| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08251427B2 |
Vehicle seating arrangement including a collapsible seat
A seating arrangement for a row of seats in a vehicle includes a right seat connected with a vehicle body of the vehicle, a left seat connected with the vehicle body, and a middle seat positioned between the right seat and the left seat. At least one of the right seat and the left seat is moveable in a lateral direction with respect to the other seat and the vehicle body. Movement of the at least one seat toward the other seat can collapse the middle seat. |
| US08251423B1 |
Truck bed handle assembly
A truck bed handle assembly is formed from a handle formed from an elongated handle body having an upper end and lower end. The truck bed handle assembly further includes a handle receiver assembly that is configured for mounting to a sidewall of a truck bed. The handle receiver assembly has a handle receiving portion that engages the lower end of the elongate handle body to hold the handle body in a generally upright orientation. The handle may be a collapsible or non-collapsible handle. |
| US08251422B2 |
Apparatus for transferring electronic components in stages
A transfer assembly for transferring first and second groups of electronic components simultaneously comprises a holding plate containing first and second sets of suction holes. The respective first and second sets of suction holes are operative to hold the first and second groups of electronic components respectively against the holding plate during transfer of the electronic components. A first vacuum chamber located next to the holding plate is connected only to the first set of suction holes. A vacuum compartment located within the first vacuum chamber encloses a second vacuum chamber. The vacuum compartment includes a sealing sheet in contact with the holding plate which has vacuum holes connecting the second vacuum chamber to the second set of suction holes. First and second vacuum sources are provided for applying vacuum suction forces separately in the first and second vacuum chambers. |
| US08251420B2 |
Joint mechanism and joint device
The joint mechanism includes a first link, a second link, a third link, a shaft supported on the second link to be rotatable about an axis thereof, and movable in an axis direction thereof, a first worm and a second worm mounted on the shaft, a first worm wheel in mesh with the first worm to pivotally move the first link with respect to the second link, and a second worm wheel in mesh with the second worm to pivotally move the third link with respect to the second link. The first link and the third link are pivotally moved in opposite directions to each other by rotating the shaft, and pivotally moved in identical directions to each other by moving the shaft in the axis direction. |
| US08251418B2 |
Gripping device
A gripping device comprises a cylindrical thorn, an inner body and an outer body with a plurality of movable arms, each arm comprising a claw, wherein the thorn and the inner body are directly coupled to one another, wherein a spring adapted to force the extractor device to a first position is positioned in between the inner body and the outer body. The gripping device is adapted to be set in a plurality of other positions by moving the inner body and the outer body relative to each other along the symmetry axis. The gripping device is reliable to use and is adapted to grip different sizes of inserts, such as bearings, sleeves, and etc. |
| US08251416B1 |
Fireplace log handling device
A tool for picking up and carrying cut fireplace logs comprises a somewhat stiff but flexible handle approximately equal in length to the length of the firewood logs and that has hooks replaceably attached to opposed ends of the handle, the hooks having a pointed end arranged to penetrate into the end surfaces of a log when a lifting force is applied to the handle. |
| US08251413B2 |
Adjustable bar guide
A bar guide for guiding locking bars on sheet metal cabinet doors, or the like, comprises a carrier which can be secured, e.g., spot welded, to the inside surface of the door leaf and a guide element which can be mounted on the carrier and which has a guide surface whose distance from the inside surface of the door leaf is adjustable. According to the invention, the carrier which is spot welded to the door leaf is a pin with a circumferential thread, and an adjusting screw or adjusting nut can be screwed, or is screwed, on this pin. The guide element is a housing which encloses the adjusting screw and which has a guide channel forming the guide surface for the locking bar. |
| US08251412B2 |
Door clamp
Apparatuses and methods for securing a door. The apparatuses including a door clamp having a stop, a base attached to the stop, a jamb bracket attached to the stop, and a fastener coupled to the jamb bracket. The methods including positioning a stop portion of a clamp horizontally, sliding the stop portion of the clamp under a door and past a far side of the door, rotating the clamp such that the stop portion is vertical, moving the clamp to adjacent a doorjamb, and placing a pin extending through the clamp into the door jamb. |
| US08251409B2 |
Cover latching mechanism for electronic device
A cover latching mechanism for an electronic device includes a housing and a cover slidably mounted with the housing. The housing has a latching member and at least one limiting member. The cover has a cover body and a guiding rail formed on the cover body. The guiding rail is slidably mounted with the latching member. The limiting member is for preventing the guiding rail sliding apart from the housing. |
| US08251403B2 |
Album for collecting thin and flexible objects, in particular photographs
An album (10) is described for collecting thin and flexible objects (22), in particular photos or portraits, comprising a multitude of sheets (12) folded in half along a central folding line (14) and joined together with a binding (16) positioned at such central folding lines (14). Each sheet (12) therefore creates a pair of pages of the album (10). At least part of the sheets (12) is provided, on at least one of the two facing surfaces of each sheet (12), with a frame or perimeter border (18) fastened to the surface of each sheet (12). At least one of the sides of the perimeter frame (18) is not joined to the surface of the sheet (12), so as to be able to be lifted in such a way as to define a passage slit (36) to slide in or take out a photograph (22) or another document of substantially the same size as each sheet (12) between the perimeter frame (18) and the corresponding sheet (12). |
| US08251402B2 |
Energy absorbing device
An energy-absorbing apparatus for occupant protection in vehicles, has a receptacle with a magneto-rheological fluid which in the event of an impact is pressed through a flow zone determining the flow velocity. A device generating a variable magnetic field has pole faces in the flow zone, the magnetic field acting on the magneto-rheological fluid between the pole faces in order to regulate the flow velocity. The flow zone is divided into at least two flow routes by at least one partition forming two additional planar pole faces. |
| US08251397B2 |
Advanced weight responsive supplemental restraint computer system
An advanced restraint system for a vehicle comprises a weight-sensing unit mounted to one or more seats positioned between the seat mounting frame and the floor means of the vehicle for sensing the weight of a sitting occupant and classifying the occupant accordingly, a computerized system for calculating an operating weight value corresponding to classified weight value, and an airbag system comprising one or more airbags and a deployment unit configured to inflate the airbags with a deployment force acceleration proportionate to the operating weight value when a sufficient collision force is sensed above a predetermined collision force value by a collision sensor. |
| US08251396B2 |
Airbag module arrangement
In an airbag module arrangement, an airbag module is arranged on a vehicle component, in particular a seatback, the airbag module including an airbag carrier, an airbag and a gas generator, which are jointly attached to a support structure in an installation space of the vehicle component, from which the airbag exits in the event of a triggering and subsequently opens at least one material layer situated over the airbag module and inflates in a passenger compartment, etc.There is a provision for the installation space of the airbag module to be surrounded by a foam part that is closed at least in the direction of inflation, and a fleece-like layer to be situated on the inner side of foam part at least in the desired exit region of the airbag module from the foam part, which has a specifiable perforation in the desired exit region of the airbag module. |
| US08251394B2 |
Low rider saddle mount
A system including a low rider saddle mount (302) for safe and legal transportation of multiple vehicles (136, 137) is provided. The system includes a low rider saddle mount (302) having a first horizontal member (304) selectively coupled to one of a towing vehicle (132) and a second vehicle (136), and a second horizontal member (306) selectively coupled to one of the second vehicle (136) and a third vehicle (137). The second horizontal member (306) is vertically spaced apart from the first horizontal member (304). The multiple vehicles (136, 137) are towed in a forward direction. The system may further include a universal folding boom trailer (130). A method for towing multiple vehicles (136, 137) is also provided. |
| US08251393B2 |
Circulation assisting wheelchair
Gentle and substantially linear vertical motion of a wheelchair foot support is expected to assist lower limb circulation for a user with limited leg mobility, reducing risks of clotting or blockage within peripheral blood vessels. Additionally, to whatever extent limb atrophy may be reduced by imposed motion, motion of the foot support may help in maintaining muscle mass and flexibility of ligaments. Accordingly, a circulation assisting wheelchair includes a foot support movably connected to the wheelchair frame by a movable foot support assembly. The movable foot support assembly is connected to a rear wheel of the wheelchair via a drive train, so that normal operation of the wheelchair drives substantially linear vertical oscillating motion of the foot support. |
| US08251390B2 |
System and method for providing gyroscopic stabilization to a wheeled vehicle
This invention provides a stabilizing system and method for two-wheeled vehicles that affords the rider no restriction on the full range of movements (banks, leans, etc.) common to bicycles, but that provides greater stability during turns and other maneuvers so that an unintentional bank or tilt (potentially causing a fall) is less likely, even at relatively slow speeds and startup. A rotating mass of predetermined mass-value and radial mass-distribution is provided coaxially with the front axle. The mass is supported on bearings so as to freewheel with respect to the rotation of the front wheel. As such it can be induced to spin significantly faster than the front wheel thereby generating a gyroscopic effect at the front wheel about the axle. This gyroscopic effect influences the steering of the wheel by the rider. Due to precession, the wheel tends to follow any excessive bank by the vehicle, ensuring that the rider can “steer-out-of” an unintended tilt or bank. Likewise, the gyroscopic effect limits the rider's ability to execute excessive steering, thereby preventing jackknife movements. The mass can be an electric-motor-driven flywheel within a shell housing that includes a battery, control system and drive motor. The drive motor engages a surface of the flywheel with a drive tire in a resilient manner to reduce potential damage to the motor. |
| US08251386B2 |
Suspension arm for vehicle
When a load facing to the rear of a vehicle body acts on a knuckle mounting portion of an arm main body of a suspension arm, if the line of action of the load deviates vertically relative to the cross-sectional center of the arm main body, a moment that vertically deforms the arm main body occurs. However, since there are provided a first inclined projecting portion that is formed so as to bulge upward in an end part on a first vehicle body mounting portion side of a first bottom wall portion and has a height that gradually decreases in going from a first upper wall portion toward the second upper wall portion, and a second inclined projecting portion that is formed so as to bulge upward in an end part on the first vehicle body mounting portion side of a second bottom wall portion and has a height that gradually decreases in going from a third upper wall portion toward the second upper wall portion, it is possible to enhance the rigidity without increasing the weight of the arm main body, thus preventing deformation of the arm main body due to the load. |
| US08251377B2 |
Roller skate and wheel trucks therefor
A roller skate having enhanced steerability and stability is disclosed. The skate includes a platform for supporting a skater's foot and front and rear wheel trucks secured to the underside of the platform. A pair of front wheels is rotatably mounted in transverse axial alignment on the front wheel truck and a pair of rear wheels is rotatably mounted in transverse axial alignment on said rear wheel truck. The pairs of front and rear wheels are also in parallel axial alignment with each other and mounted on their respective wheel trucks for resiliently controlled, tilting movement about downwardly inclined longitudinal axis. In addition, a fifth wheel is rotatably mounted on the front wheel truck between the pairs of front and rear wheels and in parallel axial alignment with the wheel pairs. An additional preferred roller skate includes a single wheel rotatably mounted to the front toe plate. The front wheel is not tiltable about the skate's longitudinal axis. This roller skate includes three wheels rotatably mounted to a rear wheel truck. The rear wheel truck is mounted to the skate's heel plate by a pivot mount allowing the three rear wheels to pivot about the skate's transverse axis which also allows a rear center wheel to engage a brake pad. Moreover, the rear wheel truck is mounted to the heel plate for providing tilting movement at least partially about the skate's longitudinal axis to permit turning. |
| US08251376B2 |
Bicycle suspension having stroke and damper adjustment
A bicycle suspension includes a stroke adjustment unit, a suspension damper, a damper adjustment unit, and an electronic controller. The stroke adjustment unit is configured to adjust a stroke of the bicycle suspension, which is configured to expand and contract within the stroke. The suspension damper is configured to apply damping force to the bicycle suspension. The damper adjustment unit is configured to adjust the damping force applied by the suspension damper. The electronic controller is configured to control the stroke adjustment unit and the damper adjustment unit. |
| US08251375B2 |
Body leaning control system, and a saddle riding type vehicle having the same
A body leaning control system includes a support mechanism arranged to support a pair of wheels to be movable up and down relative to a vehicle body, a resistance applying mechanism arranged to apply to the support mechanism a resistance to up-and-down motions of the pair of wheels, a lean amount acquiring device arranged to detect a lean amount of the vehicle body, and a controller arranged, based on detection results received from the lean amount acquiring device, to set the resistance of the resistance applying mechanism to a first resistance when the lean amount of the vehicle body exceeds a first angle, and to set the resistance of the resistance applying mechanism to a second resistance smaller than the first resistance when the lean amount of the vehicle body is at the first angle or less. This system can conveniently inhibit the vehicle body from leaning in excess of the first angle. |
| US08251373B2 |
Seal performance for hydrogen storage and supply systems
The performance and durability of static and dynamic seals for hydrogen storage and supply systems has been improved by utilizing a spring-energized and plastic coated radial seal in combination with at least a mating surface that has been treated by one of a variety of procedures. These procedures include applying to the mating surface a low-friction, hard, and hydrogen impervious coating, chemically polishing the mating surface, and electrochemically polishing the mating surface. Each of these procedures significantly reduces, on a microscopic scale, the surface roughness of the mating surface. The seal can thus form a tighter and more gas-tight seal with the smoother mating surface so as to decrease the loss of hydrogen gas across the seal. The smoother mating surface can also improve seal life by reducing seal surface wear. |
| US08251364B2 |
Sheet feeding apparatus
A printer has a separating unit, such as a depressing cam and a depressing slider, which presses a middle plate against the biasing force of a spring and separates a sheet on the middle plate from a sheet feeding roller by a predetermined distance, a separation driving unit, such as a DC motor, which moves the separating unit, a measuring unit which measures the driving load applied to the separation driving unit when the separation driving unit drives the separating unit, and a load imparting unit, such as a brake plate, which imparts load to the middle plate, the separating unit, or the like. The brake plate or the like imparts load when a sheet is separated from the sheet feeding roller by the separating unit, and the brake plate or the like changes the load to be imparted, according to the turning angle of the middle plate. |
| US08251362B2 |
Sheet stacking apparatus and image forming system using the same
A sheet stacking apparatus, including: a stacking section which stacks sheets; a sorting section which changes an ejecting position of the sheet in the stacking device to sort the sheets; an aligning section which aligns the sheet sorted by the sorting section and ejected onto the stacking section; a shifting section which shifts the aligning section based on the ejecting position changed by the sorting section in the stacking section; and a control section which controls at least the aligning section and the shifting section; wherein when the number of sheets as a sheet unit to be sorted by the sorting section is plural, the control section controls the aligning section to align the sheets as the sheet unit, and when the number of sheets is singular, the control section controls at least the aligning section and shifting section not to align the single sheet in the sheet unit. |
| US08251356B2 |
Door installation
Tool having a body and at least one jamb-securing finger can be used to install a pre-hung door. The body can be removably attached to a building component about a door opening such as a 2×4, with the finger(s) for holding a jamb component of the pre-hung door. The tool may be intrinsically adjustable. A kit may include the tool, a fastener and/or a spacer. |
| US08251351B2 |
Traction winch
A traction winch for a cable or the like includes a winch frame, at least two sheave assemblies each having at least a first sheave and a second sheave, each sheave having a single circumferential friction surface for the cable. The winch further includes at least two rotatable driveshafts, journalled in the winch frame in a side-by-side arrangement, each drive shaft being associated with a sheave assembly, and at least one motor for driving the driveshafts. The winch includes a differential assembly being provided between each driveshaft and sheave assembly so as to allow for different rotational speeds of the sheaves during operation of the traction winch due to cable elongation. |
| US08251349B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for an improved vehicle jack
Various embodiments of a vehicle jack include a base, an upright support mounted adjacent to and extending upwardly from the base, a toothed rack, a toothed bar pin, and a release handle. The toothed rack has a first end and a second end and defines a plurality of ratchet troughs therebetween, and the toothed rack is mounted adjacent the upright support. The ratchet assembly is adapted to move along a path defined by the upright support, and the toothed bar pin, which is mounted adjacent the ratchet assembly, is adapted to selectively engage a portion of the toothed rack adjacent one of the plurality of ratchet troughs as the ratchet assembly moves along the path. The release handle is mounted adjacent the second end of the toothed rack, and the release handle is adapted to selectively disengage the toothed bar pin from one of the plurality of ratchet troughs. |
| US08251342B1 |
Sports board holder
An aspect of the invention involves a wheeled sports board holder for hanging a wheeled sports board on a vertical surface, the wheeled sports board including a support deck with an upper portion supported by one or more upper wheels, and having an upper edge, and a lower portion supported by one or more lower wheels. The wheeled sports board holder includes a base with a front and a rear, the rear of the base mountable to the vertical surface; a wheel holder projecting forwardly relative to the front of the base, and having a wheel guide; and a clasp projecting forwardly relative to the front of the base, above the wheel holder, the clasp configured to hold the upper edge of the wheeled sports board towards the vertical surface so that the one or more lower wheels do not contact the vertical surface. |
| US08251341B2 |
Flat-panel display monitor
A flat-panel display monitor is disclosed. The flat-panel display monitor comprises a display body comprising a support portion formed at an edge thereof; and a support stand connected to the display body so that the support portion of the display body and the support cooperatively support the flat-panel display monitor, the support stand comprising a support member comprising a base portion and two arched plates extending from an end of the base portion; two friction members, each of the two friction members is rotatably clamped by each of the two arched plates; a first connecting bracket connected to first of the two friction members; and a second connecting bracket connected to second of the two friction members, wherein the second connecting bracket is detachably attached to the first connecting bracket. |
| US08251328B2 |
Mounting apparatus for data storage device
A mounting apparatus for a data storage device includes a bracket, a support member slidably mounted to the bracket, two first and second locking members, and two clamping members. Each first locking member includes a first hook detachably locked to the support member, and a fixing pole to clamp the corresponding clamping member. Each second locking member includes a second hook fixed to the support member, and a fixing portion to fix the corresponding clamping member. When the first hooks of the first locking members disengage from the support member, and the first locking members are rotated to drive the corresponding clamping members away from the support member. When the data storage device is sandwiched between the support member and the clamping members, the first locking members are rotated to make the first hooks lock to the support member. |
| US08251326B2 |
Camming clamp for roof seam
A clamp described herein can secure a solar cell array to a seam of a standing seam metal roof. The clamp has a cam that is rotated by the tightening of a bolt to cause the cam to engage the seam. The clamp also has a receiver for receiving the seam and the rotated cam. By installing the clamp on the seam, the solar cell array can be secured to the standing seam metal roof without drilling into the roof. Because no screws are required to be drilled into the rooftop, the damage to the rooftop is substantially reduced. Also, by reversing the process described above, the clamp can be uninstalled in a similar fashion. |
| US08251325B2 |
Adjustable display bracket
A rotatably adjustable mounting bracket for attachment to a display device and a mounting system affixable to mount surface and providing rotational adjustability of the attached display about an axis substantially perpendicular to the principal plane of the display device. The device mounting bracket including at least one set of openings comprising a plurality of openings located in the plate to substantially align with mounting holes located on the display device. Each of the openings having an adjustment portion adapted to receive a portion of the display device fastener attached to the display device and moveable within the adjustment portion to permit rotational movement of the display device relative to the mounting bracket. |
| US08251324B2 |
Support arm positioning tab
A mailbox support attaching to a post includes an arm for supporting a mailbox at a given height, an opening for freely allowing the arm to slide over the post, and a tab flexibly extending into the opening and designed to limit movement of the arm relative to the post if the post is disposed within the opening. |
| US08251321B2 |
Cable management arm connection system
A cable management arm connection system includes a main body, a support frame, a support block, a support locking member, and two mounting members. The main body is provided with a sleeve to slide along the support frame. Both ends of the main body are connected to the mounting members, respectively. Both ends of the support frame are connected to the support block and the support locking member, respectively. An engaging button is provided on each of the mounting members and the support locking member. Both the support block and the support locking member are respectively connected for sliding and secured in place corresponding to left or right side of the slide assembly for the main body to extend and slide on the support frame as the slide assembly stretches. |
| US08251318B2 |
Disbanded cascaded array for generating and moving plasma clusters for active airflow control
An array of electrodes for selectively generating plasma is described herein. The array includes a first electrode disposed along a first dielectric, and at least a second electrode. A second electrode is sandwiched between the first dielectric and the second dielectric. A power supply provides electrical power to at least the first and second electrodes. In turn, a power supply controller controls the power supply, so as to regulate the electrical power supplied to at least the first and the second electrodes, and to cause the first and second electrodes to generate and move plasma to modify different airflow patterns. |
| US08251310B2 |
Sail wing aircraft which includes an engine mounted on a pylon
Sail wing aircraft which includes a wing (6) and at least one propulsion engine (8). It includes an upper beam (22) which is firmly fixed at its front end to a first frame (12) located on an air inlet (14) of the propulsion engine and which is in addition firmly fixed at its median part to a second frame (16) located to the rear of the first frame. The sail wing aircraft includes in addition a pylon (26) for attachment of the engine onto the fuselage, where the engine is fixed to the pylon (26). |
| US08251305B2 |
Rotorcraft with variable incident wing
A twin-rotor side-by-side compound rotorcraft has a fuselage and variable incident wing assembly that pivots relative to fuselage. The aircraft also has landing gear assembly and a tail fin assembly. The variable incident wing assembly is pivotally attached to the fuselage, and includes wing members, engines fixedly mounted to the wing members or another area of the rotorcraft, and a mast attached at a fixed angle relative to the wing members. Then engines may also be located near the fuselage or another area of the rotorcraft. The variable incident wing assembly is capable of pivoting about a pivot axis, thereby allowing mast orientation in at least a hover mast position and a forward flight mast position. The rotors provide additional forward thrust and the wings provide additional lift, when the mast is in the forward flight mast position. |
| US08251301B2 |
Rotating fluid jet with improved rotary seal
An improved seal for use in fluid systems such as a water jet system includes an outer seal point that is very close to an inner seal point. By spacing these two seal points very close together, the force on the seal is greatly reduced compared to the prior art. In the disclosed embodiment, the outer seal point is on an angled forward face of the seal that abuts a back-up ring angled face. The inner seal point is between the seal and an internal shaft which rotates relative to a housing. |
| US08251300B2 |
Peripheral dial sprinkler controller
A sprinkler controller includes a central portion and a peripheral switch being moveable in an arcuate path relative to the central portion. The peripheral switch may be a peripheral dial that can be rotated about the central portion. The dial may be rotated to select a particular mode of the sprinkler controller. A display screen is positioned on the central portion. At least two controls are also positioned on the central portion. When a mode is selected by using the peripheral dial, the user may then employ the controls (and the display on the screen) to modify the settings for the sprinkler controller. A method of using the sprinkler controller is also disclosed. |
| US08251298B2 |
Installation construction method for boiler facilities
With an installation construction method for boiler facilities, the boiler facilities comprise a boiler building configured of a steel structure, and a boiler main unit suspended within the boiler building from the upper portion of the boiler building. A portion of the boiler building is constructed, a portion of the boiler main unit is suspended from the upper portion of the partially-constructed boiler building, and while the remaining steel structure portions are being added to the partially-constructed boiler building so as to construct the boiler building, the remaining portions of the boiler main unit are added to complete the boiler main unit. |
| US08251296B2 |
Fluid regulation thermostatic valve, coolant circuit including such valve and method for making such valve
The invention relates to a valve (3) that comprises a housing (20) and a thermostatic member (52) having a mobile piston (58) that carries a plug (76) for controlling the fluid flow between two accesses to the housing. In order to simplify the manufacture and the maintenance of the valve, inter alia, a hollow body (54) bearing the thermostatic member is adapted both to be rigidly connected to the fixed portion of the thermostatic member so that the piston can extend inside the inner chamber (64) of the body and so that the plug controls the fluid flow through said chamber, and to be received and sealingly blocked in an inner volume (V20) of the housing so that the fluid cannot flow between the two accesses through the chamber, while a thermostatic assembly (50), defined by the bearing body and the thermostatic member connected together, can be urged as a whole into the inner volume of the housing. |
| US08251295B2 |
RFID tag
The present invention relates to an RFID tag comprising a heat-resistant substrate made of a plastic film and capable of withstanding temperatures up to 200° C., an antenna formed on the surface of the substrate, an integrated circuit on a silicon chip electrically connected to the antenna and a joint for attaching the chip to the substrate on that the chip is capable of connecting electrically to the antenna. The joint is made of an anisotropically conductive adhesive capable of withstanding temperatures up to 200° C. and having a thermal expansion coefficient essentially similar to that of the silicon chip. |
| US08251292B2 |
Processing method of barcode and apparatus thereof
A processing method of detecting a barcode from an original image includes: an edge processing process, a barcode positioning process and a projection modification process. The edge processing process is for converting an original image into a binarized input image. The barcode positioning process is for deriving position information of the barcode, and includes: deriving a plurality of luminance groups according to luminance values of all pixels of the input image; utilizing a determining circuit to determine whether each luminance group complies with an identification bar and to derive position information of the identification bars; and deriving position information of the barcode according to the position information of the identification bars. The projection modification process converts the original image into a modified image according to the position information of the barcode. |
| US08251288B2 |
Network-centric targeting
A network-centric targeting system includes a prepare module to plan for targeting engagements and to identify a target; a sense module to locate targets of opportunity and targets generated by the prepare module to form targeting information; a refine module to enhance the targeting information from the sense module; a track module to maintain a location of a target, a state of the target and target activity, the track module being coupled to the refine module; a target module to select effects and to coordinate delivery of selected effects to the target, the target module being coupled to the track module, the refine module and the sense module; a deliver module to deliver effects to the target, the deliver module being coupled to the track module, the refine module, the target module and the sense module; and an assess module to assess effectiveness of the delivered effects on the target. |
| US08251282B2 |
Card reader device with sensor for sensing card trapping device
A card reader device has a card entrance for receiving a card and a card enclosure in registration with the card entrance. The card enclosure defines an area in which the card is read. The card reader also has a card transport mechanism for drawing a card into the card enclosure and for ejecting the card from the card enclosure. A sensor is provided for sensing displacement of part of the card transport mechanism in a direction transverse to the plane of transport of the card, and a control circuit ascertains if the displacement of the card transport mechanism fulfills an alarm criterion. |
| US08251280B2 |
Bar-code ticket processing apparatus, method of controlling bar-code ticket processing apparatus, and bar-code ticket processing system
An object of the present invention is to transmit image data of valid surfaces of all bar-code tickets to an external device by a single bar-code ticket process, regardless of orientations and directions of the bar-code tickets. A bar-code ticket processing apparatus includes a taking unit configured to take thereinto a bar-code ticket; an image-data reading unit configured to read image data of both surfaces of the bar-code ticket taken by the taking unit; a valid-surface judging unit configured to judge the surfaces of the image data read by the image-data reading unit to be valid or not; and a control unit configured to generate ticket data including the image data of a valid surface out of the image data read by the image-data reading unit, based on the judgment result of the valid-surface judging unit. |
| US08251275B2 |
Ultrasonic transducers for wire bonding and methods of forming wire bonds using ultrasonic transducers
A method of forming a wire bond using a bonding tool coupled to a transducer is provided. The method includes the steps of: (1) applying electrical energy to a driver of the transducer at a first frequency; and (2) applying electrical energy to the driver at a second frequency concurrently with the application of the electrical energy at the first frequency, the first frequency and the second frequency being different from one another. |
| US08251267B2 |
Vehicle article carrier having single sided releasable and stowable cross bars
A vehicle article carrier adapted to be mounted to an outer body surface of a motor vehicle. The carrier has a pair of cross bars that can each be stowed on corresponding pairs of support elements when the cross are not needed for use without the need to completely detach either of the cross bars from their associated support elements. A rear one of the cross bars has a single sided release feature that enables both end supports at opposite ends of the rear cross bar to be simultaneously unlocked or locked from a rear pair of support elements from either end support. The rear cross bar can also be slidably positioned along the rear pair of support elements to better configure the cross bars to support variously sized articles thereon. |
| US08251266B2 |
Rotatable accessory attachment platform
An accessory attachment platform, including a platform body having a plate attachment portion, wherein the plate attachment portion includes a platform opening; a platform plate portion coupled to an accessory plate portion, through the platform opening, such that the platform plate portion and the accessory plate portion are rotatable relative to the platform body; and a release lever pivotably attached to the platform body, wherein the release lever is pivotable between a locking position and an unlocking position, and wherein the release lever is capable of releasably interacting with a primary notch of the platform plate portion such that when the release lever is in the locking position relative to the primary notch of the platform plate portion, the platform plate portion is unable to rotate relative to the platform body. |
| US08251265B2 |
Spare tire carrier for all-terrain vehicles
A spare tire carrier that preserves the vehicle approach angle. The carrier comprises a hitch anchor configured to be mounted on a vehicle towing hitch; a fork having tines affixed to the back end of the hitch anchor by means of a hinge; a sleeve slidingly mounted on the fork's handle; a lower shoulder bar essentially perpendicularly mounted onto the sleeve; an upper shoulder bar slidingly mounted on the lower shoulder bar and a rim holder affixed to the upper shoulder bar. The device is constructed of telescoping bars that can be slidingly adjusted and kept in place by pins. This design allows the shape of the device to be modified and to accommodate a diversity of tire sizes. This invention can also be used as a jack by positioning the rim holder on the ground as a fulcrum and using the device as a lever to lift a car. |
| US08251264B2 |
Continuous casting tundish
A tundish assembly, including an element, for preventing or limiting steel reoxidization in the continuous casting of molten steel, is used in combination with a refractory nozzle. The element has an orifice engaging the outer surface of the nozzle, a main surface surrounding the main orifice and having a lowest level lower than the top outer edge of the nozzle inlet portion, and a periphery having an upper face surrounding the man surface of the element. The upper face of the periphery of the element is higher than the main surface of the element and is higher than the surface of the bottom well of the tundish. The main surface of the element is arranged so as to contact molten steel when the tundish is in use. |
| US08251261B2 |
Liquid delivery apparatus
[Object] To provide a liquid delivery apparatus capable of cutting the number of installation steps, eliminating the necessity of connectors such as couplings, and reducing the apparatus size.[Solving Means] The liquid delivery apparatus comprises a pressure reducing valve for adjusting pressure of pressurized gas, a pressure supply joint for supplying the pressurized gas having the adjusted pressure, and a solenoid valve for selectively establishing or cutting off communication between the pressure reducing valve and the pressure supply joint. The solenoid valve and the pressure reducing valve are arranged integrally with a manifold having channels formed therein. The solenoid valve and the pressure reducing valve are arranged on outer surfaces of the manifold. |
| US08251260B2 |
Caulking gun
A caulking gun includes a housing forming a handle and supporting a cartridge holder for receiving and holding a caulking cartridge. A flexible push plate is received through the housing to have a front end extending into the cartridge holder to carry a push disk. The housing has front and rear portions respectively receiving therein an advancer and a gripper through which the push plate extends. A guide roller is rotatably received in the housing rearward of the gripper. A rear end of the push plate extends through the gripper and is wrapped around the guide roller for further extension frontward to project outside and above the cartridge holder. When a trigger of the handle comprising a trigger is actuated to cause the advancer to advance the push plate frontward for extrusion of the caulking cartridge to dispense caulking, the gripper holds and prevents the push plate from returning rearward. |
| US08251254B2 |
Device and system for handling of dental workpieces
A device for handling workpieces. The device has a magazine (12) for holding at least one workpiece, and a delivery location (10). The device is retainable in the magazine by a retainer (s) (43) in the delivery location and displaceable to a position in which the workpiece because of its shape releases the retainer (s) so that the workpiece is free for being removed from the magazine. The device may provide for easy handling of workpieces and may be manufactured cost effectively. |
| US08251252B2 |
Twist and lift closure for containers
A child-resistant lift-top container is disclosed. The container includes a vessel, a lift-off inner cap and an outer locking cap. The outer locking cap engages the lift-off inner cap and is rotatable about the inner cap. The vessel includes a generally downwardly-facing abutment that engages an upwardly-facing abutment on the locking cap to lock the container and prevent the lift-off inner cap from opening. The container is opened by rotating the outer locking cap to disengage the abutments, permitting the lift-off inner cap to be lifted to open the container. The outer locking cap includes at least one spring that engages a spring-engaging surface on the vessel as the outer locking cap is rotated to assist in disengaging the abutments and to allow the outer locking cap to return to its closed and locked position. |
| US08251251B2 |
Container
The present invention relates to a container for solids or liquid and a method of opening a container. The container comprises a hollow body which holds the contents and a closure which cooperates with the body to close the container. The closure comprises an opening member which is movable from a retracted position to an opening position in which the closure can be opened. The container further comprises a locking member for securing the opening member, the locking member being movable between a locking position in which the opening member is kept secured in the retracted position and an unlocked position in which the opening member is movable into the opening position. |
| US08251248B1 |
Trash container handle
An apparatus for facilitating manual movement of a trash container having an upwardly opening container component with a pair of handles, a set of wheels, and a lid, includes an elongated apparatus or “tool” for the user to attach to the handles. A mid section of the tool engages the handles, an upwardly extending upper section provides a lever arm for the user to grasp, and a downwardly extending lower section contacts the container component in opposition to pivotal movement of the object about the handle axis. Preferably, a lid-restraining section is included that restrains pivotal movement of the lid about its hinges when the trash container is tilted on the wheels and moved. A first embodiment hooks onto the handles. A second embodiment includes a bifurcated mid section that engages the handles by extending downwardly through the spaces between the handles and the container component. |
| US08251245B2 |
Container with sealing lid
A releasably sealable container is disclosed. The container includes a container body, a lid, a gasket and a retaining arm. The container body includes a lip defining an opening. The lid is configured to engage the opening. The lid includes a body and a frame. The gasket is configured to cooperate with the lid and the lip to seal the opening. |
| US08251240B2 |
Plastic closure comprising a slide opening for a bottle neck or container neck
The plastic closure consists of a rotating cap (1) with a sectoral pouring hole and with a slide (2) guided on its under side in such a way as to be capable of being displaced in a translational manner in relation to the pouring hole. The slide exhibits a downward-projecting cam on its under side. Lying beneath the slide (2) is a gate cap (3). Also present in its cover (6) is a sectoral pouring hole and behind it additionally a groove as a gate guide for the cam on the slide (2). The gate cap (3) is installed in a stationary manner on a bottle neck or a container spout. If the rotating cap (1) is caused to rotate relative to the gate cap (3), the cam of the slide will be guided along the gate guide and will pull the slide (2) into the open position, whereas rotation in the opposite direction will cause the slide (2) to be displaced back into the closed position. |
| US08251239B2 |
Sealing lid
A sealing lid is disclosed that includes a flexible annular closure membrane surrounded by a heavier annular rim member that is preferably adapted to hold the lid in place on a container to define a first position. The closure membrane can be axially flexed from the first position to a second position using a single hand. In the second position, the membrane axially depresses to lower down the pressure in the container and forms a hermetic vacuum seal with the container. The heavier rim member has a weight that is substantially greater than the weight of the membrane that is adapted to press down the lid over the container. The heavier rim member supports hermetic sealing by facilitating intimate contact between the lid and the container. |
| US08251238B2 |
Two-piece closure device
A closure device includes a door carrying a series of interconnected shear blocks and a keystone shear block designed to transfer stresses created by pressure acting on the door to a surrounding hub. Each interconnected shear block has a limited rotation relative to its adjacent blocks. A holding band operating handle is in communication with a driving link which, in turn, is in communication with the keystone shear block. Actuating the handle causes the keystone shear block to move in an upward vertical direction. The linear movement of the keystone shear block allows the limited rotation of the interconnected shear blocks to occur, thereby causing the circumferential holding band to collapse within itself from an expanded-engaged position to a contracted-removed position relative to said hub. A pressure warning lock provides a safety device and prevents actuation of the holding band operating handle when the pressure chamber is under pressure. |
| US08251235B2 |
Liquid nutrition product dispenser with plural product chambers for separate storage and intermixing prior to use, and related method
A container including a body defining an outflow opening and at least one chamber adapted for storing a product, such as a fat containing liquid product, and a container closure including a primary seal for hermetically sealing the product within the chamber during storage. The container closure includes a sealing member forming a substantially fluid-tight seal between the container closure and the body, and a dispensing member in fluid communication with the chamber. The container closure and body move relative to each other between a first position where the primary seal is seated about the outflow port to hermetically seal the product in the chamber during storage, and a second position where the primary seal is displaced from the outflow port to allow product to pass from the chamber through the outflow port and into dispensing member to dispense the product. |
| US08251234B2 |
Teat
A teat for connection to a receiving unit of a drink container has a main body and, adjoining the main body and tapered relative to the main body, a mouthpiece with at least one suction opening and a free end. The teat has a first connector element for connection to the receiving unit, and a second connector element for connection to the receiving unit, and a suction channel. The suction channel extends within the mouthpiece, opens via a first end into the suction opening and is directed via a second end towards the main body. This second end forms the first connector element for a substantially leak-tight connection to the receiving unit. The main body is designed such that it can be turned back towards the free end of the mouthpiece. The teat is designed such that it can be turned back at least a second location. The teat according to the invention can be connected to the feeding bottle in a simple and hygienic manner, is easy to clean and permits a feeding action that is as true to nature as possible. |
| US08251231B2 |
Corrugated or pleated flat material
