| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08276884B2 |
Recovery bumper with a multiple-pulley, multi-directional winch-system and stabilizing support legs
A remotely controllable recovery vehicle winch/stabilizing system, having a vehicle bumper; a first pulley attached to the bumper's first end; a winch attached to bumper's second end; a second pulley approximately midway between the first pulley and said winch and adjacent a swivel sheave; a cable, directed by the first and second pulleys and the swivel sheave, to be wound or unwound about the winch, with the pulleys, the swivel sheave, and the winch operatively arranged with respect to each other so as to maintain the cable perpendicular, or nearly so, to the rotational axis of the drum as it is fed to or played off of the drum so as to prevent the cable from jamming as the cable is used to either recover or deposit an object, and a set of stabilizing legs each leg attached to said bumper so as to stabilize and secure the recovery or release apparatus. |
| US08276882B2 |
Wire bundle pull tool
A pull tool for handling an elongate article comprises a panel having opposing panel sides and opposing panel ends and a fastening mechanism extending along at least a portion of the panel sides. The fastening mechanism is configured to join the panel sides to form the panel in a sleeve configuration for encasing the elongate article therewithin. The panel of the pull tool has inner and outer surfaces with the outer surface having a substantially low coefficient of friction. |
| US08276881B2 |
Lifting mechanism with self-locking function
A lifting mechanism with self-locking function, including an ascending/descending seat, a rocking member pivotally connected with the ascending/descending seat, a guide section and a prestressing section. The rocking member serves to convert a horizontal force provided by a power source into a vertical force to up and down reciprocally move the ascending/descending seat in the direction of Z-axis. The guide section includes guide members, which can be cross roller ways for guiding the ascending/descending seat to ascend/descend. The prestressing section can be adjusted to change the gaps between fixed guide rails and movable guide rails of the cross roller ways. Accordingly, the sliding friction between the fixed guide rails and the movable guide rails can be adjusted to provide auxiliary locking force for locating the ascending/descending seat. |
| US08276878B2 |
Passive sensors for automatic faucets
The present invention is directed to novel optical sensors and novel methods for sensing optical radiation. The novel optical sensors and the novel optical sensing methods are used, for example, for controlling the operation of automatic faucets and flushers. The novel sensors and flow controllers (including control electronics and valves) require only small amounts of electrical power for sensing users of bathroom facilities, and thus enable battery operation for many years. A passive optical sensor includes a light detector sensitive to ambient (room) light for controlling the operation of automatic faucets or automatic bathroom flushers. |
| US08276876B2 |
Limiter for water faucets equipped with lever-type handles
A limiter detachably associated with a water faucet having a lever-type handle, enabling to prevent the rotational movement range of the lever-type handle. The limiter comprises a body and a limiting-handle where the limiting-handle is rotatably connected to the body. The limiter may be installed to the faucet at one of its hot or cold sides, where the limiter enables a user to rotate the limiting-handle towards and away from the lever-type handle of the faucet to physically limit the rotational movement of the lever-type handle. The limiter may be installed near the side of the faucet where hot water are controlled to serve as a safety device enabling to prevent the flow of hot water when the limiter's limiting-handle is locked in a limiting position that prevents rotating of the lever-type handle of the faucet. |
| US08276869B2 |
Adjustable supporting stand
An adjustable supporting stand includes a main body with a receiving room, a slidable module disposed in the receiving room, a supporting holder assembled on the slidable module, a gear set connected to the supporting holder, and an elastic member disposed on the main body. The gear set has at least one first gear and a second gear, and the first gear is smaller than the second gear. One end of the elastic member is fixed on the main body and another end of the elastic member is connected to the second gear. |
| US08276866B2 |
Adjustable clips for grazing-incidence collectors
An adjustable clip for securing a grazing-incident collector (GIC) shell to a spider having spokes is disclosed. The clip includes a base adapted to be secured to a spider spoke and having an upper surface. The clip includes a fork member having two prongs each with end pads at respective prong ends, and having a first hinge portion at an end opposite the prong ends. A hinge leaf is secured to the base upper surface and has a second hinge portion that operably engages the first hinge portion, thereby forming a hinge that allows for rotatable adjustment of the fork member relative to the base. Movement of the GIC shell when performing optical alignment is accommodated by the clip self-adjusting by its end pads moving over the GIC shell outer surface. When GIC shell alignment is achieved, the end pads are secured to the GIC shell outer surface, thereby turning the clip into a rigid support member that secures the GIC shell in place relative to the spider. |
| US08276865B2 |
Holding device
A holding device includes a holder, a connecting body, and a base. The base has a first meshing portion. The connecting body is disposed between the holder and the base, and it has a pivotal element, a limiting portion, and a second meshing portion. The second meshing portion is disposed on the limiting portion. Two ends of a surface of the pivotal element are pivotally connected with the base and the limiting portion, respectively, and thus the base and the limiting portion may rotate relative to the pivotal element. When the limiting portion rotates relative to the pivotal element, the second meshing portion is meshed with or detached from the first meshing portion. |
| US08276857B2 |
Extension and retraction arrangement with articulated door
An extension and retraction arrangement with a sliding door construction for adjusting a monitor from a retracted configuration to an extended configuration. The door is slidable between an open position and a closed position for at least partially closing the aperture in the framework. A pocket door is pivotally coupled to an arm aperture portion in the door, and a flipper door is pivotally coupled to an arm aperture portion in a framework. The flipper door and the pocket door interlock to be retained in closed positions to seal the arm aperture when the extension and retraction arrangement is in a storage configuration. The door is articulated with multiple sections and is guided by drive pins engaged with drive slots and slide pins that slide along guide surfaces of drive path subassemblies. |
| US08276855B2 |
Soldering iron stand
A soldering iron stand comprises a stand base, and a soldering iron holder provided on an upper portion of the stand base and formed to have a curved surface for receiving thereon a soldering iron to be held by the stand base. The soldering iron holder has a plurality of recesses formed therein and arranged in a circumferential direction of the curved surface. Each of the recesses is provided with a heat-resistant elastic member. |
| US08276850B2 |
