最新美国发明专利第2012-07-10期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US08215539B2	Food container A disposable holder for food that includes a separable component for grasping a food item previously contained within the holder during consumption by a user. The holder has separable upper and lower portions that include corresponding tabs for keeping the holder closed. One of the upper or lower portions includes a series of fold lines, such that the upper or lower portion may be folded around a food item after separated from the other portion.
US08215534B2	Wave soldering tank A wave soldering tank includes a soldering tank body for housing molten solder and a solder feed chamber disposed within the soldering tank body. An axial-flow, multiple-blade screw-type pump is disposed so as to draw molten solder into the solder feed chamber through an inlet and discharge the molten solder through an outlet. In a preferred embodiment, the pump includes a rotatable hub and a plurality of helical blades secured to the hub at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the hub, each of the blades overlapping an adjoining one of the blades when the blades are viewed in the axial direction of the impeller.
US08215533B2	Rotary knife cutting systems A rotary cutting system for use with a surgical stapling device. The rotary cutting system generally includes a knife blade and a mainspring for imparting rotary motion to the circular knife blade. A hammer member is provided and is configured and adapted to engage the knife blade.
US08215531B2	Surgical stapling instrument having a medical substance dispenser In various embodiments, an assembly of a surgical instrument is disclosed. The assembly includes a housing, a cutting member relatively movable with respect to the housing, and an agent cartridge connected to the housing. The agent cartridge houses a medical agent. The assembly is configured to deliver the medical agent proximate a cutting surface of the cutting member.
US08215527B2	Dispenser for length material A dispenser for length material comprises a first resiliently biased locking roller and a second locking roller defining a nip therebetween for the passage of length material to be dispensed, the second roller being carried on a frame which upon appropriate movement causes the second roller to move into a locking position in relation to the first locking roller to clamp the length material to prevent unreeling or return of the free end thereto once appropriate cutting of a portion of the length material has been effected.
US08215521B2	Foam dispenser having selectively pressurized cartridge A foam dispenser and method of operation of the foam dispenser provides that a cartridge of liquid having an air head is retained in the dispenser and maintained under pressure by an air compressor when at rest, i.e., when the foam dispenser in not being actuated. Air and liquid conduits communicate respectively between the air head and liquid maintained in the cartridge and a foam generating head. Valves selectively close flow through the conduits. In this way, when the foam dispenser is actuated the valves can simply be opened for the appropriate amount of time to advance air and liquid to the foam generating head and dispense foam at a dispensing location.
US08215516B2	Portable fluid storage tank and method of use A portable fluid storage tank has through pipes with opposed ends that extend through the tank at two separate places so that the opposed ends are exposed on an exterior of the portable fluid storage tank and the each through pipe provides a separate fluid path through the portable fluid storage tank without fluid communication between the through pipes or an interior of the portable fluid storage tank. Several rows of the portable fluid storage tanks can be connected to a single frac manifold to reduce well site space usage.
US08215514B2	Lid and container A container lid comprises a top, substantially planar surface, means for coupling with a top of a container, a depressed area, a raised area, and a hinge area. The top, substantially planar surface is elongated to define two opposite longitudinal edges and two opposite lateral edges, and each of the two opposite lateral edges extends between and is shorter than each of the two longitudinal edges. The depressed area is surrounded by and extends below the top, substantially planar surface. The raised area is surrounded by and extends above the top, substantially planar surface. The raised area is positioned nearest one of the two opposite lateral edges and the depressed area is positioned nearest the other one of the two opposite lateral edges. The hinge area extends laterally across the top, substantially planar surface and is positioned between the depressed area and the raised area.
US08215513B1	Self-closing resealable can end A self-closing resealable can end for a beverage container that opens the top of the beverage container through downward pressure that causes a gate to move downward relative to the top panel. The gate is retained by a resilient member and when the downward pressure ceases, the gate is moved into proximity with the top panel. Pressure from the carbonation presses the gate against a lip and the gate bends to form an enhanced seal. Other variations are disclosed.
US08215511B1	Latched handle container lid A container lid with a latch handle is taught that incorporates a drinking lip, having a flared brim, configured to interface with a liquid container. A lip sealing ring is disposed on the drinking lip creating a watertight fit between the lip and the container. A lid body, having lid male threads, is configured to interface with container lid female threads, and the lid body includes a bottom cover which forms a dead air space for insulation purposes within the lid. The lid body incorporates a vertical arched handle with a snap-in hinged spring loaded latch for quick release attachment of the container lid and container securely to an object. A lid sealing ring is disposed on the lid body forming a watertight fit between the lid body and the container drinking lip.
US08215508B2	Centrifuge bottle closure and assembly thereof A closure for attachment to a centrifuge bottle. The closure comprises an end wall and a sidewall extending from the end wall. The sidewall comprises a first terminal end, a second terminal end, a first transition surface, and a second transition surface. The first terminal end has a first outer peripheral boundary at a first radial distance from an axial centerline. The second terminal end has a second outer peripheral boundary at a second radial distance from the axial centerline. The second radial distance is less than the first radial distance. The first transition surface extends between the first outer peripheral boundary and the second transition surface. The second transition surface extends between the first transition surface and the second outer peripheral boundary.
US08215506B2	Flip top closure assembly for a bottle A flip top closure assembly for a bottle Includes a base portion affixed onto a neck of the bottle and a cap portion connected to the base portion The base portion Includes a peripheral skirt for engagement with the bottle and a wall extending inwardly from atop the skirt The wall has a generally diamond-shaped opening therein that defines a pour opening A pouring lip extends upwardly from the skirt The pouring lip and a portion of the wall define a pouring spout adjacent a first apex of the pour opening At least a portion of the pouring spout extends outwardly past an outermost periphery of a side wall of the bottle The cap portion includes a substantially planar flip top hingedly connected to the base portion adjacent to a second apex of the pour opening.
US08215505B2	Structure of cap having storage space A cap assembly that can be associated with a container storing a primary material includes a lid fixed on a top of the container and having an exhausting portion projected upward, a cap main body detachably coupled to the exhausting portion of the lid and having a storage tube extending downward to define a storage chamber for storing a secondary material, and an inner cap body detachably coupled to the storage tube.
US08215503B2	Crane with telescopic boom A crane having a telescoping boom whose sections, are arranged in a base boom that can telescope individually, in and out, after disengaging locking pin connections that are secured in the respective moved out or moved in positions by locking pins. A guide profile head is arranged at an end remote of the articulation of the safety locking unit to the inner end of the base boom. To lengthen the boom without substantially changing the telescopic system itself, the guide profile head is detachably fastened to the safety locking unit. An additional guide frame, whose length is dimensioned corresponding to the length of the telescoping boom that has been expanded by additional sections inserted in the telescoping boom, is mounted in place of the guide profile head, and that a guide profile head can be arranged at the free end of the guide frame.
US08215500B2	Hanging device for resealable storage bags An embodiment of the present invention is directed to a device for hanging a storage bag having a resealable mechanical seal. The device includes an elongate body. The body includes at least two opposing flaps, a longitudinal slit passing a distance between the opposing flaps and having a width that is narrower than the mechanical seal of the storage bag, and a tapered opening at an edge of the body. The tapered opening is adapted to guide a leading edge of the storage bag that is below the mechanical seal into the slit.
US08215497B1	Collapsible stand A stand, separable into parts, that can support substantially spherical objects such as pumpkins, melons, or balls; or those somewhat conical objects such as planters which have a top circumference greater in size than its lower circumference (the “load”) is disclosed. The stand includes a girdle that supports the load, at least two rigid leg segments that reversibly attach to the girdle, and, in a preferred embodiment, at least two rigid or semi-flexible arm segments also reversibly attached to the girdle. The body of the load is not pierced by the stand. When assembled, the stand combined with a load forms a vaguely humanoid structure. When not in use, the stand is capable of being disassembled and stored in a relatively compact form.
US08215495B2	High molecular weight poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) and process therefor A poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) having a high molecular weight and a reduced content of low molecular weight species can be prepared by a method that includes specific conditions for the oxidative polymerization, chelation, and isolation steps. The poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) is particularly useful for the fabrication of fluid separation membranes.
US08215491B2	Evaluation of particulate material The invention provides apparatus for determining and recording characteristics of particulate material in a batch of such material comprising a separator chamber having an inlet, means for reading an identifier on a batch of particulate material supplied to the inlet and providing the identifier as a digital output, means for causing a flow of gas in the separator chamber to separate the particulate material into a first fraction and a second fraction, first counting means, second counting means, means for weighing the first fraction and providing the result as a digital output, and means for integrating the digital outputs and for transferring them to a computer programmed to store data in prescribed format in a database, from which it may be manipulated to afford comparison of characteristics of batches of particulate material.
US08215488B2	System and method of packaging A packaging assembly is disclosed. The packaging assembly is easily assembled and disassembled for convenient use and provides suspension of an enclosed article by way of an arched structure providing protection from impact, shock and vibration.
US08215483B2	Controller cover A controller cover includes a main body portion attached to an outer surface of a controller, and the main body portion includes a contacted portion where a contacted inner surface is in contact with the outer surface of the controller and a non-contacted portion where a non-contacted inner surface is not in contact with the outer surface of the controller. Elastic deforming protrusions are formed on the non-contacted inner surface. When the cover is attached to the controller, and the non-contacted portion of the cover is subjected to shock, the elastic deforming protrusion of the non-contacted portion is deformed to ease the shock, so that the controller and the interfering other thing are protected.
US08215482B2	Tobacco container with insert A tobacco container is provided. The tobacco container includes a lid, a container body and an insert in the form of a liner. The liner releasably connects the lid to the container body. Each of the lid and container body receive and connect to the liner. The liner can include a compression lip that is deformed when the liner is connected to the container body. The liner connects the container body and lid to one another without the two components contacting each other.
US08215480B2	Microtube container and carrier for multiple containers A container for elongated objects, such as microtubes or vials, comprising a frame having a base and sides, a pair of rotatable opposing lid sections having at least two movement-resistant positions, and a rack with a plurality of holes or collars. The rack or interior bottom of the container may have features that discourage rotation of the microtubes or vials. The containers may further comprise microtubes or vials, which may be empty or filled with, for example, reagents, such as reagents for use in a predetermined process. A system of stackable carriers may be provided to hold and allow one-handed removal of a plurality of containers. The container may desirably permit one-handed opening and closing of the container and any vials contained therein, and the various lid positions may be suitable for submersion in an ice bath as well as standing upright on a laboratory bench.
US08215478B2	Adaptable reciprocating slat conveyor A multi-operating-mode reciprocating slat conveyor having a plurality of operating modes (each operating mode having a predetermined number of steps) and means for switching between operating modes responsive to at least one operating mode changing event.
US08215477B2	Archimedes screw for use in conveyors, compactors and the like The archimedes screw (1) for use in conveyors, compactors and the like, comprises a shaft (2) on which a helix (3) is coupled, which screw rotates internally of a containing structure, wherein the archimedes screw (1) comprises a plurality of sections (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d . . . 4n) which can be threaded coaxially and solidly in rotation on a central shaft which defines the shaft (2) of the archimedes screw, each of which plurality of sections exhibits different constructional and functional characteristics from other of the plurality of sections.
US08215475B2	Apparatus and method for the separation of flat articles with wear compensation An apparatus and method separate flat articles, in particular flat mail consignments, and have built-in wear compensation. The apparatus possesses a transport element, a retention element, a displaceable mounted base and a range sensor. Either the transport element or the retention element is mounted on the base. The other element is mounted fixedly. The transport element is moved in relation to the retention element, with the result that overlapping articles are drawn apart from one another. The range sensor measures the length of a section from a fixed point to such a surface of the transport element which comes into contact with articles. In dependence on the measured section length, the base is displaced in such a way that the displacement of the base compensates for abrasion of the transport element.
US08215474B1	Inline accumulation and conveyor integration system and method An accumulation and conveyor integrations system is provided which incorporates at least two separated conveying apparatus to convey, accumulate, and meter the output of product onto a downstream line. When a downstream apparatus goes offline, a method of controlling reentry or integration of upstream and downstream lines is provided. The system and method can maximize product output from the downstream line by enabling continued loading of an upstream conveyor at a given rate and subsequent downloading at a temporary increased rate.
US08215473B2	Next generation screen printing system Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method for processing substrates using a multiple screen printing chamber processing system that has an increased system throughput, improved system uptime, and improved device yield performance, while maintaining a repeatable and accurate screen printing process on the processed substrates. In one embodiment, the multiple screen printing chamber processing system is adapted to perform a screen printing process within a portion of a crystalline silicon solar cell production line in which a substrate is patterned with a desired material, and then processed in one or more subsequent processing chambers.
US08215469B2	Multiple disk clutch A multiple disk clutch includes a clutch outer, a clutch inner, frictional disks, a cam mechanism, and a vibration isolating member. The clutch inner is provided inside the clutch outer and configured to transmit a rotational driving force from the clutch outer to a transmission shaft. The frictional disks are movable in an axial direction of the transmission shaft to thereby make and break transmission of the rotational driving force from the clutch outer to the clutch inner. The cam mechanism is provided inside the clutch outer and configured to apply a pressing force to the frictional disks according to the rotational driving force from the crankshaft. The cam mechanism is configured to relax the pressing force applied to the frictional disks when a load from the transmission shaft exceeds a predetermined value. The vibration isolating member is provided at the clutch inner.
US08215468B2	Locking device for a start-stop operation of a starter generator A torque-transmission system with a decoupler (1) between a shaft (2) and a belt pulley (3) of a starter generator is provided. The belt pulley can rotate relative to the shaft (2). For reducing rotary oscillations, the decoupler (1) includes a damping device arranged between the belt pulley (3) and the shaft (2) with at least one spring element (5). The decoupler (1) includes an automatic locking device (7) that is dependent on a direction of rotation and that produces, at a low rotational speed level, a coupling between the belt pulley (3) and the shaft (2), and this coupling automatically disconnects when a pre-determined rotational speed is reached.
US08215463B2	Variable damping-force damper and manufacturing method of the same A variable damping-force damper includes a cylinder tube filled with magnetic particles (MRF), a piston that is slidably disposed within the cylinder tube, a piston rod connected with the piston and is disposed so as to protrude out of one end of the cylinder tube and a rod guide that closes one end of the cylinder tube and slidably supports the piston rod. The cylinder tube has a Ni plating film whose Vickers hardness is 800 VHN or more on its inner peripheral surface and the piston slides relative to the Ni plating film. The rod guide has a structure having a predetermined base material portion and a fluorine resin contained Ni plating film that is treated by heat and is provided on the surface of the base material portion. The piston rod slides relative to the fluorine resin contained Ni plating film.
US08215460B2	Automatic slack adjuster for automobile This invention is to provide an automatic slack adjuster for automobile, belongs to technical domain of automobile mechanisms. The problem of lower safety, poor in universality and higher cost appeared in existing brake system of automobile has been solved by this invention. This automatic slack adjuster for automobile consisting of the casing, worm gear and worm which is engaged with the former are installed inside of the casing, there is a ring gear fixed on an control arm, in the casing there is a one-way clutch device connected with the worm and a clutch control device of the one-way clutch, the said control device comprising a pinion engaged with the ring gear and connected with the casing and a small skew gear connected with the said one-way clutch device, the small skew gear is connected with the casing by axially sliding, the pinion is circumferentially fixed, by axially sliding connected with the small skew gear, an adjusting nut is fitted on the casing to restrict and adjust the sliding distance of the small skew gear, there is a setting bolt spring on the small skew gear to allow the small skew gear (16) return to its position so that to maintain a pre-set clearance to the adjusting nut. This automatic slack adjuster for automobile can adjust the pre-set clearance, and possess advantages of wider clearance and good versatility, etc.
US08215459B2	Cable operated drum brakes A cable operated drum brake has an internal brake operating lever with a quick-attach device for an operating cable. A cable attachment tube projects from a backplate of the brake and the operating cable has an inner cable with a latching formation on the end thereof and a cable outer sleeve. An end portion of the operating cable is slideable towards the backplate within the tube up to a first position at which further movement towards the backplate is stopped by contact between an abutment on the tube and a cooperating abutment on the cable outer sleeve. When the latching formation has moved past the quick-attach device, the cable is then subsequently moveable away from the backplate within the tube to a second position in which the latching formation is fully engaged with the quick-attach device. A fastener maintains the latching formation engaged with the quick-attach device during subsequent operation.
US08215458B2	Fixedly connected pad retaining spring for a brake pad A system for retaining a back plate of a disc brake pad is described. The system includes an elongated resilient element for applying a force to the back plate, a base of the resilient element extending along an edge of the back plate, contacting the edge along a majority of its length, legs of the resilient element, extending from the base, generating the force applied to the back plate by the base when deformed by a compression element, and retaining elements for preventing axial displacement of ends of the resilient element, and lateral slipping of the resilient element.
US08215456B2	Auxiliary lubrication unit for lubricant introduction devices The invention relates to an auxiliary lubrication unit for lubricant introduction devices. The unit comprises a base body (2), in whose longitudinal bore (10) a control piston (6) is displaced axially by a spring (4) towards a seal (9) and also comprises lateral connections (1a, 1p) of a chamber (11) that is delimited by the control piston (6) in the longitudinal bore (10). The connections run from a lubricant pump and to an installation that is to be supplied with lubricant and allowing lubricant to be transported, in the sealing position of the control piston (6), through the chamber (11) from the lubricant pump to the installation. If the pump fails, the control piston (6) can be displaced by remains of auxiliary lubricant from its sealing position, in opposition to the action of the spring (4), into a position in which the connection (1a) to the installation is open and the connection (1p) to the lubricant pump is closed, enabling the installation to the filled with the auxiliary lubricant.
US08215455B1	Greasing system for fifth wheel of trucks A greasing system featuring a fifth wheel of a truck having a grease vein with four ports disposed therein, each port being fluidly connected to a fitting; a grease pump operatively connected to an air switch which turns on and off the grease pump; a main tube fluidly connected to the grease pump, the main tube bifurcates into a first delivery tube fluidly connected to the first fitting and a second delivery tube fluidly connected to the second fitting; and a third delivery tube fluidly connected to the first fitting and to the third fitting, and a fourth delivery tube fluidly connected to the second fitting and to the fourth fitting; wherein when the grease pump is activated the grease pump pumps grease to the ports in the grease vein of the fifth wheel.
US08215453B2	Vehicle utility ladder A ladder constructed for reaching an elevated surface or object and having a bow-shaped configuration so that the reach may extend further from the base on which the footing of the ladder rests, the ladder being configured to reach areas such as the roof of a vehicle.
US08215451B2	Impact and sound absorbing material and sound absorbing structure [Subject] The subject of the present invention is to provide a shock and sound absorbing material having a light weight, and demonstrating an excellent shock and sound absorbing performance. As a method for solving the subject, the present invention provides a shock and sound absorbing material 1 comprising a porous component 2, and a surface material 3 which is laminated onto the porous component 2, wherein the surface material 3 has at least one layer made of a stretchable paper material 5. The shock and sound absorbing material 1 is installed on a cover panel 7 covering a sound source such as an engine cover, and the porous component 2 is set so as to face the cover panel 7, with the surface material 3 being set so as to face the sound source, and form a cell structure between the cover panel 7 and the surface material 3.
US08215444B2	Roll restrictor system for an automotive powertrain A roll restrictor system for an automotive powertrain includes a first mounting pad located upon a powertrain component and a mounting bracket having an integral bushing post, with the mounting bracket being attached to the first mounting pad. A control link has a first bushing engaged with the integral bushing post portion of the mounting bracket, and a second bushing engaged with a vehicular structural member.
US08215442B2	Rear mount structure of engine A seat front member and a seat rear member are connected to each other through left and right seat rails. The seat front member and the seat rear member are disposed on an upper surface of a floor panel. An outer end of a bracket is joined to an inner side of a side frame and an upper end of the bracket is joined to the under surface of the floor panel. The bracket is disposed on a region wherein, the bracket is sandwiched between the seat front member and the seat rear member. A lower surface of the bracket is disposed a higher distance from the ground than a lower surface of the side frame. A rear mount member is rigidly coupled to a lower surface of the bracket and a lower surface thereof is disposed at a higher distance from the ground than the side frame.
US08215440B2	Drive train for a vehicle with connectable secondary axle A drive train of a vehicle is disclosed which comprises a permanently driven primary axle and a secondary axle connectable to the primary axle via a switch-on device with a switch-on mechanism, whereby the secondary drive train output via side shaft couplings is transferred to the drive wheels of the secondary axle. Because the switch-on mechanism and/or the side shaft couplings have frictionally engaged couplings, it can be that when the secondary axle is uncoupled, the shutdown section of the secondary drive train located between the switch-on device and the side shaft couplings is uncoupled both from the primary axle and from the secondary drive wheels, such that there is no more power loss in this shutdown section, whereby connecting the secondary drive train during travel is possible all the same and losses in comfort and practicability do not have to be tolerated.
US08215438B2	Motorcycle A motorcycle includes a vehicle body frame, an engine, a pivot shaft, a swing arm, a rear wheel, a gear case, a drive shaft section, and a bearing section. The drive shaft section includes a first drive shaft connected to an output power shaft of the engine through a first universal coupling and a second drive shaft disposed coaxially with the first drive shaft and connected to the first drive shaft through a spline portion to be movable in an axial direction with respect to the first drive shaft. The bearing section restrains relative movement of the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft along a diametrical direction. The bearing section is interposed between an inner circumferential face of one of the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft and an outer circumferential face of another of the first drive shaft and the second drive shaft.
US08215437B2	Regenerative braking for gas turbine systems The present invention is directed to an energy storage system comprised of a heat block having a relatively high specific energy capacity. The heat block can be used, for example, with a regenerative braking system for gas turbine powered vehicles to improve fuel efficiency.
US08215435B2	Adhesion and braking system for a magnetic shipping container crawling apparatus A magnetic adhesive and braking system for a remote controlled vehicle adapted for traversing across ferromagnetic surfaces of a steel shipping container including the vertical walls and ceiling. The magnetic wheel system allows the vehicle to traverse vertical grades. The magnetic braking system both securely holds the vehicle when stopped on a vertical surface, and exerts enough attractive force between the vehicle and the shipping container to allow a vehicle mounted drill to operate. The magnetic brake design uses mechanical advantage such that the force required to roll the vehicle vertically downward is heightened to the force required to detach the vehicle in a perpendicular vector from the container's surface.
US08215434B2	Construction machine A counterweight (8) is attached to the rear side of a revolving frame (6), and an engine (9) is mounted in a transverse direction in front of the counterweight (8). A heat exchanger (12) is located on the left side of the engine (9), and a left-hand side door (17) is located on the left side of the heat exchanger (12). An air cleaner (24) is accommodated in an air cleaner chamber (19) which is provided in a space enclosed by the counterweight, left-hand side door and heat exchanger. In this state, a casing (25) of the air cleaner has an opening portion (25A) to permit insertion and extraction of a filter element (26). Thus, at the time of a maintenance work for the air cleaner, one can draw out the filter element from the opening portion of the casing simply by opening the left-hand side door.
US08215425B2	Vehicle and vehicle control method In response to a starting instruction of an engine 22 at a gearshift position of a gearshift lever 81 set to a parking position, the engine 22 and motors MG1 and MG2 are controlled to motor and start the engine 22 with output of a torque from the motor MG2 to keep a rotational position of a rotor in the motor MG2 at a preset reference position. This arrangement enables the engine 22 to be motored and started even in the state of separation of a ring gear shaft 32a from a driveshaft 36 by means of a transmission 60 and locking of drive wheels 39a and 39b by means of a parking lock mechanism 90.
US08215424B2	Power output apparatus, motor vehicle equipped with power output apparatus, and control method of power output apparatus In requirement of catalyst degradation control with setting of a catalyst degradation control flag Fc to 1, the braking control of the invention sets torque commands Tm1* and Tm2* of two motors and controls the operations of an engine and the two motors to shift a drive point of the engine on an optimum fuel consumption operation curve by a preset rotation speed variation Nrt1 in a specific range of rotation speed that ensures no occurrence of a misfire in the engine within an input limit Win of a battery and to ensure output of a braking torque demand Tr* to a ring gear shaft or driveshaft (steps S200 to S250). Such braking control stably lowers a rotation speed Ne of the engine to a target rotation speed Ne* and desirably enhances the fuel consumption under the catalyst degradation control.
US08215422B2	Emergency utility vehicle An off-road emergency vehicle includes an operator compartment with an environmentally controlled atmosphere and wireless communication devices. The modified, extended all-terrain vehicle frame supports an enclosed equipment compartment having a top and sides. The equipment compartment is large enough to enclose a full-length stretcher for someone in need of care in an off-road area. The equipment compartment also contains a bench for an emergency technician and storage. The vehicle includes a secondary power source used to supply power to the lighting system and equipment of the equipment compartment.
US08215413B2	Boom stabilization method for narrow transport implement An agricultural implement is provided with folding wing assemblies coupled to a central boom that provides a simplified arrangement for transporting the implement. The implement may include wing frames and row units that may be raised to allow the wing assemblies to fold rearwardly, into a compact, transport position. While being raised, prior to being folded rearwardly, the wing assemblies may be supported by the central boom, which is rigidly coupled to a central frame. The central boom is pivotally coupled to a hitch assembly.
US08215407B2	Apparatus for fluidizing formation fines settling in production well The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducing the occurrences of lateral wellbores being occluded by fines such as sand and silt. More specifically, the invention relates to discharging a portion of the output of an electrical submersible pump through nozzles that pass through the sidewalls of tubing, the tubing being located in the lateral wellbore.
US08215405B1	Method to shut down a high pressure oil/gas well that is leaking under blowout conditions Year 2010 showed us that the oil/gas industry was not prepared to shut down in few days a high pressure oil/gas well. The Gulf of Mexico was polluted by thousands of barrels of oil that were leaking from a high pressure well. The environment damage was humongous as well as the economical loses. Here, I am presenting a method to shut down a high pressure oil/gas well in matter of days rather than in months. This method keeps the well integrity. This method is effective even if the well integrity was compromised.
US08215404B2	Stage cementing tool A cementing tool for use in a well has a housing and a closing sleeve received thereabout. An operating sleeve is received in the housing and is interconnected with the closing sleeve so that movement in the operating sleeve will cause the closing sleeve to move. The closing sleeve is detachably connected to the housing and is movable from the first or open position to a second or closed position in which it covers cementing ports defined in the housing. The tool has a plurality of lock rings that are moved with the closing sleeve. A plurality of locking grooves are adapted to receive the lock rings such that the engagement of any of the lock rings with any of the locking grooves will prevent the closing sleeve from moving out of the closed position.
US08215398B2	Polysaccharide based scale inhibitor A depolymerized-carboxyalkyl polysaccharide formed by de polymerizing a polysaccharide having from 0.5 to 3.0 degrees of substitution and reducing the molecular weight of said polysaccharide before or after said depolymerizing provides a biodegradable scale inhibitor useful to prevent deposition of scale comprising, for example, calcium, barium, sulfate and salts thereof. The depolymerized carboxyalkyl polysaccharide is particularly useful in off shore oil production squeeze treatments and in the treatment of scale formed in industrial water treatment.
US08215396B2	Method and apparatus for dropping a pump down plug or ball An improved method and apparatus for dropping a ball, plug or dart during oil and gas well operations (e.g., cementing operations) employs a specially configured valving member with curved and flat portions that alternatively direct fluid flow through a bore or opening in the valving member via an inner channel or around the periphery of the valving member in an outer channel. In one embodiment, the ball(s), dart(s) or plug(s) are contained in a sliding sleeve that shifts position responsive to valve rotation.
US08215391B2	Coiled tubing deployed single phase fluid sampling apparatus and method for use of same A coiled tubing deployed fluid sampler (50) for collecting a single phase fluid sample from a well. The fluid sampler (50) is actuated to establish fluid communication between an interior (56) and an exterior of the fluid sampler (50) such that a fluid sample is obtained from the well in a chamber (92) of the fluid sampler (50). The fluid pressure in the coiled tubing string is then increased, which pressurizes the fluid sample in the chamber (92). Thereafter, the coiled tubing and the fluid sampler (50) are retrieved to the surface with the pressurized fluid sample remaining above its saturation pressure during collection and retrieval to the surface.
US08215390B2	Coiled tubing deployed single phase fluid sampling apparatus and method for use of same A coiled tubing deployed fluid sampler (50) for collecting a single phase fluid sample from a well. The fluid sampler (50) is actuated to establish fluid communication between an interior (56) and an exterior of the fluid sampler (50) such that a fluid sample is obtained from the well in a chamber (92) of the fluid sampler (50). The fluid pressure in the coiled tubing string is then increased, which pressurizes the fluid sample in the chamber (92). Thereafter, the coiled tubing and the fluid sampler (50) are retrieved to the surface with the pressurized fluid sample remaining above its saturation pressure during collection and retrieval to the surface.
US08215388B2	Separator for downhole measuring and method therefor A separator for downhole measuring during sampling in a subterranean formation. The separator allows for mixed fluid phases to be separated while flowing formation fluid therethrough.
US08215387B1	In situ combustion in gas over bitumen formations The invention provides methods for natural gas and oil recovery, which include the use of air injection and in situ combustion in natural gas reservoirs to facilitate production of natural gas and heavy oil in gas over bitumen formations.
US08215386B2	Downhole tool releasing mechanism A downhole tool releasing mechanism which includes a collet for releasably engaging a mandrel of a downhole tool. A retaining band is circumferentially disposed about the fingers of the collet for maintaining engagement of the collet and the mandrel prior to application of a predetermined axially directed force on the releasing mechanism. Upon application of such a force the collet fingers expand, breaking the shear band, the mandrel is released and the downhole tool is disengaged.
US08215383B2	Stress and torque reducing tool A stress and torque reducing tool has a plunger that reciprocates inside of a body. The tool is connected between the pump and the sucker rod string and reduces stress transmitted therebetween. The body and plunger have longitudinally extending surfaces located at the plunger upper end portion, which surfaces cooperate and limit rotation of the body with respect to the plunger. An upper fluid port is located in an upper end of the body, while one or more lower fluid ports are located in a lower end of the body.
US08215380B2	Hot water heat transfer pipe The present invention relates to a hot water heat transfer pipe that exchanges heat between its interior and exterior. A plurality of projections, each having a height in the range of 0.8-2.0 mm or 0.1-0.25 times the inner diameter, is provided in at least one part of an inner surface of a portion of the heat transfer pipe positioned in a section where the Reynolds number of the fluid flowing in the interior is less than 7,000 to improve the heat transfer performance in the low Reynolds number zone and minimize pressure loss inside the pipe.
US08215378B2	Heat exchanger with pressure and thermal strain management A heat exchange device of a type for affecting an exchange of heat between a first and second fluid is characterized by a plurality of heat exchange cells in a stacked arrangement and defining first, second and third manifolds. In certain aspects, an apparatus and method for reinforcing the heat exchange device against pressure loads while accommodating thermal expansion of the outlet manifold are provided.
US08215377B1	Heat transfer device with flexible cooling layer A heat transfer device generally includes a flexible cooling layer for use in heat pipe technology for example. The flexible layer has outer and inner surfaces. A backing layer has an outer surface and an inner surface facing the inner surface of the flexible layer. A rigid separator portion is disposed between the inner surfaces of the flexible and backing layers, and has inner and outer surfaces. The inner surfaces of the flexible and backing layers and the rigid separator portion define a sealed chamber. An evaporable working liquid is contained within the sealed chamber. The working liquid expands when heated to expand a volume within the sealed chamber, such that the flexible layer extends away from the sealed chamber. The flexible layer, when extended transfers heat through the sealed chamber to a cooler area of the device.
US08215375B2	Continuous casting plant having at least one multifunction robot In order to be able to carry out a multiplicity of continuously recurring activities at a continuous casting plant having at least one multifunction robot for implementing a plurality of different process-controlled or automated interventions at the continuous casting plant, at least one working region at the continuous casting plant and at least one multifunction robot assigned to each working region. The multifunction robot is arranged on a pivotable arm at a rotary column fastened to the pouring platform of the continuous casting plant and the robot can be pivoted with the pivot arm between a retraction position and a working position. The robot is also movable with respect to its arm.
US08215373B2	Coating composition which adsorbs adourous and harmful substances and is intended for the box casting of metals The invention relates to a casting mould for the casting of metals, wherein a layer consisting of a material which absorbs harmful substances on at least sections of gas outlet surfaces of the casting mold, in particular the top side thereof. The invention also relates to a coating composition, to a process for producing the casting mold and to the use thereof for casting of metals.
US08215371B2	Digital manufacturing with amorphous metallic alloys A method for building a three-dimensional object in a layer-by-layer manner, the method comprising heating a build chamber of a digital manufacturing system, feeding a solid feedstock of a modeling material comprising an amorphous metallic alloy to a liquefier assembly of the digital manufacturing system, heating the modeling material of the solid feedstock in the liquefier assembly to an extrudable state, and depositing the heated modeling material within the heated build chamber in a predetermined pattern to form the three-dimensional object.