The invention relates to a corrugated or pleated flat material with a plurality of pleats or corrugations that run parallel to one another and successively define a pleat or corrugation peak and a pleat or corrugation valley, the peak and valley being connected to one another by way of a pleat or corrugation flank, wherein a fluid can flow through the flat material and the flat material has at least one deformable functional layer which rests on a supporting layer in the direction of throughflow of the fluid, said supporting layer comprising a supporting fabric, the functional layer allowing foreign substances to be removed from or delivered to the fluid. In order to develop the flat material in such a way that it has greater mechanical load-bearing capacity and lower resistance to throughflow, it is proposed according to the invention that the supporting fabric is deformable and comprises a twill weave. Furthermore, the use of a supporting fabric of this kind for providing support on the outflow side for a pleated or corrugated functional layer is proposed. |
| US08251228B2 |
Process and apparatus for adsorptive bubble separation
Process and apparatus are described for adsorptive bubble separation of hydrophobic particles from liquid dispersions. The process may be used to treat the gas/liquid dispersion after it has been introduced from two or more ducts near the perimeter or from a central duct of the separation vessel. When the gas-liquid-particle dispersion is introduced from a central duct, the rising bubbles are directed by, e.g., a baffle toward the perimeter of the apparatus, where they rise. At the liquid surface, bubbles with attached hydrophobic materials form a floating froth layer, which is directed toward a central froth collection launder. Rising froth at the perimeter pushing the froth bed into the reduced area of the center encourages further coalescence of the bubbles and increases liquid drainage from the froth, thus leading to concentration of the collected materials without the need for complex equipment geometry. Also disclosed is an improvement for froth flotation processes comprising using a vacuum to pull froth and/or collapsed froth into and through the froth collection launder and froth drain line. This improvement assists froth collection because froth can be pulled by suction through the collection system more easily than it can be drained by gravity. |
| US08251227B2 |
Methods and apparatus for separating particulates from a particulate-fluid mixture
Methods and apparatus for separating particulates from a fluid are provided. The apparatus can include a separation section having at least one wall, a first end, a second end, and an inner metal surface exposed to an internal volume of the separation section. The apparatus can also include a fluid discharge outlet in fluid communication with the internal volume at the first end. The apparatus can also include a particulate discharge outlet in fluid communication with the internal volume at the second end. The apparatus can also include an inlet in fluid communication with the internal volume. The inlet can be disposed intermediate the first end and the second end. |
| US08251225B2 |
Harvesting of processed carbon nanotubes
A method of harvesting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is provided. According to this method, CNT bundles, comprising CNTs associated with metallic catalysts and having amorphous carbon coatings are agitated in an aqueous liquid containing a dispersant with free-flowing grit particles to disassociate the CNTs from the metallic catalysts, remove the amorphous carbon of the amorphous carbon coatings and shorten the CNTs via shearing. |
| US08251223B2 |
Cleaning system and a package carrier for a semiconductor package
A semiconductor package holder includes two plates, and each plate defining a through-hole. Each of the plates has a set of first members along a periphery of the through-hole and extending into the through-hole. The first members of one of the plates are positioned to overlie the first members of the other of the plates. One of the at least two plates further has a set of second members along a periphery of the through-hole and extending into the through-hole. |
| US08251222B2 |
Enhanced structure for packing, transportation and display of diverse products
The present invention relates to a novel enhanced structure for packing, transportation and display of diverse products which allows transporting large volumes of products reliably and efficiently from the point of manufacture to the point of sale, structure that gives various competitive advantages related to the containers already known in the market, with the most important being, the solid structural stiffness which comes from a quick and reliable assembling of the whole structure, which is achieved from the configuration of the fastening gussets that attach the upper and lower frames with the support and containment side posts, and the configuration of the structural profiles that make up both the upper frame and the bottom frame. |
| US08251220B2 |
Packing structure
A packing structure includes a housing and a cushion portion. The housing includes a bottom plate and a sidewall while the cushion portion is disposed on the bottom plate of the housing. A groove and a jaw portion are formed on an end portion of the cushion portion. The jaw portion is located on a side of the groove facing the sidewall and extends away from the bottom plate. A first tongue plate is formed on the sidewall of the housing and bends inward. A free end of the first tongue plate enters the groove through an opening of the groove, wherein a backside of the jaw portion interferes with the first tongue plate to restrict the first tongue plate from leaving the groove. When the cushion portion is under external forces and moves away from the bottom plate, the first tongue plate will support a bottom inner surface within the groove to restrict a displacement of the cushion portion away from the bottom plate. |
| US08251217B2 |
Packaging pouch
The invention relates to a pouch for containing a product. The pouch comprises a first wall and a second wall which are sealed together in sealed regions. The sealed regions substantially surround a compartment portion within which a product can be located. The pouch includes a tear initiating weakness located away from an edge of the pouch, the tear initiating weakness comprising an elongate weakness which extends along a first axis such that a user can fold the pouch across the tear initiating weakness and initiate a tear from the folded edge substantially along the first axis, the pouch further comprises at least one tear guiding weakness, said tear guiding weakness extending along a second axis transverse to the first axis such that a tear extending substantially along the first axis will meet the at least one tear guiding weakness and be guided along the second axis. |
| US08251214B2 |
Method for providing background graphics on blister card
A blister card includes graphics printed on a substrate surface, which is then cut to produce an opening through which a blister may be received. The cut-out portion of the substrate is transferred in proper register to a position behind the blister so as to provide a continuous graphic image on the package. A method is also described for providing background graphics on a blister card in the region behind the blister. |
| US08251211B1 |
Tool storage box
A tool storage box with sliding and rotating functions includes a box body, a sliding base, and a tray for tool head portions. The box body has a space for the sliding base and the tray. The sliding base controls sliding of the tray in the space. The sliding base is provided with a pivotal shaft and a locking hook for controlling the sliding base. The pivotal hole has a pivotal trough. A peripheral surface of the pivotal trough has a positioning surface. The tray has a pivotal shaft and a positioning post for controlling rotation of the tray. The pivotal shaft engages with the pivotal hole of the sliding base to act as a center of rotation of the tray. When the tray slides out of the box body, the positioning post engages with the pivotal trough, and the tray is rotatable by means of an external force. |
| US08251210B2 |
Case for an electronic device with a resilient band for holding items
Disclosed is a case or attachment device for use with an electronic device having a screen. The case has a base portion with a body having a back wall and side walls extending therefrom forming a receiving opening for receiving the electronic device. The case also includes a resilient band configured to hold one or more items (e.g., ID, credit cards, cash) against the case. The band may be pulled away from the body and items may be slid underneath the band so that they are held between an inner surface of the band and an outer surface of the body. The band may extend in a lateral, a longitudinal, or a diagonal direction. The band may also form a pocket for receiving items therein. The band can hold items against the back wall of the case. |
| US08251204B1 |
System and method for electromagnetic retention of vibratory feeder components
Disclosed is a vibratory parts feeding system having an electromagnetic securement system for operatively coupling a feeder bowl, inline feeder, and/or hopper bin to their respective base drive units. The securement system includes a metallic plate and a mounting portion, wherein the metallic plate is affixed to or integrated into the feeder bowl, inline feeder, or hopper bin and the mounting portion, which includes an electromagnet, is affixed to or integrated into the base drive unit. The metallic plate and mounting portion are designed to interface with one another, and when the electromagnet is energized, the metallic plate is secured to the base drive unit by the mounting portion. |
| US08251202B2 |
Sorter
An apparatus for distributing goods delivered on one or more feeding conveyor belts onto two or more removal conveyor belts, wherein the feeding conveyor belts as well as the removal conveyor belts are subdivided into a plurality of individual conveyor belts which are arranged in parallel side by side and are driven jointly. A rotary table having an essentially circular contour and also comprising a plurality of parallel individual conveyor belts which are also allocated to a joint drive is positioned between the feeding and the removal conveyor belts, wherein the feeding and the individual removal conveyor belts each closely reach up to the individual conveyor belts of the rotary table and are, in essence, adjusted in their length to the circular contour of the rotary table. |
| US08251183B2 |
Electricity generating device by applying vehicle weight
In an electricity generating device by applying vehicle weight, a rolling vehicle wheel is weighting down on a pressure receiver to actuate a driving mechanism having a restoring function. It is then able to provide a unidirectional rotating torque to drive a generating device to produce electrical power. The mechanical power transmission is performed by a transmission gear unit composed of a driving wheel and a follower wheel interconnected each other with a transmission means therebetween. When the vehicle weight is applied to the driving mechanism by pressing the vehicle wheel on the pressure receiver, the driving mechanism is forced to downwardly urge a ratchet wheel and a driving wheel to rotate that in turn causes the rotation of the follower wheel through the transmission means thereby driving the generating device to operate to produce electricity. The driving mechanism can recover its initial state with the aid of a balancing weight as soon as it has been liberate from the exerted pressure of the vehicle wheel. The device is to be installed flush with the road surface to work. |
| US08251179B2 |
Portable safety ladder assembly
A portable safety ladder assembly having safety extensions to permit safe and easy access to landing areas, working platforms, scaffolds, etc. The safety extension members have a plurality of horizontal handgrips ergonomically designed to prevent falls from the ladder assembly when a user is ascending upward or descending downward thereon. |
| US08251173B2 |
Muffler attachment system
An engine includes an exhaust conduit having an exhaust port on an end of the exhaust conduit. The exhaust conduit has an angled inside surface that has a cross section that widens toward the exhaust port. The engine further includes a muffler having a housing with an intake pipe. The intake pipe is inserted through the exhaust port such that the intake pipe is wedged into the angled inside surface of the exhaust conduit. |
| US08251172B2 |
Electric power steering device
In an electric power steering device, if the temperature of a specific site that increases due to the driving of a steering assist motor exceeds a threshold, the motor current is controlled to be equal to or below a current restriction value. The temperature Toff of the specific site detected when an engine is stopped, and the current restriction value Ioff provided when the engine is stopped are stored into a storage. A temperature difference Ta between the temperature detected when a starter switch is turned on and the temperature Toff is computed. If the temperature of the specific site when the starter switch is turned on is above the threshold, the current restriction value is set to be equal to or above the current restriction value Ioff stored in the storage, according to the temperature difference Ta, over a time following the turning-on of the starter switch. |
| US08251169B2 |
Temperature adjustment structure for power storage apparatus
A temperature adjustment structure for adjusting a temperature of a power storage module included in a power storage apparatus mounted on a vehicle has a duct forming a moving path of air in adjusting the temperature of the power storage module. The duct has a protrusion portion protruding toward the outside of the duct with respect to a surface forming the moving path. The protrusion portion is located above a connector that is provided additionally for the power storage apparatus and used for electrical connection to equipment (peripheral equipment) placed parallel with the power storage module within the power storage apparatus. At least a connection portion of the connector is located within an area of the protrusion portion when viewed from a vertical direction. |
| US08251166B2 |
Hybrid powertrain with assisted starting and method of starting an engine
A hybrid powertrain for a vehicle is provided that includes an engine having a crankshaft and a motor/generator operatively connected to the crankshaft. An elastic member is operatively connected to the crankshaft and configured to be wound by one of the engine or the motor/generator. A one-way torque-transmitting mechanism is operatively connected to a first end portion of the elastic member and configured to overrun prior to winding of the elastic member. The elastic member is configured to be releasable to allow unwinding of the elastic member to rotate the crankshaft to restart the engine. A method of starting an engine on a hybrid vehicle is also provided. |
| US08251165B2 |
Power output apparatus, hybrid vehicle with the same, and control method of power output apparatus
When a predetermined change speed state shift condition is satisfied while the transmission connects a carrier with a drive shaft, a hybrid vehicle performs a rotational speed adjustment process of conforming a rotational speed of a motor to a target rotational speed based on a gear ratio of the transmission and a rotational speed of the drive shaft, a connection a sun gear with the drive shaft by a gear train of the transmission corresponding to a target speed, a power transfer process of transferring power between the motors in a simultaneous engagement state to make the motors output power required in a post-change speed state corresponding to a target speed, and a disconnection the carrier from the drive shaft. |
| US08251158B2 |
Multi-speed power tool transmission with alternative ring gear configuration
A power tool with a housing, a transmission and a switch mechanism. The switch mechanism has an actuator, a rail, a switch and first and second springs. The actuator is non-rotatably but slidably coupled to the housing for movement along a longitudinal axis of the transmission between a plurality of positions to selectively engage one or more members of the transmission at each of the positions such that the transmission operates in one of a plurality of different overall speed ratios. The rail is fixedly coupled to the actuator and is received through the switch such that the switch is slidably mounted on the rail. The first and second springs are configured to bias the switch relative to the actuator in different directions. |
| US08251151B2 |
Apparatus and methods for tubular makeup interlock
Apparatus and methods may be used to prevent an operator from inadvertently dropping a string into a wellbore during assembling and disassembling of tubulars. Additionally, the apparatus and methods may be used for running in casing, wellbore components, or a drill string. |
| US08251150B2 |
Radial flow valve and method
A radial flow valve includes a plurality of flow openings, a first piston and a second piston, the first and second pistons being independently actuable relative to one another, and a sleeve operatively coupled to the second piston, the sleeve adapted to be positioned so as to cover the plurality of flow openings. A method includes positioning a radial flow valve in a subterranean well bore having an upper zone pressure and a lower zone pressure, increase a pressure within the valve to a value above the upper zone pressure to release a first piston within the valve and, after releasing the first piston, reducing the pressure within the valve to a value that is less than the lower zone pressure to thereby cause a second piston within the valve to move and thereby permit fluid flow through the valve. |
| US08251148B2 |
System for active heave compensation and use thereof
A system for active heave compensation of the running block in a drilling derrick on board a floating off shore platform comprises a double-acting hydraulic cylinder (1) which is connected to a hydraulic power unit (3) for the supply of hydraulic pressure fluid to the hydraulic cylinder (1), a control unit (6) which regulates the supply conditions of the pressure fluid to the at any time active side (A, B) of the hydraulic cylinder, the hydraulic fluid concurrently being permitted to leave the passive side (B, A) of the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic power unit (3) comprises a pump unit (4) which via respective conduits (9a, 9b) are directly connected to the two sides (A, B) of the hydraulic cylinder (1) in order to form a generally closed hydraulic system therewith. The hydraulic fluid delivered by the pump unit (4) to the conduits (9a, 9b) to the active cylinder side is drawn from the conduit (9b, 9a) to the passive cylinder side, while the control unit regulates the output of the pump unit. The hydraulic system further comprises an accumulator (11) which equalizes the volumetric difference between the two sides of the hydraulic cylinder when it is a common double-acting cylinder. The system may also be provided with a hydraulic transformer (23) for regeneration of hydraulic power during passive operation of the compensation system. |
| US08251146B2 |
Frac sleeve system and method
A system including a plurality of differential pressure actuated tools; a seat receptive to a plug; a first conduit fluidly communicating tubing pressure upstream of the seat to one end of each of the plurality of tools; and a second conduit fluidly communicating tubing pressure downstream of the seat to an opposite end of each of the plurality of tools and method. |
| US08251144B2 |
Flow diverter
A downhole tool comprises a body defining a fluid inlet and two or more fluid outlets. A valve arrangement cycles the proportion of fluid directed from the inlet to each of the outlets. One of the outlets may be associated with a fluid pressure responsive device, such as a cleaning blade. |
| US08251139B2 |
System and method for sealing couplings in downhole tubing strings
For oil production systems, an interior two-part seal ring of resilient material is disposed within a coupling sleeve which receives threaded tubing ends in its opposite ends. The seal is asymmetric, with tapered ends of different lengths and taper angles. A length for mill end engagement is shorter than the length for field end engagement which may be made up and disconnected repeatedly. The seal configuration includes a principal body with a inwardly directed ridge between its tapered ends and a reinforcing ring of different, less permeable material, abutting the ridge and closing off one or more radial ports in the wall of the body. The central body also includes a circumferential gas groove about is periphery, which together with the radial ports, facilitates collection and release of gases permeating the seal body under high down-hole pressures. |
| US08251138B2 |
Securing layers in a well screen assembly
A well screen assembly includes an elongate base pipe, a shroud layer about the base pipe, and a mesh layer between the shroud layer and the base pipe. A portion of the mesh layer overlaps another position of the mesh layer to form an area of overlap. A spine is positioned proximate substantially an entire length of the area of overlap, and transmits a force from the shroud layer to the mesh layer that compresses and seals the area of overlap against passage of particulate. |
| US08251134B2 |
Removable tube heat exchanger with retaining assembly
A header plate assembly for a heat exchanger includes a plate having a tube side and a tank side. A plurality of apertures extends through the plate. Each aperture has a first portion on the tube side of the plate, the first portion having a first cross-dimension, and a second portion adjacent the first portion and having a second cross-dimension that is smaller than the first cross-dimension, with a first shoulder being formed between the first and second portions. Each of a plurality of collars has an aperture extending therethrough, with a portion of each collar being received in the first portion of one of the apertures in the plate. A seal is positioned in each of the first portions of the apertures and between one of the collars and one of the first shoulders. A plurality of fasteners secures the collars to the plate. |
| US08251133B2 |
Helical coil-on-tube heat exchanger
A coil on tube heat exchanger is provided that uses multiple parallel helical coil tubes to limit liquid pressure losses while providing similar performance and production times to previous coil and tube designs. Two or more coil tubes are wrapped together around a center tube in a helical fashion, permitting the heat exchanger to be used in a counter-flow, or contra-flow, implementation. Use of the heat exchanger includes flowing a first liquid, such as waste water, through the center tube and flowing a second liquid through the plurality of channels. Embodiments of the present invention provide reduced pressure loss, higher performance and are generally faster to manufacture than prior heat exchangers. |
| US08251132B2 |
Heat sink assembly and method for manufacturing the same
A heat sink assembly includes a base, a fin group and a heat pipe connecting with the base and the fin group. The fin group includes a plurality of fins. Each of the fins defines a recess at a lower portion thereof. The heat pipe includes an evaporating portion extending through the base and a condensing portion extending through the fin group. The base is interferentially fitted into the recesses of the fins. The base, the fin group and the heat pipe directly and intimately connect with each other. The recess and the base have correspondingly T-shaped profiles. Each fin forms a bended flange defining the recess. The bended flange intimately contacts with the base and the evaporating portion of the heat pipe. |
| US08251129B2 |
Refractory material, continuous casting nozzle using the refractory material, production methods for the continuous casting nozzle, and continuous casting methods using the continuous casting nozzle
In an operation of continuous casting of steel grade such as aluminum-killed steel where a nozzle clogging phenomenon is particularly likely to occur, it is intended to prevent adhesion of inclusions (typically, Al2O3) on a nozzle used in the casting operation, and clogging of the nozzle due to the inclusions. A refractory material 10 is arranged to define a part or an entirety of a molten steel-contacting surface of a continuous casting nozzle, wherein the refractory material 10 contains: a CaO component in an amount of 0.5 mass % or more; one or both of B2O3 and R2O (R is one selected from the group consisting of Na, K and Li) in an amount of 0.5 mass % or more; Al2O3 in an amount of 50 mass % or more; and free carbon in an amount of 8.0 to 34.5 mass %, and wherein a total amount of CaO, B2O3 and R2O is in the range of 1.0 to 15.0 mass %, and a mass ratio of CaO/(B2O3+R2O) is in the range of 0.1 to 3.0. |
| US08251128B2 |
Method of producing copper alloy wire
Provided is a method of continuously producing a phosphorus-containing copper alloy wire by adding phosphorus or an element which is less soluble than phosphorus to molten copper. The method includes: adding an element less soluble into a heating furnace for maintaining molten copper sent from a melting furnace at a predetermined high temperature; transferring the molten copper sent from the heating furnace to a tundish; adding phosphorus to the molten copper after decreasing the temperature of the molten copper in the tundish; supplying the molten copper from the tundish to a belt wheel-type continuous casting apparatus; and rolling a cast copper material output from the belt wheel-type continuous casting apparatus, thereby continuously producing a phosphorus-containing copper alloy wire. |
| US08251127B2 |
Strip casting apparatus with independent delivery nozzle and side dam actuators
An apparatus for casting metal strip includes a pair of counter-rotatable casting rolls having casting surfaces laterally positioned to form a nip therebetween through which cast strip can be cast, and on which a casting pool of molten metal can be formed supported on the casting surfaces above the nip, a pair of molten metal delivery nozzles disposed above the nip and capable of discharging molten metal to form the casting pool supported on the casting rolls, a pair of side dams adjacent ends of the pair of casting rolls capable of confining the casting pool, a pair of delivery nozzle actuators capable of positioning the delivery nozzles independently of the side dams and a pair of side dam actuators capable of positioning the side dams independently of the delivery nozzles during casting, and a control system capable of controlling desired distance between the delivery nozzles and the side dams. |
| US08251126B2 |
Refractory metal core assembly
A process for casting a turbine engine component is provided. The process comprises the steps of placing a refractory core assembly comprising two intersecting plates in a die, encapsulating the refractory core assembly in a wax pattern having the form of the turbine engine component, forming a ceramic shell mold about the wax pattern, removing the wax pattern, and pouring molten material into the ceramic shell mold to form the turbine engine component. |
| US08251125B2 |
Metal mold apparatus
In a state in which an insert is fitted to an inner portion of a main mold, a hole passing through from an outer portion of the main mold to a cavity of the insert is provided in the main mold to the insert. An extrusion pin bush is inserted into the hole from a side of an opening portion facing the outer portion of the main mold in the hole. A stopper, which is loosely inserted into an outer periphery of a base end side protruding to the outer portion of the main mold from an inner diameter portion of the extrusion pin bush of the extrusion pin, is attached by screw to a thread portion provided in the opening portion facing the outer portion of the main mold. The extrusion pin bush abuts on a locking portion provided on the side of the opening portion facing the outer portion of the main mold in the hole by the stopper. |
| US08251124B2 |
Molding machine
A molding machine that defines upper and lower mold cavities while cope and drag flasks, having a match plate sandwiched therebetween, are rotated from a horizontal position to a vertical position. An upper squeeze member is insertable into the cope flask. A pressure-applying plane of the upper squeeze member defines an upper mold cavity together with the match plate and the cope flask. A pivoting frame supports the cope and drag flasks, having a match plate sandwiched therebetween, and the upper squeeze member, such that they rotate in unison between a horizontal position to a vertical position. A fixed filling frame abuts the drag flask when the cope and drag flasks are in the vertical position. A lower squeeze member has a pressure-applying plane that is oriented horizontally. The pressure-applying plane of the lower squeeze member defines a lower mold cavity together with the match plate, the drag flask, and the filling frame. |
| US08251122B2 |
Compensation grooves to absorb dilatation during infiltration of a matrix drill bit
A down hole tool casting assembly, a gauge ring, and a method for preparing the gauge ring for use within the assembly. The gauge ring includes a bit diameter mold and one or more junk slot displacements extending inwardly from the interior surface of the bit diameter mold. The junk slot displacement includes a first end, a second end, and a junk slot displacement face extending from the first end to the second end. At least one groove is formed within the interior surface of the gauge ring, which alleviates stresses formed within the casting during the casting process. According to some embodiments, at least one groove is formed within the junk slot displacement face. According to some embodiments, at least one groove is formed within the interior surface of the bit diameter mold. Optionally, a pressure absorbing material is inserted into one or more grooves. |
| US08251117B2 |
Method and apparatus for removing a film from a surface
A tool and method for removing a film from a surface is provided, wherein the tool can include a frame, a handle operably coupled to the frame, a number of wheels operably coupled to the frame, a cylinder rotatably coupled to the frame, an arm rotatably coupled to the frame, and a number of separating devices operably coupled to the arm. In some embodiments, the wheels can rotate about one or more axes parallel to the surface. The cylinder, which collects the removed film, rotates about an axis that can also be parallel to the surface. The arm can rotate about an axis that can also be parallel to the surface. |
| US08251116B2 |
Device for turning up a tire-building component on a tire-building drum
An apparatus for upturning a tire-building component on a tire-building drum has a roller lever. To provide an apparatus which is capable of upturning a tire-building component on a tire-building drum, and which achieves the upturn of the tire-building component without defects, in particular unintended creasing in the side wall, it is proposed that, during the procedure of preparation for upturning, a spacer provides separation between the roller and the segment in such a way that the roller is in essence in contact exclusively with the tire-building component. The roller therefore rolls along the tire-building component. |
| US08251108B2 |
Food dispensing apparatus
A food dispensing apparatus includes a refrigerated cabinet having a dispense aperture, a hopper, an accumulator assembly, a weighing system, and a flap door. The hopper is positioned in the cabinet and configured to hold food articles. The accumulator assembly is positioned vertically below the first hopper and includes an accumulator bin and a door assembly. The accumulator door is positioned in the cabinet and arranged to receive food articles dispensed from the first hopper. The door assembly is configured to retain the food articles in the accumulator bin and is actuatable between an open position and a closed position. The weighing system is configured to determine an amount of food articles held in the accumulator bin. The flap door is positioned adjacent to the door assembly and is movable between a closed position substantially sealing closed the cabinet dispense aperture, and an open position. The flap door automatically closes upon actuation of the door assembly into the closed position. |
| US08251105B2 |
Automatic kit, with a selector valve, for repairing and inflating inflatable articles
A kit for repairing and inflating inflatable articles has a compressor unit for producing compressed air; a container containing sealing fluid injectable into the inflatable article by means of a stream of compressed air from the compressor unit; a fluid line designed to connect the compressor unit to the inflatable article; and a sensor for determining a connection status to the inflatable article. |
| US08251103B2 |
Papermaker's forming fabric with engineered drainage channels
A papermaking forming fabric includes: a set of top MD yarns; a set of top CMD yarns interwoven with the top MD yarns to form a top fabric layer; a set of bottom MD yarns; a set of bottom CMD yarns interwoven with the bottom MD yarns to form a bottom fabric layer; and a set of binding yarns that interweaves with and binds together the top and bottom fabric layers. The fabric has a Channel Factor (CF) of greater than 2.0, the CF being defined in Equation (1) as: CF=(PSMW/PSML)×(SOA % PS/SOA % RS) (1) wherein: PSMW=the CMD width of an interstice between adjacent top MD yarns; PSML=the MD width of an interstice between adjacent top CMD yarns; SOA % PS=surface open area in the top fabric layer; and SOA % RS=surface open area in the bottom fabric layer. |
| US08251101B2 |
Refrigerant piping unit and method of manufacturing pipe for the same
A refrigerant piping unit includes a pipe and a joint coupled to the pipe. The pipe includes a main section, an end section and a bent section between the main section and the end section. The end section includes a flange portion adjacent to the bent section and a thick end portion opposite to the bent portion with respect to the flange portion in an axial direction. The flange portion is expanded in a radially outward direction and is engaged with the joint. The thick end portion is expanded in the radially outward direction and has a thickness greater than a thickness of the main section. The thick end portion has a groove on its outer surface. The end section has a flat inner surface extending continuously from an inner surface of the bent section throughout inside of the flange portion and the thick end portion. |
| US08251100B2 |
Needle-type stepped cylindrical stopper for automatic control of water consumption in pipelines
The invention in question relates to a needle-type stepped cylindrical stopper for automatic control of water consumption in pipelines, of two types, each type having two sections for automatically controlling water consumption, irrespective of the water pressure in the line or when the taps are opened, for use in automatic water-saving devices and pressure-sensitive flow controllers, such as to enable, with a single automatic water-saving device, incorporating the needle-type stepped stopper of this invention, automatic control of minimum water consumption, from 4.0 liters per minute as a minimum at a maximum static pressure of 0.2 kilograms per square centimeter up to a maximum water consumption of 10.0 liters per minute at a maximum static pressure of 6.0 kilograms per square centimeter. |
| US08251098B2 |
Slide vane for hydraulic power steering
The invention relates to a slide vane (20) for a hydraulic power steering of automotive vehicles with a tubular control sleeve (24). Said control sleeve is connected to an output shaft (28) and comprises first control grooves (32) in its inner surface (34). Further, there is provided a tubular sliding sleeve (26) that is disposed at least in portions within said control sleeve (24). On its outer surface (38), the sliding sleeve (26) comprises second control grooves (36) that may be brought to coincide with the first control grooves (32) of the control sleeve (24), said first control grooves (32) being disposed substantially in the circumferential direction of the tubular control sleeve (24) and said second control grooves (36) substantially in the circumferential direction of said tubular sliding sleeve (26). The relative position of said control sleeve (24) and of said sliding sleeve (26) being relatively variable in the axial direction. |
| US08251096B2 |
Slide valve
A slide valve for regulating the hydraulic pressure at a working connection to values between a low pressure and a high pressure, for which purpose a valve slide is accommodated in a hole of a housing such that it can move linearly, which housing has a low pressure connection, a high pressure connection and the working connection, for which purpose the working connection is connected to the low pressure connection in the first position of the valve slide, while the working connection is separated from the two further connections in a second position of the valve slide, and having a third position of the valve slide, in which the working connection is connected to the high pressure connection (P). A plurality of radial holes are arranged in the valve slide, through which radial holes flow can pass and which radial holes interact with a plurality of circumferential control edges in the housing which seal the valve slide in the hole in a leakfree manner by means of suitable sealing rings. |
| US08251094B2 |
Water tap
The water tap has a tap stand and a storage frame. The tap stand is has a flowing channel formed through the tap stand. The storage frame is mounted on the tap stand and has a flowing groove and a storage hole. The flowing groove is annular and formed in a top surface of the storage frame and communicates with the flowing channel of the tap stand. The storage hole is formed through the storage frame to provide a storage function. |
| US08251091B2 |
Temperature insensitive mass flow controller
A temperature insensitive mass flow controller comprising a main flow line, a capillary tube coupled to the main flow line across a bypass a thermal sensing element coupled to the capillary tube and a mass flow controller housing adapted to at least cover the capillary tube. A first heat sink has been coupled to the mass flow controller internal to the mass flow controller housing and coupled to the capillary tube. The heat sink being adapted to control a temperature of a gas in the capillary tube. |
| US08251088B2 |
Variable orifice for particulate coal conduit
A simplified variable orifice for a conduit furnishing a stream of particulate coal to a burner for a turbine in an electrical utility plant. Two plates are installed across the conduit, one of them being fixed and the other being variable in angular position relative to the first. A lockable mechanism is provided externally of the conduit to manually adjust the degree of blocking and to indicate the position of the movable plate. |
| US08251086B2 |
Rotary gate valve with secondary seal
A rotary gate valve includes first and second opposing housing members having coaxial pathways and defining a gate channel when joined together. A gate is positioned within the gate channel when the valve is in a closed position to prevent media from flowing through the pathways and rotationally displaced from the channel when the valve is in an open position to allow media to flow through the pathways. First and second annular primary sealing sleeves are disposed within the first and second housing members and are adapted to sealingly engage each other when the valve is in the open position, and with the gate valve when the valve is in the closed position. A secondary sealing member is disposed around an upper portion of the gate and secured between the housing members above the first and second annular primary sealing sleeves to prevent process media from entering the housing members. |
| US08251085B2 |
Leak prevention method for gas lines
The present invention provides failsafe system for cutting gas off gas flow in response to electrical insults that may damage gas tubing. The invention uses an inductive sensor to detect electrical surges along a ground conductor that provides a ground path for gas tubing. The sensor is coupled to control circuitry that provides a continuous pulse train to a solenoid that forms part of a valve that controls gas flow through the gas tubing. The pulse train from the control circuitry keeps the valve open. In response to an electrical surge detected along the ground conductor (e.g., from lightning), the control circuitry stops the pulse train to the solenoid, which in turn causes the gas valve to close and stop the gas flow through the tubing. |
| US08251084B2 |
Swivel safety breakaway connector
A safety breakaway connector has a male fitting and a female fitting inserted into one another. The female fitting includes a swivel that rotates about an angle to a breakaway portion of the invention. The swivel has a female portion connected to the breakaway portion and a male portion that pivotally connects to a nozzle. The male portion has an axis spaced apart from the axis of the breakaway portion. The male portion rotates or pivots about the female portion subject to a biased cam. The biased cam has a ball bearing that travels within a race formed in the male swivel. The biased cam provides an offset to the connector so that a fuel line in communication therewith avoids an orientation perpendicular to the direction of travel of a vehicle. The breakaway portion then detaches the fuel line cleanly from the swivel that remains with the fuel nozzle. |
| US08251083B2 |
Systems for preventing overinflation of inner tubes and children's ride-on vehicles including the same
A system for preventing overinflation of an inner tube is disclosed. In some embodiments, the system may include a wheel; and a tube-bursting region of the wheel, wherein the tube-bursting region is configured to facilitate bursting of an associated inner tube when the associated inner tube is pressurized above a predetermined maximum pressure. A tire system also is disclosed. In some embodiments, the system may include a wheel; and a tube-bursting region of the wheel, wherein the tube-bursting region is configured to facilitate bursting of an associated inner tube when the associated inner tube is pressurized above a predetermined maximum pressure. A children's ride-on vehicle also is disclosed. In some embodiments, the vehicle may include a wheel; and a tube-bursting region of the wheel, wherein the tube-bursting region is configured to facilitate bursting of an associated inner tube when the associated inner tube is pressurized above a predetermined maximum pressure. |
| US08251080B1 |
Fluid treatment canister and system
A fluid treatment canister that may be used with, or independent of, a fluid treatment system, comprises a treatment housing, a first treatment housing end that is covered, and a second treatment housing end. A barrier support is coupled with the second treatment housing end, and includes a first and second barrier support portions, and is capable of receiving a barrier disposed between the first and second barrier support portions. |
| US08251075B2 |
Cosmetic compact
A cosmetic compact comprising a lid (2) hingedly connected to a base (3), a dispensing orifice (20) and a cosmetic dispenser (10) for dispensing liquid cosmetics disposed in a recess in the base. The cosmetic dispenser (10) comprises a pump mechanism (14) and an actuator (12). The pump mechanism (14) being operatively connected to the actuator (12) so as to actuate the dispenser (10). The actuator (12) being attachable to a plunger (35) of the pump mechanism (14) and comprising an actuating linkage (23) having a portion offset to the plunger axis such that when pressure is applied to the actuating linkage (23) in a direction transverse to the plunger axis the plunger (35) moves axially. The compact further comprises an inner lid (11) hingedly connected to the base (3), the inner lid (11) comprising a button (7) in cooperation with the actuator (12) such that when pressure is applied to the button (7) the plunger (35) moves axially to expel liquid from the dispensing orifice (20). |
| US08251070B2 |
Methods for treating airways
This relates to a method of treating airways in a lung to decrease asthmatic symptoms. The method also includes steps of measuring a parameter of an airway at a plurality of locations in a lung, identifying at least one treatment site from at least one of the plurality of locations based on the parameter, and applying energy to the treatment site to reduce the ability of the site to narrow. |
| US08251068B2 |
Insertion aid for percutaneous tracheostomy
A device for inserting a tracheal tube into a tracheostomy has as insertion aid with a shaft (6, 6′, 14) which can be inserted through the tracheal tube, and a conical tip (2, 13) which is or can be joined to the tracheal tube. In order to provide a device for inserting a tracheal tube which considerably reduces the risk of injury when inserting the tracheal tube, which makes the insertion process easier, the inserted tube being highly comfortable even with a long-term use, keeping low the danger of injuries or sore points in the trachea, the insertion aid according to the invention has a conical tip (2, 13) which can have a small base diameter in a first state and a large base diameter in a second state. The insertion aid includes a section (6′, 14) adjacent to the conical tip (2) whose diameter corresponds at the most to the inner diameter of a tracheal tube (1) to be inserted by means of the insertion aid, the small base diameter of the conical tip also being at the most equal to the inner diameter of the tracheal tube, while the large base diameter of the conical tip is larger than the inner diameter of the tracheal tube and preferably corresponds to approximately the outer diameter of the tracheal tube to be inserted with the insertion aid. |
| US08251067B2 |
Bronchial flow control devices with membrane seal
Disclosed is a flow control device for a bronchial passageway. The device can includes a valve member that regulates fluid flow through the flow control device, a frame coupled to the valve member, and a membrane attached to the frame. At least a portion of the flow control device forms a seal with the interior wall of the bronchial passageway when the flow control device is implanted in the bronchial passageway. The membrane forms a fluid pathway from the seal into the valve member to direct fluid flowing through the bronchial passageway into the valve member. |
| US08251066B1 |
Exhalation port with built-in entrainment valve
A pressure sensitive valve device for use with respiratory equipment of the type that produces a pressurized flow of breathing gas. The valve device combines the exhalation and entrainment functions in one valve with a single air path. The valve device provides an exhaust valve function during normal operation and provides a less restricted access to the ambient atmosphere in the event of respiratory equipment malfunction. The valve device includes a valve element that moves between at least two positions. During normal operation, when the pressure generating system is generating a flow of gas, the valve element is in a “closed” or “exhaust valve” position. When in the exhaust valve position, the gas flow to the atmosphere is restricted without being completely blocked off. When the flow of gas is decreased or interrupted, the valve element moves to the “entrainment valve” or “open” position that allows a greater, i.e., less restricted flow, of gas between the user and the ambient atmosphere. |
| US08251062B2 |
Breathing assistance device, and method of regulation
A breathing assistance device having: a turbine for generating flow of pressurized respiratory gas, a duct for carrying pressurized gas to a patient, a mechanism to control gas pressure capable of elaborating a pressure setting for the turbine, the turbine is connected to a speed sensor for acquiring a signal corresponding to the rotation speed of a rotating element of the turbine, and the mechanism of controlling the calculation linked to the speed sensor in order to elaborate using the signal, a pressure setting sending the pressure setting to the turbine. Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for regulating the pressure of a respiratory gas delivered by a turbine to a patient, the method involving elaborating a pressure setting for the turbine, characterized in that the pressure setting is elaborated using a signal representative of the rotation speed of a rotating element of the turbine. |
| US08251059B2 |
Powder inhaler