Environmentally stable hybrid fabric system for exterior protection of an aircraft
A method of forming an exterior surface protective structure (12) for an aircraft (10) includes uniting a loaded surfacer (52) having a carrier (51) to a hybrid prepreg substrate (32). The prepreg substrate (32) includes a carbon fabric (44) with an integral conductive component (48) having conductivity with in a metal conductivity range and is united to a base substrate (30). The loaded surfacer (52) and the prepreg substrate (32) are cured, which includes interfacially adhering matter between the loaded surfacer (52) and the prepreg substrate (32). A protective fabric system (12) for an exterior (14) of an aircraft (10) includes the base substrate (30). The hybrid prepreg substrate (32) is coupled to the base substrate (30). The loaded surfacer (52) with the carrier (51) is interfacially adhered to the prepreg substrate (32). |
| US08276849B2 |
Apparatus for supporting instruments in an instrument panel
According to one embodiment, a bracket configured to hold a pressure transducer comprises a body, a face plate, and one or more pressure fitting connectors. The body has a rear portion and a front portion that meet to form an angle less than 180 degrees. The face plate is coupled to the front portion of the body, and has a surface defining a plate aperture configured for a cable to pass through. The pressure fitting connectors are coupled to the rear portion of the body. Each pressure fitting connector is configured to receive a pressure hose. |
| US08276848B2 |
Rib structure for torsion boxes of a wing or horizontal stabiliser of an aircraft
Rib structure for a torsion box of an aircraft wing or a horizontal stabilizer. The structure comprises a center element which extends between the front spar and the rear spar of the torsion box, a series of vertical stiffening elements arranged between an upper skin and a lower skin of the torsion box. The vertical stiffening element consists of a first lateral wing which extends in the direction of said front spar and a second lateral wing which extends in the direction of said rear spar. These lateral extensions emerge from respective opposite sides of the vertical body and are attached side to side to the center element of the rib. |
| US08276846B2 |
Aircraft component
An aircraft component includes a composite laminate structure, the composite laminate structure including an end surface at which a multiplicity of the layers of the laminate structure terminate. The aircraft component further includes a deflecting surface mounted to the composite laminate structure for protecting the end surface from direct impacts. In one embodiment, the end surface of the composite laminate structure has a convex cross-section and the deflecting surface includes laminate material laid over the end surface. In a further embodiment, the deflecting surface includes an inert strip. |
| US08276838B2 |
General winding and feeding apparatus
A general winding and feeding apparatus includes a rotating shaft on the upper side of a standing wall of a base, and a motor is connected to the rotating shaft in the standing wall. A swing arm extends across a traveling material and is situated at a suitable position on the standing wall. Digital variable frequency methods may be used to drive the motor, which operates in conjunction with light-coupled sensors to detect the traveling speed of a material on the swing arm and sense a swing position of the swing arm. Feedback is generated in real-time to modify the speed of the motor, and the constant speed travel of the material can be achieved while being either wound or unwound. |
| US08276834B2 |
Multi-function shower head
A multi-function shower head provides three water flower levels in response to three watering modes and comprises a low-flow controlling valve and a water flower generator such that the water flow passes through water flower generator to result in a centrifugal force, and then passes through a plurality of tunnels and a path to spray water, obtaining low-flow and strong water flower. Thereby, a water saving and strong flowing purpose of the shower head is achieved. |
| US08276829B2 |
Building control system with remote control unit and methods of operation
A building controller for controlling the comfort level in a building is described. The building controller may include a thermostat and wireless remote controller for communicating with the thermostat from a remote location. The thermostat may have access to a first temperature sensor for sensing a first temperature, sometimes at or near the thermostat. The remote controller may likewise have a second temperature sensor for sensing a second temperature, sometimes at or near the remote controller. Under some conditions, the thermostat may use the second temperature sensed by the remote controller to control the comfort level in a building unless or until a predetermined condition is detected, after which the thermostat may use a different temperature, such as the first temperature at or near the thermostat, to control the comfort level in a building. |
| US08276827B2 |
Coding pattern comprising control symbols
A substrate having a coding pattern disposed therein or thereon. The coding pattern comprises: a tiling of contiguous grid cells, each grid cell being demarcated by t target elements and having t-fold rotational symmetry, each grid cell containing nt control symbols, each control symbol being encoded by a set of macrodots; and a tiling of contiguous tags, each tag consisting of an array of c grid cells, each tag containing a plurality of data symbols, each data symbol being encoded by a set of macrodots. Any contiguous tag-shaped array of c grid cells contains cnt control symbols, which encode r1 registration symbols and r2 second symbols. The r1 registration symbols, taken in a defined sequence relative to a physical layout of the tag-shaped array, form a registration codeword of length r1. The r2 second symbols form one or more second codewords. |
| US08276825B2 |
Radio frequency identification tag and antenna
A radio frequency identification tag includes: a resilient base sheet; an electronic component; a reinforcing member having at least one concave portion at a periphery of the reinforcing member; and an antenna including a dipole portion and an inductance portion, the inductance portion having an impedance matching with that of the electronic component and being formed in a loop shape; the inductance portion being partly covered by the reinforcing member, the loop shape of the inductance portion being narrowed where the loop shape runs under the concave portion of the periphery of the reinforcing member and being widened outside of the reinforcing member. |
| US08276824B2 |
Communication device, communication method, program, and communication system
A communication device including a receiving unit, a command processing unit, an updating unit, a transmitting unit, and a selector is provided. The receiving unit receives a transmitted command. The command processing unit performs command processing in response to the received command and generates a response containing a result of the command processing. The updating unit updates information held in one area of a memory currently disabled using the result of the command processing, wherein a first area and a second area form the memory for holding information indicating a current status. The transmitting unit transmits the generated response. The selector switches the one area currently disabled and holds the information that was updated using the result of the command processing into the enabled state and the other area currently enabled into the disabled state immediately after transmission of the response is completed. |
