |
| US08190985B2 |
Frame-slot architecture for data conversion
A machine based tool and associated logic and methodology are used in converting data from an input form to a target form using context dependent conversion rules. In particular, a frame-slot architecture is utilized where a frame represents an intersection between a contextual cue recognized by the machine tool, associated content and related constraint information to specific to that conversion environment, whereas a slot represents an included chunk of information. An exemplary conversion system (400) includes a parser (402) for use in parsing and converting an input stream (403) from a source (404) to provide an output stream (411) in a form for use by a target system (412). To accomplish the desired conversion, the parser (402) uses information from a public schema (406), a private schema (408) and a grammar (410). The public schema (406), private schema (408) and grammar (410) may include conversion rules applicable to less than the whole of a subject matter area including the input stream (403). |
| US08190983B2 |
Apparatus and methods for CRC error injection in a storage system
Apparatus and methods for Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) error injection between storage controllers and storage devices in a storage system. A plurality of bridge devices are configured in a storage system each coupled persistently coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of storage devices. Each bridge device may couple to one or more Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) initiators for transferring exchanges between one or more SAS initiators and the attached target storage device. Each bridge device receives parameters from a SAS initiator or an administrative client directing the bridge regarding injection of CRC errors. A log memory in each bridge may log information regarding the injected CRC errors. |
| US08190982B2 |
Error-tolerant multi-threaded memory systems with reduced error accumulation
Systems and methods establishing and/or utilizing an error-tolerant multithreaded register file are provided. The systems and methods employ dynamic multithreading redundancy (DMR) for error correction. Non-overlapped register access patterns associated create hardware redundancy dynamically that is exploited for error control. Immediate write-back and self-recovery techniques are employed to further enhance the error correction functionalities of the disclosed systems and methods. Error control is improved for memory components and processing functions in multithreaded computing systems. |
| US08190981B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving data in a communication system using low density parity check codes
An apparatus for transmitting data in a communication system using a Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) matrix is provided. The apparatus includes an interleaver for interleaving a descending bit-ordered codeword having a predetermined size and in accordance with a predetermined modulation scheme; and a bit mapper for mapping codeword bits constituting the interleaved codeword in accordance with a predetermined mapping scheme that takes into account degrees of the codeword bits and reliability characteristics of modulation symbol-constituting bits based on the predetermined modulation scheme. |
| US08190978B2 |
Information recording/reproducing apparatus, and information recording medium
In an information recording, a first data processor divides input data into a plurality of frames so as to arrange the plurality of frames for each unit block. The unit block is a unit of error-correction with respect to the input data and the frames include first identification information, respectively. A second data processor inserts a linking block on a boundary portion between unit blocks in the record data. The unit blocks are adjacent to each other. The linking block includes a second identification information and the second identification information is different from each of the first identification information. A controller controls to record the unit block and the linking block on the information recording medium. |
| US08190973B2 |
Apparatus and method for error correction of data values in a storage device
A data processing apparatus is provided in which a processing unit, by means of a read access request, accesses a storage device which stores data values and error data associated with those data values. When the processing unit accesses a data value in the storage device, error detection circuitry detects if an error is present in that data value and, if necessary, error correction circuitry corrects the read data value. An error cache having at least one entry stores corrected replacement data values, a corrected data value being allocated into an entry of the error cache for every corrected data value that is generated, and the read access request is re-performed. Replacement data values are read from the error cache in preference to data values stored in the storage device. This ensures that the retry mechanism will succeed irrespective of whether the error was a soft error or a hard error. Thus, if any hard errors do occur during normal operation of the storage device, they can effectively be temporarily corrected through use of the error cache to ensure that the retry mechanism proceeds correctly. |
| US08190970B2 |
Probe-based data storage devices
A probe-based data storage device includes a storage surface having an array of A storage fields; a probe array comprising A probes for writing data to respective storage fields; and an apparatus for controlling writing of blocks of user data in the array of storage fields. |
| US08190969B2 |
Plasma process power delivery system and method with event-controlled data storage
A plasma process power delivery system includes one or more event-ascertaining devices within the plasma process power delivery system, a controller in communication with the one or more event ascertaining devices, a first memory, a second memory, a data transmission connection, and a plasma process monitoring system. The data transmission connection is between the first memory and the second memory and is configured to transmit data relating to the plasma process power delivery system between the first memory and the second memory in response to an occurrence of a predefined event ascertained by one or more event-ascertaining devices. The plasma process monitoring system is in communication with the second memory and analyzes circumstances associated with the event that triggers the storage in the second memory using the data stored in the second memory. |
| US08190967B2 |
Parity check matrix storing method, block LDPC coding method, and apparatus using parity check matrix storing method
The present invention relates to a low density parity check (LDPC) encoding method and an apparatus thereof. In the LDPC encoding method, a matrix multiplication corresponding to ET−1 and T−1 is eliminated according to a structural characteristic in an encoding process. Accordingly, shift weights that are not −1 among shift weights corresponding to partial blocks A, B, and C of a parity check matrix are used to perform an encoding operation, and a cyclic shift operation of an information unit block is performed in parallel so that a first parity block and a second parity block may be simultaneously generated. |
| US08190966B1 |
Systems and methods for implementing end-to-end checksum
A network device includes input logic and output logic. The input logic receives multiple packets, where each of the multiple packets has a variable length, and generates a first error detection code for one of the received multiple packets. The input logic further fragments the one of the variable length packets into one or more fixed length cells, where the fragmentation produces a cell of the one or more fixed length cells that includes unused overhead bytes that fill up the cell beyond a last portion of the fragmented one of the variable length packets, and selectively inserts the first error detection code into the overhead bytes. The input logic also forwards the one or more fixed length cells towards the output logic of the network device. |
| US08190963B1 |
Error correction using error detection codes
A method includes receiving a detected sequence representing a signal on a channel. The detected sequence includes data bits and one or more error detection code bits. One or more error indications are received for the detected sequence. Each of the one or more error indications identifies one of the data bits of the detected sequence that may have an erroneous value. Errors are detected in the detected sequence based on the error detection code bits in the detected sequence. When errors are detected in the detected sequence, a candidate sequence is generated based on the detected sequence and the one or more error indications. |
| US08190962B1 |
System and method for dynamic maximal iteration
A system and method for decoding a low-density parity-check (LDPC) codeword. The method includes updating a portion of a plurality of variable nodes and performing a partial parity check based on the updated variable nodes. Based on the result of the partial parity check and an iteration condition, a determination is made as to whether to report a decoding result. The method further includes updating a plurality of check nodes and a parity check may be performed. Based on the parity check, a determination as to whether to report a decoding result is made. The iteration number may then be checked for a match with an iteration condition to determine whether to report a decoding result. |
| US08190961B1 |
System and method for using pilot signals in non-volatile memory devices
A memory system includes a selector module that selects and switches between one of N sequences of signal levels for pilot data. The N sequences are different, and N is an integer greater than 1. A multiplexer module selectively combines data and the pilot data and outputs a combined signal. A write module writes to memory based on the combined signal. |
| US08190954B2 |
Core circuit test architecture
A scan test architecture facilitates low power testing of semiconductor circuits by selectively dividing the serial scan paths into shorter sections. Multiplexers between the sections control connecting the sections into longer or shorted paths. Select and enable signals control the operation of the scan path sections. The output of each scan path passes through a multiplexer to compare circuits on the semiconductor substrate. The compare circuits also receive expected data and mask data. The compare circuits provide a fail flag output from the semiconductor substrate. |
| US08190951B2 |
Handling of errors in a data processing apparatus having a cache storage and a replicated address storage
A data processing apparatus includes processing circuitry, a cache storage, and a replicated address storage having a plurality of entries. On detecting a cache record error, a record of a cache location avoid storage is allocated to store a cache record identifier for the accessed cache record. On detection of an entry error, use of the address indication currently stored in that accessed entry of the replicated address storage is prevented, and a command is issued to the cache location avoid storage. In response, a record of the cache location avoid storage is allocated to store the cache record identifier for the cache record of the cache storage associated with the accessed entry of the replicated address storage. Any cache record whose cache record identifier is stored in the cache location avoid storage is logically excluded from the plurality of cache records. |
| US08190948B1 |
Handling out of order I/O using temporal relationships of transmitted data
Maintaining an ordering of transmitted data includes associating a sequence number with each element of the transmitted data, where the sequence number indicates a temporal relationship between different ones of the elements. Maintaining an ordering also includes maintaining a last aborted sequence number and an indicator of whether receipt of information indicating that the last aborted sequence number has been acknowledged and rejecting data associated with a sequence number indicative of a time before a time corresponding to the last aborted sequence number. The last aborted sequence number may be sent until receipt thereof is acknowledged. No data may be transmitted until receipt of the last aborted sequence number is acknowledged. The sequence numbers may be incremented by one. |
| US08190946B2 |
Fault detecting method and information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus including a storage area separated into a user space and a kernel space executes, generating a core file of a process existing in the user space, retaining the process with the core file which starts being generated in the user space, and notifying a monitor unit of an identification number of the process with the core file which starts being generated, wherein the monitor unit detects a fault in the process by receiving the identification number allocated to the process. |
| US08190944B2 |
Device configured to switch a clock speed for multiple links running at different clock speeds and method for switching the clock speed
A device configured to switch a clock speed for multiple links running at different clock speeds and a method for switching the clock signals are disclosed. A frequency divider derives a plurality of clock signals at different frequencies from a source clock signal. A clock switching controller selects a maximum data rate among data rates requested by a plurality of ports of links and outputs a transmit clock signal at the selected maximum data rate to the ports along with a clock enabling signal for each of the ports. Each of the clock enabling signals selectively enables the transmit clock signal for matching a data rate requested by each port. The clock speed may be selected and updated as required by the ports glitch-free in a known amount of time without interrupting data transfers on any of the other ports. |
| US08190940B2 |
Personal computer power control method and device
The present invention describes a method for controlling electrical power supply to a personal computer installation, which may have a number of peripheral devices attached, such as printers, monitors etc. The method includes providing a first controlled power outlet adapted for supplying electrical power to a plurality of first devices and then monitoring, by use of software running on a personal computer, usage of at least one input device of the personal computer as well as a processor(s) associated with the computer, as well as the power level and power usage and then when the power usage mode is determined to be such that the first devices are not required to be powered, controlling the first controlled switch to remove power from the first controlled power outlet. |
| US08190939B2 |
Reducing power consumption of computing devices by forecasting computing performance needs
Techniques and systems are provided that work to minimize the energy usage of computing devices by building and using models that predict the future work required of one or more components of a computing system, based on observations, and using such forecasts in a decision analysis that weighs the costs and benefits of transitioning components to a lower power and performance state. Predictive models can be generated by machine learning methods from libraries of data collected about the future performance requirements on components, given current and recent observations. The models may be used to predict in an ongoing manner the future performance requirements of a computing device from cues. In various aspects, models that predict performance requirements that take into consideration the latency preferences and tolerances of users are used in cost-benefit analyses that guide powering decisions. |
| US08190935B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method of controlling operating frequency of an information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus has a CPU, a clock supply unit configured to supply a clock signal, a CPU idle ratio obtaining unit configured to obtain the idle ratio of the CPU at each predetermined time, a clock control unit configured to determine an operating frequency of the clock signal, and a DMA transfer unit configured to execute a DMA transfer in synchronization with the clock signal supplied from the clock supply unit. The clock control unit controls the operating frequency of the clock signal to the operating frequency determined based on the idle ratio of the CPU if the DMA transfer is not being executed, whereas the clock control unit controls the operating frequency of the clock signal to a predetermined frequency if the DMA transfer is being executed. |
| US08190933B2 |
Bi-directional control of power adapter and load
A system comprises a computer and an external power adapter configured to be connected to the computer to provide power to the computer. The computer comprises a computer control circuit that generates a computer control signal that is provided to the external power adapter and causes a change in an output voltage of the external power adapter. The external power adapter comprises an adapter control circuit that generates an adapter control signal that is provided to the computer and causes the computer to change its power draw. The computer and adapter control circuits generate the control signals on a common conductor interconnecting the computer and the external power adapter. |
| US08190932B2 |
Power supply converting circuit
A power supply converting circuit includes a multi-phase pulse-width modulation (PWM) controller, a single-phase PWM controller, some first voltage converting circuits, a second voltage converting circuit, and an electrical switch unit. The multi-phase PWM controller provides some first PWM signals and a second PWM signal. The single-phase PWM controller provides a third PWM signal. The first voltage converting circuits receive the first PWM signals to output a first power supply to a central processing unit (CPU) chipset. The electrical switch unit receives the second and third PWM signals to selectively output the second or third PWM signal to the second voltage converting circuit to output one of the first and second power supplies, such that the second voltage converting circuit selectively outputs one of the first and second power supplies to the CPU chipset. |
| US08190931B2 |
Power management events profiling
In a method for monitoring power consumption by a system within an integrated circuit, one or more software programs are executed on the system on a chip (SOC). While the program executes, power control settings of a plurality of functional units within the SOC may be adjusted in response to executing the one or more software programs, whereby power consumption within the SOC varies over time. The power control settings may be changed in response to explicit directions from the executing software, or may occur autonomously in response to load monitoring control modules within the SOC. A sequence of power states is reported for the plurality of functional units within the SOC. Each of the sequence of power states may include clock frequencies from multiple clock domains, voltage levels for multiple voltage domains, initiator activity, target activity, memory module power enablement, or power enablement of each of the plurality of functional units. |
| US08190928B2 |
Power-on detection circuit and microcontroller
There is provided a power-on detection circuit including: a flip-flop circuit storing an indefinite value at the time of power-on and outputting plural-bit data; and a comparator comparing the plural-bit data output from the flip-flop circuit and a plural-bit fixed value and outputting a power-on detect flag depending on a comparison result thereof. |
| US08190927B2 |
Image processing apparatus, serial bus control method, and storage medium
A disclosed image processing apparatus has a normal power mode and a power saving mode and includes a serial bus; a serial bus PHY configured to control a physical layer of the serial bus, the serial bus PHY being turned off in the power saving mode; a voltage detection unit configured to detect a voltage output from an external device connected to the serial bus; and a physical layer control unit configured to turn on the serial bus PHY when the voltage is detected by the voltage detection unit. |
| US08190926B2 |
Power combining power supply system
A power supply system comprises a low-speed power supply and a high-speed power supply configured to operate in first and second frequency ranges, respectively, and generate first and second outputs, respectively. The lower end of the second frequency range is at least higher than a lower end of the first frequency range. A frequency blocking power combiner circuit combines the power from the first output with the power from the second output to generate a combined, third output for driving a load, while providing frequency-selective isolation between the first and second outputs. A feedback circuit is coupled to receive the combined, third output through a global feedback loop. The feedback circuit generates first and second power supply control signals for controlling the low-speed power supply and the high-speed power supply, respectively, based on a difference between the third output and the predetermined control signal. |
| US08190924B2 |
Computer system, processor device, and method for controlling computer system
A computer system which significantly improves responsiveness to a sleep request includes: a processor device switching between an execution mode and a suspension mode; and an access controlling unit accessing a functional block in response to a command request received from the processor device, wherein, in response to a sleep request signal received from the external device, the processor device responds with a sleep response signal and asserts a suspension notification signal indicating a switch to the suspension mode, and the access controlling unit: masks an input of a further command request after receiving the command request from the processor device, in the case where the processor device has outputted the command request when the access controlling unit receives the suspension notification signal; masks an input of a command request in the case where the processor device has not outputted the command request; and removes the mask when the suspension notification signal is negated. |
| US08190922B2 |
Extensible and flexible electronic information tracking systems and methods
A method and system for tracking electronic information includes the steps of: encrypting an electronic file stored on a hardware storage device; attaching or incorporating with the file a standalone executable program that implements a request for a decryption key accompanied by tracking information when an attempt is made to access the file; verifying the tracking information by a central processing unit; if the tracking information is verified as acceptable, providing the decryption key; and if the tracking information is not verified as acceptable, modifying the file to include a record of the failed attempt to access the file and the tracking information, and storing the modified file on the hardware storage device. |
| US08190921B1 |
Methodology for vaulting data encryption keys with encrypted storage
A method is provided to allow for encryption keys to be safely vaulted and for restarts after system failures, even when an external key server is not accessible. In one embodiment, the encryption keys are stored in memory in an encrypted format, the encryption keys being encrypted with a key encryption key (KEK). The data stored in a write cache may be encrypted and written to a vault, protecting it from unauthorized access, but the key table may be written directly to the data vault without need for any further encryption. Because the encryption keys are themselves encrypted, the encryption keys are protected from unauthorized access, ensuring the security of all the encrypted data stored on disk. This embodiment allows the data storage system to be restarted without accessing an external key server. In another embodiment, the KEK is stored in persistent storage within the data storage system, allowing for unattended restart. To enhance security, the KEK may be stored in ROM in a hardened location. Embodiments are also provided for apparatus for practicing the method. |
| US08190918B2 |
Interoperable digital rights management
In one aspect, there is provided a storage medium, the storage medium having a media content portion; and a plurality of digital rights management (DRM) envelopes, wherein each of the plurality of DRM envelopes corresponds to a different DRM format; wherein each of the plurality of DRM envelopes enables access to the media content portion according to its corresponding the DRM format. In another aspect, a method includes decrypting a second portion of the media content according to the secondary content access key to impart a marking in the decrypted first portion of the media content identifying the DRM format. In an additional aspect, a method includes presenting a product serial number to obtain an encryption key associated with the DRM format. |