The subject invention provides a powder inhaler enabling the user to complete powder drug inhalation with fewer steps, for improved user convenience.A powder inhaler of the present invention comprises: a housing 1A having an admission port 2f on one end; a supplier having a drug-discharging hole, provided inside the housing 1A with a capacity sufficient to contain plural doses of a fine powder drug; a drug carrier having a measurement concave portion for receiving a single dose of a drug from the drug-discharging hole, the drug carrier being supported inside the housing 1A while being movable between a drug-receiving position for allowing drug supply from the drug-discharging hole to the measurement concave portion, and a drug-inhalation position for allowing drug inhalation from the measurement concave portion through the admission port; a cover cap C2 pivotably mounted to the housing 1A; and a vibrating means 60 brought into operation by pivoting the cover cap C2 so as to vibrate the supplier. |
| US08251057B2 |
Hyperbaric chamber control and/or monitoring system and methods for using the same
In a first aspect, a monoplace hyperbaric chamber providing Venturi induced gas circulation and ventilation is disclosed. The chamber includes a control and monitoring system that offers reduced oxygen consumption, duplex pressure gauges, referenced flow control, a patient activated stop function, an independent pressure time recorder, and/or a precise pressure control circuit that uses a 1:1 forced-balanced volume amplifier adapted to supply gas to and exhaust gas from the chamber through different penetrators and/or use flow-control check valves supplied with static reference or set pressures. A computer control and monitoring subsystem is also disclosed. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US08251050B2 |
Magnetic drive bypass system for paintball loader
A drive system for a regulating the rotation of a drive system or agitator in a paintball loader is disclosed. It is designed to regulate the rotation of a feeder, especially during a jam or when projectiles in a hopper become misaligned. This allows a user to quickly and effectively clear a jam and resume or continue rapid fire without damaging projectiles, the loader or the paintball marker. |
| US08251047B2 |
Fuel rail for attenuating radiated noise
A fuel rail includes an elongated tube having an inlet and a plurality of outlets. The elongated tube defines a fuel passageway for directing fuel toward the plurality of outlets. The fuel rail also includes a plurality of baffles positioned within the elongated tube to divide the fuel passageway into a plurality of chambers such that each outlet is positioned in one of the plurality of chambers. The plurality of baffles restricts fluid flow between adjacent chambers. A majority of the plurality of outlets are located essentially at an acoustic node of each corresponding chamber to reduce noise generated by the fuel rail. |
| US08251045B2 |
Fuel supplying system of LPI engine
A fuel supplying system of an LPI engine is capable of improving performance of a fuel pump by decreasing suction pressure thereof. A fuel supplying system of an LPI engine may include a fuel tank storing fuel, a fuel pump feeding fuel supplied by the fuel tank to the engine through a fuel supplying line, and a fuel return line for returning fuel from the engine to the inside of the fuel tank. The fuel pump may be divided into a pump chamber and an operating chamber, and a vent hole is formed at a case of the fuel pump. |
| US08251028B2 |
Valve operating apparatus for internal combustion engine
The present invention makes it possible to favorably change valve-opening characteristics of a valve using a simplified configuration without leading to an increase in the number of components and also without causing an increase of friction due to sliding, in a valve operating apparatus for an internal combustion engine in which the valve-opening characteristics of the valve are variable. A changeover mechanism for switching the connection/disconnection of rocker arms disposed between cams and a valve is provided. When a slide pin reaches a displacement end in the retreating direction of changeover pin, the biasing force of a return spring acting on changeover pins is received by an engaging part between a notch part provided in the slide pin and a lock pin in a state separated from a camshaft. |
| US08251025B2 |
Two-stroke engine
The two-stroke engine has a plurality of intake passages extending from the external air inlet port through the crankcase, separating the intake air charge from the air and oil vapor within the crankcase. The piston has one or more corresponding inlet tubes depending therefrom that telescope within the crankcase intake passages as the piston reciprocates. All intake air travels through these passages and is separated from the remainder of the crankcase volume. The incoming air charge passes through a concentric poppet valve in the piston crown to enter the combustion chamber. Fuel is provided by conventional direct or port injection and ignition is provided by one or more conventional spark plugs. Diesel operation is achievable when the engine is configured appropriately. Exhaust exits the combustion chamber through a poppet valve in the cylinder head, the poppet valve being actuated by a rocker arm and pushrod from a crankshaft driven cam. |
| US08251023B2 |
Cooling arrangement at a vehicle
A cooling arrangement for a vehicle which is powered by a combustion engine. The cooling arrangement includes an air passage through which air flows in a specific direction, and at least three cooling elements to effect cooling of a medium. The three cooling elements are arranged one after another in the air passage such that at least part of the air which flows through the air passage flows successively through all of the cooling elements and cools the media in the respective cooling elements. The cooling elements are arranged one after another in the air passage in a sequence which is related to the temperature of the media in the respective cooling elements such that the air which flows through the cooling elements in the air passage cools a succession of media, each media in succession is at a higher temperature than the one preceding it. |
| US08251015B2 |
Recirculating birdbath
A birdbath is disclosed that recirculates water and includes a substantially hollow pedestal that supports a basin. The pedestal forms a water reservoir therein and has an open top end and a sealed bottom end. The basin has an inner wall and an outer wall, both of which are joined at least at a peripheral edge of the basin and separated by a distance sufficient to allow the water to flow therebetween. The outer wall is open at a central portion and is adapted for engaging the open top end of the pedestal for attaching the basin thereto. The inner wall has an aperture formed therethrough at a center portion thereof, and at least one drainage aperture formed proximate the peripheral edge of the basin. A water pump is disposed within the reservoir of the pedestal for pumping water from the reservoir through a basin supply conduit, through the aperture of the inner wall, and into the basin. Once the water reaches the at least one drainage aperture, it drains between the inner and outer walls, and flows through the central portion of the outer wall and back into the reservoir. |
| US08251012B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus and semiconductor device producing method
Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus, including: a processing container; a gas supply section to supply a desired processing gas to the processing container; a gas exhaust section to exhaust a surplus of the processing gas from the processing container; a substrate placing member to place a plurality of substrates thereon in a stacked state in the processing container; and an electrode, to which high frequency electric power is applied, to generate plasma for exciting the processing gas, the electrode including two thin and long linear sections disposed in parallel and a short-circuit section to electrically short-circuit one ends of the linear sections, and the linear sections extending beside the substrates in a direction substantially perpendicular to main faces of the substrates. |
| US08251009B2 |
Shadow frame having alignment inserts
The present invention generally includes a shadow frame with alignment inserts that may permit the shadow frame to be properly aligned on the susceptor. The shadow frame may have one or more alignment inserts. The alignment inserts may be coupled to a cavity formed in the bottom surface of the shadow frame. The alignment inserts may be shaped to receive an alignment button that may be present on the susceptor. Thus, as the susceptor raises to the processing position and retrieves the shadow frame, the shadow frame may align properly on the susceptor. |
| US08251004B2 |
Device for transporting structures on water
A device for transporting structures on water, as well as dismounting or installation of the structure(s) includes an elongated tilting frame (8) hingedly connected at a pivoting point (10) to a water vessel (6). The tilting frame (8) holds one or more support cribs (5) designed for being displaceable relative to the tilting frame and possibly relative to each other, the tilting frame further being designed to be able to assume an essentially horizontal or slightly tilted position, corresponding to a transport position, and being designed for being able to be tilted about the hinge connection to an essentially vertical position by suitable means, the vertical position corresponding to a lifting or operating position wherein the structure(s) carried by the support crib(s) may be lifted or lowered up from or down into the water, respectively, or up or down above water level. |
| US08250999B2 |
Sewing machine with detachable needle plate
A sewing machine includes a feed dog which transfers workpiece cloth, a needle plate having a first hole through which a needle is passed and a second hole through which a feed dog is movable upward and downward, a bed to which the needle plate is detachably attachable, a feeding mechanism which drives the feed dog in a front-back direction and in an up-down direction, an engaged portion formed in the needle plate, an engaging portion formed in the feed dog or the feeding mechanism, and a switching unit which switches the feed dog or the feeding mechanism between a transfer position where the feed dog transfers the workpiece cloth and a needle plate adjusting position which differs from the transfer position and where the engaging and engaged portions are engaged with each other thereby to determine a fixing point of the needle plate on the bed. |
| US08250997B2 |
Multiple needle sewing machine
A multiple needle sewing machine. The sewing machine includes a needle head, a first needle and a second needle both coupled to the head, a drive mechanism, a gripper shaft, and a first gripper hook and a second gripper hook both coupled to the gripper shaft. The drive mechanism is configured to translate the first needle together with the second needle, and to individually translate only one of the first needle or the second needle. |
| US08250994B2 |
Collapsible material, placement rack, incineration method, lost-wax mold, and mold collapsing method
A collapsible material is provided which maintains a predetermined strength and shape until it is heated and increased in temperature to a desired temperature and then can collapse, after a lapse of a predetermined time. The collapsible material of the present invention is characterized by comprising a base formed of a hydrate of a hydraulic material and unexpanded vermiculite particles dispersed in the base. In the collapsible material of the present invention, it is preferable that the hydraulic material is formed of at least one of cement and gypsum and the unexpanded vermiculite particles are contained in an amount of 0.5 to 15 wt %. Also, in the collapsible material of the present invention, it is preferable that ash balloon particles are contained in an amount of 0.5 to 20 wt %. Further, in the collapsible material of the present invention, it is preferable that a coating film formed of a hydrate of the hydraulic material and silica powder is formed on the surface of the base. |
| US08250990B2 |
Magnetic levitation train provided with an eddy-current brake
A magnetic levitation railway having an eddy-current brake (20) cooperates with a reaction rail (8) of the driveway (2). The eddy-current brake (20) has at least one brake magnet (21) which is movably mounted to the vehicle (1) and transversely to the reaction rail (8) and which is made to abut the reaction rail (8) if a normal force, for example, fixed by means of springs (27) is exceeded. |
| US08250985B2 |
Structural metallic binders for reactive fragmentation weapons
A munition is described including a reactive fragment having an energetic material dispersed in a metallic binder material. A method is also described including forming a energetic material; combining the energetic material with a metallic binder material to form a mixture; and shaping the mixture to form a reactive fragment. The munition may be in the form of a warhead, and the reactive fragment may be contained within a casing of the warhead. |
| US08250984B2 |
Mine-defeating submunition
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a submunition is contemplated having a submunition body, an explosive payload housed within said submunition body and an elongated delay member housed within the submunition body, the elongated delay member coated with at least one reactive material that provides a controlled time delay between submunition impact and detonation of the explosive payload. The submunition may also comprise an elongated pendulum having a hollow core sized to receive said elongated delay member, the elongated pendulum adapted to be movable between a locked position that mitigates likelihood of inadvertent detonation of the explosive payload and an unlocked position that enables detonation of the explosive payload. |
| US08250983B2 |
Remote setting for electronic systems in a projectile for chambered ammunition
A fuze setting circuit in an artillery or tank shell having a case with a press-fitted head assembly is provided with an electromechanical fuze-wiring link that is completed electrically by mechanical assembly of a tracer-carrying projectile on the shell casing, and by the rotational attachment of a programmable fuze onto the projectile. |
| US08250981B1 |
Underwater hydro-reactive explosive system
An underwater hydro-reactive explosive system includes a pressure vessel with a central section of water disposed between identical sections of a material selected from the group consisting of thermites, intermetallics, nano-sized metallic particles, and micro-sized metallic particles. The water is provided in a stoichiometric quantity that provides a complete reaction with the material following simultaneous detonation of the sections thereof. |
| US08250980B1 |
Release mechanism apparatus
An exemplary firing pin with a release mechanism apparatus at least partially composed of an elastic thermoplastic material. The apparatus includes a rod with a first end portion, a middle portion, and a second end portion. The first end portion includes an integral cage-like element with a plurality of restraining wall elements, which, interiorly, are undercut defining an interior chamber with a volume sufficient to accommodate a cable stop element and define an aperture in communication with the chamber. The aperture is sized to accommodate a cable or the like, but small enough to prevent the stop element seated in the chamber from moving, so long as the restraining wall elements are constrained. The restraining wall elements are generally constrained by a substantially rigid element, such that they cannot deform, flaring open, even if the cable is under tension. |
| US08250979B2 |
Multiple bay ejection device system
An ejectable device is provided having multiple ejection bays. The ejectable device includes an impulse cartridge having multiple charges that are independently activatable. The ejectable device further includes an orientation adapter that allows reliable connectivity between the impulse cartridge and a signal source. |
| US08250978B2 |
Semiconductor bridge, igniter, and gas generator
The invention provides a semiconductor bridge, an igniter, and a gas generator each of which satisfies a high-speed responsiveness required of, for example, an automotive side inflator. The semiconductor bridge includes a bridge part heated by being supplied with a current. The bridge part is disposed on a substrate. The bridge part includes a first layer and an ignition bridge layer. The first layer is formed on the substrate and has insulating properties. The ignition bridge layer serves as a second layer disposed on the first layer. The width of the bridge part at the first layer and the width of the bridge part at the second layer are substantially equal to each other. A space is provided around the bridge part. With this structure, the diffusion of current and heat into the substrate can be restricted to the minimum level, and the ignition time can be quickened as an ignition characteristic. Each of the igniter and the gas generator includes the semiconductor bridge. |
| US08250976B2 |
Cantilevered blanket cylinder lifting mechanism
An offset print unit includes a plate cylinder, a blanket cylinder having an end and a blanket gear coaxial with the blanket cylinder, a drive axle or pinion supporting a gear driving the blanket gear and a blanket lift arm for selectively supporting the end to cantilever the blanket cylinder, the blanket lift arm being rotatable about the drive axle or pinion. A method is also provided. |
| US08250974B2 |
Apparatus for applying oscillating electromagnetic fields, particularly for treating liquid, pasty, semi-solid or granular products, and method of use of such apparatus and system incorporating same
The invention relates to an apparatus for applying oscillating magnetic fields, particularly for treating liquid, pasty, semi-solid or granular products, to a method of use of such apparatus, and to a system incorporating it. The apparatus comprises at least one pipe of an electrically insulating material for conveying the products to be treated, at least one plurality of electrodes around the periphery of the pipe, and means for generating one high frequency oscillating electric voltage. Each of the electrodes has a substantially annular shape, with an inner surface having a minimum radial distance from the outer cylindrical surface of the at least one pipe, which is sufficient to prevent electric currents from passing to the product to be treated. The inner surface has at least one substantially conical edge with a predetermined conicity angle to allow use of relatively high voltages with no risk of discharges to air. |
| US08250973B2 |
Steam peeling system
A steam peeling system has a rotatable pressure vessel (1) for steam treating and peeling product. The vessel is substantially spherical, having an oblong configuration with opposed flattened side surfaces. The pressure vessel has at least one internal lifter (51a, 51b, 51c) for entraining and lifting the product relative to the axis of rotation of the pressure vessel (1) when it is rotated. The pressure vessel also at least one internal region (53) that is closed-off against ingress of steam during product treatment. This region (53) defines a steam saver. The system can include a batcher for delivering the product to be peeled to the vessel. The pressure in the vessel can be released on completion of a peeling operation. Arrangements can be included to minimize release of entrained solid matter or odors in the exhaust steam. A controller minimizes unproductive displacement of the pressure vessel and can control the rotation speed and direction. |
| US08250969B2 |
Apparatus for the preparation and dispensing of infusions, particularly coffee, in variable volumetric doses
An apparatus for the preparation and dispensing of doses, in selectable variable volumes, of infusions, particularly of coffee, by means of pressurised water, comprising a cylindrical infusion chamber provided with a closed end and an opposed open end, a piston with an end axially insertable into said infusion chamber via said open end and removable therefrom, water feeding element for feeding a predetermined quantity of pressurised water into said chamber and for opening into the latter in the zone comprised between the end of the piston inserted into the chamber and the closed end of the chamber. |
| US08250967B2 |
Automatic transmission servo
A servo for hydraulically operating a brake band of an automatic transmission includes a housing having a bore engaging portion for engaging an existing servo bore in a case of the automatic transmission and an external portion for positioning externally of the servo bore, the external portion of the housing including an interior bore. The servo also includes a piston disposed in the interior bore of the external portion of the housing for reciprocating movement, the piston being externally remote from the servo bore and having an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the servo bore. An actuator rod for engaging and operating the brake band of the automatic transmission is attached to the piston to reciprocate with the piston. The servo connects to existing hydraulic circuits within the servo bore to supply pressurized fluid for operating the servo. |
| US08250965B2 |
Jack system with automatic locking of the piston in high position, especially for aircraft
A jack system provided with a cylinder provided with a first stopper. The jack system also includes: a body hinged about an end of the piston, the body including a second stopper and being able to occupy a first angular position authorizing the extraction of the piston, as well as a second angular position uniquely allowed when the piston occupies a position such that the second stopper is located beyond the first stopper in an extraction position, the body occupying the second position providing the facing of the first and second stoppers; and an electromagnetic attraction/repulsion device designed to provide the displacement of the body from the first position to the second position, and inversely. |
| US08250956B2 |
Miter saw with work surface extensions
A miter saw with work surface extensions comprises a base with a rotatable table positioned on the base. The miter saw further comprises a bevel support is that is pivotable with respect to a table surface. A cutting blade is supported by the bevel support. A work surface extension is moveably connected to the base between a retracted position and an extended position. The work surface extension provides a work surface that is substantially planar with the table surface. At least one elongated member is fixed to the work surface extension and moveably engages the base. A substantial portion of the at least one elongated member is positioned within or under the base when the work surface extension is in the retracted position. The substantial portion of the at least one elongated member is positioned between the base and the work surface extension when the at least one elongated member is in the extended position. |
| US08250947B2 |
Ratchet wrench
A ratchet wrench includes a head having a compartment. The compartment includes a first compartment section rotatably receiving a drive member and a second compartment section slideably receiving two pawls releasably engaged with the drive member. A switch is rotatably received in a switch groove formed in a side of the head and in communication with the second compartment section. A reversing plate is rotatably mounted to an engaging portion of the drive member extending beyond the head. The reversing plate includes a control section having a guiding groove. The switch includes a pin slideably engaged in the guiding groove. The switch pivots in the switch groove with the pin sliding in the guiding groove when the reversing plates pivots to control engagement between the drive member and the first and second pawls for controlling a driving direction of the ratchet wrench. |
| US08250942B2 |
Apparatus with adjustable freedom from backlash for a control device
An apparatus is provided for exerting on a regulating piston of a control device a regulating force that is a function of the position of an actuating lever. The apparatus comprises a bearing arrangement for supporting the actuating lever, a first arm and a second arm, each of which is rotatably mounted on the bearing arrangement independently of the others. The apparatus additionally includes a carrier element that is connected to the actuating lever, and an elastic element connecting the first arm and the second arm to one another. The apparatus is especially distinguished by the fact that the position of the carrier element relative to the first arm and to the second arm is adjustable to establish freedom from backlash. |
| US08250938B2 |
Vehicle transmission
An automatic powershift vehicle transmission comprising an input shaft; an output shaft; first and second intermediate shafts parallel to the input shaft; a lay shaft parallel to the output shaft; gearing providing first, second, third and fourth forward driving paths from the input shaft to the output shaft; a first clutch and a second clutch between the ends of the input shaft to establish driving connections; a third clutch for establishing the first or third forward driving path when the first clutch is operative; and a fourth clutch for establishing the second or fourth forward driving path when the second clutch is operative. |
| US08250934B2 |
Multi-axis force sensor and acceleration sensor
There is provided a multi-axis force sensor including first and second bridge circuit groups detecting resistances of respective first and second groups of strain resistance elements provided at respective strain producing portions. The strain producing portions are formed on two axes intersecting with respect to each other at a right angle. The first group of strain resistance elements are arranged on one axis across an action portion so as to face with respect to each other, and the second group of strain resistance elements are arranged on another axis across the action portion so as to face with respect to each other. The first bridge circuit groups respectively output a positive voltage when receiving tensile force, and the second bridge circuit groups respectively output a negative voltage when receiving tensile force. |
| US08250933B2 |
Method and system for measurement of a flow rate of a fluid
A system for measuring a flow rate of a fluid through a plurality of tubes sharing a common flow orifice, the system includes an ultrasonic transducer having a plurality of sensors in communication with a plurality of tubes sharing a common flow orifice. The system includes an electronic module coupled to the ultrasonic transducer, the electronic module connecting selected sensors to a flow rate analyzer for determining a flow rate of fluid through the plurality of tubes on which the sensors are in communication with. |
| US08250930B2 |
Device for measuring the mass flow of milk in particular during the milking process
The device for measuring the mass flow of a foaming fluid, in particular of milk during milking, comprises a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and a measuring device for determining the mass flow. The housing is structured such that mixing the foam portion with the liquid portion of the fluid can be achieved. To this end, the inlet runs substantially tangentially into the housing interior. |
| US08250926B2 |
Fabrication method of a flexible capacitive pressure sensor
The invention relates to a capacitive pressure sensor and a method for fabricating thereof. The capacitive pressure sensor comprises a cover, a plurality of first electrode, a substrate and a plurality of second electrode. The cover owns an upper wall and a plurality of side walls. The plurality of first electrode is disposed on the inside of the upper wall of the cover. The side walls of the cover are connected to the substrate to form a space. The plurality of second electrode is disposed on the substrate. The plurality of first electrode and the plurality of second electrode are both in the space. In the invention, the material for cover, the plurality of first electrodes and the substrate are all flexible polymeric material. |
| US08250925B2 |
Workpiece composite having a preform and a gel
A workpiece composite includes a preform part and a gel accommodated in a recess in the preform, the recess being enclosed by at least one edge which serves as a creep barrier to prevent the gel from spreading. The at least one edge of the recess defines a termination point of at least one surface which is provided with a coating made of an oleophobic material in an area adjacent to the at least one edge. |
| US08250924B2 |
Industrial process device utilizing piezoelectric transducer
A process device for coupling to an industrial process for use in monitoring or controlling the process includes a device housing configured to physically couple to the industrial process. A process variable sensor is configured to measure a process variable and measurement circuitry coupled to the process variable sensor provides an output related to the sensed process variable. A piezoelectric transducer provides an electrical output related to pressure pulsations in the industrial process. Electrical circuitry in the housing includes an input configured to receive the electrical output from the piezoelectric sensor. |
| US08250923B2 |
Ultrasonic inspection method and ultrasonic inspection apparatus
An ultrasonic inspection method and ultrasonic inspection apparatus is capable of inspecting a weld line and of detecting a circumferential crack and an axial crack that are present in the weld line. An ultrasonic probe is placed on the surface of a structure and transmits an ultrasonic wave. The ultrasonic wave is transmitted at an angle in an X′-Z plane. The direction of a normal to the surface is defined as an X axis. The direction in which the weld line extends is defined as a Y axis. The direction perpendicular to the X axis and the Y axis is defined as a Z axis. An axis obtained by rotating the X axis around the Z axis is defined as an X′ axis. A control mechanism performs signal processing of signals reflected from the defect or defects to detect the defect or defects and to measure the length of the defect or defects. |
| US08250918B2 |
Mechanical quantity sensor and method of manufacturing the same
A mechanical quantity sensor includes a first structure having a fixed portion with an opening, a displaceable portion arranged in the opening and displaceable relative to the fixed portion, and a connection portion connecting the fixed portion and the displaceable portion, a second structure having a weight portion joined to the displaceable portion and a pedestal joined to the fixed portion, and arranged and stacked on the first structure, and a base having a driving electrode and a detection electrode arranged on a face facing the weight portion, connected to the pedestal, and arranged and stacked on the second structure. The second structure has a recessed portion arranged in an area on a face of the weight portion facing the second base, the area corresponding to an area where the driving electrode and the detection electrode are not arranged. |
| US08250915B1 |
Tire changer with actuated load roller
A tire changer with a controller includes a with a mount assembly adapted for contacting a wheel assembly to mount the wheel to a rotating spindle. The tire changer controller is configured to regulated the operation of a motor, which may be hydraulically driven, and which is operatively connected to the rotating spindle to rotate the wheel assembly. A sensor coupled to the controller provides a data representative of the rotational position of the wheel assembly about a rotational axis. The controller is further configured to regulate the operation of a hydraulic actuating means for engaging a load roller with the wheel assembly to apply a radial force to a tire mounted on a rim of the wheel assembly during rotation of the wheel, and to regulate the operation of a tire handling means adapted to hold the tire during rotation of the wheel rim enabling automated adjustment of the tire angular mounting position relative to the wheel rim. |
| US08250913B2 |
System for calculating SCR conversion efficiency for diesel vehicles and method thereof
A system for and process of is provided for calculating SCR conversion efficiency by applying a reference control signal by which a urea dosing module is controlled to an NOx conversion value respectively in absorption and release modes of NH3 according to a loading amount of the NH3 determined from the SCR efficiency map. The system and process may include a process of determining the NOx conversion value according to a loading amount of NH3, a process of detecting the reference control signal of the dosing module injecting the urea solution, and a process of calculating the SCR conversion efficiency based on the determined NOx conversion value and reference control signal of the dosing module. |
| US08250911B2 |
Control module response testing systems and methods
A testing module includes a first input, a second input, an output, a decoder module, an analog to digital (A/D) converter, and an output generator module. The testing module receives a throttle position signal from a throttle position sensor of a vehicle at the first input. The decoder module generates a first throttle position based on a length of at least one pulse in the throttle position signal. The A/D converter generates a second throttle position based on the throttle position signal. The testing module receives user input at the second input. The output generator module generates a test signal in a single edge nibble transmission (SENT) format based on the user input and one of the first and second throttle positions. The testing module outputs the test signal to a control module of the vehicle at the output. |
| US08250909B2 |
Pressure measuring device
A pressure measuring device suitable for disposition in a chamber of an internal combustion engine. The pressure measuring device has a housing, a force transmitting element that is effectively connected to a pressure sensor, and a sensor cage that surrounds the pressure sensor. The sensor cage is connected to the housing by a circumferential weld seam only at one connection segment of the housing. In this way, it is possible to achieve a defined pre-tensioning of a metal diaphragm that is connected on the one hand to the sensor cage and on the other hand to the force transmitting element. |
| US08250908B2 |
Wave sensor apparatus including gas removing unit and method of detecting target material in liquid sample
Disclosed is a wave sensor apparatus including a unit for removing a gas and a method of detecting a target material in a liquid sample, the method including removing a gas in the liquid sample. |
| US08250897B2 |
High strength workpiece material and method and apparatus for producing the same
A method for producing a high strength workpiece material includes the steps of: placing an alloy material 10 into a central space of a cylindrical mold 2; vertically compressing both end faces of the material in the central space with a press member 5 and a first support member 3, thereby causing one lengthwise end of the material to flow radially outward along an end face of the cylindrical mold 2 to form an expanded part; bringing the press member 5 into contact with a lengthwise end face of the expanded part so as to press the expanded part against the end face of the cylindrical mold 2; and increasing the distance between the press member 5 and the end face of the cylindrical mold 2 while decreasing the distance between the press member 5 and the first support member 3, thereby continuously causing the radially outward flow from one end to another end of the material to gradually increase the thickness of the expanded part. |
| US08250893B2 |
Adjustable knurling tool
A knurling tool, with a base body featuring an axis and adapted to be clamped into a machine tool, which accommodates a holder and knurling wheels rotatably mounted in the holder, wherein knurling wheels arranged at equal circumferential distances are mounted in the holder around a wheel axis which embraces a first angle α1 with respect to the supporting axis, wherein a workpiece cone is insertable between the knurling wheels along the supporting axis and the knurling wheels embrace a second cone angle α2, wherein the holder features three segments, each of which mounting one knurling wheel via a bearing pin, an adjustment device is provided by which the segments, being guided radially, are radially adjustable synchronously about a certain amount, and fixing means are provided which fix the adjustment device and the segments, respectively, in an occupied position. |
| US08250892B2 |
Closure device for explosion forming
Through the invention, a closure device for explosive forming with a connection unit movable relative to the explosive forming die between a working position on the die and a rest position is to be configured, so that the explosive forming die can be closed in simple and reliable fashion and, at the same time, the explosion forces supported. This task is solved by a closure device, in which a wedge structure is guided to move on a static holding structure and is motion-coupled to the connection unit, the resulting movement of the connection unit being directed across the movement of the wedge structure. |
| US08250889B2 |
Compact power lock
A compact power lock is provided for use in a pickup truck tailgate with a key lockable latch that relies on a lock lever for its operation. The power lock includes a linear power actuator attached to a sliding actuating link with two tabs that engage the lock lever of the key lockable tailgate latch. The actuating link is arranged alongside the linear power actuator so as not to add to its length and to attain maximum compactness. The spacing of the two tabs is such that the lock lever can move freely between the locked and unlocked position when it is activated by the key lockable tailgate latch. When the actuator is energized by voltage pulses of alternating polarity its motion is transferred to the attached actuating link and the tabs push the locking lever to or fro to lock or unlock the tail gate. |
| US08250885B2 |
Laundry machine
A laundry machine includes a cabinet and a partition wall dividing an inner space of the cabinet into a first space for main laundry treatment and a second space for auxiliary laundry treatment. An air supply unit is provided outside of the second space and supplies a downward airflow into the second space. |
| US08250884B2 |
Rotary fiberizer
A method of forming fibers from molten mineral material is provided. The method comprising the steps of: rotating a spinner having an orificed peripheral wall, the orificed peripheral wall having a top row of orifices, introducing molten mineral material to the spinner to create a fan of primary glass fibers, creating an annular combustion flow of heated gas and directing the annular combustion flow of heated gas substantially through the primary fibers, creating an annular flow of attenuating air with an annular blower, the annular flow of attenuating air being sufficient to attenuate the primary fibers into secondary fibers, directing the annular combustion flow of heated gas and the annular flow of attenuating air so that they are radially spaced apart at the level of the top row of orifices, and directing the annular combustion flow of heated gas and the annular flow of attenuating air so that they are brought together at a position below the top row of orifices. |
| US08250882B2 |
Insulated shipping container and method of making the same
Insulated shipping container and method of making the same. In a preferred embodiment, the insulated shipping container comprises an outer box, an insulated insert, an insulated cover, a payload container and a plurality of coolant members. The outer box comprises a rectangular prismatic cavity bounded by a plurality of rectangular side walls, a closed bottom end, and top closure flaps. The insulated insert is snugly, but removably, disposed within the outer box and is shaped to define a bottom, four sides and a top. The top includes a raised peripheral edge and a recessed shelf. A large rectangular prismatic cavity surrounded by a plurality of smaller cavities extends downwardly from the recessed shelf. The large cavity of the insulated insert is adapted to receive a payload container, together with a pair of coolant saddle bags adapted to surround the payload container. Each of the smaller cavities of the insulated insert has a “top hat” shape when viewed from above, with each of these cavities including a comparatively wider but shorter and shallower section and a comparatively narrower but longer and deeper section. The wider but shorter and shallower section is dimensioned to loosely receive a coolant brick, with the unoccupied portion of the section and the completely unoccupied narrower but longer and deeper section providing air spaces for convection. |
| US08250876B2 |
Modular cooling system
A modular cooling system includes a positive displacement compressor and a microchannel heat exchanger for cooling a heat generating device such as a semiconductor. |
| US08250872B2 |
Refrigerating apparatus control circuit, refrigerating system, and refrigerating apparatus control method
A refrigerating driving control section controls the driving of the refrigerating apparatus. A control constant storage section stores data in which information indicating the object to be refrigerated by the refrigerating apparatus and control constants that the refrigerating driving control section adopts for the object are associated together. An operation of operation section specifies the object. From the control constant storage section, the refrigerating driving control section reads the control constants corresponding to the object specified by the operation section, and the driving of the refrigerating apparatus is controlled on the basis of the read control constants. |
| US08250868B2 |
Variable geometry turbine having intermeshing control and guide blades
The invention relates to a variable turbine geometry (28) of an exhaust gas turbocharger (2) of a motor vehicle, with a fixed guide blade ring (20) and an axially moveable control blade ring (15), wherein an axial relative position of guide blades (21) of the guide blade ring (20) to control blades (15) of the control blade ring (13) defines the size of inflow cross sections to a turbine wheel (11) of the exhaust gas turbocharger (2), and wherein the guide blades (21) and the control blades (15) extend in directions opposite to each other as far as to their respective free ends (18) and the control blades (15) are arranged on a cross carrier of the control blade ring (13), which as a function of the axial relative position opens, partially opens or closes additional inflow paths (29) for the enlargement or the reduction of the inflow cross sections.Furthermore, an exhaust gas turbocharger (2) with such a variable turbine geometry (28) as well as a method for the control of the inflow of an exhaust gas turbine with such a variable turbine geometry is proposed. |
| US08250867B2 |
Arrangement for recirculation of exhaust gases in a supercharged combustion engine
An arrangement for recirculation of exhaust gases of a supercharged combustion engine includes a return line for recirculating exhaust gases, an air-cooled EGR cooler and a bypass line having an extent such that it can lead recirculating exhaust gases past the EGR cooler. A valve is operable to be placed in a first position to lead the whole flow of recirculating exhaust gases through the EGR cooler during situations where there is no risk of ice formation in the EGR cooler, and in a second position to lead the whole flow of recirculating exhaust gases through the bypass line during situations where there is risk of ice formation in the EGR cooler. |
| US08250865B2 |
Using compressed intake air to clean engine exhaust gas recirculation cooler
Systems and methods for using compressed intake air that is free of soot particles to clean the EGR cooler of an internal combustion engine having a turbocharger are provided herein. One example system includes an EGR valve for selectively diverting a portion of exhaust gas through an EGR conduit to an intake side of the internal combustion engine. The EGR cooler is disposed in the EGR conduit. The compressed intake air delivery system is configured to selectively divert a portion of compressed intake air compressed by the turbocharger through the EGR cooler to remove soot particles deposited in the EGR cooler. |
| US08250859B2 |
Exhaust emission control device
An exhaust emission control device is disclosed. The exhaust emission control device includes a particulate filter incorporated in an exhaust pipe to capture particulates in exhaust gas, a selective reduction catalyst arranged downstream of the particulate filter to selectively react NOx with ammonia, even in the presence of oxygen, and urea water addition means capable of adding urea water as reducing agent between the catalyst and the filter. The urea water addition means is arranged at an upstream end of a longest linear portion. At least one bend is formed in a passage which guides the exhaust gas from the urea water addition means to the selective reduction catalyst. |
| US08250856B2 |
Exhaust purification device of internal combustion engine
In an internal combustion engine, an NOX selective reducing catalyst (15) is arranged in an engine exhaust passage. Aqueous urea is fed from an aqueous urea feed valve (17) into the NOX selective reducing catalyst (15) to selectively reduce the NOX contained in the exhaust gas with the ammonia generated from the aqueous urea. The moisture contained in the exhaust gas is recovered and stored in a water tank (21). It is provided with a high concentration aqueous urea tank (22) storing high concentration aqueous urea having a higher urea concentration than the urea concentration of the aqueous urea fed to the NOX selective reducing catalyst (15), and the high concentration aqueous urea is diluted with the recovered moisture thereby generating aqueous urea fed to the NOX selective reducing catalyst (15). |
| US08250855B2 |
Procedure for operating a reducing agent metering valve of a SCR-exhaust gas purifying system
A procedure for dosing a reducing agent into the exhaust gas of an combustion engine with a valve is presented, which shows a solenoid and a movable seal body for adjusting a percolation profile, whose value is depending on the current through the solenoid, whereby the valve is triggered by a current profile, which shows two consecutive sectors. The procedure distinguishes itself in that it is checked in the first sector whether the valve is frozen or whether a danger of freezing exists, and that an electric energy that has been fed into the solenoid with the electric current is set in the second sector depending on the result of the checking. Furthermore a controller is introduced, which is customized for controlling the process of such a procedure. |
| US08250854B2 |
Self-starting turbineless jet engine
The self-starting turbineless jet engine has fuel delivery, fuel combustion and airflow components, but it does not contain and therefore avoids the limitations associated with turbines or other moving parts other than those associated with the fuel delivery. The jet engine provides inlet louvers or vanes which direct air through an internal restriction to before mixing it with a fuel for combustion in a combustion chamber. While most of the combustion gases are exhausted through an outlet portion of the turbineless jet engine, a portion of the combustion gases are mixed with air received from an aft inlet duct in sixteen thermodynamic air compressors and back through a centrally located hot gas and fire pressure conduit where the gases are further redirected by a high temperature insulated nose cone back into the air flow received by the inlet louvers, thereby providing heat and air compression, even at zero airspeed. |
| US08250848B2 |
Steam turbine power system and method of assembling the same
A method of assembling a steam turbine power system with a coolant source is provided. The method includes providing a first steam turbine train including a first high pressure turbine assembly, a first low pressure turbine assembly coupled in flow communication with the first high pressure turbine assembly, and a first condenser coupled in flow communication with the first low pressure turbine assembly. The method also includes providing a second steam turbine train including a second high pressure turbine assembly, a second low pressure turbine assembly coupled in flow communication with the second high pressure turbine assembly, and a second condenser coupled in flow communication with the second low pressure turbine assembly. The method further includes coupling cooling tubes to the first condenser and the second condenser, the cooling tubes configured to deliver coolant from the coolant source through the first condenser, from the first condenser through the second condenser, and from the second condenser back to the coolant source. |
| US08250842B2 |
Cutting device with shear bar clearance control