US08215369B1	Sandwiched garage door panel An improved sandwiched garage door panel. The first improvement is that the rear covering skin is made of 25 point embossed wood grain polyboard which is much less expensive than steel so that the cost of manufacture of the panel is significantly reduced. The second improvement is the creation of a channel within the central foam core of the panel with at least one and preferably two steel plates retained within the channel. As a result, a mounting plate of the hinge assembly which interconnects two adjacent panels can be affixed to the steel plate and thereafter the rear covering plate is affixed to the foam core to thereby conceal the mounting plate resulting in a more attractive garage door panel.
US08215368B2	Releasable tassel A covering for an architectural opening and a method of arranging at least one movement cord includes a cover extending between an uppermost member and a lowermost member, an active end of the at least one movement cord being attached to the lowermost member and extending from the lowermost member to the uppermost member and the at least one movement cord extending, as the loose length, from the uppermost member to a distal end.
US08215360B2	Vacuum bag frame assembly for the manufacturing of fibre-reinforced composite panels A solution to some of the problems related to manufacturing of fiber-reinforced composite panels is to provide a vacuum bag frame assembly for use in the production of fiber-reinforced composite panels, where the vacuum bag frame assembly comprises a tubular center frame, a first vacuum bag frame holding an integrated first vacuum bag and arranged for closing against a first side of the center frame, and a second vacuum bag frame holding a second integrated vacuum bag and arranged for closing against an opposite, second side of the tubular center frame. The tubular center frame is provided with a peripherally arranged vacuum outlet external relative to the space formed between the vacuum bags, and one or more vacuum apertures directed internally relative to the space formed between the first and second vacuum bags and the tubular center frame.
US08215357B2	Pneumatic tire This invention provides a pneumatic tire provided with a carcass (4) comprised of one or more carcass plies formed by covering plural reinforcing cords arranged in parallel with a coating rubber and a pair of side reinforcing rubber layers (5) each having a crescent shape in section and disposed at an inside of the carcass, wherein ride comfort during usual running and durability during run-flat running are improved by applying a cord including a polyketone fiber and satisfying conditions of equation (I): σ≧−0.01×E+1.2 and equation (II): σ≧0.02 [wherein σ is a heat shrinkage stress (cN/dtex) at 177° C. and E is an elastic modulus (cN/dtex) at 25° C. under a load of 49 N] to the reinforcing cord and a rubber composition having a loss tangent (tan δ) at 25° C. and 1% strain of less than 0.12 and a viscosity (G′) at 130° C. during unvulcanization of not less than 50 MPa to the coating rubber.
US08215351B2	Shear band An improved shear band for use in non-pneumatic tires, pneumatic tires, and other technologies is provided. The shear band is constructed as a composite of layers that are combined in a specific manner. Each layer is constructed from one or more materials having certain selected physical properties. The layers are combined a specific manner to create a composite having physical properties and performance characteristics desirably outperforming that of the individual materials forming the layers. When used in tire construction, improvements in rolling resistance can also be obtained.
US08215349B2	Tire with inner surface provided with a nanostructure The invention relates to automobile tires or tire assemblies or parts thereof suitable for being balanced by introduction therein of a thixrotropic balancing gel, wherein surfaces of the tire or tire assembly or part thereof which are intended to be in contact with the balancing gel are provided with a surface nanostructure with an average surface roughness in the range of 1-1000 nm. The surface nanostructure will enable the thixotropic balancing gel to move to the location, where it balances the tire, significantly quicker than if the surface in question did not have the surface nanostructure.
US08215348B1	Coin convenience systems A system relating to improved coin currency containment, collection, and retrieval, when carrying or utilizing a purse or pocketbook. The system provides an exterior-mounted coin slot that directs loose coin from such coin slot into an interior expandable zippered pocket within the pocketbook. Alternately, the pocket has a window to view such stored coin in the internal coin pocket portion, assisting a user in easy recognition and retrieval of desired coin from the pocket. It may, under appropriate circumstances, also be used on other personal item carriers such as, purses, handbags, wallets, backpacks, messenger bags, attachés, fanny packs, duffel bags, luggage, etc.
US08215345B2	Fuel flow shaper A fuel dispensing nozzle system including a spout configured to dispense fuel flowing therethrough, and a flow shaper positioned in the spout such that fuel flowing through the spout passes through the flow shaper. The flow shaper includes a central cavity and a plurality of outer cavities positioned about the central cavity. The central cavity and the plurality of outer cavities each have a L/D ratio, wherein the L/D ratio of the central cavity is less than the L/D ratio of each of the outer cavities.
US08215343B2	Automotive service equipment and method for brake fluid exchange with wireless brake bleeding system Automotive service equipment for brake fluid exchange includes a central unit having a controller for operating the equipment and a communication module for wirelessly communicating with each of a plurality of remote bleed modules to control bleeding brake fluid from respective brake bleeders of a vehicle connected to the modules. The brake fluid from the brake bleeders is stored in containers in the modules for later removal. When disconnected from the brake bleeders, the modules are moved to docking stations on the central unit for emptying brake fluid from the module containers and vacuum charging the containers for brake bleeding. The automotive service equipment and related method of performing brake fluid exchange in an automotive vehicle avoid the use of hoses for returning the waste fluid to the central unit thus reducing the problem of storage and handling of such hoses and spillage of residual fluid left in the hoses.
US08215342B2	Hydrogen supplies and related methods A hydrogen source comprises a first hydrogen reservoir for containing hydrogen in a first form and a second hydrogen reservoir for containing hydrogen in a second form different from the first form. The hydrogen source comprises a means for converting hydrogen from the first form to hydrogen gas and transferring the hydrogen gas from the first hydrogen reservoir to the second hydrogen reservoir. An interface is provided for transferring hydrogen from the second hydrogen reservoir to a hydrogen reservoir in a portable device. The interface comprises a fluidic coupling. The hydrogen source may be used to provide hydrogen fuel to a wide range of portable devices.
US08215341B2	Resin pipe with mouthpiece and method of manufacturing the same Disclosed is a resin pipe with a mouthpiece comprising: a mouthpiece; and a resin pipe of which one end is joined to the mouthpiece, wherein the one end is disposed in the mouthpiece, and an outer peripheral surface of the one end is joined to an inner peripheral surface of the mouthpiece by fusion.
US08215339B2	Vapor barrier with valve for a building A vapor barrier for sealing an interior of a building from an insulation cavity defined by framing members of the building includes a flexible and substantially impermeable sheet having apertures to allow air to exit the insulation cavity during filling of the insulation cavity with loose fill insulation. The vapor barrier also includes one-way valves mounted across the apertures. The valves are configured to allow air flow out of the insulation cavity and into the building interior through the apertures and to prevent air flow and moisture diffusion from the building interior into the insulation cavity.
US08215338B2	Method for controlling the progression of a fluid in a microfluidic component The method for controlling the progression of a fluid, from upstream to downstream, in a microfluidic component comprising for example a plurality of microchannels each comprising a plurality of successive reaction or detection zones and a plurality of passive valves, controls the progression of the fluid in the microchannels by controlling the increase of a pressure difference between upstream and downstream of the component. The method controls the pressure difference increase discontinuously in the form of enabling pulses so as in particular to synchronize passing of the corresponding passive valves of the microchannels. The pressure difference is advantageously adjusted to a zero value between two successive enabling pulses.
US08215333B2	Fuel filler assembly A fuel filler adapter for a vehicle including a rigid housing connected to the vehicle and having a fuel pipe opening defined therethrough; and a flexible plastic overmold formed to the rigid housing. The overmold includes a radial wall defining an aperture that is in registry with the fuel pipe opening, a drainage skirt at least partially encircling the aperture for catching overflow fuel, and an overflow channel disposed below the aperture. The overflow channel may be defined by the radial wall and/or the skirt.
US08215332B1	Zone indicator and vacuum breaker combination The object of the present invention is to provide a zone indicator and vacuum breaker combination. The zone indicator assembly includes a body having a funnel shaped interior providing a seal seat. A seal is provided upon a vacuum breaker flange of a shaft assembly. A lower end of the shaft assembly engages with a valve operating stem assembly of a rotating valve selecting disc. A zone indicator cap is assembled to an upper end of the shaft assembly. The cap adjusts vertically upon a body and cap interface disposed upon an upper end of the body.
US08215330B2	Adjustable recirculating valve An adjustable automatic recirculation valve includes a valve body, a main valve disk, a bypass valve and a dynamic adjustment assembly. The main valve disk is positioned within the valve body and opens in response to fluid flow between a main inlet and a main outlet. The bypass valve controls the flow of fluid between the main inlet and the recirculating outlet. A dynamic adjustment assembly, housed within the valve body controls the operating lift associated with the maximum opening of the bypass valve to regulate fluid flow capacity to the recirculating outlet.
US08215328B2	Dual chamber adapter An adapter for use in association with upstream and downstream portions of a piping system is disclosed. The adapter includes a first chamber having an inlet adapted to receive fluid therethrough, an outlet adapted to expel fluid therefrom, and a sidewall extending therebetween defining a first chamber interior. The adapter also includes a second chamber having an inlet adapted to receive forced fluid therethrough, an outlet adapted to expel the forced fluid therefrom, and a sidewall extending therebetween defining a second chamber interior. The first chamber interior is isolated from the second chamber interior. The first chamber is adapted to receive forced fluid therethrough from an upstream portion of a piping system, and the second chamber is adapted to provide forced fluid therethrough to a downstream portion of the piping system.
US08215327B2	Diaphragm valve with electronic pressure detection A flush valve for a waste water system comprises a valve including a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and a main valve element adapted for movement to allow fluid flow between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet based on a pressure differential across a portion of the main valve element. The valve also includes a vent system comprising a control chamber in flow communication with the fluid inlet of the valve and a vent outlet in flow communication with the fluid outlet of the valve, and a solenoid for venting fluid venting fluid from the control chamber to the fluid outlet. A pressure sensor, such as an electronic pressure transducer, senses the fluid pressure of fluid within the vent system. When a predetermined pressure threshold is reached or exceeded, the solenoid can be energized to release fluid from the control chamber.
US08215326B2	Adjustable support assembly for a collapsible canopy A collapsible shelter assembly includes plurality of legs with each of the legs having an upper, a lower end and an axis. A truss system links each pair of legs together and defines a perimeter. Rods are adapted for supporting a cover and brackets are adapted for attaching the rods to the legs. Each of the brackets has a base adapted for attachment to the upper end one of the legs and a coupler mounted to the base for attaching one of the rods. Each bracket is configured so that at least one of the base and the coupler is rotatable relative to the leg axis.
US08215325B2	Calf, ankle, foot, or leg rest for cane and cane with device attached A calf, ankle, foot, or leg rest device which can be snapped onto a cane for use or snapped off when only the use of the cane is desired. The invention also encompasses the combination cane and rest device. Many people who either have a permanent leg, knee, or foot disability or are recovering from a leg, knee, or foot operation are required to keep their leg in a horizontal position while seated. The rest device is a J-shaped soft padded bracket that is rigidly attached to the cane. The height of the bracket along the cane is adjustable to provide comfort and ease of use. The cane may be positioned at a convenient horizontal distance from the user as desired. In this way, the user may rest his or her calf, ankle, or heel on the rest device. Once the rest device is engaged by the user's leg, the cane is perfectly balanced on the ground. A user can comfortably keep his leg in a horizontal position for hours.
US08215324B1	Control structure for automatically folding and unfolding umbrella An improved control structure for automatically folding and unfolding umbrella is provided. The control structure contains a main body whose upper and lower halves are hollow with a support base in the middle. A control piece is installed in the upper hollow space for locking the nest when the umbrella is closed and for pushing away the bullet head when the umbrella is opened. A lever having a slant block at a top end is pivotally configured on the support base. An actuating piece is configured on top of the lever. In the lower hollow space of the main body, a one-way wheel with ratchets is installed and wound with a safety string. When the umbrella is closed, the lever is prepared to engage the ratchets whenever some mishap occurs. Therefore, the umbrella is safer to operate.
US08215323B2	Drive systems for conveyor-type warewashers A conveyor-type warewash machine includes a housing through which racks of wares are passed along a conveyance path for cleaning. A rack drive system includes a rack engaging structure that moves back and forth in first and second directions. When moving in the first direction, the rack engaging structure moves an adjacent rack forward along the conveyance path. When moving in the second direction, the rack engaging structure leaves the adjacent rack substantially stationary. The drive system is configured to move the rack engaging structure in the first direction at a first average speed and to move the rack engaging structure in the second direction at a second average speed. The second average speed is faster than the first average speed so that the adjacent rack spends more time moving forward than being stationary. A seal assembly may be provided about a drive shaft of the drive system.
US08215319B2	Hairbrush A hairbrush for styling hair has a brush head releasably connected to a rod rotatably mounted on a handle portion of the hairbrush and having a handle. The brush head has a plurality of spaced apart bristles for insertion between strands of the hair and gripping the strands therebetween. As the rod, and therefore the brush head are rotatable relative the handle, the brush head, with strands of hair gripped thereon, can be rotated as the handle is moved towards the head of a person whose hair is being styled, thus causing the strands of hair to be rolled around brush head, without requiring cumbersome twisting of the handle. A spring facilitates rotation in an opposite second direction and unrolling of the strands of hair off the brush head. A locking pin enables locking and unlocking of the rod and brush head to prevent and enable rotation thereof.
US08215318B2	Device, system, and method for applying hair color A system for coloring hair includes a specialized brush having a narrow tapered end and an elongated handle portion and an opposite bristle head consisting of at least three bristle grouping. Each bristle grouping is separated by a gap. The bristle groupings align with corresponding channels on a color tray. The color tray consists of at least three parallel and elongated channels, each channel can retain a separate color chemical.
US08215316B1	Smoking article and method A smoking article provides a purchased, as-built cigar that can be disassembled to form multiple cigars, enabling a consumer to make his or her own cigars using custom tobacco filler. The as-built cigar is capped as part of its construction, preferably at one end or at both ends. A smoker removes the cap or caps to enable smoking of the as-built cigar or disassembly into layers. Each layer can then be rolled with a smoker's custom tobacco. The inner layer contains tobacco filler. Upon disassembly, the inner layer and tobacco filler can be smoked. Alternatively, the inner layer can be pulled apart at a provided serration to discard the tobacco filler and then filled and rolled with a smoker's custom tobacco filler material.
US08215314B2	Photochemical tissue bonding Photochemical tissue boding methods for bonding neural tissues include the application of a photosensitizer to a tissue and/or tissue graft, followed by irradiation with electromagnetic energy to produce a tissue seal. The methods are useful for tissue adhesion, such as in wound closure, tissue grafting, skin grafting, musculoskeletal tissue repair, ligament or tendon repair, neural repair, blood vessel repair and corneal repair.
US08215311B2	Medical displaceable contouring mechanism One aspect relates to reducing a pressure differential across one or more supporting surfaces of a body surface of an individual at least partially by displacing at least one displaceable contouring unit to at least partially conform to one or more contours of the body surface of the individual. Certain aspects can relate to stabilizing at least the one or more supporting surfaces of the body surface of the individual at least partially with at least one of the at least one displaceable contouring unit Other aspects can relate to relatively displacing at least one displaceable contouring unit with respect to a medical device portion based at least in part on a contour of an individual to support at least a portion of the individual while limiting pressure applied to the individual.
US08215309B2	Percutaneous emergent cricothyroidotomy airway device A percutaneous emergent cricothyroidotomy airway device for creating a surgical airway in a patient. The device includes a housing and a palm grip movably disposed in the housing between an expanded position and a compressed position. A first prong extends from the housing and second prong extends from the palm grip, wherein when the palm grip is in the expanded position, the first and second prongs are spaced apart and when the palm grip is moved to the compressed position the second prong is adjacent the first prong. A blade actuator is movably disposed in the housing. The blade actuator has opposed ends and a blade for puncturing a cricothyroid membrane of a patient is disposed on one end of the blade actuator. To create an airway an airway device of the present invention is provided. The palm grip is compressed to move the second prong adjacent the first prong. The blade actuator is actuated to advance the blade from between the prongs. Next, the blade is advanced through the cricothyroid membrane to make an incision. The blade is retracted and the first and second prongs are positioned within the incision in the cricothyroid membrane. The palm grip is then released to separate the first and second prongs to separate the tissue and form an airway.
US08215308B2	Sealing nasal devices for use while sleeping Described here are devices for altering the flow of air in a respiratory cavity such as the mouth and nostrils of the nose. These methods and devices may be useful for affecting a physiologic benefit in patients suffering from a variety of medical diseases, particularly those that may benefit from “pursed-lip” breathing and non-invasive ventilation, such as COPD, heart failure, sleep apnea, and other medical disorders. The devices are typically removable devices that may be placed over or in a respiratory cavity to increase resistance to airflow within the respiratory cavity. Resistance to expiration may be selectively increased relative to inspiration. Removable oral and removable nasal devices are described. Oral and nasal devices that filter inhaled airflow of debris and allergens are also provided. A nasal device that increases patency of the nares is also provided.
US08215304B2	Device for separating condensate from a coaxial breathing gas line A condensate separator is provided for a coaxial tube system, which has an inner gas duct (3) and an outer gas duct (4). A first liquid duct (10) is arranged between the inner gas duct and a first collection volume (8) and a second liquid duct (11) is located between the outer gas duct (4) and a second collection volume (9). The collection volumes (8, 9) are located with a partition (7) in between in a liquid collecting container (6).
US08215296B1	Tile cutting table device A tile cutting table device featuring a platform with foldable legs; four side panels pivotally attached to side edges of the platform, the side panels can pivot between a down position and an up position forming an enclosure around the top surface of the platform; a water inlet hole for fluidly connecting a water source to the device; a drainage hole disposed in the platform; a perforated tile cutting plate disposed on the top surface of the platform; a clamp bar positioned over the tile cutting plate, the clamp bar functions to clamp down on a tile to hold the tile in place during cutting procedures, the clamp bar is connected to a foot pedal which functions to move the clamp bar between an up position and a down position, wherein the clamp bar is biased in the up position caused by compression springs.
US08215295B2	Cutting or sawing machine A rotatable cutting tool unit of a tool assembly for a cutting machine that is used in conjunction with an associated method of cutting provides several novel aspects. The tool arrangement, which includes two tool units, includes first and second disk-shaped tools rotatable about an axis. The tools define maximum tool arrangement boundaries along the axis. A driving arrangement, at an axial location between the first and second tools, supports the first and second tools for rotation and transfers driving force. A radially outer periphery of the driving arrangement is at a radius less than a radius of a peripheral cutting edge portion of the first tool and less than a radius of a peripheral cutting edge portion of the second tool.
US08215294B2	Method and system for controlling an engine during diesel particulate filter regeneration warm-up A method and control system for controlling an engine during diesel particulate filter regeneration includes a diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration request module that generates a DPF regeneration request signal. The control system also includes a DPF regeneration control module that controls the oxygen level in the exhaust based on an oxygen level signal corresponding to an oxygen level in the exhaust and a DPF inlet temperature signal corresponding to the DPF inlet temperature.
US08215288B2	Control system and method for controlling an engine in response to detecting an out of range pressure signal A method and control module for operating an engine that includes a pressure range determination module that determines a pressure value for a pressure sensor in a fuel rail is out of range. A fuel rail pressure estimate module that determines a predicted pressure value. An engine control module that operates the engine using the predicted pressure value.
US08215285B2	Variable valve device of internal combustion engine and controller therefor A controller of a variable valve device is configured to, before starting an internal combustion engine, set an operation angle varying mechanism to control an intake valve of the engine to have such an operation angle as to retard a valve close timing of the intake valve relative to a piston bottom dead center; define a given period from a instruction time when an instruction signal is fed to the controller for starting the engine to a time when a combustion of air/fuel mixture is actually commenced in the engine; and when, in the given period, a temperature representing the temperature of the engine is lower than a predetermined temperature, reduce the operation angle of the intake valve so as to bring the valve close timing of the intake valve near to the piston bottom dead center.
US08215284B2	Micro-pilot injection ignition type gas engine What is disclosed is a micro-pilot injection ignition type gas engine, whereby an air fuel ratio control in starting the engine is executed with enhanced precision, by means of introducing skip-firing intermittent operations which reflect the engine operation conditions, while an idling time span can be shortened or omitted.The engine includes: a gas valve that opens and closes a fuel-gas passage in front of each cylinder, so as to arbitrarily control the throat area as well as the opening-closing time span of the gas valve; an engine speed detecting unit to detect the engine speed; a combustion diagnosis unit to detect an engine combustion state through a cylinder pressure distribution along elapsed time, as to each cylinder; an opening-closing control unit as to the gas valve, so as to control the intermittent opening-closing of the gas valve according to the levels of the detected engine speed as well as the cylinder pressure distribution; whereby, in starting the engine, the intermittent opening-closing of the gas-valve enables at least one skip-firing mode that brings an enhanced fuel-supply pressure-pulsation with which a relatively large amount of fuel-gas is supplied per engine cycle with firing so that the air fuel-gas ratio of each cylinder reaches a prescribed target value.
US08215283B2	Cooling system for variable cylinder engines A cooling system for variable cylinder engines is is designed to most efficiently cool engine during engine full displacement operation and to heat inactive cylinders and cool active cylinders during engine reduced displacement operation. By heating inactive cylinders, the fuel efficiency during reactivation is improved and the optimal operation of the catalytic converter may be maintained.
US08215282B2	Method and system to reduce accessory drive belt slip A method and a system for reducing belt noise in an engine, wherein the belt is engaged with an alternator includes a transmission upshift detection module determining a transmission upshift or a quickly closing throttle detection module determining a quickly closing throttle. The control module further includes an engine speed prediction module determining a predicted engine speed in response to determining a transmission upshift and an engine deceleration prediction module determining a predicted engine deceleration when the predicted deceleration of the engine crankshaft is greater than a threshold. An alternator control module controls a rotor current in the alternator to add load to the alternator rotor to reduce potential belt noise.
US08215281B1	Piston assembly A piston assembly includes a piston comprising a piston base and a piston head spaced-apart from the piston base and a crankshaft between the piston head and the piston base and connected to the piston base.
US08215278B2	Internal combustion engine having an elastic connector and method of producing same An internal combustion engine having a cylinder, a fuel-supply mechanism, and an elastic connector for connecting the fuel supply mechanism to the cylinder. The connector has a first channel for fuel/air mixture and a second channel for combustion air. The connector has a first connection end and a second connection end at which the two channels open out. The two channels are separated from one another by a partition that extends in the longitudinal direction of the channels. The partition is twisted about its longitudinal central axis between the first and second connection ends to achieve a great elasticity of the connector. To produce the elastic connector, a respective core is used for each channel, and the cores are moved relative to one another to enable removal of the connector from a mold.
US08215268B2	Three-stroke internal combustion engine, cycle and components A three-stroke internal combustion engine completes a complete combustion cycle of exhaust, intake, compression, ignition, and expansion within a single revolution of a crankshaft by a single stroke of a first piston and a single stroke of a second piston within a single cylinder.
US08215265B2	Animal compartment assembly An animal compartment assembly that has a roof that is supported by a sidewall. The sidewall has a door therein that is slidably within the sidewall. A floor supports the sidewall to complete the structure. There is a storage chamber that is disposed within the sidewall and has a door that opens to provide access to the storage chamber from outside the sidewall wherein items for the animal can be stored.
US08215257B2	Lifeboat suspension systems A suspension system for a lifeboat comprises a pair of hook assemblies (22) each adapted for connection at spaced locations to a lifeboat and for coupling to the lifting links (14) of a pair of suspension cables. Each hook assembly has a hook member (34) pivoted for movement between a closed setting (FIG. 4) and an open setting (FIG. 5) and is of a load over center design. A single control mechanism (23) is provided for both hook assemblies and is connected thereto by way of a pair of flexible cables (24,25). A primary release mechanism (26,67,68,61) is arranged to pull the cables and so move the hook members to their open settings when the lifeboat is floating. Under emergency conditions when the hook assemblies are heavily loaded, an emergency release mechanism (28,75,72,57) is arranged to move the hook members (34) to their open settings notwithstanding the relatively large load thereon. The emergency release mechanism has a significantly greater mechanical advantage as compared to the primary release mechanism.
US08215253B2	Floating structure motion suppression systems and methods A system comprising a floating structure, the structure subject to waves and/or water currents; and at least one motion suppression system attached to the floating structure; the motion suppression system comprising a first oscillating water column tuned to a first frequency and a second oscillating water column tuned to a second frequency.
US08215250B2	Needle plate and sewing machine provided therewith A needle plate for a sewing machine includes a first needle plate fixed to a sewing machine bed and formed with a needle hole through which a needle passes and a rectangular hole through which a feed dog appears, a second needle plate disposed in front of the first needle plate and detachably attached to the first needle plate, an engagement mechanism sliding the second needle plate rearward from a front side of the first needle plate, thereby engaging the second needle plate with the first needle plate, and a disengagement operating member located on the second needle plate so as to operate the engagement mechanism so that the second needle plate is disengaged from the first needle plate. The disengagement operating member is moved frontward from a rear side of the first needle plate thereby to disengage the second needle plate from the first needle plate.
US08215240B2	Bimodal container chassis The disclosure provides a bimodal container chassis of differing lengths in a gooseneck type as well as a flat beam type for supporting ISO and domestic containers and other cargo during highway as well as railway transit. The bimodal container chassis has a front end equipped with a king-pin for connecting to a tractor and a rear end equipped with braking and suspension components, axles, wheels and tires, which make the bimodal container chassis suitable for road transport. The bimodal container chassis has front and rear ends for connecting, and thereby suspending, the bimodal container chassis including but not limited to its payload between two rail bogies, which make the bimodal container chassis suitable for rail transit. The bimodal container chassis is constructed of sufficient strength and stiffness to withstand in-train forces of 400,000 pounds tension and compression, yet the bimodal container chassis is constructed of reasonable weight for being competitive and complying with bridge laws as well as other highway regulations.
US08215234B2	Method for roller adjustment in a printing press and dampening unit of a printing press A method for roller adjustment in a printing press includes providing a first roller, a second roller and a third roller. The second roller bears both against the first roller and against the third roller and is oriented in an axially nonparallel manner relative to the third roller. The first roller is displaced into a position in which the first roller is oriented in an axially nonparallel manner relative to the third roller. A dampening unit for carrying out the method is also provided.
US08215221B2	Gun barrel A gun barrel with a gun barrel liner and a breech ring, which are joined with each other by a bayonet thread. A continuous cavity is left between adjacent bayonet ridges of the gun barrel liner and the bayonet ridges of the breech ring that are located axially behind them or in front of them. A locking segment is inserted in at least one of the cavities that is formed in the installed gun barrel liner between adjacent bayonet ridges of the gun barrel liner and the bayonet ridges of the breech ring to prevent unintentional detachment of the gun barrel liner from the breech ring. The locking segment can completely fill the corresponding cavity.
US08215214B2	Workpiece gripping method and workpiece centering apparatus A workpiece centering apparatus 1 is provided on a lathe having a spindle 33, an independent chuck 34, and upper and lower tool rests 37, 41, and has sandwiching members 11, 12 mounted to the tool rests 37, 41, respectively, and capable of contacting the outer peripheral surface of a workpiece W, and a centering control section 15 for moving the tool rests 37, 41 and thereby moving the sandwiching members 11, 12 to their respective centering positions which are the positions of the sandwiching members 11, 12 when the center position of a portion to be machined of the workpiece W coincides with the axis of the spindle 33 in a state where the portion to be machined of the workpiece W is being sandwiched and held by the sandwiching members 11, 12, and then causing the independent chuck 34 to grip the workpiece W.
US08215212B2	On-vehicle brake lathe with indirect drive An on-vehicle disk brake lathe has a motor connected to a right-angle gearbox mounted to a body of the lathe, the gearbox in turn driving a spindle shaft through a flexible drive linkage such as a belt or chain. The spindle shaft extends parallel to a gearbox output shaft, and both are normal to an axis of rotation of the motor. The flexible drive linkage can be tensioned by adjustably mounting the gearbox to the lathe body or by use of an adjustably positioned tensioning element. A cover can enclose the flexible drive linkage. The separate gearbox allows the use of durable bearings for the spindle shaft, and allows these bearings to be spaced apart to provide a high degree of stability. The modular structure of the resulting lathe simplifies fabrication and repair, and allows use of a modular body for the lathe.
US08215208B2	Tool holder with pivoting bit A bit holder and an interchangeable bit that can pivot or articulate relative to the bit holder. The bit holder includes a multi-depth socket for receiving the interchangeable bit. The different depths of the socket determine whether the interchangeable bit operates as a straight-on bit or an off-angle bit. An outer sleeve can slide along a longitudinal axis of a shaft to change the depth of the socket. Alternatively, opposite ends of the bit holder have different depth sockets for receiving the interchangeable bit and/or a shank portion. By flipping over the bit holder, the interchangeable bit can operate as either a straight-on bit or an off-angle bit.
US08215200B2	Intermediate shaft with low sliding load for the steering column of a motor vehicle A low sliding load intermediate shaft comprising a female member slightly receiving a male member and a series of metal strips, such as three, fitted therebetween. The metal strips are retained in position since they are received into the cavities of a fastening cage clamped to the outer surface of the male member. They allow longitudinal movement friction of both members eliminating clearance and radial play with a total effectiveness in torque transmission at any time.
US08215199B2	Parallel kinematic positioning system A parallel kinematic positioning system 10 (PKPS 10) that is comprised of a stationary base plate (12) and an upper movable platform (28) to which is attached a workpiece or an instrument. Between the stationary base plate (12) and the upper movable platform (28) are positionally attached six strut assemblies (50). The six strut assemblies operate a hexapod that include in combination, a counterbalance subassembly (111), a servo motor subassembly (134), a bearing and encoder subassembly (156) and an electronics circuit (190). The combination accurately and repeatably positions the upper movable platform (28) within six degrees of freedom relative to the base plate (12).
US08215191B2	Corn stalk strength measuring device An apparatus for measuring stalk strength of a plant is disclosed. A force sensor is mounted to a harvester in a position to measure the resistance to crushing of the plant stalk by a stalk roll of the harvester. The apparatus may include a pair of counter rotating stalk rolls that pull and crush the plant stalk between them and a pair of stain gauges attached on either side of a mounting apparatus of the stalk rolls to sense both the tension and compression forces induced in the mounting apparatus by each of the rolls in response to the resistance to crushing of the plant stalk. Data collected by the invention can be advantageously used in a breeding program wherein breeding decisions are made based at least in part on stalk strength.
US08215190B2	Inertial force sensor An inertial force sensor is composed of a plurality of arms and an oscillator having a base for linking the arms, in which a trimming slit is formed on a part of the arm except for a ridge portion, thus controlling damage to a tuning fork arm to be caused by the trimming.
US08215188B2	Torsion angle sensor A torsion angle sensor for measuring the torsion angle of two shafts coupled with one another having two planetary gear sets coupled via a shared planet carrier, with the sun gear of each gear set being connected to one of the two shafts respectively; including an arrangement whereby when a torsion angle is created between the two shafts, a movable internal gear of one of the planetary gear sets is rotated corresponding to the torsion angle, with its outer surface driving a sensor gear, which is connected to a rotational position sensor, the output signal of which is proportional to the torsion angle.
US08215186B2	Lower-limb prosthesis force and moment transducer A computerized prosthesis alignment system includes a transducer that can measure socket reactions in the anterior/posterior plane and the right/left planes, while canceling or reducing the transverse forces on the measurements of these socket reactions. In addition, the transducer is also capable of determining the axial load or weight experienced by the prosthesis. The computerized prosthesis alignment system is in communication with a host computer. The moment data from the transducer is interpreted by the user via a computer interface. The host computer includes memory for storing one or more applications. These applications receive data from the transducer, interpret the data with discrete algebraic or fuzzy logic algorithms, and display the output numerically and graphically. Applications may also interpret the data to provide analyses to the user for aligning the prosthesis.
US08215185B2	Vibrating flow device and method for fabricating a vibrating flow device The present invention relates to a vibrating flow device that includes at least one conduit, at least one drive, at least one pick-off, and at least one housing. The at least one drive vibrates the at least one conduit at one or more drive frequencies and the at least one pick-off measures the motion of the at least one conduit. The at least one housing encompasses at least a portion of the at least one conduit. The at least one housing's modes of vibration occur at frequencies that exceed the one or more drive frequencies.
US08215184B2	Coriolis flow meter with an improved balance system A flow meter (200) includes a flow tube (210) and a balance system (211). The balance system (211) is coupled to the flow tube (210). Both the flow tube (210) and the balance system (211) have a center of mass. The balance system (211) is sized and located such that the combined center of mass (Ccm) of the flow tube (210) and the balance system (211) lies proximate an axis of rotation of the flow tube (210).