| US08276822B2 |
Electronic circuit
An electronic circuit, for which a coil 22 is disposed being overlapped with a region of a memory array 11, carries out communications by inductive coupling between stacked and mounted chips by means of the coil 22. Because each side of the coil 22 is disposed so as not to be parallel to a word line and a bit line 15, crosstalk between ‘the coil 22’ and ‘the word line 14 and bit line 15’ can minimized. This allows efficiently arranging a coil to carry out communications by inductive coupling between chips to be stacked and mounted. |
| US08276820B2 |
Information notification method and information notification system
An information notification method includes coding information by a first information processing apparatus, displaying the coded information on a screen of the first information processing apparatus, obtaining displayed coded information as image information by a second information processing apparatus having an image-capturing unit, transmitting the obtained image information to a third information processing apparatus from the second information processing apparatus, receiving at the third information processing apparatus the image information transmitted from the second information processing apparatus, and decoding by the third information processing apparatus the received image information so as to obtain the coded information. |
| US08276819B2 |
Optical code reader
An optical code reader of the imager type includes: at least one non-collimated light source having an illumination optics associated therewith including at least one lens; and a photodetector device having a receiving optics associated therewith including at least one lens, wherein the at least one lens of the illumination optics and the at least one lens of the receiving optics are displaceable together to change their distance from the at least one light source and from said photodetector device respectively. |
| US08276815B2 |
High-speed automatic fire net-based fire instruction control system for short-range anti-aircraft gun
A high-speed automatic fire net-based fire instruction control system for a short-range anti-aircraft gun is provided. More particular, the present invention relates to a system, in which when a short-range anti-aircraft gun gunner calibrates values indicated on equipment and follows instructions without personally viewing a flying object that has infiltrated at low altitude, a tracking and automatic fire net is constructed, and the gunner follows fire instructions, thus allowing gunners to easily cope with targets anywhere regardless of the location, such as an anti-aircraft defensive position or a contact area, as long as the targets appear on a detection radar even in unfavorable weather or at night which forbids the targets from being detected and identified with eyes. |
| US08276814B1 |
System and method for carrying out secure transactions
A multi-function stored-value debit card system includes smart cards carried by a user, as well as associated hardware, software, and communications networks configured to allow a user of the system to carry out secure transactions. Smart cards are distributed to patrons by a business desiring the patrons to use them to carry out commercial transactions while visiting points of sale of the business. Patrons use the cards as stored-value debit cards and for other optional applications unique to the business. Monetary values are physically carried on the card. A card reader capable of sensing multiple identifiers is associated with the smart cards. At least one of the identifiers is visually perceivable, while at least one identifier is not visually perceivable. A processor is included for treating the sensed identifiers according to a predetermined algorithm to derive a unique code for use in generating a secure transaction. |
| US08276813B2 |
Systems and methods for risk triggering values
Systems and methods for facilitating risk assessment for point of sale transactions utilizing at least one risk triggering value (RTV) is disclosed. An RTV is a condensed version of a set of complex risk data and strategies usually found in central processing sites. After receiving a request for payment authorization, a risk value is calculated for the request. The distributed processing site compares the risk value to the RTV to determine whether to authorize payment. If the risk value is less than or equal to the RTV, the payment is authorized while a risk value greater than the RTV will not be authorized. The central site calculates a new RTV for the account and distributes the new RTV to the distributed processing site. |
| US08276812B2 |
Automated banking machine controlled responsive to data bearing records with currency tracking
An automated banking machine (10) operates responsive to data bearing records. Users of the machine may deliver and receive records including individual sheets and stacks of sheets to and from the machine such as notes, checks, or other documents. Notes assessed by the machine as being of questionable validity may be marked with a removable mark or otherwise identified. |
| US08276811B2 |
M-commerce virtual cash system, method, and apparatus
A virtual cash system, method, and apparatus for establishing account records containing a record of money amounts associated with a wireless device and a security code comprising a code portion to verify a deposit of money. Cash transfers between account records may be subject to restrictions associated with the cash amounts. Cash amounts can be spent from the account records directly from the wireless device via information derived from the wireless device via a bar code on the display, a short range radio signal, a light beam, or the like. A different security code is generated for each account transaction for verification. |
| US08276810B2 |
Change orders
Method, apparatus and system for setting up withdrawal change orders online or at a cash handling device for immediately retrieval and/or future retrievals of paper cash and coin. The change order may include specific requested denominations of paper cash and/or coins. The change order may also include a specific location that the user wishes to retrieve the cash at. Upon authentication of the user at the requested cash handling device within the time-frame specified, the user may receive the change order requested automatically. |
| US08276806B2 |
Carton for flowable material
A carton for dispensing flowable material. The carton has a plurality of panels and end flaps for closing respective ends of the carton. An access opening in one of the panels is for providing access to the interior of the carton. The carton further can include a flexible bag that is positioned in the interior of the carton, and a spigot that is operatively connected to the bag for selectively dispensing the flowable material from the interior of the bag by way of the spigot. The carton is shaped to enhance flow of the flowable material through the spigot. |
| US08276800B2 |
Support structures and methods of using the same
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for forming an anastomosis between adjacent intestinal sections of tissue is provided. The apparatus includes an anastomosis device having an anvil and a tubular body portion, wherein the anvil is selectively attachable to the tubular body portion by a shaft; and a support structure for deposition between the intestinal sections of tissue. The support structure includes a body defining an aperture therein for receiving the shaft. The body has an outer terminal edge. The support structure includes at least one layer of expandable material disposed at the outer terminal edge of the body. |
| US08276798B2 |