A cutting device for crop has a cutting tool which can be set into rotation, and a shear bar which can be displaced relative thereto, each of the two diametrically opposed ends of which is coupled to a control unit, thereby enabling the clearance position of the shear bar relative to the cutting tool to be changed, and a control device which activates the control units in order to change the clearance position of the shear bar, and to move the shear bar toward the cutting tool, the control device can be operated to activate the control units to each perform a working step in alternation, so that within this working step the particular activated control unit initially moves the end of the shear bar assigned thereto toward the cutting tool by a first adjusting distance, and then away from the cutting tool by a second adjusting distance, wherein the second adjusting distance is smaller than the first adjusting distance. |
| US08250836B2 |
Apparatus and method for automatically loading drums into drum container
An apparatus and method for automatically loading drums into a drum container, in which, when the drums filled with radioactive waste are loaded into the drum container, the drums are fed to a designated position, and placed at a fixed position, reducing loading time and manpower as well as minimizing radiation exposure risk associated with radioactive waste treatment. The apparatus includes a drum feeder having conveyor modules transferring the drums and a turntable rotating a drum transferred to an orientation where the drum can be gripped, for sequentially loading the drums, a support frame on which a lid of the drum container is placed when the drums are being loaded, and a crane that grips and transfers the drum or the drum container lid. |
| US08250828B2 |
Anchor with cement contour
In an anchor for use in a lightweight construction panel including a support core provided at opposite sides with upper and lower cover plates, wherein the anchor comprises a cylindrical body having a bottom and including a cement containment and a displacement body for moving, upon insertion of the displacement body, engagement elements of the cylindrical body outwardly and causing the cement to be released from the containment and be directed via passages provided by the anchor into areas next to the top and bottom plates of the lightweight construction panel, where the cement solidifies for firmly connecting the anchor to the lightweight construction panel. |
| US08250827B2 |
Hanger with gripping tabs
A joist hanger used to attach a joist to a support member or header designed to minimize the noise caused by the rubbing of the members of the connection, during loading. The joist hanger includes a seat and a pair of side walls extending upwardly in spaced relationship therefrom to receive the end portion of an joist. The bottom of the joist rests on the seat, and the side faces of the joist extend upwardly therefrom in spaced relationship from the side walls of the hanger. Inwardly projecting guides formed in the side walls of the hanger, hold the joist at selected points, maintaining the spaced relationship between the sides walls of the hanger and the side faces of the joist. The inwardly projecting guides can be formed with embossed portions connected to the side walls of the joist. The joist hanger is also formed with back flanges and top flanges that are relatively narrow compared to the back flanges. |
| US08250825B2 |
Flooring and method for laying and manufacturing the same
A flooring includes rectangular floorboards with long sides and short sides, the floorboards being joined in a herringbone pattern, long side to long side and long side to short side, wherein the floorboards have a surface layer of laminate, and the long sides of the floorboards have pairs of opposing mechanical connectors which at least allow locking-together both horizontally and vertically by inward angling. |
| US08250824B2 |
Floor member
The floor member, in the form of a floor tile or a floor plank, that is formed of a flexible, non-rigid material, has a bottom portion formed with a plurality of moisture dispersal pathways that lead toward peripheral side edges of the bottom portion. The moisture dispersal pathways permit any moisture that develops between a floor base and the bottom portion of the floor member that is installed on the floor base to flow in the moisture dispersal pathways toward at least one of the peripheral side edges of the bottom portion, for passage beyond the one peripheral side edge of the bottom portion. Adjacent tiles of a floor tile installation have communicable moisture dispersal pathways such that moisture is not entrapped below the floor member and can migrate through the communicable pathways to an outermost peripheral side edge of the floor tile installation for dissipation of moisture into the ambient air. |
| US08250822B2 |
Wall framing system, method and product
An improved system, method and product are disclosed for attaching non load-bearing metal wall studs to an overhead metal track in metal stud framing systems used for wall partitioning, in a manner that allows the overhead track to deflect under load without transferring the load to the studs and any attached wall partitions. The system features compression spring attachment products that frictionally engage overlapping flange portions of the track and studs so that any overhead load-induced movements of the track are not transferred from the track to the studs, or to any wall partitions attached to the studs. |
| US08250821B1 |
Under a deck ceiling drainage system
A ceiling drainage system disposed beneath an outdoor deck wherein the deck includes a frame structure supporting multiple parallel deck floor panels and the drainage system includes a U-shaped frame structure secured to the deck frame with multiple interlocking drain trays having one end secured to the drainage system U-shaped frame structure, a gutter extending between the free ends of the U-shaped frame structure, and the opposite ends of the drain trays interlocked with the gutter. |
| US08250816B2 |
Drilling rig structure installation and methods
A method for installing rig structure (e.g. cabin, house, a doghouse) on a drilling rig, the method including: connecting support apparatus to a substructure of a drilling rig, supporting a drilling floor; moving a movement apparatus supporting a rig structure to position it adjacent the support apparatus, by moving movement apparatus on ground adjacent the substructure, moving the support apparatus into a connecting orientation with respect to the structure; connecting raising apparatus to the structure, the raising apparatus connected to the support apparatus; raising the structure up to the drill floor with the raising apparatus; and securing the structure to the support apparatus. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b). |
| US08250815B2 |
Window well cover
A window well cover that is universal to the extent that it will work on different sizes and shapes of window wells within a certain range for each size of window well cover produced. |
| US08250814B2 |
Unitary configured bird repellent apparatus
A bird repellent apparatus having an integral base member and a plurality of prongs. The base member, by means of a plurality of tabs having holes for receiving screws or other fasteners, can be affixed to virtually any desired surface. The plurality of prongs with sharp tips presents an impossible barrier to birds that would otherwise land or perch on the surface to which the present invention is affixed. The combined base member and prongs are formed from injection molded plastic structure that also provide the tabs having holes to secure the base member to the underlying surface. |
| US08250812B2 |
Slider window assembly
A slider window assembly for a motor vehicle includes a fixed panel formed of a single pane encircling an opening formed therein, a slider panel movable along a horizontal axis between closed and open positions, an injection-molded plastic slider frame adhesively bonded to the fixed panel, and at least one seal member forming a seal between the slider frame and the slider panel. The slider frame includes a sealing frame extending entirely about the opening, an upper run located above the opening and receiving the slider panel, and a lower run located below the opening and receiving the slider panel. There is preferably a substantially continuous adhesive bond between the slider frame and the fixed panel that entirely encircles the opening. |
| US08250809B2 |
Apparatus for aeroponically growing and developing plants
A self-contained apparatus for aeroponically growing and developing plants that comprises a reservoir for containing a liquid nutrient solution, a conical tower, a power supply, and a pump to move the liquid nutrient solution through the apparatus. The apparatus utilizes a pump to move the liquid nutrient solution from the reservoir vertically to a distribution pipe. Gravity then pulls the liquid nutrient solution downward through the distribution pipe, which is sealed at the opposite end. The pressure created within the distribution pipe creates sufficient force to disperse the liquid nutrient solution through the opening(s) in the distribution pipe onto the exposed root mass. Once the nutrient solution has been dispersed into the conical tower it is absorbed by the exposed root mass. The un-absorbed liquid nutrient solution collects the in base of the conical tower and is returned to the reservoir to be reused. |
| US08250808B2 |
Super-enhanced, adjustably buoyant floating island
A floating island comprising one or more layers of nonwoven mesh material and optional buoyant nodules. The mesh material is optionally coated with a spray-on elastomer or inoculated with nutrients or microorganisms. The island can include buoyant growth medium, floats, buoyant blocks, a prefabricated seed blanket, a dunking feature, capillary tubes, wicking units and/or bell flotation units. A larger embodiment is comprised of nonwoven mesh material, buoyant nodules, supplemental flotation units, stepping pads and optional load distribution members. Other optional features include a stepping stone flotation assembly, a stepping stone/vertical buoyant member flotation assembly, and a floating log assembly. The buoyancy of the island can be adjusted with a rigid framework of horizontal members, vertical members that can be moved vertically within the island, and/or a framework of prefabricated flotation tubes and cross members. The present invention also covers a floating island with a boat docking location. |
| US08250807B2 |
Methods to increase yield of plants grown at high populations
An increase in the total grain and biomass yields and photosynthetic rates of plants grown at high densities achieved by novel methods of defoliating the primary-source leaf of a majority of such plants. In particular the methods provide for increased grain and biomass yields, including for example, increased average kernel mass for maize plants, and photosynthetic rates through the timely removal of the primary-source leaf of a majority of the plants grown at high densities. This invention also relates to seeds obtained by using the disclosed methods. |
| US08250806B2 |
Microbial blend compositions and methods for their use
Microbial blend compositions and method for their use are provided. The subject compositions comprise a plurality of distinct microbial species that all share the following characteristics: (i) are antagonistic against a plurality of microbial pathogens; (ii) are non-pathogenic towards plants and animals; (iii) are tolerant of high temperatures; (iv) grow rapidly; and (v) proliferate on a complex substrate. In many embodiments, the compositions further include a carrier, e.g., a liquid or solid carrier medium. In practicing the subject methods, the compositions are applied to at least one of soil and plant tissue, and in certain embodiments are applied in conjunction with a complex substrate. Also provided are methods of preparing the subject compositions. |
| US08250799B2 |
Method and apparatus for trigger assemblies for firearms
Applicants have disclosed an improved trigger assembly for firearms, and a related method, to avoid premature firing after an unintentional trigger pull, especially where light trigger pulls have previously been set. In the preferred embodiment, Applicants' trigger assembly has two non-coaxial triggers: a slotted primary trigger and a secondary trigger which can pivot into the slot. During an intentional trigger pull, the shooter's finger initially pushes against the secondary trigger until it pivots and nestles within the primary trigger's slot. Continued pulling on both the secondary and primary triggers causes a sear to fall off the primary trigger and the firearm to discharge. In an unintentional trigger pull, where the secondary trigger is not pulled back enough to nestle within the primary trigger's slot, a protrusion on the secondary trigger blocks the sear from falling, thereby avoiding discharge. |
| US08250797B2 |
Two-piece wristband with slidable extension for user-selectable sizing
A wearable band with an adjustable size or length. The band includes a first band element with a body extending from a first to a second end, and the body may include a recessed surface or other receiving portion. The wearable band further includes a second band element or slidable extension with a body extending from a first to a second end. To provide user-selectable sizing, the second band element may be selectively positioned by sliding within the receiving portion of the first band element body so as to extend inward a desired engagement depth from the second end of the first band element body. A portion of the second band element body extends outward from the opening of first band element body such that this extending portion and a length of the first band element body combine to define an overall length of the wearable band assembly. |
| US08250793B1 |
Multi-image personalized license plate display apparatus
A multi-image license plate assembly having a series of horizontally disposed rotating display members operably controlled by a rotational drive mechanism. The drive mechanism can be a series of gears, pulleys, belts, chains, a worm gear assembly, or other means. The horizontally disposed rotating display members rotated about a horizontal axis. The rotating display members preferably have three image surfaces. An image is segmented, with each segment applied to a respective image surface of each of the display members, such that when the image surfaces are aligned, the complete image is displayed. The image can be applied directly to the rotating member or applied to an insert. An adapter mount is provided for fastening the multi-image license plate assembly to a vehicle. |
| US08250790B2 |
Printing product that may revolve and illuminate to form a 3-D vision
A printing product that may revolve and illuminate to form a 3-D vision comprises a main body (1), a revolver (2) arranged on the main body, a circuit device (3) for driving the revolver to rotate, and a trigger switch (4) for controlling disconnection or connection of the circuit device. The circuit device drives the revolver to rotate via a motor (31). The revolver is located in a segmental orifice (10) provided in the main body. A set of luminous elements (20) connecting with the circuit device is arranged on the revolver. The present invention provides an electrical driving apparatus for a greeting card, a book and so on. The revolver is made rotate by the electrical driving apparatus, thus forming a 3-D vision when the luminous elements on the revolver are rotating. Furthermore, the revolver of the present invention is arranged in the horizontal direction, and a rotating space is left for the revolver beforehand by providing the segmental orifice in the main body. Therefore, the space occupied by the printing product will not be increased and the revolver will form a 3-D vision, so an interest of the product may be greatly enhanced. |
| US08250788B2 |
Linen processing apparatus including a device for controlling the water flow supplied to a steam generator
Appliance for the treatment of fabric articles comprising a water tank, a steam generator for diffusing steam in the direction of the fabric article and a water supply circuit of the steam generator comprising an electric pump, characterized in that said supply circuit comprises a flexible tube (12) and a device (13) for adjusting the flow of water sent to the steam generator comprising means (133) for compressing the flexible tube (12) so as to modify its cross-section of flow. |
| US08250787B1 |
Method for post removal including concrete footing removal
One embodiment of an improved method for removing a post from the ground, the method including inserting a spike tool into the ground around the perimeter of the base of the post, reducing the lifting force required by creating a layer of reduced friction mud surrounding the base of the post, supplying of pressurized fluid through the spike tool to the base of the post within the ground, and neutralizing the suction force created when the post is lifted from the ground. |
| US08250780B1 |
Sandal system with interchangeable straps
A sandal system kit comprising a base, wherein a slot is disposed in the base at a front edge and a track is disposed along edges of the base; a plurality of S-clips each having a first end configured to snugly hook into the track and a second end extending outwardly from the base; and a plurality of straps, wherein each strap can be secured to the base via the S-clips, via the slot, and via a first attachment means, wherein each strap can be secured in a variety of patterns according to the user's wishes; wherein a user can construct a variety of different sandals by interchanging the straps and attaching the straps to the base in various patterns. |
| US08250778B2 |
Clothes driver air intake system
A clothes dryer air intake system including a conduit having an outlet opening for connection to a clothes dryer and being positioned remote from the attic of a building. The conduit also has an inlet opening positioned within the attic of a building. A heater is connected to the conduit between the outlet opening and the inlet opening for warming air passing through the conduit. A thermostat detects the temperature of the air flowing through the conduit and energizes the heater in the event that the detected temperature is lower than a preset minimum. |
| US08250776B2 |
Method of managing operation of laundry room machine and dryer therefor
A method of operating and managing a laundry room machine that performs a washing operation and a drying operation according to a payment made by customers is provided. The method includes setting information of payments and operating conditions and setting operating conditions according to a payment additionally inserted while a drying operation is performed, receiving information of a payment insertion from the payment device and operating a predetermined operation according to the set operating conditions, and receiving information of an additional payment insertion from the payment device while a drying operation is performed and performing an additional drying operation according to the information of the additional payment insertion based on the setting operating conditions according to the payment additionally inserted while the drying operation is performed. |
| US08250775B2 |
Automatic system of storage, dehumidification and reuptake of petcoke in a covered yard
The present invention discloses an automatic plant and a method of stockage in a covered yard of petcoke fuel with high humidity-contents, natural dehumidification up to set humidity values and subsequent reuptake for conveyance to the silos feeding a thermal unit. |
| US08250773B1 |
Adjustable device alignment tool
A device for aligning an electrical device including a body having a front surface and a device through hole complimentary shaped to an electrical device perimeter and wherein the device through hole comprises at least two screw holes aligned with screws on the electrical device and the electrical device moves with the through hole to align the electrical device. |
| US08250770B2 |
Pulley alignment system
A pulley alignment apparatus including an elongated body having a mounting surface, two elongated legs extending outward from the mounting surface, each of the legs terminating at a tip, a laser supported by the body, wherein the laser is configured to project a planar beam, a power supply for supplying electrical power to the laser, a normally-open switch configured to detect contact between the body and a pulley, wherein the switch electrically couples the laser with the power supply when the contact is detected, and a magnet supported by the body proximate the mounting surface. |
| US08250769B2 |
Archery bow sight distance indicator
A distance indicating mechanism can be used in combination with a bow sight to quickly determine distances to targets from an elevated position. The distance indicating mechanism has a generally circular, fluid-filled tubular device with one or more adjustable indicators located thereon. The indicators are positionable to correspond with the fluid level in the tubular device to indicate the orientation of the mechanism when aiming at a known distance. Each indicator generally corresponds to a sight pin of a bow site that indicates a corresponding linear distance for which an arrow will be at a desired vertical position when shot by a bow operator. |
| US08250764B2 |
Adjustable utility knife
A knife includes a handle enclosing one or more of a blade, a blade shuttle, a transmission, and a trigger, where the handle includes a blade aperture. The blade shuttle is longitudinally moveable relative to the handle from a rest position to a first extended position and the blade shuttle is moveable longitudinally from the first extended position to a cutting position when the blade is engaged in a workpiece. The blade shuttle is automatically retracted from the cutting position to the rest position when the blade is disengaged from the workpiece. The blade is detachably secured within the blade shuttle and protrudes a first distance through the blade aperture at the first extended position. The blade is extended from the first distance a substantially fixed length when engaged in the workpiece. The blade is adapted to automatically retract within the handle when disengaged from the workpiece. |
| US08250762B2 |
Method of manufacturing metal member with plurality of projections
Projections of a bevel gear or a vibrating body are formed by bending a metal-made plate member having a plurality of projections so as to direct them in the same direction and make their projecting direction include a component of out-of-plane direction and subsequently applying a load to the bent plate member to crush the projections so as to reduce the height thereof and increase the plate thickness. |
| US08250761B2 |
Methods of manufacturing rotor blades for a wind turbine
A method of manufacturing a rotor blade for a wind turbine and a rotor blade manufactured in accordance with such method are disclosed. The method generally comprises providing a blade blank formed at least partially from a filler material, shaping the blade blank to form a profile of the rotor blade and positioning a skin around an outer perimeter of the shaped blade blank. |
| US08250760B2 |
Center housing of a turbine for a turbocharger and method of manufacturing the same
A turbine of a turbocharger comprises a floating insert which defines a nozzle for passing a fluid and which is supported axially slidable with respect to a housing by a sliding support means. Said floating insert is axially supported by said guiding means formed by a portion of a center housing. |
| US08250759B2 |
Rotor hub maintenance system
A rotor hub maintenance system and method is disclosed. The system includes at least a rotor hub, a plurality of appendages that are operatively connectable to the hub, and a plurality of support members. The preferred embodiment provides that the support members simultaneously secure the hub and appendages a predetermined height above a reference surface and provide the only support for the hub and appendages. |
| US08250755B2 |
Process for fabricating a medical lead
In one embodiment, a process, for fabricating a medical lead for stimulation of tissue of a patient, comprises: providing a plurality of wires; increasing an exterior surface area of each wire of the plurality of wires; arranging the plurality of wires angularly around a longitudinal axis; extruding polymer material of the plurality of wires; forming a lead body with a proximal end and a distal end after performing the extruding; and forming a plurality of terminals at a proximal end of the lead body; forming a plurality of segmented electrodes at a distal end of the lead body. |
| US08250753B2 |
Method for manufacturing an active fixation electrode
In a method for manufacturing active fixation helices for the stimulation and/or sensing of organs, an elongated helix precursor body is produced that has one or more electrical conductors surrounded by an insulating material. This helix precursor body is then shaped into a helix, material removed in predetermined places in order to expose the areas of the conductors which will be used as electrodes in the final product. The body is coated with an electrically conducting biocompatible coating which is subsequently partly removed in continuous loops from around the electrodes in order to electrically insulate them from each other and to ensure that the electrically active areas of the electrodes are of the correct dimensions. |
| US08250746B2 |
Method for making electronic device having metallic connecting structure
An exemplary method for making an electronic device includes: providing a hot press machine having a press head; placing a bonding film on an inner surface of a metallic housing; turning on the hot press machine and heating the press head to a first predetermined temperature; after heated to the first predetermined temperature, driving the press head to press the bonding film to the metallic housing for about two minutes, thereby attaching the bonding film on the metallic housing; placing the metallic element according to the corresponding bonding film of the metallic housing; heating the press head to a second predetermined temperature; and after heated to the second predetermined temperature, driving the press head to press the at least one metallic element to the metallic housing for at least two minutes, thereby attaching the at least one metallic element on the corresponding bonding film. |
| US08250744B2 |
Method of manufacturing a solar cell lead wire
A solar cell lead wire includes a conductive material, and a solder plated layer on a periphery of the conductive material. The solder plated layer is formed flat by rolling. A method of manufacturing a solar cell lead wire includes feeding an elongate conductive material from a feed reel, the elongate conductive material including a rectangular conductor or a round conductor, soaking the conductive material in a molten solder in a molten solder plating bath, cooling the conductive material to have a plated wire with a solder plated layer formed on the conductive material, and winding the plated wire on a winding reel. The plated wire is formed flat by rolling after the solder plated layer of the plated wire is solidified by the cooling. |
| US08250738B2 |
Method of manufacturing a field coil member having first and second edgewise coils
A method of manufacturing a field coil member having first and second edgewise coils to be respectively fitted on first and second pole cores mounted on a circumferential surface of a yoke. Each of the first and second pole cores has an outer periphery, the outer periphery having at least one rounded corner. The method includes providing a rectangular wire strap having a pair of opposing major sides and a thickness therebetween substantially less than a width of the major sides and providing first and second coil forms, the first coil form having an outer periphery identical in shape to the outer periphery of the first pole core, the second coil form having an outer periphery identical in shape to the outer periphery of the second pole core. |
| US08250735B2 |
Motor adopting improved mechanism
A motor adopting an improved mechanism is composed of a stator having a shaft and a rotor provided with a sleeve and a hub, wherein the shaft is inserted into the hub and the hub is fixed on an outer circumferential surface of the sleeve. The outer circumferential surface of the sleeve is provided with a first outer circumferential surface, a second outer circumferential surface and a receiving surface that links between the first and second outer circumferential surfaces. The hub is provided with a base section, a through hole and a first protruded section protruding downward from the base section. A tip end portion of the first protruded section is provided with a hitting surface that contacts with the receiving surface of the sleeve and a second protruded section that links to the contacting surface and protrudes downward from the contacting surface. |
| US08250731B2 |
Electrical device manufacturing method
An exemplary electrical device manufacturing method includes the following steps. First, a first electronic module is provided. Second, one or more functions of the electronic module are verified. Third, a support module is provided. Fourth, one or more functions of the support module are verified. Fifth, the first electronic module is attached to the support module so as to form a first integrated module. Sixth, one or more functions of the first integrated module are verified. |
| US08250730B2 |
Method and apparatus for disassembling display device
In the disassembling method of a display device of the present invention, the display device has a display panel, and metal plate unit having a panel member formed of a chassis member disposed on the back surface of the display panel and a circuit board as an electric circuit member attached to the chassis member through an attaching member. The disassembling method has a mounting step of mounting metal plate unit on stage whose tilt angle can be adjusted by mechanism section and a cutting step of cutting the attaching member in parallel with the surface of stage with saw blade that abuts on the attaching member by the own weight of metal plate unit based on the tilt angle of stage. |
| US08250729B2 |
3D fabrication of needle tip geometry and knife blade
The present invention provides a method for creating a beveled needle or a blade. The method employs a side wall surface of an angled post as a base to control beveled tip geometry. The invention provides needles, microneedle arrays, blades and microblade arrays with sufficient sharpness and toughness. |
| US08250726B2 |
Pipe, method for production thereof and corresponding tool
A pipe includes a base body (8) of metal, defining an outer surface (10) of the base body and an inner surface (12) of the base body, and an inner coating (14) which is applied to the inner surface (12) of the base body. The inner coating (14) includes a thermoplastic material or a polyamide. The pipe may be used in the transport of drinking water. |
| US08250723B2 |
System and method for mounting lens in cells
This system and method for mounting lenses in lens cells a lens with an annular groove around its peripheral edge and a polygonal mounting clip formed from spring wire with at least two contiguous apexes and a non-contiguous apex such that it is biased towards closure. The mounting clip is nested in the annular groove, forcing the non-contiguous apex open. The lens is firmly held by the mounting clip and transversely extending mounting extensions at each apex are inserted into properly spaced wells in a face of a lens cell body to hold the lens in position over an aperture. An alignment chuck with a lens rest positionable with respect to a lens cell body rest is used to position the lens at the proper height above the lens cell body. The alignment chuck is then spun to align the lens optical axis with the alignment axis of the cell body. After this, the wells serve as reservoirs for a cement or other bonding materials to firmly affix the lens in its clip in perfect position with respect to the lens cell body. |
| US08250721B2 |
Roof panel seaming apparatus with leading guide finger
A roof panel seamer which is self-propelled and bidirectional for forming a standing seam joining two adjacent metal roof panels. Two seamers are disclosed, one for forming a 90° seam and the other for forming a 180° seam. Friction wheels, rather than gears, are used to transfer power from the main support body to the auxiliary support body of the seamer. The seamer includes five roll forming stations, the leading three of which are effective for each direction of travel. One of the roll forming stations for each direction of travel in the 90° seamer imparts a curve to the leg being bent. In the 90° seamer, a guide finger is mounted to both ends of one of the main and auxiliary support bodys, with the guide finger being effective to contact the underside of the male portion of the seam and maintain a minimum clearance between the male and female portions as the male and female portions enter the seamer. |
| US08250719B2 |
Multiple layer absorbent substrate and method of formation
The present invention is directed to a method for making a multiple layer substrate comprising the steps of: (1) forming a carrier substrate; (2) depositing an air laid layer comprising natural fibers on top of the carrier substrate; (3) wetting the air laid layer with a source of low pressure water; (4) hydroentangling the air laid layer with the carrier substrate to form an integrated substrate. Another aspect of the present invention is the creation of a low-density cleaning substrate with a basis weight of less than 100 gsm, which comprises at least one layer of a carrier web and at least one layer comprising an air laid cellulosic material which are hydroentangled together to form an integrated substrate. The substrate may be a pre-loaded wipe, which is either moistened by a consumer prior to use or moistened prior to packaging. The composition loaded onto the substrate may contain dry and/or liquid compositions preferably for cleaning hard or soft surfaces. |
| US08250715B2 |
Tool system with replaceable heads and offset handle
A tool system is disclosed having a body including a handle extending therefrom, a detachable head including a working tool, and a multi-part connector for detachable connecting the head to the body, the connector including opposed, flexible members positioned on the body towards an end of the body and means on the head for connecting with the opposed flexible members, the opposed flexible members and the means for connecting with the flexible members working in concert to detachably secure the head to the body. The handle of the tool system can be offset with respect to the axis of the body and the detachable head. |
| US08250711B1 |
Space-saving slide cover lifting structure
A space-saving slide cover lifting structure consisting of a pair hinges, a pair of sliding rail holders, a pair of plastic slide guides, a pair of sliding rails, a pair of gears and a pair of gear racks is disclosed. The gear racks are respectively accommodated in the sliding rails to reduce space occupation, minimizing the width of the assembly of the gear rack and the respective sliding rail. The arrangement of the plastic slide guides prohibits direction contact between the metal sliding rails and the sliding rail holders, avoiding friction noise. |
| US08250705B2 |
Hinge cup with position adjustment function
A cup embedded type hinge device with position adjustment function comprising a position adjustment mechanism between a cup member and an arm member of a hinge body including a U-shaped position adjustment holder superposed on a recess of the cup member through a gap and a cam member provided between the position adjustment holder and the flange of the cup member to set the position of the cup member relative to the position adjustment holder and having a cam disk engaged into a circular hole in the position adjustment holder and an eccentric pin engaged into an elongated hole in the flange of the cup member whereby the position of the cup member is set by rotation of the cam disk. |
| US08250703B2 |
Utility vacuum
A utility vacuum that may be configured to employ a disposable bag or removable and reusable container for the collection of dirt and debris that are drawn into the utility vacuum. The utility vacuum may employ one or more movable legs that are movable between an extended position, which provides relatively stable operation of the utility vacuum, and a retracted position, which reduces the footprint of the utility vacuum so that it is easier to store. |
| US08250692B2 |
Article of footwear with an intermediate sized outsole and method of making
A method of assembling the article of footwear may include assembling an upper with a first size and an outsole with a second size that is different from the first size. The method may also include assembling the article of footwear with a midsole that may be configured with an upper portion that fits the first size of the upper and a lower portion that fits the second size of the outsole. |
| US08250690B2 |
Machine for washing and/or drying laundry
A machine for laundry has a drum shaft rotatably mounted by a bearing for driving a laundry drum and having a device for determining loading-relevant characteristic variables or an unbalance of the laundry drum or of the drum shaft. The device for determining loading-relevant characteristic variables or an unbalance includes a magnetic field sensor that senses a magnetized region on the drum shaft or the laundry drum. |
| US08250689B2 |
Channel-cut cushion supports
The support characteristics within a foam mattress body may be varied by inserting reinforcements into channels cut or otherwise formed within the foam. |
| US08250688B2 |
Bedding straightening mechanism
A bedding straightening system attached to a base of an ordinary bed, including a blanket air distributor, bottom sheet side air distributors, connectors, bottom sheet, top blanket and sheet. A series of ducts or hoses which carry the air expelled from the air compressor or air expelling turbine towards different outlet points are located around the perimeter of the bed and connected to the bedding by a blanket air distributor and bottom sheet side air distributors. The bedding includes at least one bottom sheet and one bedspread. The bottom sheet when inflated produces tension on the sheet structure causing the straightening thereof. Air outlets protrude outwardly from the base of the bed through hoses disposed beneath the bottom sheet in order to lift and ventilate the bottom sheet. |
| US08250683B2 |
Baby bath sink insert
A baby bathing apparatus comprising an easily stored, relatively planar expanse of material configurable into a relatively concave configuration for deployment at least partially within a basin, and a method of forming the same. A material and configuration of a deployed bathing apparatus comfortably and securely retain a baby during bathing. One or more fastening means can be employed to securely yet detachably retain the expanse in a deployed configuration, while also allowing the bathing apparatus to resume a non-deployed, relatively planar configuration. |
| US08250682B2 |
Directional water flow extender
A pool and spa plumbing adapter to relocate existing directional water flow plumbing fittings to new positions to accommodate new surfacing overlaid on the existing pool or spa surface. The adapter provides for a threaded engagement with existing plumbing and has a shoulder portion providing a visual cue for proper rotational translation of the adapter into the existing plumbing fitting to accommodate the new surface layer. A sealing ring can be provided extending above the shoulder portion to prevent fluid passage between the new surface and the adapter and to prevent rotation of the adapter. |
| US08250681B2 |
Variable buoyancy setting flapper
A flush valve is provided for discharging fluid from a tank. The flush valve includes a flapper. The flapper includes a frame portion and a hollow float portion rotatably connected to the frame portion. A relative rotational position between the frame portion and the float portion adjusts at least one opening formed between the frame portion and the float portion, and controls an amount of fluid discharged from the tank by variably adjusting buoyancy of the flapper. |
| US08250678B2 |
Swim goggle
A protective eyewear includes a bridge unit, two lens rims, and two sealing gaskets as the major functional components which are made of different silicone materials with different degrees of hardness, and are integrally bonded together to form an integrated goggle frame. The functional components are made of different types of silicone materials as long as they are soft and flexible. Each functional component has a preset hardness determined by the type of silicone material being used, to achieve the different purposes of use for different activities, such as competition or general swimming activity. The functional components are also made into different color to provide aesthetic effect. In additional, the manufacture method not only provides manufacturing different functional components for enabling mix and match design but also facilitates the goggle frame for mass production. |
| US08250677B2 |
Penis covering
Device to cover a penis for aesthetic purposes, for visual enhancement, and for various other reasons. The device has a hood that fits over the glans penis and a covering for wrapping about the penis shaft. The device is secured in place by tucking a free end of the covering between layers of wrapped material, or by looping a testicle ring around the base of the testicles. |
| US08250675B2 |
Leg garment
A leg garment comprising a garment insert having a first material, a front portion, an inseam portion, and a seat portion adapted to cover at least a portion of a wearer's right hip and a portion of a wearer's left hip. Included in the garment insert is a fastening system coupling the garment insert to a garment's leg section. The leg section comprises a second material and may have at least one hip extension and a waistband. |
| US08256013B1 |
Method and apparatus for dynamic creation of persona
A method and apparatus for dynamically generating a persona is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving an identity policy, determining a required identity information data set based on the policy, requesting a site reputation, receiving the site reputation, determining a set of site reputation parameters, and generating a persona based on the required identity information data set and the site reputation parameters. |
| US08256012B2 |
System and method of security function activation for a mobile electronic device
A system and a method are provided for activating one or more security functions of a mobile electronic device. The system and method provide for the activation of one or more security functions when the mobile electronic device is stored in a mobile electronic device holder. Security functions include, for example, closing a data item currently being displayed on the mobile electronic device, erasing decrypted information stored on the mobile electronic device, locking the mobile electronic device, and performing a secure garbage collection operation. |
| US08256006B2 |
System and method for providing identity theft security
A system and method of providing identity theft security is provided. The system and method utilizes a computer program that identifies, locates, secures, and/or removes from computers, computer systems and/or computer networks personally identifying and/or other sensitive information in different data formats. The computer program utilizes a multi-tiered escalation model of searching/identifying sensitive information. The computer program of the instant invention utilizes a self-learning process for fine-tuning a level of scrutiny for identifying potentially sensitive information. |
| US08256005B2 |
Protection of audio or video data in a playback device
Method and apparatus to prevent hacking of encrypted audio or video content during playback. Hackers, using a debugging attachment or other tools, can illicitly access encrypted data in memory in a playback device when the data is decrypted during playback and momentarily stored in digital form. This hacking is defeated here by methodically “poisoning” the encrypted data so that it is no longer playable by a standard decoder. The poisoning involves deliberate alteration of certain bit values. On playback, the player invokes a special secure routine that provides correction of the poisoned bit values, for successful playback. |
| US08256003B2 |
Real-time network malware protection
A Network State Database (NSD) can comprise information regarding the network-centric state of one or more computing devices connected to a network. The information contained in the NSD can be passively received by the NSD, or it can be actively obtained by the NSD. Additionally the NSD can comprise either a centralized collection of information, or a distributed collection of information independently maintained and conceptualized as a single entity. The information of the NSD can be used by a Network Risk Management Service (NRMS) to appropriately respond and protect the network. The NRMS can provide relevant information from the NSD to subscribers, which can independently act to protect the network. The NRMS can likewise itself instruct computing devices regarding an appropriate action, or it can itself instruct the performance of such action. |
| US08256000B1 |
Method and system for identifying icons
A method and apparatus for indentifying Icons whereby a known/clean file Icon database is created that includes Icon image data and/or .ico files associated with known icons of selected applications. The resource section of any file being transferred to, or through, a given user computing system is then stripped and scanned for .ico files and any .ico files identified are extracted. Then for each directory extracted from the identified .ico files, the relevant image data is extracted. The known/clean Icon image data is obtained from the known/clean file Icon database. The extracted relevant image data is then compared with known/clean Icon image data and, if the extracted relevant image data matches with the known/clean Icon image data to a desired level of accuracy, a status of the extracted .ico files, and/or given file, is transformed indicate a status of Icon match. |
| US08255999B2 |
Anti-virus scanning of partially available content
A client device transmits requests via a gateway to a server in a network environment. The requests indicate specific portions of a file on a server to be transmitted as part of the download process. The gateway receives into its memory the requested portions of the file and assembles the received portions into an assembly file. The gateway continuously scans the largest contiguous sequence of the portions in the assembly file for viruses while the requested portions of the file are being received and become available before feeding the received portions to the client computer. By scanning the largest consecutive sequence while new portions become available, the time to complete the scan is reduced thereby increasing the throughput of the gateway. |
| US08255996B2 |
Network threat detection and mitigation
A network switch automatically detects undesired network traffic and mirrors the undesired traffic to a security management device. The security management device determines the source of the undesired traffic and redirects traffic from the source to itself. The security management device also automatically sends a policy to a switch to block traffic from the source. |
| US08255994B2 |
Detection and suppression of short message service denial of service attacks
A method, system, and medium are provided for suppressing a Short Message Service (SMS) induced Denial of Service (DoS) attack on a telecommunications network. A register is updated to include information relevant to SMS messages that are requested to be communicated by way of a wireless telecommunications network. The register includes information of the location where the target devices of SMS messages are located. The register is utilized to detect an SMS induced DoS attack. A trigger is communicated to an SMS router to enable a DoS mode that restricts the communication of SMS messages. In an exemplary embodiment, only those SMS messages identified as part of the DoS attack are restricted. |
| US08255990B2 |
Identification and computer login of an operator of a vehicle
A method for identifying and performing a vehicle operator computer login to a vehicle computer provided in a vehicle. A device is arranged to request and receive vehicle operator data stored on a data carrier provided for a tachograph comprising a reader for reading the data carrier. The device controls communication of vehicle operator related data to the vehicle computer, wherein the device is arranged to initiate a vehicle operator login procedure of the vehicle computer, in dependence on the data carrier inserted in the tachograph. The invention is also related to a vehicle arrangement, a computer program and a computer program product. The invention solves the problem of providing identification and login of an operator of a vehicle to the vehicle computer in a simplified and secure way. The invention also enables shortened start up/stop times of a vehicle by reducing systems login/logoff time for an operator. |