US08215174B2	Inspection apparatus for tubular members An ultrasonic inspection system useful for inspecting a tubular member provides for the use of ultrasonic transducer assembly for detecting weld flaws or other out-of range conditions in the tubular member. According to the invention, the tubular member is positioned horizontally on a rolling carriage and a predetermined amount of sound-conductive fluid is deposited into the tubular member. Wide rings secured to opposing open ends of the tubular member prevent the liquid from escaping, while forming a barrier for retaining a given level of liquid inside the tubular member. The transducers are submerged in the liquid and transmit/ receive sonic booms from reflected medium inside the tubular member. The transducers are connected to a computing control unit, which receives signals generated by the transducers and creates a report of any out-of range condition.
US08215171B1	Uniform mass sensitivity thickness shear mode quartz resonator A ring electrode design that produces a uniform mass sensitivity distribution across a TSM device is presented. A new technique and apparatus to measure this mass sensitivity distribution is also presented. Novel electrode geometries on thickness shear mode (TSM) quartz resonators achieve radial uniformity of mass sensitivity, how receptive the device is to mass loadings, and high frequency stability across the active sensing area of the sensor device. The device allows for absolute mass measurement down to the nanogram level. Fabricated devices utilizing model predictions were tested using this apparatus, and good agreement between theory and experiment is found.
US08215170B2	Chemical and biological sensing using tuning forks A device for sensing a chemical analyte is disclosed. The device is comprised of a vibrating structure having first and second surfaces and having an associated resonant frequency and a wire coupled between the first and second surfaces of the vibrating structure, wherein the analyte interacts with the wire and causes a change in the resonant frequency of the vibrating structure. The vibrating structure can include a tuning fork. The vibrating structure can be comprised of quartz. The wire can be comprised of polymer. A plurality of vibrating structures are arranged in an array to increase confidence by promoting a redundancy of measurement or to detect a plurality of chemical analytes. A method of making a device for sensing a chemical analyte is also disclosed.
US08215166B2	Capacitive probes and sensors, and applications therefor, and multimode wireless devices Sensor includes electrodes on internal layer of multilayer printed circuit board, and sensing circuitry drives electrodes and reads signal having characteristic based upon capacitance between electrodes. Board may have first layer second layer, with electrodes between layers. One layer may be thicker than other layer such that capacitance external to board is primarily contributed from adjacent other layer. Electrodes may be on internal surface and sensing circuitry may be on opposing external surface. Components for sensing circuitry may be assembled to board such that board and components are multilayer printed circuit board assembly. Circuitry having wireless transmitter and wireless receiver, wherein circuitry has operating mode to transmit signals remotely through transmitter and ship mode wherein transmitter is silenced, and in operating mode circuitry listens for signals indicating transmitted signal has been received, and if receiver has not received acknowledgement one signal then circuitry enters ship mode.
US08215165B2	Torso simulator for ballistics testing A device for simulating the torso of an animal or human to determine projectile performance is provided, comprising a support frame; and a plurality of selectively removable simulant inserts, including a hide simulant insert, a muscle simulant insert, a bone simulant insert, and one or more internal organ simulant insert, and wherein the simulant inserts are placed within the support frame in a predetermined order specific to the type of animal or human being simulated. The support frame includes a mounting device to secure the support frame to a ground surface, and a base adapted to orient the support frame at a selectable angle relative to a projectile path. The support frame further includes a locking device adapted to secure the simulant inserts to the support frame. In a preferred embodiment, the locking device includes a fastener slidably disposed within a slot formed in the support frame, and an extended member adapted to contact one of the simulant inserts.
US08215162B2	Focused field antenna for passive RFID tire pressure sensor transponder A passive RFID transponder sensor system includes a sensor assembly having a focused field transponder antenna with a highly magnetically permeable transponder antenna stem, and a reader antenna with an electrical reader coil generating a magnetic field having magnetic flux extending between the reader antenna and a sensor assembly. The electrical transponder coil and the electrical reader coil are coupled by the magnetic field, so that information can be transferred to and from the sensor assembly through the magnetic field by which the electrical transponder coil and the electrical reader coil are coupled.
US08215158B2	Procedure and device for determining the vapor pressure of a fuel A procedure for determining the vapor pressure of a fuel in a tank is provided, whereby the sound velocity and/or a variable representing the sound velocity are determined the in the gas-filled compartment of the tank and the vapor pressure is assumed from the sound velocity and/or from the variable representing the sound velocity at a familiar total pressure.
US08215153B2	Gas sensor and gas sensor unit A gas sensor including a detection element having a detection portion; a metal shell that surrounds the detection element so as to expose the detection portion to a measured atmosphere; an outer tube that is fixed to the metal shell so as to cover a rear end side of the detection element; and a seal member that is contained inside the outer tube, the seal member having a lead wire insertion hole and a through hole that penetrates in the axial direction; a tubular holding member made of a resin having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion than the seal member, the tubular holding member being held inside the through hole, the tubular holding member having a ventilation hole; and a filter that covers the ventilation hole, the filter being joined to the holding member, the filter blocking water from passing therethrough, and the filter having air permeability.
US08215151B2	MEMS stiction testing apparatus and method A MEMS stiction testing method applies a first electrical signal to a MEMS device having two opposing surfaces to cause the two opposing surfaces to make physical contact. The two opposing surfaces produce a second electrical signal when in physical contact. The method then substantially mitigates the first electrical signal after detecting that the second electrical signal has reached a prescribed maximum value.
US08215150B2	Instrument docking station with non-destructive sensor analysis capabilities A docking station for use with gas sensors includes limited test and diagnostic circuitry directed to specific characteristics of selected detectors. Where a family of detectors is to be evaluated, a universal interface for that family can be included. A single port can be used for multiple different detectors irrespective of specific detector characteristics.
US08215148B2	Shear punching die assemblies A shear punching die assembly having first and second die units in which a material is punched to form a work while the material is clamped between the first and second die units is taught that preferably include a main punch contained in the first die unit and having a cross-sectional shape corresponding to a shape of the work, an ejector contained in the second die unit and positioned axially opposite to the main punch, an ejector biasing member normally biasing the ejector toward the main punch, an ejector retaining device that is capable of acting on the ejector when the first and second die units are in a closed condition, thereby retaining the ejector in a predetermined position, and an ejector releasing device that is capable of acting on the ejector retaining device when the first and second die units are opened over a desired distance, thereby releasing the ejector.
US08215147B2	Hot stamping die apparatus A hot forming die that includes a first die and a second die. The first die has a first die structure that is formed of a tool steel. The first die structure has a first die surface and a plurality of first cooling apertures. The first die surface has a complex shape. The first cooling apertures are spaced apart from the die surface by a first predetermined distance. The second die has a second die surface. The first and second die surfaces cooperate to form a die cavity. Related methods for forming a hot forming die and for hot forming a workpiece are also provided.
US08215144B2	Repeatable bender angle apparatus A manual and two pneumatic powered versions of bending apparatus with added indicator apparatus for indicating the bending arm angle, apparatus for rotating and locking the indicator apparatus at the rotated angle and stop means for stopping the bending arm at the rotated angle are provided. After a metal element is bent the bending force is removed, and the bend angle measured to determine if the required bend angle after spring back was obtained.
US08215143B2	Method for determining shape changes of a workpiece The invention relates to a method for determining shape changes of a workpiece made of steel or a steel alloy due to forming, in which a varnish is applied to the workpiece, the workpiece is formed and then an optical shape change analysis is carried out by measuring the applied varnish. The object of providing a method for determining shape changes of a workpiece made of steel or a steel alloy, said method also being suitable for analyzing the shape change of a workpiece after hot forming, is solved according to the teaching of the present invention in that before the forming of the workpiece a varnish with an Al proportion of more than 30% by weight is applied to the workpiece, the workpiece is heated for forming to a hot forming temperature and the workpiece is cooled after or during the forming.
US08215142B2	Elongation rolling control method An elongation rolling control method is provided which can manufacture a hollow shell of high dimensional accuracy and can suppress rolling problems. It is an elongation rolling control method in which the groove bottom wall thickness of a hollow shell P in stand #1 having an ultrasonic wall thickness wall gauge 1 installed between it and stand #2 is measured, the outer diameter of a mandrel bar B is calculated based on the set value of the roll gap in stand #1 and the groove bottom wall thickness of the hollow shell P, the location in the lengthwise direction of the mandrel bar B for which the outer diameter was calculated is determined based on positional information on a bar retainer BR, the distribution in the lengthwise direction of the outer diameter of the mandrel bar is calculated by repeating the above steps, the location in the lengthwise direction of the mandrel bar which contacts the hollow shell in a subsequent stand is determined based on positional information on the bar retainer, and the roll gap in the subsequent stand is set based on the outer diameter of the determined location in the lengthwise direction of the mandrel bar.
US08215141B2	Code changing mechanism for a mechanical combination lock A code changing mechanism for a mechanical combination lock, comprises function keys; two rows of code number keys on the lock body; a code-changing rack; an intermediate gear; a code-changing lock core with keyhole; and gear modules connected with each code number key, each gear module comprises a code-changing gear and controlling chip. There is a groove for resetting code provided on the gear; the chip inserted in the groove forming a code reset site; a code free site provided between the chip and gear; a left and a right straight rack; and the rack engages with a corresponding row of code-changing gears. The lock core coaxially connects with the intermediate gear, the intermediate gear engages with two opposing code-changing gears thereof. A movable sheet is under each of the keys. The code is changeable without disassembling any component, making the mechanism convenient, swift, flexible, reliable, with robust anti-crack capability.
US08215140B1	Entry lock An entry lock for keeping an automatically locking or closing from closing or locking has a latch body assembly with a left arm assembly and an adjustable right arm assembly capable of being secured to opposing sides of the door while the latch body housing is locked or secured to an edge of the door. The lock is released by a standard handcuff key, carried by most law officers.
US08215135B2	Appliance latch with power failure unlock A lock for a washing machine or the like provides fast actuation through a solenoid driven bolt that remains stably in the locked position after power is no longer applied to the solenoid. The possibility of power failure preventing subsequent access to the washing machine is avoided through the use of a slower actuation time, thermal actuator storing sufficient energy to unlock the bolt after a time delay when power is lost.
US08215131B2	Knitting element comprising rotor and knitting machine The knitting element has a rotor capable of rotating about an axis and makes a knit stitch by using rotational motion of the rotor. The rotor is formed in a circular disk shape. A pair of bearing plates is separated from each other in a radial direction of the rotor. The rotor is supported rotatably by bearing plates support slidably the circumferential surface of the rotor. A plurality of teeth to which rotational drive force is transmitted is formed in a circumference edge portion of the rotor. An engagement recess capable of engaging knitting yarn is formed in the circumferential face of the rotor.
US08215130B2	Spinner for fiberizing glass and method A spinner for fiberizing glass has fiberizing holes formed in the spinner sidewall by a process utilizing an electron beam perforating process. A backing material used in the process is deposited on the walls of the fiberizing holes for increasing the corrosion resistance of the fiberizing holes. With regard to the formation of each fiberizing hole, an interaction of the backing material with an electron beam during the electron beam perforating process creates a gaseous backing material that expands through a hole created by the electron beam in the spinner sidewall to eject molten alloy material of the spinner sidewall made molten by the electron beam from the hole and deposit a thin substantially uniform coating layer of the backing material on the wall of the hole to increase the corrosion resistance of the fiberizing hole thus formed.
US08215129B2	Method of drawing microstructured glass optical fibers from a preform, and a preform combined with a connector A method of manufacturing a microstructured fiber, includes: providing a preform having a plurality of elongate holes; mating at least one, but not all, of the holes with a connector to connect the hole(s) to an external pressure-controller; drawing the preform into the fiber while controlling gas pressure in the hole(s) connected to the pressure-controller.
US08215127B2	Diamond having two-stage pavilion An ornamental diamond is provided as an extremely bright diamond with numerous reflection patterns when viewed from above its table facet and crown facets. The diamond has the same crown as the round brilliant cut and its pavilion consists of a first pavilion and a second pavilion separated by a horizontal division plane. The second pavilion is an octagonal pyramid and its side faces form second pavilion main facets. The first pavilion is a hexadecagonal frustum with a top face on the horizontal division plane and its side faces form first lower girdle facets. First pavilion main facets extend from the girdle and between the first lower girdle facets, into between the second pavilion main facets. The ornamental diamond having the two-stage pavilion is much more brilliant than and has twice as many reflection patterns as the conventional round brilliant cut.
US08215121B2	Refrigerant quantity determining system of air conditioner In a multi-type air conditioner, the adequacy of the refrigerant quantity charged in the air conditioner can be accurately determined, even when the refrigerant quantity charged on site is inconsistent, or even when a reference value of the operation state quantity, which is used for determining the adequacy of the refrigerant quantity, fluctuates depending on the pipe length of the refrigerant communication pipe, combination of utilization units, and the difference in the installation height among each unit. In an air conditioner (1) including a refrigerant circuit (10) configured by the interconnection of a heat source unit (2) and utilization units (4, 5) via refrigerant communication pipes (6, 7), a refrigerant quantity determining system determines the adequacy of the refrigerant quantity and includes a state quantity storing means and a refrigerant quantity determining means. The state quantity storing means stores the operation state quantity of constituent equipment or the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit (10) in which refrigerant is charged up to an initial refrigerant quantity by on-site refrigerant charging. The refrigerant quantity determining means compares the operation state quantity during test operation as a reference value with a current value of the operation state quantity, and thereby determines the adequacy of the refrigerant quantity.
US08215117B2	Staging for rich catalytic combustion A catalytic reactor for a gas turbine engine comprising an air inlet, a premixing zone, a reacting zone comprising a reactive portion and a nonreactive portion, a post reaction mixing zone, a first fuel injection system for introducing fuel into the reactive portion, and a second fuel injection system for introducing fuel into the nonreactive portion.
US08215115B2	Combustor interface sealing arrangement A gas turbine engine sealing arrangement which includes a combustor liner establishing a combustion area and a turbine nozzle configured to receive a portion of a combustor liner. A sealing ring arrangement is configured to seal with the turbine nozzle to control fluid flow from the combustion area and reduce leakage.
US08215114B2	Expander lubrication in vapour power systems A vapor power generating system for generating power by using heat from a source of heat. The system has a closed circuit for a working fluid, and includes a heat exchanger assembly (1) for heating the fluid under pressure with heat from the source, a separator (8) for separating the vapor phase of the heated fluid from the liquid phase thereof, an expander (14) for expanding the vapor to generate power, a condenser (17) for condensing the outlet fluid from the expander (14), a feed pump (F) for returning condensed fluid from the condenser (17) to the heater and a return path for returning the liquid phase from the separator to the heater. The liquid phase of the working fluid contains a lubricant which lubricant is soluble or miscible in the liquid phase and a bearing supply path (21) is arranged to deliver liquid phase pressurized by the feed pump (F) to at least one bearing for a rotary element of the expander.
US08215113B2	Pedestal mounted turbocharger system for internal combustion engine A turbocharger system for an internal combustion engine includes a turbocharger with a utility pedestal extending between the turbocharger and a mounting surface associated with the engine. The utility pedestal includes a mounting pad for attaching the combined turbocharger and pedestal assembly to the engine, as well as internal oil and coolant supply passages for supplying the turbocharger with coolant and lubricating oil under pressure.
US08215112B2	Free piston stirling engine A free piston Stirling engine, comprising a power piston fitted into a cylinder further includes: a support structure carrying moving magnets for a linear alternator; and a passive structure that at normal operating power and frequency produces a restoring force on the piston in the absence of contact with the cylinder. In one variation, the passive structure further comprises a mass suspended within the piston from at least one spring, such that the mass oscillates under influence of movement of the piston at normal operating power and frequency so as to produce the restoring force. In another variation, the passive structure further comprises: a magnet disposed outside the cylinder at a position and in an orientation to produce a field that opposes a field of a moving magnet carried by the support structure when the piston moves toward the magnet.
US08215109B1	Dual pump apparatus with power take off A drive apparatus includes a pair of axial piston pump assemblies in an inline relationship, each pump assembly having an end cap mounted to a pump housing to form a sump. The pump assemblies are mounted to a gearbox at one end thereof, and an input shaft extends into both pump housings and the gearbox to drive the axial piston pumps and one of the gears. A power take off mechanism is also engaged to the gearbox at another end thereof and includes a drive shaft at least partially disposed in the gearbox and driven by one of the transmission gears, and an output shaft extending in the opposite direction from the drive shaft.
US08215106B2	Compressed air energy storage system utilizing two-phase flow to facilitate heat exchange A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control.
US08215105B2	Compressed air energy storage system utilizing two-phase flow to facilitate heat exchange A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control.
US08215104B2	Energy from subterranean reservoir fluid A system includes a collection of water at a first elevation, an aquifer at a second elevation lower than the first elevation and one or more fluid communication channels that facilitate fluid communication between the collection of water and the aquifer. A turbine-generator is in one of the fluid communication channels to convert kinetic energy of fluid that has flown out of the collection of water into electrical energy. A fluid collection area is downstream of the turbine-generator that at least temporarily collects fluid that has passed through the turbine-generator. An injection pump is provided to pump fluid that has accumulated in the collection area into the aquifer.
US08215099B2	Exhaust gas purification device of internal combustion engine An exhaust gas purification device of an internal combustion engine having a NOx catalyst provided to an exhaust passage for occluding NOx in a lean atmosphere and for reducing the occluded NOx in a rich atmosphere has an exhaust gas recirculation passage for recirculating the exhaust gas from the exhaust passage to an intake passage, an exhaust gas recirculation valve provided in the exhaust gas recirculation passage, a rich combustion control section for performing rich combustion in the internal combustion engine, and an exhaust gas recirculation valve control section for controlling an opening degree of the exhaust gas recirculation valve to conform a pressure value in the intake passage to a predetermined pressure value while the rich combustion control section performs the rich combustion.
US08215096B2	Outlet device for a jet engine and a craft comprising such an outlet device An outlet device for a jet engine comprises a number of fixed ducts, each with a gas intake and a gas outlet for conducting a gas from the jet engine, at least two of the outlets of said gas ducts open in different directions, and a gas distribution arrangement is arranged at the gas intakes for selective distribution of the gas to the ducts.
US08215094B2	Chain comprising a plurality of interconnected links The invention relates to a chain suitable to moor or anchor boats, to lash cargo in road, rail, water and air transportation or for conveying, hoisting, suspending or lifting applications, said chain comprising a plurality of interconnected links. More in particular the invention relates to a chain suitable for the above stated uses comprising a plurality of interconnected links, at least part of the links comprising polyolefin fibers and in particular ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers. The invention also relates to a method for enhancing the strength of such a chain.
US08215091B2	Lawnmower gearbox This gearbox assembly (50) for a lawnmower (10) includes a gearbox housing (56) having a horizontal input shaft (62) and a vertical output shaft (64). A lawnmower deck (12) is disposed below the gearbox housing (56) and a spindle housing (55) is mounted to the lawnmower deck (12) and the spindle housing includes a passage (57) communicating with the gearbox housing (56). The output shaft (64) extends below the gearbox housing (56) and into the spindle housing (55). The input shaft (62) has a bevel gear (76) which meshes with a bevel gear (78) on the output shaft for driving (74). The output shaft (64) includes spaced bearings (70 and 72) within the gearbox housing (56) and a bearing (74) within the spindle housing (55). Brackets (28 and 30) are attached between the gearbox housing (56) and the lawnmower deck (12) and the spindle housing (55) is attached to the lawnmower deck (12) separately from the gearbox housing (56).
US08215088B2	Method and means for the high-speed manufacturing of individual packaging for a liquid or solid product A process for manufacturing an individual packaging for a liquid or solid product includes uninterruptedly unwinding a lower film while simultaneously unwinding an upper film with regard to the lower film. The process further includes continuously dispensing, between the two films, the product which is to be packaged and simultaneously forming and sealing the contour of each packaging by ultrasonic welding. This welding is carried out so that the ultrasound ejects the product from the zones being welded.
US08215087B2	Apparatus and method of forming a stack of food products within a storage container An apparatus for forming a stack of food products in a storage container, and a method therefor. The apparatus comprises a first gate moveable between an open and a closed position that drops a row of food products onto a second gate moveable between an open and a closed position. The second gate receives multiple rows of food products and once a predetermined number of rows have been received, the second gate opens to release the rows of food products into the storage container below it. As the first gate shifts from the open to the closed position, it can advance, at least in part, a subsequent row of food products onto the first gate for later release onto the second gate. The area defined by the second gate and the first gate is a temporary staging area which can increase in height after receiving subsequent rows of food products.
US08215086B2	Method and device for manufacturing rolls of web material with an outer wrapping A rewinder machine for the production of rolls of web material is described, comprising: a winder unit (3, 5, 7); a path for delivering the web material (N) to said winder unit; a system for continuously feeding said web material into said winder unit; a distributor (31) of a sheet material (F) for wrapping the rolls formed by said winder unit, installed and operated so as to deliver a length of sheet material to said winder unit on completion of the winding of each roll without stopping the forward feed of the web material.
US08215079B2	Building block and system for manufacture A compressed building block formed of a pre-mix of fly ash, Class C type, are combined with various aggregates either ground wood and/or chips, having maybe a small amount of Portland cement added thereto, moisturized, and then either molded, extruded or compressed in a press into the configuration of a block. A plasticizer, wetting agent and surfactant solution may be added to the composition. Boron as a mold retardant and an insecticide, may be added to the composition, to provide the formed block with further beneficial attributes. The blocks may be formed by a system for extruding such blocks from the formulation, or they may be formed by means of a mold or hydraulic or other press and pressed into the configuration of the desired block, needed for the construction.
US08215071B2	Integrated composition shingle PV system An integrated composition shingle PV system is interengageable with composition shingles, the composition shingles being arranged in overlapping rows on an inclined support surface. The system comprises a carrier mountable on the support surface. The carrier has flashing along its peripheral edge. The rear flashing is positionable under a first row of overlapping rows of composition shingles. The left side and right side flashing are interengageable with second and third rows of overlapping rows of composition shingles. The front flashing is positionable on top of another row of overlapping rows of composite shingles. A PV laminate is secured to and supported by the carrier.
US08215070B2	Slate style roofing system with integrated solar panels A roofing system includes battens and hangers for installing slate roofing shingles on a roof. Electrical conductors and other electronics are incorporated into the battens and the battens are connected together to form an electrical transmission grid beneath the shingles. Solar panels are installed in place of slate shingles in some locations on the roof and are configured to match or complement the surrounding slate shingles. Each solar panel includes a connector that connects the solar panel to the electrical transmission grid. The grid thus collects the electrical energy generated by all of the solar panels and delivers it for storage or use in a home. Microinverters may be coupled to smaller groups of the solar panels for converting their DC voltage to AC voltage and the outputs of the microinverters connected to a remote location for use or storage.
US08215067B2	Vase with photographs, inscriptions and deposit of flowers for cemetery memorials The present invention relates to a flower vase for a cemetery memorial that can be stored within a compartment on the memorial when it is not in use. The cylindrical and hollow flower identification vase includes two photographs, two bronze engraving tags with personal data of the deceased people, a container for water and flowers when in an upright position, a serial number and exactly identification of the place where the vase is located in the cemetery property and a connection system between the vase and the compartment.
US08215063B1	Guard rail lock assembly This performance stage frame member has a shaped cross-section. The frame member comprises a vertically extending back surface and an outwardly extending shape defining a multifaceted cavity therebetween. The invention also includes a lock assembly comprising an interlocking shape is configured to engage the multifaceted cavity of the outwardly extending shape of the frame member.
US08215061B2	Sliding door apparatus having a damping mechanism A sliding door apparatus for opening and closing an opening in a wall. A sliding door apparatus including a longitudinally extending track member mountable along an upper edge of an opening and a door movably mountable on the track member for sliding movement thereon between opened and closed positions. A damping structure is disposed within the track member and is actuatable in response to the sliding movement of the door to break the door's movement as it approaches its opened and closed positions.
US08215058B2	Drip emitter with seed packet A seed germination device for use in connection with a drip irrigation system, which includes a drip irrigation emitter having a water inlet tube for connection to a water source, an emitter housing having a base and a perimeter wall that define a partially enclosed interior space, an open end, and a water outlet, and a cellulosic seed packet disposed within the enclosed interior space and over said water outlet tube. When the emitter housing is disposed on or under soil and the water turned on, the seed packet dissolves and the germination commences.
US08215054B2	Floor for a cultivation area A floor for a cultivation area such as a greenhouse. An accommodating hole is excavated in the ground and a flexible holder for liquid such as water is placed therein. The top of said holder is provided with a supporting plate. By varying the level of the supporting plate, the level of the greenhouse floor is varied. The water can contain heat. Optionally there can be a further holder which, for example, contains liquid with different properties, such as a different temperature. A number of such holders can be incorporated in a greenhouse floor.
US08215046B2	Forend with multiple locator rails A mounting arrangement for use with a shotgun or rifle to selectively position accessories along the barrel of the rifle. The mounting arrangement includes a forend and a series of mounting rails that receive the desired accessories. The forend includes a series of locator rails equally positioned around the outer circumference and spaced from each other at approximately 45°. The spacing of the locator rails allows a user to selectively attach an accessory in a larger number of desired locations around the outer circumference of the forend. Each of the mounting rails and locator rails engage each other in a dovetail configuration to prevent the radial separation of the mounting rail from the locator rail.
US08215042B1	Picture hanging device for corners A picture hanging device for hanging pictures in corners featuring an adjustable first panel comprising a first inner telescopic panel and a first outer telescopic panel; an adjustable second panel comprising a second inner telescopic panel and a second outer telescopic panel, the first end of the second panel is pivotally connected to the second end of the first panel via a first hinge; an adjustable third panel comprising a third inner telescopic panel and a third outer telescopic panel, the first end of the third panel is pivotally attached to the first end of the first panel via a second hinge and the second end of the third panel is pivotally attached to the second end of the second panel via a third hinge; and a sliding hanger disposed on the third panel, the sliding hanger functions to hold a picture being mounted by the picture hanging device.
US08215041B2	Structural assembly with a tied, flexurally deformed panel An assembly includes a flexurally deformed panel, which is connected to a membrane tie by a linear connector and is tied by the membrane tie to form a geometrically stable pre-stressed structure. More than one panel may be flexurally deformed and tied together in an assembly and more than one membrane tie may be present within an assembly. Panels are typically semi-rigid sheet materials, for example metal sheets, plastic sheets, or sheets of composite materials, such as glass or carbon fibre reinforced plastics or resins. Membrane tie members are typically flexible, for example plastic films, fabrics or nets or arrays of rods or cables. The assemblies have many different geometric forms and many different practical applications. Assemblies may be relatively large, for example demountable and reusable shelters or flat-pack point-of-purchase display assemblies, or may be relatively small, for example a photograph or postcard display system.
US08215039B2	Advertising apparatus for airplane service cart An advertising apparatus for placement on a food cart or “duty free” cart permits the passenger to readily identify that “duty free” sale is taking place. The advertising apparatus also permit vendors and manufacturers of the “duty free” items to advertise their products directly on the cart for clear viewing by the passenger. It is further envisioned that the advertising apparatus may be mounted to the service cart at any time to enable third party advertising even when “duty free” sale is not taking place, e.g., during the distribution of food, snacks, meals etc. during the flight.
US08215036B2	Removable heel bucket An article of footwear including a sole assembly; an upper attached to the sole assembly; a heel counter on the upper, the heel counter having an upper edge and including a first connector portion that extends along the upper edge; and a heel insert removably attached to the heel counter along its upper edge, the heel insert having a corresponding second connector portion that mates with the first connector portion of the heel counter.
US08215035B2	Athletic shoe having an improved cleat arrangement and improved cleat An athletic shoe having an improved cleat arrangement is provided. An improved cleat having a v-shape is also provided. An angled or v-cleat is provided near the first metatarsal region to provide improved traction for a wide variety of sports.
US08215034B2	Active shoe cleat system An active shoe cleat system with a shoe having a fluid filled chamber in the shoe operably connected to cleats on the bottom of the shoe, at least one fluid communication path with the cleat that responds to pressure or acceleration on the shoe to deploy the cleat by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure. In a preferred embodiment, the cleat may be activated by hydraulics or pneumatics or have a direct fluid path communicating with the cleat or reservoir operably connected to the cleat.
US08215032B2	Article of footwear having an upper with a structured intermediate layer An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the footwear are disclosed. The footwear has an upper and a sole structure. The upper is secured to sole structure and the upper is formed from three layers: a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer. The second layer is formed from a polymer material and molded to the first layer, but the second layer may alternately be molded to the third layer. The third layer is joined with at least one of the first layer and the second layer such that the second layer is positioned between the first layer and the third layer.
US08215021B2	Tool including a locking mechanism Aspects of the disclosure include a tool. The tool may include a working portion, e.g. a blade, and a holding portion, e.g., a blade holder, wherein the blade and the blade holder are coupled in such a manner that the blade may be positioned in a plurality of configurations with respect to the blade holder. The blade and blade holder may include one or more of an engagement element and/or engagement element receiver that are configured for being coupled together in such a manner that the blade is substantially prevented from moving relative to the blade holder. The blade and/or blade holder may include a plurality of engagement elements and corresponding engagement element receivers such that the blade is capable of being moved incrementally with respect to the blade holder. Also provided are methods of using the tool as well as specialized packaging for offering the tool for sale.
US08215018B2	Method for manufacturing liquid discharge head There is provided a method for manufacturing a liquid discharge head that includes a discharge port, a supply path for supplying the liquid to the discharge port, a transparent member, and an absorptive member, wherein the transparent member and the absorptive member include supply path sections that become a part of a wall of the supply path. The method includes bringing the transparent and absorptive member into contact with each other in such a manner that surfaces of both members including the supply path sections are brought into contact with each other in the vicinity of the supply path sections, welding the both members by irradiating the contact portion where the both members are in contact with each other with the laser beam, and exhausting gas from an exhaust path formed on the liquid discharge head in the vicinity of the contact portion at least throughout the welding process.
US08215016B2	Liquid discharging apparatus and production method therefor There is provided a production method for a liquid discharging apparatus including a liquid discharging head having a discharging port configured to discharge liquid, and a thermoplastic support portion having a liquid supply passage configured to supply the liquid to the liquid discharging head. The production method includes a preparation step of preparing the liquid discharging head and the support portion, a heating step of heating the liquid discharging head, an approach step of moving the liquid discharging head close to the support portion and melting the support portion by applying radiant heat from the liquid discharging head to the support portion, and a pressing step of pressing the liquid discharging head against the support portion so that the melted support portion forms a wall portion to contact an outer peripheral portion of the liquid discharging head.
US08215014B2	Method for making a stator A method for making a stator assembly including the steps of providing a generally cylindrical stator casing, hydroforming the stator casing into a generally helical shape, and positioning a stator liner having a generally helical shape inside the stator casing.
US08215011B2	Method of manufacturing a printed circuit board Disclosed is a printed circuit board having a plating pattern buried in a via and a method of manufacturing the same. The method of manufacturing the printed circuit board includes forming a negative pattern for forming a plating pattern, thus remarkably reducing the generation of plating thickness deviation in a plating process for forming a circuit pattern, and the printed circuit board has improved electrical signal transmission properties.
US08215010B2	Method of manufacturing a printed circuit board A printed circuit board and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The method of manufacturing a printed circuit board can include: forming surface roughness on an insulation layer, coating a chemical compound onto the insulation layer that lowers the surface energy of the insulation layer, and forming a circuit pattern by inkjet printing on the insulation layer coated with the chemical compound. Certain embodiments of the invention can be utilized to improve adhesive strength between the insulation layer and the inkjet-printed circuit patterns, suppress spreading in the inkjet-printed circuit patterns to improve resolution, and reduce manufacturing costs by forming the circuits using inkjet printing.
US08215008B2	Method for producing a housing part for a semiconductor module A method for producing a housing part for a power semiconductor module includes providing a connecting lug having a lower end with a foot region, providing a housing having a side wall with a lead-in bevel, and inserting the connecting lug into the lead-in bevel so that the foot region projects inward into an interior of the housing. The method further includes encapsulating at least a portion of the foot region of the connecting lug inserted into the lead-in bevel with a first plastic to produce a positively locking first connection between the connecting lug and the side wall.
US08215005B2	Chip mounting system A chip mounting system in which a whole system can be compact including a transfer stage and a tool holding member between a chip feeding section and a substrate holding section. In the chip mounting system, a transfer stage is disposed between a chip feeding stage and a substrate holding stage. A pick-up head and a mounting head are provided movably in a Y-axis direction in which the chip feeding stage and the substrate holding stage are aligned. A movable table which is movable in an X-axis direction, which intersects the Y-axis direction at right angles, is provided in a overwrapping movable region of the chip feeding stage and the substrate holding stage. The transfer stage and a tool holding member, which holds at least one of replacement tools for a pick-up tool and a mounting tool, are provided on the movable table.
US08214994B2	Method for separation by cracking, and cracking unit A method for separating a bearing channel of a housing by cracking. The bearing covers of the bearing channel are separated from the housing by cracking by means of a cracking mandrel. The steps include clamping the housing at the top thereof so that the bearing channel is downwardly oriented, i.e., towards a supporting or clamping surface of the housing and supporting the bearing cover during separation by cracking by means of a counter bracket.