| US08190917B2 |
System and method for securely saving and restoring a context of a secure program loader
A system, method and program product that securely saves and restores the context of a secure program loader is presented. An interrupt is sent to a secured program running on an special purpose processor core that is running in isolation mode. The special purpose processor core is included in a heterogeneous processing environment that includes the special purpose processor cores (including the isolated special purpose processor core), and one or more general purpose processors. Each of the processors can access a shared memory. The isolated special purpose processor core includes a local memory that is inaccessible from the other processors. The system encrypts the secured program's context using a randomly generated encryption key and stores the context in the shared memory. A secure loader's context is updated with the generated encryption key and then the secure loader's context is saved to the shared memory. |
| US08190913B2 |
System and method for content protection on a computing device
Systems and methods for handling user interface field data. A system and method can be configured to receive input which indicates that the mobile device is to enter into a protected mode. Data associated with fields displayed on a user interface are stored in a secure form on the mobile device. After the mobile device leaves the protected mode, the stored user interface field data is accessed and used to populate one or more user interface fields with the accessed user interface field data for display to a user. |
| US08190906B1 |
Method and apparatus for testing authentication tokens
A process and apparatus for automated testing of authentication tokens is disclosed which verifies the physical functioning of the tokens and the validity of the one-time passcodes (OTPs) displayed by the tokens during testing. The testing is automated to allow for large quantities of tokens to be tested in a single procedure, and also separates rejected tokens according to the particular failed test process identified with the token. In one embodiment, a rotary table is provided for testing, the table having multiple positions for performing different test procedures and for separating rejected tokens according to the particular test failed. |
| US08190904B2 |
System for executing remote electronic notarization and signatory verification and authentication
A remote electronic notarization system for remote electronic verification, authentication and screening of potential signatories for remote electronic notary transactions via a remote pc encrypted platform that communicates over a digital broadband or WIFI cellular/PDA device or portable pc device is presented in this disclosure. The system implements electronic components including electronic signature devices, digital certificates, electronic documents, electronic biometric devices, electronic audio/visual software/hardware, electronic payment systems and devices for human interface and verification. The electronic components are electronically synchronized to allow remote notary publics to execute remote electronic notary transactions via a satellite kiosk network or an on-line virtual kiosk application. |
| US08190903B2 |
Method and apparatus for verifying authenticity of digital data using trusted computing
A method and apparatus for authenticity and origin of Digital data such as recorded voice samples, video clips or still picture images etc. is provided. The method makes uses of the Trusted Computing principles to provide a secure, tamper detectable solution comprising of both software and hardware such that it can be verified without debate on its authenticity. The method comprises extracting reproduction avoidance key information and log information for captured data from stored information when verification of the captured data is requested, calculating reproduction avoidance key information using the extracted log information, comparing the extracted reproduction avoidance key information with the calculated reproduction avoidance key information and determining that the captured data has not been tampered, if the reproduction avoidance key informations are matched. |
| US08190902B2 |
Techniques for digital signature formation and verification
Techniques are provided for forming a digital signature for a portion of a document. A registered module is invoked to process the document in accordance with a structured format associated with the document. The registered module is able to process a plurality of different structured formats. The registered module obtains the portion. A digital signature is formed for the portion. The digital signature is included in the document in accordance with the structured format. |
| US08190901B2 |
Layered security in digital watermarking
A media object authentication system uses layers of security features based on digital watermarks embedded in media objects. The system generates a first digital watermark with a message payload carrying data about the object, such as a hash of text data printed on the object. The first digital watermark is combined with a content signature derived from features of the media object, such as frequency domain attributes, edge attributes, or other filtered version of the media signal (e.g., image photo on a secure document) on the media object. This combination forms a new digital watermark signal that is embedded in the host media object. Biometric information may also be embedded in a machine readable code in the object or indexed via the machine readable code. This biometric information is used to generate biometric templates, and facilitate or enhance biometric comparison for one to one or one to many verification. |
| US08190900B2 |
Secure telemetric link
A communications protocol is used to provide data privacy, message integrity, message freshness, and user authentication to telemetric traffic, such as to and from implantable medical devices in a body area network. In certain embodiments, encryption, message integrity, and message freshness are provided through use of token-like nonces and ephemeral session-keys derived from device identification numbers and pseudorandom numbers. |
| US08190898B2 |
Portable electronic entity and communication method
The pocket portable electronic entity (400) with connection element (420) for removable connection to a host station (300), having first members (460, 470, 471) for secure communication with a remote server (100) via the connection element and the host station, second members (450, 455) for communication between the secure first communication element and a second portable electronic entity (500), and elements (440, 445) for communicating to the remote server via the secure first communication means data received from the second portable electronic entity via the second communication members. |
| US08190896B2 |
Conditional access for a multimedia broadcast service using a wireless terminal
A method for decrypting digital multimedia broadcasting data in a mobile communication terminal. The method includes receiving encrypted digital multimedia broadcasting data though a broadcasting network, receiving at least one key for decrypting the encrypted digital multimedia broadcasting data through a wireless communication network, decrypting the received encrypted digital multimedia broadcasting data using the received at least one key, and displaying broadcast content that corresponds to the decrypted digital multimedia broadcasting data. |
| US08190895B2 |
Authenticated key exchange with derived ephemeral keys
AKE with derived ephemeral keys is described. In one aspect, a first party computes a derived ephemeral public-key based on a derived ephemeral secret key and a mathematical group. The derived ephemeral secret key is based on an ephemeral secret key and a long-term secret key. The first party generates a session key for secure exchange of information with a second party. The session key is generated using the derived ephemeral secret key and a second party derived ephemeral public-key key to demonstrate to the second party that the first party possesses the long-term secret key. |
| US08190892B2 |
Message authentication code with blind factorization and randomization
The message authentication code with blind factorization and randomization is a computational method for improving the security of existing Message Authentication Code (MAC) methods through the use of blind integer factorization. Further, blind randomization is used as a countermeasure to minimize collision attacks where different plaintexts produce the same MAC. |
| US08190886B2 |
Revocation information transmission method, reception method, and device thereof
The invention provides a revocation information transmission method, revocation information reception method, revocation information transmitting apparatus, and revocation information receiving apparatus, wherein all the video output apparatuses such as STB may have a revocation list in common, and it is possible to exclude unjust display and to improve the security of the digital interface for connecting a video output apparatus to a display. The revocation information transmission method comprises at least a step of preparing integrated revocation information by integrating the revocation information of the contents transmitting equipment or contents receiving equipment, a step of packetizing the integrated revocation list and multiplexing it into a stream, and a step of transmitting the stream. |
| US08190884B2 |
Network identity management system and method
Users of Internet services (e.g., SKYPE messaging service, GOOGLETALK messaging service, AOL INSTANT MESSENGER messaging service, and MICROSOFT MESSENGER messaging service) that are initially identified using separate identifiers that may be associated with respective service providers (e.g., email addresses) can manage network identities using a single unified set of account information managed by a registry service. The registry authenticates the user's request(s) to bind a service provider identity to his or her personal registry user record. The registry internally associates the service provider identity to an internal unique identifier that is not exposed to subscribers. When a second user wishes to communicate with a first user, the second user provides any service provider identity that is believed to be associated with the first user to determine if the specified service provider identity appears to match the intended subscriber. If so, the second user may specify a nickname (unique to the second subscriber but not necessarily globally unique) to be associated internally within the registry with the internal unique identifier of the first subscriber as part of the second subscriber's user record. Later, even if the first subscriber has relinquished the service provider identity that was originally used to find the first subscriber, the second subscriber can still find the first subscriber by using the associate nickname without either subscriber ever knowing the internal unique identifier of the first subscriber. |
| US08190882B2 |
Information processing system, information processing apparatus and method, program, and recording medium
An information processing system is disclosed which configured to: distribute publicly a first key by a change in a ray of light emitted from a light source; extract the first key from the ray of light emitted from the light source; encrypt a second key with the extracted first key to transmit the encrypted second key in short-distance communication; receive the encrypted second key and decrypting the received second key; and transfer information by use of the second key as a common key. |
| US08190881B2 |
Scalable distributed web-based authentication
Web-based authentication includes receiving a packet in a network switch having at least one associative store configured to forward packet traffic to a first one or more processors of the switch that are dedicated to cryptographic processing if a destination port of the packet indicates a secure transport protocol, and to a second one or more processors of the switch that are not dedicated to cryptographic processing if the destination port does not indicate a secure transport protocol. If a source of the packet is an authenticated user, the packet is forwarded via an output port of the switch, based on the associative store. If the source is an unauthenticated user, the packet is forwarded to the first one or more processors if the destination port indicates a secure transport protocol, and to the second one or more processors if the destination port does not indicate a secure transport protocol. |
| US08190878B2 |
Implementation of private messaging
A method is disclosed for sending messages such as emails where the sender and receiver in the exchange remain anonymous to each other. The method uses a service, which may for example be an Internet service provider, which acts as an intermediary between a first party and second party to a message. All exchanges between the first and second parties pass through the service, which masks all true identities while ensuring that the message is routed to the proper recipient(s). |
| US08190870B2 |
Network storage target boot and network connectivity through a common network device
The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to booting to a network storage target. In general, in one implementation, a bus-to-network device driver is loaded during a machine boot, where the bus-to-network device driver is capable of sending machine bus commands over a network, providing access to the network for a network device driver, and distinguishing between received responses to the machine bus commands and other network traffic corresponding to the network device driver. Loading of the bus-to-network device driver can occur in response to an operating system load of bus drivers. For example, the bus-to-network device driver can be an iSCSI driver, and the operating system load of bus drivers can be the operating system load of SCSI drivers. |
| US08190868B2 |
Malware management through kernel detection
A system and method for managing pestware on a protected computer is described. The method in one variation includes starting a boot sequence that includes a period when boot drivers are initialized, initiating a kernel-level monitor during the period when boot drivers are initialized, monitoring events with the kernel-level monitor during the boot sequence and managing pestware-related events with the kernel-level monitor before a period in the boot sequence when native applications are capable of running. In variations, a pestware management engine is initialized after an operating system of the protected computer is initialized and the pestware management system both receives an event log of the monitored events and compiles the set of behavior rules utilized by kernel-level monitor. |
| US08190866B2 |
Interrupt handling
Techniques for handling interrupts of multiple instruction threads within a multi-thread processing environment. The techniques include: interleavingly fetching and issuing instructions of (i) a first instruction execution thread and (ii) a second instruction thread for execution by an execution block of the multi-thread processing environment; providing a first interrupt signal via a first interrupt signal line within the multi-thread processing environment to interrupt fetching and issuing of instructions of the first instruction execution thread; and providing a second interrupt signal via a second interrupt signal line within the multi-thread processing environment to interrupt fetching and issuing of instructions of the second instruction execution thread. The first interrupt signal line and the second interrupt signal line are physically separate and distinct signal lines that are directly electrically coupled to one another. |
| US08190864B1 |
APIC implementation for a highly-threaded x86 processor
Advanced programmable interrupt control for a multithreaded multicore processor that supports software compatible with x86 processors. Embodiments provide interrupt control for increased threads with minimal additional hardware by including in each processor core, a core advanced interrupt controller (core APIC) configured to determine a lowest priority thread of its corresponding processor core. Each core APIC reports its lowest priority thread level as a core priority to an input/output APIC. The I/O APIC routes interrupt requests to the core APIC with the lowest core priority. The selected core APIC then routes the interrupt request to the corresponding lowest priority thread. Each core APIC detects changes in priority levels of its corresponding processor core threads, and notifies the I/O APIC of any change to the corresponding core priority. Each core APIC may notify the I/O APIC as the core priority changes, or when the I/O APIC requests status from each core APIC. |
| US08190863B2 |
Apparatus and method for heterogeneous chip multiprocessors via resource allocation and restriction
A method and apparatus for heterogeneous chip multiprocessors (CMP) via resource restriction. In one embodiment, the method includes the accessing of a resource utilization register to identify a resource utilization policy. Once accessed, a processor controller ensures that the processor core utilizes a shared resource in a manner specified by the resource utilization policy. In one embodiment, each processor core within a CMP includes an instruction issue throttle resource utilization register, an instruction fetch throttle resource utilization register and other like ways of restricting its utilization of shared resources within a minimum and maximum utilization level. In one embodiment, resource restriction provides a flexible manner for allocating current and power resources to processor cores of a CMP that can be controlled by hardware or software. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08190860B2 |
Result forwarding to dependent instruction in pipelined processor with mode selectable execution in E1 or E2 of pipelined operational stages
A method includes providing a data processor having an instruction pipeline, where the instruction pipeline has a plurality of instruction pipeline stages, and where the plurality of instruction pipeline stages includes a first instruction pipeline stage and a second instruction pipeline stage. The method further includes providing a data processor instruction that causes the data processor to perform a first set of computational operations during execution of the data processor instruction, performing the first set of computational operations in the first instruction pipeline stage if the data processor instruction is being executed and a first mode has been selected, and performing the first set of computational operations in the second instruction pipeline stage if the data processor instruction is being executed and a second mode has been selected. |
| US08190854B2 |
System and method of processing data using scalar/vector instructions
A method of processing data is disclosed that includes performing a fetch of a plurality of instructions from a memory unit. The method also includes grouping the plurality of instructions into packets of instructions of different types for parallel execution by a plurality of instruction execution units. The packets of instructions include a first instruction and a second instruction. The method includes using a combined scalar and vector condition code register to execute the first instruction for a compare operation and the second instruction for a conditional operation using the combined scalar and vector condition code register. The method also includes when the compare operation is a scalar compare operation, receiving a scalar compare instruction for the scalar compare operation at an instruction executing unit and storing results of the scalar compare operation in the combined scalar and vector condition code register. |
| US08190852B2 |
Virtualization controller and data transfer control method
System for controlling data transfer between a host system and storage devices. A virtualization controller implements the data transfer and includes first ports for connection with the storage devices, a second port for connection with the host system, a processor, and a memory configured to store volume mapping information which correlates first identification information used by the host system to access a first storage area in one of the storage devices, with second identification information for identifying the first storage area, the correlation being used by the processor to access the first storage area. When data stored in the first storage area is transferred to a second storage area, the processor correlates the first identification information with a third identification information for identifying the second storage area and registers the first identification information and the third identification information in the volume mapping information. |
| US08190850B1 |
Virtual block mapping for relocating compressed and/or encrypted file data block blocks
This invention is a system and a method for operating a storage server to provide read or write access to a data in a data network using a new architecture. The method of creating virtual block mapping pointer in response to a request by a client of the storage server to de-duplicate the file system data block or to allow compression of one or more file system data blocks into one or more physical data blocks. Further, the method relocates one or more file system data blocks from one part of the file system address space to another by using one or more virtual block mapping pointers that provides the mapping information for the one or more file system data blocks that are being relocated. The virtual block mapping pointer allows relocating of file system data blocks by same number of metadata operations regardless of number of files sharing the block that are being relocated and the state of those blocks (compressed or not). |
| US08190849B2 |
Sharing physical memory locations in memory devices
A memory structure includes a plurality of address banks where each address bank is operative to store a memory address. In certain embodiments, at least two of the address banks share physical memory locations for at least one redundant most significant bit. Additionally, at least two of the address banks in certain embodiments share physical memory locations for at least one redundant most significant bit and at least one redundant least significant bit. At least two of the address banks in certain embodiments also share physical memory locations for at least one redundant interior bit. |
| US08190848B2 |
Interleaver memory allocation method and apparatus
According to one embodiment, memory is allocated between an interleaver buffer and a de-interleaver buffer in a communication device based on downstream and upstream memory requirements. The upstream de-interleaver memory requirement is determined based on upstream channel conditions obtained for a communication channel used by the communication device. The memory is allocated between the interleaver and de-interleaver buffers based on the downstream and upstream memory requirements. The downstream interleaver memory requirement may be determined based on one or more predetermined downstream configuration parameters. Alternatively, the downstream interleaver memory requirement may also be determined based on the upstream channel conditions by estimating the downstream capacity of the communication channel based on the upstream channel conditions and determining an interleaver buffer size that satisfies one or more predetermined downstream configuration parameters and the downstream capacity estimate. |
| US08190842B2 |
Efficient reduction of read disturb errors in NAND FLASH memory
Methods and apparatuses for reduction of Read Disturb errors in a NAND FLASH memory system comprise a controller configured to organize FLASH memory devices into blocks, each block having a plurality of pages, and each page defining an individually addressable physical memory location. The controller is further configured to accumulate a Block READ Count corresponding to the number of times any pages in a first block of pages have been read since the first block was last erased. Once the READ count reaches a predetermined number, the controller responds to subsequent READ requests for pages within the first block by moving data associated with a requested page to a page in a second, different block without moving data associated with other pages in the first block, and modifying a logical-to-physical translation table to associate the moved data with the physical address of the page in the second block. |
| US08190841B2 |
Method of managing sectors of a non-volatile memory