| US08255989B2 |
Access control and key management system for streaming media
A session rights object and authorization data are used for defining a consumer's access right to a media content stream. The access rights are determined at a caching server remotely located from the consumer rather than locally at the end user site. In a first aspect, in a computing network having a content provider, a key distribution center, a caching server and a client, a method for controlling client access to a real-time data stream from the caching server, is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by the client, a session rights object from a content provider, the session rights object defining access rules for accessing the real-time data stream; receiving, by the client, authorization data from the key distribution center, the authorization data defining the client's access rights to the real-time data stream; forwarding to the caching server the session rights object and the authorization data; comparing, by the caching server, the session rights object with the authorization data to determine client authorization; and if the client is authorized, streaming, by the caching server, the real-time data stream to the client. |
| US08255985B2 |
Methods, network services, and computer program products for recommending security policies to firewalls
Recommending a security policy to a firewall, includes receiving a request from a firewall for a recommendation as to whether the firewall should allow or block a detected present communication for which the firewall does not have an existing security policy. Information about past blocked and allowed communications at other firewalls on a network is searched to identify past communications that are similar to the present communication. The identified past communications are assigned a respective positive or negative vote. A positive vote indicates a past communication was allowed and a negative vote indicates a past communication was not allowed. A positive recommendation is sent to the requesting firewall to allow the present communication if the positive votes outnumber the negative votes, and a negative recommendation is sent to the requesting firewall to block the present communication if the negative votes outnumber the positive votes. |
| US08255984B1 |
Single sign-on system for shared resource environments
Systems and methods for enhancing security of single sign-on are described. These systems and methods can reduce the amount of sensitive information stored on a client device while still providing single sign-on access to shared resources such as virtual desktops or Terminal Servers. For example, storage of authentication information on client devices can be avoided while still allowing client devices to connect to the shared resources. Instead, such information can be stored at a broker server that brokers connections from client devices to the shared resources. The broker server can facilitate more secure single sign-on by providing a single-use ticket to a client device that authenticates with the broker server. The client device can use this single-use ticket to authenticate with a shared resource. |
| US08255982B2 |
Method and apparatus for enabling a user to select an authentication method
The present invention facilitates access to a restricted service related to secure transactions via a network. The present invention allows a user to select a minimum security level of authentication for its own login to a restricted service. The user's selected minimum security level of authentication may be registered in an authentication method system, so that the user must use the selected minimum security level for authentication in order to gain access to the restricted service. Alternatively, the user may specify that the selected minimum security level for authentication may be over-turned by the user, or optionally re-set to a new authentication method depending on the needs of the user. As such, the present invention allows the user the flexibility to select its own authentication method for accessing a restricted service. |
| US08255981B2 |
System and method of authentication
A method of resetting authentication token prompts a user of a computing device to transmit a first authentication token associated with an Internet account. The method also prompts the user to transmit a second token associated with the Internet account. The method receives the second authentication token via the computing device and transmitting a temporary authentication token to a set-top box device of the user. |
| US08255979B2 |
Image data processing system, image data generating apparatus, terminal equipment and program product
In each of personal computers, information concerning an application software to process image data sent to a scanner is received. A dialog box is displayed and a user entry is made as to whether transmission is permitted or not. When transmission is rejected by the user, a notice of the rejection of transmission is given to the scanner. When transmission is permitted by the user, the application software is started and a notice of the permission of transmission is given to the scanner. Then, image data is received from the scanner and processed by the started application software. |
| US08255975B2 |
Method and apparatus for a community-based trust
Machine-readable media, methods, apparatus and system for a community-based trust are provided. In an embodiment, it may be determined whether a requesting node obtains a trust from a targeting node through an endorsement from an intermediate node. If the requesting node obtains the trust through the endorsement from the intermediate node, an intermediate trust level that indicates how much the targeting node trusts the intermediate node may be obtained; and a new trust level that indicates how much the targeting node trusts the requesting node may be calculated based upon the intermediate trust level. |
| US08255966B2 |
Method and apparatus for internet-based interactive programming
A method and system for the creation of interactive programming incorporating viewer interactions. An interactive program includes moderator content generated by the moderator and edited participant commentary, such as interactive messages, and is served by a moderator server. Moderators create and manage interactive programs using a Web site. Viewers register to be participants in interactive programs using the Web site as well. The interactive programs can be distributed as electronic documents written in a markup language such as HTML or XML over a communications network such as the Internet. The interactive programs can also be converted to conventional interactive television content for distribution over an interactive television network. The interactive programs can also be distributed over a virtual private network for use as a collaboration tool by an enterprise such as a business concern. The interactive programs require few processing resources so the interactive programs can be embedded within other Web processes such as electronic commerce and television commerce transactions. |
| US08255965B2 |
URL access method and mobile terminal thereof
A method, mobile terminal and computer program product for automatically accessing a specific URL, and a mobile terminal thereof. The method comprises outputting a broadcasting screen by receiving a broadcasting signal; when the broadcasting screen is not displayed, automatically accessing a preset specific URL; displaying a broadcasting list including one or more URL lists; selecting one or more URLs included in each item of the broadcasting list; and accessing a web site or a server of the selected URL. |
| US08255964B2 |
Method and system for distributing media content
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set-top box operating from an interactive television (iTV) communication system having a controller to receive from the iTV communication system media content with metadata, record the media content, detect in the metadata a description of the media content correlating with one or more preferences in a preference profile, present at a media presentation device a first prompt requesting an acceptance or rejection of the media content, present at the media presentation device a second prompt requesting a selection of one or more communication devices to direct in whole or in part the media content thereto, detect the selection of at least one of the one or more communication devices, and transmit in whole or in part the media content to the at least one communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08255963B2 |
System and method for monitoring video data
A system and method for real-time monitoring of programming content transmission over a broadcast network. The identification and analysis of data embedded within a broadcast signal allows a broadcaster to determine whether or not their content is actually being broadcast over the network as intended. The embedded data may include various information and indicators, such as proprietary tags, included in the signal. Real-time monitoring may occur across single or multiple channels, narrow or wide geographic areas, be based on various demographic or other characteristics, and may be monitored by content providers or others. |
| US08255957B1 |
Method and apparatus for synchronizing local and remote audio and video program sources
A method and apparatus for eliminating the apparent delays in a televised presentation between local program content and delayed program content received from a remote location, e.g., via satellite. Local and remote program signals are delayed by the system and method and then combined to provide an output program signal where there is no apparent delay between the content from the different program sources. The delay of the input signals is preferably automatically adjusted such that the start of the program output is not delayed and may be obtained by imperceptibly altering the input program content, e.g., using delay buffers. |
| US08255951B2 |
User input for access to television services
The present invention provides a method and system for accessing services in a television system. In one implementation, a DHCT presents a user a menu containing a plurality of selectable link representations corresponding to separate services or applications offered by the cable television system. The user navigates the menu with a remote device and selects a desired service by choosing the selectable link representation corresponding to the desired service or application. The DHCT receives the user input, translates the selectable link command into an executable call, and activates the service or application corresponding to the selected link representation from the menu chosen by the user. |
| US08255949B1 |
Television program targeting for advertising
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products are provided for television advertisement bidding that allows advertisers to target and/or exclude specific television programs. Advertisers can search for television programs and in response be provided with a list of scheduled air times for television programs. Additional programs can also be identified for advertising based on similar targeting criteria, such as demographics, ratings, and genre. |
| US08255947B2 |
Broadcast area authentication
Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for authenticating local and remote devices associated with a broadcast area. In one embodiment, an authentication server can transmit a unique broadcast identifier to a broadcast system and a local device. The broadcast system can then transmit a broadcast that includes the unique broadcast identifier. Once the local device receives the unique broadcast identifier from the broadcast and the authentication server, it can be authenticated as being in the broadcast area. |
| US08255946B2 |
Broadcast area authentication
Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for authenticating local and remote devices associated with a broadcast area. In one embodiment, an authentication server can transmit a unique broadcast identifier to a broadcast system and a local device. The broadcast system can then transmit a broadcast that includes the unique broadcast identifier. Once the local device receives the unique broadcast identifier from the broadcast and the authentication server, it can be authenticated as being in the broadcast area. |
| US08255945B2 |
Broadcast area authentication
Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for authenticating local and remote devices associated with a broadcast area. In one embodiment, an authentication server can transmit a unique broadcast identifier to a broadcast system and a local device. The broadcast system can then transmit a broadcast that includes the unique broadcast identifier. Once the local device receives the unique broadcast identifier from the broadcast and the authentication server, it can be authenticated as being in the broadcast area. |
| US08255942B2 |
Broadcast area authentication
Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for authenticating local and remote devices associated with a broadcast area. For example, in one embodiment, a broadcast station can broadcast a first over-the-air broadcast that includes a token. A local device can scan for and identify the token in the first over-the-air broadcast it receives. The local device can then transmit the received token and user registration to an authentication server. The authentication server can use the token and user registration information to create a unique broadcast identifier. The authentication server can then transmit the unique broadcast identifier to the broadcast station and the local device. The broadcast station then broadcasts a second over-the-air broadcast that includes a unique broadcast identifier. Once the local device receives the unique broadcast identifier from the second over-the-air broadcast and the authentication server, it can be authenticated as being in the broadcast area. |
| US08255936B2 |
Objective lens drive apparatus where interaction of drive magnets and drive coils drive a holding member that holds the objective lens and optical pickup and optical disk apparatus including the same
An objective lens drive apparatus configured to drive an objective lens that focuses a laser beam on an optical disk is disclosed, the apparatus including a holding member that holds the objective lens; at least one pair of drive magnets arranged to face each other at opposite sides of the holding member with respect a tangential direction that is parallel to a tangential line of the optical disk, the drive magnets having protruding end portions that protrude from each side of the holding member with respect to a tracking direction that is parallel to a radial direction of the optical disk; and plural drive coils configured to drive the holding member through interaction with the drive magnets, at least one of the drive coils being arranged on each side of the drive magnets with respect to the tangential direction. |
| US08255932B1 |
Application of an embedded instrumentation interface definition language
In one example embodiment, a system and method are illustrated that includes defining an interface that is independent of a management interface associated with a management agent. This interface is configured to instrument a network device component. The system and method also includes generating an API from the interface. The system and method further includes binding the management agent and the API to implement the management interface associated with the management agent. |
| US08255931B2 |
Method for implementing ejection-safe API interception
A DLL that includes an API hook is injected into the address space of a target computer process called by an application program. Upon termination of the application program, computer-readable instructions describing a process for filtering exceptions returned from the target computer process are stored in memory locations accessible to the target computer process and the DLL is ejected from the address space. |
| US08255929B2 |
Method and server for providing content to a handset
A system and method for providing time-sensitive information to a handset using a scrolling ticker. The method includes receiving the time-sensitive information at a server, determining the time period before the next update for a second set of information, and if less than a pre-determined value, then streaming the time sensitive information at the end of the time period to the handset. If the time period is greater that than the pre-determined value, then streaming the time-sensitive information immediately. In an alternative embodiment, a method is provided which includes determining a base schedule for periodically streaming the information to a handset via a scrolling ticker, receiving time-sensitive information relating to an event, determining a second schedule for periodically streaming time-sensitive information related to the event, and streaming the time-sensitive information in accordance with the second schedule during a time period associated with the event. |
| US08255926B2 |
Virus notification based on social groups
Virus notifications based on social groups are provided. When an anti-virus program is updated, the anti-virus program informs its peers within the social group of the update. When a particular peer computing device is infected, it notifies the other anti-virus programs in the social group. The notification to the other anti-virus programs may identify which particular patches/updates are required for that particular peer computing device's anti-virus program based on the data structure that maintains the update status of the anti-virus software on each of the peer computing devices. The anti-virus programs in the social group, based on the notification of the infection from the infected computing device, may automatically perform operations for downloading any required patches and performing a scan of the peer computing device in order to isolate and remove the virus if the peer computing device has become infected. |
| US08255919B2 |
Distributed processing system and method
A method is disclosed that receives a function call at an application program interface. The method selects a first processor of a plurality of processors to execute the function call. The method further executes a first transmit function associated with a bus coupled to the first processor. The first transmit function includes a function parameter associated with the function call. |
| US08255913B2 |
Notification to task of completion of GSM operations by initiator node
In a global shared memory (GSM) environment, a method provides local notification of completion of a global shared memory (GSM) operation processed by a first task executing at a local node of the distributed system. The system includes multiple nodes on which different tasks of a single job execute and perform GSM operations that are received from a second task via a via host fabric interface (HFI) and associated HFR window assigned to the first tasks. The local task initiates execution of a GSM operation on the local node. The task then monitors for and detects a completion of the execution of the GSM operation on the local node. When the task detects completion of the execution of the GSM operation, the task issues an internal notification to inform the locally-executing tasks of the completion of the GSM operation. |
| US08255910B2 |
Fair weighted proportional-share virtual time scheduler
A method comprises scheduling, by a weighted proportional-share virtual time processor scheduler, processor access to a first consumer during a time period in which a second consumer is blocked from processor access. When the second consumer becomes unblocked from processor access, the weighted proportional-share virtual time processor scheduler determines whether the length of the time period over which the second consumer was blocked from processor access exceeds a predefined time threshold. When determined that the length of the time period over which the second consumer was blocked from processor access does not exceed the predefined time threshold, then scheduler does not update the virtual time of the second consumer before scheduling processor access for the second consumer. |
| US08255908B2 |
Managing tasks in a distributed system
Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products for facilitating the management of tasks in a distributed system with modular service architecture and distributed control functions are provided. The system includes an Application Manager, an Application Node, a Service Manager, and a number of Service Nodes that are capable of executing certain services. Upon receiving a task request from the Application Manager, the Application Node generates a task identifier associated with the particular task. The Application Node may then communicate with the Service Manager using the task identifier to receive a designation of a Service Node capable of executing the service required to complete the requested task. The Application Node can then communicate the service to the designated Service Node, including the task identifier. Once completed services are received from the various Service Nodes involved, they are assembled into a completed task using the common task identifier. |
| US08255904B2 |
System and method for generating a distributable software package
A system, method, and computer program product for generating a distributable software package, including loading a template/profile; loading at least one module; receiving configuration options over a network connection; and assembling a distributable software package according to the profile, template(s), modules, and the configuration options. |
| US08255900B2 |
Virtual computer server apparatus, and update image detection method
A virtual computer server apparatus includes an image information memory to store image information upon dividing into pages, the page being a memory of a predetermined size, an update unit configured to update the image information stored in the image information memory in accordance with operation of the application program, an update page detection unit configured to detect an update page from the pages storing image information transmitted to the terminal and displayed by the terminal as a display area, an update image detection unit configured to detect the image information updated by the update unit from image information in the update page before updated and image information in the update page after updated. |
| US08255899B2 |
Techniques for upgrade dependency management
Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for managing dependencies between data upgrade files included in an application upgrade. According to one set of embodiments, the data upgrade files are grouped into functional upgrade groups. A dependency hierarchy for the functional upgrade groups is then created based on dependencies between the data upgrade files. The dependency hierarchy provides a high-level, functional view of the overall dependency flow of an upgrade. In various embodiments, this allows for greater insight into existing and potential dependency issues, leading to more robust and efficient upgrades. In further embodiments, an upgrade tracking system is provided. The upgrade tracking system is configured to track and report detailed analytics related to an upgrade run. In various embodiments, the upgrade tracking system may leverage the grouping of data upgrade files into functional upgrade groups to provide intelligent reporting at a functional level. |
| US08255896B2 |
Network software normalization and installation in a fire detection system
A fire detection system includes at least one existing fire detection unit, at least one replacement fire detection unit, control circuitry associated with the at least one existing fire detection unit, control circuitry associated with the at least one replacement fire detection unit, a graphical user interface associated with the at least one replacement fire detection unit, and communication media connecting the at least one existing fire detection unit and the at least one replacement fire detection unit. The replacement unit is configured to be compatible with the at least one existing unit, and the graphical user interface controls the configuration of the replacement panel. The control circuitry associated with the replacement unit and the control circuitry associated with the existing unit execute the configuration of the replacement panel. |
| US08255893B2 |
Software management process, software management apparatus, and computer-readable medium storing software management program
In a software management process, a software management apparatus, and a computer-readable medium storing a software management program for managing software installed in clients: a profile for a client is updated in accordance with a change notice on receipt of the change notice from the client; settings of the software in other clients which belong to the same group as the above client are determined to be synchronized with the settings of the software in the above client by reference to group information when the above profile for the above client is updated; and a synchronization notice indicating that the update of the above profile is to be reflected in the settings of the software in the other clients is sent to the other clients, and each of one or more profiles for the other clients is updated in accordance with the synchronization notice. |
| US08255892B2 |
Flash memory programming
Disclosed is a method for updating program code stored in a memory, which memory comprises a plurality of memory sectors. The method comprises transforming an updated input code into an updated program code version to be stored in a memory, which memory has stored thereon a current program code version occupying a first set of the memory sectors of the memory, wherein the updated program code version occupies a second set of memory sectors when stored in the memory. The transforming step further comprises receiving a representation of the current program code version; and performing at least one optimization step adapted to decrease the number of memory sectors of the second set of memory sectors occupied by the updated code version that are different from the corresponding memory sectors of the first set of memory sectors occupied by the current program code version. |
| US08255889B2 |
Method of using parallel processing constructs and dynamically allocating program portions
A device, for performing parallel processing, includes a processor to receive one or more portions of an inner context of a program created for a technical computing environment, and allocate one or more portions of the inner context of the program to two or more labs for parallel execution. The processor is also configured to receive one or more results associated with the parallel execution of the one or more portions from the two or more labs, and provide the one or more results to an outer context of the program. |
| US08255888B2 |
API derivation and XML schema derivation for developing applications
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for developing an application. The development includes the use of a data model (e.g., a metamodel represented using UML) from which an API is derived. The API can include features derived from customizable extensions within the data model. |
| US08255885B2 |
Detecting copied computer source code by examining computer object code
Methods and systems for detecting copied program code are described. The detection may be performed by comparing source code of a first program to object code of a second program. Alternatively, the detection may be performed by comparing object code of a first program to object code of a second program. |
| US08255877B2 |
Method for managing the triggering of an application in a service terminal, particularly in a telecommunication terminal
The disclosure relates to a method for managing the triggering of an application in a terminal place in an environment consisting of several access technologies. The disclosure also relates to a mobile telephone type terminal that implements the method. A test mechanism is implemented for at least one application on the basis of information contained in the tested application when a triggering event occurs for an application, thereby making it possible to recognize or deduce the network access technologies supported by the application. |
| US08255873B2 |
Handling external content in web applications
A media and method for detecting third-party content in web pages is provided. Computer software operates on a server or a client-side computer to identify and analyze third-party links and contents in web pages to determine if a third-party content sill exists, is available, has changed, or disrupts a web browser. A third-party link or content can be removed, changed, or replaced. A user can be notified or given an option to handle changed third-party content. The server may remove the third-party link or content by changing an HTML file for the web page. The client-side computer may remove the third-party link or content by dynamically changing the rendered web page before it is displayed to the user. |
| US08255872B2 |
Editor with commands for automatically disabling and enabling program code portions
A method (300) of editing program code is proposed. The program code consists of main instructions written in a high-level language. Typically, the program code further includes one or more sets of service instructions, which are not directly connected to a desired algorithm (such as tracing instructions for debugging purposes, performance measuring instructions, and the like). In the solution of the invention, each set of service instructions is enclosed (321-322) between a pair of predefined comments defining a starting tag and an ending tag. An editor of the program code is provided with commands for automatically disabling (341) the service instructions (converting them into corresponding comments); at the same time, the disabled instructions are condensed (340) on the monitor. Additional commands are available for automatically enabling (368) and restoring (367) the service instructions. |
| US08255869B2 |
Industry template customization and transclusion for use in industrial automation and information solutions
The invention relates to a system and/or methodology for the customization and transclusion of design templates/patterns for use in industrial automation. The system provides for the de-abstraction of one or more design templates, and generating engineering specifications via customization of the de-abstracted design templates. Additionally, the invention provides a user interface for modification of the template de-abstraction and/or customization process. |
| US08255867B1 |
Methods and systems for use in splitting wiring diagrams
Methods and systems are provided for generating a wiring diagram based on a wiring configuration stored in a memory device. The wiring configuration is deconstructed, a new wiring configuration is constructed on a grid that includes a plurality of fields. The new wiring configuration is based on the wiring configuration. The wiring diagram is generated based on the plurality of fields. |
| US08255865B2 |
Signal tracing through boards and chips
Signal tracing across boards and chips can be used to greatly enhance failure analysis of the boards and chips. Concepts are disclosed for tracing one or more signal lines across a board, across a chip boundary, and across a chip. Signals may be traced through active circuitry on a chip along with paths through various logic cones. The result can be graphically and interactively presented. |
| US08255864B2 |
Computing device and method for checking signal transmission lines
A computing device and a method selects a signal transmission line from a circuit board, computes an actual length of each line segment of the selected signal transmission line, and computes an actual distance between each line segment of the selected signal transmission line and a corresponding line segment of each neighboring signal transmission line. If each actual length is less than or equal to a corresponding reference length and each actual distance is more than or equal to a corresponding reference distance, the device and method determines a design of the selected signal transmission line satisfies the design standards. Otherwise, if any actual length is more than a corresponding reference length, or if any actual distance is less than a corresponding reference distance, the device and method determines the design of the signal transmission line does not satisfy the design standards. |
| US08255863B2 |
Printed circuit board layout system and method thereof
A printed circuit board layout system and a method thereof are provided. The method includes the following steps: obtaining the outline information, the boundary information, and the auxiliary line information, when a command for recording position information of points within each of the boundaries is input; obtaining position information of the points within each of the boundaries; setting corresponding height values as height limit of height restriction areas corresponding to the points within each of the boundaries. |
| US08255856B1 |
DC path checking in a hierarchical circuit design
A computer implemented method is provided for use in evaluating a hierarchical representation of a circuit design encoded in a computer readable medium comprising: traversing a circuit path within a higher level circuit that includes a reference potential connection, to identify a port of a call to a first lower level circuit that is DC path connected to the reference potential; identifying a first DC port group that includes each port of the call to the first lower level circuit that is DC path connected to the identified port of the call to the first lower level circuit; automatically marking as DC path connected to the reference potential, each port of the call to the first lower level circuit that is a member of the first DC port group; and traversing a circuit path within the first lower level circuit to identify a circuit path within the first lower level circuit that is DC path connected to a marked port of the first lower level circuit. |
| US08255855B2 |
Routing nets over circuit blocks in a hierarchical circuit design
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that routes nets over circuit blocks in a hierarchical circuit design. During operation, the system can receive a set of circuit blocks. At least some terminals of the circuit blocks may be desired to be electrically linked together using a net which is expected to be routed over one or more circuit blocks. The system may divide an area associated with a block (e.g., an area in a metal layer which is situated above the block) into a set of tiles. Next, the system may assign costs to at least some of the tiles in the set of tiles. The system can then use the costs during routing. Note that using the costs of the tiles during routing makes it more likely that buffers can be used wherever required to meet slew and timing requirements. |
| US08255853B2 |
Circuit emulation systems and methods
An apparatus for circuit emulation may include a first circuit board, one or more circuit emulation resource on the first circuit board, a first interconnection interface on the first circuit board, and a second interconnection interface on the first circuit board. The first circuit board may include conductive wiring paths. The circuit emulation resource is on the first circuit board and coupled with a portion of the conductive wiring paths, with each circuit emulation resource being configured to emulate a portion of an electronic circuit by receiving input signals and producing output signals in response to the input signals. The first interconnection interface is on the first circuit board and coupled with at least a first portion of the circuit emulation resource, The first interconnection interface may be configured to couple with an interconnection interface of a second circuit board having a second group of conductive wiring paths and having a second group of circuit emulation resources. The second interconnection interface is on the first circuit board and coupled with at least a second portion of the at least one circuit emulation resource. The second interconnection interface may be configured to couple with an interconnection interface of a third circuit board having a third group of conductive wiring paths and having a third group of circuit emulation resources. |
| US08255848B2 |
Logic design verification techniques for liveness checking with retiming
A technique for verification of a retimed logic design using liveness checking includes assigning a liveness gate to a liveness property for an original netlist and assigning a fairness gate to a fairness constraint for the original netlist. In this case, the fairness gate is associated with the liveness gate and is asserted for at least one time-step during any valid behavioral loop associated with the liveness gate. The original netlist is retimed, using a retiming engine, to provide a retimed netlist. The liveness and fairness gates of the retimed netlist are retimed such that a lag of the fairness gate is no greater than a lag of the liveness gate. Verification analysis is then performed on the retimed netlist. Finally, when the verification analysis yields a valid counter-example trace for the retimed netlist, a liveness violation for the original netlist is returned. |
| US08255844B2 |
Coordinated-design supporting apparatus, coordinated-design supporting method, computer product, printed-circuit-board manufacturing method, circuit-design supporting apparatus, circuit-design supporting method, computer product, and printed-circuit-board manufacturing method
An FPGA-design-CAD interface unit retrieves pin assignment information created by an FPGA-designing CAD apparatus. An FPGA-pin-information managing unit manages the pin assignment information as FPGA pin information. A temporary-library creating unit creates a temporary component shape type library by using the FPGA pin information and outputs the temporary component shape type library in a form capable of being read by a package-designing CAD apparatus to a file. |
| US08255840B2 |
Silicon tolerance specification using shapes as design intent markers
Design-specific attributes of a circuit (such as timing, power, electro-migration, and signal integrity) are used to automatically identify one or more regions of one or more layers in a layout of the circuit. The automatically identified regions may be provided to a manufacturing tool in GDSII by use of overlapping shapes in, or alternatively by moving existing shapes to, a different layer/datatype pair. For example, information about the automatically identified regions may be stored using a conventional datatype (e.g. value 0) with a new layer, or alternatively using a conventional layer (e.g. metal 3) with a new datatype (e.g. value 1), depending on the embodiment. The automatically identified regions contain cells and/or features (e.g. groups of shapes and/or individual shapes) whose tolerance in silicon (to be fabricated) is automatically changed from default, based on the design-specific attribute(s) and sensitivity thereto, expressed as design intent by a circuit designer. |
| US08255839B2 |
Securing authenticity of integrated circuit chip
A system and method are provided for securely manufacturing a device at a foundry. For example, an integrated circuit chip may be securely fabricated at an untrusted foundry by later verifying authenticity of the integrated circuit chip based on a valid usage of an original source code file associated with a semiconductor manufacturing process of the integrated circuit chip. The integrated circuit chip may be authenticated by matching a first set of unique daughter codes generated during fabrication with a second set of unique daughter codes generated independently by some entity other than the foundry. In this way, a trusted electronics integrator may compare the first and second unique daughter codes to nondestructively determine whether the integrated circuit chip is a trusted device or a tampered device. |
| US08255836B1 |
Hover-over gesturing on mobile devices
Aspects of the disclosure may relate to detecting, by a computing device, a first user input comprising a first gesture to interact with a touch-sensitive screen of the computing device. Aspects may also include detecting a second user input comprising a second gesture using the touch-sensitive screen of the computing device. Aspects may also include, responsive to detecting the first user input, initiating a hover mode of interaction in a graphical user interface. |
| US08255835B2 |
Method and system for managing unread electronic messages
The presence of new unread electronic messages received, that is, messages received since unread messages were last reviewed, is provided by indicia presented to the user. These indicia can take various forms, such as by bolding, flashing, changing the size or color of a count of unread messages, and/or the unread message icon. Alternatively, a separate indication, such as a second count representing the number of new unread electronic messages received, or some other symbol, such as an explanation point, can be displayed. |
| US08255834B2 |
Displaying a set of data elements
A set of elements, such as, for example, a path, a directory list, a playlist, and a listing of information associated with a file or a song, may be truncated so that a partial set may be generated and displayed. The truncation may be performed in an intelligent manner to produce a meaningful truncated portion. Such a partial set may be beneficial when the space allotted for display of the set is small to begin with or is reduced. In one implementation, a display size of a set is compared with a size of a display area. A data element is selected based on the comparison, and a display space size is determined for the selected data element. A truncated, yet meaningful, portion is determined for the selected data element, the portion fitting within the display space size. |
| US08255830B2 |
Methods and graphical user interfaces for editing on a multifunction device with a touch screen display
In some embodiments, a device displays content on a touch screen display and detects input by finger gestures. In response to the finger gestures, the device selects content, visually distinguishes the selected content, and/or updates the selected content based on detected input. In some embodiments, the device displays a command display area that includes one or more command icons; detects activation of a command icon in the command display area; and, in response to detecting activation of the command icon in the command display area, performs a corresponding action with respect to the selected content. Exemplary actions include cutting, copying, and pasting content. |
| US08255824B2 |
Toolbar/sidebar browser extension
Methods and other embodiments associated with a web browser extension are described. One example browser extension includes a toolbar logic to provide a toolbar. The toolbar may include, for example, a set of graphical user interface elements displayed in connection with a browser window. The browser extension may also include a sidebar logic to provide a sidebar. The browser extension may also include a coordination logic to coordinate the presentation and functionality of a combination of the toolbar and the sidebar to be provided to a browser. The presentation and functionality may be based, at least in part, on a selectable presentation mode and a selectable attachment mode. |
| US08255811B2 |
Providing auto-sorting of collaborative partners or components based on frequency of communication and/or access in a collaboration system user interface
A system for auto-sorting of lists based on most frequent component access or partner collaboration. The elements in the lists may represent collaboration partners (e.g. instant messaging contacts), and/or collaboration components such as Web addresses, events, collaborative documents, activity objects, and/or desktop applications. The system monitors component accesses and/or partner collaborations over a configurable time period to determine the frequency of collaborations with specific collaboration partners, and/or the frequency of accesses to collaboration components. The disclosed system then determines a set of collaboration partners and/or components that are most frequently collaborated with and/or accessed, and moves the list elements representing those collaboration partners and/or components into a top-located sub-list within a list of elements representing a larger number of collaboration partners and/or components in a user interface provided to a local user. The size of the top-located sub-list is user configurable, and the user may further indicate that certain collaboration partners and/or components are to be added to the sub-list, removed from the sub-list, always excluded from the sub-list, or always included in the sub-list. The local user may also be provided with a configurable set of alert notifications through the user interface communicating when collaboration partners and/or components have been added to and/or removed from the sub-list. |
| US08255810B2 |
Portable touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for using emoji characters while in a locked mode
In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method performed at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display includes simultaneously displaying a character input area operable to display text character input and emoji character input selected by a user, a keyboard display area, and a plurality of emoji category icons. In response to detecting a gesture on a respective emoji category icon, the method also includes simultaneously displaying: a first subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category in the keyboard display area and a plurality of subset-sequence-indicia icons for the respective emoji category. The method also includes detecting a gesture in the keyboard display area and, in response: replacing display of the first subset of emoji character keys with display of a second subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category, and updating the information provided by the subset-sequence-indicia icons. |
| US08255804B2 |
Resource controlled user interface resource management
A system and method for managing the allocation and utilization of user interface resources in a communication system. Various aspects of the present invention comprise establishing a wireless communication link between a user interface resource and a system with which the user interface resource may be used. It may be determined that at least a portion of the user interface resource may be used with the system. Various aspects of the present invention may communicate that at least a portion of the user interface resource may be used with the system. A request may be made that at least a portion of the user interface resource be allocated for use with the system. The allocation request may be received, and at least a portion of the user interface resource may be allocated for use with the system. The allocated user interface resource may be utilized with the system. |
| US08255801B2 |
Web based video enhancement apparatus, method, and article of manufacture
Controlling an event in a virtual environment is disclosed. A video image from one or more video cameras is received. A video enhanced script is executed to display the virtual environment in a video display within a web browser. An event in the virtual environment is controlled based on the video image. The video enhanced script is configured to communicate with a web browser extension module. |
| US08255794B2 |
Methods and apparatus for creating markup language documents
A method for generating markup language documents, e.g., XML documents, uses a code generator that creates programs configured to create dynamic XML documents at run time, avoiding many of the complexities arising from the use of conventional “XML GENERATE” statements. In one embodiment, this process involves (1) creating a template document using a markup language, wherein the template document includes a set of tags associated with the markup language documents; (2) parsing the template document to determine a working storage structure corresponding to the tags in the template document; and (3) generating an application program in the programming language (e.g., COBOL), wherein the application program includes a definition of the working storage structure, and is configured to generate, during run-time, a markup language document corresponding to the original template document. |
| US08255792B2 |
Techniques for binding scalable vector graphics to associated information