US08214981B2	Method and apparatus for Z-direction reinforcement of composite laminates A method and apparatus for Z-direction reinforcement of composite laminates is disclosed. Discrete fibers are pulled through a fiber composite preform in the Z-direction by barbed needles.
US08214979B2	Self boring vertical burial containers A space saving burial container that bores its own interment hole and efficiently guides the cut away receiving material up and out of the hole to inter a fully secured body in a permanently natural upright position.
US08214978B1	Burial capsule A burial casket shaped as a capsule opened by sliding two (2) halves of the capsule lid outwardly, thereby allowing the option of a half-open, fully-open, or fully-closed configuration. The capsule lids would be provided a securing means to prevent inadvertent opening and carrying handles would be provided. These features provide for a casket that is of a lower cost and smaller size, yet still provides a respectful viewing means for the deceased.
US08214976B2	Method and apparatus for pilling reduction An apparatus for reducing pilling on a piece of garment/fabric includes at least one holding member adapted to secure the piece of garment/fabric, a rotatable brush member adapted to brush on the piece of garment/fabric until loose fibers of the garment/fabric migrates to a surface of the garment/fabric to form a layer of pillable fuzz, a shaving member adapted to remove the layer of pillable fuzz on the piece of garment/fabric, and a control unit adapted to control movement of the rotatable brush member and the shaving member.
US08214971B2	Door equalizer support and handhold A pneumatic door closer with a protective external telescoping cylinder and angled handhold. Such a closer is generally outfitted with a structural tubular support that follows the telescoping and collapsing of the closer's piston and that has sufficient stiffness to limit the stresses imposed on the piston throughout its extension. The support provides a resistance to perpendicular force. Moreover, when the piston is collapsed within the exterior chamber, the support pivots to the exterior chamber with bushing(s) fixed to the end of the support that travel along the length of the exterior column as the closer telescopes or collapses, to permit continued smooth sliding motion throughout the extension stroke.
US08214967B2	Floor tool The present invention relates to a floor tool for a surface treating appliance including, a sole plate comprising a floor engaging surface having forward and rearward floor contacting edges and a suction opening, a head which is pivotable relative to the sole plate about an articulation axis between forward and rearward positions, the head having a front sole plate engaging edge and a back sole plate engaging edge, and a connecting arm comprising an outlet in communication with the suction opening, at least a portion of the floor engaging surface of the sole plate extends beyond the back sole plate engaging edge of the head when the head is in the rearward position.
US08214965B2	Windscreen wiper device The invention relates to a windscreen wiper device (10), in particular for a motor vehicle, screwed to a chassis (12). Conventional windscreen wiper devices do not yield on an impact with a pedestrian and hence represent a significant injury risk for pedestrians. According to the invention, the risk of injury may be reduced whereby the housing openings (30), provided for housing screws (11) in the chassis (12) comprise a slot (31) at the edge of the housing opening (30).
US08214964B1	Cleaning tool for removing undesirable marine growth from a support surface and associated method A scraping tool includes a first scraping head, a bracket affixed to the first scraping head, and an elongated pole removably coupled to the bracket access hard-to-reach target zones. In one embodiment, the bracket and the pole are freely articulated along a 360 degree circular path defined adjacent to the outer surface. In another embodiment, the bracket is statically affixed to the first scraping head and a connector is removably engaged with the bracket to quickly reconnect a variety of scraping heads. A rigid fastening member traverses through the connector as well as the second bore respectively. In another embodiment, a second scraping head is affixed to the connector for enabling the user to quickly toggle between the first and second scraping heads.
US08214963B2	Mop with spinning device A mop includes a spinning device, a shank fixed to a first end of the spinning device, an operation rod having a first end connected to a second end of the spinning device, and a mop head connected to a second end of the operation rod. When a force is applied in a first direction making the operation rod and the spinning device move relatively in an axial direction, the mechanism in the spinning device drives the operation rod and the mop head to spin in the same direction simultaneously so as to generate a centrifugal force to remove the water from the mop head. When the force stops, the spring and the clutch structure in the spinning device make the operation rod back to the original position under a condition that the operation rod does not spin.
US08214957B2	Bridge and method for manufacturing the bridge The bridge is constructed of one inner tube and an outer tube surrounding the inner tube. The inner and outer tube are joined to each other by connecting pipes welded to the outer surface of the inner tube and to the inner surface of the outer tube so that the inner tube and the outer tube are connected to each other through said connecting pipes whereby a rigid composite structure is formed. The tubes and pipes are preferably laser welded to each other, preferably by a continuous seam.
US08214954B2	Adaptive water level adjustment for an automatic washer An apparatus and method for determining the degree of engagement between a clothes mover and fabric items during a wash process, and a method for setting the liquid level in the automatic washer based on the degree of engagement between a clothes mover and the fabric items.
US08214952B2	Abduction pillow A hip abduction pillow is used to prevent to post operative hip dislocation of a patient that received a hip prosthesis. The hip abduction pillow in may be integrally formed rigid foam or other suitable material and enables a single person to rotate the patient from side to side with virtually no risk of post operative hip dislocation while minimizing pressure on a patient's heels to virtually eliminate heel pressure sores. The hip abduction pillow includes a base portion; a support portion; and a spacer portion. The hip abduction pillow is self-supporting and can support the patient in two stable alternative rotated positions without the need for a pillow or other support material to maintain a patient in a rotated position.
US08214946B2	Portable hammock and hammock frame In one embodiment, a frame has an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration. The frame includes a support member that has a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion. The first end portion of the first elongate member is pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the support member. A second elongate member has a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion. The first end portion of the second elongate member is pivotally coupled to the support member. A third elongate member has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion of the third elongate member is pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the second elongate member. The third elongate member is pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the first elongate member.
US08214943B2	Steering system for patient transfer device A table assembly for a patient transfer device has an upper table with side plates that are differentially extended at the ends, and valve control for pneumatic tubing integrated with retraction of the side plates. During patient delivery only the delivery side plate is raised, to avoid catching linens in the nip formed between upper and lower belts. A slide assembly supporting the table assembly includes a fixed plate, an intermediate plate, and a full-motion plate which extend by means of rack-and-pinion drives. Each plate is symmetrical, and pinions are symmetrically located on opposite sides of the fixed or intermediate plate to allow hyperextension to either the left or right. Improved steerage for the device is provided by two centerline wheels which counter-rotate from a straight position to a turning position and further to a lateral position wherein the wheels are orthogonal to the longitudinal centerline of the device.
US08214942B2	Removable pop-up drain control with catch basket A drain control assembly has a pop-up stopper controlled by a cammed actuating mechanism allowing the stopper to alternately seal and unseat from the drain opening by repetitively pressing down on the stopper. The seal seats against the structure housing the drain, such as a tub or sink basin and the like, so that a clean look and positive seal can be achieved. The assembly has integral catch basket that serves to both retain items fallen into the drain and removably mount the assembly to a support beneath the drain opening such that the assembly is firmed secured in place for controlling flow through the drain, but also can be dislodged so that the entire assembly can be removed and items in the catch basket can be retrieved. The assembly can then be reinstalled by simply inserting it down into the drain. A method of use is also disclosed.
US08214941B2	Slip-fit clamping system for mounting a fitting on a wall Disclosed are fittings (e.g. tub spouts) suitable for mounting to a member (e.g. a water pipe). Special clamping structures are provided and located in a cavity of a fitting body. The clamping structures have at least two separate clamp parts that surround the water pipe or other member. A set screw can be extended radially inward from a hole in the fitting body to drive a clamp part. This helps to retain the end of the member in the cavity, while distributing clamping load away from a single point.
US08214940B2	Quick sink One example embodiment includes a quick sink system. The quick sink system includes a sink. The sink includes a faucet, where the faucet includes a cold water input for receiving cold water and a hot water input for receiving hot water. The sink also includes a basin, where the basin is configured to retain water and a drain, where the drain is configured to remove water from the basin. The quick sink system also includes a first connector, where the first connector is configured to connect the cold water input to a cold water supply, and a second connector, where the second connector is configured to connect the hot water input to a hot water supply.
US08214937B2	Foot spa tub pump and method A foot spa tub includes a tub basin, a first magnetic drive member rotatably coupled to a drive motor, and a first casing supporting the magnetic drive member. The first casing is disposed against an exterior surface of a sidewall of the basin. A second magnetic drive member is rotatably coupled to a blade. The first and second magnetic drive members are magnetically coupled to each other so that the blade is drivingly coupled to the drive motor. A nozzle houses the second magnetic drive member and the blade. The nozzle is detachably securable to an interior surface of the sidewall by a magnetic attraction force between the first and second magnetic drive members. A method of circulating liquid in a foot tub spa is also provided.
US08214935B2	Pop-up fountains Pop-up fountain embodiments are provided which successfully combine aesthetics, utility and ease of installation and are thus especially suited for installation into spas, hot tubs, pools and the like. Different embodiments include a fountain body and a fountain valve which is slidingly received in the body. The valve terminates in a cap which substantially fills an aperture of the body when the valve is in a quiescent position. Applied water pressure forces the valve into an energized position where the form of the valve directs water laterally in an aesthetically-pleasing pattern. The valve preferably includes a deflector which is arranged below the cap and configured to control and enhance the lateral deflection.
US08214931B2	Toilet seat hinge and method of manufacture A toilet assembly comprising: a toilet bowl; a toilet seat; and a hinge pivotally connecting the toilet seat to the toilet bowl, the hinge including a base portion connected to the toilet bowl, the base portion being made of a relatively rigid material; a leaf portion connected to the toilet seat, the leaf portion being made of a relatively rigid material; and a living hinge portion pivotally connecting the base portion to the leaf portion, the living hinge portion being made of a relatively flexible material.
US08214930B2	Toilet odor removal apparatus The present invention's toilet provides a toilet odor removal apparatus The toilet may additionally provide a dual flushing system and/or water overflow prevention system. The odor removal apparatus is operable to withdraw air from a toilet bowl via a suction assembly comprised of a motorized fan to discharge air into a sewer discharge line through a ventilating passage. A valve assembly for controlling the configuration of the system includes a valve controlling means and a solenoid iron plunger. Three main configurations include water flow from the toilet tank to the bowl (flushing), no water flow to the bowl and air flow from the toilet bowl through the fan to the ventilating passage (odor removal), and finally no water flow or air flow (not is use).
US08214928B1	Headguard with an eccentric dimple for accommodating the occipital bone The present claimed invention is directed to a protective headguard, comprising a rear pad to protectively cover at least the occipital lobe on the back of a human head. The rear pad has an eccentric dimple for accommodating the occipital lobe. A front pad is configured and arranged to protectively cover at least the forehead of a human. The front pad is releasably interconnected to the rear pad at separate and distinct upper and lower connection points on the rear pad positioned on opposite sides of the dimple. The fit of the headguard can be adjusted between a first and second configuration by disconnecting the front and rear pads, rotating the rear pad 180° and reconnecting the front and rear pads with the front pad connections to the rear pad exchanged as between the upper and lower connection points.
US08214920B1	Hard hat adapter for a welding helmet A hard hat adapter for a welding helmet is disclosed. The dapater includes a housing which has an outer wall, an interior surface and a bottom surface. The outer wall includes a surface defining a window therethrough. The interior surface includes a recessed surface circumscribing the window. The recessed surface includes at least one planar surface thereon. A rotatable boss is captured within the housing against the interior surface. The boss has an annular lip that includes at least one planar surface thereon configured to selectively engage the planar surface on the recessed surface of the housing and prevent the boss from rotating when engaged thereon and freely rotatable when disengaged therefrom. A mounting post extends from the boss and projects through the window on the housing. The mounting post is configured to selectively couple to a welding helmet. The welding helmet may include a rotatable cam configured to engage a lever arm on the hard hat adapter.
US08220068B2	Monolithic high aspect ratio nano-size scanning probe microscope (SPM) tip formed by nanowire growth A scanning probe where the micromachined pyramid tip is extended by the growth of an epitaxial nanowire from the top portion of the tip is disclosed. A metallic particle, such as gold, may terminate the nanowire to realize an apertureless near-field optical microscope probe.
US08220067B2	Cantilevered probe detector with piezoelectric element A disclosed chemical detection system for detecting a target material, such as an explosive material, can include a cantilevered probe, a probe heater coupled to the cantilevered probe, and a piezoelectric element disposed on the cantilevered probe. The piezoelectric element can be configured as a detector and/or an actuator. Detection can include, for example, detecting a movement of the cantilevered probe or a property of the cantilevered probe. The movement or a change in the property of the cantilevered probe can occur, for example, by adsorption of the target material, desorption of the target material, reaction of the target material and/or phase change of the target material. Examples of detectable movements and properties include temperature shifts, impedance shifts, and resonant frequency shifts of the cantilevered probe. The overall chemical detection system can be incorporated, for example, into a handheld explosive material detection system.
US08220066B2	Vibration compensation in probe microscopy A The local probe microscopy apparatus (1) comprises a probe (3) with translation stages (5a, 5b) for controlling the position of the probe (3) relative to a sample surface. The probe (3) has a feedback mechanism (6, 5 7) for maintaining the deflection of the probe and a height measuring system (9) which includes means for compensating for environmental noise. The local probe microscopy apparatus is particularly suitable for use as a wafer inspection tool in a wafer fabrication plant where the inspection tool is liable to be exposed to significant mechanical vibration.
US08220065B2	Content data reproducing apparatus with temporary data memory In a content data reproducing apparatus having a temporary memory for stream reproduction, a content data acquisition section acquires content data from an external content provision server. A storage control section temporarily stores the content data acquired by the content data acquisition section in the temporary memory such that the stored content data should be erased from the temporary memory when a power supply is turned off. A reproduction condition acquisition section acquires reproduction condition data which defines a reproduction condition for reproducing the content data. A reproduction section reproduces the content data read from the temporary memory. A reproduction control section operates in case that the reproduction condition is satisfied for supplying the reproduction section with the content data read from the temporary memory for the reproduction, and operates in case that the reproduction condition is no more satisfied for erasing the content data from the temporary memory even before the power supply is turned off.
US08220064B2	Content management system and content management unit A content management system which can prevent a content from being copied exceeding the limited number of copies for the content. The content management system includes a first content management device and a second content management device. The first content management device stores period information that indicates an available period during which a first external device is permitted to use a copied content which has been copied from the content, and outputs the period information to the second content management device when the content is moved. Upon receiving the period information from the first content management device, the second content management device judges whether the available period of the copied content has expired, using the received period information, and if it is judges that the available period has not expired, it inhibits the content from being copied to the second external device.
US08220061B2	Method for making contents public or private, information providing system, and information providing program Contents can be made public or private, when to be switched so, by designating a common file identifier before and after the switching. An information providing system reads a second file identifier related to a first file identifier, from a storage device (S25). The information providing system moves, in case it receives a request for making the contents public, the contents corresponding to the second file identifier read, to a public area, and moves, in case it receives a request for making the contents private, the same to a private area (S30). According to the stored place of the contents moved, the information providing system changes the second file identifier, and stores the same in the storage device in a correlation between the first file identifier received and the second file identifier changed (S35).
US08220056B2	Threat management system and method In a threat management system and method for managed systems, leveraging of identifications and/or assessments of common threats, and/or valuation of assets which may be susceptible to common threats, can be applied to facilitate monitoring of customer compliance with policies needed to guard against threats to customer assets. Threat identification and response in managed systems may be tailored for different customers, in some instances without having to parse individual customer details, such as assets at risk and types of threats to those assets.
US08220054B1	Process exception list updating in a malware behavior monitoring program Generating an exception list by a service provider for use in behavior monitoring programs for malware detection is described. A feedback server controlled by a malware prevention service provider receives client process reports from client devices owned by the service provider's customers and others using the provider's behavior monitoring software. The process reports contain data on processes that were evaluated (on the client device) as being processes that require a significant amount of CPU resources (i.e., above a certain threshold) to monitor and that have previously executed on the client device and were considered safe or non-harmful to the device. The feedback server receives the process reports and creates a statistics summary report, which is used by the service provider in evaluating whether to include the processes in the provider's official exception list which is distributed to its customers for use in their behavior monitoring programs. While creating the process reports on the client devices, the devices are able to temporarily address issues caused by processes taking up too much of the behavior monitor's CPU usage by including the process on exception list only for that client. The final decision as to whether the process will be on the final or official exception list is made by the service provider.
US08220053B1	Shadow copy-based malware scanning Scanning of the shadow copy instead of the hard disk of a computer (using an accessing interface instead of the file system interface or an API of the operating system) enables the scanning software to access any files that might have been locked by the malware on the hard disk and avoids root kits. Files cannot be locked because a disk parser is used instead of the operating system or normal file system interface. It is possible for malware to change or reinfect files during the scanning and cleaning process. Files on the hard disk in existence at the time a manual scan is begun are scanned and backed up to the cache if changed during scanning. Dropped malware is removed by reverting the hard disk to the shadow copy once scanning and cleaning has been performed. Even if a watchdog drops a file during the scanning and cleaning process (because it detects that other malware components are being affected) these dropped files will be removed.
US08220051B2	Generation and delivery of multimedia content-adaptation notifications A method for conditioning multimedia containers to be compatible with decoding facilities of receivers of diverse types is disclosed. Content of a multimedia container may include components of different encoding formats. Container conditioning also detects and, where feasible, removes undesirable insertions within each content component of a multimedia container. A content component of a container may be filtered, re-encoded, or deleted. Notifications indicating conditions of a container and any modifications performed are appended to the container. A notification may be presented in at least one form compatible with characteristics of a respective receiver. An editing engine implementing the method is associated with a network entity to which multimedia containers are directed. The editing engine accesses a receiver database storing information on several types of receivers and a repository of notification templates encoded in several forms.
US08220045B2	System and method of identifying and preventing security violations within a computing system A system and method of identifying and preventing security violations within a computing system. Some exemplary embodiments may be a method comprising monitoring activity on a core bus coupled to a processor core (the processor core operating in a computing system), identifying activity on the core bus as a security violation, and preventing execution of an instruction within the processor core in response to the security violation.
US08220044B2	Apparatus and method for triggering session re-negotiation between access network and access terminal in a high rate packet data system The invention relates to a method for triggering re-negotiation of a session when an Access Terminal moves from one access network (source AN) to another access network (target AN) having different capabilities in high rate packet data system. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the source AN is allowed to store all the protocol subtypes, protocols and applications that AT is capable of and also allowing the AT to send this information in priority order during session negotiation and hence facilitating the transfer of this information from source AN to target AN during session transfer when AT moves from one AN to another AN. An alternate embodiment is to let the AT send the protocol subtypes, protocols and applications and other AT capable information to target AN after it moves to a new AN or by letting the Rev-A capable AN query the AT's capability information and then the AT providing this information. In another exemplary embodiment, the invention includes re-negotiation by introducing a revision (like Protocol revision) information in overhead information messages that an AN broadcasts to all ATs.
US08220043B2	Information processing device and computer implemented method for information processing device An information processing device that causes a router to open a new communication port and permits an active access from a terminal when the terminal connected to an outer network is provided. A multi function device (information processing device) accesses a POP server and acquires a mail. In a case where the mail from an outer terminal describes an access request, the multi function device transmits to a port-open-command that requests a router to open a new communication port. The multi function device transmits to the outer terminal a port identifier of the new communication port that was opened by the router. The outer terminal transmits data to the multi function device with the received port identifier designated therein. The multi function device, triggered by the mail from the outer terminal, can cause the router to open a new communication port that permits an active access from the outer terminal.
US08220035B1	System and method for trusted embedded user interface for authentication A security component may be associated with a network-enabled application. The security component may initiate the display of an embedded region of a window drawn according to display information received from a relying party. The security component may define at least a portion of the appearance of the embedded region; the relying party may not define this portion. The embedded region may include customization information configured by a user, and “Card” information received from an assertion provider, indicating how to authenticate user credentials in order to gain access to relying party restricted content. The security component may request authentication of user credentials from the assertion provider, which may be trusted by the relying party. The security component may receive an assertion token from the assertion provider indicating the credentials are authentic. The security component may forward the assertion token to the relying party to gain access to the restricted content.
US08220034B2	User authentication based on authentication credentials and location information A computer program product, apparatus, and system, are disclosed for user authentication based on authentication credentials and location information. A computer program product performs operations for such authentication. These operations of the computer program product include referencing past user location information in response to an authentication validation request and referencing current user location information. These operations also include determining a maximum allowable distance between an authentication attempt location associated with the authentication attempt location identifier and a past location associated with the past user interaction location identifier, and managing the authentication attempt, in response to determining that the physical authentication attempt location is outside the maximum allowable distance. The computer program product, apparatus, and system thereby reduce the possibility of identity theft by adding an element of location awareness to the authentication process.
US08220033B2	Method and apparatus for managing bootstrap credentials for credentials-storage systems One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates accessing a credential. During operation, the system receives a request at a credentials-storage framework (CSF) to retrieve the credential. If a target credential store containing the credential is not already connected to the CSF, the system looks up a bootstrap credential for the target credential store in a bootstrap credential store, which contains bootstrap credentials for other credential stores. Next, the system uses this bootstrap credential to connect the CSF to the target credential store. Finally, the system retrieves the credential from the target credential store, and returns the credential to the requestor.
US08220032B2	Methods, devices, and computer program products for discovering authentication servers and establishing trust relationships therewith Using an authentication server to discover one or more additional authentication servers and to dynamically establish a trust relationship with the one or more additional authentication servers. The authentication server searches for the one or more additional authentication servers to discover one or more sources of authentication tokens, and inspects an incoming authentication request from the one or more additional authentication servers to determine if the request is carrying one or more authentication tokens from a newly discovered realm. Once the authentication server determines a newly discovered realm to be trustworthy, the authentication server receives a directory schema from the newly discovered realm and compares the received directory schema with a known directory schema retrieved by the authentication server to identify an intersection of the received directory schema and the known directory schema. The authentication server uses the intersection to identify a primary key, and to identify any unique information that is specific to either the authentication server or the newly discovered realm.
US08220031B2	Secure time/date virtualization A system is provided that includes a processor and a system memory coupled to the processor, the system memory stores at least one application for execution by the processor. The system also includes logic coupled to the processor, the logic providing a secure time reference. The processor selectively accesses the secure time reference to generate a virtual time reference for the at least one application.
US08220029B2	Method and system for enforcing trusted computing policies in a hypervisor security module architecture A method and system for enforcing trusted computing (TC) policies in a security module architecture for a hypervisor. Upon receiving a request from a subject for access to an object, TC-related attribute values are obtained for the subject and the object based on a virtualized trusted platform module (vTPM). Access control decisions are the made based at least on the TC-related attribute values and TC-related policies.
US08220027B1	Method and system to convert conventional storage to an audio/video server A method and system to utilize an audio/video server in storing real time, previously recorded or otherwise obtained media data to one or more conventional storage device and making this stored media data available to media playback devices on a network. A first embodiment is a method to operate a video server including recording audio/video data to a storage module coupled to the a video server through at least one standardized port module, determining a need to provide a video file to the one or more playback devices; reading a video file from a storage module coupled to the video server through at least one standardized port module; and providing a version of the video file to one or more playback devices. The version of the video file can optionally be a trans-coded version of the video file, with a new video format, compression, bitrate, or combination of the preceding. A second embodiment is a system including a video server including a storage module having at least one standardized port module; a video server, coupled to the storage module through the at least one standardized port module; and one or more playback devices. These embodiments can be applied in several wired and wireless communication applications, or in combinations of such applications.
US08220022B1	Traversing video recommendations A system, method and various user interfaces facilitate traversing multiple groups of video recommendations. A group of video recommendations includes a central video, an indicator of video of interest corresponding to the central video, and a set of related videos displayed at its corresponding display distance from the central video and from each other. The corresponding display distance of a video is calculated as a function of the video's recommendation score and correlation with other videos of the group. Responsive to selection of new central video, a new group of video recommendations is generated and displayed in coordination of the existing groups of video recommendations, where the plurality of central videos are visually connected. Visually presenting recommended videos responsive to user selections of videos of interest provides a quick and intuitive way for user to traverse videos of interest and visualize the browsing of the recommended videos.
US08220018B2	System and method for preferred placement programming of iTV content Preferred placement of programming content is provided by a system and method to organize or sequence the display of a set of programmable content elements of an iTV application to a viewer, using business rules that describe the preferred placement conditions or criteria. Such criteria include brand, content owner, application location, current channel, current channel family, current channel category, time of day, content category, current program, current program genre, current iTV application, current content type, and/or subscriber and set-top box profile and behavior data. In one implementation, the present invention allows for managing the ‘shelf space ’ within and for iTV applications.
US08220010B2	Disc drive with clearance adjustment member There is provided a disc drive by which the fluid loss of a disc is reduced and the electric power consumption of a spindle motor can be decreased. In the disc drive according to the present invention, a rotation load reducing member is provided between a top cover and the disc. The rotation load reducing member is movably supported by a clearance adjustment member. While the disc is rotating, the rotation load reducing member is moved in the direction approaching the disc. Thereby, the thickness of an air layer on the upper surface of the disc is decreased.
US08220001B2	Adaptive cluster timer manager Described herein are techniques for adaptively managing timers that are used in various layers of a node. In many cases, the number of timers that occur in the system is reduced by proactively and reactively adjusting values of the timers based on conditions affecting the system, thereby making such a system to perform significantly better and more resiliently than otherwise.
US08219993B2	Frequency scaling of processing unit based on aggregate thread CPI metric A device, system, and method are directed towards managing power consumption in a computer system with one or more processing units, each processing unit executing one or more threads. Threads are characterized based on a cycles per instruction (CPI) characteristic of the thread. A clock frequency of each processing unit may be configured based on the CPI of each thread assigned to the processing unit. In a system wherein higher clock frequencies consume greater amounts of power, the CPI may be used to determine a desirable clock frequency. The CPI of each thread may also be used to assign threads to each processing unit, so that threads having similar characteristics are grouped together. Techniques for assigning threads and configuring processor frequency may be combined to affect performance and power consumption. Various specifications or factors may also be considered when scheduling threads or determining processor frequencies.
US08219977B1	Using a software repository to increase the speed of software testing A method of testing software can include maintaining a cache within at least one of a plurality of farm machines of a testing farm. Each cache can include at least one version of test ingredients. The method can also include receiving, within at least one selected farm machine, a request to perform a test involving a test version of the test ingredients and comparing the test version of the test ingredients with versions of the test ingredients stored within the cache of the selected farm machine. The method can also include selectively updating a version of the test ingredients stored within the cache of the selected farm machine according to the comparison.
US08219976B2	Managing sets of entities Methods and apparatus, including computer systems and program products, that implement a description language and a parser for a description language. A method includes receiving input including a specification of base items, a specification of contexts, and a specification of a selected context from the contexts. The method further includes generating an output set of items by evaluating the selected context. In that method, each item in the output set of items includes core attributes of a corresponding base item and can include attributes from a context. Generating an output set of items can include generating a specific bill of materials.
US08219975B2	Real-time analysis of performance data of a video game A method for analyzing the performance of a video game uses a diagnostic tool that is associated with application code of the video game. The diagnostic tool is activated when the video game is in operation, and real-time performance data is captured and displayed. A warning is generated when a performance metric violates a pre-set condition. The warning may be displayed on a display screen that is used to provide information for rectifying the violation.
US08219971B2	System and method for source code sectional locking for improved management A system and method of managing source code and, more particularly, a system and method for locking sections of source code to eliminate conflicts during concurrent use by multiple users. The method includes locking a first section of a file and at least a second section of the file to permit editing thereof by different users to the exclusion of other users. The method further includes merging edits of the locked first section with remaining sections of the file including any edits made to the at least second section without overwriting any edits.
US08219969B2	Data structure used for directory structure navigation in a skeleton code creation tool Programming the creation of a software system is facilitated by automating the generation of some of the program code that is necessary for the software system. The generation of program code may be automated based on a software design specification that can be created by developers. The software design specification may be scanned and code may be generated for implementing the software system based on information obtained from scanning the software design specification.
US08219968B2	Designing computer programs Designing a computer program includes accessing invariant domain rules and displaying variable business rules. One or more business rules are selected in response to a user selection and are customized. The business rules are associated with a procedure, and the domain rules are associated with the procedure. A model representing the procedure is displayed, and a code corresponding to the procedure is generated to design a computer program.
US08219962B1	Library enrichment Methods are used to enrich a cell library in such a way to provide a nearly continuous choice of cells to implement a circuit design. The emphasis of the design method is on automatic determination of the needed cell sizes and variants. The method exploits different variants on drive strengths, P/N ratios, topology variants, internal buffering, and so forth. The method allows enriching libraries to become more suitable for efficient timing closure. The method also offers means to adapt the preexisting cells to fit the final distribution, minimizing the number of new cells to be created.
US08219961B2	Method for compensation of process-induced performance variation in a MOSFET integrated circuit An automated method for compensating for process-induced variations in threshold voltage and drive current in a MOSFET integrated circuit. The method's first step is selecting a transistor for analysis from the array. The method loops among the transistors of the array as desired. Next the design of the selected transistor is analyzed, including the steps of determining threshold voltage variations induced by layout neighborhood; determining drive current variations induced by layout neighborhood. The method then proceeds by attempting to compensate for any determined variations by varying the length of the transistor gate. The method can further include the step of identifying any shortcoming in compensation by varying contact spacing.
US08219958B1	Creating evaluation hardware using a high level modeling system Within a system comprising a processor and a memory, a method of creating evaluation hardware within an integrated circuit can include automatically inserting, by the processor, a disable circuit block into a circuit design. The method can also include automatically selecting a location within the circuit design to insert the disable circuit block, and/or inserting an unlock circuit block into the circuit design, wherein responsive to receiving an unlock code, the unlock circuit block overrides the disable circuit block. The method also can include storing, within the memory, the circuit design comprising the disable circuit block.
US08219957B1	Global placement legalization for complex packing rules A method performed by a system comprising a processor and a memory can include performing a global placement of a circuit design for a target programmable integrated circuit (IC) and clustering the circuit design using a selected size of cluster regions according to control sets identified within the circuit design. The method further can include determining a legalized placement of the clustered circuit design by solving a minimum cost network flow problem for the selected size of the cluster regions and the target programmable IC and assigning components to sites of the target programmable IC according to the legalized placement. The circuit design specifying the legalized placement can be stored within the memory.
US08219955B2	Automatically wiring circuit by setting and changing reference to design quality relating to electric characteristic In order to make it possible to automatically execute a wiring process which satisfies not only a design condition but also design quality relating to an electric characteristic, according to the embodiment, an automatic wiring apparatus includes a design condition changing section for changing a design condition in accordance with priority information regarding the design condition where a wiring process which satisfies the design condition cannot be carried out by a first wiring processing section, a quality allowability decision section for deciding whether or not quality of a wiring region can be allowed where a wiring process which satisfies the design condition after the changing can be executed by a second wiring processing section and an outputting section for outputting a result of the wiring process of the wiring region by the second wiring processing section if it is decided that the quality of the wiring region can be allowed.
US08219952B2	Variation aware victim and aggressor timing overlap detection by pessimism reduction based on relative positions of timing windows A computer is programmed to identify a number of groups of timing windows, each group including a victim timing window and one (or more) aggressor timing window(s), respectively for a victim net and one (or more) aggressor nets in an IC design. The computer automatically slides (i.e. shifts in time) the victim and aggressor timing windows as a group for each die, i.e. by a specific amount that is identical for all timing windows of an instance of a coupled stage in a die, but differs for other instances of the same coupled stage in other dies. Crosstalk analysis is then performed, using time-shifted timing windows which result from sliding, to identify overlapping victim and aggressor nets, followed by variation aware delay calculations to identify timing violations and timing critical nets, followed by revision of the IC design, which is eventually fabricated in a wafer of semiconductor material.
US08219945B2	Computer-aided design system to automate scan synthesis at register-transfer level A method and system to automate scan synthesis at register-transfer level (RTL). The method and system will produce scan HDL code modeled at RTL for an integrated circuit modeled at RTL. The method and system comprise computer-implemented steps of performing RTL testability analysis, clock-domain minimization, scan selection, test point selection, scan repair and test point insertion, scan replacement and scan stitching, scan extraction, interactive scan debug, interactive scan repair, and flush/random test bench generation. In addition, the present invention further comprises a method and system for hierarchical scan synthesis by performing scan synthesis module-by-module and then stitching these scanned modules together at top-level. The present invention further comprises integrating and verifying the scan HDL code with other design-for-test (DFT) HDL code, including boundary-scan and logic BIST (built-in self-test).
US08219944B2	Method and system performing block-level RC extraction A method, system, and computer program product are disclosed for performing RC extraction from the perspective of the block level. A translation mechanism is employed to convert from a full-chip design domain to a block-level design domain. This allows model-based prediction results to be used in the early design implementation flow when parasitic RC and timing extractions are performed, where the model-based prediction results relate to predictions of manufacturing variations such as thickness and topography.