Feeder mechanism retention device for fastener driving tool
A fastener driving tool including a power source having a reciprocating driver blade, a tool nose associated with the power source for receiving the driver blade for driving fasteners fed into the nose, a magazine constructed and arranged to house a supply of the fasteners and a magazine feeder mechanism associated with the magazine for sequentially feeding fasteners into the nose. The feeder mechanism operates between a retracted position and an advanced position. An electromechanical retention device is operationally associated with the feeder mechanism and is configured for retaining the feeder mechanism in the retracted position until the driver blade is positioned to allow fastener advancement into the nose. |
| US08276796B2 |
Device and method for cutting off substrate of fragile material
A brittle material substrate cutting method and cutting apparatus are provided, which prevent cut faces of a brittle material substrate from contacting each other after the cutting in a break step of continuously cutting the brittle material substrate, so that a damage or contamination on the brittle material substrate due to the contact can be prevented. |
| US08276793B2 |
Fitment for flexible container
A fitment for use with a flexible container having a lower fitment member with a fluid conducting opening in a top surface and an upper fitment member with an upper fitment opening in an upper fitment bottom surface where the fluid conducting opening and the upper fitment opening form a fluid passageway or conduit. A wall of the flexible container is compressibly held between the top surface of the lower fitment member and the upper fitment bottom surface. The fitment may also include one or more additional walls of one or more additional flexible containers forming a bag-in-a-bag structure. |
| US08276790B2 |
Metering and dispensing closure
A metering and dispensing closure for a container. A rotor and a movable member rotate in conjunction with a cap member to afford accurate measuring of a powder material and dispensing of it. The rotor, the movable member, and the container cap afford a consistent measuring of the powder material, as well as provide a variety of drive members which can be utilized with the dispensing closure. |
| US08276787B1 |
Combination beverage and water dispenser
A combination beverage and water dispenser includes a housing having a liquid-beverage-concentrate storage reservoir, a hot water storage tank and a cold water storage tank received therein. The cold water storage tank is in fluid communication with both a domestic water supply line and a dispensing cavity for receiving an inverted water bottle. Level sensors within the cold water storage tank communicate with a control valve on the domestic water supply line to control incoming domestic water supply. Alternatively, the domestic water supply may be disabled and a water bottle may be installed within the cavity to use bottled water in lieu of domestic water, if desired. The hot water tank, the cold water tank and the beverage concentrate reservoir are in selective communication with a mixing valve wherein hot or cold water and beverage concentrate are mixed to produce a desired hot or cold beverage. Accordingly, a user can instantly dispense a desired amount of beverage using either domestic water or bottled water. |
| US08276785B1 |
NBC/CBRNE personal hydration system
A hydration system for providing fluid to a user. The system includes a bladder configured to hold a fluid, the bladder having a multilayer outer protective skin of a lightweight, durable thermoplastic laminate. A spout is connected to the bladder and in communication with the inside of the bladder and having a relatively large-diameter fill outlet for filling the bladder with fluid. A cap adapted to engage and close the fill port is included. A drinking tube in communication with the inside of the bladder extends from an exit port and includes a distal end upon which a mouthpiece may be mounted.The fill port includes a three-part closure fitting having a sealing base portion, a sealing closure portion, and a sealing cap portion. Each portion includes flanges having mating ridges and troughs to provide a leak proof seal. |
| US08276781B1 |
Drinking container assembly
A drinking container assembly includes a housing that has a bottom wall and a perimeter wall which is attached to and extends upwardly from the bottom wall. The perimeter wall has an upper edge defining an opening extending into the housing. A closure is attached to and is coextensive with the upper edge. The closure is positionable in an open position extending upwardly from the upper edge or in a closed position folded downwardly over the opening. The closure has an access aperture extends their through and into the housing when the closure is in the closed position. |
| US08276780B2 |
Fitting torque arm restraint
A torque arm restraint is provided with a body having a bore including an axis and an arm extending from said body transversely to the axis and is adapted for resisting torque applied to the fitting of a liquid storage tank, and is configured either for mounting on a fitting or as a component of the fitting such as an outlet fitting mounting a pipe and extending from the wall of the tank. A tubular body permits passage of instrumentation or liquid therethrough and the arm may have an abutment surface positioned proximate the inside surface of the tank wall, either in engagement or in spaced relationship, whereby the arm resists torque applied to the fitting exteriorly of the tank. The body may include an attachment member which is adapted for mounting to a tank fitting, and may be coupled to a pipe within the tank. |
| US08276756B2 |
Water-soluble film having improved dissolution and stress properties, and packets made therefrom
Disclosed is a pouch having at least one sealed compartment containing a first composition. At least one wall of the at least one sealed compartment is made from a water-soluble film having any suitable thickness. The water-soluble film comprises PVOH polymer such that when the film has a thickness of about 76 microns the film is characterized by a Dissolution Index of about 620 to about 920, or of about 665 to about 920, or about 710 to about 920; and a Stress Index of about 145 to about 626, or about 155 to about 480, or about 165 to about 325. |
| US08276751B2 |
System and method for displaying a padlock
A system and method is provided for displaying a padlock. In one embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a padlock, a card and a back plate, wherein the card includes a front side, a back side and an aperture sized to receive at least a body of the padlock, and the back plate is configured to be attached to the back side of the card (e.g., via coupling portions). The card further includes a plurality of retaining tabs that extend from a face of the card and are used to retain the padlock by restricting movement of the padlock in a direction orthogonal and/or parallel to the face of the card. Each retaining tab is configured to retain the padlock by providing at least one retaining surface. |
| US08276746B2 |
Spiral conveyor
Spiral conveyor for containers, including at least one transport path spirally enclosing a machine axis, the transport path is defined by, relative to the machine axis, outer container guide and/or slide elements and by, relative to the machine axis, inner guide and/or slide elements, and extends between a container input and a container output, and including at least one carrier, which extends over the entire length of the spiral formed by the transport path and reaches through the transport path or its spiral in the area between the outer container guide and/or slide elements and the inner container guide and/or slide elements and is held on at least two carrier elements which can be rotationally driven on the machine axis. |