Techniques for providing information about an object through a graphical interface include providing in a document scalable vector graphics (SVG) statements associated with a graphical representation of the object. The SVG statements are bound to a pointer to a resource that includes information pertaining to the object. The pointer to the resource associated with the SVG statements may then be extracted from the document. Information is then retrieved from the resource based on the pointer. The SVG statements may then be modified based on the information. Then a second graphical representation of the object is presented based on the SVG statements after the modifying. The presentation provides information, or control, or both, for the object. |
| US08255788B2 |
Method and apparatus for facilitating substitution of digital images with line drawings
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates substitution of a full bitmap version of a graphical image with a line drawing version of the graphical image in a graphical presentation. The system operates by displaying a page in the graphical presentation, which includes the line drawing version of the graphical image. Next, the system allows a user to input a command to display the full bitmap version of the graphical image. If the user inputs the command, the system retrieves the full bitmap version of the graphical image, and displays the full bitmap version of the graphical image. Note that displaying the line drawing version of the graphical image requires less data to be retrieved than displaying the full bitmap version of graphical image. Consequently, loading the line drawing version of the graphical image takes less time than loading the full bitmap version. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates substitution of a full bitmap version of a graphical image with a line drawing version of the graphical image in a graphical presentation. The system receives the full bitmap version of the graphical image, and then produces the line drawing version of the graphical image from the full bitmap version of the graphical image. Next, the system inserts the line drawing version of the graphical image into a page in the graphical presentation, and then links the full bitmap version of the graphical image into the graphical presentation so that selecting the line drawing version of the graphical image causes the full bitmap version of the graphical image to be displayed. |
| US08255787B2 |
Automated configuration of location-specific page anchors
A request is received via an input device of a computing device for a hypertext link to an item of web content rendered on a display of the computing device. It is determined whether a markup language (ML) document used to render the web content includes an existing page anchor proximate to an item reference within the ML document. The hypertext link is configured based upon the determination of whether the ML document includes the existing page anchor proximate to the item reference within the ML document. The configured hypertext link is returned in response to the request. |
| US08255785B2 |
Dynamically mediating multimedia content and devices
Embodiments of the invention provide a communication network having a plurality of communication devices capable of transferring content wirelessly. The communication network comprises at least two communication devices and a mediator. The first communication device receives streaming content. The second communication device receives content different from the content streaming to the first communication device. In turn, the mediator determines whether the streaming content should take precedence over the content different from the content streaming on the first communication device. |
| US08255783B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for providing error protection for data-masking bits
An apparatus, system, and method for providing error protection for data-masking bits in a memory device of a memory system are provided. The memory device includes a memory core to store data, and a data interface to receive the data and data-masking bits associated with a write command. The memory device also includes a gating block to control writing the data to the memory core, where the writing of the data to the memory core is inhibited upon detecting an error with one or more of the data-masking bits. |
| US08255781B2 |
Method for generating codeword in wireless communication system
A method for generating a codeword that is insensitive to variations of a channel and easily extensible is provided. The method includes obtaining a primary unit by taking a row vector from an N(E(N−1) simplex code and mapping a control signal to the codeword. The simplex code is obtained by removing a first row from an N(ENorthogonal matrix. The codeword is obtained by combining a plurality of primary units. |
| US08255777B2 |
Systems and methods for locating error bits in encoded data
Systems and methods for identifying error bits in encoded data are disclosed. As a part of identifying error bits, encoded data that is provided from a data source and that includes data and parity check portions is accessed. Based on the encoded data, syndromes are calculated, and based on the calculated syndromes, an equation is determined. The roots of the equation are determined and based on the determined roots of the equation, one or more error bits are identified. The error bits are identified using a circuit that presents a binary representation of the roots. The error bits are corrected based on the error bits that are identified. |
| US08255770B2 |
Multi-level cell memory device and method thereof
A Multi-Level Cell (MLC) memory device and method thereof are provided. The example MLC memory device may be configured to perform data operations, and may include an MLC memory cell, a first coding device performing a first coding function, the first coding function being one of an encoding function and a decoding function, a second coding device performing a second coding function, the second coding function being one of an encoding function and a decoding function and a signal module configured to perform at least one of instructing the MLC memory cell to store data output by the second coding device if the first and second coding functions are encoding functions, and generating a demapped bit stream based on data retrieved from the MLC memory cell if the first and second coding functions are decoding functions. |
| US08255769B2 |
Control apparatus and control method
A failure is detected immediately and certainly, and continuation of processing in an unstable state is prevented. A first error detection code is generated from first information which is output as a result of execution of a predetermined program conducted by a first processor. A second error detection code is generated from second information which is output as a result of execution of the program conducted by a second processor which is configured so as to output the same computation result as that of the first processor. It is detected whether the first information is the same as the second information, and it is detected whether the first error detection code is the same as the second error detection code. Writing the first information or the second information into a main memory is controlled on the basis of a result of the detection. |
| US08255757B2 |
Apparatus and method for error correction in mobile wireless applications incorporating erasure table data
A receiver (120) is configured to receive data over a communications link. A decapsulator (122) is coupled to the receiver and configured to create datagrams and erasure attributes associated with the datagrams. A decoder (124) is coupled to the decapsulator and configured to store the datagrams in a frame table (400) and to create codewords, the decoder storing the datagrams in table columns to create codewords in table rows, correcting the codewords, and configured to store the erasure attributes in an erasure table (552). The erasure table is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of entries (560), each of which is associated with a column of the frame table. Each entry is comprised of a plurality of elements (570). |
| US08255752B2 |
Clock domain check method, clock domain check program, and recording medium
To reduce pseudo errors, a stationary signal is propagated through the circuit to be checked. A combination is extracted in which different asynchronous transfers occur between a transmitting side register and a receiving side register. From the extracted combination of asynchronous transfers, a circuit to be checked is extracted, and a synchronization circuit of a plurality of signals is excluded from the circuit to be checked. A stationary signal is propagated through the circuit to be checked, for each combination among all combinations of logic values “1” and “0” of the stationary signal. It is checked whether or not there exists one asynchronous transmitting side register to which signal change can logically reach, in the combination of logic values of the stationary signal propagated. Based on the result, it is determined whether or not the circuit is appropriate as a synchronization circuit for a single-signal transfer, thereby reducing pseudo errors. |
| US08255751B2 |
Scan router connected with TAM core and test circuitry
A device test architecture and interface is provided to enable efficient testing embedded cores within devices. The test architecture interfaces to standard IEEE 1500 core test wrappers and provides high test data bandwidth to the wrappers from an external tester. The test architecture includes compare circuits that allow for comparison of test response data to be performed within the device. The test architecture further includes a memory for storing the results of the test response comparisons. The test architecture includes a programmable test controller to allow for various test control operations by simply inputting an instruction to the programmable test controller from the external tester. The test architecture includes a selector circuit for selecting a core for testing. Additional features and embodiments of the device test architectures are also disclosed. |
| US08255750B2 |
TAP linking module TDI multiplexer circuitry to plural TAPs
An architecture for testing a plurality of circuits on an integrated circuit is described. The architecture includes a TAP Linking Module located between test pins on the integrated circuit and 1149.1 Test Access Ports (TAP) of the plurality of circuits to be tested. The TAP Linking Module operates in response to 1149.1 scan operations from a tester connected to the test pins to selectively switch between 1149.1 TAPs to enable test access between the tester and plurality of circuits. The TAP Linking Module's 1149.1 TAP switching operation is based upon augmenting 1149.1 instruction patterns to affix an additional bit or bits of information which is used by the TAP Linking Module for performing the TAP switching operation. |
| US08255746B2 |
Computer system and method employing separate storage area for computer program recovery
A computer system, a control method thereof and a recording medium storing a computer program thereof are provided to recover a program efficiently and be resistant to viruses, worms, and user error. The control method of computer system receives a user's request for a recovery of a program which is installed in a first storage unit. A file system of a second storage unit is determined which stores therein a recovery program corresponding to the program for which the recovery is requested. The recovery program is read from the second storage unit with reference to the determined file system, and the program in the first storage unit is recovered by using the read recovery program. |
| US08255745B2 |
Hardware-error tolerant computing
Embodiments include a computing system, a device, and a method. A computing system includes a processor subsystem having an adjustable operating parameter. The computing system also includes an information store operable to save a sequence of instructions. The computing system further includes a controller module. The controller module includes a monitor circuit for detecting an incidence of an operating-parameter-caused error corresponding to an execution of an instruction of the sequence of instructions by the processor subsystem. The controller further includes a control circuit for adjusting the adjustable operating parameter based upon an error-tolerant performance criterion. |
| US08255736B2 |
Consistent and fault tolerant distributed hash table (DHT) overlay network
A peer-to-peer (P2P) system is described herein which has a distributed hash table (DHT) overlay network containing multiple DHT nodes each of which has a complete distributed DHT hash table which contains information identifying a specific range of hashes for each of the DHT nodes such that when anyone of the DHT nodes receives a query asking for a specific key then the queried DHT node interacts with their respective DHT table to determine which one of the DHT nodes is storing the specific key and to forward ‘the query in one network hop to the particular DHT node which is storing the specific key. The P2P system can also implement one or more data-related mechanisms including a bootstrap mechanism, a replication mechanism, an update mechanism and a recover mechanism which enable fault-tolerant DHT nodes. |
| US08255735B2 |
System and method for failover of guest operating systems in a virtual machine environment
A system and method provides for failover of guest operating systems in a virtual machine environment. During initialization of a computer executing a virtual machine operating system, a first guest operating system allocates a first memory region within a first domain and notifies a second guest operating system operating in a second domain of the allocated first memory region. Similarly, the second guest operating system allocates a second region of memory within the second domain and notifies the first operating system of the allocated second memory region. In the event of a software failure affecting one of the guest operating systems, the surviving guest operating system assumes the identity of the failed operating system and utilizes data stored within the shared memory region to replay to storage devices to render them consistent. |
| US08255731B1 |
Methods and apparatus for power state based backup
Methods and apparatus that receive, at a wireless device, power through wire or inductive pad are described. The received power is monitored to back up data from the device to a server in a network through an OTA (over the air) wireless interface. The data is transmitted to the server to back up the data on the device. While backing up the data, whether the power has been removed from the device is determined. The backing up of the data in the device can be terminated automatically and without user request, in response to the determination that the power has been removed. |
| US08255727B2 |
Interface card, network device having the same and control method thereof
An interface card is capable of communicating with an external device and includes a power supplier; a non-volatile memory which stores executable instructions to operate in an active-mode and a sleep-mode; a small-capacity volatile memory which is supplied with power in the sleep mode; a transmitter-receiver which transmits and receives packet data to/from the external device; and a controller which retrieves sleep-mode instructions stored in the non-volatile memory and loads the sleep mode instructions in the small-capacity volatile memory to transition the interface card into the sleep mode if the transmitter-receiver does not receive the packet data for predetermined time period in an active mode. The interface card processes certain packet data in the sleep mode and transitions back into the active mode when sleep mode operations determine that the packet data cannot be processed in the sleep mode. The non-volatile memory, and other components of an external circuit, is powered down when the interface card is in the sleep mode. |
| US08255718B2 |
Power saving system and method employed in computer
A power saving system for a computer incorporating a standby power source includes a setting module, a detecting module and a controlling module. The setting module communicates with the BIOS of the computer and is configured for setting power saving modes on an interface provided by the BIOS for at least one function circuit, during the time the computer powered on. The detecting module is configured for detecting “enable” and/or “disable” signals output from the BIOS. The controlling module includes at least one switching circuit configured for correspondingly interrupting the power supply from the standby power source to one or more of the at least one function circuit after the computer is shut down and the detecting module receives “enable” signals. |
| US08255713B2 |
Management of link states using plateform and device latencies
A method, apparatus, and system for coordinated link power management. Some embodiments of a method include receiving an exit latency for each of a group of link states for a link, with a device being coupled to an interconnect via the first link. A latency tolerance value is determined and communicated, and a platform latency is received. The method further provides for determining a link budget for the device, the link budget indicating an amount of time available for an exit from a link state for the device; and selecting one of the link states based at least in part on the link budget. |
| US08255706B2 |
Dual usage smart card of CPU and logical encryption and its data synchronization method
A dual usage smart card of CPU and logical encryption and its data synchronization method. Said method comprises that a CPU command processing module controls an accessing control module for the logical encryption storage region to read the data in the logical encryption storage region to a data format conversion module; said data format conversion module transmits the data to the CPU control storage region; the CPU command processing module controls the CPU control storage region again to transmit the data of CPU card to the accessing control module for the logical encryption storage region through the data format conversion module; and said accessing control module for the logical encryption storage region writes the data of CPU card into the logical encryption storage region. |
| US08255704B1 |
Pool encryption with automatic detection
The invention provides a mechanism for selectively encrypting media within a consolidation of storage devices into a shared configuration, i.e. a media pool. The invention also provides a mechanism by which more than one key can be used for encrypting media. The invention accomplishes tape encryption by media parsing. An encryption key is determined based on the backup application's grouping of data sets. This is accomplished by examining the volume header of the tape and, from the header, deciding if pools are supported by the application. If they are, the invention auto-creates a pool key. In the case where the pools are known in advance, a user with appropriate administrative privileges can create the pools and assign keys to them. The invention thus allows mirroring of the logical groupings in the backup application with encryption keys. |
| US08255703B2 |
Atomic hash instruction
A method for performing a hash operation, including providing an atomic hash instruction that directs a microprocessor to perform a the hash operation and to indicate whether the hash operation has been interrupted by an interrupting event; translating the atomic hash instruction into first and second micro instructions; via a hash unit, first executing the first micro instructions to accomplish the hash operation according to the hash mode; and via an integer unit, second executing the second micro instructions in parallel with the first executing to test a bit in a flags register, to update text pointer registers, and to process interrupts during execution of the hash operation. The atomic hash instruction has an opcode field, configured to prescribe the hash operation, and a hash mode field, configured to prescribe that the microprocessor accomplish the hash operation according to a one of a plurality of hash modes. |
| US08255702B1 |
Programmable logic device with improved security
Techniques of the present invention impede power consumption measurements of an encryption engine on a logic device by running the encryption engine with an independent clock. This clock produces a signal that is decoupled from and asynchronous to clock signals feeding other circuits on the device. The clock feeding the encryption engine is not accessible externally to the device. Circuits may be employed to intentionally slow down or add jitter to one or more of the clock signals. |
| US08255701B2 |
File encryption method
A file encryption method is provided. A first constant and a second constant are set. First one character of the first file is converted in a predetermined order to a first binary ASC code consisting of a high level and a low level. A logical exclusive OR is performed between the high level and the first constant to obtain a first result, and a logical exclusive OR is performed between the high level and the second constant to obtain a second result. A second binary ASC code is obtained. The second binary ASC code is converted to a second character. A second file is obtained. |
| US08255698B2 |
Context aware biometric authentication
A biometric sample of the user is received at a biometric interface of a device as part of a biometric authentication request by the user, with the biometric sample characterized by a match score when the biometric sample matches at least one stored template that uniquely identifies the user. The presence of a context usage override condition of the biometric authentication request causes a context usage factor to be updated based upon the context usage override condition. A biometric recognition threshold required for the user to access the application and indicative of a threshold security level required for biometric authentication is calculated based on the context usage factor. The user is permitted to access the application when the match score of the biometric sample is at least equal to the biometric recognition threshold. |
| US08255696B2 |
One-time password access to password-protected accounts
Systems and methods facilitate secure one-time-password access to an account in a remote server from an untrusted client. The system consists of an intermediary component whose salient components are a proxy component, a webserver component, and an encryption/decryption component, and it preserves the characteristics of both the server and client. In a man-in-the-middle fashion, the proxy substitutes a one-time password entered at a login interface with a true password, and forwards it to the remote login server. True passwords are encrypted using a seed associated with user identifiers, and a list of one-time passwords is generated/updated and stored on media or transmitted to an electronic device. Substitution takes place by decrypting the one-time password with the seed used for encryption, ensuring the proxy avoids storing the true password. |
| US08255688B2 |
Systems and methods for mutual authentication using one time codes
Methods and systems for mutual authentication and personalizing a transaction device, such as a payment, transaction, or identity card. Successively generated one time codes are calculated by a first and second entity. One of the codes is transmitted to the second entity, which verifies the code is proper, then encrypts a second one time code using a third one time code and transmits the encrypted data to the first entity. The first entity decrypts the data using the third one time code, verifies the encrypted second one time code is proper, thereby mutually authenticating, and establishing a shared encryption key for subsequent communications, including transmission of personalization data. |
| US08255687B1 |
Enabling users to select between secure service providers using a key escrow service
Systems and methods are described herein for enabling users to select from available secure service providers (each having a Trusted Service Manager (“TSM”)) for provisioning applications and services on a secure element installed on a device of the user. The device includes a service provider selector (“SPS”) module that provides a user interface for selecting the secure service provider. In one embodiment, the SPS communicates with a key escrow service that maintains cryptographic keys for the secure element and distributes the keys to the user selected secure service provider. The key escrow service also revokes the keys from deselected secure service providers. In another embodiment, the SPS communicates with a central TSM that provisions applications and service on behalf of the user selected secure service provider. The central TSM serves as a proxy between the secure service providers and the secure element. |
| US08255680B1 |
Layer-independent security for communication channels
A method and apparatus for providing layer-independent secure network communication is provided. According to an embodiment of the invention, a transmission medium is provided between a first network node and a second network node. Both the first network node and the second network node support at least one common communication protocol. A Java output stream is established between a first process executing on the first network node and the transmission medium. Also, a Java input stream is established between a second process executing on the second multi-layered node and the transmission medium. Data to be transmitted from the first process to the second process is encrypted by the first process and written to the Java output stream. The data is transmitted to the second network node. Then the data is read from the Java input stream by the second process and decrypted. |
| US08255677B2 |
Initializing femtocells
A femtocell may be initialized on a network by automatically contacting a network service provider. The access point then automatically downloads an initial configuration from a bootstrap server belonging to the network service provider. In some cases, a femtocell access point may automatically determine, after boot up, whether it was pre-provisioned with credentials to authenticate itself with the network service provider. If so, it may use a domain name service to obtain an address of a bootstrap server. Otherwise, it may use dynamic host configuration protocol to discover the bootstrap server's Internet Protocol address. |
| US08255676B2 |
Non-disruptive methods for updating a controller of a storage system
A non-disruptive method for updating firmware in a first controller 210 of a redundant controller 200 in a storage subsystem 120 is disclosed. This updating occurs while the storage subsystem 120 presents data to a host system 130 in response to a host request 132. During the non-disruptive updating, the updating first controller 210 redirects the host request 132 for data, e.g., drive-A volume 252 normally owned by the first controller 210, to second controller 220 of the redundant controller 200. After the second controller 220 obtains data 134 identified in the host request 132, the operating second controller 220 transfers the data 134 to the updating first controller 210 via an inter-controller channel 202. Once the updating first controller 210 receives the data 134, the first controller 210 presents the data 134 to the host system 130. The host system 130 does not detect that the first controller 210 is updating because the updating process is invisible to the host system 130. The above process is also applied when the updating is simply a reboot command for the first controller 210. |
| US08255672B2 |
Single instruction decode circuit for decoding instruction from memory and instructions from an instruction generation circuit
A processor includes: a plurality of registers; an instruction readout circuit configured to read out an instruction from a memory; an instruction generation circuit configured to generate instructions for saving data into a predetermined storage area, for the respective registers, if the instruction read out by the instruction readout circuit is an instruction causing the data stored in each of the plurality of registers to be saved; and an instruction execution circuit configured to execute the instruction read out from the memory and the instructions generated by the instruction generation circuit. |
| US08255670B2 |
Replay reduction for power saving
In one embodiment, a processor comprises a scheduler configured to issue a first instruction operation to be executed and an execution core coupled to the scheduler. Configured to execute the first instruction operation, the execution core comprises a plurality of replay sources configured to cause a replay of the first instruction operation responsive to detecting at least one of a plurality of replay cases. The scheduler is configured to inhibit issuance of the first instruction operation subsequent to the replay for a subset of the plurality of replay cases. The scheduler is coupled to receive an acknowledgement indication corresponding to each of the plurality of replay cases in the subset, and is configured to inhibit issuance of the first instruction operation until the acknowledgement indication is asserted that corresponds to an identified replay case of the subset. |
| US08255667B2 |
System for managing memory
Systems and methods that manage memory are provided. In one embodiment, a system for communications may include, for example, a memory management system that may handle a first application employing a virtual address based tagged offset and a second application employing a zero based tagged offset with a common set of memory algorithms. |
| US08255666B2 |
Storage system for a storage pool and virtual volumes
This invention provides a storage system to store data used by computers. A storage system coupled to a computer and a management apparatus, includes storage devices accessed by the computer and a control unit that controls the storage devices, in which the control unit performs the following operations: setting, in the storage devices, a first virtual device including a first logical device; setting a second virtual device which including a second logical device, which is a virtual volume accessed by the computer; allocating an address of the first logical device to the second logical device; and changing the allocation to change storage areas of the virtual volume. |
| US08255657B2 |
Digital broadcasting contents move function
To provide a move function that can restore copy-once contents even if the contents are failed to be moved midway, an information storage device 10 comprises data moving unit 14 for making program data 12 stored on a first storage medium 11 unreproducible and for moving the program data 12 to a second storage medium 13, abnormality detecting unit 15 for monitoring an abnormal termination of the data moving unit 14, storage medium verifying unit 16 for verifying whether or not the second storage medium 13 is the same as the second storage medium 13 used when the abnormality detecting unit 15 detects the abnormal termination of the data moving unit 14, medium initializing unit 17 for initializing the second storage medium 13, and reactivating unit 18 for making the program data 12, which is made unreproducible by the data moving unit 14, reproducible. |
| US08255653B2 |
System and method for adding a storage device to a cluster as a shared resource
A system and method are described for adding a disk to a cluster as a shared resource. In one embodiment, a request is received to add a disk to a cluster as a shared disk resource. The disk may share a disk identifier with a second disk currently connected to the cluster as a shared resource. A determination is made as to which partition format is used by the disk. A unique disk identifier is retrieved and written to the disk in accordance with the determined partition format. The disk is then connected to the node as a shared disk resource. The disk may be a snapshot, mirror, or backup of the second disk currently connected to the cluster. |
| US08255649B2 |
Remote copy control method and system in storage cluster environment
The present invention causes an asynchronous remote copy to work together with storage clustering technology. A host computer program for controlling the asynchronous remote copy carries out an asynchronous remote copy pair operation by asynchronously working together with a switchover instruction of a storage clustering control program that performs a host write-destination volume switchover in a storage clustering environment. |
| US08255644B2 |
Network communications processor architecture with memory load balancing
Described embodiments provide a memory system including a plurality of addressable memory arrays. Data in the arrays is accessed by receiving a logical address of data in the addressable memory array and computing a hash value based on at least a part of the logical address. One of the addressable memory arrays is selected based on the hash value. Data in the selected addressable memory array is accessed using a physical address based on at least part of the logical address not used to compute the hash value. The hash value is generated by a hash function to provide essentially random selection of each of the addressable memory arrays. |
| US08255636B2 |
Two-hop source snoop based messaging protocol
A messaging protocol that facilitates a distributed cache coherency conflict resolution in a multi-node system that resolves conflicts at a home node. The protocol may perform a method including supporting at least three protocol classes for the messaging protocol, via at least three virtual channels provided by a link layer of a network fabric coupled to the caching agents, wherein the virtual channels include a first virtual channel to support a probe message class, a second virtual channel to support an acknowledgment message class, and a third virtual channel to support a response message class. |
| US08255634B2 |
Apparatus and methods for look-ahead virtual volume meta-data processing in a storage controller
Apparatus and methods for improved efficiency in accessing meta-data in a storage controller of a virtualized storage system. Features and aspects hereof walk/retrieve meta-data for one or more other I/O requests when retrieving meta-data for a first I/O request. The meta-data may include mapping information for mapping logical addresses of the virtual volume. Meta-data may also include meta-data associated with higher level, enhanced data services provide by or in conjunction with the storage system. Enhanced data services may include features for synchronous mirroring of a volume and/or management of time-based snapshots of the content of a virtual volume. |
| US08255626B2 |
Atomic commit predicated on consistency of watches
Mechanisms for performing predicated atomic commits based on consistency of watches is provided. These mechanisms include executing, by a thread executing on a processor of the data processing system, an atomic release instruction. A determination is made as to whether a speculative store has been lost, due to an eviction of a memory block to which the speculative store is performed, since a previous atomic release instruction was processed. In response to the speculative store having been lost, invalidating, by the processor, speculative stores that have been performed since the previous atomic release instruction was processed. In addition, the method comprises, in response to the speculative store not having been lost, committing, by the processor, speculative stores that have been performed since the previous atomic release instruction was processed. |
| US08255625B2 |
Method and system for placement of data on a storage device
Embodiments of systems and methods for a storage system are disclosed. More particularly, in certain embodiments locations of storage devices may be allocated to store data when commands pertaining to that data are received. Specifically, in one embodiment a distributed RAID system comprising a set of data banks may be provided where the different performance characteristics associated with different areas of disks in the data bank may be taken into account when allocating physical segments to corresponding logical segments of a volume by allocating certain physical segments to a particular logical segment based upon a location of the physical segment or criteria associated with the logical segment. |
| US08255624B2 |
Storage apparatus and its control method
A storage apparatus and its control method capable of shortening data save time at the time of power shutdown are suggested.The storage apparatus includes a processor for controlling reading/writing user data from/to a disk device(s), and a cache memory for storing user data sent and received between a channel adapter and a the disk adapter and control data used by the processor, wherein the control data is sorted into and stored in the nonvolatile memory or the volatile memory according to its update frequency. |
| US08255621B2 |
Multiprocessor system and portable terminal using the same
[PROBLEMS] To provide a portable terminal designated for speeding up the startup time of a multiprocessor system which is configured to be started up by a program being transferred from a specific processor to another processor. [MEANS OF SOLVING PROBLEMS] As a storing pattern of a program to a memory (ROM) transferred to another processor, a header is given to each code section. The header stores information as to whether or not the section needs to be transferred in each startup mode and size information of the corresponding code section. The startup time for each mode is shortened by enabling to transfer only the necessary portion from the transfer source processor to the transfer destination processor for each startup mode. |
| US08255620B2 |
Secure Flash-based memory system with fast wipe feature
A Flash-based storage system, card, and/or module comprises a Flash controller configured to encrypt the data pages of a page stripe by shuffling the data pages, including loading each data page into a data shuffling buffer in a sequential order relative to other data pages in the page stripe, and thereafter unloading each data page in a non-sequential order relative to other data pages in the page stripe. The Flash controller is also configured to scramble the data pages of the page stripe by performing a bitwise logical operation on the data pages that are unloaded from the data shuffling buffer. A user key and one or more system keys are used to perform the shuffling and scrambling. The Flash controller is further configured to flush the user key by bypassing the system's backup power supply and performing an emergency system shutdown without backing up system data. |
| US08255619B2 |
Memory device with vertically embedded non flash non volatile memory for emulation of NAND flash memory
A system and a method for emulating a NAND memory system are disclosed. In the method, a command associated with a NAND memory is received. After receipt of the command, a vertically configured non-volatile memory array is accessed based on the command. In the system, a vertically configured non-volatile memory array is connected with an input/output controller and a memory controller. The memory controller is also connected with the input/output controller. The memory controller is operative to interface with a command associated with a NAND memory and based on the command, to access the vertically configured non-volatile memory array for a data operation, such as a read operation or write operation. An erase operation on the vertically configured non-volatile memory array is not required prior to the write operation. The vertically configured non-volatile memory array can be partitioned into planes, blocks, and sub-planes, for example. |
| US08255618B1 |
Performance isolation in a shared memory device
Shared memory device apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example method includes obtaining memory operation commands. The memory operation commands are received by a command dispatcher in a same order as obtained by the queue arbiter from the host device. The example method further includes separately and respectively queuing the memory operation commands for each of a plurality of memory devices and dispatching the memory operation commands for execution. The example method also includes receiving the dispatched memory operation commands at a plurality of command queues, where each command queue is associated with a respective one of the plurality of memory devices. Each command queue is configured to receive its respective dispatched memory operation commands from the command dispatcher in a same order as received by the dispatcher and provide the received memory operation commands to its respective memory device in a first-in-first-out order. |
| US08255617B2 |
Maintaining data integrity in a data storage device
Method and apparatus for maintaining data integrity in a data storage device. In accordance with some embodiments, a memory space has a plurality of garbage collection units (GCUs) each arranged to store user data identified by logical addresses. Each GCU has a metadata region that stores metadata that correlates the logical addresses LBAs with physical addresses and a header region that stores descriptor data that identifies LBAs stored in the associated GCU. A control circuit identifies an error in the metadata from the descriptor data of a selected GCU and rebuilds the metadata to indicate a storage location of a most current version of data associated with a selected logical address. |
| US08255613B2 |
Wear-leveling and bad block management of limited lifetime memory devices
Performing wear-leveling and bad block management of limited lifetime memory devices. A method for performing wear-leveling in a memory includes receiving logical memory addresses and applying a randomizing function to the logical memory addresses to generate intermediate addresses within a range of intermediate addresses. The intermediate addresses are mapped into physical addresses of a memory using an algebraic mapping. The physical addresses are within a range of physical addresses that include at least one more location than the range of intermediate addresses. The physical addresses are output for use in accessing the memory. The mapping between the intermediate addresses and the physical addresses is periodically shifted. In addition, contents of bad blocks are replaced with redundantly encoded redirection addresses. |
| US08255606B2 |
Remote access gateway for semiconductor processing equipment
An apparatus for providing an interface for semiconductor processing equipment is disclosed. In some embodiments, an apparatus for providing an interface for semiconductor processing equipment having an interface card includes a display logic subsystem to provide an interface to one or more devices such as video and information displays, light pens, keyboards, computer mice, and warning light networks and alarms via a data and control bus; a bridge to provide access to the data and control bus; and a local computer subsystem coupled to the bridge and the display logic subsystem, wherein the local computer subsystem provides access to one or more remote devices. |
| US08255605B2 |
Scalable distributed memory and I/O multiprocessor system
A multiprocessor system comprises at least one processing module, at least one I/O module, and an interconnect network to connect the at least one processing module with the at least one input/output module. In an example embodiment, the interconnect network comprises at least two bridges to send and receive transactions between the input/output modules and the processing module. The interconnect network further comprises at least two crossbar switches to route the transactions over a high bandwidth switch connection. Using embodiments of the interconnect network allows high bandwidth communication between processing modules and I/O modules. Standard processing module hardware can be used with the interconnect network without modifying the BICS or the operating system. Furthermore, using the interconnect network of embodiments of the present invention is non-invasive to the processor motherboard. The processor memory bus, clock, and reset logic all remain intact. |
| US08255603B2 |
User-level interrupt mechanism for multi-core architectures
A method includes accepting for a first processor core of a plurality of processor cores in a multi-core system, a user-level interrupt indicated by a user-level interrupt message when an interrupt domain of an application thread executing on the first processor core and a recipient identifier of the application thread executing on the first processor core match corresponding fields in the user-level interrupt message. |
| US08255599B2 |
Packets transfer device having data absorbing buffers with elastic buffer capacities
In PCI-Express and alike communications systems, data bandwidth per channel can vary as a result of negotiated port bifurcation during network bring-up. Disclosed are systems and methods for adjusting FIFO depths in response to negotiated bandwidth per channel so that data absorbing FIFO's of respective channels are not arbitrarily too deep or too shallow relative to the data bandwidths of the channels the FIFO's serve. |
| US08255596B2 |
Multipath-based migration of data across storage controllers
Exemplary methods, systems, and computer program product embodiments for migrating existing data from a source storage controller to a target storage controller, each associated with a data processing storage subsystem, using a processor device in communication with a memory device, are provided. The target storage controller is configured with at least one target volume having pass-through support to a source volume of the source storage controller. An input/output (I/O) path to the existing data through the target storage controller is configured. The I/O path is added to an existing I/O path connected to the existing data using an operating system (OS) operational on at least one host in communication between the source and target storage controllers. The OS is adapted for I/O multipath support. Upon completion of data migration, the existing I/O path is removed. |
| US08255595B2 |
Enabling access to peripheral resources at a processor
A method of enabling access to resources includes detecting an input to access a resource of a multi-mode processing module coupled to a host processor and a control module. The method can further include detecting an operating mode of the host processor and the control module and an availability of independent peripheral resources of the multi-mode processing module. Additionally, the method can enable the multi-mode processing module in response to the detecting the operating mode and the availability of the independent peripheral resources. |
| US08255593B2 |
Direct memory access with striding across memory
A DMA device may include an offset determination unit configured to determine a first offset for a DMA transfer and a data transfer unit. The data transfer unit may be configured to receive a first buffer starting address identifying a starting location of a first buffer allocated in memory for the DMA transfer and to generate a first buffer offset address by applying the first offset to the first buffer starting address. The data transfer unit may be further configured to use the first buffer offset address as a starting location in the first buffer for data transferred in the DMA transfer. By applying various offsets, such DMA devices may spread memory access workload across multiple memory controllers, thereby achieving better workload balance and performance in the memory system. |
| US08255590B2 |
Image file transfer apparatus that detect whether transferred image files to an external device has been aborted or not
Even if a write operation onto a storage media on an external storage device is interrupted, consistency of management information on the storage media is improved. An image file transfer device includes a transferor which transfers an image file stored on a storage media to an external device, a retriever which obtains management information in relation to a file system from a storage media included in the external device, before the transfer of the image file by the transferor, a non-volatile storage which stores the management information obtained by the retriever, and a deleter which deletes the management information stored in the non-volatile storage in response to a completion of the transfer of the image file by the transferor. |
| US08255586B2 |
Method of transferring data between vehicle and portable terminal and interface device therefor
A method of transferring data between a vehicle and a portable terminal and an interface device therefor are provided. According to the method and the device, compatibility can be maintained by normalizing data transfer interface between the vehicle and various portable terminals and an image taken inside or outside the vehicle can be provided to the portable terminal. In addition, interface enabling data communication with a device having an additional function such as an automobile black box can be provided. |
| US08255584B2 |