US08219943B2	Physical design system and method A design system for designing complex integrated circuits (ICs), a method of IC design and program product therefor. A layout unit receives a circuit description representing portions in a grid and glyph format. A checking unit checks grid and glyph portions of the design. An elaboration unit generates a target layout from the checked design. A data prep unit prepares the target layout for mask making. A pattern caching unit selectively replaces portions of the design with previously cached results for improved design efficiency.
US08219942B2	Pattern verification-test method, optical image intensity distribution acquisition method, and computer program A pattern verification-test method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: deriving an illumination condition at a verification-test subject position in a photomask surface of a mask pattern as a verification or a test subject based on the verification-test subject position and illumination condition information about a distribution of an illumination condition in a photomask surface of exposure light incident on the mask pattern, performing lithography simulation on the mask pattern based on the derived illumination condition and the mask pattern, and verifying or testing the mask pattern based on a result of the lithography simulation.
US08219941B2	Range pattern definition of susceptibility of layout regions to fabrication issues A memory is encoded with a data structure that represents a pattern having a range for one or more dimensions and/or positions of line segments therein. The data structure identifies two or more line segments that are located at a boundary of the pattern. The data structure also includes at least one set of values that identify a maximum limit and a minimum limit (i.e. the range) between which relative location and/or dimension of an additional line segment of the pattern in a portion of a layout of an integrated circuit (IC) chip, represents a defect in the IC chip when fabricated. In most embodiments, multiple ranges are specified in such a range defining pattern for example a width range is specified for the width of a trace of material in the layout and a spacing range is specified for the separation distance between two adjacent traces in the layout.
US08219937B2	Manipulation of graphical elements on graphical user interface via multi-touch gestures Embodiments related to the manipulation of objects on a multi-touch graphical user interface are disclosed. For example, in one disclosed embodiment, a method of operating a graphical user interface of a computing device comprises presenting a group of objects on the graphical user interface in a group representation, where the group of objects includes two or more objects. The method further comprises receiving a multi-touch gesture at the graphical user interface in which two or more temporally overlapping touches are moved relative to each other on the graphical user interface. The method further comprises changing an organization of the group of objects presented on the graphical user interface in response to a changing of a distance between the two or more temporally overlapping touches as they are moved relative to each other on the graphical user interface.
US08219936B2	User interface for a mobile device using a user's gesture in the proximity of an electronic device An electronic device having a user interface on a display and method for controlling the device, the method including: detecting a proximity of an object to the display; detecting a two-dimensional motion pattern of the object; and controlling the user interface according to the detected two-dimensional motion pattern. Also, a method including: detecting an object in a space over a border between first and second zones of a plurality of touch-sensitive zones and outputting a detection signal; and simultaneously displaying first and second information elements corresponding to the first and second zones in response to the detection signal.
US08219930B2	Radial menu display systems and methods In certain embodiments, a graphical representation of a two-dimensional radial menu is displayed in a graphical user interface. The graphical representation of the two-dimensional radial menu is transformed into a graphical representation of a three-dimensional radial menu in the graphical user interface. In certain embodiments, the displaying comprises utilizing data representative of a three-dimensional radial menu model to render the graphical representation of the two-dimensional radial menu, based on a first viewpoint, in the graphical user interface, and the transforming comprises utilizing the data representative of the three-dimensional radial menu model to render the graphical representation of the three-dimensional radial menu, based on a second viewpoint, in the graphical user interface. In certain embodiments, the transforming comprises repositioning a viewpoint associated with the graphical representation of the two-dimensional radial menu to produce the graphical representation of the three-dimensional radial menu.
US08219929B2	Method of entering of data into a data processing system The present invention relates to a method of entering of data in a data processing system. A first linear sequence of top-level icons is displayed. A second linear sequence of second-level icons for a selected one of the top-level icons is also displayed such that the position of the leading icon of the second linear sequence is aligned with the selected one of the top-level icons of the first linear sequence. At least one data entry field for a selected one of the second-level icons is also displayed.
US08219923B2	Automatic generation of documentation for specified systems System and method for generating information regarding the functionality of a system. Input specifying at least a portion of functionality of a system may be received, e.g., from a user via a graphical user interface (GUI), and may specify one or more components of the system at a component level. The input may specify one or more components of the system, e.g., software component(s), hardware device(s), function(s) of the system, etc. Information, e.g., help information and/or documentation, describing one or more aspects of the functionality of the system may be automatically generated based on the input. The descriptions of the aspects may include information regarding the synergistic/combinatorial interactions of the components at a system level, e.g., via calculation or derivation from data retrieved from various sources regarding the components of the system. The information may be automatically stored and/or automatically displayed in the GUI substantially in real-time.
US08219920B2	Methods and systems for managing to do items or notes or electronic messages Methods and systems for managing To do items and/or notes and/or emails (or other electronic messages) are described. On exemplary method includes receiving an input to create a To do item based on a portion of an email record, such as a received email, and creating, in response to the input, the To do item. Another exemplary method includes storing a note having a To do item in the note, the note being stored as an entry in a note database which is separate from a To do database and storing the To do item in the To do database and receiving an input within either a note view or a To do view to edit the To do item and causing the note to be edited and causing the To do item to be edited in response to the input.
US08219918B2	Displaying multiple storage windows Various embodiments are disclosed for displaying multiple storage windows. One embodiment is a method that displays a first window having a depiction of storage capacity. The first window is expanded to nest two storage windows in the first window.
US08219916B2	Techniques for visual representation of user activity associated with an information resource A system and methodology for visually representing user activity associated with an information resource is described. Online and offline activities of users are associated with symbolic representations of those users. In an embodiment, the symbolic representation of a user has the appearance of a dust particle. The dust particle can provide a universal and unobtrusive visual representation of the online or offline activity of the represented user. Further, the dust particle can exist for the represented user to communicate with other users with privacy and anonymity. To visually convey selected aspects of an online or offline activity, the activity is mapped to visual attributes that alter the dust particle behavior and/or appearance. The result is a dynamic and universal representation of online and offline user activities associated with an information resource such as a web page, database, or document that can help other online users efficiently discern the relevancy and popularity of the information resource.
US08219910B2	Host device to install driver and method thereof A host device to install a driver and a driver installing method thereof. The host device includes a user interface to provide a step-by-step setup screen to install a driver of an external device and a setup method screen to inform a setup method of the step-by-step setup screen, and receives a selection signal with respect to the step-by-step setup screen, and a driver installer to install the driver according to the selection signal input through the user interface.
US08219906B2	Instantaneous symbol lookup A computer program assists in the completion of text input provided by a user. For example, the computer program may maintain a list of n-tuples (where n>1), each of which includes n text strings. For example, each n-tuple may include a stock ticker symbol and the name of a company having that stock ticker symbol. As the user types each character, the program determines whether the text typed by the user so far matches any of the text strings in the n-tuples. The program provides the user with an indication of whether any matches have been found, such as by displaying a list of the n-tuples having text matching the text typed by the user so far. The program then allows the user to select one of the matching n-tuples. The program uses text (such as a stock ticker symbol) from the user's selection to complete the text input.
US08219901B2	Method and device for filtering elements of a structured document on the basis of an expression Method, device and computer-readable medium are provided for filtering elements of a structured document on the basis of an expression including an item of information for identification of an evaluation mode of a part of the expression. A step of evaluating the expression on the basis of the data of the structured document is performed by evaluating the part of the expression on the basis of the item of information for identification of the evaluation mode, the evaluation mode corresponding to (i) an extraction of elements not satisfying the part of the expression, (ii) an extraction of elements satisfying the part of the expression, or (iii) an extraction of elements satisfying the part of the expression and an extraction of elements not satisfying the part of the expression.
US08219897B2	Low complexity decoding of low density parity check codes An improved decoder and decoding method for low density parity check (LDPC) codes is provided. Decoding proceeds by repetitive message passing from a set of variable nodes to a set of check nodes, and from the check nodes back to the variable nodes. The variable node output messages include a “best guess” as to the relevant bit value, along with a weight giving the confidence in the, guess. The check node output messages have magnitudes selected from a predetermined set including neutral, weak, medium and strong magnitudes. The check node output messages tend to reinforce the status quo of the input variable nodes if the check node parity check is satisfied, and tend to flip bits in the input variable nodes if the check node parity check is not satisfied. The variable node message weights are used to determine the check node message magnitudes.
US08219896B2	Reduced-complexity decoding algorithms for tail-biting convolutional codes A decoder is provided which is configured to operate upon an input encoded sequence using a wrap around Viterbi procedure, and a decoding method which employs the decoder. The decoder/method is configured to output a selected path as a decode sequence, and to avoid storing, for a current iteration of the wrap-around Viterbi procedure other than a first iteration, a best path up to the current iteration.
US08219895B2	DTV transmitter and method of coding main and enhanced data in DTV transmitter A DTV transmitter includes a pre-processor pre-processing enhanced data, a data formatter generating enhanced data packets including the pre-processed data and inserting known data place holders to the data packets, and a multiplexer multiplexing the enhanced data packets with main data packets. It further includes an RS encoder which RS-codes the multiplexed data packets, and a data interleaves which interleaves the RS-coded data packets. The RS encoder adds systematic RS parity data to each main data packet and adds non-systematic RS parity place holders to each enhanced data packet. The RS encoder adds the RS parity place holders such that the RS parity place holders are placed after the enhanced data within each interleaved enhanced data packet.
US08219894B2	Architecture and control of reed-solomon error-correction decoding Systems and methods are provided for implementing various aspects of a Reed-Solomon (RS) error-correction system. A detector can provide a decision-codeword from a channel and can also provide soft-information for the decision-codeword. If the decision-codeword corresponds to an inner code and an RS code is the outer code, a soft-information map can process the soft-information for the decision-codeword to produce soft-information for a RS decision-codeword. A RS decoder can employ the Berlekamp-Massey algorithm (BMA), list decoding, and a Chien search, and can include a pipelined architecture. A threshold-based control circuit can be used to predict whether list decoding will be needed and can suspend the list decoding operation if it predicts that list decoding is not needed.
US08219891B2	Method and apparatus for creating beamforming profiles in a wireless communication network A wireless communications network uses a beamforming process to increase signal quality as well as transmission capabilities and reduction of interference. An improved Golay sequence is also used in the wireless communications network. In one aspect, the processes can be used to communicate regardless of whether the system is on an OFDM mode or a single carrier mode.
US08219886B1	High density multi-level memory Embodiments of the present invention provide high density, multi-level memory. Thus, various embodiments of the present invention provide a memory apparatus in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention includes a memory block comprising a plurality of cells, each cell adapted to operate with multi-level signal. Such a memory apparatus also includes a channel block adapted to code data values in accordance with a coding scheme that favorably effects a distribution of the multi-levels of the multi-level signals, and to output the corresponding multi-level signals of the coded data values to the memory block. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08219880B2	Combined single error correction/device kill detection code In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a check/correct circuit coupled to a control circuit. The check/correct circuit is coupled to receive a block of data and corresponding check bits. The block of data is received as N transmissions, each transmission including M data bits and L check bits. The check/correct circuit is configured to detect one or more errors in each of a plurality of non-overlapping windows of K bits in the M data bits, responsive to the M data bits and the L check bits. The control circuit is configured to record which of the plurality of windows have had errors detected and, if a given window of the plurality of windows has had errors detected in each of the N transmissions of the block, the control circuit is configured to signal a device failure. Each of K, L, M, and N are integers greater than one.
US08219877B2	Method and apparatus for transmitting uplink data in a wireless access system A method of transmitting data in a wireless access system is disclosed. The method includes various processes of obtaining the number of code blocks in consideration of an error detection code which is to be attached to each code block, calculating the size of the code blocks, segmenting input data, and channel-coding the code blocks, thereby efficiently transmitting data.
US08219874B2	Multi-dimensional LDPC coded modulation for high-speed optical transmission systems Arbitrarily high data transmission rates may be achieved by the use of N-dimensional, LDPC-coded modulation. N orthonormal basis functions are employed using coherent reception, resulting in a proportional increase in transmission rate with only a modest increase in bit-error ratio.
US08219872B2	Extended deinterleaver for an iterative decoder An extended deinterleaver the extended deinterleaver being responsive to at least one input signal, comprised of codewords, and operative to generate a deinterleaved output signal. The extended deinterleaver comprising a storage space organized into B number of appended storage branches, at least one appended storage branch having a storage branch and at least one element N, the received codewords being deinterleaved and buffered by the extended deinterleaver prior to being provided to the variable iteration decoder. Each appended storage branch further having a length that is extended by the length of N, N being at least one element, wherein as a codeword is provided to the variable iteration decoder, other codewords are provided to subsequent appended storage branches, and further wherein each appended storage branch, indexed by ‘b’, has a length of Lb+N, wherein Lb is the length of the storage branch prior to appending N.
US08219871B2	Efficient decoupling schemes for quantum systems using soft pulses A system and method for dynamical decoupling of a quantum system includes forming a graph including elements to account for decoupling sequence effects represented as nodes in the graph and soft pulses applied being represented as edges in the graph. Sequences which visit edges and nodes in the graph are provided. Binary strings corresponding to the nodes in a coordinate system are mapped using a fixed linear error correcting code. A decoupling method is provided based upon a matrix formed using the error correcting code to determine features of the soft pulses to decouple environmental effects from the quantum system.
US08219870B2	Equipment and a method for bit collection in hybrid automatic repetition request To achieve a greater system throughput and be compatible with the legacy HSDPA by support of 64QAM and the higher modulation in the HARQ bit collection, an equipment and a method are disclosed. After applying this method and equipment, the new HSDPA system can perform better in system throughput and can be upgraded smoothly.
US08219869B2	Method of retransmitting data in a mobile communication system A communication method according to an automatic repeat request scheme in a mobile communication system includes transmitting a retransmission packet per certain time period (periodically) in response to NACK of a first user equipment related to a first packet transmitted within a frame group consisting of a plurality of successive frames, and transmitting a retransmission packet non-periodically in response to NACK of a second user equipment related to a second packet transmitted within the frame group.
US08219867B2	Forward feedback for UL macrodiversity A method of controlling a data unit transmission from a sender to a receiver is described, comprising the steps: the sender sending a data unit to the receiver, the receiver sending to the sender a feedback message comprising receipt status information for the data unit indicating one of at least correct receipt and incorrect receipt, the sender, subsequent to receiving the feedback message, sending to the receiver feedback response information indicating a receipt status indicated in the received feedback message.
US08219859B2	Medical support control system A medical support control system comprising: a first controller connected to at least one device; a second controller connected to at least one device; and a manipulation display device shared by the first controller and the second controller, and alternately displaying a first graphical user interface (first GUI) created by the first controller and a second graphical user interface (second GUI) created by the second controller, wherein: first error information that is error information obtained from the first controller side and second error information that is error information obtained from the second controller side are shared by the first and second controllers, and are reflected on the first and second GUIs on the basis of the first and second error information.
US08219858B2	Method for testing hard disks under an extensible firmware interface A method for testing hard disks under an extensible firmware interface (EFI) provides a device tree of hard disks. Nodes of the device tree represent block devices or file systems of the hard disks. Devices paths and handles corresponding to each of the device paths are obtained from the device tree. Parent controller handles of each of the device paths are obtained. If there are parent controller handles the same as the obtained handles, the parent controller handles the same as the obtained handles are deleted. The computer determines that a number of the hard disks is equal to a number of the device paths corresponding to the remained parent controller handles. Nodes information of each of the device paths corresponding to the remained parent controller handles are determined as hard disk information of each of the hard disks.
US08219857B2	Temperature-profiled device fingerprint generation and authentication from power-up states of static cells A method, system and computer program product for generating device fingerprints and authenticating devices uses initial states of internal storage cells after each of a number multiple power cycles for each of a number of device temperatures to generate a device fingerprint. The device fingerprint may include pairs of expected values for each of the internal storage cells and a corresponding probability that the storage cell will assume the expected value. Storage cells that have expected values varying over the multiple temperatures may be excluded from the fingerprint. A device is authenticated by a similarity algorithm that uses a match of the expected values from a known fingerprint with power-up values from an unknown device, weighting the comparisons by the probability for each cell to compute a similarity measure.
US08219854B2	Validating configuration of distributed applications The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for validation configuration of distributed applications. Embodiments of the invention provide a system framework for identifying root causes of configuration errors and best-practice incompliance of distributed applications. The system framework provides both platform provider and customer a powerful and consistent method to create, extend, and utilize a tool that simplifies the configuration troubleshooting experience. Using the system framework, a user is able to access more information about applications and to troubleshoot multiple applications at the same time without having to load or activate any of the applications. In addition, users are able to add custom rules to identify commonly occurring configuration problems.
US08219850B1	Data processing recovery system and method spanning multiple operating system A system and method for recovering from a computer system crashing as a result of the storage disk suffering physical damage and/or the corruption of an application, operating system, and/or data. The computer system may be standalone or a part of a communication network. The computer includes a hard disk storage divided into a primary partition containing a unique operating system for executing application programs and a recovery partition containing a unique operating system for executing application programs and for backup data storage. A boot track storing a boot manager, a backup status information file for establishing communication between the operating systems of the primary and recovery partitions, and a status validation file verifying the integrity of the backup status information file.
US08219843B2	Power management mechanism An integrated circuit includes a global power supply node. A first power domain has a first power management circuit, which includes a local power supply node. A first power control circuit is capable of receiving an input signal. A second power control circuit has a higher current capacity than the first power control circuit. The first power control circuit and the second power control circuit are coupled to the local power supply node and the global power supply node. The input signal is configured to initiate a power sequence, e.g., a power up process or a power down process, in the first power control circuit. A first control signal generated by the first power control circuit is configured to initiate a power sequence in the second power control circuit.
US08219842B2	Computer system and method for energy-saving operation of a computer system A computer system has at least one supply device, at least one system component with a data-processing device and at least one communications device. The supply device has at least one programmable control module that is supplied with an operating energy by a voltage source coupled to the at least one supply device and operated independently thereof.
US08219835B1	Power conservation in a data communication network Techniques for reducing power consumption in a data communications network are described where a power consuming component in a receiving node has a default disabled state and must be changed to an enabled state to enable the power consuming component. The receiving node includes a resonator that sends an enable signal to enable the power consuming component when the resonator receives an enabling data pattern. The power consuming component remains disabled until the enabling data pattern is received by the resonator.
US08219833B2	Two-level guarded predictive power gating A mechanism is provided for two-level guarded predictive power gating of a set of units within the data processing system. A success determines whether a unit within the set of units is power gated during a monitoring interval. If the unit is power gated, the success monitor determines whether a count of idle cycles for the unit is below a breakeven point. If the count is above the breakeven point, the success monitor increments a success efficiency counter. If the count is below the breakeven point, the success monitor determines whether the unit needs to be woke up. If the unit needs to be woke up, the success monitor increments a harmful efficiency counter. If the value of the harmful efficiency counter is less than the value from the success efficiency counter, the success monitor enables power gating for the unit via a first-level power-gating mechanism.
US08219831B2	Reducing temperature and power by instruction throttling at decode stage of processor pipeline in time constant duration steps A processor includes a device providing a throttling power output signal. The throttling power output signal is used to determine when to logically throttle the power consumed by the processor. At least one core in the processor includes a pipeline having a decode pipe; and a logical power throttling unit coupled to the device to receive the output signal, and coupled to the decode pipe. Following the logical power throttling unit receiving the power throttling output signal satisfying a predetermined criterion, the logical power throttling unit causes the decode pipe to reduce an average number of instructions decoded per processor cycle without physically changing the processor cycle or any processor supply voltages.
US08219829B2	Scheme for securing locally generated data with authenticated write operations A scheme for securing a locally generated data on a system using authenticated write operations is disclosed. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a private/public key pair is randomized and repeatedly generated to protect operations to data blocks.
US08219828B2	Methods and a device for secure software installation A method for secure installation of software applications. The user receives the software, partly encrypted, and an installation token for a number of licenses from the software provider, plugs the software and the installation token into a computer, and launches the installation application. A Secure Authenticated Channel is established between the installation application and the installation token and a unique identifier of the computer is sent thereon to the installation token. The installation token verifies that there are remaining licenses, decreases the remaining licenses, authorizes the installation and sends the decryption key and a certificate/key pair to the installation application that decrypts and installs the software, preferably linking the installation to the computer's identifier. A variant allows (virtually) unlimited installations of time limited programs that are transformed into time unlimited programs once the installation token has reported the number to the software provider and paid for the necessary licenses. Also provided is the installation token.
US08219825B2	Debugging port security interface The present invention provides a secure JTAG interface to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In the preferred embodiment the invention operates through the combined efforts of a Security Module (SM) comprising a state machine that controls the security modes for the ASIC, and a Test Control Module (TCM) which contains the JTAG interface. The TCM operates in either a restricted mode or an unrestricted mode, depending on the state of the SM state machine. In a restricted mode, only limited access to memory content is permitted. In an unrestricted mode, full access to memory content is permitted.
US08219822B2	System and method for blocking unauthorized network log in using stolen password The geographic location of a computer attempting to gain authentication to a server is obtained using the IP address of the computer, with authentication being denied if the geographic location is not approved.
US08219820B2	Power analysis countermeasure for the ECMQV key agreement algorithm Execution of the ECMQV key agreement algorithm requires determination of an implicit signature, which determination involves arithmetic operations. Some of the arithmetic operations employ a long-term cryptographic key. It is the execution of these arithmetic operations that can make the execution of the ECMQV key agreement algorithm vulnerable to a power analysis attack. In particular, an attacker using a power analysis attack may determine the long-term cryptographic key. By modifying the sequence of operations involved in the determination of the implicit signature and the inputs to those operations, power analysis attacks may no longer be applied to determine the long-term cryptographic key.
US08219816B2	IVR call routing using encrypted data A token representing encrypted data is used to initiate a call routing strategy based on receipt of the token. The call routing strategy is configured to initiate a query. Decrypted data associated with the encrypted data may be accessed to determine a data relationship based on the query.
US08219811B2	Secure software execution such as for use with a cell phone or mobile device A method and system for securely executing software or securely loading data generates a secret value at a destination device based on a value transmitted to the destination device, which is algorithmically combined with a secure value stored at the destination device. The destination device, such as a cell phone, remotely accesses an entity or otherwise receives the software or data, where the software or data is encrypted or digitally signed based on the secret value. The cell phone then selectively employs the software or data.
US08219806B2	Management system, management apparatus and management method The present invention relates to a management system, and this management system comprises a storage unit for storing information specifying a terminal apparatus and a restoration user information file cipher key related to a security function module in a state associated with each other and a transmission unit for transmitting the restoration user information file cipher key to the terminal apparatus in response to a calling request from the terminal apparatus for the restoration user information file cipher key. This enables the reduction of the man-hour to be taken by a terminal manager and the management of a situation of use of the restoration user information file cipher key.
US08219803B2	System and method for unlocking content associated with media There is presented a system and method for unlocking a content associated with media. In one aspect, the method comprises identifying the media, generating an authentication key using at least one key data from a set of key data contained in the media, determining an address in the media of at least one content unit corresponding respectively to each of the at least one key data used to generate the authentication key; requesting the at least one content unit by providing the address; receiving user data in response to the requesting; comparing the user data with the at least one key data used to generate the authentication key; and unlocking the content associated with the media if the user data matches the authentication key.
US08219802B2	System, method and program product for consolidated authentication A first computer sends a request to the second computer to access the application. In response, the second computer determines that the user has not yet been authenticated to the application. In response, the second computer redirects the request to a third computer. In response, the third computer determines that the user has been authenticated to the third computer. In response, the third computer authenticates the user to the application. In response, the second computer returns a session key to the third computer for a session between the application and the user. The session has a scope of the second computer or the application but not a scope of a domain. In response to the authentication of the user to the second application and receipt by the third computer of the session key from the second computer for a session between the user and the second computer or the application, the third computer generates another session key with a scope of the domain and sends the domain-scope session key to the first computer. The first computer sends another request to the application with the domain-scope session key.
US08219798B1	Method and system for securing E-mail transmissions A method for frustrating unauthorized access to an electronic mail message having address, body and attachment information and being transmitted from a first computer to a second computer, including: at the first computer: detecting a request to send the message; encrypting the extracted body information; replacing the extracted body information with the encrypted body information; extracting the attachment information; encrypting the extracted attachment information; replacing the extracted attachment information with the encrypted attachment information; returning the message having the encrypted body and attachment information to the mail user application; and transmitting the message having the encrypted body and attachment information to a third computer; and, at the third computer: decrypting and re-encrypting the transmitted body information; decrypting and re-encrypting the transmitted attachment information; and, transmitting the re-encrypted body and attachment information to the second computer.
US08219797B2	Method and system to facilitate configuration of a hardware device in a platform A method and system to allow the secure configuration of the configurable feature(s) of a hardware device in a platform. The configuration of the configurable feature(s) of the hardware device is performed with protection against software attacks. A management module determines that the platform is authorized to configure at least one configurable feature of the hardware device and configures each of the configurable feature(s) based on a received configuration message.
US08219796B2	Method and device for controlling a computer system A method and a device for controlling a computer system having at least two execution units, switchover operations being carried out between at least two operating modes, and a first operating mode corresponding to a comparison mode and a second operating mode corresponding to a performance mode. At least one set of runtime objects is defined; at least one identifier is assigned to each runtime object of the defined set; and the identifier assigns at least the two operating modes to the runtime object.
US08219795B2	Information processing apparatus, storage medium, and data rescue method According to one embodiment of an information processing apparatus includes: a storage medium including, a first partition that stores a first operating system and data, and a second partition that stores a second operating system and a data rescue program; a switch that allows a user to enter a command for booting the second operating system; and a boot control section that boots the second operating system when the command is entered. The data rescue program is executed when the second operating system is booted, and performs at least one of recovering and backing up the data stored in the first partition.
US08219793B2	Storage medium to manage a master boot record and a method of booting a computer system using a storage medium A storage medium to manage a master boot record and a method of booting a computer system using the storage medium. The storage medium includes a master boot record sector area having a master boot record related to a booting operation being currently performed stored therein, a data storage area having a master boot record that is previously changed stored therein, and a firmware to communicate with a host device and to manage the master boot record sector area and the data storage area, wherein, when an error occurs in the master boot record stored in the master boot record sector area, the firmware selects a specific master boot record from the data storage area and stores the selected master boot record in the master boot record sector area.
US08219790B2	Determining device-internal parameter addresses from fieldbus-specific parameter addresses of a field device A field device of process automation technology containing a plurality of parameters, with which are associated device-internal parameter addresses. The field device is connectable to a fieldbus having a fieldbus-specific parameter addressing system. In such case, the device-internal parameter addresses of the plurality of parameters are determinable by application of a generic mathematical function to belonging fieldbus-specific parameter addresses formed according to the fieldbus-specific parameter addressing system.
US08219789B2	Interface processor The invention provides a processor comprising a first port operable to generate a first indication dependent on a first activity at the first port, and a second port operable to generate a second indication dependent on a second activity at the second port. The processor also comprises an execution unit arranged to execute multiple threads; and a thread scheduler connected to receive the indications and arranged to schedule the multiple threads for execution by the execution unit based on those indications. The scheduling includes suspending the execution of a thread until receipt of the respective ready signal. The first activity and the second activity are each associated with respective corresponding threads.
US08219788B1	Virtual core management A virtual core management system including a first physical core having a first utilization constraint, a second physical core having a second utilization constraint, and a virtual core including a collection of logical states associated with execution of a program. The virtual core management system further includes a utilization indicator configured to measure a utilization of the first physical core with respect to the first utilization constraint and measure a utilization of the second physical core with respect to the second utilization constraint, and a virtual core management component configured to map the virtual core to one of the first physical core and the second physical core based on at least one of the utilization of the first physical core and the utilization of the second physical core.
US08219787B2	Early release of resources by proceeding to retire store operations from exception reporting stage but keeping in load/store queue In one embodiment, a processor comprises a retire unit and a load/store unit coupled thereto. The retire unit is configured to retire a first store memory operation responsive to the first store memory operation having been processed at least to a pipeline stage at which exceptions are reported for the first store memory operation. The load/store unit comprises a queue having a first entry assigned to the first store memory operation. The load/store unit is configured to retain the first store memory operation in the first entry subsequent to retirement of the first store memory operation if the first store memory operation is not complete. The queue may have multiple entries, and more than one store may be retained in the queue after being retired by the retire unit.
US08219786B1	Request coalescing for instruction streams Sequential fetch requests from a set of fetch requests are combined into longer coalesced requests that match the width of a system memory interface in order to improve memory access efficiency for reading the data specified by the fetch requests. The fetch requests may be of different classes and each data class is coalesced separately, even when intervening fetch requests are of a different class. Data read from memory is ordered according to the order of the set of fetch requests to produce an instruction stream that includes the fetch requests for the different classes.
US08219784B2	Assigning and pre-decoding group ID and tag ID prior to dispatching instructions in out-of-order processor A computer-implemented method and apparatus for managing an out of order dispatched instruction queue in a microprocessor. In one embodiment, the method and apparatus include assigning a group identification number and a target identification number to an instruction in an instruction stream. The group identification number and the target identification number are labeled inside an instruction fetcher unit. The group identification number and the target identification number are pre-decoded. The instruction is sent to an instruction queue. The instruction is re-ordered in the instruction stream after executing the instruction utilizing information from the pre-decoding of the group identification number and the target identification number.
US08219780B2	Mitigating context switch cache miss penalty Systems, methodologies, media, and other embodiments associated with mitigating the effects of context switch cache and TLB misses are described. One exemplary system embodiment includes a processor configured to run a multiprocessing, virtual memory operating system. The processor may be operably connected to a memory and may include a cache and a translation lookaside buffer (TLB) configured to store TLB entries. The exemplary system may include a context control logic configured to selectively copy data from the TLB to the data store for a first process being swapped out of the processor and to selectively copy data from the data store to the TLB for a second process being swapped into to the processor.
US08219779B2	Hardware assistance for shadow page table coherence with guest page mappings Some embodiments of the present invention include a memory management unit (MMU) configured to, in response to a write access targeting a guest page mapping of a guest virtual page number (GVPN) to a guest physical page number (GPPN) within a guest page table, identify a shadow page mapping that associates the GVPN with a physical page number (PPN). The MMU is also configured to determine whether a traced write indication is associated with the shadow page mapping and, if so, record update information identifying the targeted guest page mapping. The update information is used to reestablish coherence between the guest page mapping and the shadow page mapping. The MMU is further configured to perform the write access.
US08219778B2	Virtual memory interface The embodiments that are described herein provide random access to individual data storage locations of a group of buffers, which may be scattered in the memory. These embodiments provide a virtual memory interface that applies virtual addresses in a flat memory linear addressing space as indices into the physical memory addresses that are ordered into a sequence in accordance with the group of buffers. In this way, these embodiments enable a device (e.g., a processor) to directly and sequentially access all of the scattered physical memory locations of a fragmented data item, such as a packet, without having to perform any memory segmentation or paging processes. In some embodiments, these accesses include both read and write accesses to the scattered data storage locations.
US08219768B2	System and method for establishing a copy pair relationship between source and destination volumes A replication system capable of automatically forming an authentic copy pair with a primary volume at a copy destination system without depending on an operator and realizing the pair formation without labeling a tape is provided.A system for performing initial copying of data of a copy source volume from a portable storage medium storing the data of the copy source volume to a copy destination volume is characterized in that the portable storage medium stores management information about the copy source volume, wherein a system to which the copy destination volume belongs copies data of the portable storage medium to copy destination volume information, reads the management information from the copy destination volume, and sends it to a system to which the copy source volume belong; and this system judges whether these pieces of information are authentic or not; and if an affirmative judgment is returned, it is determined that the copy source volume and the copy destination volume constitute an authentic copy pair.
US08219767B2	Information processing apparatus and data recovering method A information processing apparatus includes, upon instructing for writing back stored contents of a main memory unit to the stored contents of the main memory unit at the time of previous modification in a sequence number that is used for identifying whether write back to the main memory unit is needed, from a backup data stored in a backup memory unit, the sequence number stored in a sequence number memory unit. The information processing apparatus selects the backup data including an integrity verification data indicating that writing is carried out completely. The information processing apparatus extracts an original data and a write destination address included in the selected backup data and writes the original data, for each original data and the write address extracted from the backup data, to a storage area, of the main memory unit, indicated by the write destination address.
US08219765B2	Data network and a method of regeneration of the recording state of digital data in a data network A method of regeneration of a recording state of digital data stored in a node of a data network, the method including the steps of classifying files stored in the node, periodically writing a digital file from the node to a temporary memory, the temporary memory being a component of said node, and writing the digital file from the temporary memory to the same node.
US08219764B2	System and apparatus for enhancing data storage efficiency of a flash memory by reducing time for reorganizing data The system and apparatus for managing flash memory data includes a host transmitting data, wherein when the data transmitted from the host have a first time transmission trait and the address for the data indicates a temporary address, temporary data are retrieved from the temporary address to an external buffer. A writing command is then executed and the temporary data having a destination address are written to a flash memory buffer. When the flash memory buffer is not full, the buffer data are written into a temporary block of the flash memory. The writing of buffer data into the temporary block includes using an address changing command, or executing a writing command to rewrite the external buffer data to the flash memory buffer so that the data are written into the temporary block.