Machine-readable media, methods, apparatus and system for managing sectors of a non-volatile memory are described. In some embodiments, a plurality of file segments may be written to a plurality of memory sectors (501), each memory sector of the plurality of memory sectors for each file segment of the plurality of file segments. Then, a plurality of flags may be searched from a first section of a sector table (502), each flag of the plurality of flags corresponding to the each file segment. A section may be selected from a second section and a third section of the sector table, wherein the section may be indicated by the plurality of flags (505,507). A plurality of physical addresses for the plurality of memory sectors may be written to the section (506,508). |
| US08190838B1 |
System and method for M-synchronous replication
A data replication system is implemented to replicate data among a plurality of replication nodes. Each node may be configured with durable storage (e.g., disk sub-system). The data replication system may receive write requests from one or more clients and send a replicate data write to the durable storage of each node. Once the data has been written to durable storage on a set of nodes, (regardless of whether the replicate data write has been completed to durable storage in each of the nodes not included in the set) the data replication system may send a write completion acknowledgement to the respective client for each write request. In some instances, the nodes within the set are configured to write data synchronously and the nodes not in the set are configured to write asynchronously. Performing both synchronous writes and asynchronous writes results in high performance and data durability. |
| US08190835B1 |
Global de-duplication in shared architectures
Redundant data is globally de-duplicated across a shared architecture that includes a plurality of storage systems. The storage systems implement copy-on-write or WAFL to generate snapshots of original data. Each storage system includes a de-duplication client to identify and reduce redundant original and/or snapshot data on the storage system. Each de-duplication client can de-duplicate a digital sequence by breaking the sequence into blocks and identifying redundant blocks already stored in the shared architecture. Identifying redundant blocks may include hashing each block and comparing the hash to a local and/or master hash table containing hashes of existing data. Once identified, redundant data previously stored is deleted (e.g., post-process de-duplication), or redundant data is not stored to begin with (e.g., inline de-duplication). In both cases, pointers to shared data blocks can be used to reassemble the digital sequence where one or more blocks were deleted or not stored on the storage system. |
| US08190831B2 |
Methods and apparatus for detecting a syncMark in a hard disk drive
Methods and apparatus are provided for detecting a syncMark in a read channel, such as a hard disk drive. A syncMark is detected in a sector in an iterative read channel by obtaining a sector signal from a storage media, the sector signal comprising a first syncMark, data and a second syncMark substantially at an end of the sector; determining whether the first syncMark is detected in the sector signal; searching for the second syncMark if the first syncMark is not detected in the sector signal; and detecting and decoding the sector signal based on a detection of the second syncMark. The second syncMark may be positioned, for example, following data in the sector signal. The second syncMark can be searched for in a window within the signal sector that is based on an estimated location of the first syncMark. |
| US08190823B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for storage cache deduplication
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for deduplicating storage cache data. A storage cache partition table has at least one entry associating a specified storage address range with one or more specified storage partitions. A deduplication module creates an entry in the storage cache partition table wherein the specified storage partitions contain identical data to one another within the specified storage address range thus requiring only one copy of the identical data to be cached in a storage cache. A read module accepts a storage address within a storage partition of a storage subsystem, to locate an entry wherein the specified storage address range contains the storage address, and to determine whether the storage partition is among the one or more specified storage partitions if such an entry is found. |
| US08190822B2 |
Storage control unit and data management method
An I/O processor determines whether or not the amount of dirty data on a cache memory exceeds a threshold value and, if the determination is that this threshold value has been exceeded, writes a portion of the dirty data of the cache memory to a storage device. If a power source monitoring and control unit detects a voltage abnormality of the supplied power, the power monitoring and control unit maintains supply of power using power from a battery, so that a processor receives supply of power from the battery and saves the dirty data stored on the cache memory to a non-volatile memory. |
| US08190820B2 |
Optimizing concurrent accesses in a directory-based coherency protocol
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a directory to aid in maintaining control of a cache coherency protocol. The directory can be coupled to multiple caching agents via an interconnect, and be configured to store a entries associated with cache lines. The directory also includes logic to determine a time delay before the directory can send a concurrent snoop request. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08190816B2 |
Embedded scale-out aggregator for storage array controllers
Methods and systems for dynamic storage tiering may comprise: discovering one or more remote virtual drives associated with one or more remote storage arrays; advertising one or more local virtual drives associated with a local storage array; receiving one or more IO requests from a client addressed to one or more remote virtual drives associated with one or more remote storage arrays; transmitting one or more command descriptor block (CDB) requests to one or more remote storage arrays associated with the one or more virtual drives to allocate local cache space and transmitting the one or more IO requests to the one or more remote storage arrays via Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA). |
| US08190815B2 |
Storage subsystem and storage system including storage subsystem
To provide a storage subsystem in which, even when plural types of storage devices are provided, write processing from a cache memory to the plural types of storage devices is not delayed. Even when there are relative merits in writing performance of write data from the cache memory to the HDD and the SSD, the cache memories 13A, 13B with respect to the SSD having low writing performance are provided independently of the cache memories 12A, 12B with respect to the HDD. |
| US08190813B2 |
Terminal apparatus with restricted non-volatile storage medium
A terminal apparatus acquires setting information for controlling whether a storage area held by the non-volatile storage medium is to be used or not, from an external apparatus connected via a network, when the terminal apparatus is activated. The terminal apparatus updates area definition information defining the structure of storage areas in the non-volatile storage medium so that the storage area the use of which is restricted is in a state which cannot be recognized by the operating system, if the acquired setting information indicates that the use of the storage area is restricted. The terminal apparatus performs activation processing of the operating system after the update processing of the area definition information ends, if the acquired setting information indicates that the use of the storage area is restricted. |
| US08190812B2 |
Memory system capable of restoring broken information
A memory system includes a volatile first storing unit, a nonvolatile second storing unit in which a plurality of memory cells that can store multi-value data are arranged, the memory cells having a plurality of pages, and a controller that performs data transfer between a host apparatus and the second storing unit via the first storing unit. The controller includes a save processing unit that backs up, when, before data is written in the second storing unit in a write-once manner, data is written in a lower order page of a memory cell same as that of a page in which the data is written, the data of the lower order page and a broken-information-restoration processing unit that restores, when the data in the lower order page is broken, the broken data using the backed-up data. |
| US08190807B2 |
Mapping a computer program to an asymmetric multiprocessing apparatus
A computer implemented tool is provided for assisting in the mapping of a computer program to an asymmetric multiprocessing apparatus 2 incorporating an asymmetric memory hierarchy formed of a plurality of memories 12, 14. An at least partial architectural description 22, 40 is provided as an input variable to the tool and used to infer missing annotations within a source computer program 24, such as which functions are to be executed by which execution mechanisms 4, 6, 8 and which variables are to be stored within which memories 12, 14. The tool also adds mapping support commands, such as cache flush commands, cache invalidate commands, DMA move commands and the like as necessary to support the mapping of the computer program to the asymmetric multiprocessing apparatus 2. |
| US08190804B1 |
Various methods and apparatus for a memory scheduler with an arbiter
Various methods and apparatus are described for a memory scheduler. The memory scheduler has a pipelined arbiter to determine which request will access the target memory core. Pipelining occurs in stages within the arbiter over a period of more than one clock cycle. The pipelined arbiter uses two or more weighting factors affecting an arbitration decision that are processed in parallel. A predictive scheduler in the memory scheduler uses data from a previous cycle to make the arbitration decision about a request during a current clock cycle in which the arbitration decision is made in order to increase overall system efficiency of requests being serviced in the integrated circuit. |
| US08190803B2 |
Hierarchical bus structure and memory access protocol for multiprocessor systems
A hierarchical bus structure is disclosed in which clusters of processors are arranged and interconnected within a hierarchy to facilitate processor communications via shared memories. The bus structure is well suited for voice processing applications in which clusters of embedded processors process voice streams in parallel, although the architecture is not so limited. Also disclosed is a memory access protocol in which the address and data portions of shared-memory access operations are performed as separate bus transactions that are separated in time, such that multiple concurrent memory access operations from different processors may be interleaved over a shared bus. |
| US08190801B2 |
Interconnect logic for a data processing apparatus
Interconnect logic is provided for coupling master logic units and slave logic units within a data processing apparatus to enable transactions to be performed. Each transaction comprises an address transfer from a master logic unit to a slave logic unit and one or more data transfers between that master logic unit and that slave logic unit. The interconnect logic comprises a plurality of connection paths for providing at least one address channel for carrying address transfers and at least one data channel for carrying data transfers, and control logic is used to control the use of the at least one address channel and the at least one data channel in order to enable the transactions to be performed. The control logic comprises address arbiter logic which, for an associated address channel, arbitrates between multiple address transfers seeking to use that associated address channel, and data arbiter logic which, for an associated data channel, arbitrates between multiple data transfers seeking to use that associated data channel. The data arbiter is operable independently of the address arbiter such that the data transfers of multiple transactions can occur out of order with respect to the corresponding address transfers of those multiple transactions. This enables efficient use to be made of the interconnect logic resources. |
| US08190800B2 |
Automatic vending machine with a plurality of modules and serial bus system
In a configuration where a main control unit and various peripheral modules are bus-connected on a communication line, the communication line includes a control line in addition to signal lines serving as a differential pair. The control line is, for example, a bus of the logical AND. When the main control unit drives the control line to a ‘L’ level for a certain period of time or more, the peripheral modules detect that and carry out a hardware reset for itself. When the main control unit issues a command to output a value of a particular bit of own identification number to the peripheral modules via the signal lines, the peripheral modules output the result to the control line, and the control line performs an AND operation. By utilizing the AND operation result, automatic address allocation to the peripheral modules is carried out. |
| US08190798B1 |
Client device configuration based on information stored by host device
A host device can enable operation with a client device based on stored or cached enumeration information. The enumeration information can be initially received from the client device during a first configuration process, and stored or cached in volatile and/or non-volatile storage accessible by the host device. During subsequent configuration processes, operation with the client device can be enabled based on the stored or cached enumeration information. Operation between the host device and the client device can be facilitated through a communication protocol, such as the universal serial bus (USB) protocol. A host device and client device can be connected via a traditional USB or USB High Speed Inter-Chip (HSIC) connection. |
| US08190795B2 |
Memory buffer allocation device and computer readable medium having stored thereon memory buffer allocation program
A memory buffer allocation device for allocating a memory buffer in a virtual computer system in which a plurality of virtual operating systems operate in time-sharing on one CPU having the memory buffer, includes a memory buffer division unit which divides the memory buffer into a number (n) of areas and reserves a division unit number (m) of areas out of the n areas as a dedicated memory buffer and the other areas except for the number n of the areas as a shared memory buffer. The device also includes a memory buffer allocation unit which allocates each area of the dedicated memory buffer to a number m of domains and each area of the shared memory buffer to other n-m domains except for the number m of domains, wherein the domains are of the virtual operating systems that are operating in the virtual computer system. |
| US08190791B2 |
Image forming apparatus, device managing apparatus, device managing system, status acquiring method, device managing method, and computer program
An image forming apparatus is connected to a device managing apparatus via a network. The image forming apparatus acquires its own current status and estimates an estimated status. The estimated status is a status following the current status. The image forming apparatus transmits the current status, the estimated status, and a transition condition that governs a change of status from the current status to the estimated status to a device managing apparatus. |
| US08190785B2 |
Plug-and-play device and method for enhancing features and settings in an interactive display system
A plug-and-play device providing a set of functionality comprises a plug-and-play interface, storage, and software stored in the storage. The software is automatically executed by a computer when the plug-and-play device is connected thereto via the plug-and-play interface. The software detects disconnection of the plug-and-play device from the computer and terminates execution in response thereto. The computer does not persistently store the software thereafter. |
| US08190784B1 |
In-band transport mechanism for carrying communications among functional components of a storage I/O interface stack
An in-band protocol transport carries command-response protocol communications between first and second functional components of a storage input/output (I/O) interface stack, for example to control encryption-related processing of storage I/O commands. A storage read command used as a protocol transport message has protocol data in a read data buffer, and predetermined read address information, such as a prime-numbered starting block address and a small, odd-valued length value, unlikely to occur in normal (non-transport) storage read commands. The second functional component determines that the storage read command contains the predetermined read address information, indicating that the storage read command is a protocol transport message rather than a normal read. For greater confidence, it also determines that the protocol data in the read data buffer includes protocol identification data such as a protocol signature. The protocol data is used to control a processing action for subsequent normal storage I/O commands, such as encryption-related processing, and a protocol response is returned by creating and storing response data in the read data buffer and signaling completion of the storage read command to the first functional component. |
| US08190781B2 |
Exposing multi-mode audio device as a single coherent audio device
The driving of an audio device that supports two or more audio modes is accomplished by associating a first physical device object of an audio device with a first device identifier, the first physical device object representing a first audio mode enumerated by a bus enumerator; associating a second physical device object of an audio device with a second device identifier, the second physical device object representing a second audio mode enumerated by the bus enumerator; and if the first device identifier matches the second device identifier, enabling a coupled kernel streaming audio interface compatible with both the first physical device object and the second physical device object. |
| US08190780B2 |
Cluster architecture having a star topology with centralized services
A cluster of architecture having a star topology with the central services node at its center. Application server instances are organized in a star topology with the central services node at its center. The central services node may include services such as a messaging server for interinstance cluster communications. A locking server may also be provided to provide cluster wide locking to facilitate changes and updates within the cluster. A database may also be shared by all instances in the cluster, thereby reducing the need for data replication. In one embodiment, the message server has no persistent state. In such an embodiment, if the message server fails, it can merely be restarted without any state recovery requirement. |
| US08190776B2 |
Web browser for a wireless device comprising a browser daemon for permitting access to information after the web browser has been closed
An information browser system and method enables sending of information requests to remote information sources and receiving of requested information from the remote sources on a wireless communication device. Information in any of a plurality of formats, including WML, HTML and WMLScript, is converted into a format in which the information can be displayed or otherwise further processed by the device. Information browsing functions may also be integrated with other communication functions on a mobile communication device. |
| US08190774B2 |
Managing virtual addresses of blade servers in a data center
Methods, apparatus, and products for managing virtual addresses of blade servers in a data center are disclosed that include storing by a blade server management module (‘BSMM’), in non-volatile memory of a blade server, a parameter block, the parameter block including one or more virtual addresses for communications adapters of the blade server and one or more action identifiers, each action identifier representing a type of address modification; detecting, by a basic input-output system (‘BIOS’) module of the blade server upon powering on the blade server, the parameter block; and modifying, by the BIOS module of the blade server in dependence upon the one or more action identifiers of the parameter block, an address of at least one communications adapter of the blade server. |
| US08190773B2 |
System and method for accessing a web server on a device with a dynamic IP-address residing behind a firewall
A system and method for providing access to a web server on an electronic device positioned within a firewall. A gateway device including a gateway server is provided outside of the firewall. The gateway device includes an IP address that corresponds to the same DNS extension that is used in the DNS name of the web server. When a client device attempts to contact the web server through the DNS name, the request is transmitted to the gateway server, which in turn communicates with the web server. |
| US08190770B2 |
Segmentation and reassembly of data frames
A system and method of transmitting data frames between a plurality of input ports to a plurality of output ports is described. The input ports segment portions of the received data frames to provide smaller data cells which are individually transmitted to an output port associated with a destination of the segmented data frame. Based upon information provided in the data cells received at the output port, the output port determines the ordinal positions of the received data cells within the segmented data frame and reassembles the data frame which was segmented at the input port. The output port then forwards the reassembled frame toward the associated destination. |
| US08190769B1 |
Methods and apparatus for provisioning at a network device in response to a virtual resource migration notification
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving on a network side of a data center network a migration notification related to migration of a virtual resource from a source host device to a target host device. The source host device and the target host device can be on a server side of the data center network different than the network side of the data center network. The virtual resource can be logically defined at the source host device. The method can also include defining, before migration of the virtual resource is completed, an identifier representing a mapping of the virtual resource to the target host device in response to the migration notification. The defining can be performed on the network side of the data center network. |
| US08190764B2 |
Method and system for an intercept chain of custody protocol
Techniques for establishing a chain of custody for intercepted electronic information are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method, comprising securely negotiating a data collection interval time and protocol support for electronic data collection between network equipment associated with a data collecting party and network equipment associated with a data receiving party, receiving a nonce at a network equipment associated with the data collecting party from network equipment associated with the data receiving party, utilizing the nonce to compute, at least in part, a hash value at network equipment associated with the data collecting party, collecting electronic data at an intercept access device at network equipment associated with the data collecting party, utilizing the nonce and the hash value to transmit the collected electronic data to network equipment associated with the data receiving party, and utilizing the hash value to establish a chain of custody between the data collecting party and the data receiving party. |
| US08190759B2 |
Transmission apparatus, reception apparatus and transmission/reception apparatus for image and/or audio data and other than image and/or audio data
The present invention provides a transmission/reception apparatus capable of achieving both a high processing speed and good extensibility in performing communication protocol processes. Used for transmitting data in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol and receiving data transmitted in accordance with the predetermined communication protocol, the transmission/reception apparatus has a configuration capable of executing communication protocol processes by using hardware (in first and second communication-protocol-processing units) and software (in first and second control units). The hardware or the software can be selected properly in accordance with the type of data. For example, a communication protocol process for data regarded as a heavy processing load can be carried out by using the hardware at the high processing speed whereas a communication protocol process for data regarded as a light processing load can be carried out by using the software, which offers the good extensibility. |