Systems and methods for managing I/O throughput for large scale computing systems
System and methods for managing I/O throughput for large scale computing systems are provided. In one embodiment, an operating system for a computer system having a processor, a memory and at least one data storage device is provided. The operating system comprises: an operating system kernel; at least one filesystem controlling access to the at least one data storage device; and a toolkit module installed within the operating system kernel. The toolkit module monitors input/output (I/O) calls communicated via a datapath between at least one software application being executed on the processor and the filesystem. The toolkit module inserts one or more tools into the datapath, the one or more tools each executing a predefined function based on observation of a first set of the I/O calls being communicated in the datapath. |
| US08255581B2 |
Electronic device having physical switch to select functionality exposed to host computing device
An electronic device has primary and secondary functionalities. The electronic device includes a physical switch to switch between a first mode and a second mode. The electronic device includes logic to, when the electronic device is connected to a host computing device, expose the primary functionality to the host computing device when in the first mode, and expose the secondary functionality to the host computing device when in the second mode. The host computing device typically requires a driver particular to the electronic device when the primary functionality is exposed, and does not typically require a driver particular to the electronic device when the secondary functionality is exposed. The secondary functionality may include acting as a removable storage device storing a text file. The text file may contain information regarding the electronic device, and a user may modify the text file to cause a corresponding action to be performed. |
| US08255579B2 |
Device control apparatus and device control method in video image display system including a plurality of connected devices
A device control apparatus in a video image display system including a plurality of connected devices. The apparatus includes an obtaining unit which obtains a logical address of a first device connected to the device control apparatus as a control object, a specifying unit which specifies the device type of the first device if the obtained logical address of the first device is not a logical address according to the device type, a selection unit which selects a second device which is connected to the device control apparatus and is of the same device type as the first device, and a control unit which controls a logical address assigned to the selected second device according to the device type thereof so that the first device obtains a logical address. |
| US08255575B2 |
Apparatus for constructing ring network
As apparatuses which construct a ring network, a structure including a monitoring apparatus and other relay apparatuses is employed. The monitoring apparatus monitors only a ring status of such a ring network to which the own monitoring apparatus belongs. The monitoring apparatus periodically transmits health check frames from ring ports thereof respectively so as to monitor whether or not the transmitted health check frame has been received by the ring port located opposite thereto. Also, in a structure of a multi-ring network having a shared link, auxiliary health check frames are periodically transmitted from two sets of shared apparatuses respectively with respect to a monitoring apparatus of a shared link non-monitored ring network. The monitoring apparatus also monitors the auxiliary health check frames in combination with the health check frames in order to avoid an occurrence of a loop which bridges a plurality of ring networks. |
| US08255574B2 |
System for locating computing devices
Provided embodiments include a device, a system, an article of manufacture, and a method. A system is provided. The system includes a transmit module, an interface module, and a control module. The transmit module receives first data for transmitting the first data over a network. The interface module interfaces the transmit module to the network. The interface module has a network address that identifies the interface module on the network. The control module receives a control signal to transmit the first data over the network. The control module outputs the network address to the transmit module when the control signal is received. The transmit module transmits the first data that includes the network address over the network. |
| US08255566B2 |
System and method for routing messages between applications
A system and method for enabling the interchange of enterprise data through an open platform is disclosed. This open platform can be based on a standardized interface that enables parties to easily connect to and use the network. Services operating as senders, recipients, and in-transit parties can therefore leverage a framework that overlays a public network. |
| US08255565B2 |
Proxying transaction method for processing function of wireless node in peer-to-peer overlay network
A proxying process method for traffic of a wireless node and a system using the method are provided. The proxying process method includes: maintaining a virtual node which stores a communication packet from a server, destined for a first node; and transmitting the stored communication packet from the virtual node to a second node when a transmission request for the communication packet is transmitted to the first node by the second node. |
| US08255563B2 |
Method and system for determining overall content values for content elements in a web network and for optimizing internet traffic flow through the web network
A method for optimizing traffic flow through a web network including collecting data corresponding to the content elements, determining a revenue value for each content element, calculating an overall content value for each content element based on the corresponding revenue value and revenue generated from subsequent flow of a user during a visit to the network, and modifying the network based on the overall content value and the content data, so as to maximize the value of the network. Also disclosed is a system for determining overall content values for a plurality of content elements including an analytic server for receiving content data corresponding to the content elements, and a processor determining a revenue value for each element and calculating an overall content value for each content element based on the corresponding revenue value and revenue generated from subsequent traffic flow of a user during a visit to the network. |
| US08255562B2 |
Adaptive data throttling for storage controllers
A method for minimizing latency of data transfer between the redundant storage controllers in a network-based storage controller system that utilizes adaptive data throttling. Each redundant storage controller monitors latency for round trip communications between the redundant controllers by calculating a time required to mirror a write to the other controller and receive a write acknowledge. An average latency for round trip communications between the redundant controllers during a fixed monitoring period is calculated, and at the end of each fixed monitoring period, the average latency is compared to a fixed latency to access the average time latency for mirroring writes is good, acceptable or unacceptable. If the average time latency is good, the one controller reduces or disables throttling for data transfers between the one controller and the server, and between the one controller and back-end storage, increasing a number of this type of data transfer that can be executed in parallel. If the average time latency is acceptable, the one controller does not adjust throttling for data transfers between the one controller and the server, and between the one controller and back-end storage. If the average time latency is unacceptable, the one controller increases data throttling for data transfers between the one controller and the server, and between the controller and the back-end storage, decreasing a number of this type of data transfer that can be executed in parallel. |
| US08255559B2 |
Data streaming through time-varying transport media
A method of data streaming from an encoder to a decoder through a time-varying connection, is disclosed. The method includes associating an encoding coefficient with said time-varying connection, the encoding coefficient determining a flow rate at an output of said encoder; defining a performance metric of the time-varying connection; defining an acceptance interval of the performance metric having a lower bound and an upper bound; acquiring a set of performance measurements of the time-varying connection over a time window at a current encoding coefficient; determining a current value of the metric of the time-varying connection according to the set of measurements; determining a preferred encoding coefficient according to the current value of the metric; and modifying the current encoding coefficient based on the current value of the metric and the acceptance interval to attain the preferred encoding coefficient. A corresponding streaming server and system for data streaming are also provided. |
| US08255555B2 |
Reception apparatus and method for reducing time delay in channel switching
A reception apparatus receiving a stream delivered by multicast through a network includes: a stream receiving a stream of a first channel as a viewing stream and one or more streams of second channels as viewing candidate streams; a buffer section storing the streams of the channels received by the stream reception section; a reproduction processing section performing processing for viewing the stream stored as the viewing stream in the buffer section; and a channel causing, when an instruction to switch over, as a viewing target, from the first channel to any one of the second channels of the streams being received as the viewing candidate streams is input, the reproduction processing section to process as the viewing stream the stream corresponding to the second channel and stored in the buffer section, and the stream to receive the stream as the viewing stream. |
| US08255554B2 |
Application resource model composition from constituent components
Techniques for composing an application resource model in a data stream processing system are disclosed. The application resource model may be used to understand what resources will be consumed by an application when executed by the data stream processing system. For example, a method for composing an application resource model for a data stream processing system comprises the following steps. One or more operator-level metrics are obtained from an execution of a data stream processing application in accordance with a first configuration. The application is executed by one or more nodes of the data stream processing system, and the application is comprised of one or more processing elements that are comprised of one or more operators. One or more operator-level resource functions are generated based on the obtained one or more operator-level metrics. A processing element-level resource function is generated based on the one or more generated operator-level resource functions. The processing element-level resource function represents an application resource model usable for predicting one or more characteristics of the application executed in accordance with a second configuration. |
| US08255546B2 |
Peer name resolution protocol simple application program interface
An application program interface (API) for sending and receiving endpoint registration data and peer-to-peer network cloud data has a registration call for adding endpoint data to a peer-to-peer network. The API may receive explicit data regarding address information or may be instructed to select and maintain suitable address information as the topology of the peer-to-peer network changes. Blocking and non-blocking calls are exposed for retrieving information peer-to-peer network endpoint data. |
| US08255544B2 |
Establishing a split-terminated communication connection through a stateful firewall, with network transparency
A method and apparatus are provided for establishing a split-terminated client-server communication connection through a stateful firewall, with network transparency. In an environment in which a pair of network intermediaries is employed to optimize client-server communications, a first intermediary intercepts a client request for a new connection. The first intermediary probes the network for a counterpart near the server, and opens an optimized communication session with a second intermediary that responds affirmatively. Some or all client-server communications that transit the intermediaries' session are accelerated or otherwise optimized. The first intermediary's probe uses the client's source address, but a different port number, while the optimized intermediary session is opened using the client's source address and source port. Therefore, a network monitoring tool can monitor the end-to-end connection, and the stateful firewall will not reject the optimized session. |
| US08255543B2 |
Systems and methods for IP session keepalive using BFD protocols
A network device may include logic to establish an IP session, establish a BFD session within the established IP session, transmit BFD packets within the established BFD session, and determine that the established IP session is active based upon reception of the BFD packets. In another embodiment, the logic may also determine that an IP session is active using an inactivity timer that may also trigger transmission of BFD packets. |
| US08255531B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing mobile device interoperability
An apparatus for providing mobile device interoperability with other devices may include at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured, with the processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least receiving a frame buffer update request from a remote environment, determining a scan interval defining a first portion of the frame buffer over which scanning to determine data changes is to occur and a second portion over which scanning to determine data changes is not to occur, identifying whether a data change occurs in the first portion of the frame buffer by comparing relatively newer data to relatively older data, and updating a selected portion of the frame buffer to the remote environment based on the identifying. A corresponding method and computer program product are also provided. |
| US08255526B2 |
Method for collecting human experience analytics data
A method for collecting human experience analytics data for visitors browsing a Web site and a web analytics data collection engine are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of registering an action performed by a visitor browsing the Web site, categorizing said registered action as a navigation action between web pages of the Web site and/or as an event action within a web page of the Web site. In the case that the registered action is categorized as an event action, the event is associated with a web page of the Web site, and the action is recorded as an event within the associated web page. In the case that the registered action is categorized as a navigation action, the action is either recorded as a navigation from a current web page to a subsequent web page, or recording of the action is cancelled, based on previously defined criteria. Finally, the recorded events and navigations are stored in a data storage facility.The invention allows the owner of the Web site to collect and store data which reflects the human experience of visitors browsing the Web site. This may be used for adjusting design of the Web site and/or for customizing information presented to the visitor. |
| US08255525B2 |
System and method for circuit and path based event correlation
A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for the correlation of network events. A port of a network device is monitored at the physical layer interface for the occurrence of a network event. If detected, a repository of circuit path, network device, and device interface data is queried for information related to the network event and each network device at each hop of the circuit path associated with the event. A user selects time intervals for other network events or alarms occurring before or after the target event. A repository of network event and alarm data is then queried to retrieve all network events or alarms occurring during the selected time interval. Information related to the network events or alarms are then compared to interfaces related to devices that are likewise associated with the circuit path associated with the event. |
| US08255520B2 |
Condition dependent data processing device
The present invention is directed to a server system for supplying differing amounts of data into a database, wherein the system comprises the database and a data tracker device, wherein the data tracker receives data sent by a plurality of functional entities, preferably office machines and in particular devices with a printer, wherein the data tracker device is prepared to transmit data asynchronously to an intermediate buffer storage device with a queue structure, the intermediate buffer storage device storing the data sequentially and transmitting the data sequentially to the database to be stored. |
| US08255519B2 |
Network bookmarking based on network traffic
A system comprises a packet data processing element; first network resource tracking logic operable to perform monitoring data packets as the packets pass through the network element; detecting network resource identifiers within the data packets; forming network resource identifier report messages that carry the network resource identifiers; forwarding the network resource identifier report messages to a bookmark processing server; storing records of each of the network resource identifiers carried therein; storing counters that identify numbers of times that associated network resource identifiers were requested; determining interesting network resource identifiers based on the records and decision steps; generating and providing a report of the interesting network resource identifiers. As one result, interesting network resource identifiers can be automatically found in network traffic and provided to a social bookmarking site. |
| US08255517B1 |
Method and apparatus to determine device mobility history
A method, system and computer-readable medium for securing access between a mobile computing device and a network computer is described. The method comprises upon a connection by the mobile computing device to a network or a device, recording the connection in a history database and processing the history database to assign a risk level to the mobile computing device. The system comprises the mobile computing device comprising a connection history collection agent for collecting information about a computing environment and the host computer comprising wireless environment data derived from the collected information where the host computer uses the wireless environment data to grant or deny a connection to the mobile computing device. |
| US08255516B1 |
Performance-data based server consolidation
A method for server consolidation is provided. The method includes accessing performance data of a plurality of source servers, receiving multiple consolidation parameters for a desired target server, receiving selected configurations for a new target server, computing a minimum number of target servers required to consolidate the plurality of source servers based at least on the performance data, the selected configurations for the desired target server, and the multiple consolidation parameters, and deriving a bin-packing solution to the server consolidation based at least on the performance data, the selected configurations for the new target server, and the minimum number for the one or more performance metrics. |
| US08255512B2 |
System and method for tracking user interactions and navigation during rich media presentations
A multi-media information system enables tracking of user interactions to media presentations. A content creation phase enables a creator to specify presentation events or user interactions that can be tracked. A token(s) is introduced into the content by the creator to represent each piece of information to be tracked. A deployment delivery phase delivers the presentation to a web page for a user experience phase and interaction. Trackable information is communicated by the user to the tracking server at different instances of time. Each pre-authored trackable information can be flagged to be “real-time” or otherwise at the granularity of the token or at the granularity of each trackable context. When trackable information is not “real-time”, the information is put into one of several information clusters of different priority. When each cluster achieves a critical mass, the cluster moves to a ready state for transmission to the tracking server. |
| US08255509B2 |
Network service configuration management
The system remotely manages the configuration of one or several network services (20). The management server (10) has access to a database (12) which stores a representation of the configuration of the network service (20). An agent software component (18)—running preferably on the network device providing the managed service (20)—has access to the configuration in the native language of the network service (20). The management server (10) and the agent software component (18) communicate synchronization information to each other and synchronize the representation of the configuration of the network service in the database (12) and the native language configuration of the network service (20) with each other based on the synchronization information. The synchronization information is in a language different from the native language of the configuration of the network service. |
| US08255505B2 |
System for intelligent context-based adjustments of coordination and communication between multiple mobile hosts engaging in services
A system and method for intelligent, context-sensitive enhancement of transactions among a plurality of mobile hosts, each having a local coordinator, engaging in services comprising an actual coordinator and an intelligence coordinator that determines context regarding the mobile hosts, and leverages the context to enhance the transactions between the local coordinators and the actual coordinator. The context can be leveraged by reducing the number and/or the amount of data of the transactions. The context can comprise a physical location, temporal data, and a network load near and at a network location of the mobile host. The system can also have an application operating on the services, in which the intelligence coordinator can improve performance of the application. The intelligence coordinator can receive and parse a meta-expression piggy-backed on a transaction message to enhance transactions. |
| US08255503B2 |
Method and apparatus for communicating text-based commands through a network
A network device having text-based command language functions that are accessible via the network, includes a receiver for receiving a network protocol command sent through the network and having a text-based command attached thereto. The receiver determines whether a text-based command is attached to the network protocol command, and an interface extracts the text-based command from the network protocol command. |
| US08255502B2 |
Dynamic domain administration utility
The Weblogic Tuxedo Connector is used to provide interoperability between Tuxedo and applications such as Weblogic Server. In one embodiment, WTC may implement operations such as list, start, or stop WTC Tuxedo session connections. In WTC, the configuration is set up so that multiple WTC-Tuxedo connections are defined as part of a WTCServerMBean. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a feature for providing WTC with the ability to individually perform actions to connections, such as start or stop a WTC-Tuxedo connection, without affecting other connections defined in the MBean. |
| US08255495B1 |
Digital image and content display systems and methods
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for displaying images and contextually relevant content on a digital content platform, such as a web page. In one embodiment, for example, the systems and methods include: (1) providing a publisher of the image with a reference script for publication with the image, wherein the reference script is a computer-readable instruction that causes an end-user device to call to a content server; and (2) configuring the content server to (a) receive a request for content from the end-user device, (b) identify content that is contextually relevant to the image, (c) deliver the content to the end-user device, and (d) deliver a computer-readable instruction that causes the end-user device to perform an animation that modifies the image and displays the content in a spatial relationship with respect to the image as originally published. |
| US08255490B1 |
Dynamic service-oriented architecture using customization code
Systems and methods provide a dynamic multi-tenant service-oriented architecture using customization code. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method provides a service using customization code. A server receives a call to a service from a client. The call includes one or more parameters. The method identifies a control point identifier that is associated with the service and determines, based on the one or more parameters, a mapping table storing data. The data identifies one or more customization code segments. The method loads the determined mapping table into a memory of the server and identifies one of the customization code segments that corresponds to the control point identifier. The method further loads the identified customization code segment into the memory of the server and calls the identified customization code segment inline during execution of the service. A response is transmitted to the client, based on the execution. |
| US08255489B2 |
Method of data collection among participating content providers in a distributed network
A content delivery network (CDN) service provider extends a content delivery network to gather information on atomically identifiable web clients (called “user agents”) as such computer-implemented entities interact with the CDN across different domains being managed by the CDN service provider. In one embodiment, a set of machines, processes, programs, and data comprise a data system. The data system tracks user agents, preferably via cookies, although one or more passive techniques may be used. A user agent may be a cookie-able device having a cookie store. As the user agent navigates across sites, a CDN-specific unique identifier used by the system to correlate user agents is generated. Preferably, the unique identifier is stored as an encrypted cookie. The unique identifier represents one user agent (and, thus, one cookie-able device's store). The system tracks user agent behavior on and across customer sites that are served by the CDN, and these behaviors are classified into identifiable “segments” that may be used to create a profile. CDN customers use the data system to obtain information that characterizes the user agent. |
| US08255486B2 |
Systems and methods for providing resource allocation in a networked environment
Systems and methods are described for adjusting an item characteristic. An illustrative system includes a first network interface, a database storing information regarding a plurality of items, a load balancer, a web proxy processor configured to selectively block or route an inbound user browser request, a cache cluster system configured to cache data and states for access by other system components, and program code stored in computer readable memory, which, when executed is configured to receive a plurality of requests for items from corresponding users, wherein the plurality of requests are associated with corresponding offer amounts and determine what the users are to provide for the items based at least in part on how many requests were received, how many items are allocated to users, and/or how many unallocated items are available, wherein at least a portion of the users are to provide an amount different than their corresponding offer amount. |
| US08255483B2 |
System and method for providing a web-based operating system
A system and method for providing a web-based operating system is disclosed. A web-based operating system is downloaded from a server to a network-enabled device. The web-based operating system provides a platform from which to run web-based computer applications. Web-based computer applications are downloaded from the server onto the network-enabled device, and executed in conjunction with the web-based operating system. Those portions of the web-based operating system software and web-based computer application software are downloaded to the network-enabled device as needed. A component-based environment for the development and deployment of a web-based operating system and web-based computer applications is also provided. Components are deployed within library files as part of a component-based development model. The web-based operating system downloads those library files needed to execute the web-based computer applications. |
| US08255479B2 |
Online network and associated methods
Computer program products, computer systems and related methods are provided which compare a URL, title and/or content of an online site viewed by a user with a first index of keywords relating to a plurality of subject matter categories, to determine any subject matter categories to which the online site relates; cross-reference any determined subject matter categories with a second index of alternative online sites categorised by subject matter, in order to determine any alternative online sites in the same or similar category; and perform a variety of actions in response including displaying a determined alternative online site to the user. |
| US08255477B2 |
Systems and methods for implementing content sensitive routing over a wide area network (WAN)
Systems and methods for optimizing storage network functionality. The methods and systems of the present invention are particularly useful for optimizing storage network performance for cases in which some components of the network may be separated by significant distances and/or which include communication links with relatively limited bandwidth. In certain aspects, the present invention provides methods and systems for implementing access to and management of geographically distributed storage resources through multiple peer-to-peer storage network array management functions (AMFs) that may also be geographically distributed. The methods and systems of the present invention, in certain aspects, provide geographically aware cache sharing, cache replication, cache coherence, traffic routing, redundancy group structure, source and destination selection, pre-fetching of data, message gathering and other useful features. |
| US08255472B2 |
Tracking of electronic mail messages
Electronic mail messages are tracked for the sender by allowing the sender to flag the electronic mail messages. Flagging the electronic mail messages allows for various notifications to be provided to the sender. For example, notification may be provided to the sender by placing an item in a to-do bar for the sender that corresponds to the electronic mail message. As another example, notification may be provided to the sender by firing a reminder at some future time that corresponds to the electronic mail message. As another example, notification may be provided to the sender by including an indication in a related incoming electronic mail message that the incoming electronic mail message is related to the electronic message sent by the sender. |
| US08255471B2 |
System and method for message processing and routing
A message routing system that allows applications at either end of the system to run as-is without modification. The system functions in a multithreaded environment and is capable of handling complex routing rules and message transformation. It is also capable of learning and executing new routing rules and message transformations in formats previously unrecognized by the system. The system enables precise and reliable logging of messages throughout processing and supports publication of enterprise-wide broadcast messages. The system further preferably employs cooperating inbound and outbound transport processes for consuming, routing, processing, safely storing and publishing messages in batches of logical units of work to ensure that the logical units of work are not lost in system transactions. The system also preferably utilizes a replay server for preserving and replaying messages that might otherwise fail to reach their intended destinations. |
| US08255469B2 |
Method and apparatus for locating communities over an ad-hoc mesh network
An approach is provided for locating communities over an ad-hoc mesh network. Community identifiers are used to locate communities and community members over an ad-hoc mesh network. The community identifiers are also associated with keys to authenticate members of the community and to protect the privacy and anonymity of information exchanged between the members. |
| US08255466B2 |
Intelligent management of application connectivity
Network connectivity is selectively established by monitoring, on a client, communications activity incident to accessing a network, the communications activity including a request to access the network. An application associated with the communications activity is be identified. A communications configuration associated with the application is accessed, the communications configuration indicating how the application is configured to access the network. Network connectivity is selectively established based on the communications configuration, and the application may be enabled to access the network to support the communications activity. |
| US08255464B2 |
Contact management system and method
A computer-implemented contact management method includes creating a contact record in a contact management system, generating a unique serial number corresponding to the contact record, conveying the serial number to a recipient, entering, by the recipient, the serial number into an internet-enabled computer application, requesting, by the application, the record from the contact management system corresponding to the serial number, and receiving data associated with the contact record. The received contact data may be automatically updated through an update function. A contact management system includes a data storage and a contact management server. A plurality of internet-enabled computer applications associated to the same user account may receive the same information using a synchronization function without further user input. |
| US08255461B1 |
Efficient transmission of changing images using image caching
In one embodiment, a display of a source device is shared with one or more viewer devices, e.g., of an online collaborative computing session, and the display is divided into a plurality of identified blocks. In response to changes in the display, the source device determines an outer boundary of an updated region affected by the change, where the updated region defines a plurality of “update blocks” of the identified blocks within the outer boundary. Images within each update block may then be compared to a previous version of the corresponding update block to determine if that individual update block is affected by the change. Any unchanged update blocks may be converted to an easily compressible image, and the source device may then compress and transmit the updated region to the viewer devices, where the transmitted updated region has instructions to use previous versions of unchanged converted update blocks. |
| US08255459B2 |
Pervasive, distributed provision of services such as product brokerage
A client-server computing system suited particularly for clients of varying functional capabilities. Information handling capabilities are provided at the client and server on a customized, as-needed basis. When a service is needed by a client, the server determines a number of factors that may be relevant to the manner in which the service is to be provided. Then, the server selects from between two or more services having different executable code, and uploads the selected service to the client. Thus, the code may be tailored to the client's capabilities, or other aspects of its function. Services are not permanently retained by a client; rather, the client performs an analysis to determine whether services should be retained or purged. Also, state information is not permanently retained by a client; the server retains the information and uploads that information to the client. The server also manages its resources by loading service components on an as-needed basis. |
| US08255455B2 |
Method and system for message oriented middleware virtual provider distribution
A method, apparatus, and system are provided for Message Oriented Middleware virtual provider distribution. In one embodiment, MOM nodes are created. An MOM virtual provider from MOM virtual providers is selected for each of the plurality of MOM nodes. The MOM nodes run the MOM virtual providers. |
| US08255454B2 |
Method and apparatus for a multiplexed active data window in a near real-time business intelligence system
A method of optimizing a first set of graphical display elements on a client device. The method also includes coupling a first server to the client device by a first connection; coupling a second server to the client device by a second connection; and generating the first set of graphical display elements on a first server, wherein the first set of graphical display elements further comprises a first graphical display element and a second graphical display element. The method further includes generating a second set of graphical display elements on a second server; transmitting the first set of graphical display elements from the first server to the client device; and transmitting the second set of graphical display elements from the second server to the client device, wherein a third set of graphical display elements is created in a first window comprising the first set of graphical display elements and the second set of graphical display elements. |
| US08255453B2 |
Public BOT management in private networks
A system for managing the use of BOTs by computer network users, the system including a gateway-to-BOT communications manager configured to relay communications to a BOT on behalf of a computer user in a manner that prevents the BOT from associating the communications with the computer user, and a gateway-to-user communications manager configured to relay the communications from the computer user to the gateway-to-BOT communications manager, and relay to the computer user communications received from the gateway-to-BOT communications manager that originate from the BOT. |
| US08255451B2 |
Technologies for detecting erroneous resumptions in a continuation based runtime
Technologies for enabling a continuation based runtime to accept or reject external stimulus and, in addition, to determine if an external stimulus may be valid for processing at a later point in execution. |
| US08255447B2 |
Eigenvalue decomposition apparatus and eigenvalue decomposition method
The present invention provides an eigenvalue decomposition apparatus that can perform processing in parallel at high speed and high accuracy. The eigenvalue decomposition apparatus comprises a matrix dividing portion 14 that repeatedly divides a symmetric tridiagonal matrix T into two symmetric tridiagonal matrices, an eigenvalue decomposition portion 15 that performs eigenvalue decomposition on the symmetric tridiagonal matrix after the division, an eigenvalue computing portion 17 that repeatedly computes eigenvalues of the symmetric tridiagonal matrix that is the division origin and matrix elements of the symmetric tridiagonal matrix that is the division origin, based on eigenvalues and matrix elements obtained by eigenvalue decomposition performed by the eigenvalue decomposition portion 15, the matrix elements being part of elements of orthogonal matrices constituted by eigenvectors, until an eigenvalue of the symmetric tridiagonal matrix T is computed, and an eigenvector computing portion 19 that computes an eigenvector of the symmetric tridiagonal matrix T based on the symmetric tridiagonal matrix T and the eigenvalue thereof using twisted factorization. |
| US08255446B2 |
Apparatus and method for performing rearrangement and arithmetic operations on data
An apparatus and method are provided for performing rearrangement operations and arithmetic operations on data. The data processing apparatus has processing circuitry for performing Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) processing operations and scalar processing operations, a register bank for storing data and control circuitry responsive to program instructions to control the processing circuitry to perform data processing operations. The control circuitry is arranged to responsive to a combined rearrangement arithmetic instruction to control the processing circuitry to perform a rearrangement operation and at least one SIMD arithmetic operation on a plurality of data elements stored in the register bank. The rearrangement operation is configurable by a size parameter derived at least in part from the register bank. The size parameter provides an indication of a number of data elements forming a rearrangement element for the purposes of the rearrangement operation. The associated method involves controlling processing circuitry to perform a rearrangement operation and at least one SIMD arithmetic operation in response to a combined rearrangement arithmetic instruction and providing the scalar logic size parameter to configure the rearrangement operation. A computer program product is also provided comprising at least one combined rearrangement arithmetic instruction. |
| US08255444B2 |
Method and device for filtering a multidemensional digital signal and associated methods and devices for encoding and decoding
The invention relates to a method of filtering a multidimensional digital signal comprising a plurality of samples, and comprises the following steps applied to each of the samples to filter, simulating the filtering of the sample to filter by applying at least one filter in a plurality of geometric orientations in the digital signal (S52), the simulation resulting in a plurality of simulated filtering values of the sample, and obtaining a filtering value of the filtered sample on the basis of the plurality of simulated filtering values of the sample according to at least one predetermined criterion (S58). |
| US08255443B2 |
Execution unit with inline pseudorandom number generator
A circuit arrangement and method couple a hardware-based pseudorandom number generator (PRNG) to an execution unit in such a manner that pseudorandom numbers generated by the PRNG may be selectively output to the execution unit for use as an operand during the execution of instructions by the execution unit. A PRNG may be coupled to an input of an operand multiplexer that outputs to an operand input of an execution unit so that operands provided by instructions supplied to the execution unit are selectively overridden with pseudorandom numbers generated by the PRNG. Furthermore, overridden operands provided by instructions supplied to the execution unit may be used as seed values for the PRNG. In many instances, an instruction executed by an execution unit may be able to perform an arithmetic operation using both an operand specified by the instruction and a pseudorandom number generated by the PRNG during the execution of the instruction, so that the generation of the pseudorandom number and the performance of the arithmetic operation occur during a single pass of an execution unit. |
| US08255440B1 |
Increasing logic efficiency for exclusive OR (XOR) expressions
Methods and apparatus are provided for more efficiently generating logic for implementing Exclusive OR (XOR) expressions. In one example, multiple centroids are generated and associated with main equations. Both the main equations and centroids are XOR expressions. In particular examples, main equations are associated with centroids that are closest in distance. Centroids can be modified to better match an associated subset of main equations. Centroids are generated and associated until the main equations are expressed as centroids and residue. |
| US08255439B2 |
Desk-top, stream-based, information management system
A steam-based document storage and retrieval system accepts documents that are in diverse formats and come from diverse application, automatically creates document model objects describing these documents in a consistent format and associating time stamps with the documents to automatically create a main stream in chronological order. The stream, or sub-streams meeting selected search criteria, are displayed in a variety of forms, including a receding, partly overlapping stack with aids that facilitate user interaction. |
| US08255436B2 |
Per thread garbage collection
Per thread garbage collection is disclosed. Objects associated only with a thread that created them are tracked. At a garbage collection time for a particular thread, it is determined which objects associated only with that thread remain reachable from a restricted root set associated with the thread. Any thread-only objects that are not determined to be reachable are garbage collected. |
| US08255434B2 |
Method and apparatus for storing data with reduced redundancy using data clusters
Method and apparatus for storing data in a reduced redundancy form. Binary Large Objects (BLOBs) are partitioned into subblocks according to a partitioning method, and the subblocks are stored in subblock clusters. Each BLOB is represented as a list of spans of subblocks which identifies a contiguous sequence of subblocks within a cluster. Storage redundancy can be reduced because the spans of two different BLOBs can refer to the same subblocks. An index may be used to map subblock hashes to subblock cluster numbers. |
| US08255433B2 |
Recorder
A recorder according to the present invention is designed to record data files, including video data and/or audio data, on a storage medium. The recorder includes: a status detecting section for determining whether or not the recorder is in a non-recording status in which the recorder is performing no recording operations; and a processing section for performing, as soon as the non-recording status is detected, processing to get ready to transmit at least one data file, which was recorded on the storage medium at or after a predetermined reference time, toward a server and generating at least one data file to transmit. The processing section performs at least one of format conversion processing and aggregation processing of aggregating multiple data files together. |
| US08255432B2 |
Mechanism for supporting indexed tagged content in a general purpose data store
A schema identifies a field in a document as a key field. Using an XML schema, the key field can be identified by attaching a property to the element or attribute to be used as a key field (if the XML schema standard is modified to support properties). Otherwise, attributes can be used to identify the element or attribute that is to be a key field. Fields can be primary keys, secondary keys, or foreign keys, as supported by data stores. The data store can analyze the schema to determine which fields are key fields. The key fields can be duplicated in the native format of the data store for use in indexing, searching, and other data store functions on the documents. The documents themselves can be stored as objects, into which the data store cannot reach, or can be stored in the native format of the data store, as desired. |
| US08255431B2 |
Managing memory
Methods, systems, and products for managing memory. In one general embodiment, the method includes assigning an isolated virtual heap in a global kernel heap of a global operating system environment to each of a plurality of isolated virtual operating system environments operating in a global operating system environment; and in response to an invocation of kernel heap memory allocation from one of the isolated virtual operating system environments, dynamically allocating memory to the invoking isolated virtual operating system environment from the virtual kernel heap assigned to the invoking isolated virtual operating system environment. The method may also include running the plurality of isolated virtual operating system environments in the global operating system environment. The plurality of isolated virtual operating system environments may share a single common kernel. The isolated virtual operating system environments may run under the same operating system image. |
| US08255430B2 |
Shared namespace for storage clusters