US08219761B2	Multi-port high-level cache unit and a method for retrieving information from a multi-port high-level cache unit A device that includes multiple processors that are connected to multiple level-one cache units. The device also includes a multi-port high-level cache unit that includes a first modular interconnect, a second modular interconnect, multiple high-level cache paths; whereas the multiple high-level cache paths comprise multiple concurrently accessible interleaved high-level cache units. Conveniently, the device also includes at least one non-cacheable path. A method for retrieving information from a cache that includes: concurrently receiving, by a first modular interconnect of a multiple-port high-level cache unit, requests to retrieve information. The method is characterized by providing information from at least two paths out of multiple high-level cache paths if at least two high-level cache hit occurs, and providing information via a second modular interconnect if a high-level cache miss occurs.
US08219759B2	Adaptive display caching Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to send a window copy message including changed window identification information to a remote node when metadata associated with a changed foreground window at a local node has been cached, and otherwise, to locally cache the window metadata and send the window metadata and window pixel data to the remote node. When a preselected minimum bandwidth connection is not available between the local node and the remote node, additional operations may include sending a rectangle paint message including changed rectangle identification information to the remote node when rectangle metadata associated with a changed rectangle of a designated minimum size at the local node has been cached, and otherwise, to locally cache the rectangle metadata and send the rectangle metadata and rectangle pixel data to the remote node. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08219758B2	Block-based non-transparent cache In an embodiment, a non-transparent memory unit is provided which includes a non-transparent memory and a control circuit. The control circuit may manage the non-transparent memory as a set of non-transparent memory blocks. Software executing on one or more processors may request a non-transparent memory block in which to process data. The control circuit may allocate a first block, and may return an address (or other indication) of the allocated block so that the software can access the block. The control circuit may also provide automatic data movement between the non-transparent memory and a main memory system to which the non-transparent memory unit is coupled. For example, the automatic data movement may include filling data from the main memory system to the allocated block, or flushing the data in the allocated block to the main memory system after the processing of the allocated block is complete.
US08219757B2	Apparatus and method for low touch cache management In some embodiments, a processor-based system includes a processor, a system memory coupled to the processor, a mass storage device, a cache memory located between the system memory and the mass storage device, and code stored on the processor-based system to cause the processor-based system to utilize the cache memory. The code may be configured to cause the processor-based system to preferentially use only a selected size of the cache memory to store cache entries having less than or equal to a selected number of cache hits. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
US08219756B2	Systems and methods for lookahead instruction fetching for processors utilizing tagless hit instruction caches Systems and methods may be provided for lookahead instruction fetching for processors. The systems and methods may include an L1 instruction cache, where the L1 instruction cache may include a plurality of lines of data, where each line of data may include one or more instructions. The systems and methods may also include a tagless hit instruction cache, where the tagless hit instruction cache may store a subset of the lines of data in the L1 instruction cache, where instructions in the lines of data stored in the tagless hit instruction cache may be stored with metadata indicative of whether a next instruction is guaranteed to reside in the tagless hit instruction cache, where an instruction fetcher may be arranged to have direct access to the L1 instruction cache and the tagless hit instruction cache, and where the tagless hit instruction cache may be arranged to have direct access to the L1 instruction cache.
US08219755B2	Fast hit override In one embodiment, a cache comprises a tag memory and a comparator. The tag memory is configured to store tags of cache blocks stored in the cache, and is configured to output at least one tag responsive to an index corresponding to an input address. The comparator is coupled to receive the tag and a tag portion of the input address, and is configured to compare the tag to the tag portion to generate a hit/miss indication. The comparator comprises dynamic circuitry, and is coupled to receive a control signal which, when asserted, is defined to force a first result on the hit/miss indication independent of whether or not the tag portion matches the tag. The comparator also comprises circuitry coupled to receive the control signal and configured to inhibit a state change on an output of the dynamic circuitry during an evaluate phase of the dynamic circuitry to produce the first result responsive to an assertion of the control signal.
US08219749B2	System and method for efficient updates of sequential block storage A system and method enhances performance of updates to sequential block storage of a storage system. According to an aspect of the invention, a disk array of the storage system is utilized to extend write buffers of the system, thereby rendering a portion of the disk array a disk-based log. To that end, one portion of the disk array is organized into a home location array having a set of sequential home locations for disk blocks. Another portion of the disk array is organized into the disk-based log having a set of log buffers configured to store versions of disk blocks that have yet to be returned to their home locations in the home location array. In addition, non-volatile memory of the storage system is organized as an index configured to provide efficient mappings of disk blocks not yet returned to their home locations. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a novel disk-based multi-level sort procedure is provided to establish locality among updates (write data) held in the disk-based log, thereby enabling the write data to be efficiently written to home locations on the disk array.
US08219748B2	Storage system comprising both power saving and diagnostic functions The respective physical storage devices of a storage system are set to a power-saving state in which these respective physical storage devices are able to respond to a prescribed type of command. Then, a first prescribed type of command is sent to the respective physical storage devices that are in the power-saving state, and the results of this first prescribed type of command are checked.
US08219744B2	Semiconductor memory device which includes memory cell having charge accumulation layer and control gate A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array, a power source circuit, a sense amplifier, a control circuit, and a processor. The memory cell array includes a nonvolatile memory cell. The power source circuit includes a first register and generates a voltage. The sense amplifier includes a second register, reads from the memory cell and amplifies the read data. The control circuit includes a third register and controls operations of the power source circuit and the sense amplifier. The processor controls the operations of the power source circuit, the sense amplifier and the control circuit by giving an instruction to the first to third registers. The control circuit decodes the instruction received at the third register so as to control the power source circuit and the sense amplifier directly based on a result of decoding.
US08219737B2	Processing system with RF data bus for intra-device communication A processing system includes a plurality of first circuit modules. A plurality of second circuit modules are coupled to an RF data bus via intra-device RF communications. The RF data bus receives first data from at least one of the plurality of first circuit modules, and transmits the first data via intra-device RF communications to at least one of the plurality of second circuit modules.
US08219730B2	Method of transmitting data between devices connected via a multi-master bus defining a time slot during transmission for responsive output information from non-bus master devices In the novel device and the novel method the data to be transmitted is transmitted in units together with information that is required or useful for the transmission and/or the use of the data. At least some of the units comprise at least one region which defines a time slot within which freely selectable devices can output onto the bus data representing freely selectable information at freely selectable points in time.
US08219729B1	Enumeration circuits, structures and methods for host connected devices An apparatus may include a first connector having at least a first host communication path for connection to a host device, a second connector that physically alters at least a first signal path in response to a physical connection at the second connector, and a controller section that communicates a first set of configuration information over the first host communication path when the first signal path is in an unaltered state, and a second set of configuration information when the first signal path is in an altered state.
US08219727B2	Bridge device for a disk drive A bridge device for a disk drive has the I/O terminals to which an external automatic controlling apparatus is connected, so the external automatic controlling apparatus directly controls a disk tray of the disk drive to move in or move out without a computer. In addition, the bridge device also further has a computer connecting port, to which the external computer is connected. The computer controls operations of the disk drive.
US08219723B2	Systems and methods for using a shared buffer construct in performance of concurrent data-driven tasks Disclosed herein are techniques to execute tasks with a computing device. A first task is initiated to perform an operation of the first task. A buffer construct that represents a region of memory accessible to the operation of the first task is created. A second task is initiated to perform of an operation of the second task that is configured to be timed to initiate in response to the buffer construct being communicated to the second task from the first task.
US08219719B1	SAS controller with persistent port configuration An apparatus and method are disclosed for maintaining consistent port and PHY configuration information in an SAS controller when connected SAS devices are rebooted, reset or otherwise temporarily disconnected. Configuration information is stored in non-volatile memory, and restored by a methodology to prevent port conflicts.
US08219716B2	Methods for accounting seek time of disk accesses An input and output (IO) scheduler dispatches a first IO request from a first IO queue during a first dispatch cycle and dispatches a second IO request from a second IO queue during a second dispatch cycle to one or more disks, where the first IO request is the last remaining IO request in the first queue and the second IO request is the first overall IO request in the second queue. The first and second IO requests are selected from multiple IO requests received from one or more clients for accessing the one or more disks. A seek time monitor measures disk seek time (IO queue switch time) incurred between the first IO request and the second IO request, and determines whether the first IO request and the second IO request belong to the same group. The disk seek time is attributed to a group associated with the first IO request and the second IO request, if the first IO request and the second IO request belong to the same group. If not, then this seek time incurred during queue switch is attributed to a common ancestor of two IO queues in the IO hierarchy.
US08219714B2	Storage area network and method for provisioning therein A storage array includes at least one target and a logical unit having a logical unit number. The storage array is configured to receive input defining a host group comprising at least one initiator and receive input defining a target group comprising the at least one target. The host group, target group and logical unit number define a view entry. The storage array is further configured to apply the view entry to the logical unit to provide a logical unit inventory that is provisioned for the at least one initiator.
US08219713B2	Method and system for a network controller based pass-through communication mechanism between local host and management controller A network controller in a communication device may be operable to route local host-management traffic between a local host and a management controller within the communication device, wherein the local host may be operable to utilize its network processing resources and function during communication of the local host-management traffic. A dedicated management port may be configured in the network controller to enable receiving and/or transmitting local host-management traffic communicated from and/or to the local host separate from the local host's network traffic communicated via the network controller. The host-management traffic is communicated between the network controller and the management controller via NC-SI interface. The management controller may be assigned Internet protocol (IP) based addressing information for use during routing of local host-management traffic. The IP addressing information may be preset statically, assigned automatically from a list of available addresses, or configured dynamically via a DHCP server function.
US08219710B2	Method of establishing a data connection with a telematics-equipped vehicle A method for establishing a wireless, mobile-terminated data connection with a telematics-equipped vehicle so that data can be sent to and received from the vehicle. Generally, the method involves receiving network address update information from a wireless carrier system, using the network address update information to determine if a network address currently exists for a particular telematics-equipped vehicle, and using the current network address (if one exists) to establish a wireless, mobile-terminated data connection with the telematics-equipped vehicle. This method addresses some of the challenges involved in creating a mobile-terminated data connection with a device that has a temporary or dynamic network address.
US08219709B2	Method for internet name sharing The present invention allows similar named entities having trademarks or tradenames or other monikers in common, to market their complete electronic media identity, including web site and generic electronic mail boxes, using the same domain name which is shared without requiring sub-delegation. It satisfies both the uniqueness requirements of the current addressing system and sovereign trademark laws which have long been at odds.
US08219703B2	Method for sharing information between handheld communication devices and handheld communication device therefore The present invention relates to a method and an electronic equipment for a communication system enabling information sharing, wherein desired information contents are transmitted by few user operations. Electronic equipment comprises a information processing means (16) for processing information according to the operation of the user, a detecting means (15) for detecting the information sharing command, an information content determining means (S2) for determining information content to be transmitted by detecting the current user action, a determine S2 recipient determining means (S3) for determining the recipient of said information content; and content to be transmitting means (S5) for transmitting said information content to the determined recipient via transmitted a communication link.
US08219693B1	Providing enhanced access to stored data Techniques are described for providing enhanced access to stored data and related functionality, such as data stored by a system across multiple alternative storage partitions. At least some of the stored data may be specific to particular users who interact with the system, such as for users to perform tasks supplied by other users. The enhanced data access techniques may include storing at least a subset of each user's associated data on a single storage partition, and then efficiently identifying the storage partition corresponding to a user so that requests from that user may be handled by a computing node associated with that corresponding storage partition. Furthermore, additional data access enhancement techniques may relate to initially identifying an appropriate storage partition for a user and/or for migrating existing user data to a new partition identified as being appropriate for a user.
US08219687B2	Implementing browser based hypertext transfer protocol session storage A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for managing session data. The process determines whether preexisting session data associated with a request for content is present in response to receiving the request. Responsive to an absence of the preexisting session data being associated with the request, the process generates session data associated with the request. The process then generates a response page having a set of forms including a set of hidden fields. The set of hidden fields include the session data. Thereafter, the process sends the response page to a client browser.
US08219684B1	Redundant data requests with cancellation A server system having one or more processors and memory receives a request including server identifiers for one or more other server systems. After receiving the request, the server system determines whether enough other server systems have a predefined task-processing status for the request. When enough other server systems have the predefined task-processing status for the request, the server system performs a corresponding task-scheduling action that overrides a default task-scheduling policy as applied to the request. When the server system decides to perform a respective task-processing operation for the request, the server system sends a processing-status message to one or more of the other server systems indicating that the respective server system has undertaken performance of the respective task-processing operation for the request and performs the respective task-processing operation.
US08219682B2	Automatic detection of agents A telecommunication network has agents, managers for configuring agents, and at least one central directory service element with a memory to store information about these agents and these managers, which information is at least partly used in case of a further agent or manager being inserted into the telecommunication network. The central directory service element can use an object model and it can support a handshake mechanism for enabling communication between an agent and a manager in case of a new agent or manager in the telecommunication network.
US08219675B2	System and method for correlating IP flows across network address translation firewalls Systems and methods are disclosed for correlating IP flows across a NAT firewall. Data packets are captured from a first interface using a monitor probe coupled to the first interface and are correlated into a first group of session records. For each of the first group of session records, a correlation key is created using data in one of the packets in the session record. Data packets are captured from a second interface using a monitor probe coupled to the second interface and are correlated into a second group of session records. For each of the second group of session records, a correlation key is created using data in one of the packets in the session record. The correlation key for one of the first group is compared to the correlation keys for each of the second group of session records to identify session records with matching correlation keys.
US08219669B2	Operational process control data server A system for implementing operational process control servers includes an application server for receiving operational process control data from operational process control servers associated with components of the monitored process, a data visualization server for receiving the data from the application server and producing reports based on the data, and a server configuration user interface for facilitating specification of configuration parameters of the operational process control servers according to operational process control unified architecture standards.
US08219668B2	Resource property aggregation in a multi-provider system The present invention provides for resource property aggregation. A set of new instances is received from one or more providers. For each new instance in the set of new instances, a determination is made as to whether the new instance represents a same resource as at least one other instance. Responsive to determining that the new instance represents the same resource as another instance, a set of properties associated with the new instance and with the at least one other instance are identified. Each property from the new instance is compared to an associated property in the at least one other instance using a set of precedence rules. At least one property value is identified from either the new instance or the at least one other instance. An aggregate instance is then generated that represents the resource using the identified property values.
US08219663B2	Method of and apparatus for notification of state changes in a monitored system A method and apparatus is described for enabling an advanced notification rule. According to one embodiment, the advanced notification rule may be generated to suspend, redirect or automatically acknowlegde standard notifications, or transmit supplement notifications.
US08219661B2	MILARRS systems and methods An add-on module provides extrinsic management functionality to legacy and other devices. Contemplated modules include: (a) a state agent that provides at least one of the MILARRS function, and (b) a product agent that communicates with the device using at least one serial interface. Implementations are contemplated for both legacy devices that natively provide less than complete MILARRS functionality, and newly developed devices for which the developer desires a ready-made implementation of MILARRS functionality.
US08219658B2	Network system A network system suitable for remote monitoring or remote control of equipments is provided. When an execution of a server-side object is requested from a client terminal device to a server, the server requests an execution of an equipment-side object to the equipment(s). The execution request of the server-side object from the client terminal device is performed by use of a first identifier assigned to the server-side object, and the execution request of the equipment-side object is performed by use of a second identifier assigned to the equipment-side object. Since the server has an identifier setting function of setting a correspondence relation between the first identifier and the second identifier, it is possible to reduce burden on the client terminal device, and flexibly cope with cases of exchanging and increasing the equipment(s) in the network system without considering specific identification information of the equipments such as IP address.
US08219657B2	Automatic request categorization for internet applications Application service requests received by an application hosting framework are automatically differentiated and categorized, and resource usage patterns associated with the requests are predicted. Resource usage data points are successively extracted from the hosting framework. Elements of an initial resource usage pattern matrix are computed from the data points. An estimate for the number of categories of requests is computed from the initial resource usage pattern matrix, where the requests in each category have similar resource usage patterns. Elements of a resource usage signature matrix and request categorization matrix are computed from the estimate for the number of categories of requests and the initial resource usage pattern matrix.
US08219656B2	System and method for wireless data terminal management using telecommunication signaling network A method, system, and computer program product that provides the capability to manage, control, and reconfigure wireless devices remotely over a wireless network with acceptable reliability and security. A method for remotely managing a wireless device over a telecommunications network comprising a server and the wireless device, the method comprises the steps of establishing a communicative connection between the server and the wireless device over the telecommunications network, transmitting a command from the server to the wireless device over the signaling network, and executing the command at the wireless device.
US08219653B1	System and method for adapting a system configuration of a first computer system for hosting on a second computer system Some embodiments provide a method for a server hosting environment having several nodes. Each node is for using one or more hypervisors in order to host several configurations of several computer systems. The method receives a first configuration of a computer system. The first configuration includes an operating system that directly accesses hardware of the computer system. The method generates a second configuration that is based on the first configuration. The second configuration includes the first configuration modified to be operable on a particular hypervisor of a particular node in the several nodes. The method installs the second configuration on the particular node in order to allow the particular node to operate on the second configuration in conjunction with the particular hypervisor. The second configuration accesses a set of virtual hardware provided by the particular hypervisor.
US08219650B2	Communicating with a status management component in a computer system Communication with a status management component of a computer system is enabled. A status adapter is provided to a processing runtime environment for use in accessing a status management runtime environment. The processing runtime environment includes data object node instances resident in computer memory and enables access to persistent storage for data object node instances. The status management runtime environment is configured to provide status-related information. The status adapter is configured to 1) accept input from the processing runtime environment, 2) provide, to the status management runtime environment, the input in a form that the status management runtime environment is able to use, 3) receive, from the status management runtime environment, an output including status-related information, and 4) provide, to the processing runtime environment, the output in a form that the processing runtime environment is able to use.
US08219646B2	Dynamic intelligent mirror host selection Systems and methods for dynamic intelligent mirror selection are presented. Dynamic intelligent mirror selection may include evaluating available mirrors at a client to determine an optimum mirror from which to download a portion of data. For each portion of data downloaded, reevaluation of the available mirrors may be provided such that dynamic selection of the mirrors may reflect changes in network conditions. The mirror selection may be based at least partially on observed characteristics of mirrors observed while downloading from a mirror, such that no synthetic work load is needed to benchmark mirror performance. The observed characteristics may include transfer speed, error counts, latency, and mirror load. Furthermore, a random bonus and usage bonus may be provided to help in facilitating the evaluation of available mirrors.
US08219643B2	Server/client system for managing the transmission and use of copyrighted content, information processing unit, information processing method, and computer program A method of information processing in a server/client system including a server for storing content and a client for receiving from the server and storing copy content of the content stored in the server. The method includes the steps of: the server generating at least either a content-ID list storing content-IDs corresponding to content for which use-expiration-date updating is permitted out of the copy content stored in the client or a content-ID list storing content-IDs corresponding to content for which use-expiration-date updating is not permitted, transmitting the content-ID list to the client; and the client selectively performing update processing of use-expiration date out of the copy content stored in that client or invalidation processing of the copy content stored in that client based on the content-ID list received from the server.
US08219642B2	System and method for adding targeted content in a web page A network (20) includes a first processor (22) for maintaining a Web page (34) having an embedded first code module (36) and accessible through a Web address (38). A second processor (24) supports a Web browser (52) for receiving transmission of the Web page (34) and executing the first code module (36). When executed, the first code module (36) issues a first command (93) to retrieve a second code module (90) from a server system (26). The server system (26) includes a database (68) having a service response (162, 176, 186) associated with the Web address (38). A processor (62) assembles the second code module (90) having the service response (162, 176, 186). When the second code module is retrieved, the first code module (36) issues a second command (106) to initiate execution of the second code module (90) to provide added function to the Web page (34).
US08219639B2	Storage area network file system A shared storage distributed file system is presented that provides clients with access to a storage area network (SAN) attached storage device. The access is provided either via block-level requests over the SAN or via file-level requests made to a server over a local area network (LAN). File requests are categorized between SAN requests and LAN requests. This categorization can be based on dividing the requests between write and read requests, or between requests that alter data stored on the storage device and requests that do not alter data on the storage device. In other embodiments, the categorization can be made on the size of the file or the data involved in the file request. In one embodiment, the client is able to access and interpret metadata stored on the storage device.
US08219633B2	Acceleration of web pages access using next page optimization, caching and pre-fetching A method and system for acceleration of access to a web page using next page optimization, caching and pre-fetching techniques. The method comprises receiving a web page responsive to a request by a user; analyzing the received web page for possible acceleration improvements of the web page access; generating a modified web page of the received web page using at least one of a plurality of pre-fetching techniques; providing the modified web page to the user, wherein the user experiences an accelerated access to the modified web page resulting from execution of the at least one of a plurality of pre-fetching techniques; and storing the modified web page for use responsive to future user requests.
US08219632B2	Efficient use of peer cache space in large scale file distributions A mechanism for providing efficient use of peer cache space in large scale file distributions. A peer computer receives a download plan for a requested file. The download plan specifies a number of peer servers where the file is stored, a minimum number of peer servers required to store the file, and a saturation level for the file in the zone. When the peer computer downloads the file from one or more peer servers listed in the download plan, the peer computer determines whether the file is required to be cached at the peer computer by comparing the minimum number of peer servers in the plan required to store the file against the number of peer servers listed in the plan. If the minimum number required to store the file is greater the number of peer servers listed in the plan, the peer computer caches the file.
US08219631B2	Social news ranking using gossip distance Devices, systems, and methods are directed towards ranking of messages based on a hop distance a forwarded message travels through a social network. As a message is forwarded by a member of the social network the hop distance increases. As the message is forwarded, recipients and/or senders may view the hop distance in real-time. The hop distance may reflect a number of times the message is forwarded to reach a recipient, or the maximum number of times the message is forwarded. The message may be displayed to a member in a rank ordering based on the hop distance, and messages with hop distances below a defined value may be deleted from a displayed list after a period of time. In one embodiment, a message may be forwarded anonymously to, for example, encourage members to forward the message.
US08219630B2	System and method for detecting and filtering unsolicited and undesired electronic messages A sending device locates and stores identifying information for each electronic message sent by the device. A receiving device, upon receipt of an electronic message, locates identifying information for the electronic message and the purported sending device of the message. The receiving device communicates a confirmation request to the purported sending device which contains identifying information for the message. The sending device receives confirmation messages and replies to such messages confirming that the message was sent if identifying information in the confirmation request corresponds to identifying information stored by the sending device and denying that the message was sent if the identifying information in the confirmation request does not correspond to stored data.
US08219621B2	Method and device for handling push type e-mails for a mobile terminal device according to a user profile A method for controlling the handling of push type e-mails on a mobile terminal device comprises at least one user profile regarding handling of push type e-mails. The method comprises: determining the status of the user profile and controlling the handling of push type e-mails according to the determined user profile status. A corresponding mobile terminal comprises: a processing unit, a network interface capable of receiving push type e-mails via a network, wherein the network interface is connected to and controlled by the processing unit, wherein the terminal device has a storage connected to the processing unit for storing at least one user profile regarding the handling of push type e-mails, a component to determine the status of the user profile regarding the handling of push type e-mails, and where the processing unit is configured to control the handling of push type e-mails according to the determined status.
US08219616B2	Use of information channels to provide communications in a virtual environment The invention generally relates to virtual environments, and more particularly to systems and methods for communicating in virtual environments. A method of providing communication in a virtual universe (VU) includes instantiating and assigning an information channel to a first client of the VU, associating at least one additional client of the VU to the information channel, and conveying data placed on the information channel to the first client and the at least one additional client.
US08219610B2	Content providing system, monitoring server, and SIP proxy server A content providing system that provides content to a user terminal via a network includes a content providing server that is connected to the network and provides content, an SIP proxy server that is connected to the network and relays transmission and reception between the user terminal and the content providing server, and a monitoring server that is connected to the network and stores monitoring information regarding transmission and reception between the user terminal and the content providing server, the monitoring information being transmitted from the SIP proxy server.
US08219609B1	Establishing a stateful environment for a stateless environment Provided is a method and an apparatus for maintaining state information between a stateless environment and a stateful environment. Specifically, a front-end process operates a stateless environment, such as providing web services via the HyperText Transfer Protocol. Because HTTP is inherently stateless, a back-end process operates a stateful environment by managing multiple modules. Some of the modules can be login modules that request login information for an authentication process. The authentication process can be the Java Authentication and Authorization Service (JAAS). The back-end process accumulates state information and transmits the state information to the front-end process when modules request further information. By managing the authentication process from the back-end process, the stateful environment is established for the stateless environment.
US08219608B2	Scalable architecture for web services System and method for providing a customized service in a network. The system comprises at least one originating device that provides an identifier of one of a user and a product associated with the user (Tag ID) and an identifier of the customized service (Object ID). It further includes a processor that supports an action table. The processor receives the Tag ID and Object ID from the at least one originating device, and uses at least the received Tag ID and Object ID to look up a corresponding action in the action table. A servicing node in the system receives the action and performs at least partial execution of the action, thereby generating results comprising the customized service.
US08219607B2	Collaborative planning actions and recipes The complexities of actions and recipes used in collaborative planning are defined using set theory and an accompanying formalization. The formalizations presented can be used as a basis for making decisions in relation choosing recipes, and other activities concerning collaborative task execution in a multi-agent environment. Introducing the notion of the complexity of a recipe and an action provides a measure of the difficulty of a task, based upon which decisions regarding the use of particular recipes and contractors can be made.
US08219606B2	Methods, systems, and computer program products for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection Methods and systems are described for sharing information for detecting an idle TCP connection. In one aspect, a second node receives a packet in a TCP connection. A header in the packet is detected identifying metadata for a period, detectable by a first node, during which no packet including data is received in the connection by the first node. The second node modifies a timeout associated with the connection based on the metadata. In another aspect, a first node receives information for detecting a period during which no packet including data sent in the TCP connection by a second node is received by the first node. A packet is generated including a header identifying metadata for the period based on the information, and sent to the second node. The period is detected based on the information. The connection is deactivated in response to detecting the period.
US08219604B2	System and method for providing a double adder for decimal floating point operations A method for implementing an adder including receiving a first and second operand. A sum of one or more corresponding digits from the first operand and the second operand is calculated. The calculating is performed by a plurality of adder blocks. Output from the calculating includes the sum of the corresponding digits and a carry out indicator for the corresponding digits. The sums of the corresponding digits and the carry out indicators in a carry chain are stored in an intermediate result register. Each of the sums in the intermediate result register is incremented by one. A selection between each of the sums and the sums incremented by one is performed. Input to the selecting includes the carry chain, and the output from the selecting includes a final sum of the first operand and the second operand. The final sum is stored in an output register.
US08219601B1	Method for operating a computer for generating a comprehensive and exclusive list of prime numbers A method for operating a computer for generating a comprehensive and exclusive list of prime numbers which are less than or equal to a selected large integer M, the method including steps of operating the computer to establish a row head series R, to establish an integer value A, to establish an integer value L, to establish a series of integer rows based on R and A, to cyclicly generate and regenerate the series of integer rows based upon cyclicly redefined values of R and A, and to perform prime and non-prime labeling of members of a very large finally generated series of integer rows in the manner of the method of the Sieve of Eratosthenes.
US08219599B2	Knowledge storage and retrieval system and method A system and method for representing, storing and retrieving real-world knowledge on a computer or network of computers is disclosed. Knowledge is broken down into permanent atomic “facts” which can be stored in a standard relational database and processed very efficiently. It also provides for the efficient querying of a knowledge base, efficient inference of new knowledge and translation into and out of natural language. Queries can also be processed with full natural language explanations of where the answers came from. The method can also be used in a distributed fashion enabling the system to be a large network of computers and the technology can be integrated into a web browser adding to the browser's functionality.
US08219598B1	Cross-domain communicating using data files In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes receiving at a data server computer hosted at a first internet domain a request from a client computer for data to be used by an application SWF file received from a web server hosted at a second internet domain and executed by the client computer, the request includes the second internet domain and information specifying the requested data. The method further includes generating at least a portion of a data SWF file including the requested data and a domain identifier corresponding to the second internet domain, the domain identifier configured to specify that SWF formatted files associated with the second internet domain are permitted to access the requested data within the data SWF file. The method also includes transmitting the data SWF file from the data server computer to the client computer.
US08219597B2	Information processing apparatus and method An information processing apparatus configured to allow a new version of software to be executed therein is provided. The information processing apparatus acquires management information in a format corresponding to an old version of the software and converts the acquired management information into a format corresponding to the new version of the software. When converting data, the information processing apparatus adds a new value to a management item that is common to the formats of the management information of the old version and the new version of the software so that the value is suitable for the new version of the software.
US08219596B2	System and method of optimizing performance of schema matching In one embodiment the present invention includes a computer-implemented method of improving performance of schema matching. The method includes storing a matching topology that maps a first data structure to a second data structure. The method further includes identifying a first portion of the matching topology that is a candidate for improvement as determined according to an incidence graph. The method further includes rewriting the first portion of the matching topology with a second portion according to the incidence graph.
US08219595B2	System and method for efficient remote data access for server management A system and method for efficient data access are described. A method for efficient remote data access for use by server management applications, includes transferring server schema from a service processor on a server to an application machine, receiving a request for server data on application machine, processing the request for server data on application machine, and forming, in a self-describing format, a single, consolidated query to obtain information not obtained from the server schema on the application machine. Processing the request obtains server data from the server schema on the application machine and the consolidated query is formatted in self-describing format. The method further includes transferring the consolidated query to the service processor, the service processor: processing the consolidated query, obtaining the requested data, and forming a response with the requested data in the self-describing format. The method transmits the formatted, retrieved data to application machine.
US08219592B2	Method and system for using overlay manifests to encode differences between virtual machine images A method for creating a virtual machine image, includes: storing a first image manifest for a first virtual machine image, the first image manifest including a mapping from file names of the first virtual machine image to content descriptors; storing a second image manifest for a second virtual machine image, the second image manifest including a mapping from file names of the second virtual machine image to content descriptors; creating a first overlay mapping by: placing a file name and its content descriptor both from the second image manifest in the first overlay mapping; and placing a file name and its content descriptor both from the first image manifest in the first overlay mapping if the file name and its content descriptor are not mapped in the second image manifest; and constructing a third virtual machine image having an image manifest whose mapping is the first overlay mapping.
US08219588B2	Methods for searching forensic data In one aspect of the present invention, a software component for conducting digital forensic searches is described. The software component has a header; one or more search markup language programs, and a data features section. The software component, also referred to as a search pack, enables a first entity, such as a federal investigation agency, to share its suspect and sensitive data with a second entity, such as another investigative agency in a manner that allows the second agency to utilize the suspect data while not revealing the actual content of the sensitive data to the second agency. The second agency can perform comparisons and other operations on the sensitive data without having to know the actual content of the data. The search pack allows an investigative agency to define an investigative strategy for a particular case via the search markup language programs and by the data features that it includes in the search pack. Thus, by sharing search packs among agencies, an agency can share or inform others of that agency's theory of the case and investigative goal. Search packs can also be updated automatically as new information is learned about a particular case. A search pack is updated is determined by the agency that created it and manages it.
US08219586B2	Support apparatus and method A design support apparatus includes a database storage storing a first database including respective logical connection information for a first-layer circuit and a second-layer circuit laid lower than the first-layer circuit, both provided in a circuit under design, a file generator that traces logical connection type identification information identifying types of logical connections from the first-layer circuit to the second-layer circuit based on the logical connection information included in the first database, and generates a layer terminal information file including layer terminal code information associating layer terminals in the second-layer circuit with layer terminal codes having trace information regarding the logical connection type identification information, and a database generator that generates a second database based on the generated layer terminal information file for the second-layer circuit including placement information for a plurality of cells included in the circuit and wiring information for wiring among the plurality of cells.
US08219584B2	User access to item information Included is a user device for communicating product information. The user device might include a data storage device and a product identifier input device configured to receive a product identifier. Also included in the user device is logic configured to retrieve at least one user preference, logic configured to retrieve information regarding a product related to the product identifier from a data network, and logic configured to compare the at least one user preference with at least a portion of the information related to the product.
US08219580B2	Dynamic management of multiple persistent data stores Dynamic management of multiple persistent data stores is disclosed. One or more data objects are associated with a client context, e.g., an instance of a client application program. The one or more data objects are retrieved from one or more of a plurality of persistent data stores and provided to the client context in a manner such that the one or more data objects appear to the client context to come from a single source, even if in fact the objects have been retrieved from two or more different persistent stores.
US08219573B2	Test case generation apparatus, generation method therefor, and program storage medium A method of the present invention includes: inputting a state transition diagram that represents first transitions between a plurality of states; inputting a mapping function that maps a given state to a value within a certain range; mapping each of the states with the mapping function to obtain mapping values, and perform grouping of the states into a plurality of groups based on the mapping values; for each of pairs of two groups obtained by combining two of the groups, setting a second transition from one group of the two groups to the other group when there is at least one first transition between therein; generating a representative transition path which is a sequence of the second transitions by tracing sequentially the second transitions; converting the representative transition path to a transition path in the state transition diagram; outputting the transition path as the test case.