| US08190757B1 |
Systems and methods for automatically binding client-side applications with backend services
A system for automatically binding client-side applications with backend services is disclosed. This system may comprise a client device programmed to request, on behalf of a user, a client-side application and a backend service programmed to: 1) identify a client account associated with the user, 2) identify authentication credentials associated with the client account, 3) dynamically inject, in response to the request, the authentication credentials into the client-side application, and 4) provide the injected client-side application to the client device. Corresponding computer-implemented methods and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08190752B1 |
Secure delivery of flash content over networks
A method for securing delivery of flash content over a network includes rewriting flash content action code capable of making a network request for flash content to redirect network communication associated with the flash content to a network device. |
| US08190749B1 |
Systems and methods for accessing an interaction state between multiple devices
The present application discloses systems and methods for accessing digital content between multiple devices. The systems and methods may be directed to providing access to an interaction with a first application on a head-mounted display (HMD) to a second device. Contextual information relating information of the HMD and information associated with the interaction to describe an interaction state may be stored. A second device may be selected upon which the interaction state may be accessed and a determination of attributes of the second device may be made. The HMD may transfer to the second device the stored contextual information such that the second device may provide via the second application access to the interaction state. Information associated with a user input to the first application may also be transferred. In one example, the contextual information may describe an identified occurrence of digital content accessed via the first application. |
| US08190743B2 |
Most eligible server in a common work queue environment
A system and method for managing servers. The system comprises a plurality of servers for processing messages, at least one client for transmitting messages to and receiving messages from the servers, and processor means for maintaining a list indicating whether at least one of the servers is eligible to process messages. Preferably, the servers are adapted to process messages of different types; and the processor means includes means to indicate on said list whether, for each of the different types of messages, at least one of the servers is eligible to process each of the different types of messages. Also, in the preferred embodiment, each of the clients includes means to read the list, before the client transmits a message of a given type to one of the servers, to determine whether at least one of the servers is eligible to process messages of the given type. In addition, the processor means may notify the clients when changes are made to the list, and each of the clients may include means for removing messages from the servers in case there is no longer a server eligible to process the messages. |
| US08190742B2 |
Distributed differential store with non-distributed objects and compression-enhancing data-object routing
One embodiment of the present invention provides a distributed, differential electronic-data storage system that includes client computers, component data-storage systems, and a routing component. Client computers direct data objects to component data-storage systems within the distributed, differential electronic-data storage system. Component data-storage systems provide data storage for the distributed, differential electronic-data storage system. The routing component directs data objects, received from the clients computers, through logical bins to component data-storage systems by a compression-enhancing routing method. |
| US08190738B2 |
Detection of patterns in a data stream
A system and method for hardware processing of regular expressions is disclosed. A register bank is loaded with state information associated with one or more states of a state machine. State information such as transitions and spin counts are updated as characters of an input data stream are processed. A crossbar is used to interconnect the states stored in the register bank. |
| US08190736B2 |
Reducing messaging in a client-server system
A detection that a client-server system, which is operating in a first state mode, has switched from a first use case to a second use case for accessing a property of an object associated with a server. The first state mode during the first use case reduces messaging in the client-server system as compared to using a second state mode. A determination is performed as to whether using the second state mode during the second use case would reduce messaging in the system as compared to using the first state mode. The client-server system is transitioned to the second state mode, if operating in the second state mode would reduce messaging in the client-server system as compared to operating in the first state mode for the second use case. |
| US08190735B2 |
Information processing system, information processing apparatus, and information processing method
A first information processing apparatus receives file information from a second information processing apparatus when the information processing apparatus switches into a power saving state. If the first information processing apparatus receives, from a third information processing apparatus, a file process request packet in terms of a file stored in the second information processing apparatus, the first information processing apparatus stores the received file process request packet. When the second information processing apparatus returns into the normal power state, the first information processing apparatus transfers the stored file process request packet to the second information processing apparatus. |
| US08190734B2 |
System and method for network monitoring of internet protocol (IP) networks
A system and method for implementing network monitoring with a unified IPv4+IPv6 address type. IPv4 network traffic and IPv6 network traffic are captured. IPv4 and IPv6 address patterns read from the captured network traffic are then encoded into a unified IPv4+IPv6 address space using a data type encoding. |
| US08190733B1 |
Method and apparatus for virtual location-based services
The present invention relates generally to the field of computer and network software, and more particularly it relates to a method and apparatus for providing virtual goods and/or on-line services based on a user's virtual location while surfing the web. According to certain aspects, the invention allows interactive objects, virtual goods and on-line services to be automatically provided to users when they visit predetermined partner sites or perform some predetermined on-line activity. According to other aspects, the invention automatically provides parallel destinations for predetermined partner sites that only users of the system can visit, and where such users can receive virtual goods and on-line services, among other content. |
| US08190729B2 |
Method for controlling network comprised of enormous nodes, and node and control program to perform said method
A present invention provides a method for controlling roles of nodes in a network comprised of enormous nodes dynamically and distributed autonomously in such a way that the entire network can operate distributed autonomously. A method for controlling a field value u0 of node in a network comprises: a step of determining an initial value of said field value u0, and a step of updating said field value u0, the step of updating comprising: advertising said field value u0 to adjacent nodes, measuring an environment parameter ω from the environment of the node, receiving field values un of the said adjacent nodes, recording the field values un, calculating a new field value u0 from the field value u0, the field values un of the adjacent nodes and the environment parameter ω in such a way that field values of nodes whose environment parameter ω are within a constant range agree with given distribution, deleting the previous field value u0, and recording said new field value u0. |
| US08190728B1 |
Building automation system devices
A building automation control system for use in a building having an IT network includes at least one BAS controller connected to the IT network and at least one BAS device located within the building and connected to the at least one BAS controller through the IT network. Further the system may be configured to use standards-based IT technologies over the IT network to manage the at least one BAS device. The standards-based IT technologies may include DHCP to obtain IP addresses and network parameters of the BAS devices, DNS to provide a mechanism for associating the BAS devices with human-friendly names, a distributed mechanism for storing the names, and a method for locating the BAS devices by resolving names and IP addresses, SNTP to synchronize time on the BAS devices, SNMP to monitor the BAS devices and report alarms, SMTP for delivery of e-mail alarms, web-services to provide Internet-friendly communications, and standards-based IT security mechanisms to protect software of the BAS devices. |
| US08190727B2 |
Network management system for an aircraft
A network management system in an aircraft for managing and maintaining a network. An aircraft maintenance computer communicates with a first device to be managed via the SNMP protocol. The first device to be comprises a description file. Within a subnetwork one or more second devices to be managed are present which are linked with the first device to be managed. These second devices to be managed enter their data into the description file via these connections. The data are necessary for managing and maintaining the respective second device to be managed by the aircraft maintenance computer. Therefore the aircraft maintenance computer is enabled to manage and maintain the first and the second devices only by means of the central MIB. |
| US08190725B2 |
Standardized mechanism of remote management of embedded radio modules
A standardized mechanism of remote management of mobile devices using Low Level Reader Protocol (LLRP) is disclosed. An LLRP provider application runs on a server. A remote management application runs on a mobile device. The LLRP provider application and the remote management application communicate using LLRP. The remote management application uses Device Service Provider Interface (DSPI) to communicate with hardware on the mobile device. The LLRP provider application discovers a mobile device, requests at least one of configuration or metadata information, and receives at least one of configuration or metadata information. The remote management application receives a request for at least one of configuration or metadata information and sends at least one of configuration or metadata information. |
| US08190720B1 |
Performing an in-service software reload on a network device
A software reload is executed. The hardware associated with the network device continues to forward network traffic during the software reload. Also, a kernel of the network device operates unaffected in a protected address space throughout the software reload. Further, the kernel preserves local checkpointed and shared memory data. Application processes running on the network node are shut down gracefully. The reloaded software is brought up and the network device is resynchronized. |
| US08190714B2 |
System and method for computer cluster virtualization using dynamic boot images and virtual disk
A method for computer cluster virtualization includes selecting a distributed application. A policy associated with the distributed application is retrieved. One of a plurality of nodes is dynamically selected. Then, a boot image of the selected node is reset based, at least in part, on the retrieved policy, with the boot image being compatible with the distributed application. Then, a virtual disk image is associated with the node. At least a portion of the distributed application is then executed on the reset node using the associated virtual disk image. |
| US08190709B2 |
Content data providing server, content data providing system and method, and terminal unit
A server includes a memory that stores unique identification information of an optical disc that stores at least one content data. The server also includes a receiver that receives user account information and the unique identification information from a user terminal. A processor performs an authentication of the user terminal for a transfer of the at least one content data based on a reception by the server of the unique identification information and the user account information from the user terminal. Further, the processor associates the user account information with the unique identification information upon a determination that the unique identification information has not previously been registered by the server based on the reception of the user account information and the unique identification information. A transmitter sends an authentication result to authorize the transfer of the at least one content data, in response to the authentication of the user terminal. |
| US08190705B2 |
Communication capability coupons
A system and method establishes communications between first and second parties. A request initiated by a first party is generated for establishing a communications channel over a first communications network between the first and second parties. An intermediary server device interrupts the request and attempts to generate the channel. If unsuccessful, the server device translates the request into a data network object, which is passed to the second party via a second communications network. The network object enables the second party to communicate acceptance for establishing communication with the first party over the first communications network. The second party invokes the network object upon receipt thereof or at a future time for creating a communications channel between the first and second parties. Alternately, the first party may establish a coupon for communication directly to a second party without a first prior attempt to create the channel. |
| US08190704B2 |
System and method for distributing a media content file over a network
A customer computer accesses, through a network, a media content file, as follows. A session is opened between a customer computer and either an application server or a media content server. A request to view a media content file is received from the computer. A temporary metafile having a temporary metafile name is created. The metafile contains a network address where the media content file can be obtained, an encrypted name of the media content file and an unencrypted file path leading to the media content file. The temporary metafile name is sent to the customer computer. The customer computer requests the temporary metafile to learn the encrypted media content file name, unencrypted media content file path and the network address. The customer computer subsequently sends the encrypted media content file name and the unencrypted media content file path to the network address to obtain the media content file. The metafile is cancelled or deleted before or at the end of the session with the customer computer, for security reasons. |
| US08190703B2 |
Extensible browser platform for web applications
An enhancement to a web browser offers an extension mechanism for web applications to utilize client-side resources, thereby moving more extensibility and flexibility to the client-side. The web browser may expose some control interfaces to meet various requirements from web applications. Using the extension mechanism, the web applications are able to offload the cloud servers, function when offline, and improve performance. The extension mechanism also provides users with full control to the data passing through their web browsers. |
| US08190701B2 |
Cache defeat detection and caching of content addressed by identifiers intended to defeat cache
Systems and methods for cache defeat detection are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, of resource management in a wireless network by caching content on a mobile device. The method can include detecting a data request to a content source for which content received is stored as cache elements in a local cache on the mobile device, determining, from an identifier of the data request, that a cache defeating mechanism is used by the content source, and/or retrieving content from the cache elements in the local cache to respond to the data request. |
| US08190696B2 |
Distributed name services in a fibre channel fabric
Methods and apparatus are provided for improving name services in a fiber channel fabric. Either a world wide name or an alias can be used to uniquely identify a device such as a storage device on a fiber channel fabric. World wide name and alias associations are maintained in an alias database that is synchronized on connected fiber channel switches in a physical fiber channel fabric. Devices can be moved from one switch to another while maintaining alias and world wide name associations. |
| US08190693B2 |
Reclaiming lost internet customers
A system and method of reclaiming lost Internet customers may involve detecting an outage condition associated with a host of an electronic commerce (e-commerce) web site. Customer data can be extracted from packets destined for the host, wherein the packets could be associated with transactions between customers and the web site. The extracted customer data may be stored and, upon detecting a resolution of the outage condition, a customer database can be searched based on the extracted customer data in order to identify customer contact information. A customer reclamation message may then be sent to the customer, wherein the message can incentivize the customer to return to the web site and request completion of the transaction. |
| US08190688B2 |
System and method of transmitting photographs from a set top box
A method of emailing photographs from a set top box is disclosed and includes presenting a menu of photographs at a television coupled to the set top box. The photographs within the menu can be highlighted using a remote control device. The method further includes presenting an email button at the television and presenting an address book. The address book contains at least one recipient email address. Further, the method includes sending an email addressed to the at least one recipient email address. In particular, the email includes a return email address that causes a response to the email to be sent to a location other than the set top box. |
| US08190683B2 |
Synchronizing multiple user remote content playback
Playback of content downloaded or streamed from a network service is automatically synchronized for users at different client devices. Synchronization is achieved using user approved actions to perform during content playback. Each client device submits playback status to a server while the server generates and sends synchronization instructions for each client device. The synchronization instructions are based on user parameters and the difference in playback position between the users. |
| US08190682B2 |
Managing execution of programs by multiple computing systems
Techniques are described for managing the execution of programs on multiple computing systems, such as computing systems organized into multiple groups. A program execution service manages the program execution on behalf of multiple customers or other users, and selects appropriate computing systems to execute one or more instances of program, such as based in part on locations of one or more previously stored copies of the program from which copies of the program to execute may be acquired. For example, in some situations the selection of an appropriate computing system to execute an instance of a program is based in part on physical or logical proximity to other resources, such as stored copies of the program, executing copies of the program, and/or available computing systems. |
| US08190681B2 |
Collections of linked databases and systems and methods for communicating about updates thereto
This technology is generally directed to one or more methods or systems relating to personal communication networks. This technology is further directed to methods and systems for communicating about updates to the profiles associated with members of personal communication networks. Still further, this technology is generally directed to informing members of the personal communication network about accolades and historical search data of other members in the personal communication network, thereby giving the members a broader knowledge base in order to determine how much to trust the other members of the personal communication network and to inform members about additional expertise areas of members of the personal communication network. |
| US08190678B2 |
Service program interface for integrating modules with a scheduled meeting service
Described are an online meeting system and method for integrating a third-party system with the online meeting system. A service provider interface (SPI) defines procedures for communicating with a meeting services application of the online meeting system. Each software module implements the procedures of the SPI to perform meeting-related operations customized in accordance with the third-party system when called by the meeting service application. Called SPI procedures include two types. One type notifies a software module of a proposed transaction of an event in the online meeting system, to enable the software module to perform the meeting-related operation before the event occurs. A second type notifies a software module of an event that has occurred in the online meeting system, to enable the software module to perform the meeting-related operation in response to the occurrence of that event. |
| US08190676B2 |
System and method for event detection and re-direction over a network using a presentation level protocol
A mechanism for detecting events generated from a device in communication with a client system and the re-direction of those events to a server system over a network using a presentation-level protocol is disclosed. Plug and play events are detected at the client system, bound to a virtual connection for a user session, and re-directed for handling to a server-based system using the presentation-level protocol. The server-based system maps the device to the user session. Applications which have registered a callback with the session are informed and generate an appropriate message which is transmitted to the device in communication with the client system via a specified virtual communication connection in the user session. |
| US08190674B2 |
Variable rate media delivery system
A method and apparatus for delivering variable bit rate media files delivers media files to client systems. The media server can dynamically detect when a client can accept a different bit rate version of a media content. The media server can smoothly switch between different bit rate versions of the media content as it delivers the media content to client systems. A client system can also request different bit rate versions of a media content while it is playing the media content. |
| US08190671B2 |
Arranging synchronization session
The invention relates to arranging a synchronization device between a first synchronization device and a second synchronization device. A first synchronization session is set up between the first synchronization device and the second synchronization device. Role information is defined and stored for the first synchronization device to indicate whether the first synchronization device should serve as a client or a sync server in at least one subsequent synchronization session. The role information is checked when a need arises to initiate a second synchronization session between the first and the second synchronization devices. The second synchronization session is initiated from the first synchronization device in accordance with the role information. |
| US08190669B1 |
Multipurpose arithmetic functional unit
Multipurpose arithmetic functional units can perform planar attribute interpolation and unary function approximation operations. In one embodiment, planar interpolation operations for coordinates (x, y) are executed by computing A*x+B*y+C, and unary function approximation operations for operand x are executed by computing F2(xb)*xh2+F1(xb)*xh+F0(xb), where xh=x−xb. Shared multiplier and adder circuits are advantageously used to implement the product and sum operations for both classes of operations. |
| US08190666B2 |
Random number generation device and vehicle control device