| US08276742B1 |
Handling system for multiple workpieces
A handling system for multiple workpieces is provided for repeatedly lifting rows of multiple workpieces on a lift assembly from a collection of workpieces in a hopper and selectively delivering one or more rows of orientated workpieces to an exit conveyor. Any disoriented workpieces on the exit conveyor can be discarded from the exit conveyor and returned to the collection of workpieces in the hopper. |
| US08276741B1 |
Bottle cap orienting apparatus
A bottle cap orienting apparatus including a cap transfer assembly having a pair of opposing transfer belts each having curved first and second ends and upright facing straight sides opposingly spaced apart to define a gap sized to be equal to or greater than a height of the caps being transferred and reoriented for subsequent feeding into a bottle capping apparatus. A cap feed chute is positioned centrally between the first ends for conveying unoriented bottle caps in edge upright orientation into the gap. Each of the transfer belts have suction holes positioned along each of the transfer belts. A vacuum source within each belt draws air inwardly into the suction holes which holds caps against the belt. The belts move in unison to carry the bottle caps to the second ends where a cap stripper detaches each cap from the transfer belts. |
| US08276737B2 |
Device for the transport of passengers
Device for the passenger transport, in particular an escalator provided with steps or a moving walkway equipped with pallets, wherein the steps or pallets are connected to each other to form a continuous step or pallet belt and can be moved in the direction of transport by means of drive elements, wherein a lower entrance or exit section of the device is connected to an upper exit or entrance section via at least one arched transport section which, seen over the length and height thereof, is formed by different radii which verge into each other, wherein at least the arched transport section is composed of several linear framing sections which are connected to each other in the region of the facing ends thereof. |
| US08276732B2 |
Clutch device
A clutch device is configured to include a clutch mechanism, a clutch actuator operatively engaging and disengaging the clutch mechanism, a clutch lever, and an assist pressure generator which generates assist hydraulic pressure by driving an electric motor. The assist hydraulic pressure is supplied to the clutch actuator to operatively engage and disengage the clutch mechanism. The clutch device further includes a first turning angle sensor which detects the turn operation angle of the clutch lever, a control unit which controllably drives the electric motor based on the turning operation amount of the clutch lever and adjusts the driving force generating gain characteristic of the electric motor, and a gain adjustment knob which variably sets the gain characteristic. The clutch device makes it possible to changeably set the magnitude of an assist force of an assist device according to a rider's preference. |
| US08276728B2 |
Clutch unit comprising a torsional vibration damper
A clutch unit (1) including at least one wet clutch (28, 29) and a torsional vibration damper (12) which are accommodated in a housing (8) driven by the drive unit. In order to simplify assembly, pre-assembled modular units (3, 4, 5) are formed that are joined together during the final assembly process. Advantageously, a separation point is provided between two modular units in the torsional vibration damper, wherein one modular unit (3) includes the energy accumulators (11) captively accommodated in a housing part (6), while the other modular unit (4) includes the output part of the torsional vibration damper as an input part (13) of the at least one wet clutch. |
| US08276724B2 |
Power transmission system for vehicle changing power transmission state by electric control
The present invention provides a technology of improving mechanism that drives a pilot clutch for operating a main clutch, in a power transmission system for a vehicle changing power transmission state by electric control in which an input shaft and an output shaft coaxially disposed in a main housing is configured such that power is connected/disconnected by the main clutch. |
| US08276717B1 |
High/low shoe abutment
A disc brake assembly includes an anchor having a pair of spaced apart inwardly facing contoured surfaces between which a disc brake backing plate having an outwardly facing pair of complementarily contoured surfaces is located. There is a pair of slipper springs, each of which may be interposed between an outwardly facing and corresponding inwardly facing surface in either one of two distinct symmetrical positions. The two slipper springs are substantially identical and include a U-shaped portion with a leg extending from one U end so that the leg may form an abutment contact between a backing plate surface and the anchor surface during brake application. The two distinct symmetrical positions comprise one position with the leg extending generally inwardly from the U-shaped portion toward the brake disc axis, and another position with the leg extending generally outwardly from the U-shaped portion away from the brake disc axis. |
| US08276714B2 |
Emergency evacuation rappel line anchor mount apparatus
A rappel line anchor mount apparatus for use primarily with generally planar type support surfaces and fixtures provides a generally flat, substantially T-shaped body arranged to mount a rappel line on the normally upright leg extending substantially perpendicularly centrally from the work surface edge of the normally laterally extending top leg forming the T-shaped anchor body. The anchor mount apparatus may be formed with opposite jaw members pivotally secured together for movement between an extended, operative condition for use, and a collapsed, folded condition for efficient storage and carrying when not in use. |
| US08276712B2 |
Systems for use with multiple safety devices and connectors for use therewith
A system includes a support including an extending rigid member and a first attachment at a first position on the rigid member to which a first self-retracting lifeline is attached. The first self-retracing lifeline includes a first housing from which a first lifeline exits. The first housing is movable relative to the rigid member. The system also includes at least a second attachment at a second position on the rigid member to which a second self-retracing lifeline. The second self-retracting lifeline includes a second housing from which a second lifeline exits. The second housing is movable relative to the rigid member independent of the movement of the first housing. The first position is spaced from the second position. The system further includes a connector attached to the frame to connect the frame to an article (for example, a safety harness such as a full body safety harness) worn by a user. |
| US08276708B1 |
Headliners and vehicles with improved speech transmission characteristics
Headliners for vehicles and vehicles incorporating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a vehicle includes an enclosed passenger compartment at least partially bounded by a roof structure. A headliner may be attached to an inboard side of the roof structure. The headliner may include an acoustical attenuator portion attached to an inboard side of the roof structure and an acoustical reflector portion attached to an inboard side of the acoustical attenuator portion. The acoustical attenuator portion absorbs acoustic energy incident on an outboard surface of the roof structure and the acoustical reflector portion reflects acoustic energy incident on an inboard side of the acoustical reflector portion. The enclosed passenger compartment has a Speech Transmission Index greater than 0.56 for acoustic energy incident on the inboard side of the acoustical reflector portion. |