US08219571B2	Object verification apparatus and method Provided are an object verification apparatus and method. The object verification apparatus includes a matching unit performing a plurality of different matching algorithms on a query image and generating a plurality of scores; a score normalization unit normalizing each of the generated scores to be adaptive to the query image; a weight estimation unit estimating weights of the normalized scores based on the respective matching algorithms applied; and a score fusion unit fusing the normalized scores by respectively applying the weights estimated by the weight estimation unit to the normalized scores.
US08219569B2	In-place evolution of XML schemes A method and system for the in-place evolution of XML schemas is disclosed. To automatically evolve an existing XML schema, a schema evolver receives both an existing XML schema and an XML document as input. The XML document indicates changes to be made to the existing XML schema. Based on the existing XML schema and the XML document, the schema evolver evolves the existing XML schema into a new XML schema that incorporates the changes indicated in the XML document. According to one aspect, the schema evolver generates one or more SQL statements based on the new XML schema. The SQL statements, when executed by a database server, cause the database server to evolve database structures that were based on the formerly existing XML schema so that the database structures conform to the new XML schema. This is accomplished “in place,” without copying the data in the database structures.
US08219566B2	System and method for determining valid citation patterns in electronic documents A system and method are provided for comparing portions of document text with potential citation components, determining if individual portions correspond to a citation component, and determining if a set of portions correspond to a valid citation pattern. A set of valid citation patterns is provided. Each citation pattern may include a specified combination of citation components. The invention further relates to identifying potential citation components from text in a document, analyzing a pattern of the identified citation components by comparing the pattern to a set of stored citation patterns to determine if the potential citation is a type of citation, and if so, is it a valid (and/or invalid) citation pattern. Once citation patterns have been determined in the document, annotations may be inserted into the document, and subsequent action may be taken, for example, generating a list of citations, providing research services, error-handling, and/or providing other options related to the citations.
US08219565B2	Filter range bound paged search A filter range based search control to request a range of data from one or more directory servers. A directory server receives a search request from a client application comprising a search filter control defining a set of requested data, a sort control defining a sorting order of the set of requested data, and a range filter control defining a range of entries in the requested data. Data entries matching a search value defined in the search filter control and sorted according to sort attributes defined in the sort control are obtained from a set of directories associated with the directory server to form a sorted list of matching entries. A subset of data entries in the sorted list that match a range value defined in the range filter control are collected, and a response comprising the collected subset of data entries is then sent to the client application.
US08219564B1	Two-dimensional indexes for quick multiple attribute search in a catalog system Embodiments of the present invention provide mechanisms that overcome limitations of existing indexes by creating two-dimensional (2D) spatial indexes to quickly locate data containers that match two or more predicates. This is accomplished by representing metadata attributes describing a data container as dimensions in a 2D space so that a data container can be expressed as a point or a cell in a 2D space with coordinates being a pair of values of the selected attributes. A space filling curve is used to traverse the 2D space and convert each pair of the 2D coordinates to a single space filling curve value. A 2D spatial index is then created based on the computed space filling curve values so that one value can be associated with one or more points (data containers) in the index. Advantageously, the created spatial index provides for searching and processing fewer metadata entries, thereby decreasing the time typically used to search for data.
US08219559B2	Information recording/reproducing apparatus, information recording/reproducing method, program storage medium, and program An information recording/reproducing apparatus is disclosed which includes: a recording section for recording files to a storage medium; an arranging section for arranging the files into groups by attribute so as to establish allocation of the files on the storage medium; and a controlling section for controlling the recording section so as to record the files to the storage medium based on the allocation established by the arranging section and to record concurrently allocation information reflecting the allocation to a predetermined location on the storage medium.
US08219558B1	Methods and systems for inventory management The present invention relates to inventory management solutions, and in particular, to methods and systems for inventorying items and property over wireless and data networks, using digital imaging, positioning, RFID, and data terminals. The user experience in performing inventory management is simplified and enhanced over existing methods.
US08219557B2	System for automatically generating queries A method, system and article of manufacture therefor, are disclosed for automatically generating a query from document content.
US08219550B2	Methods and systems for implementing approximate string matching within a database A computer-based method for character string matching of a candidate character string with a plurality of character string records stored in a database is described. The method includes a) identifying a set of reference character strings in the database, the reference character strings identified utilizing an optimization search for a set of dissimilar character strings, b) generating an n-gram representation for one of the reference character strings in the set of reference character strings, c) generating an n-gram representation for the candidate character string, d) determining a similarity between the n-gram representations, e) repeating steps b) and d) for the remaining reference character strings in the set of identified reference character strings, and f) indexing the candidate character string within the database based on the determined similarities between the n-gram representation of the candidate character string and the reference character strings in the identified set.
US08219549B2	Forum mining for suspicious link spam sites detection An anti-spam technique for protecting search engine ranking is based on mining search engine optimization (SEO) forums. The anti-spam technique collects webpages such as SEO forum posts from a list of suspect spam websites, and extracts suspicious link exchange URLs and corresponding link formation from the collected webpages. A search engine ranking penalty is then applied to the suspicious link exchange URLs. The penalty is at least partially determined by the link information associated with the respective suspicious link exchange URL. To detect more suspicious link exchange URLs, the technique may propagate one or more levels from a seed set of suspicious link exchange URLs generated by mining SEO forums.
US08219548B2	Data processing method and data analysis apparatus The execution of a process is analyzed by a data processing method using a data analysis device for processing a job by combining the processes of transforming input data and generating output data. The execution history of the process is recorded, and each time the process is executed, it is determined whether the process execution has a high anomaly probability based on a predetermined determination indicator. Upon determining that the process execution has a high anomaly probability, the process log information of the process including the determination indicator is recorded, and based on the process log information and the process execution history, the process with the high anomaly probability is further analyzed. By determining whether the process is anomalous or not, the process history analysis information including the analysis result and the execution history of the process to be analyzed is generated.
US08219542B2	Systems and methods to provide access control via mobile phones Systems and methods are provided to allow parental control via mobile communications. In one aspect, a system includes a data storage facility to store data associating a phone number with information indicative of an age of a user of the phone number; and an interchange coupled with the data storage facility. The interchange includes a common format processor and a plurality of converters to interface with a plurality of controllers. The converters are configured to communicate with the controllers in different formats and to communicate with the common format processor in a common format. The common format processor is to use one converter of the converters to communicate with a telephonic apparatus at the phone number to obtain parental consent, in response to a request from a third party website, such as a social networking website.
US08219540B2	Information viewing stem According to one embodiment, an information viewing system includes an ontology viewing engine coupled to a client and a knowledge store that stores records organized according to a domain ontology. The ontology viewing engine receives requests for records from the client, filters the domain ontology according to a display ontology, generates a graphical user interface (GUI) according to the display ontology including the requested records, and transmits the GUI to the client through an application programming interface of the GUI.
US08219538B2	Search device and search method A search device used to search for a search keyword from an object to be searched based on an automaton generated in accordance with the search keyword, includes: a first memory region; a second memory region; an information generation part that generates third information from first information and second information; a determination part; and a selection part, wherein: a first state corresponding to the first information is read from the first memory region; fourth information and a second state corresponding to the third information are read from the second memory region; the determination part determines whether or not fifth information including the first information and the second information matches with the fourth information; and the selection part selects the first state when not match in the determination and when matches in the determination, selects the second state.
US08219533B2	Search engine feedback for developing reliable whois database reference for restricted search operation A system and method monitors and weeds out illegitimate/illegal websites during search engine indexing and domain name registration. The whois database generated during domain name registration is used as a reference database for correlation with a database generated by the search crawler on a search engine server. A whois analyzer from the search engine server extracts a set of URLs into a database called the uncorrelated URL database. The uncorrelated URL database contains those URLs from both the aggregate whois database and reverse index database after removing common URLs. The uncorrelated URLs are contacted and advised by the whois administrator to take necessary action to be listed in the whois database and properly be indexed during search engine crawling. This process ensures that every URL is properly registered and identified on the Internet thus eliminating the success of illegal/unwanted websites.
US08219532B2	Smart mediation system in a service oriented architecture In one embodiment, a service mediator provides a service that is a composite of atomic services and executes a recovery pattern in the event that a service is not available. More particularly, in an initial phase of operation, the service mediator determines one or more recovery patterns for each atomic service offered in the composite service and stores in a database an identity of each such recovery pattern for each atomic service. In subsequent operation, the service mediator monitors the availability of each atomic service. When a user inquires of a composite service, the service mediator determines if any of its atomic services is unavailable. If an atomic service is unavailable, the service mediator selects a recovery pattern and executes it.
US08219531B2	Knowledge archival and recollection systems and methods A method of timing and recording user activity in a knowledge archival and recollection system, the method comprising: configuring an activity tracking module; logging into the knowledge archival and recollection system; prompting the user with a task identifier input interface upon opening an application user interface; initiating a timer upon input into the input interface; stopping the timer upon inactive application interface; and storing timer data into a database server.
US08219527B2	File processing apparatus, file processing method, and computer program product According to one embodiment, a file processing apparatus includes an acquisition module, a change module, an association storage module, a receiver, a creator, a call module, a determination module, a file determination module, and an output module. The acquisition module acquires a first file having a first file name. The change module changes the first file name to a second file name. The association storage module stores the file names. The receiver receives a selection of the first file name. The creator creates a second file assigned the first file name. The call module calls an application capable of editing the second file. The determination module determines whether the name of the second file can be changed. When the file name can be changed, the file determination module determines whether a difference exists between the first and second files. When a difference exists, the output module outputs the second file.
US08219526B2	Synchronizing file partitions utilizing a server storage model Embodiments are provided for synchronizing file partitions utilizing a server storage model in a client-server computer network. Edits to content of an electronic document may be received at a client computer. The content may be included in a first partition of a file stored on a server computer. The first partition may include a first stream which includes the electronic document content. The file may include multiple partitions with each partition including one or more streams. The client computer may generate metadata in a second partition of the file. The metadata may be associated with the edits to the electronic document content in the first partition. The second partition may then be individually synchronized with the server computer to store the metadata. The first partition may then be individually synchronized with the server computer to store the edits made to the electronic document content.
US08219521B2	Methods and apparatus for improving data warehouse performance Methods and apparatus for improving data warehouse performance are disclosed. An example method to transform a first database into a second database includes analyzing a structure of the first database, generating a hierarchical file path structure reflecting the structure of the first database, and associating a mapping file with a fact table, the mapping file stored in a first hierarchical directory file path of the hierarchical file path structure. The example method also includes copying data from the first database to form the second database, the copied data being accessible from the second database via the mapping file and the fact table, receiving a request to access data in the first database, using the mapping file and the fact table to retrieve the data responsive to the analysis instruction from the second database, and outputting the retrieved data.
US08219520B2	Method and system for validating data A method and system for validating data. Warehouse data is generated by transforming source data via an ETL transformation model. A data cube is generated by transforming the warehouse data via an OLAP transformation model. A report dataset (MDS1) is generated from the data cube. A reference dataset (S) is generated from the source data. Whether MDS1 matches S is determined. If MDS1 doesn't match S, then an OLAP inverse transformation is performed on MDS1 to generate an OLAP dataset (MDS2) and whether MDS2 matches S is determined. If MDS1 doesn't match S and MDS2 does not match S, then an ETF inverse transformation is performed on MDS2 to generate an ETL dataset (MDS3) and whether MDS2 matches MDS1 and whether MDS3 matches S is determined. If MDS1 doesn't match S and MDS2 does not match S and MDS3 does not match S, then whether MDS3 matches MDS2 is determined.
US08219518B2	Method and apparatus for modelling data exchange in a data flow of an extract, transform, and load (ETL) process Methods, systems, and computer program products for generating code from a data flow associated with an extract, transform, and load (ETL) process. In one implementation, the method includes identifying a data exchange requirement between a first operator and a second operator in the data flow. The first operator is a graphical object that represents a first data transformation step in the data flow and is associated with a first type of runtime engine, and the second operator is a graphical object that represents a second data transformation step in the date flow and is associated with a second type of runtime engine. The method further includes generating code to manage data staging between the first operator and the second operator in the data flow. The code exchanges data from a format associated with the first type of runtime engine to a format associated with the second type of runtime engine.
US08219517B2	Multi-class Poisson disk sampling A multi-class sampling component (MCSC) is described for selecting samples associated with two or more sampling classes to produce output information. The overall set of samples in the output information exhibits a desirable Poisson distribution. Further, each subset of samples associated with each respective class exhibits a Poisson distribution. The MCSC selects samples based on intra-class radius information (describing the minimum allowed distances between same-class samples) and inter-class radius information (describing the minimum allowed distances between different-class samples). The MCSC can be applied to different applications, such as an object placement application, a color stippling application, a sensor design application, and so on.
US08219516B2	Interactive intelligent searching with executable suggestions A method, system, and computer program product for interactive searching with executable suggestions provides a search engine and data management technology that determine what a user is looking for, analyze the data in a database, and present immediately useful suggestions for finding the right information. Executable suggestions are presented that enable a user to further narrow or broaden a search intelligently and adaptively in real-time. Each executable suggestion describes a search and corresponding search criteria and provides information on the actual search results a user will obtain according to this search criteria. In one embodiment of the present invention, a system has a suggestion engine and one or more suggestion spaces.
US08219515B2	Visualization of data record physicality Systems (and corresponding methodologies) that enable inferences to be drawn from the physicality of electronic information much like that of a visual inspection of physical records are provided. In other words, a user is able to draw inferences from parameters of electronic data such as quantity, regularity, age, condition, type, keywords, title, author, origination date, storage location, etc. The innovation provides a data observation system having a summarization generator component and a rendering component that conveys attributes of electronic data such that inferences and conclusions based upon the physicality of the data.
US08219514B2	Methods, systems, and computer program product for implementing expert assessment of a product Disclosed are method(s), system(s), and computer program product(s) for implementing expert assessment of a product. Some embodiments are directed at improved methods, systems, and computer program product form implementing expert assessment of product fixes/patches or upgrade. In some embodiments, the method or the system identifies or receives information regarding a client system on which the product runs and a reasoning rule for the expert assessment; analyzes the received or identified information based upon the reasoning rule; and determines the expert assessment based on the result of the act of analyzing the information. In some embodiments, the method or the system further comprises optimizing the expert assessment based on other information; determining whether the determination of the expert assessment is deterministic; and determining whether or not there exists a conflict in the expert assessment.
US08219513B2	System and method for generating a context enhanced work of communication A system for selecting, managing, sharing and displaying narrative data files in a manner that takes into the account the contextual significance of said narrative data files to a narrative, an author(s) and an audience. A system that is able to place an absolute and relative value upon the significance of a media object is able to assist in stimulating the recollection of the author and audience, thus making every aspect more memorable and enhancing by improving the ease of use and the quality of the final result of the use of the system of this invention.
US08219511B2	Unbiased active learning Techniques described herein create an accurate active-learning model that takes into account a sample selection bias of elements, such as images, selected for labeling by a user. These techniques select a first set of elements for labeling. Once a user labels these elements, the techniques calculate a sample selection bias of the selected elements and train a model that takes into account the sample selection bias. The techniques then select a second set of elements based, in part, on a sample selection bias of the elements. Again, once a user labels the second set of elements the techniques train the model while taking into account the calculated sample selection bias. Once the trained model satisfies a predefined stop condition, the techniques use the trained model to predict labels for the remaining unlabeled elements.
US08219509B2	Processing device having selectible difficulty levels with intuitive learning capability A processing device and a method of providing learning capability thereto are provided. One of a plurality of processor actions is selected based on an action probability distribution comprising a plurality of probability values corresponding to the plurality of processor actions. The plurality of processor actions are associated with a plurality of different difficulty levels. An action performed by a user is identified, an outcome of selected processor action relative to the identified user action is determined, and the action probability distribution is updated based on the outcome and the difficulty level of the selected processor action.
US08219506B2	Method and apparatus for evolving overlays to operate an extended analog computer as a classifier or a controller A method is used to configure an extended analog computer for use as an application controller. The method includes selecting input pins from among a plurality of pins in a continuous sheet processor, selecting an arrangement of intermediate and output pins from among the remaining pins in the plurality of pins in the continuous sheet processor, applying a pattern data set to the input pins, using an evolutionary algorithm, coupling current sources and sinks to the intermediate and output pins, measuring an error between an output and its expected value, and continuing to select intermediate and output pin arrangements, apply pattern data sets, and measure errors until a configuration threshold is met.
US08219503B2	Estimated time of arrival (ETA) systems and methods A system on a network provides estimated time of arrival information to a client located on the network. The system is adapted to present to the client pages for eliciting a product inquiry including a product number. The system receives the product inquiry, determines estimated time of arrivals for various destinations for at least one in-transit unit having the product number, and transmits to the client the estimated time of arrivals.
US08219502B2	Automated interview systems and methods Automated interview systems and methods are disclosed. An exemplary method comprises selectively presenting interview questions based on user input to at least one interviewee identified by a user, and receiving answers from the at least one interviewee in response to presenting the interview questions. The method further comprises compiling the interview questions and received answers as a recorded interview to assist the user to build online references for the user's products or services.
US08219495B2	Method of using personal device with internal biometric in conducting transactions over a network A method of authorizing a commercial transaction between a customer and a provider of goods or services over a network, wherein the provider of goods or services requests that the customer provide authentication by activating a fingerprint identification device, and the provider of goods or services receives at least an authentication code of the customer over the network from the fingerprint identification device, the method comprising the steps of: providing the customer with the fingerprint identification device which produces the authentication code when a fingerprint of the customer matches a stored fingerprint within the fingerprint identification device; receiving at least the authentication code from the provider of goods or services over the network; and authorizing the transaction if at least the authentication code is valid.
US08219494B1	End-to-end licensing of digital media assets Brokering use of media assets based on rights provided by rights holders and licensing terms requested by potential licensees. Rights include use attributes, geographic attributes, and time attributes. Use attributes include one or more parent categories of uses, such as print advertising, web promotion, etc. Each parent category includes one or more specific uses, such as magazine advertisement, newspaper advertisement, etc. Rights are obtained from rights holders and stored in a data structure that is searchable according to various rights attributes. A licensing request includes desired licensing terms, such as a specific use, time period, and geographic location. The licensing request may also reserve use for a later time and/or impose an embargo on use for a period after use. The data structure is searched for media assets whose rights encompass the desired licensing terms, such as media assets with a parent use that includes a desired specific use.
US08219493B2	Messaging method and apparatus for use in digital distribution systems A method of subsidizing the presentation of media content by including informative messages as part of the presentation. The presentation of the media content is paused while the informative message is presented. The cost of the media content is credited to the owner and the payment associated with the informative message is debited from the sponsor of the informative message. Some content is segmented into sections and the informative messages are presented before or after each section. Other content is not segmented, but informative messages are presented at intervals determined by an e-PVR.
US08219490B2	Payment transaction using mobile phone as relay Systems and methods of conducting a payment transaction using a mobile phone as a relay. The systems and methods receive transaction information associated with a transaction at a mobile communication device from a merchant. They send the transaction information with the mobile communication device to an issuer associated with the mobile communication device. The issuer thereafter sends an authorization response message to the merchant.
US08219486B2	System and method for changing the view of a trading screen A trading screen displays market information, such as working orders, buy and sell orders, and other items of interest, in association with values on a value axis. Each item of interest is therefore displayed in relation to the value axis to provide a trader with an intuitive display of the market. In one embodiment, a user can select a location associated with a particular value on the trading screen and upon an selection, for example, by a click of the mouse button, the value axis is repositioned so that the selected value is moved to a predefined location. During which, market information is moved to new locations that are associated with their respective values on the value axis.
US08219485B2	System and method for money management in electronic trading environment A system and method for money management in an electronic trading environment are presented. According to one embodiment, a trader may configure a plurality of filters, each including at least one filter criteria and filter condition. When a money management module detects a new order, the money management module intercepts the order and determines if the order matches one or more predefined filters. If the order matches one or more filters then conditions associated with the applicable filter(s) are applied to the order. The application of one or more conditions to an order may result in sending a modified order, preventing the order from reaching the exchange, or sending order to the exchange without any modifications.
US08219482B2	System and method for providing market data in an electronic trading environment A system and methods are developed for providing market data in an electronic trading environment. One example method includes determining a probability model comprising a probability corresponding to a change in relation to a market data parameter, then, using the probability to generate a compressed bit stream representing the market data parameter, and providing the compressed bit stream to the client terminal.
US08219481B2	Systems and methods for allocating size among trading accounts A system and method for allocating trades of financial instruments among multiple accounts comprising aggregating orders, wherein each order is associated with an account, and wherein each order has an original order size; allocating an executed order based on the aggregated order in a phase I allocation, wherein the phase I allocation is allocated on a pro-rata basis based on the original order size for each account, except for those accounts that would receive an amount less than a minimum allocation; allocating a remainder from the phase I allocation in a phase II allocation, wherein the phase II allocation is allocated among selected accounts in an amount greater than or equal to the minimum allocation or an amount that fills the original order size; repeating the phase II allocation until a remainder from the phase II allocation is less than the minimum allocation; and allocating a reminder from the phase II allocation in a phase III allocation according to predetermined criteria.
US08219479B1	Website and computer program for transfer of return on investment on a real time basis for OiBiTDA Methods and systems for calculating performance of equity investments, such as but not limited to public stocks, portfolios of those stocks, portfolios, mutual funds, hedge funds of publicly traded companies. Performance is calculated so an investor can make informed decisions on acquiring and/or divesting of these equity investments. The calculations can be done via a database with a computer by calculating OiBiTDA (operating income before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) of each equity investment which takes into account variables that include sales data per week, number of salary people and number of hours of hourly people. The calculated performance data can be disseminated through media such as but not limited to a subscribed based website and other digital online media, and the like. The return on investment (ROI) for the entire public company as well as for each operating facility of the public company can also be determined by the invention. The website can be subscriber based where-by investors get real time comparative data for individual stocks as well as those stocks that comprise a portfolio and/or a mutual fund after having Public Corporations submit Hours Paid, a scorekeeper for information under OiBiTDA.
US08219474B2	Method and system for distributing and activating a non-personalized purchase card The system includes a first and second computer systems and a purchase card associated with a major credit card organization. The card does not include information about any prospective card holder and is provided with a card number so that when activated, has an initial monetary value. The first computer system, located at a purchase outlet, is configured to transmit the card number over a communication network to the second computer system to activate the account, without requiring information from any person acquiring the card. The activated card is usable at retail establishments that accept credit cards. A method includes the steps of authorizing distribution of a plurality of non-activated purchase cards to purchase card outlets and authorizing activation of the purchase card account without requiring information from any person acquiring the card. Another method includes the steps of receiving a plurality of non-activated purchase cards at a purchase card outlet, and selling the purchase cards without acquiring information about the purchaser and initiating activation of the purchase card sold.
US08219473B2	Financial portfolio management system and method A financial portfolio management system operable in a network environment can be configured to gather financial information from a plurality of sources over an electronic network and intelligently aggregate the information into a financial portfolio viewable by a client. The client can determine which accounts should be included in the portfolio. The system uses web crawling, parsing, or spidering technology to update the portfolio information. The system provides one platform that conveys financial information from a variety of accounts held at several different financial institutions.
US08219471B2	Real estate appreciation contract A method and system for providing a contract between a property purchaser, e.g., the purchaser of a house, co-op or condo, and an investment fund in which a down payment or other financing is provided to the buyer from the fund in return for a portion of the capital appreciation of the real estate asset. The contract may be grouped with other such contracts and traded in an electronic market. Upon maturity or earlier sale of the property, a portion of the appreciated value of the property paid back to the Fund.
US08219469B2	Method of providing transaction data, terminal, transaction method, method of enhancing bank statements, server, signals and computer program products corresponding thereto A method is provided for supplying data representative of transactions between a client and at least one merchant, via a banking institution. The banking institution issues a statement to the client which, for each transaction, includes a statement line containing at least one reference for said transaction and/or the merchant, and an amount corresponding thereto. The method includes a transaction phase, including: storing data representative of said transaction, in a statement server; acquiring and storing, in an illustrative data server, at least one information representative of a photograph and/or illustration representative of said merchant, called illustrative information. A supplying phase includes: creating the statement, associating to at least one of the statement lines the data representative of the transaction and at least some of the illustrative information, and/or at least one information pointing via one hyperlink to at least some of said illustrative information, called access information.
US08219468B2	Device, system, and method of project planning and management Device, system, and method of project planning and management. For example, a method of project planning and management includes: publishing a representation of a project specification comprising one or more discrete objects; publishing a collaborative comment to one or more of the discrete objects; and receiving a supplier proposal to fulfill one or more of the discrete objects.
US08219466B2	System and method for providing asset management and tracking capabilities A comprehensive method and system is provided for managing bulk and non-bulk material and assets using radio frequency and other asset identification devices, distributed mobile computing systems, centralized data storage environments, and client-server based computing. In particular, a process has been designed and to manage shipment items from businesses and third parties to customer designated locations. Components of this system include electronic asset identification devices, a central data repository, a mobile computing environment and associated software applications supporting a client-server system or n-tiered computer system. The mobile computing environment includes software which enables users to physically locate assets, view asset information, and modify such information to reflect current asset status. This information may then be exchanged and synchronized across the n-tiered computer system. Additionally, various personnel associated with the shipping arrangement may have access to the available information over a computer network such as the Internet. In this manner, such personnel can easily determine the status of various shipments and also promptly act on information collected during any status updates, thereby expediting the resolution of any potential exceptions which may arise. The electronic asset identification devices may be further configured to include various types of sensors. The devices may then operate to process and store sensor output information for subsequent relay to users via the mobile computing environment or other means.
US08219463B2	Methods and apparatus for returning items via a tote delivery service Methods and apparatus for managing tote deliveries by a tote delivery service. The tote delivery service directs delivery of items ordered by customers via a network site to delivery addresses corresponding to the customers in reusable totes on upcoming tote delivery days. The totes are reusable totes configured to be delivered from a delivery facility to delivery addresses on tote delivery days and picked up from the delivery addresses on subsequent tote delivery days. The network site may allow the customers to place items into totes to be returned to the delivery facility; the totes are picked up and returned to the facility, where the returned items are removed and processed, for example to be placed into to inventory or returned to a vendor or manufacturer.
US08219461B2	Method of customized cleat arrangement A method for producing articles of footwear with customized cleat arrangements is disclosed. The method includes a step of designing a customized cleat arrangement using a graphical interface system; a step of drilling holes into an outer plate according to the designed customized cleat arrangement; a step of inserting receiving members into the holes; a step of attaching the outer plate to an upper; and a step of associating a plurality of cleats with the receiving members.
US08219459B1	Method and system for computer-based auctioning of basic generation services A system for conducting a computer-based, simultaneous, multiple round, descending clock auction for basic generation services includes a web server for receiving bid data for one or more users for basic generation service products, an application server host application software, which processes the one or more bids according to at least one auction rule, tracks the auction, monitors the auction, and/or determines when to end the auction, and a database server, which stores auction data. A method of conducting a computer-based, simultaneous, multiple round, descending clock auction for basic generation services includes the repeating steps of receiving bids indicating desired tranche units of basic generation service products, calculating next round prices for each product, and sending round results to bidders. The subsequent round price for each of the products and a notice of the number of tranches bid during the immediately previous round of bidding for each of the products and/or the amount of excess supply offered. When the number of tranches bid for the round of bidding are equal to or less than the certain threshold for each of the products such that no further bidding can take place under the auction rules, the auction ends after the round of bidding and awarding winning bidders an ending price for each of the at least one of the plurality of products won by the winning bidders.
US08219456B2	Method, device, and system for analyzing and ranking web-accessible data targets A method of locating a relevant product belonging to a category of related products sharing pre-determined product attributes is provided. At a client computer, a search topic associated with the category arrives from a user along with user-profile data like demographic, geographic, and situational data. A server locates at information locations some related products within the category, each having the pre-determined set of product attributes having associated content. For each product attribute, the content associated therewith in one of the located products is compared against content associated with the product attribute in each other located product and is assigned a relative score based on the comparison. The shared set of product attributes is prioritized based in part upon relevance of a product attribute to user profile data and the located products are ranked based on the prioritizing and the score of content associated with the product attributes.
US08219451B2	System and method for electronic delivery of content for industrial automation systems Content is generated on a host system based on real-time data from a controlled process collected over the internet from a customer's client machine tool control system. The client system may request content from a host website. Instructions associated with the requested content, which may be in the form of an application to be run on the client, is delivered to the client via download over the internet. The client gathers real-time data associated with a controlled process and transmits it to the host, where content based on the data can be generated for the client and/or its owner. Data gathered by the host, and content generated on the basis of the data, may be made accessible to machine tool manufacturers. Also, data received by the host is associated with an identifier defined for each client system. A historical database for given client equipment can thereby be created.
US08219446B1	Method and system for compiling a consumer-based electronic database, searchable according to individual internet user-defined micro-demographics A system and method for providing an individual with advertisement information. At least one database including electronic trait information, electronic preference information and electronic advertiser information is stored on at least one database. One or more communication devices receive a first electronic request for first information from a first computing device, and determine first electronic responsive information that comprises information that is at least responsive to the first electronic request. Further, a user relevance factor is determined that represents a relevance of the advertiser information to the first user. First advertisement information is determined for at least one of branded products and services. The first advertisement information and the first electronic responsive information are transmitted to the first user computing device.
US08219444B2	System and method for using sales patterns with markdown profiles A system, method and program product are provided for planning sales of one or more products or services. The method comprises selecting a markdown profile associated with the one or more products or services, selecting a sales pattern associated with the markdown profile, and distributing sales of the one or more products or services using the markdown profile and sales pattern.
US08219443B2	Variable road toll predicated on instantaneous point-to-point traffic volume calculation A method, a system and a computer program product are directed towards determination of a variable toll for a particular target vehicle using a particular point-to-point travel segment of a particular toll road. The variable toll is calculated predicated upon a deviation of an instantaneous point-to-point traffic volume for the particular target vehicle exiting the toll road in comparison with an arbitrarily determined baseline point-to-point traffic volume. The instantaneous point-to-point traffic volume includes vehicles traveling at least a portion of the same point-to-point travel segment as the target vehicle during an effective time interval when the target vehicle traveled the point-to-point travel segment.
US08219440B2	System for enhancing business performance A system gathers real-time data about an enterprise over a network. A user device displays a dashboard showing a component business model map, a heat map, key performance indicators for components, key performance indicators for the enterprise, and gradients. The business is enhanced by making investments and changes to those operations having large gradients.
US08219437B2	Methods and systems for constructing production plans Systems and methods are presented for constructing production plans to achieve one or more production goals, in which a diagnosis engine determines the production plant condition based on a previously executed plan, observations from the plant, and a plant model, and formulates a heuristic based on a diagnostic objective, and with a planner to performing a partial-plan search using the heuristic to construct the plans that will concurrently achieve at least one production goal and facilitate the diagnostic objective.
US08219431B2	Workflow management system, method and device for managing a workflow including plural hierarchically-classified tasks A workflow management system is disclosed that is suitable to manage a workflow including plural hierarchically-classified tasks and especially for cooperative work spread over different organizations. The workflow management system includes a task receiving unit to receive designation of a task to be delegated, a delegatee receiving unit to receive designation of a delegatee, an acceptance receiving unit to receive acceptance of a delegation from the delegatee, a first processor that allows a delegator to hide a delegated task and a subordinate task, and allows the delegator to confirm status of the designated task, and a second processor that allows the delegator and the delegatee to refer to other tasks relevant to the delegated task.
US08219427B1	Processing an application for insurance coverage Systems and methods provide customizable insurance according to consumer preferences. Demand simulators may be used to guide the creation of optimized packages of features, which consumers may select from to form an insurance product appropriate for their particular needs. Packages may be formed with a particular appeal to consumers with common characteristics. In addition, methods are provided for selling insurance products formed through an optimization process and providing corresponding insurance services.
US08219421B2	Method and apparatus for bundling insurance coverages in order to gain a pricing advantage A method for reducing the lapse rate of a first insurance policy comprises the step of offering to sell a rider to said first insurance policy, said rider comprising benefit features, said benefit features configured such that the combination of said rider and said first insurance policy has a higher switching cost than the switching cost of said first insurance policy alone and said rider is constructively attached to said first insurance policy, whereby said step of offering to sell is at least in part performed by technological means. The first insurance policy may be a homeowner's policy. The rider may be a pet health insurance rider.
US08219420B1	Method and apparatus for providing access to healthcare funds A method and apparatus for coordinating payment of healthcare expenses is disclosed. The method comprises determining a co-payment amount based on a customer's insurance coverage, determining the availability of funds from a plurality of the consumer's prioritized accounts, and deducting at least a portion of the co-payment from the highest priority account having available funds.