A random number generation device including a first random number generation part which generates a new random number based on a random number which was previously generated and which outputs the random number generated by the first random number generation part, the random number generation device includes: a second random number generation part which generates a random number different from the random number generated by the first random number generation part; and an operation part which outputs a random number obtained by a prescribed operation using a random number generated by the second random number generation part on a random number generated by the first random number generation part when generating a first random number after start of supplying electric power. |
| US08190663B2 |
Method and a system for identifying similar audio tracks
In order to be able to handle very large numbers of tracks in a similarity determination in order to identify tracks similar to a predetermined track, a filtering method is used in order to identify a number of closest neighbor candidates between which the correct nearest neighbors are determined. Thus, the computationally heavy similarity determination is performed only on a subset of the tracks.This filtering step may be a fastmap determination of the tracks where the pivot points are determined not as the extreme points along the to individual dimension but at the median thereof in order to avoid extremely high divergence values. This helps preserving the neighborhoods. Also, the mapping is performed on the basis of a square-rooted Symmetric Kullback-Leibler (SKL) divergence which is more metric than the SKL and thus provides a better mapping. |
| US08190658B2 |
Intelligent computing device agent system for automatic recognition of multi user computing environment and information sharing setup
An intelligent computing device agent system for auto recognition of a computing environment of multi-user and optimum information exchange configuration is provided. In the computing device agent system automatically detects the user's computing environment and intelligently makes network access configuration and an information exchange type required between interacting computing devices identical to each other, so that fast, convenient interaction is carried out without complex network configuring or multi-step environment configuring for information exchange. |
| US08190655B2 |
Method for reliable and efficient filesystem metadata conversion
A method for converting metadata in a hierarchical configuration within a filesystem from a first format to a second format includes reading metadata that is in the first format within the hierarchical configuration; writing the metadata from the hierarchical configuration into a flat file; and writing the metadata back into the hierarchical configuration, the metadata being in the second format. The method can also include increasing the size of each of a first inode and a second inode within a first inode chunk in the filesystem, assigning the first inode to the first inode chunk, and assigning the second inode to a second inode chunk. Additionally, the method can also include writing a plurality of directory extents from a first location within the filesystem to a second location, each directory extent identifying a location and a length of a contiguous range of directory blocks. |
| US08190650B2 |
Efficiently filtering using a web site
A technology for efficiently filtering using a web site is disclosed. In one method approach, distinct filtering values based on a type of data selected from a web page associated with a web site are received without requiring retrieval of filtering values that are unrelated to the selected type of data. The distinct filtering values are displayed without requiring the web page to be entirely updated. |
| US08190646B2 |
Associative object model for composite entity information
An associative object model for presenting composite entity information is provided. More particularly, a system and method of linking various data related to an entity from isolated databases in a distributed enterprise is provided. The system and method presents composite information on the entity to different systems within the distributed enterprise. The method includes propagating a change of data of a first entity type to one or more related or associated entity types in an active associative object model (AOM) accessible by a subscribing system and a publishing system in an enterprise. |
| US08190645B1 |
Method and system for storing, retrieving, and sharing data using a field-accessed database system comprising a mobile unit
A method using a field-accessed database system identifies an object by a data identifier, and stores and/or retrieves object data using the associated data identifier. In one mode of operation, a field terminal uploads to a database object-based data and employs the associated data identifier to group the uploaded object data with object data relating to other objects having substantially similar data identifiers. In another mode of operation, the system identifies one or more data products stored in a database and previously grouped according to an identified object's data identifier, and a field terminal downloads from database one or more data products related to the identified object and processes downloaded data products for user access. In another mode of operation, called discover mode, field terminal selects data products in a database using a selection algorithm based on terminal location and downloads these data products from this database, prior to receiving user input used to select final data products of interest to access using field terminal. |
| US08190642B2 |
Method, system, and storage medium for implementing intelligent team management services
A method, system, and storage medium for implementing intelligent team management services. The method includes associating selected individuals with a datastore. The datastore houses content designated as key information and the selected individuals are designated as an entity. The method also includes creating a distribution list in a messaging application. The distribution list includes the selected individuals. The method further includes providing the selected individuals with access to the datastore. |
| US08190632B2 |
Computer product, information retrieving apparatus, and information retrieving method
A computer-readable recording medium stores therein an information retrieving program that causes a computer to execute acquiring a document to be searched and having a hierarchical structure; generating a path schema related to the acquired document; receiving input of a retrieval keyword, a retrieval condition for the retrieval keyword, and a retrieval equation specifying a retrieval range for the retrieval keyword; generating a single automaton that includes a hierarchy retrieval automaton that retrieves a hierarchy of the generated path schema and a hit keyword retrieval automaton that retrieves a hit keyword satisfying the retrieval condition, the single automaton making state transition between a hit hierarchical node where the hit keyword in the hierarchy retrieval automaton is present and a set of nodes representing the hit keyword; retrieving, from the document and using the single automaton, the hit keyword within the retrieval range; and outputting a retrieval result. |
| US08190628B1 |
Phrase generation
Aspects directed to phrase generation are provided. A method is provided that includes identifying a plurality of phrase candidates from a plurality of text string entries in a corpus. For each phrase candidate: identifying a plurality of left contexts and a plurality of right contexts for the phrase candidate, each left context of the plurality of left contexts being a nearest unique feature to the right of the phrase candidate in a text string entry and each right context of the plurality of right contexts being the nearest unique feature to the right of the phrase candidate, and calculating a left context vector including a score for each left context feature and a right context vector including a score for each right context feature of the phrase candidate. A similarity is determined between pairs of phrase candidates using the respective left and right context vectors for each phrase candidate. |
| US08190625B1 |
Method and system for robust hyperlinking
A method includes analyzing a plurality of electronic documents available via a network service, selecting content of the documents encountered during the analysis to generate signatures for the documents based on the content of the documents, generating an index comprising the signatures, and updating the index by performing additional analyses. The index is updated to include documents having the same signatures. |
| US08190623B2 |
Image search engine using image analysis and categorization
An Internet infrastructure that supports searching of images by correlating a search image with that of plurality of images hosted in Internet based servers in selected categories, containing an image search server, and a web browser contained in a client device that supports displaying of the images. The image search server supports delivery of search result pages to a client device based upon a search string or search image, and contains images from a plurality of Internet based web hosting servers. The image search server also delivers characteristic analysis of an image to the client device upon request. The selection of images is done within selected categories and is based upon: (i) word match, that is, by selecting images, titles of which correspond to the search string; and (ii) image correlation, that is, by selecting images, image characteristics of which correlates to that of search image. The selection of images in the search result page also occurs on the basis of popularity. The search image server also selects category based upon user's choice. |
| US08190614B2 |
Index compression
Systems and methods for compressing an index are described. In one exemplary method, the results of a search are annotated and then encoded into one or more chunks of compressed data in accordance with the annotations of the results. The annotations include an indication of a best encoding method selected from a set of available encoding methods, and an indication of whether to switch to a new chunk during encoding or to continue encoding in the current chunk. Other methods are described and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described. |
| US08190611B1 |
Categorizing web sites based on content-temporal locality
A categorization server is coupled to multiple clients via a network. Each client has a security module that monitors web browsing performed on the client and reports a web site browsing stream to the categorization server. The categorization server identifies a site from the browsing stream of a client that is of a known category. The categorization server uses content-temporal locality to determine whether other sites in the browsing stream belong to the same category as the site having the known category. This determination can be performed by assigning probabilities to other sites in the browsing stream, and by considering probabilities assigned to sites in browsing streams of other clients. The categorization server provides categories of sites to the clients, and the client security modules can implement category-based security policies. |
| US08190598B2 |
Skew-based costing for database queries
One embodiment is a method that determines skew to predict costs for query plans for a database query. The method selects a query plan that accounts for the skew to evenly distribute processing load among multiple processors and then executes the query with the selected query plan. |
| US08190587B1 |
In-place image promotion
To promote an image, an identification of at least one of an symbol name and an existing symbol value associated with the symbol name is received. An identification of a new symbol value is also received. It is then determined that a binary file that is a component of an unpromoted image is to be modified, wherein the image has previously been compiled and linked. The binary file is read to find occurrences of at least one of the symbol name or the existing symbol value in the binary file. The existing symbol value is replaced with the new symbol value to promote the image. The image is promoted without recompiling or relinking the binary file. |
| US08190586B2 |
Method and system for determining whether an entered character string corresponds to terminology utilized in a database
A method for determining whether an entered character string corresponds to terminology utilized in a catalogue database, comprising: accepting the entered character string; determining if the character string matches terminology utilized in the database; if the character string does not match terminology utilized in the database, applying at least one action to the character string to create an edited character string; and determining if the edited character string matches terminology utilized in the database. |
| US08190580B2 |
System and method for data backup using log records
To generate backup data based on a log while a power consumption of a standby system is reduced, method for data backup is provided in which a first computer system transmits a data update record, a second storage system of a second computer system receives and then stores the data update record, and a second computer of the second computer system generates a copy of data contained in the first computer system based on the stored data update record. The method for data backup includes monitoring the data update record transmitted by the first computer system, and stopping, when a predetermined first condition is satisfied, the second computer; and starting, when a predetermined second condition is satisfied, the second computer, thereby generating the copy of the data contained in the first computer system based on the stored data update record. |
| US08190578B2 |
Migration of versioned data between configuration management systems
Described is a method for migrating versioned data from a source configuration management system to a target configuration management system. The method includes determining, for at least one historical period having versioned data items to be migrated from the source to target systems, an earliest versioned data item based on a start time for the historical period. At least one subsequent versioned data item is determined based on a sampling interval and an end time for the historical period. The earliest versioned data item and subsequent versioned data items for each historical period are migrated from the source configuration management system to the target configuration management system. Advantageously, migration is performed faster than if all existing versions are migrated and storage requirements are reduced. In addition, differencing tools in the target system can compare different versions of the migrated data items. |
| US08190572B2 |
High-availability and data protection of OLTP databases
A method is for use with a primary online transactional processing (OLTP) database, to maintain a secondary storage usable by a backup OLTP database, wherein the primary storage, of the primary OLTP database, includes data files. In accordance with the method, as transaction indications for the primary OLTP database are recorded in at least one transaction log file, in the primary storage of the primary OLTP database, the transaction indications are caused to be mirrored to the secondary storage. At the file system level of the storage of the primary OLTP database and of the secondary storage, a state of data files of the primary OLTP database is occasionally caused to be duplicated from the primary storage to the secondary storage. |
| US08190571B2 |
Managing data with backup server indexing
Indexing functionality can be shifted to one or more backup servers in a backup system. In one implementation, a backup server can receive one or more data backups from one or more production servers. The backup server can then build or create one or more indexes at the backup server, which correspond to the contents of the one or more data backups. In one implementation, one or more management agents can also identify any appropriate components that might be needed to read the backup data at the backup server pursuant to building the one or more indexes. In either case, the one or more indexes can be used for a wide range of purposes, such as to manage data usage quotas at the one or more production servers, as well as to retrieve data from the backup server based on specific file requests. |
| US08190568B2 |
System and method for providing interactive communications
A system and method for providing interactive communications includes receiving a communication from an originator destined for a persona. An identity of the persona is determined and one or more rules associated with the identity of the persona is determined. Presence information of the persona is obtained. The communication is sent to the persona in accordance with the determination of the identity of the persona, the one or more rules associated with the identity, and the presence information of the persona. |
| US08190564B2 |
Temporary session data storage
Systems and methods are provided according to one or more embodiments for a Distributed Temporal Data Storage (DTDS) architecture. In one embodiment, a system includes a load balancer located at one location. The system also includes at least one server coupled to the load balancer, wherein the load balancer is adapted to determine communication channels to reach the at least one server via a network. The system also includes one or more processors and one or more memories adapted to store a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors are adapted to cause the system to store data in the at least one server as time based data in a corresponding time slot of a time based configuration according to an expiration time. The plurality of machine-readable instructions are also adapted to cause the system to allow retrieval of the stored data, wherein if the time based data is accessed within the expiration time, at least one time operation is triggered, and if the time based data is not accessed for a time longer than the expiration time, the time based data is removed from the time slot. |
| US08190557B2 |
Processor and method configured for executing data transfer or data adjustment functions on OLAP based data
A system and method for processing data between a source cell and a target cell in a OLAP database. The system comprises a component configured for selecting a source cell based on dimensions in the OLAP database and having a value derived from the OLAP database, and a component for selecting a target cell based on dimensions in the OLAP database. The system includes a component configured for receiving a modification amount and applying the modification amount to the source cell and a component configured for applying the modification amount to the target cell and generating a modified target cell value. The system further comprises a component configured for storing the modified source cell and/or the modified target cell in the OLAP database. According to an embodiment, the modification amount is applied to the target cell as a credit amount or as a debit amount. |
| US08190554B2 |
OLAP-based customer behavior profiling method and system
An OLAP-based method and system for profiling customer behavior that can be utilized to detect telecommunication fraud. First, call records are received. Next, a calling profile cube (e.g., a multi-customer profile cube) is generated based on the call records. A volume-based calling pattern cube (e.g., a calling pattern cube for each individual customer) is then generated based on the multi-customer profile cube. The volume-based calling pattern cube is then compared with known fraudulent volume-based calling patterns. If the similarities generated by the comparison reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold, then the particular caller with the calling pattern being analyzed is considered suspicious. In this manner, suspicious calling activity can be detected, and appropriate remedial actions, such as further investigation or the cancellation of telephone services, can be taken. |
| US08190552B2 |
Method of estimating salt contamination
A method of estimating a salt contamination is provided. The method includes preparing salt contamination data measured at a plurality of areas, preparing geographical factor data of areas for estimating, preparing rainfall amount data near the areas, setting a correlation expression having the geographical factor and the rainfall amount as variables, and estimating salt contamination of the areas for estimating according to the rainfall amount. |
| US08190549B2 |
Online sparse matrix Gaussian process regression and visual applications
An online sparse matrix Gaussian process (OSMGP) uses online updates to provide an accurate and efficient regression for applications such as pose estimation and object tracking. A regression calculation module calculates a regression on a sequence of input images to generate output predictions based on a learned regression model. The regression model is efficiently updated by representing a covariance matrix of the regression model using a sparse matrix factor (e.g., a Cholesky factor). The sparse matrix factor is maintained and updated in real-time based on the output predictions. Hyperparameter optimization, variable reordering, and matrix downdating techniques can also be applied to further improve the accuracy and/or efficiency of the regression process. |
| US08190548B2 |
Systems, devices, and methods for analog processing
A system employs a plurality of physical qubits, each having a respective bias operable to up to six differentiable inputs to solve a Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization problem. Some physical qubit couplers are operated as intra-logical qubit couplers to ferromagnetically couple respective pairs of the physical qubits as a logical qubit, where each logical qubit represents a variable from the Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization problem. The logical qubits may include two or more physical qubits. |
| US08190547B2 |
Semi-exact algorithms for optimization
Described herein is a meta-algorithm adaptable to different types of optimization problems and different computing platforms. A problem space is (i) browsed using a heuristic that computes objectives locally and (ii) while constructing a solution, key decisions are performed globally. A simple data structure—a probabilistic cache—is used to efficiently store intermediate sub-solutions. As an example, the meta-algorithm is applied to find an algorithm for solving the graph coloring problem. |
| US08190545B2 |
Method and apparatus for adding skills to a database of skills by determing if new issues are similar previous issues that were resolved
A system thinker application receives a first issue, a first resolution to the first issue, and a first plurality of skills. The system thinker application searches a system environment electronic profile for a second issue, a second resolution to the second issue, and a second plurality of skills, wherein the system environment electronic profile contains a plurality of component profiles, and wherein the plurality of component profiles contain a second issue, a second resolution to the second issue, and a second plurality of skills. The system thinker application determines if the first issue, the first resolution to the first issue, and any one of the first plurality of skills are similar to any one of the second issue, the second resolution to the second issue, and any one of the second plurality of skills. The system thinker application adds skills to the system environment electronic profile and the component profile. |
| US08190542B2 |
Neural network, a device for processing information, a method of operating a neural network, a program element and a computer-readable medium
A neural network includes neurons and wires adapted for connecting the neurons. Some of the wires comprise input connections and exactly one output connection and/or a part of the wires comprise exactly one input connection and output connections. Neurons are hierarchically arranged in groups. A lower group of neurons recognizes a pattern of information input to the neurons of this lower group. A higher group of neurons recognizes higher level patterns. A strength value is associated with a connection between different neurons. The strength value of a particular connection is indicative of a likelihood that information which is input to the neurons propagates via the particular connection. The strength value of each connection is modifiable based on an amount of traffic of information which is input to the neurons and which propagates via the particular connection and/or is modifiable based on a strength modification impulse. |
| US08190541B2 |
Determining relevant information for domains of interest