| US08276704B2 |
Hydraulic steering system for forklift trucks
A hydraulic steering actuator system for a forklift with front and rear sections includes a hydraulic steering motor. The forklift front section includes a mast mounting a pair of fork blades and a pair of wheels. The forklift rear section mounts a pair of drive wheels. The forklift front and rear sections are connected by an articulated connection with a vertical rotational axis. The steering actuator motor driveshaft extends generally along the vertical rotational axis. First and second actuator mounting brackets are connected to the forklift front and rear sections respectively. One of the mounting brackets includes upper and lower locking assemblies locking the hydraulic steering motor driveshaft whereby torque applied to the steering motor is transmitted to the articulated connection for turning the forklift front section relative to the forklift rear section. The range of motion is preferably 180°-205° for accommodating side-loading operations from relatively high storage shelves, e.g. in narrow-aisle warehouses. |
| US08276703B2 |
Chain adjustment apparatus for motorcycle
A chain adjustment apparatus for a motorcycle includes a substantially C-shaped adjustment recess formed in an end piece member attached to a rear end portion of a rear fork. An adjustment member is slidably fitted in the adjustment recess. The adjustment member includes a projecting member having a substantially V-shaped projecting slope, and a recessed member having a substantially V-shaped recessed slope. The projecting member fits in the recessed member. When a wheel axle is passed through the adjustment member and the end piece member, the projecting member is brought into wedged engagement with the recessed member by axial force on the wheel axle, and upper and lower split bodies of the recessed member are moved, and pressed onto upper and lower face walls of the end piece member for increasing a coupling rigidity of the adjustment member with the end piece member. |
| US08276702B2 |
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is provided having an engine disposed on a vehicle body frame, a storage box disposed downward of a rider seat, a fuel tank for storing fuel to be supplied to the engine, and a canister for adsorbing fuel vapors generated in the fuel tank. The canister does not restrict the shape of the fuel tank, and the storage box and the fuel tank are disposed longitudinally. A storage box and a fuel tank are disposed in a longitudinally parallel arrangement. A rear cross frame forming part of a vehicle body frame and disposed between the storage box and the fuel tank connects rear frames which form part of the vehicle body frame and are disposed on both lateral sides of the storage box and the fuel tank. Further, a canister is disposed downwardly of the rear cross frame between the storage box and the fuel tank. |
| US08276698B2 |
Electrically propelled vehicle
An electrically-propelled vehicle, the battery of which is housed in a battery housing (20) arranged in the rear of the vehicle and under the floor (4) thereof, to be protected against front and rear collisions and restricting the load are as little as possible. The above is achieved by the floor (4) comprising a cut-out (11), larger in plan than the outline of the battery housing (20), the cut-out (11) having a reinforced edge (12), to which front and rear support pieces (13, 30) for the battery housing (20) are fixed, the rear support piece (13) being fixed to the vehicle by a pair of flanges (17, 17′) with rearward downwardly inclined stop surfaces (19) and the battery housing (20) is rigid or reinforced. |
| US08276697B2 |
Structure for mounting batteries to electric vehicles
A structure for mounting a battery onto an electric vehicle comprises: a body member forming a body of the electric vehicle; a battery case containing a battery; a supporting member, which is projected outward from the battery case and is disposed under the body member, fixed to a bottom of said battery case; and a clash-proof block connecting between the battery case and the body member. |
| US08276696B2 |
Structural battery duct assembly
A vehicle includes a cabin, a trunk area, a seating area located forward in the vehicle with respect to the trunk area, and a high voltage traction battery packaged in the trunk area. An electric motor is powered by the traction battery. A forced air system includes an inlet duct/inlet plenum arrangement for receiving air and providing air to the high voltage traction battery, an outlet duct for directing exhaust air from the high voltage traction battery, and a fan. At least one of the inlet duct / inlet plenum arrangement and the outlet duct forms a cross brace for the vehicle. The cross brace is located in the trunk area and extends between opposite sides of the vehicle to function as a structural member to provide structure and protect the high voltage traction battery. |
| US08276690B2 |
Expandable downhole tool
An expandable downhole tool such as an under-reamer or a stabiliser includes a mandrel mounted for linear slidable movement relative to a main body. The mandrel, together with one or more travel blocks, cause movement of a working component in an axial direction. One or more outwardly extending guide paths slidably interact with the working component to cause the working component to move between a withdrawn inoperative position and an outwardly deployed operative position. Upon increase of hydraulic pressure from below the tool, the mandrel is urged against a spring biasing the deactivated position to move axially and cause the working component to take its operative position. Upon decrease of hydraulic pressure, the spring moves the mandrel axially to cause the working component to take its withdrawn inoperative position. |
| US08276688B2 |
Downhole casing cutting tool
An oilfield downhole cutting tool comprises a tool body that comprises a non-cutting stabilizing section. The cutting tool further comprises a plurality of cutters coupled to the tool body forward of the non-cutting stabilizing section, wherein a maximum cutting diameter defined by the cutters is less than 1.1 times a diameter defined by the non-cutting stabilizing section. The cutting tool further comprises a cutting rate limiting component coupled to the tool body. |
| US08276687B2 |
Steering head
A steering head for use with an auger and a casing engaged to the auger, the steering head comprising: a generally cylindrical body having a first body end and a second body end mountable to the casing, a bore channel concentrically received in the body, a front lip, a rear lip, a body surface, and a lead edge; an outer tube having an internal side covering the body surface and an opposing external side; a steering flap disposed on the external side of the outer tube having a first flap face and a second flap face, a distal end, and a hinge end, the steering flap disposable in a retracted position and an extended position; a biased hinge operative to retract the steering flap into the retracted position; and a powered actuator operative to extend the first flap face into the extended position. |
| US08276685B2 |
Electrical power tool