Any client application uses a namespace application to resolve its pathname in order to reference a computer file. Computer files are stored in a fixed-content storage cluster and are accessed by retrieving a unique identifier for the computer file using the namespace application. Any type of pathname scheme from any client application is supported by the namespace. The namespace application uses a bindings table to record bindings between objects including the start date and end date for each binding, and direction and separator data used in the pathname scheme. An attribute table in the namespace keeps track of each attribute and its value for each object of the namespace including a start date and an end date for each attribute. The namespace provides syntactic generality in that any pathname scheme of a client application can be resolved to identify a unique computer file in the storage cluster. The namespace may be shared between applications because when one application modifies a file or its attributes using the namespace, another application using a different pathname scheme has access to the exact same data and modifications. The namespace provides a near instantaneous continuous backup for computer files in the storage cluster because of the use of start date and end dates for the bindings and attributes. |
| US08255427B2 |
Generating modified schemas
According to one embodiment, a computer-readable medium has computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, are configured to receive an input schema. The input schema specifies how to represent one or more elements in a document. One or more rules are received. The input schema is analyzed for conformance to the one or more rules. If the input schema does not conform to the one or more rules, a modified schema is generated based on the input schema. The modified schema specifies how to represent the one or more elements in the documents in conformance with the one or more rules. |
| US08255423B2 |
Adaptive random trees integer non-linear programming
A system and method for building segmented scorecards for a population is presented. A model of the population is built using a model builder computer, and one or more variables used by the model builder to build the model is stored in a repository. A scorecard is generated for each segment of the population based on the model and using an adaptive random tree computer program. Next, the scorecard for each segment is enhanced using a integer non-linear programming computer program to determine optimal score weights associated with the variables used by the model builder to build the model, and to generate an enhanced segmented scorecard for the population. |
| US08255418B2 |
Networked computer system providing an integrated suite of web services and a geographic information system (GIS) for real property and land parcels
Systems and methods to search for, gather, transform, integrate, and present information representative of real property and land parcels. The systems and methods are web-based and include a spatial database configuration having an input side and an output side. The input side is capable of transforming data gathered from multiple disparate sources in an automated or semi-automated manner. The output side is capable of presenting an intuitive interface for users to search for, access, and view the transformed information. |
| US08255415B2 |
Embedded searching system and the method thereof
An embedded searching system uses an application name to search for the interface specifications for the application. The interface specifications are used to update default registry information of the operating system. Different applications can thus be embedded with a search field. This increases the convenience of searching for the applications. The mechanism also produces a corresponding method. |
| US08255412B2 |
Boosting algorithm for ranking model adaptation
Model adaptation may be performed to take a general model trained with a set of training data (possibly large), and adapt the model using a set of domain-specific training data (possibly small). The parameters, structure, or configuration of a model trained in one domain (called the background domain) may be adapted to a different domain (called the adaptation domain), for which there may be a limited amount of training data. The adaption may be performed using the Boosting Algorithm to select an optimal basis function that optimizes a measure of error of the model as it is being iteratively refined, i.e., adapted. |
| US08255411B1 |
Dynamic menus for multi-prefix interactive mobile searches
The present invention includes systems and methods for retrieving information via a flexible and consistent targeted search model that employs interactive multi-prefix, multi-tier and dynamic menu information retrieval techniques that provide context-specific functionality tailored to particular information channels, as well as to records within or across such channels, and other known state information. Users are presented with a consistent search interface among multiple tiers across and within a large domain of information sources, and need not learn different or special search syntax. A thin-client server-controlled architecture enables users of resource-constrained mobile communications devices to locate targeted information more quickly by entering fewer keystrokes and performing fewer query iterations and web page refreshes, which in turn reduces required network bandwidth. |
| US08255408B1 |
System and method for categorizing long documents
A system, a method, an apparatus, and a computer-readable medium are provided. Each of a group of documents is segmented. Categories are assigned to each segment of the group of documents. A categorization series for each one of the group of documents is formed, based at least in part, on the categories assigned to each of the segments of respective ones of the plurality of documents. A pattern is found based, at least in part, on the plurality of categorization series corresponding to the plurality of documents. Each of the group of documents is categorized based, at least in part, on the pattern. |
| US08255407B1 |
Matching of data center resource capabilities and resource needs by match-overlapping
Method and apparatus for matching resource capabilities of data centers to resource needs of data centers. Capability data sets received from one or more of a plurality of data centers are stored by a capability-demand advertising and matching computing arrangement for a certain time. Each capability data set identifies a data center and indicates resources available at the identified data center. Query descriptors are also stored by the computing arrangement for a certain time. Each query descriptor identifies a data center and specifies resource needs of the identified data center. The query descriptors stored at the computing arrangement are applied to each newly received capability data set. To each data center identified in a stored query descriptor that is satisfied by a newly received capability descriptor, the newly received capability data set is provided to the data center identified by the stored query descriptor. Each newly received query descriptor is applied to each capability data set stored at the computing arrangement. Each capability data set that matches the newly received query descriptor is provided to the data center identified in the newly received query descriptor. |
| US08255406B2 |
Data management using multi-state bloom filter
A data management device includes a memory including a multistage Bloom Filter, a first stage being divided into filter parts of which the number is same as that of data blocks, and a pth stage being divided into filter parts of which a size is a combination of filter parts of a (p−1)th stage; a registration unit registering an entry of data in a filter part of the first stage corresponding to a data block where the data is stored, and the entry of the data to a filter part of the pth stage corresponding to the filter part of the first stage where the entry of the data is registered; and a search unit determining which filter part of the first stage an entry of data being searched is registered in by narrowing down filter parts from the Bloom Filter of which a stage number is large. |
| US08255403B2 |
Pangenetic web satisfaction prediction system
Computer based systems, methods, software and databases are presented in which correlations between web item preferences and pangenetic (genetic and epigenetic) attributes of individuals are used for pangenetic based web item satisfaction prediction in which a user can request and receive online predictions of their satisfaction with web items that are based on the user's pangenetic makeup. Data masking can be used to maintain privacy of sensitive portions of the pangenetic data. |
| US08255401B2 |
Computer information retrieval using latent semantic structure via sketches
A method, system and program product for computer information retrieval is disclosed. A matrix A is received. Random sign matrices S and R are generated. Matrix products of S^T*A, A*R, and S^T*A*R are computed. A Moore-Penrose pseudoinverse C of S^T*A*R is computed. A singular value decomposition is computed of the pseudoinverse C. Three matrices ARU, Sigma, and V^TS^TA are outputted as factorization in applications. |
| US08255400B2 |
Development of personalized plans based on acquisition of relevant reported aspects
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: acquiring one or more relevant reported aspects associated with one or more source users that are relevant to achieving one or more target outcomes, the acquisition of the one or more relevant reported aspects being based, at least in part, on relevancy of the one or more relevant reported aspects with respect to the achievement of the one or more target outcomes; and developing one or more personalized plans designed to facilitate an end user to achieve the one or more target outcomes when one or more emulatable aspects indicated by the one or more personalized plans are emulated, the development of the one or more personalized plans being based, at least in part, on the acquiring In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure. |
| US08255399B2 |
Data classifier
A document classifier may analyze documents for a search engine and tag the documents. A document classifier system may have several different classifiers, each with a separate algorithm for classification. Some of the data classifiers may learn or change the classification over time with a feedback loop. As those classifiers are modified, updated, replaced, or added, the documents that have already been classified by the classifier may be re-examined to update their classification. The document classifier system may maintain a database of documents with a timestamp that the document was classified that may be used to identify those documents whose classifications may be out of date. |
| US08255398B2 |
Compression of sorted value indexes using common prefixes
A method, information processing system, and computer program storage product to compress sorted values. At least a first prefix and a second prefix in a plurality of prefixes are compared. Each prefix comprises at least a portion of a plurality of sorted values. A respective prefix comprises a set of consecutive characters including at least a first character of a respective sorted value. The respective sorted value further comprising a respective suffix comprising consecutive characters of the respective sorted value that are after the respective prefix. At least a respective first character of the first prefix and a respective first character of the second prefix are determined to be substantially identical. The first prefix is merged with the second prefix into a single prefix comprising the first character. A set of suffixes associated with the first prefix is updated to reflect an association with the second prefix. |
| US08255397B2 |
Method and apparatus for document clustering and document sketching
A first embodiment of the invention provides a system that automatically classifies documents in a collection into clusters based on the similarities between documents, that automatically classifies new documents into the right clusters, and that may change the number or parameters of clusters under various circumstances. A second embodiment of the invention provides a technique for comparing two documents, in which a fingerprint or sketch of each document is computed. In particular, this embodiment of the invention uses a specific algorithm to compute the document's fingerprint. One embodiment uses a sentence in the document as a logical delimiter or window from which significant words are extracted and, thereafter, a hash is computed of all pair-wise permutations. Words are extracted based on their weight in the document, which can be computed using measures such as term frequency and the inverse document frequency. |
| US08255388B1 |
Providing a progress indicator in a database system
A database system is capable of processing a query and providing a progress indicator of the processing of the query based on at least a first cost factor. Initially, an estimate is set for the first cost factor. During processing of the query, the estimate of the first cost factor is updated to enable refinement of the progress indicator. |
| US08255382B2 |
Dynamic menus for multi-prefix interactive mobile searches
The present invention includes systems and methods for retrieving information via a flexible and consistent targeted search model that employs interactive multi-prefix, multi-tier and dynamic menu information retrieval techniques that provide context-specific functionality tailored to particular information channels, as well as to records within or across such channels, and other known state information. Users are presented with a consistent search interface among multiple tiers across and within a large domain of information sources, and need not learn different or special search syntax. A thin-client server-controlled architecture enables users of resource-constrained mobile communications devices to locate targeted information more quickly by entering fewer keystrokes and performing fewer query iterations and web page refreshes, which in turn reduces required network bandwidth. |
| US08255379B2 |
Custom local search
A method described herein includes receiving a query that is configured by an issuer of the query to be utilized to retrieve a portion of local search content, wherein the local search content comprises a first dataset and a second data set, wherein the first dataset comprises a first entity and the second dataset comprises a second entity, and wherein the query comprises a first token and a second token. The method also includes parsing the query such that the first token of the query is mapped to the first entity in the first dataset and the second token of the query is mapped to the second entity in the second dataset. The method also includes returning search results based at least in part upon the parsing of the query. |
| US08255378B2 |
Network based directory service for terrestrial broadcasts
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing access for a networked device to a directory service for terrestrial broadcasts. A networked-based directory service that includes broadcasting data for one or more broadcasting stations within various geographical locations is provided. The broadcasting data includes tuning information that enables receivers to tune in one or more terrestrial broadcasts transmitted by the one or more broadcasting stations. A request is received from a networked device to obtain information about an availability of terrestrial broadcasts at a geographical location of the networked device. The directory service is queried using the geographical location as a query parameter. A response is transmitted to the networked device. The response includes tuning information that enables a receiver to automatically tune to one or more terrestrial broadcasts associated with the geographical location of the networked device. |
| US08255377B2 |
Multi-prefix interactive mobile search
A system and a method are disclosed for multi-prefix, interactive search capability on a mobile communications device. A keystroke is input into a search query field of a landing page and a multi-prefix search is performed. The landing page is refreshed to display the results. The landing page displays a first tier of search results, which can include channels or links to web pages associated with the user input. If the search result that is selected is a channel, the channel is displayed. If the search result that is selected is a web page, the web page is displayed. The landing page corresponding to the selected channel, or to the web page, may then be searched or explored. If the desired channel is not displayed within the first tier of search results, another keystroke may be input. The landing page refreshes accordingly and additional keystrokes may be entered. |
| US08255376B2 |
Augmenting queries with synonyms from synonyms map
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, operable to perform operations including receiving through a user interface with an interface language a search query having query terms; using the interface language to select one or more mappings and using the selected mappings to simplify each query term; and applying each simplified query term to a synonyms map to identify possible synonyms with which to augment the search query. In alternative embodiments, the operations include generating a synonyms map from a corpus of documents; where the synonyms map maps each of multiple keys to one or more corresponding variants, where each variant is associated with one or more of document languages. In alternative embodiments, the operations include generating a synonyms map from documents by applying document language-dependent mappings to words in the documents to generate keys for the map. |
| US08255374B2 |
Method and system for selecting amongst a plurality of processes to send a message
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for selecting amongst a plurality of processes to send a message (e.g. a message for updating an endpoint system, etc.). These mechanisms and methods for selecting amongst a plurality of processes to send a message can enable embodiments to utilize more than one queue for sending such message. The ability of embodiments to provide such multi-process feature can, in turn, prevent latency that typically accompanies a mounting number of messages. |
| US08255373B2 |
Atomic multiple modification of data in a distributed storage system
Atomic multiple modifications of streams is provided. Streams are selected for the application of an atomic multiple modification. A lock is acquired on the meta-data associated with the streams. Each stream is de-coupled from its name. Multiple modifications are applied to the selected streams. After performing the modifications, names are coupled to the streams. The lock on the meta-data associated with each stream is released. |
| US08255367B2 |
File management apparatus, method, and program
A disclosed method includes acquiring and a forward log and extracting forward file operations applied to files in an order of applying these from the forward log, specifying generation rules for generating backward file operations with reference to the forward file operations, generating the backward file operations by the specified generation rules and recording these, and applying the forward file operations to the files not having the extracted forward file operations applied and also applying the backward file operations to the files having the forward file operations applied to recover the files not having the forward file operations applied. |
| US08255366B1 |
Segment-based method for efficient file restoration
Various embodiments of a system and method for restoring a file are described herein. A previous version of the file may be split into segments and backed up to a server computer system. In response to a subsequent request to restore the file to the previous version, the current segments of the file may be compared to the backup segments stored on the server computer system. The segments that have changed may be retrieved from the server computer system and used to restore the corresponding segments of the current version of the file to their previous states. Segments that have not changed do not need to be transferred across the network from the server computer system. In further embodiments, one or more of the segments that have changed may be obtained locally from other files, thus further reducing the amount of data transferred across the network. |
| US08255365B2 |
Source classification for performing deduplication in a backup operation
A system, method, and computer program product for backing up data from a backup source to a central repository using deduplication, where the data comprises source data segments is disclosed. A fingerprint cache comprising fingerprints of data segments stored in the central repository is received, where the data segments were previously backed up from the backup source. Source data fingerprints comprising fingerprints (e.g., hash values) of the source data segments are generated. The source data fingerprints are compared to the fingerprints in the fingerprint cache. The source data segments corresponding to fingerprints not in the fingerprint cache may not be currently stored in the central repository. After further queries to the central repository, one or more of the source data segments are sent to the central repository for storage responsive to comparison. |
| US08255354B2 |
Method of determining the probability that data is associated with a source of a plurality of sources
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for determining the probability that sampled data, associated with a source and obtained from a plurality of data input sources, are from a known source, given prior observed data obtained by the plurality of data input sources for one or more known sources. In one embodiment the data input sources are sensors for detecting molecules conveyed though the air and the method comprises identifying a source of the molecules. The present invention also provides a method of determining information about the position of at least one sensor relative to a previously known type of source. |
| US08255350B2 |
Instantiating a solution using preconfigured templates
Among other disclosed subject matter, a system for instantiating at least one solution includes a plurality of preconfigured templates representing operating systems and business systems and comprising preconfigured system images and data images, each of the preconfigured templates adapted for use in instantiating an instantiation system in any of multiple pools isolated from each other. The system includes an infrastructure service for customizing and configuring the instantiation system in one of the pools as instantiated using any of the preconfigured templates. The system includes a virtualization allocator that allocates the instantiation system to a selection from among physical servers and virtual servers. |
| US08255349B2 |
Automated design of computer system architecture
In certain embodiments, a method includes accessing a number of target values. Each target value may be associated with a respective design criterion of a computer system. The computer system may be associated with one or more domains. Each domain may be associated with a respective function of the computer system. The method may include determining, based at least in part on a first set of one or more of the number of target values, a respective implementation pattern for each of the one or more domains. The one or more determined implementation patterns may represent a logical architecture for the computer system. The method may include determining a physical architecture for the computer system by determining a respective solution stack for each of the one or more determined implementation patterns based at least in part on a second set of one or more of the plurality of target values. |
| US08255345B2 |
Systems and methods for parallel processing with infeasibility checking mechanism
Systems and methods may include obtaining an input population of parent chromosome data structures, where each parent chromosome data structure provides having a plurality of genes representative of variables in which associated values are permitted to evolve; selecting pairs of parent chromosome data structures from the input population; allocating the selected pairs of parent chromosome data structures to respective ones of a plurality of slave processors, where each slave processor applies an evolutionary process to genes of the allocated pair to generate a plurality of child chromosome data structures; receiving a portion of the plurality of child chromosome data structures generated by the plurality of slave processors; merging the parent chromosome data structures with at least the received portion of the child chromosome data structures to generate a merged set of chromosome data structures; and identifying a portion of the merged set of chromosome data structures as an elite set of chromosome data structures. |
| US08255343B1 |
Scaling machine learning using approximate counting
A system may track statistics for a number of features using an approximate counting technique by: subjecting each feature to multiple, different hash functions to generate multiple, different hash values, where each of the hash values may identify a particular location in a memory, and storing statistics for each feature at the particular locations identified by the hash values. The system may generate rules for a model based on the tracked statistics. |
| US08255341B2 |
Analyzing a target electromagnetic signal radiating from a computer system
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that characterizes a computer system parameter by analyzing a target electromagnetic signal radiating from the computer system. First, the system monitors the target electromagnetic signal using a first directional antenna located outside of the computer system, wherein the first directional antenna is directed at a location inside the computer system. The system also monitors the target electromagnetic signal using a second directional antenna located outside of the computer system, wherein a receiving axis of the second antenna is oriented non-parallel to a receiving axis of the first antenna, and wherein the second directional antenna is directed at the location inside the computer system. Next, the system characterizes the computer system parameter based on the target electromagnetic signal received from the first antenna and the target electromagnetic signal received from the second antenna. Then, the system generates a request for an action based on the characterization of the computer system. |
| US08255340B2 |
Method and apparatus for risk analysis of published logs
A method and apparatus for analyzing risk associated with published logs are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises accessing a first log published to one or more logs. In one embodiment, the method may also comprise estimating a probability that an entry within the first log will not be verifiable from a second entry selected from one o the one or more logs. |
| US08255339B2 |
System and method for redirecting mail
To temporarily redirect a customer's mail from a current mailing address to a temporary mailing address a request to temporary redirect the customer's mail is received. The request specifies at least one type of mail to redirect, the temporary mailing address, how to redirect the mail, and when to redirect the mail. The customer's mail is directed to the temporary mailing address according to the request. |
| US08255338B1 |
Method for designing and estimating costs of food service equipment
A method for designing and estimating the cost of constructing a food equipment area that uses a computer with a specifically designed software program loaded into its memory that provides a visual interface showing the layout of a food preparation area in which food equipment will be installed. The program allows the user to drag and drop various pieces of food equipment into the layout. As the different pieces of food equipment are added, the layout area is immediately updated along with the accompanying technical and quotation data sheets. The layout can be changed to show many variations of the same project. During use, the rough dimensions and the locations of the existing water, gas, electrical, and drain connections can be imputed enabling the customer to identify what change, if any, must be made in order to install the equipment. The software program also provides a list of additional components that must be used in order for the selected equipment to be use. |
| US08255337B1 |
Apparatus, systems and methods for online, multi-carrier, multi-service parcel shipping management
The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods providing a single system available over a global communications network for shipping management for each parcel from a plurality of parcels that each Shipper of a plurality of Shippers ships using any one of a plurality of services offered by any one of a plurality of carriers. |
| US08255335B1 |
System and method to establish a PIN
Disclosed are systems and methods for establishing a personal identification number (PIN). The systems and methods provide techniques to begin a remote session with a customer, prompt the customer to select a PIN to associate with a financial account card during the remote session, and receive the PIN from the customer during the remote session. |
| US08255333B2 |
Method of generating license, and method and apparatus for providing contents using the same
A method and apparatus for generating and updating a license for content and for providing content are provided. The method of generating a license includes generating license signature information for authenticating the license; generating use rule information for controlling the use of the content; generating authentication code information for authenticating a coupon for changing at least a portion of the use rule information; and generating key information required for decrypting the content. |
| US08255331B2 |
Method for providing curriculum enhancement using a computer-based media access system
A method for providing curriculum enhancement using a computer-based media access system according to one embodiment is described. The method comprises accessing a playlist assembly component and creating a playlist indicating at least one instance of media. The playlist is then accessed and the instance of media is selected. A usage compliance mechanism then accesses the instance of media in accordance with a usage restriction. |
| US08255329B1 |
Methods and systems for investment of debit card withdrawal fees
A debit-card withdrawal-fee payment method includes receiving selection of a first account to which withdrawal-fee payments are to be directed, receiving notification of a debit-card transaction withdrawal-fee amount associated with a second account, and making a withdrawal-fee payment to the first account in the withdrawal-fee amount. |
| US08255327B2 |
System and method for issuer originated payments for on-line banking bill payments
Techniques for processing on-line banking bill payment requests are provided. A bill payment request is received from an operator of an on-line banking bill payment web site. The operator may be a bank. The request is for payment of a bill using a portable consumer device. A transaction request is then generated for an issuer and sent to the issuer for authorization. The issuer then sends a response indicating whether the transaction request is approved or declined. Remittance information for a biller is generated if the transaction is approved. The remittance information is then forwarded to the operator of the on-line banking bill payment web site for forwarding to a user of the portable consumer device. Additionally, the remittance information is sent to an acquirer or cash management bank, which can forward the information to the biller associated with the bill payment request. |
| US08255316B2 |
Integrated business decision-making system and method
An integrated business decision-making system is provided. The system comprises a data processing component, a prediction component and an optimization component. The data processing component is configured to process observational data related to one or more members of a target population. The prediction component is configured to predict a business measure based on one or more selected combinations of marketing actions and the observational data related to one or more of the members of the target population. The optimization component is configured to determine an optimal marketing action based on one or more of the selected combinations of marketing actions and the predicted business measure associated with each of the marketing actions. The optimization component is further configured to determine an optimal predicted business measure for the members of the target population, based on the optimal marketing action. |
| US08255314B2 |
Electronic completion of cash versus futures basis trades
An electronic trading system is described herein. More specifically, the electronic trading system may relate to the substantially simultaneous trading of cash instruments and their related futures contracts for interest-rate related instruments. The electronic trading system may also be used to allow a user (such as a market maker or other suitable participant) to gauge his chance of success at completing both sides of a basis trade within a preferably pre-determined or pre-set interval, while knowing in advance the specific weighting algorithm that will be applied to the basis trade. The electronic trading system may also be used to allow a user to predetermine the exact weighting algorithm to be used on such a basis trade, and to adjust those preferences where necessary or desired. |
| US08255312B2 |
Issuing machine and issuing system
An issuing system for issuing unmodifiable and/or unforgeable hardcopy documents or securities includes a server and a plurality of issuing machines connected to the server via a network. Each of the issuing machines receives an ID recording medium provided by a potential purchaser, retrieves an identification recoded in the received ID recording medium, requests the potential purchaser to input request for a transaction of the security or fixed rate financing instrument, processes the requested transaction by retrieving information via a network from the server, and prints out on demand a hardcopy of the security or fixed rate financing instrument as purchased by the potential purchaser and a checksum thereon. A method for forming a new market with the issuing system. |
| US08255306B1 |
Identification of businesses with potential to achieve superior revenue growth and financial performance
A method of identifying target businesses with above-average potential to achieve a selected financial performance target, in accordance with the principles of one embodiment of this invention comprises identifying a plurality of model businesses which have already achieved the selected financial performance target; identifying financial statistics common to the identified model businesses; and screening target businesses for the financial statistics common to the identified businesses. The financial statistics preferably include: at least one of historic annual sales, annual sales growth rates, and time since found to exceed selected annual sales thresholds, gross margins, SG&D, R & D expense, EBIDTA, cash flow from operations, market capitalization. |
| US08255305B2 |
Ratio spreads for contracts of different sizes in implied market trading
A method for matching orders is provided. The method includes receiving a first order for a product, the first order specifying a first volume, receiving a second order for the product, the second order specifying a second volume, wherein the first volume is different than the second volume, generating an implied order based on a ratio spread defined between the first order and the second order, and matching a third order with the implied order. |
| US08255303B2 |
Systems and methods for making payments from selected funding sources
Systems and methods for operating a payment service provider include storing information associating the identity of a buyer with a plurality of the buyer's payment source accounts and a plurality of personal identity numbers (PINs) respectively associated therewith in a database of the payment service provider. Upon receipt of an authorization from the buyer that includes a specified payment amount and the associated PIN of the selected buyer's account from which the payment is to be made, a transaction device of the service provider is operable to effect a transfer of the specified payment amount from the selected buyer's account to the designated seller's account. |
| US08255302B2 |
System and methods for modeling a multiplicative index
Computer-implemented methods for valuing a derivative based on the BMA rate: the methods may comprise generating a model of the BMA/LIBOR ratio as a function of the LIBOR index, a stochastic noise function, and a seasonality process. The methods may also comprise solving the model for at least one value of the LIBOR index, and estimating a value of the derivative given the solution of the model. The value of the derivative may then be stored. |
| US08255301B1 |
Debt cancellation mechanism
A method of debt cancellation is described. Occurrence data representative of an occurrence of a triggering event on a customer is received. A current benefit amount associated with the customer is determined, and a current amount of debt in the account of the customer is determined. A determination is made as to whether the current amount of debt in the account of the customer is less than the current benefit amount associated with the customer. The current amount of debt in the account of the customer may then be canceled to zero, and a new current benefit amount associated with the customer is maintained as the difference between the current benefit amount and the current amount of debt in the account of the customer prior to canceling. |
| US08255298B1 |
Method and apparatus for managing alerts
A method and apparatus for managing alerts is described, the method including receiving consumer financial data including at least one financial deadline. Alert level criteria is applied to the data in order to determine an alert level for each of the deadlines. A visual or audible alert indicator is activated which corresponds with at least one alert level. Alert level criteria is periodically reapplied to determine an alert level for each of the deadlines. |
| US08255294B2 |
Method and system that monitors supply of physical consumables relative to consumption specifications
A method and system for monitoring supply of physical consumables for one or more vehicles receives at an input port supply data associated with a corresponding one of the one or more vehicles. The supply data is originated at a supply device that supplies the physical consumables. Consumption specification data associated with the one or more vehicles are retrieved from a storage device. The consumption specification data is specified by at least one of a vehicle manufacturer or an authority, e.g. a commercial, governmental or military authority. The method and system provides the supply data to a processing unit over a physical transmission medium to determine a variance relative to the consumption specification data. |
| US08255292B2 |
Method and system for providing local information over a network
A first computer (e.g., a central server) collects information to be presented to one or more users. The information is organized into a plurality of first web-sites where each of these web-sites is addressable by a unique Universal Resource Locator (URL). A physical location is associated with each of the first web-sites. One of the first web-sites may be provided to a user as a user web-site. When the user or other individual seeks to access the user web-site, links to a plurality of the first web-sites are provided based on a relationship between the physical locations associated with the first web-sites and the physical location associated with the user web-site. |
| US08255288B1 |
High demand sale processing
Item scarcity resulting from a high demand of the item is addressed by providing users a high demand sale process. In some aspects, users may opt-in to purchase the item in a sale by transmitting a mobile message to a host over a mobile device network prior to a sale of the item. If the user is eligible, the host then attempts to purchase the item on behalf of the user once the sale begins. |
| US08255286B2 |
Publishing user submissions at a network-based facility
According to the present invention, there is provided a method to facilitate propagating a plurality of transaction listings to a network-based transaction facility. An input interface is presented at a seller application to receive from a user, a plurality of transaction listings, each transaction listing including an associated start time. Also, a data file is composed at the seller application to include the plurality of transaction listings. Moreover, the data file is propagated, using the seller application, from the client computer to the network-based transaction facility. |
| US08255285B1 |
Proposing a bid value to a user
A computer-implemented method for proposing a value to a user includes mapping a plurality of factual cost values for an item type according to amount, each of the factual cost values reflecting an amount that won a bidding process for an item of the item type. The method includes identifying an inflection point in the mapping that represents a first factual cost value. The method includes outputting a proposed value for the bidding process to a user, the proposed value generated using the first factual cost value. The method can be implemented using a computer program product. |
| US08255279B2 |
Method and apparatus for permitting stage-door access to on-line vendor information
The present invention provides Internet users with access to an on-line vendor that has detailed product information some or all of which is supplied by at least one product supplier. Through selected storage and sharing of data, an on-line store is married to a supplier's product database. The on-line vendor is able to provide greater product information at a vastly reduced cost. The product supplier is provided with a unique company forum in which company activities such as sales training can be consolidated with advertising activities and product information to provide the most economical and up-to-date training information for the company. |
| US08255278B1 |
Systems and methods for payment at a point of sale using a virtual check
Systems and methods are provided for making purchases at a merchant point-of-sale (POS) device using a mobile device. Transaction information may be communicated from the POS device to the mobile device and an authorization from the purchaser to proceed with the transaction returned to the POS device from the mobile device. After authorization, the POS device may communicate the transaction information together with an identifier of the mobile device to a financial institution to process payment. The financial institution may confirm the transaction with the purchaser at the mobile device using the identifier of the mobile device. Upon receiving a confirmation response from the mobile device, the financial institution may then transfer funds from a purchaser account to a merchant account. A confirmation of the transfer may be provided to the merchant and the purchaser, after which, the transaction may be completed at the merchant POS device where a receipt is printed and provided to the purchaser. |
| US08255274B2 |
Integrated qualification and monitoring for customer promotions
A device receives, from a user device, a request for qualified offers for a particular customer, and retrieves, based on the request, profile information associated with the particular customer. The device generates a call to a backend database based on the profile information, and receives, from the backend database, offer qualification indicators based on the call. The device determines qualified offers based on the offer qualification indicators, and provides the qualified offers to the user device for display. |
| US08255273B2 |
Evaluating online marketing efficiency
A method and a system evaluate a company website's online marketing efficiency on various advertising websites by evaluating both access activities and business activities of users originating from the advertising websites. For each user visiting the company website, the method determines the originating website from which the user enters the company website, and obtains the access activities and the business activities of the user on the company website. The method quantifies the access activities and the business activities of the users who enter the present website from the same originating website to generate evaluation data corresponding to the originating website, and evaluates the company website's online marketing efficiency on the originating website based on the evaluation data of the originating website. Using the disclosed method and system, online marketing efficiency can be evaluated more comprehensively and accurately. |
| US08255270B2 |
Systems and methods relating to a lead distribution engine that accommodates internal and imported destination relationships
Lead distribution systems and methods distribute consumer business leads received from lead sources for routing to one or more destinations that will use the lead and/or will forward the lead to another destination. The system identifies a set of most profitable destinations for each lead, while complying with business rules associated with the lead source and the destinations. For each lead, the system identifies a set of candidate destinations, each with associated business rules. The candidate destinations may include destinations with which the system has established business rules, destinations with which the lead source has established business rules, or both. For leads that may be multi-distributed, different business rules may apply to each time the lead is distributed. When both the lead distribution system and the source have different business rules established with a destination, the rules established by the source may take precedence over those of the lead distribution system. |
| US08255267B2 |
System and method for determining relative preferences
A method analyzes preferences of one or more participants. Each of the participants may be presented with a plurality of evaluation items that illustrate various marketing options. Response data from the participants that indicates at least an approach, if any, toward the evaluation items is obtained. An approach entropy value may be generated for the marketing options based on the response data for each participant. A relative preference order for each participant for the marketing options may be determined from the generated approach entropy values. |
| US08255266B1 |
Forecasting demand for products
A global demand forecast is generated for a product group in a computer system, where the product group comprises a plurality of products of a predefined genre. A historical relationship between an aggregate of product level demand forecasts and actual demand for the products in the product group, and the global demand forecast are used to adjust a critical ratio employed to generate a product level demand forecast in the computer system for a product in the product group. The critical ratio expresses a probability that the product level demand forecast will exceed an actual demand for a corresponding product. |
| US08255264B2 |
Methods and systems for determining the effectiveness of a dealer's ability to close a sale
A method of measuring the sales performance of a dealer may include determining a propensity to buy score associated with each lead received by a dealer and determining an expected close rate associated with the dealer that may be based on the determined propensity to buy scores. The method may also include determining, by a computing device, an effectiveness rate associated with the dealer that may be based on at least the expected close rate and an actual close rate. |
| US08255262B2 |
Methods and systems for assessing security risks
The assessment of security risks associated with linear corridors, such as transportation corridors and utilities corridors, is provided. Initially, a site is selected for evaluation. Survey data and context sensitive information, such as demographic information, environmental information, corridor asset information, and the like, is collected for the site. Linear corridors are identified within the data, and critical assets within each linear corridor are also identified. Security risks associated with linear corridors may then be assessed using the survey data and context sensitive information. In addition, mitigation strategies, response strategies, and recovery strategies may be developed for the security risks assessed for the linear corridors. |