Techniques are described for determining and using relevant information related to domains of interest. In at least some situations, the techniques include automatically analyzing documents, terms and other information related to a domain of interest in order to automatically determine information about relevant themes within the domain and/or about which documents have contents that are relevant to such themes. Such automatically determined information related to a domain may then be used in various ways, including to assist users in specifying themes of interest and/or in obtaining documents and/or document fragments with contents that are relevant to specified themes. In addition, information about how the automatically determined information is used by users may be tracked and used as feedback for learning improved determinations of relevant themes and relevant documents within the domain, such as by using automated machine learning techniques. |
| US08190537B1 |
Feature selection for large scale models
Disclosed are a method and system for receiving a plurality of potential features to be added to a model having existing features. For each of the potential features, an approximate model is learned by holding values of the existing features in the model constant. The approximate model includes the model having existing features and at least the potential feature. A performance metric is computed for evaluating performance of the approximate model. The performance metric is used to rank the potential feature based on a predetermined criterion. |
| US08190532B2 |
System and method for managing intellectual property life cycles
The present invention relates to methods and systems for managing intellectual property assets. In an embodiment, an intellectual property protection life cycle of an intellectual property asset is managed, and an intellectual property marketing life cycle of the intellectual property asset is managed. |
| US08190531B2 |
Method to facilitate engagement and communication between a company and a recruiter including a bounty
The present invention includes a method to facilitate engagement and communication between a company with an available position and a recruiter. The method includes the steps of posting information about the available position for the company, and receiving information about a candidate for the available position of the company from the recruiter, and submitting the information about the candidate for the available position of the company to the company. The method further includes the step of receiving payment from the company and transmitting a portion of the payment to the recruiter upon the selection by the company of a candidate for the available position. |
| US08190530B2 |
Method and system for providing multiple services via a point-of-sale portal architecture
A secure point-of-sale (POS) portal architecture for delivering multiple services is provided. According to one exemplary aspect of the architecture, a number of services offered by various parties are integrated for delivery to merchants. The parties offering the services include, for example, payment processors and merchant acquirers and other external value-added service providers. The integrated services, in turn, are offered to merchants and/or their respective customers via one or more POS devices and its supporting system infrastructure at the merchant locations. The integrated services include, for example, acceptance of multiple payment instruments, payment processing, user dialog management, sales promotion and customer support, loyalty programs, back office processing, receipt capture, employee training, risk management, dispute resolution, system security, system administration etc. Moreover, these integrated services may be customized based on a merchant's particular requirements to provide a specific environment for delivering these services. |
| US08190526B2 |
Using payment mode rankings responsive to item attributes
A method and system are described for using payment mode rankings responsive to item attributes. For example, in at least some embodiments, a method includes obtaining, with a processing device, at least a first mode ranking and a second mode ranking responsive to one or more categorical attributes of a first item and to one or more payment mode use constraints; associating a common control with a payment indication of the first item to a first payee by the first payment mode and with a payment indication of a second item to a second payee by a second payment mode; transmitting, with a transmitter, a common image that includes the common control and that indicates the first item, the second item, the first payment mode, and the second payment mode; displaying the common image; and detecting a user actuation of the common control. |
| US08190524B2 |
Internet billing method
Equipment of a provider may be operable to establish a billing arrangement with a purchasing customer to charge a billing account associated with the purchasing customer a first amount, establish a remitting arrangement with a selling vendor to remit between the selling vendor and the provider a second amount by way of an account associated with the selling vendor, establish communications with equipment of the purchasing customer, enable the equipment of the purchasing customer to communicate with equipment of the selling vendor, obtain transactional information relating to a purchase transaction initiated by the purchasing customer, which results in the billing account of the purchasing customer being charged the first amount, and initiate between the selling vendor and the provider a remittance of the second amount by way of the account associated with the selling vendor. Additional embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08190520B1 |
Auditing and reconciling custodial accounts
A method, system and computer program product for auditing and reconciling custodial accounts. A tool is provided to allow a custodial agent to audit a custodial account at one or more depository institutions at which deposits are held by the custodial agent on behalf of one or more individuals and reconcile such accounts. According to one embodiment, the method includes comparing account balance data from a depository institution for a custodial account against account balance data from a second source for the custodial account, identifying discrepancies between the balance data from the depository institution and the balance data from the second source, identifying a prospective write-off in the amount of one or more of the discrepancies, and prompting the custodial agent to indicate whether the custodial agent accepts the prospective write-off. The prospective write-off may be offset against an account. |
| US08190518B2 |
Method and system for performing monetary transactions from multiple source accounts
A method and system for performing monetary transactions across multiple source accounts. The method includes the steps of: determining whether a multi-source transaction is desired or required to complete a monetary transaction; selecting the specific source accounts to be accessed and debited to perform the monetary transaction; determining the amount of funds to be withdrawn from each of the source accounts; and communicating with the source accounts to (i) access the funds and (ii) determine whether adequate funds exist in each of the source accounts to perform the monetary transaction. When summed, the funds accessed from the multi-source accounts equal the total required to perform the monetary transaction. The final steps for completing the monetary transaction include approving the monetary transaction and transferring funds from the multiple source accounts to a single destination account. The funds may be drawn from the source accounts in accordance with a predetermined percentage defined by the holder/owner of the source accounts or based upon a specific input made by the holder/owner at the time of the monetary transaction. The system employs a communication link and processor to receive the various inputs of the account holder/owner to perform the monetary transaction. |
| US08190517B1 |
System and method for transferring a line of credit balance to a cash account
The present invention provides an automated system configured to facilitate transfers of cash value from one or more lines of credit to one or more deposit accounts or payment systems. An automated system ensures that requested funds are available in a customer's one or more lines of credit and electronically deposits the requested funds into one or more designated deposit accounts or payment systems. An automated system provides a means for customers to manage lines of credit, setup transfer transactions, define rules governing transfers and view transactional history. The automated system, in network connection with the lending organization's backend systems, may authenticate customer identities and credit accounts as well as insure that the requested funds are available for transfer into a deposit account. |
| US08190513B2 |
Method of billing a purchase made over a computer network
A method of effecting a sale over a computer network in which it is determined whether a user passes fraud control before effecting a sale over a computer network. Information associated with a method of payment, such as credit card information, debit card information, checking account information, a telephone service account, a cable television account, a utility service account, or an Internet service provider account, is requested from the user after the user passes the fraud control. Information associated with the method of payment is received from the user in real time. Method-of-payment information is communicated to a payment authorization database, which can be located locally or remotely. The method-of-payment information includes the received information associated with the method of payment. Payment authorization information associated with the method of payment is received from the payment authorization database. A sale transaction is completed when the payment authorization information is affirmative. Sale charge information associated with the sale effected over the computer network is transmitted to the payment authorization database when the sale transaction is complete. The sale charge information includes information for charging the method of payment an amount representing a charge for the sale. |
| US08190504B1 |
Corporate payments, liquidity and cash management optimization service platform
A corporate payment, liquidity, and cash management optimization service platform helps meet the need in corporate banking to leverage more of the value of the bank relationship with the corporation. The platform integrates into the supply chain processes of the corporate customer and may provide liquidity forecasting and optimization services. The platform provides a one-to-many model in which the bank serves many corporates with one system to save operating costs and gain economies of scale. In addition, the platform leverages existing bank services, while at the same time providing modular, configurable services in a secure, integrated solution. |
| US08190501B2 |
Click based trading with intuitive grid display of market depth and price consolidation
A method and system for reducing the time it takes for a trader to place a trade when electronically trading on an exchange, thus increasing the likelihood that the trader will have orders filled at desirable prices and quantities. The “Mercury” display and trading method of the present invention ensure fast and accurate execution of trades by displaying market depth on a vertical or horizontal plane, which fluctuates logically up or down, left or right across the plane as the market prices fluctuate. This allows the trader to trade quickly and efficiently. The price consolidation feature of the present invention, as described herein, enables a trader to consolidate a number of prices in order to condense the display. Such action allows a trader to view a greater range of prices and a greater number of orders in the market at any given time. By consolidating prices, and therefore orders, a trader reduces the risk of a favorable order scrolling from the screen prior to filling a bid or ask on that order at a favorable price. |
| US08190496B2 |
Method and system of directed advertising
A method is provided for directed advertising on a shipment tracking status webpage. Advertisements are received and categorized based on preselected criteria. Shipping orders are received and tracking numbers associated with the shipping orders are provided. Tracking status information is received for the shipping orders. A tracking status request for a shipping order is received based on a tracking number. The tracking status information for the shipping order associated with the tracking number is accessed. The tracking information for the shipping order and at least one advertisement, which is selected based on the preselected criteria, is provided for display on the shipment tracking status webpage. |
| US08190495B1 |
Automated system for managing baby care products
A computer-based online system having a memory, for managing a plurality of registries of baby care product selections, wherein each of the plurality of registries is uniquely associated with a respective one of a plurality of users, and wherein each baby care product selection corresponds to a baby care product selected at the online system or one of a plurality of retailers. |
| US08190494B2 |
Order processing analysis tool
A computer implemented method and program product for order processing. In one embodiment, input is received from a user for an order. The input supplies information for configuring an order in an order processing software application, for producing a first configuration of the order. The input is analyzed to identify corrections for the first configuration to fit parameters of the order processing software application. The input is compared to a set of existing orders as part of an analysis of the input. A set of recommendations is generated concerning analysis of the input. In response to a selection by the user, the set of recommendations is executed in order to correct the first configuration of the order. |
| US08190490B2 |
Overconstraint detection, rule relaxation and demand reduction in a combinatorial exchange
In a combinatorial exchange, a set of rules can be input for processing of bids received in connection with the exchange. At least one bid can be received from each of a plurality of exchange participants and a desired exchange objective can be defined. A determination can be made as a function of a subset of the rules if an allocation of the bids exists that is optimal for the type of exchange being conducted. If the desired exchange objective is not satisfied, the step of determining an allocation is repeated utilizing a different subset of rules each time until the desired exchange objective is satisfied. It can be determined if the exchange is overconstrained and, if so, rules can be relaxed. Also or alternatively, the demand for a quantity of an item can be increased or decreased based on the average cost of the item. |
| US08190484B2 |
Electronic commerce system and electronic commerce method
A message, including ordering-data receiving process of receiving ordering data including price information representing a price of a target product to be purchased and personal information including ID information which has previously been given to at least one purchaser for sales, via a network a payment determination process of determining whether to pay the price of the target product to a seller, based on the price information included in the received ordering data and purchaser ID Information included in the received personal information a settlement-permission information sending process of sending, in a case where it is determined at said determining step to pay the price of the target product for the at least one purchaser, settlement permission information representing that it is determined to pay the price for the purchaser to the seller through a network, while the ID information is secret from the seller. |
| US08190483B2 |
Computer-based ordering system
A computer-based ordering system for ordering goods and services includes a plurality of self-service client terminals and a server. Each self-service client terminal runs a self-order application including a set of interactive menu screens having buttons that allow the customer to select and customize products for the order. An administration tool application communicates with the server to administer the self-service client terminals. The administration tool application including a menu editor that enables the administrator to create and edit the interactive menu screens provided by the self-order application at the self-service client terminals. The menu editor accesses a library of menu templates containing predefined groupings of buttons, and uses the menu templates, as directed by the administrator, during creation and editing of the interactive menu screens. |
| US08190482B1 |
Organic supplier enablement based on a business transaction
Enabling a supplier is disclosed. An indication of a transaction associated with a business process between a buyer and a supplier is received. A supplier enablement action is initiated in response to receiving the indication. The supplier enablement action is associated with enabling the supplier to join a supplier network. |
| US08190480B1 |
System, non-transitory memory with computer program, and associated methods for micro-credit to prepaid cards
A lending institution computer establishes a line of credit coupled to a prepaid card account and makes available draws to the line of credit line in an authorization stream for a proposed purchase using the prepaid card account as payment. When the line of credit is accessed, the prepaid card account is loaded with an additional value of one or more predetermined loan increments so that the prepaid card account then has a new amount totaling a previous amount plus the amount of value of the one or more preselected loan increments and so that the new amount exceeds or equals the value of a proposed purchase. Next, a new value for a line of credit balance available is determined, accounting for value loaded onto the prepaid card account and a predetermined loan advance fee for each loan increment loaded onto the prepaid card account. |
| US08190478B2 |
Method and apparatus for collaborative filtering of card member transactions
The disclosed system allows a credit or charge card issuer to provide its card members with a list of merchants, products, services, vacation destinations or other offerings that might be of interest based on the purchases of similar card members. In one instance, this process looks at all card members that made purchases at a merchant and then it identifies all other merchants in the same category where those card members also made purchases. The associated merchants are ranked based on largest number of shared card members and the top results may be shared with card members or merchants in order to enhance promotions, card use and marketing. |
| US08190477B2 |
Computing a time-dependent variability value
A system that facilitates computation of a time-dependent variability value is described herein. The system includes a receiver component that receives a plurality of items, wherein each item has a timestamp corresponding thereto. The system further includes a value generator component that outputs a time-dependent variability value for an item in the plurality of items, wherein the time-dependent variability value is indicative of a recent frequency of use of the item in comparison to a frequency of use of the item over a defined period of time. |
| US08190471B2 |
Rebate card system
A method and system for using a rebate card are disclosed. The method may comprise initiating a purchase transaction for one or more products at a point of sale, determining whether the purchase transaction qualifies for a rebate, determining a rebate value based on the purchase transaction and the rebate, activating a rebate value in a rebate card account associated with a rebate card based on the determining action, and delivering the rebate card to a customer of the one or more products during the purchase transaction. |
| US08190467B2 |
Methods of identifying environmentally friendly businesses or individuals
This disclosure relates to techniques for a computer-implemented method which receives user input that specifies values for predetermined questions provided in an environmental questionnaire, identifies environmentally friendly businesses or individuals by analyzing the user input values and determining those businesses or individuals that meet predetermined minimum requirements, and stores a list of the identified businesses or individuals within a database. |
| US08190463B2 |
System and method for managing mobile workers
A system manages mobile workers and includes a plurality of clients and a server. A database includes a plurality of target objects that are classified corresponding to facilities assets to be worked on by a mobile worker and attributes of each target object, including any tasks to be performed on target objects. A rule engine maps from a problem space for partitioned jobs and mobile workers to a solution to schedule jobs and mobile workers in selected different regions. The rule engine is operative to control the scheduling algorithm using heuristics comprising at least one of a tabu search, iterated local search, guided local search, and variable neighborhood search to focus a search space to regions for moving the schedules of high utility. |
| US08190462B2 |
System and method for internet based procurement and administrative management of workers
A system for internet-based procurement of non-cataloged goods and services based upon qualified resumes includes a human resources procurement server, an associate vendor terminal, and a hiring manager terminal. The associate vendor terminal is connected to the human resources procurement server. The hiring manager terminal is connected to the human resources procurement server. The human resources procurement server receives at least one job request from the hiring manager terminal. The human resources procurement server also receives at least one qualified resume from the associate vendor terminal and forwards the qualified resume to the hiring manager terminal for review. |
| US08190458B2 |
Method of performing integrated oilfield operations
A method of performing oilfield operations for an oilfield having a subterranean formation with a reservoir therein is provided. The method involves generating a business analysis of the oilfield based on business inputs, generating an operational analysis of the oilfield based on operational inputs, and selectively integrating the business analysis with the operational analysis by using the operational outputs as at least a portion of the business inputs and by using the business outputs as at least a portion of the operational inputs to form an integrated oilfield analysis. The business analysis includes business outputs for characterizing the business impact of projects performed on the oilfield. The operational analysis includes operational outputs for characterizing the operational impact of projects performed on the oilfield. The integrated oilfield analysis includes integrated oilfield outputs for characterizing the business and operational impact of projects performed on the oilfield. The method may also involve developing an oilfield plan based on the integrated oilfield analysis and implementing the oilfield plan. |
| US08190456B2 |
Agreement method and system to consent to a prorated value of coupon of an interline E-ticket
An enhanced agreement method and system to consent to a prorated value of a coupon of an E-ticket corresponding to a multi-segment transport involving at least two carriers for the transportation.The invention is based on a new system architecture, which comprises on each carrier side synchronous connections between various modules amongst which an E-ticket Server, a proration module arranged for calculating coupon prorated value, the system enabling to exchange coupon prorated values between both carriers from E-ticket issuance and before coupon usage.Further, based on E-ticket information and said exchange of coupon prorated values, the invention is arranged to launch an agreement process before or at a time of providing the transportation service.Another aspect of the invention is that information on coupon prorated value is embodied within industry standard messages that are already exchanged in current processes. |
| US08190452B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring a patient
A remotely or locally programmable and accessible medical device system including an interface unit and a medical device connected to a patient is disclosed. Through a transceiver, such as a telephone or computer, a person may obtain status reports from a remotely located or local medical device in audible, electronic or paper form. In addition, the person may change a protocol associated with the medical device or be alerted at a remote or local location of an alarm associated with the medical device. |
| US08190446B2 |
Enhanced system and method for enhancing and supplementing the informed consent process of a patient undergoing a medical procedure