In view of the above problem, the present invention is to provide an electrical power tool which enables a user to intuitively grasp a rotation direction and a rotation speed of a tip tool. The electrical power tool 1 comprises a chuck 2 provided at a tip of a tool body 3, and rotatable with a tip tool held, and an operation switch 7 having operation protrusions 6 exposed to both side surfaces of a tool body 3 so as to be able to operate, respectively bilaterally symmetrically protruded with a rotation axis of the chuck 2 therebetween, coaxially rotatable with the chuck 2, and urged so as to be self-restored to a neutral position. The chuck 2 is rotated in a direction according to a rotation direction of the switch 7 at a speed according to a rotation angle from the neutral position of the operation switch 7. |
| US08276683B1 |
Combination post and insertion tool therefor
A post driver for driving hollow posts, especially plastic posts, has an elongated central guide shaft and a hollow outer sleeve. The guide shaft has a length and diameter sized to pass fairly freely through but generally fill the post's hollow core to protect against the post buckling during pounding strokes. The outer sleeve annularly surrounds a substantial upper portion of the post for similar reasons. The outer sleeve transmits pounding strikes to a stop formation that rests stationary on the post's top end. That way, a user manually applying pounding strokes to the stop formation's upper surface transmits force to not only the post's top end but also the guide shaft's bottom end. Optionally, the guide shaft's bottom end is tipped and sticks out a little in order to pierce a pilot hole in the ground, and clear a path, for the post to follow. |
| US08276673B2 |
Gas lift system
An improved gas lift system is provided. In certain embodiments, the gas lift system includes a first tubing string and a second tubing string disposed within the first tubing string. The second tubing string is movable between a first position and a second position. Inflow of production fluids through an aperture in the first tubing string is selectively blocked when the second tubing string is in the second position. A port in the second tubing string delivers lift gas to the annulus between the first tubing string and the second tubing string. In the first position, the port is blocked to prevent fluid communication between the second tubing string and the first tubing string. In the second position, the port is uncovered to permit fluid communication between the second tubing string and the first tubing string, while a sealing member provides a seal that isolates the fluid communication from a well formation. |
| US08276671B2 |
Bridging hanger and seal running tool
A running tool sets and pressure tests a bridging hanger and a packoff in a single trip. The running tool has a stem, an inner body, and a piston. The inner body is connected to the stem so that rotation of the stem relative to the inner body will cause the stem to move longitudinally. The piston is connected to the stem so that the stem and piston rotate and move longitudinally in unison. A piston engagement element is housed in the inner body and is adapted to engage the piston when the bridging hanger is set to prevent premature setting of the packoff. The piston engagement element can be disengaged once the bridging hanger is set, thereby allowing the piston to set the packoff. |
| US08276670B2 |
Downhole dissolvable plug
A downhole plug can include a housing having an aperture disposed generally through the center of the housing. A stopper can be disposed in the aperture and adapted to block fluid flow therethrough. The stopper can have a composition of at least two different materials. One or more covers can be at least partially disposed on the stopper, wherein and the stopper can be at least partially encapsulated by the one or more covers. A flow control device can be disposed adjacent the stopper to selectively introduce fluid to at least a portion of the stopper. |
| US08276666B2 |
Sealant compositions and methods of use
Of the many methods and compositions provided herein, one method includes a method comprising introducing a sealant composition into a well bore that penetrates a subterranean formation, wherein the sealant composition comprises a base fluid, a binder material, and a filler material; and allowing the sealant composition to form a cohesive sealant. One composition provided herein includes a sealant composition comprising a base fluid, a binder material, and a filler material, wherein the sealant composition will form a cohesive sealant. |
| US08276665B2 |
Plug release apparatus
A plug release apparatus for use in a well bore, the apparatus having a canister, a liner plug, and a sub. The liner plug may be releasably attached to the canister via a first release mechanism. The sub may be releasably attached to the canister via a second release mechanism. The first release mechanism may be configured to release the liner plug from the canister at a first pressure and the second release mechanism may be configured to release the canister from the sub at a second pressure. |
| US08276662B2 |
Systems and methods to filter and collect downhole fluid
The present disclosure is directed to the filtering and collection of downhole fluids. An example system to filter and sample downhole fluids includes a first sampling chamber that includes one or more cone-shaped filters to receive downhole fluid, filter the downhole fluid, and store the downhole fluid, a second sampling chamber, a spool valve to allow the downhole fluid to flow into the first sampling chamber in a first position and to redirect the downhole fluid to the second sampling chamber or a base block in a second position, and a setting line to selectively move the spool valve from the first position to the second position. |
| US08276661B2 |
Heating subsurface formations by oxidizing fuel on a fuel carrier
A method of heating a portion of a subsurface formation includes drawing fuel on a fuel carrier through an opening formed in the formation. Oxidant is supplied to the fuel at one or more locations in the opening. The fuel is combusted with the oxidant to provide heat to the formation. |
| US08276651B2 |
Cooling system for a vehicle
The cooling system for a vehicle comprises a heat exchanger in which a condenser 200 comprising a plurality of tubes 112, 220; a pair of tanks 210; and fins 113, 230 and in which a condenser 200 comprised of portions 210B, 220, 230 through which the refrigerant is flowed is integrally formed with a first oil cooler 110 comprised of portions 210A, 112, 113 through which the oil is flowed; a radiator 300 which comprises a plurality of radiator tubes 320; a pair of radiator tanks 310; and radiator fins 330, and which is positioned at a down stream of the condenser 200 in the air blow direction; and a second oil cooler 120 which is provided in one of the radiator tanks 310 of the radiator 300. |
| US08276649B2 |
Process to cast seal slots in turbine vane shrouds
A process for casting a turbine engine component is provided. The process comprises the steps of placing a refractory metal core assembly comprising two intersecting plates in a die, encapsulating the refractory metal 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. |
| US08276648B2 |
PVD target with end of service life detection capability
A method for forming a tube-based detector for signaling when a PVD target is reduced to a predetermined quantity of the PVD target material includes providing a mold member having an inner molding member and an outer molding member defining a space therebetween, melting a desired tube material, injecting the molten tube material into the space between the inner molding member and the outer molding member, cooling the molten tube material, removing the tube from the mold member after the molten tube material has cooled and solidified into a tube, embedding the tube in the physical vapor deposition target, wherein the tube forms an enclosure of the tube-based detector. |