US08219418B2	Controlled substance tracking system and method A method for tracking prescriptive medications is provided whereby a complete prescriptive medication history including active and inactive prescriptive medications is stored for a plurality of patients utilizing a plurality of pharmacies wherein the pharmacies may be affiliated or unaffiliated. The information may be selectively retrieved through a secure computer connection by entities such as hospitals, doctors, pharmacies, insurance companies, government agencies and the like. The information may be utilized to benefit the patient whereby a doctor is able to obtain an accurate view of the complete prescriptive medication history of the patient including prescriptive medications by other doctors. Hospitals will be able to obtain, in accord with the invention, a prescriptive medication history prior to treatment such as emergency treatment where such information is not normally available. The stored data for each prescriptive medication transaction includes searchable data such as the patient's name, address, doctor, pharmacy, aberrant use flag, and the like.
US08219416B2	Patient bed search and management system An automated search system uses data indicating clinical and non-clinical needs of a patient to provide a ranked list of candidate beds, status of beds and availability of a specific type of bed having a particular set of clinical attributes, using a score value derived using configurable rules for comparing patient requirements with bed characteristics. A patient bed search system includes at least one repository including bed information for multiple beds in a healthcare facility comprising multiple clinical attributes including current availability for individual beds of the multiple beds. A bed management processor automatically employs the bed information in providing data representing a candidate list of beds for a particular patient in response to clinical and non-clinical requirements associated with the particular patient and a request to allocate a bed for the particular patient. A user interface generates data representing at least one display image presenting the candidate list of beds for a particular patient.
US08219414B2	Method of appraising a mammal's health An improved method of appraising a mammal's health includes the steps of: measuring the values of a plurality of factors indicative of different health parameters at a first time; normalizing the measured values of said factors at the first time; and arranging such normalized measured values at said first time in a first sequence; thereby to have said first sequence represent the mammal's health at the first time. The method may include the additional steps of: measuring the values of such plurality of factors at a second time; normalizing the measured values of such factors at the second time; arranging such normalized measured values in a second sequence; and comparing the second sequence with the first sequence or with a similar sequences from a plurality of similar animals recording the same primary afflicting condition.
US08219413B2	Identification system and method for medication management An identification system and method for medication management comprises a controller, a drug library accessible by the controller, the drug library containing drug library profiles including a data set of drug information, and an identification module configured to read patient identification information from machine-readable identification devices worn by patients and to read drug information from machine-readable identification devices affixed to drugs or containers of drugs. The controller compares the read information to each other and to the drug library profile and provides alerts or error signals in the event of an inconsistency. In one case, identification devices are read by an optical reader fixedly mounted to the identification module. In another case, identification devices are read by an optical reader that is hand-held and mobile and can be moved to the location of the identification device. The hand-held reader communicates with the identification module by wired or wireless means. In another case, a third reader that is non-optical and wireless is fixedly mounted to the identification module. The controller is also configured to provide alerts or error messages in the event that there is an inconsistency between the drug information on the drug or drug container when compared to the drug library profile associated with the controller.
US08219401B1	Script compliance and quality assurance using speech recognition Apparatus and methods are provided for using automatic speech recognition to analyze a voice interaction and verify compliance of an agent reading a script to a client during the voice interaction. In one aspect of the invention, a communications system includes a user interface, a communications network, and a call center having an automatic speech recognition component. In other aspects of the invention, a script compliance method includes the steps of conducting a voice interaction between an agent and a client and evaluating the voice interaction with an automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the voice interaction and determine whether the agent has adequately followed the script. In yet still further aspects of the invention, a voice record of the given interaction can be analyzed at least in part to determine whether the agent spoke any extraneous material not dictated by the script, apart from or in addition to ensuring that the voice record contains all material required by the script. The voice record can be analyzed against a pre-defined list of specific words or phrases to identify instances of profanity or abusive language used by the agent.
US08219400B2	Stereo to mono conversion for voice conferencing Stereo to mono voice conferencing conversion is performed during a voice conference. Conferencing equipment receives audio for right and left channels and filters each of the channels into a plurality of bands. For each band of each channel, the equipment determines an energy level and compares each energy level for each band of the right channel to each energy level for each corresponding band of the left channel. Based on the comparison, the equipment determines which channel has more audio resulting from speech. Based on the determination, the equipment adjusts delivery of the audio from the right and left channels to a mono channel for transmission to endpoints only capable of mono audio in the voice conference.
US08219399B2	Automated speech recognition (ASR) tiling Techniques are described related to tiles of automated speech recognition data. In an implementation, automated speech recognition (ASR) data is obtained. The ASR data is divided into a plurality of tiles based on an approximate amount of data to be included in each tile. Each of the tiles is a partition of the ASR data.
US08219398B2	Computerized speech synthesizer for synthesizing speech from text Disclosed are novel embodiments of a speech synthesizer and speech synthesis method for generating human-like speech wherein a speech signal can be generated by concatenation from phonemes stored in a phoneme database. Wavelet transforms and interpolation between frames can be employed to effect smooth morphological fusion of adjacent phonemes in the output signal. The phonemes may have one prosody or set of prosody characteristics and one or more alternative prosodies may be created by applying prosody modification parameters to the phonemes from a differential prosody database. Preferred embodiments can provide fast, resource-efficient speech synthesis with an appealing musical or rhythmic output in a desired prosody style such as reportorial or human interest. The invention includes computer-determining a suitable prosody to apply to a portion of the text by reference to the determined semantic meaning of another portion of the text and applying the detennined prosody to the text by modification of the digitized phonemes. In this manner, prosodization can effectively be automated.
US08219394B2	Adaptive ambient sound suppression and speech tracking A device for suppressing ambient sounds from speech received by a microphone array is provided. One embodiment of the device comprises a microphone array, a processor, an analog-to-digital converter, and memory comprising instructions stored therein that are executable by the processor. The instructions stored in the memory are configured to receive a plurality of digital sound signals, each digital sound signal based on an analog sound signal originating at the microphone array, receive a multi-channel speaker signal, generate a monophonic approximation signal of the multi-channel speaker signal, apply a linear acoustic echo canceller to suppress a first ambient sound portion of each digital sound signal, generate a combined directionally-adaptive sound signal from a combination of each digital sound signal by a combination of time-invariant and adaptive beamforming techniques, and apply one or more nonlinear noise suppression techniques to suppress a second ambient sound portion of the combined directionally-adaptive sound signal.
US08219393B2	Error concealment method and apparatus for audio signal and decoding method and apparatus for audio signal using the same An error concealment method and apparatus for an audio signal and a decoding method and apparatus for an audio signal using the error concealment method and apparatus. The error concealment method includes selecting one of an error concealment in a frequency domain and an error concealment in a time domain as an error concealment scheme for a current frame based on a predetermined criteria when an error occurs in the current frame, selecting one of a repetition scheme and an interpolation scheme in the frequency domain as the error concealment scheme for the current frame based on a predetermined criteria when the error concealment in the frequency domain is selected, and concealing the error of the current frame using the selected scheme.
US08219388B2	User voice mixing device, virtual space sharing system, computer control method, and information storage medium A sensation of presence of voice chat in a virtual space is enhanced. A user speech synthesizer used in a virtual space sharing system where information processing devices share the virtual space. The user speech synthesizer comprises a speech data acquiring section (60) for acquiring speech data representing a speech uttered by the user of one of the information processing devices, an environment sound storage section (66) for storing an environment sound associated with one or more regions defined in the virtual space, a region specifying section (64) for specifying a region corresponding to the user in the virtual space, and an environment sound synthesizing section (68) for acquiring the environment sound associated with the specified region from the environment sound storage section (66), combining the acquired environment sound and the speech data and synthesizing synthesized speech data.
US08219387B2	Identifying far-end sound Frames containing audio data may be received, the audio data having been derived from a microphone array, at least some of the frames containing residual acoustic echo after having acoustic echo partially removed therefrom. Probability distribution functions are determined from the frames of audio data. A probability distribution function comprises likelihoods that respective directions are directions of sources of sounds. An active speaker may be identified in frames of video data based on the video data and based on audio information derived from the audio data, where use of the audio information as a basis for identifying the active speaker is controlled by determining whether the probability distribution functions indicate that corresponding audio data includes residual acoustic echo.
US08219385B2	Computer-implemented method and system for conducting a search of electronically stored information A computer-implemented method, system, and computer program product are provided for conducting a search of electronically stored information. The method includes: (a) providing a user with an interactive targeting rule editor to enable the user to formulate a targeting rule to identify desired search results, the targeting rule comprising a natural language text string, the interactive targeting rule editor allowing the user to change one or more designated editable portions of the natural language text string to one of a set of specified alternate portions, delete one or more designated removable portions of the natural language text string, or add one or more of a set of specified insertable portions to form a syntactically valid targeting rule in accordance with a targeting rule grammar; (b) receiving the text string or a representation thereof from the user; (c) translating the text string or a representation thereof into an executable query; and (d) executing the executable query against the electronically stored information to generate search results.
US08219381B2	Dictionary registration apparatus, dictionary registration method, and computer product A storing unit stores therein dictionary information in which a first text in a first language is associated with a second text that is a translation of the first text into a second language. An extracting unit extracts, when an input text includes an unregistered text that is not registered as the first text in the dictionary information, the unregistered text from the input text. A translating unit translates an input similar text that expresses the unregistered text with a different text, into the second language. A registering unit registers the unregistered text in association with translated similar text on the dictionary information.
US08219377B2	Multi-layer finite element method for modeling of package power and ground planes In a method for simulating electrical characteristics of a plurality of power planes, each power plane includes a plurality of geometric features. The geometric features of each power plane are projected onto a single planar construct. A polygonal mesh, including a plurality of pairs of interconnected nodes, that corresponds to the single planar construct is generated. The polygonal mesh is projected onto at least one power plane an equivalent circuit between each adjacent node of the plurality of interconnected nodes is projected onto the power plane. An equivalent capacitance is assigned between each node and a common ground planer. A finite element equation that includes a plurality of discrete terms is generated. The equation is solved, thereby determining the electrical characteristic value between each pair of adjacent nodes.
US08219370B1	Simulation of shallow viscoelastic flows A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for simulating shallow viscoelastic flows. In one embodiment, input representing a deposition of a fluid in a shallow bed may be received. The fluid may have a set of fluid properties including a viscoelastic property. In one embodiment, a motion of the fluid in the shallow bed may be simulated. The motion may be simulated based on the set of fluid properties including the viscoelastic property. The simulation of the motion may comprise determining a viscoelastic force acting on the fluid based on the viscoelastic property.
US08219367B2	Method of estimating information on projection conditions by a projection machine and a device thereof A method of estimating information on the projection states of projection elements (P) by using an analysis model in which discharged projection elements (P) repeatedly collided with rotation blades (13) in a projection machine having rotating blades (13). The method includes the steps of determining initial conditions including information on the size and rotation of blades (13), discharging information on the projection elements(P), and information on projection elements with respect to the blades (13) the step of storing the initial conditions, a computing step of computing the position of each projection element (P), and its velocity and direction after collision with a blade(13) based on the initial conditions, and the step of estimating information on projection state based on computation results.
US08219362B2	System and method for arranging equipment in a data center A system and method for providing a layout of equipment in a data center, the equipment including a plurality of equipment racks, and at least one rack-based cooling provider. In one aspect, the method includes receiving data regarding airflow consumption for each of the plurality of equipment racks and cooling capacity of the at least one cooling provider, storing the received data, determining a layout of the data center, and displaying the layout of the data center.
US08219360B2	Method for reconstructing sparse signals from sign measurements using greedy search A signal x is reconstructed from sparse sign measurements y. Estimated measurements {tilde over (y)} are obtained from a previous estimate {circumflex over (x)}l−1 and a measurement matrix Φ according to {tilde over (y)}l=Φ{circumflex over (x)}l−1. A correction signal is applied to inconsistent measurements, so that consistent reconstruction can be performed.
US08219355B2	Methods and systems for high sigma yield estimation For an integrated circuit associated with a plurality of parameters whose values are described by a first probability distribution function, a method for estimating a failure probability includes selecting a first plurality of samples, performing a first test to determine an outcome for each of the first plurality of samples and identifying failed samples, and clustering the failed samples using a computer-implemented cluster forming method that, in some cases, returns multiple clusters. The method also includes forming a probability distribution function for each of the clusters, forming a composite probability distribution function that includes a weighted combination of the first probability distribution function and the probability distribution function for each of the clusters. The method further includes selecting a second plurality of samples using the composite probability distribution function and performing a second test to determine an outcome for each of the second plurality of samples. A failure probability can then be computed.
US08219354B2	Bolus for radiotherapy and method for determining the shape of such a bolus A bolus that is intended to be irradiated during radiotherapy. Advantageously, the bolus is made from a polyurethane gel.
US08219347B2	Orientation calculation apparatus and storage medium having orientation calculation program stored therein A game apparatus calculates a gravitational vector Vg, which represents a gravitational direction viewed from an input device, based on operation data. Then, a motion acceleration vector VA, which represents an acceleration applied by a motion of the input device, is calculated based on an acceleration represented by acceleration data and the gravitational vector Vg. The gravitational vector Vg is corrected such that the motion acceleration vector VA approaches a motion acceleration (vector VA′) satisfying a relationship with an angular rate (vector Vω) represented by angular rate data, the relationship being predefined between the motion acceleration and the angular rate for the input device making a predetermined motion (rotational motion). Furthermore, the game apparatus calculates an orientation of the input device corresponding to the corrected gravitational vector.
US08219344B2	Method and apparatus for digital VCDL startup Methods and apparatus are provided for improved startup of a voltage controlled delay loop that has an injection clock and a return clock. A control signal is determined for a plurality of delay elements in a voltage controlled delay loop by obtaining a histogram count of a number of occurrences of at least one predefined logic value for a plurality of delay settings of the voltage controlled delay loop; determining a histogram count that approximately corresponds to an alignment of at least one edge in the injection and return clocks; and determining the control signal based on the determined histogram count that approximately corresponds to the alignment. The voltage controlled delay loop can be started using the determined control signal. The histogram count can be obtained for a plurality of PVT combinations and the control signal can then be determined for each PVT combination.
US08219335B2	Electric winding displacement detection method and apparatus A method and system for obtaining the characteristic impedance of an electrical winding by measuring the input and output voltages and the currents within a winding across a low frequency range, and applying transmission line properties to model the winding. The characteristic impedance (Zc) is directly proportional to the capacitance of the winding, and is independent of external circuits. Thus any changes to Zc will reflect movements of the winding that would affect the capacitance. Because Zc has a smooth and robust monotonical relationship with frequency of the applied signal, the resulting curve is exponential in shape. A relative comparison between Zc curves will provide a clear indication of the overall axial or radial winding movements, or winding faults, which can be used to assess the overall health of the winding.
US08219334B2	Method and apparatus for an electric meter An improved meter and its operation is described. The meter can be a part of a larger automated meter reading process that allows for remote reading of the meter though power line communication. Using a microcomputer core, the meter processes incoming analog data and can calculate several relevant data values need by utility providers. The meter can also be used to monitor and detect tampering dry connect/voltage free devices, such as gas and water meters, connected to the meter.
US08219332B2	Electromagnetic field distribution measuring method, apparatus for the method, computer program and information recording medium Electromagnetic field distribution is measured by considering time variations of a measured electric and/or magnetic field value. In response to scanning performed with a probe at an arbitrary set of measurement coordinates in a predetermined measurement plane in the vicinity of an object to be measured, a signal is detected at each of plural sets of coordinates in a measurement plane. Electric and magnetic fields are computed during a measurement time period at each set of measurement coordinates in the measurement plane based on measurement coordinates where the probe is positioned and the signal is detected with the probe. Amplitude probability distribution during the time period at each set of measurement coordinates in the vicinity of the object is computed based on the computed intensity, then mapped and displayed.
US08219321B2	System and method for migrating seismic data A system and method that enable the processing of seismic data. In one embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of processing nodes and a server. The plurality of processing nodes are configured to process seismic data for migration. The server is operatively linked to each of the plurality of processing nodes to enable communication between the server and the processing nodes. The server may manage a set of stored beam tables that can be accessed by the processing nodes in order to process seismic data.
US08219319B2	Workflow for petrophysical and geophysical formation evaluation of wireline and LWD log data A computer-implemented method of characterizing elastic properties of a subsurface formation at various fluid saturation conditions is disclosed. The method includes the features of estimating densities and bulk moduli of fluids and surrounding rock matrix material present in an invaded zone around a wellbore and beyond the invaded zone to record a set of log curves of density and bulk modulus of the fluids and the surrounding rock matrix material present in the invaded zones and beyond the invaded zone versus depth; recording a set of shale trend compaction curves in each wellbore; solving a set of response equations for rock and fluid volumes based on the recorded set of log curves and shale trend compaction curves to compute lithology, porosity and hydrocarbon saturation to build computer models to estimate hydrocarbon saturation for the rock matrix material penetrated in the wellbore; and using the estimated densities and the bulk moduli of the fluids and the rock matrix material near the wellbore, the shale trend compaction curves and the computed lithology, porosity and hydrocarbon saturation near the wellbore to characterize elastic properties of a subsurface formation at various fluid saturation conditions.
US08219316B2	System and method for storing and providing routes In one aspect, a system and method is provided whereby map-related requests from mobile devices are used to store and aggregate routes. The routes are then used to determine optimum directions in response to subsequent requests.
US08219315B2	Customizable audio alerts in a personal navigation device A method of creating and playing customizable audio alerts in a personal navigation device is disclosed. The method includes adding a user-customizable text message to a message field of a point of interest (POI) data structure for a POI to create an updated POI data structure, storing the updated POI data structure in a memory of the personal navigation device, receiving current position information of the personal navigation device, comparing the current position information of the personal navigation device with position coordinates associated with the updated POI data structure, and converting the text message of the updated POI data structure to speech and playing the speech through a speaker of the personal navigation device when the position comparison indicates that the personal navigation device is within a predetermined radius of the POI.
US08219311B2	Headway distance maintenance assisting system and method A headway distance maintenance supporting system may include an obstacle detector, a controller configured for determining an operation reaction force to be generated in a driving operation equipment, and an operation reaction force generator for generating the operation reaction force in the driving operation equipment. The controller is configured for controlling the operation reaction force based on the status of a detected obstacle. The operation reaction force comprises a principal operation reaction force and an auxiliary operation reaction force, the auxiliary operation reaction force being no greater than the principal operation reaction force. The controller is configured for generating the auxiliary operation reaction force before a generation of the principal operation reaction force in the driving operation equipment.
US08219306B2	Apparatus and method for providing traffic jam information, and apparatus for receiving traffic jam information for automobile The present invention includes a traffic information collection unit for collecting weight information of a vehicle running on a road and vibration and noise information generated on the road; a traffic jam determination unit for determining a traffic jam and traffic jam type based on the collected weight information, the vibration and noise information; a traffic jam information transceiving unit for transmitting the traffic jam information or the received traffic jam information of a front road to a vehicle on a rear road by receiving the traffic jam information of a front road from another apparatus for providing traffic jam information installed on the front road; and a display unit for displaying the determination result of the traffic jam determination unit, or a traffic condition of the front road.
US08219304B2	Vehicle, controller for the vehicle, and method of controlling the vehicle An ECU includes: a feedforward torque calculation unit for calculating a feedforward term of torque which reduces vibrations of a vehicle, by inputting a sum of a first requested driving force, which is identified as torque requested by a driver, and brake force into a vehicle model; a feedback torque calculation unit for calculating a feedback term of the torque which reduces vibrations of the vehicle, by inputting second requested driving force calculated from a revolution speed of wheels into the vehicle model; a second driving force calculation unit for calculating driving force to be achieved by an MG, by subtracting driving force to be achieved by an engine and an MG from a sum of the first requested driving force, the brake force, and the feedforward term and the feedback term of the torque which reduces vibrations of the vehicle; and an MG control unit for controlling MG to achieve the calculated driving force.
US08219299B2	Method for speed regulation of a motor vehicle in a complex traffic situation A method for regulating the velocity of a motor vehicle in a complex traffic situation is presented. The motor vehicle is equipped with a sensor system for recording the environment. In order to regulate the velocity, an at least partially covered object and/or at least one object on an adjacent lane is viewed.
US08219298B2	Lane change assist system A lane change assist system is comprised of a host vehicle state detecting device that detects a host vehicle traveling condition, a surrounding vehicle detecting device that detects other vehicle located around the host vehicle, a lane detecting device that detects a lane around the host vehicle, and a processing unit. The processing unit is arranged to set a target lane, to determine a period of a lane change assist, to set a predicted period for an evaluation of a lane change to the target lane based on a prediction, to obtain an appropriate speed range during the predicted period for each gap, and to select a target vehicle speed from the appropriate speed range.
US08219297B2	Running control apparatus and running control method for vehicle A running control apparatus for a vehicle includes a required driving output deciding unit that decides a required driving force of a driving system of the vehicle on the basis of an integrated value of a difference between a target vehicle speed and an actual vehicle speed, a driving control unit that controls the actuation of the driving system on the basis of the required driving force, and a determination unit that determines whether or not the required driving force is unrealizable in the control of the driving system due to the intervention of additional control. The required driving output deciding unit imposes a limit on an increase or a decrease in the required driving force when the determination unit determines that the required driving force is unrealizable in the control of the driving system.
US08219295B2	Engaging-force control apparatus and method An engaging-force control apparatus for a friction-engagement element controls a slip rotational speed between an input-side rotational speed and an output-side rotational speed of the friction-engagement element by increasing or decreasing an engaging force of the friction-engagement element. The engaging-force control apparatus includes an engaging-force feedback control section configured to control the engaging force of the friction-engagement element to bring the slip rotational speed of the friction-engagement element closer to 0 by way of feedback control; and an engaging-force restricting section configured to restrict the engaging force of the friction-engagement element to prevent the engaging force from exceeding a minimum engaging-force value necessary to maintain the slip rotational speed at 0.
US08219293B2	Gear shift control apparatus and method for automatic transmission In gear shift control apparatus and method for an automatic transmission, a first frictional engagement element is, in turn, released, a second frictional engagement element is, in turn, engaged to perform the gear shift to another gear stage, a command hydraulic pressure to the second frictional engagement element is temporarily reduced when a parameter indicating a degree of progress of the gear shift detected during the gear shift to the other gear stage has reached to a predetermined value representing an inertia phase finish immediate prior region at a time of an inertia phase developed during a replacement gear shift, an reduction quantity of the command hydraulic pressure is set whenever a predetermined time has elapsed on a basis of the parameter detected whenever the predetermined time has elapsed in the inertia phase finish immediate prior region to progressively reduce the command hydraulic pressure.
US08219291B2	Method of controlling a vehicle during an auxiliary pump failure A method of controlling a vehicle includes signaling a transmission to shift into a first gear ratio and sensing a current gear ratio of the transmission after signaling the transmission to shift into the first gear ratio. The method further includes implementing a diagnostic transmission shift control strategy to override a normal transmission shift control strategy when the current sensed gear ratio is not equal to the requested first gear ratio to verify proper functionality of a mode control valve that is responsible for shifting the transmission into the first gear ratio.
US08219290B2	Control apparatus for transmission When a gear change has been decided, the coil resistance value of a motor which manipulates the transmission is measured. The coil temperature of the motor is estimated from the measured coil resistance value of the motor. In a case where the estimated coil temperature of the motor has been decided to be a predetermined temperature or above, the speed change inhibition time period of the transmission is calculated, and the speed change of the transmission is inhibited during the calculated speed change inhibition time period.
US08219288B2	Method for positioning a mobile unit in a motor vehicle Disclosed is a method for positioning a mobile unit in a motor vehicle. The mobile unit is driven by an external force and equipped with an electronic jamming protection device. A tactile input unit is provided for positioning the mobile unit. An occupied position of the mobile unit is stored under certain conditions, whereby said stored position is automatically approached when the tactile unit is correspondingly operated.
US08219281B2	Controlling vehicle operations based on object presence A system, method, and program product controls an operation of a vehicle based on the presence of one or more foreign objects within one or more monitored zones about the vehicle. One or more transceivers receive information about the one or more foreign objects. Based on the received information and the one or more corresponding zones, one or more controllers identify a response, which may include notifying the user about the foreign object and/or generating a signal that inhibits the ignition from turning on. The system, method, and program product also control an operation of a vehicle based on the absence of an object of the vehicle. Likewise, the one or more controllers identify a response, which may include notifying the user about the missing object and/or generating a signal that inhibits the ignition from turning on.
US08219277B2	Electric power steering apparatus When a failed Hall IC cannot be identified through determination as to whether any of output voltages falls outside a predetermined output range and determination as to whether any of the output voltages has steeply varied, a microcomputer determines whether the directions of steering torques converted from the output voltages are the same. Then, when the directions of the converted steering torques are the same, the average of these output voltages is used to calculate a temporary torque, and then power assist control is continued, that is, specifically, assisting force applied to a steering system is slowly and gradually decreased, on the basis of the temporary torque.
US08219270B2	Operator selectable electric vehicle performance switch An operator selectable performance control system for an electric vehicle, is provided. In various embodiments, the system includes a motor structured and operable to provide motive power and regenerative braking forces to the vehicle and a mechanical brake assembly structured and operable to exert mechanical braking forces to the vehicle. The system additionally includes a controller operable to control the application of motive power and regenerative braking forces of the motor. The system further includes an operator selectable switch structured and operable to changeably select one of a plurality of vehicle performance routines executable by the controller for affecting maximum vehicle speed and an amount of regenerative braking implemented during vehicle operation.
US08219269B2	Control apparatus for marine propulsion unit A control apparatus for a marine propulsion unit, which can activate an engine even when a computer system in an engine control unit is reset, includes a computer system arranged to actuate a starter motor using power from a battery on a hull in order to activate an engine, a reset state detection device arranged to detect a reset state of the computer system when the computer system is reset, and an analog circuit arranged to actuate the starter motor for a predetermined time period to activate the engine once the reset state is detected by the reset state detection device.
US08219268B2	Apparatus and method for determining available power and weight distribution in a train A navigation system includes a computer readable storage medium having a sequence of instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to acquire a plurality of parameters of a train comprising parameters measured after the train has begun a journey. The train includes a plurality of vehicles providing tractive effort and a consist coupled to the plurality of vehicles. The sequence of instructions also causes the processor to calculate the tractive effort of less than all of the plurality of vehicles based on the acquired plurality of parameters.
US08219263B2	Bicycle user information apparatus A bicycle user information apparatus comprises an information receiver that receives information corresponding to the bicycle user through the Internet; and an administration control unit that manages the information received through the information receiver and enables external access to the managed information in response to predetermined criteria. The administration control unit includes a user registration unit that registers identifying information corresponding to the bicycle user.
US08219253B2	Regulator module for a valve cluster A regulator module serves for the regulation of an actuator, in particular a pneumatic drive, and has a regulator communication interface for for output of the regulation target value and receiving an input actual value. The regulator module comprises concatenating contacts for in line arrangement on a fluid power and in particular pneumatic valve cluster with several valve modules, arranged in a row direction adjacent to each other for the fluid control of fluid power actuators and that the regulator module has an internal bus interface for connection with an internal communication bus of the valve cluster and that the regulator module is able to be connected by way of the internal communication bus with a valve cluster communication means for external communication of the valve cluster.
US08219251B2	Interview programming for an HVAC controller Controllers and methods are disclosed for aiding a user in programming a schedule of a programmable controller. In an illustrative embodiment, a guided programming routine can be activated by a user, which then guides a user through two or more screens that are designed to collect sufficient information from the user to generate and/or update at least some of the schedule parameters of the controller.
US08219247B2	Method of operating a furnace A method of operating a furnace having process tubes and multiple burners where it is desired to conform the temperatures of the process tubes to selected target temperature criterion. The present method provides a systematic and quantitative approach to determine how to adjust burner flow rates to result in desired tube wall temperatures, for example to minimize the temperature deviation between tube wall temperatures at a predetermined elevation in the furnace.
US08219246B2	System and method for controlling a robotic arm A method of controlling the position of an elongate robotic arm comprising articulated segments. An actuator is associated with each segment to control its position, and a control system operates the actuators. Data representing the position of the arm is gathered and compared to input data that represents a required new position of a part of the arm. Data representing the required new position of the arm is then calculated, attempting to keep the remainder of the arm as close as possible to its previous position. The actuators are operated to move the arm into the new position. In tip following, the data representing the new position may define a path, and the arm may be fitted to the path by matching the position and orientation of a point on each pair of adjacent segments to that of the path.
US08219241B2	Targeted product distribution system and method A targeted product distribution system is described herein with respect to an exemplary management of product flow through a distribution center. Specifically, the system and method described herein is directed to the management and display of direct and easily-understood instructions, such that average individuals, as well as those with mental disabilities, will be able to contribute equally to the overall process.
US08219240B2	Conveyance device and conveyance method A conveyance device includes a motor, a conveyance unit, a movement detection signal output unit, a storage unit, a time measurement unit, a first updating unit, a standby time setting unit, a second updating unit, a manipulated variable determination unit, and a motor driving unit. The standby time setting unit sets a value larger than a parameter value TX stored in the storage unit as a standby time TW. The second updating unit updates the parameter value TX stored in the storage unit to the standby time TW each time the elapsed time measured by the time measurement unit reaches the standby time TW.
US08219239B2	Dental unit with programmable functions Dental unit, which comprises at least one connection for at least one ancillary device, a drive-power and feed system for providing drive power or feed to said at least one ancillary device, and a control system for controlling the drive-power and feed system as well as the at least one ancillary device. For its part, the control system comprises at least one programmed function, which includes at least one predefined control operation directed to at least one ancillary device. In addition, at least one trigger is defined for each programmed function within the control system, in response to which said programmed function is performed. According to the invention, the dental unit comprises configuration means, which are arranged to receive control commands from the user in order to configure at least one programmed function and to configure said at least one programmed function according to control commands received from the user.
US08219234B2	Rapid production apparatus with production orientation determination A method of producing an object by sequentially printing layers of construction material one on top of the other, the method comprising: providing the construction material at a first lower temperature; flowing the construction material through a heated flow path in a flow structure to heat the construction material and delivering the heated construction material to a heated reservoir in a printing head; and dispensing the heated construction material from the reservoir to build the object layer by layer.
US08219230B2	Manufacturability evaluation of injection molded plastic models using a CAD based DFX evaluation system A method of automatic manufacturability evaluation of plastic models comprises generation of a likely pulling direction, recognition of common features on plastic parts, and then applying manufacturability rules The manufacturability rules can be specified and customized through user specified rule parameters and depend upon the geometric parameters of the recognized features. A system comprises a user interface for selection and customization of DFX (Design for ‘X’) rules for evaluation of a design. The system includes a user interface integrated with a CAD system for receiving the CAD data and displaying the results to the user. Geometry analysis engines are integrated into the system, for extracting the various features and corresponding parameters required as input to the manufacturability rules. The system further involves extensible interfaces for rules and analysis engines which allows users to write their own customized rules and engines and integrate these into the CAD based DFX evaluation system.
US08219229B2	Virtual heart valve A computational technique to construct a 3-D valve leaflet geometry. The invention pertains to methodology to construct a 3-D heart valve leaflet geometry using finite element analysis (FEA) to simulate the manual assembly process or, in other words, provide a virtual assembly process as an input to a subsequent simulated valve testing step. The simulated valves may be subjected to simulated cyclic valve opening and closings and the stress levels induced therein monitored. Simulated valve designs with lower principal stresses can then be selected for prototyping. Proposed valves can be subjected to cyclic fatigue stress testing under simulated physiologic conditions to study valve durability.
US08219224B2	Automatic music management methods and systems Systems and methods of managing entertainment content on a computer jukebox are provided in which, in exemplary embodiments, a digital file is transferred from a data center to a temporary cache in a digital memory of the computer jukebox in response to a user selection and the file is transferred from the temporary cache to a local file in the digital memory according to predetermined criteria. Also provided is a system and method of managing entertainment content on a computer jukebox in which, in one embodiment, the least popular albums are removed from the digital memory of the computer jukebox if the digital memory has reached a predetermined memory limit and a predetermined number of the most popular albums not already in the digital memory are added to the digital memory.
US08219220B2	Industrial controller using shared memory multicore architecture A multicore processor for industrial control provides for the execution of separate operating systems on the cores under control of one of the cores to tailor the operating system to optimum execution of different applications of industrial control and communication. One core may provide for a reduced instruction set for execution of industrial control programs with the remaining cores providing a general-purpose instruction set.
US08219219B2	Method and system of programming at least one appliance to change state upon the occurrence of a trigger event An automation system for programming appliances having programmable controllers, programmable devices and trigger devices that communicate over a communication link. The user programs the programmable devices by placing the programmable controller in its training mode, activating the trigger device to generate a trigger signed and places select programmable devices in their programmed state. After all of the desired programmable devices have been put in then programmed states, the user takes the programmable controller out of its training mode. When the programmable controller is out of its training mode, it monitors the communication link for the trigger event. Upon detecting the trigger event, the programmable controller sends messages to the selected programmable devices instructing them to go to their programmed state.

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