A method for enhancing and supplementing the informed consent process of a patient undergoing a medical procedure is disclosed. A plurality of interactive multi-media program segments relating to a medical procedure are presented on-line to a patient who is to undergo the procedure. The patient views the multi-media program segments which may include a review of anatomy and physiology, the disease, the procedure, pre and post-operative instructions and risks and benefits. Patients may pose written questions to their doctor. The patient's experience, including which program segments are viewed as well as the patient's interactions therewith are captured, documented and preserved. |
| US08190440B2 |
Sub-band codec with native voice activity detection
A system and method for providing an augmented version of a Low-Complexity Sub-band Coder (LC-SBC) is described herein. In accordance with the method, a series of input audio samples representative of the frame are received. A series of sub-band samples is generated for each of a plurality of frequency sub-bands based on the input audio samples. A determination is made as to whether the frame is a voice frame or a noise frame. Responsive to a determination that the frame is a noise frame, an index representative of a previously-processed series of sub-band samples stored in a history buffer for at least one of the frequency sub-bands is encoded instead of encoding the series of sub-band samples generated for the frequency sub-band. |
| US08190439B2 |
Method for preparing information for a speech dialogue system
In many application environments, it is desirable to provide voice access to tables on Internet pages, where the user asks a subject-related question in a natural language and receives an adequate answer from the table read out to him in a natural language. A method is disclosed for preparing information presented in a tabular form for a speech dialogue system so that the information of the table can be consulted in a user dialogue in a targeted manner. |
| US08190431B2 |
Method and system for providing speech recognition
An approach for providing speech recognition is disclosed. A name is retrieved from a user based on data provided by the user. The user is prompted for a name of the user. A first audio input is received from the user in response to the prompt. Speech recognition is applied to the first audio input using a name grammar database to output a recognized name. A determination is made whether the recognized name matches the retrieved name. If no match is determined, the user is re-prompted for the name of the user for a second audio input. Speech recognition is applied to the second audio input using a confidence database having entries less than the name grammar database. |
| US08190429B2 |
Providing a codebook for bandwidth extension of an acoustic signal
A codebook spectral envelope may be used to extend the bandwidth of a bandwidth limited signal. A system includes codebooks that list codebook spectral envelopes. A codebook spectral envelope may be selected based on a characteristic of the spectral envelope of the bandwidth limited signal. Modifications of selected codebook spectral envelopes may generate a bandwidth extension signal that may be added to the bandwidth limited signal to improve the quality of the signal. |
| US08190425B2 |
Complex cross-correlation parameters for multi-channel audio
An audio encoder encodes a combined channel (e.g., a sum channel) for a group of plural physical audio channels. The encoder determines plural parameters for representing individual physical channels of the group as modified versions of the encoded combined channel. The plural parameters comprise ratios of power in each individual channel to power in the combined channel (e.g., a ratio of the power of a right channel to the power of the combined channel, and a ratio of the power of the left channel to the power of the combined channel). The plural parameters can include a complex parameter. The combined channel and the plural parameters facilitate reconstruction at the audio decoder of source channels. An audio decoder performs a forward complex transform on the multi-channel audio data and reconstructs plural channels from the multi-channel audio data. The decoder can maintain second-order statistics for the source channels. |
| US08190424B2 |
Computer-implemented system and method for prospecting digital information through online social communities
A home evergreen index and frontier evergreen indexes are maintained. The indexes cover topically-limited subject areas, which include digital information. Each index defines a hierarchy of topics. Each index further matches a topic model to the topic hierarchy's topics. Each topic model includes a pattern evaluable against the digital information, which identifies such digital information matching the topic model's topic. At least one frontier evergreen index that includes topics that are at least partially distinct from the topics included in the home evergreen index is identified. Vetted assessments for articles identified by the at least one frontier evergreen index are obtained. The articles corresponding to the vetted assessments that are favorable are selected. The patterns that include the topic models of the home evergreen index are matched against the selected articles of the digital information. The selected articles of the digital information that were matched are provided on a display. |
| US08190423B2 |
Word sense disambiguation using emergent categories
Disclosed herein is a computer implemented method and system for word sense disambiguation in a natural language sentence. The natural language sentence is parsed for identifying possible parts of speech for each term and identifying possible phrase structures. Terms comprising one or more linguistic roles are identified. The possible sense combinations for the terms with linguistic roles are identified. Emergent categories are applied to identify possible valid senses for each of the terms with identified linguistic roles. Linguistic role pairs are identified from among the terms identified with linguistic roles. The correspondence functions with the correspondence function types matching the identified linguistic role pairs are identified from an emergent categories database. The pair-wise senses for each term are compared with the identified linguistic roles to identify the possible sense combinations. The possible senses are inferred for each term with identified linguistic roles in the natural language sentence and previous sentences. |
| US08190420B2 |
Automatic spoken language identification based on phoneme sequence patterns
A language identification system that includes a universal phoneme decoder (UPD) is described. The UPD contains a universal phoneme set representing both 1) all phonemes occurring in the set of two or more spoken languages, and 2) captures phoneme correspondences across languages, such that a set of unique phoneme patterns and probabilities are calculated in order to identify a most likely phoneme occurring each time in the audio files in the set of two or more potential languages in which the UPD was trained on. Each statistical language models (SLM) uses the set of unique phoneme patterns created for each language in the set to distinguish between spoken human languages in the set of languages. The run-time language identifier module identifies a particular human language being spoken by utilizing the linguistic probabilities supplied by the one or more SLMs that are based on the set of unique phoneme patterns created for each language. |
| US08190419B1 |
Computer processes for analyzing and improving document readability
Disclosed are systems and methods for analyzing and improving document readability. For example, a method of automatic text evaluation is disclosed. The method can include the following steps: detecting whether a particular writing problem exists in text that is technically grammatically correct; scanning for at least one sign that indicates the possible occurrence or absence of the writing problem, the at least one sign comprising the term “that”; and implementing correction logic for correcting the problem. The correction logic can specify a proposed edit, which can include, for example: deleting text; adding text; and/or reordering text. Various other rules for improving text are also disclosed. |
| US08190415B2 |
Method for the construction of vertical power transistors with differing powers by combination of pre-defined part pieces
A method for designing a first vertical MOS power transistor having a specified design power level. The method comprises the steps of composing a layout of the vertical MOS power transistor as a combination of at least partly differing layout part pieces, each of the part pieces having known design data, the part pieces including at least one first layout part piece comprising a given number of single transistor cells, and adjusting the specified design power level of the first vertical MOS power transistor by using the known design data of the part pieces and based on the layout combination of the part pieces. |
| US08190414B2 |
Modeling of hydrocarbon reservoirs containing subsurface features
A method for modeling a reservoir response in a subsurface system is provided. The subsurface system has at least one subsurface feature. Preferably, the subsurface system comprises a hydrocarbon reservoir. The method includes defining physical boundaries for the subsurface system, and locating the at least one subsurface feature within the physical boundaries. The method also includes creating a finite element mesh within the physical boundaries. The finite element mesh may have elements that cross the at least one subsurface feature such that the subsurface feature intersects elements in the mesh. A computer-based numerical simulation is then performed wherein the effects of the subsurface feature are recognized in the response. The reservoir response may be, for example, pore pressure or displacement at a given location within the physical boundaries. |
| US08190410B2 |
System and method for evaluation decision sciences of simulation models
A system and method for viewing models and model variables within a sophisticated modeling environment is disclosed. The system provides varying levels of insight into a modeling infrastructure to help the user understand model and model variable dependencies, usage, distribution, and/or the like. (original) The method includes storing model and model variable data within a relational database system, receiving a request from a user interfacing with the system via a web interface, extracting search criteria and presentation preferences from the request, formulating and executing one or more queries on the database to retrieve the required data, formatting the data in accordance with the request, and retuning the data to the requesting user in the form of a web page. |
| US08190407B2 |
Method and system for evaluating a device during circuit simulation
A method for evaluating a device during circuit simulation includes receiving a first request including a first input value; and mapping the first input value to a first space in a table. The table is configured to store one or more table entries. A table entry includes an input value and a stored value. The stored value is obtained as a function of the input value from an analytical device model used to characterize the device during circuit simulation. The method includes determining whether the first space in the table is occupied by a first table entry; selecting a second table entry and a third table entry from the table when the first space in the table is not occupied by the first table entry, wherein the second table entry and the third table entry are neighbors in relation to the first space in the table; determining whether an accuracy criteria for performing a linear interpolation is satisfied as a function of the first input value, a stored value for the second table entry, and a stored value for the third table entry; and obtaining a first response value by performing the linear interpolation of the stored value for the second table entry and the stored value for the third table entry when the accuracy criteria is satisfied; and sending a response to the first request including the first response value. The first response value corresponds with the performance of the device when the device is configured using the first input value. |
| US08190406B2 |
Hybrid solver for data-driven analytics
A complex solver that is able to solve a diverse variety of model analytics. Upon identifying the various input variable(s) and output variable(s) of the model variables, if a straight forward solve is not to be performed, it is determined whether the model analytics is to be inverted such that a forward solve can be performed. For instance, it might not be known generally, or at least to the solver, how to invert a particular equation of other model analytics. If the model analytics is to be inverted, the model analytics is inverted, and the forward solve is performed. On the other hand, if the inversion of the model analytics is not to be performed, then a numerical analysis solve is performed. |
| US08190403B2 |
Real-time rendering of light-scattering media
A real-time algorithm for rendering of an inhomogeneous scattering media such as smoke under dynamic low-frequency environment lighting is described. An input media animation is represented as a sequence of density fields, each of which is decomposed into a weighted sum of a set of radial basis functions (RBFs) and an optional residual field. Source radiances from single and optionally multiple scattering are directly computed at only the RBF centers and then approximated at other points in the volume using an RBF-based interpolation. Unique approximation techniques are introduced in the computational algorithms to simplify and speed up the computation of source radiance contributed by single and multiple scattering. Using the computed source radiances, a ray marching technique using slice-based integration of radiance along each viewing ray may be performed to render the final image. |
| US08190400B1 |
Thin client graphical presentation and manipulation application
A distributed graphical presentation and manipulation application executes as a thin client application in a network. The networked graphical presentation and manipulation application can generally be used without requiring a user to install any specific software prior to using the application. In one embodiment, code may be received from a server via the network. A local environment may be generated based on the code, where the local environment may be configured to display a view of a graphical model. A request to manipulate the view may be received within the local environment. A request for a manipulated view may be transmitted to the server based on the received request. The manipulated view may be received from the server. The received manipulated view may be displayed within the local environment. |
| US08190394B2 |
System and methods for monitoring oil conditions of a wind turbine gearbox
A method for monitoring the condition of oil contained within a gearbox of a wind turbine is disclosed. The method generally includes receiving a signal corresponding to a measurement of an oil parameter of the gearbox, comparing the measurement to a predetermined limit for the oil parameter, assigning a severity level based on the comparison of the measurement to the predetermined limit and determining a recommended course of action for the wind turbine based on the severity level. |
| US08190393B2 |
Helicopter blade position detector
A position detector for detecting the position of a helicopter blade includes a sensor to generate a signal in dependence on the position of a helicopter blade with respect to the sensor, and a data processing module arranged to receive the signal from the sensor and generate an output indicative of the blade position from the received signal. The sensor includes a mask having a plurality of slits, a lens assembly, and light detector. The lens assembly has a field of view and directs incident light onto a focal plane of the lens assembly. The light detector detects the level of illumination passing through each of the slits in the mask and provides a signal indicative of the illumination level to the data processing module. The mask is located at the focal plane of the lens assembly and the slits formed in the mask are angularly divergent from one another. |
| US08190392B2 |
Method and apparatus for multiple trigger path triggering
A method and apparatus for determining a trigger in a test and measurement apparatus are provided. The method comprises the steps of loading a first trigger configuration to a first trigger element of the test and measurement apparatus and loading a second trigger configuration to a second trigger element of the test and measurement apparatus so that these trigger elements operate substantially simultaneously. It is then determined whether the input signal generates a trigger in accordance with the one or more trigger configurations. |
| US08190386B2 |
Apparatus and method to characterize multijunction photovoltaic solar cells
An apparatus and method to electrically and optically characterize a multijunction solar cell. The apparatus can have as many light sources as there are subcells in the multijunction solar cell. Each light source has an optical spectrum that falls within the bandgap energy of a corresponding subcell. Each light source has a controllable intensity level. |
| US08190382B2 |
Tool to analyze performance of power-beam photovoltaic receiver
A tool to analyze the performance of a power-beam photovoltaic (PV) receiver is disclosed that includes a system and method for determining the output of a PV array under non-uniform, inconstant illumination. The system and method includes providing PV cells in a user-defined physical layout with various user-defined electrical connections among the PV cells and optional devices forming the PV array. The disclosure provides an analysis tool for designing optical power-beaming systems. |
| US08190381B2 |
Intelligent electronic device with enhanced power quality monitoring and communications capabilities
An intelligent electronic device IED has enhanced power quality and communications capabilities. The IED can perform energy analysis by waveform capture, detect transient on the front-end voltage input channels and provide revenue measurements. The IED splits and distributes the front-end input channels into separate circuits for scaling and processing by dedicated processors for specific applications by the IED. Front-end voltage input channels are split and distributed into separate circuits for transient detection, waveform capture analysis and revenue measurement, respectively. Front-end current channels are split and distributed into separate circuits for waveform capture analysis and revenue measurement, respectively. |
| US08190379B2 |
Verifying an accuracy of a state estimation
The present disclosure is concerned with the reduction of an operational security margin of a power system without jeopardizing the safety of the power system or incurring heavy investments. According to the disclosure, a check for basic accuracy or correctness of a conventional State Estimation (SE) procedure allows to increase a level of confidence in the results of the procedure. To this end, an accuracy of the estimated states is verified by comparing the latter with the results (y, y′) of independent phasor measurements performed at selected locations of the power system. Unless a discrepancy is reported by this comparison, the results of the SE can be assumed to be sufficiently accurate, and any conservative or additional security margin intended to compensate for SE uncertainty can be relaxed. Hence, established trustworthiness in the estimated states allows increasing the transmitted power where the estimated states do indicate such a possibility, i.e. in particular in fringe areas and/or transmission corridors between countries, and especially under stressed network conditions. |
| US08190373B2 |
Methods for identifying DNA copy number changes
Methods of identifying allele-specific changes in genomic DNA copy number are disclosed. Methods for identifying homozygous deletions and genetic amplifications are disclosed. An array of probes designed to detect presence or absence of a plurality of different sequences is also disclosed. The probes are designed to hybridize to sequences that are predicted to be present in a reduced complexity sample. The methods may be used to detect copy number changes in cancerous tissue compared to normal tissue. The methods may be used to diagnose cancer and other diseases associated with chromosomal anomalies. |
| US08190369B2 |
System and method for stress field based wellbore steering
A system and method for the geomechanical steering of the orientation of a wellbore is disclosed. In one embodiment, any available a priori data regarding the stress characteristics of a region of interest are used to develop a preliminary stress model for the region. A geosteered drilling operation is thereafter commenced, with the trajectory being steered in a direction relative to the stress model of the region. While drilling, real-time data is obtained from conventional down-hole instrumentation. The real-time data is used to refine the stress model for the region, such that the trajectory can be guided on an ongoing basis to achieve an optimal relationship with the measured stress characteristics of the region. |
| US08190368B2 |
Method of finite-element discretization in heterogeneous and highly conductive grid cells
A method for simulating a conductivity measured by a resistivity tool disposed in a borehole penetrating a formation, the method including: constructing a main grid extending from the borehole into the formation; constructing an auxiliary grid that is local to the main grid and fitted to a boundary between a first region having a first conductivity and a second region having a second conductivity; discretizing a problem operator on the auxiliary grid applying Maxwell's Equations to a volume represented by the auxiliary local grid, the Maxwell's Equations including a term representing the conductivity of a material in the volume; calculating one-dimensional functions for points on the auxiliary grid; constructing basic functions from the calculated functions; discretizing by the basic functions for points on the main grid; solving the resulting set of equations to obtain the simulated measured conductivity for the resistivity tool; and providing the simulated measured conductivity as output. |
| US08190367B2 |
System and method for assessing and reducing air pollution by regulating airflow ventilation
Disclosed are means for monitoring the levels of air pollution in urban areas for the purpose of optimizing the conditions of airflow ventilation of buildings according to air pollution levels in their area. The invention supplies data in real time regarding local air pollution levels or relative levels, i.e. current air pollution levels in relation to previous ones. The disclosed system and method makes use of the fluctuations in air pollution levels in order to achieve optimal reduction of air pollution levels inside buildings. The system defines optimal times for ventilation in order to achieve a significant and persisting improvement of indoor air quality, in a routine manner, by using measurements of nondeterministic, continuous and effective fluctuations in air pollution levels at the surroundings of each building, specifically in locations which don't include monitoring stations. |
| US08190366B2 |
LC resonance probe for determining local plasma density
An apparatus and method for determining plasma parameters such as plasma electron density ne. The probe apparatus includes an LC resonance probe comprising an inductive element and a capacitive element connected in series. The capacitive element of the probe can be in the form of a parallel plate capacitor, a cylindrical capacitor, a spherical capacitor, or any other suitable capacitor. The configuration of the probe apparatus gives it a characteristic resonance frequency ωR0 which can be determined by a circuit analysis device. When the capacitive element of the probe apparatus is placed in a plasma, the probe exhibits a new resonance frequency ωR, which is different from ωR0 because of the dielectric constant ∈ of the plasma. The difference in resonance frequencies can be used to determine plasma density ne, where n e = m e ɛ 0 e 2 ( ω R 2 - ω R 0 2 ) . |
| US08190365B2 |
Systems and methods for processing navigational solutions
Systems and methods for processing navigational solutions are provided. In this regard, a representative system includes a navigational computing device comprising a processor and memory that stores a navigational solution manager that is executed by the processor to provide a receiver position. The navigational solution manager is configured to collect navigational data from at least one satellite vehicle, compute initialization navigational measurements based on the collected navigational data, and compute the receiver position using the initialization navigation measurements. |
| US08190363B2 |
Driving support system, driving support method and computer program for setting and using facility entry difficulty levels
When a vehicle enters a facility off a road on which the vehicle is traveling, information pertaining to an entry direction into the facility is sent to a probe center as probe information, and a current driving level of the host vehicle is identified. Meanwhile, the probe center that received the probe information calculates a right-turn entry percentage for facilities based upon the received probe information, and sets an entry difficulty level of the facilities based upon the calculated right-turn entry percentage. A vehicle to which information pertaining to the entry difficulty level of a set facility was distributed from the probe center is structured so as to perform driving support based upon the information pertaining to the entry difficulty level of the facility. |
| US08190361B2 |
Navigation device and method using multi-route
A navigation device is provided. The device includes a driving state tracker for tracking a mobile driving state using a current mobile position and RGI (Route Guidance Information) data including driving information on multi-routes from the current mobile position to a destination, and outputting deviation information and the current mobile position when a mobile object is deviated from a route; and a re-routing unit for searching partial routes from a mobile deviation position to each of the multi-routes using the deviation information, the current mobile position and the driving information on the multi-routes, and re-routing a route to the destination using each of the partial routes. |
| US08190360B2 |
Method and apparatus for creating visual effects on grass
A method and apparatus for imprinting high resolution images onto fields, such as sports fields and landscapes is disclosed. In one embodiment, precise and consistent lawn and field patterning is accomplished by use in combination of a global positioning system; a processor for generating a desired pattern which is translated into patterning instructions; and a patterning implement which is used for generating detailed patterns and for imprinting said patterns on any of natural or artificial lawns and fields, covered areas, and landscapes. The patterning implement comprises a plurality of independent printing mechanisms incorporated within said patterning implement, each of the independent printing mechanisms coupled to receive patterning instructions from the processor and operate selectively in response thereto. The invention also comprises means for guiding the patterning implement to position it along a desired path at least in part with information from said global positioning system; and means for individually controlling each of said independent printing mechanisms incorporated within said patterning implement responsive to said patterning instructions and in coordination with positioning of said patterning implement along said desired path. |
| US08190357B2 |
Multi-occupant structure in a geo-spatial environment
A method, apparatus, and system of multi-occupant structure in a geo-spatial environment are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes determining that a marker (e.g., associated with a profile of a user) is colliding with another marker simultaneously displayed in a map based on an overlap area of the marker with the another marker, automatically creating a group pointer that replaces the marker and the another marker on the map and generating a view of the marker and the another marker when a user (e.g., of the geo-spatial environment) selects the group pointer. |
| US08190356B2 |
Navigation apparatus, position registering method, position registering program, and recording medium
In a navigation apparatus, an acquiring unit acquires traveling state information indicating a traveling state of a mobile object. A position identifying unit identifies a current position of the mobile object based on the traveling state information and map information. The destination setting unit sets a destination. A route searching unit searches for a route based on the destination. A route guidance unit performs route guidance based on the route. A parking determining unit determines whether the mobile object is parked. If during the route guidance, the current position of the mobile object identified to be on a road within a first predetermined range from the destination is identified not to be on any road and it is determined that the mobile object is parked, a registering unit registers the most recent deviation point as an entrance point of a parking lot of the destination into a storage unit. |
| US08190351B2 |
Diagnostic control apparatus for internal combustion engines
Disclosed is a diagnostic control apparatus for internal combustion engines capable of accurately diagnosing the presence and extent of air/fuel ratio variations in engine cylinders, even when the system has no part for detecting the air/fuel ratio in each cylinder. The diagnostic control apparatus measures the time required for the crankshaft to rotate to a specified angle for each cylinder; and based on this measured, required time, derives the 0.5 order component as the rotation fluctuation component for each two rotations of the crankshaft per each cylinder or the 1.0 order component as the rotation fluctuation component for each single rotation of the crankshaft; and also counts the number of times the 0.5 order component or 1.0 order component deviates from the preset range in the period set for each cylinder, and diagnoses an error in the output or in the air/fuel ratio for a particular cylinder when that count value exceeds a specified value. |
| US08190348B2 |
System and method for damping vibrations in a motor vehicle
An engine damping system is disclosed. The engine damping system includes an actuating device that is hydraulically powered using a power steering system of a motor vehicle. The system also includes a steering position sensor to determine a steering mode of the motor vehicle. The system also includes an acceleration sensor to provide controlled feedback for the actuating device. |
| US08190345B1 |
Vehicle safety system
A vehicle safety system installed within a vehicle operable to monitor the perimeter of vehicle and provide notification of objects within a defined range so as to alert the driver of the vehicle of a probable collision. The vehicle safety system includes a plurality of transceivers that are circumferentially mounted around the vehicle that function to provide detection of another object. A brake actuator is further included wherein the brake actuator is operable to engage the braking system of the vehicle upon the condition of the vehicle approaching an object within its perimeter and it has been calculated by the controller of the vehicle safety system that a collision with the object is probable. A warning light is further included to provide visual notification to a second vehicle that is generally rearward of the vehicle wherein the warning light is illuminated in a flashing sequence so as to provide visual notification of the second vehicle being too proximate the vehicle. A monitor is further included and disposed within the passenger compartment of the vehicle to provide directional notification of the location of an object within the perimeter of the vehicle. |
| US08190339B2 |
Shift control apparatus for automatic transmission
A shift controller controls a downshift to a low shift speed, spaced apart from a high shift speed by two or more steps, through an intermediate shift speed, by first releasing first and second shift release elements, then engaging a first shift engagement element, and finally engaging a second shift engagement element, while controlling the torque capacity of the second shift release element by feedback control. As a result of releasing the first and second shift release elements before engaging the first shift engagement element, it is possible to rev up an input rotation at maximum performance of an engine to reduce the time for shifting. As a result of the feedback control of the torque capacity of the second shift release element after engaging the first shift engagement element, a torque fluctuation at the intermediate shift speed can be reduced to avoid occurrence of an uncomfortable shift shock. |
| US08190338B2 |
Method and apparatus for compaction of roadway materials
A method of compacting a roadway section includes entering initial input parameters into a compaction analyzer. A plurality of passes is made with a roller over a portion of the roadway section and vibratory energy is applied thereto. Responsive vibration signals are gathered and the compaction analyzer generates estimated density signals. Actual density measurements are taken and the estimated densities are compared thereto. Selected ones of the initial input parameters are adjusted so that an adjusted density output signal which represents the actual density of a roadway section is generated. |
| US08190331B2 |
Systems for detecting animate objects in a vehicle compartment
Systems for detecting animate objects in a vehicle compartment include active materials based sensors for detecting the presence of an animate object in the compartment. The systems produce a response if the sensors detect the presence of an animate object in the compartment and at least one other predetermined condition exists. |
| US08190328B2 |
Electropneumatic control arrangement for an automatic vehicle level control system
An electropneumatic control arrangement for an automatic vehicle level control system, particularly of a commercial vehicle, includes at least; a solenoid valve unit having at least two electropneumatic solenoid valves, a compressed air inlet for infeeding compressed air, at least one compressed air connection for at least one air bellows and electrical control inputs, and an electronic control unit for actuating the solenoid valve unit. The electronic control unit comprises control outputs for electrically connecting to the control inputs of the solenoid valve unit. A plug connector is configured on the housing of the solenoid valve unit, in which the electrical control inputs are disposed, and a plug connector is provided on the housing of the electronic control unit, in which the control outputs are disposed. The plug connectors are mechanically plugged into each other. |
| US08190324B2 |
User assistance system for vehicle
A portable information terminal stores first function list information indicating the contents of functions installed on a first vehicle. When a user carrying the terminal gets in a second vehicle before driving, the second vehicle acquires the first function list information from the terminal. The second vehicle compares the acquired first function list information with second function list information indicating the contents of functions installed on the second vehicle. The second vehicle acquires a functional difference between itself and the first vehicle and notifies the user of the difference. |
| US08190323B2 |
Vehicle information recording system
A vehicle information recording system has an ECU and the like to detect an abnormal event that occurs on the vehicle, a vehicle state determination unit to determine a vehicle state including at least one of a running state and a running environment of the vehicle based on an output value and a threshold of a sensor and a switch provided in various parts of the vehicle, and a memory unit to record a vehicle state when an abnormal event is detected, which is determined by the vehicle state determination unit, and a duration time of the vehicle state determined by the vehicle state determination unit from when the output value exceeds the threshold to when the abnormal event is detected. |
| US08190315B2 |
System, method and computer readable media for operating a distributed power train
An embodiment of the invention for conducting a distributed power train operation, comprises a controller at the remote unit for issuing commands to control the operation of the remote unit on a track, and responsive to a communication loss between the lead unit and the remote unit. A memory, accessible by the controller, comprises data relative to a track profile including a plurality of geographical coordinates of the track and data relative to one or more throttle positions or braking operations for the remote unit that are associated with the geographical coordinates. The controller receives data relative to geographical coordinates of the remote unit and upon a detection of the communication loss, the controller compares the geographical coordinates of the remote unit to the track profile geographical coordinates and issues one more commands associated with the operation of the remote unit. |
| US08190303B2 |
Systems and methods to dissipate heat in an information handling system
In a particular embodiment, a system to dissipate heat in an information handling system includes a first heat-generating component adapted to process first data and a second heat-generating component adapted to process second data. The system also includes a cooling fluid guide including an electroactive material. The cooling fluid guide is adapted to change from a first shape to a second shape, in response to receiving a trigger voltage or in response to no longer receiving the trigger voltage. The system also includes a controller adapted to detect a data load processed at the second heat-generating component and, in response to detecting the data load, to cause the trigger voltage to be received at, or no longer received at, the cooling fluid guide. The cooling fluid guide is adapted to direct an increased portion of cooling fluid toward the first heat-generating component when the cooling fluid guide is in a form of the second shape, as compared to the first shape. |
| US08190302B2 |
Load shedding system for an electromechanically controlled oven
A system for reducing peak power usage in a cooking appliance having an oven cavity therein is provided. The system includes at least one power consuming unit with at least two separately controllable elements, a user adjustable electromechanical switching device for controlling energization of the at least one power consuming unit, a control configured to receive and process a utility state signal indicative of the current state of an associated utility; and an element switching device responsive to the control and configured to selectively enable and disable energization of one of the elements in response to the utility state signal. |
| US08190300B2 |
Method for the operation of a wind farm
A method for the operation of a wind farm having two or more wind energy plants, which has a farm control which presets a desired value for an electric variable of the wind farm which has to be generated, wherein the farm control calculates an average increase of the real values of the electric variable for at least one time interval continuously, and compares it with a maximum value for the increase of the electric variable in the respective time interval, the farm control determines a proposal of a desired value for each predetermined time interval, based on a real value of the electric variable which was averaged continuously over the time interval, and in the case that the average increase in the at least one time interval is smaller than the maximum value in the corresponding time interval, the farm control determines a new desired value of the electric variable of the wind farm, with a selection of the desired value as the smallest of several proposals for a desired value. |
| US08190298B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling voltage and frequency in network on chip
An apparatus and a method for controlling a power in a Network on Chip (NoC) are provided. The apparatus includes a storage for storing status information of links interconnecting processing elements (PEs), link configuration information for establishing paths between the PEs, and voltage and clock information of the links according to a bandwidth; and a control device for establishing paths between the PEs to transmit data by checking the link configuration information in the storage, and controlling the voltage and the clock of the links by determining the voltage and the clock of the links of the established paths according to a bandwidth required for the data transmission of the PEs. |
| US08190295B1 |
Apparatus and method for modifying the operation of a robotic vehicle in a real environment, to emulate the operation of the robotic vehicle operating in a mixed reality environment
Apparatus and methods for modifying the operation of a robotic vehicle in a real environment to emulate the operation of the robotic vehicle in a mixed reality environment include a vehicle sensing system having a communications module attached to the robotic vehicle for communicating operating parameters related to the robotic vehicle in a real environment to a simulation controller for simulating the operation of the robotic vehicle in a mixed (live, virtual and constructive) environment wherein the affects of virtual and constructive entities on the operation of the robotic vehicle (and vice versa) are simulated. These effects are communicated to the vehicle sensing system which generates a modified control command for the robotic vehicle including the effects of virtual and constructive entities, causing the robot in the real environment to behave as if virtual and constructive entities existed in the real environment. |
| US08190291B2 |
Automated vending of products containing controlled substances
The present invention provides for devices and methods for vending regulated products, particularly controlled substances, including those containing pseudoephedrine. The present invention allows for the identification of consumers through reliable log-in-procedures, allows the consumer to select items, validates whether the purchase request complies with regulations, to facilitate the delivery of the requested product to a consumer. Other embodiments include a vending machine that is placed into a retail environment in which software enforces validation of the purchasers' identities, limits the amount of pseudoephedrine for each purchaser within the regulations of local, state and federal agencies.This invention reduces the resources which must be expended in retail locations to comply with regulatory agencies, to implement effective counter measures against illegal purchases of regulated and controlled substances, and to ensure the effective limitation of these substances within reasonable limits required for normal consumption. |
| US08190284B1 |
Auto discovery of embedded historians in network
Systems and methods that facilitate discovery of history data via a locator component associated with a plant embedded historian(s) of an industrial programmer (e.g., a controller device.) Such locator component can further detect micro historians that are distributed on the back plane of an industrial network. The locator component can be part of applications running on a control unit, which can function as a management control center for the industrial network system. A common data model can be employed to expose functionality and data of the organization to the embedded historian component. |
| US08190278B2 |
Method for control of a device
Control of a device including aiming a pointing device comprising a camera and a source of invisible light in the direction of an object associated with the device to be controlled, upon which object a number of retroreflective marker elements are positioned, which reflect at least a part of the invisible light emitted by the light source back to the pointing device; generating a first image of a target area aimed at by the pointing device whereby the light source is inactive; generating a second image of the target area aimed at by the pointing device whereby, invisible light is emitted by the light source in the direction of pointing; processing the target area images to determine the presence of retroreflective marker elements; using information pertaining to the retroreflective marker elements to identify the device to be controlled and/or to determine a control signal for the identified device. |
| US08190275B2 |
Peer-to-peer home automation management
A first home automation control device is configured to control a first electrical appliance and to communicate via a peer-to-peer network with a second home automation control device which is configured to control a second electrical appliance. When the first home automation control device discovers the presence of the second home automation control device, the first home automation control device negotiates with the second home automation control device to determine a goal. The first home automation control device and the second home automation control device then jointly execute a task to achieve the goal. The goal may be an energy savings goal. |
| US08190273B1 |
Method and apparatus for controlling fans in heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems
Systems, apparatus, and methods of controlling a variable-speed fan of an environmental maintenance module that controls temperatures of a plurality of zones of a building are provided. A first critical zone of the building is identified by analyzing the first zone temperature errors, which are used to determine a final speed setting of the variable-speed fan. Systems, apparatus, and methods of calibrating an environmental maintenance module that controls a temperature of a zone of a building are also provided. A location parameter is calculated for a plurality of zone temperatures, and a scale parameter is computed that quantifies a variation of the zone temperatures relative to a location parameter. A first temperature setpoint for the zone is determined and used in controlling the temperature of the zone. |
| US08190272B2 |
Geometric inspection of machined objects
A method and apparatus may be present for inspecting an object. A plurality of locations associated with a plurality of operations performed by a tool on the object may be tracked. The plurality of locations is tracked while the plurality of operations is performed on the object. A path for the tool may be mapped using the plurality of locations to form a tool path. The tool path may be compared to a model of the object. |
| US08190271B2 |
Minimizing trauma during and after insertion of a cochlear lead
A method for delivering dexamethasone base (DXMb) via an implantable electrode includes coupling DXMb to the implantable electrode and inserting the implantable electrode into animal tissue, the DXMb eluting into the animal tissue. An implantable nerve stimulating device includes an elongated member having a distal end bearing at least one electrode; and DXMb coupled to the elongated member, the DXMb being eluted into tissue surrounding the elongated member. |
| US08190267B2 |
Fitting a neural prosthesis using impedance and electrode height
The invention is a method of automatically adjusting an electrode array to the neural characteristics of an individual subject. The response to electrical neural stimulation varies from subject to subject. Measure of impedance may be used to predict the electrode height from the neural tissue and, thereby, predict the threshold of perception. Alternatively, electrode height may be measured directly to predict the threshold of perception. Also, impedance measurement may be used to quickly identify defective electrodes and proper electrode placement. |
| US08190265B2 |
System and method for uniformly displacing a region of neural stimulation
A tissue stimulation system and computer software and method of operating the system is provided. An array of electrodes is placed contact with tissue of a patient (e.g., neural tissue), and electrical current is conveyed within the electrode array, thereby creating a stimulation region in the tissue. Electrical current is shifted between cathodes of the electrode array in incremental steps over a range, thereby causing displacement of the stimulation region at substantially uniform distances over the incremental steps. The electrical current may be shifted between the cathodes in accordance with a sigmoid-like function of a position of the stimulation region. A navigation table containing a series of states and corresponding gradually and non-uniformly changing electrical current values can be accessed, in which case, the electrical current may be shifted between the cathodes by incrementing through the states of the navigation table. |
| US08190262B2 |
Adaptive electrical stimulation therapy for fecal incontinence
In general, the disclosure is directed to an implantable neurostimulator and system capable of providing adaptive neurostimulation therapy to alleviate urinary or fecal incontinence. The neurostimulator operates according to a set of stimulation parameters stored in memory. During operation, information is obtained from the patient, the implanted neurostimulator, one or more implanted sensors, or some combination thereof. A processor analyzes the information to automatically generate proposed adjustments to the stimulation parameters applied by the neurostimulator. The adjustments provide an adaptive neurostimulation therapy that supports or enhances therapeutic efficacy based on the information. |