| US08276646B2 |
Apparatus for manufacturing rotor for rotating electric machine
An apparatus for manufacturing a rotor for a rotating electric machine. The apparatus includes a movable mold and a stationary mold, and a cavity is formed between those molds. The movable mold includes a rotor core holding portion holding a rotor core, and a core arranging portion arranging a core removably. The core includes a base core and a plurality of split cores. The base core is equipped on its outer circumference with a remedy face, which is positioned in the inner circumference of the open end portion of a boss portion and extends in a mold-release direction of a casting, thereby blocking the deformation of the open end portion at the parting time. |
| US08276634B2 |
Apparatus for decorating objects
An apparatus for decorating objects through sublimation comprises a kiln for heating the objects, a carousel comprising a plurality of arms having a supporting arrangement for supporting the objects, each object being associated with a transferring sheet provided with a sublimable decoration and further comprises a sucking arrangement for sucking air between the transferring sheet and the object. |
| US08276631B2 |
Method for manufacturing low noise pneumatic tire
A pneumatic tire having a noise damper, a method for manufacturing the same, and a method for fixing the damper to the tire are disclosed. The inner surface of the tread portion of the vulcanized tire is buffed, and the noise damper is fixed to the buffed inner surface, using a double-sided adhesive tape which has specific characteristics such as adhesive force, tensile strength, thickness, cold-resistant property, heat-resistant property and water-resistant property. |
| US08276630B2 |
Track link for anti-skid chain
The invention relates to a chain link for an anti-skid chain for vehicle tires, whereby protruding studs arranged on the chain link, and at least one stud is arranged on the lengthwise side of the chain link and the longitudinal central axis of the stud is inclined with respect to the central plane of the chain link. The chain link is thus implemented as either a drawn, milled or forged chain link. The invention further relates to an anti-skid chain that exhibits chain links according to the invention. |
| US08276624B2 |
Sealant bottle snap-in feature for vehicle temporary mobility kit
A temporary mobility kit directed to a release arrangement for selectively releasing a sealant bottle from the base of the kit is disclosed. |
| US08276622B2 |
Metal sheet ventilation/smoke duct section and manufacturing method thereof
The invention relates to a metal sheet (15) ventilation/smoke exhaust duct section (10) for incorporation into a metal sheet ventilation/smoke exhaust duct, said metal sheets (15) being covered on the outside by a heat insulating material (20) and said duct section (10) including elongated stiffening bar members (30) located on the outside of the duct and attached to said metal sheets (15), the invention being characterized in said bar members (30) being located at a distance from said metal sheets (15), said bar members (30) being attached to said metal sheets (15) at discrete locations along the length of the bar members (30). |
| US08276619B2 |
Drain for exhaust gas duct
An exhaust gas duct includes a hollow duct section having a peripheral wall, a slot in said peripheral wall, the slot opening in a direction counter to a flow direction through the hollow duct section; and a baffle plate located on an exterior surface of the peripheral wall, upstream of the slot relative to the flow direction. |
| US08276618B2 |
Flow restrictor and method for reducing resistance of a flow
Methods and devices are described for reducing flow resistance in a flow restrictor during high flows. |
| US08276617B2 |
Piston valve for diaphragm pump
A piston valve for improving the output efficiency of a diaphragm pump includes a central discharge base and a plurality of water inlet ports, wherein each of the discharge base and water inlet ports is provided with a top concave surface, and a plastic gasket is engaged with the concave surface of the water discharge base and a piston slice is engaged with the concave surface of each water inlet port so that a gap is defined between the gasket and its concave surface and a gap is also defined between each piston slice and its corresponding concave surface. |
| US08276616B2 |
High pressure duckbill valve and insert
The present invention provides apparatus featuring a check valve featuring a duckbill valve configured to provide fluid and particulate; and an insert having a base portion configured to seat the insert inside the duckbill valve, and a W-shaped portion configured with an opening to pass the fluid and particulate through the duckbill valve and also configured to provide support for walls of the duckbill valve in response to back pressure caused by the fluid and particulate. |
| US08276606B2 |
Semi-automatic umbrella with an automatically retractable central shaft
A semi-automatic umbrella includes a telescopic central shaft, a handle, and a runner slidable along the shaft. A first pull cord is placed in a tensed state when the shaft is extended, which causes an upward biased movement of an actuating member to thrust a spring-biased runner-retaining member to disengage from the shaft once the first pull cord is released. A tension spring body coupled to a second pull cord is stretchable to acquire an urging force. The stretched tension spring body enables an upward movement of the runner for spreading the umbrella. Once the urging force is released, a downward movement of the runner causes collapse of the umbrella and disengagement of a spring-biased shaft-retaining member from the shaft, thereby permitting folding of the shaft and closing the umbrella. |
| US08276603B2 |
Medical equipment washer system and method
Embodiments of the invention provide a system and method of cleaning and/or disinfecting medical equipment. A medical equipment washer system can include an enclosure that receives and substantially surrounds the medical equipment and one or more spray assemblies positioned inside the enclosure. The spray assemblies can automatically emit fluid to clean and/or disinfect the medical equipment. In some embodiments, spray arms of the spray assemblies can oscillate while jets emit fluid. |
| US08276601B2 |
Cleaning vessel
A cleaning vessel (10) comprising a main chamber (12) into which can be inserted a part (34) for cleaning and one or more secondary chambers (14). An opening (30) is provided in the main chamber (12) associated with each secondary chamber (14) such that the main chamber (12) is in fluid communication with each secondary chamber (14). Rotation of the part (34) causes rotational flow of fluid in the main chamber (12) and each opening (30) is oriented such that material entrained in the rotating fluid passes from the main chamber (12) into the associated secondary chamber (14). |
| US08276599B2 |
Personal electronics device with cosmetics compartment
A personal electronics device of the type such as, but not limited to, cell phones, personal digital assistants, digital camera, and digital electronic games, includes a case having a first compartment and a second compartment. A series of integrated electronic components perform a desired personal electronic function wherein at least a portion of the components are housed in the first compartment. The second compartment defines a selectively accessible storage volume. A cosmetic tray is housed in the accessible storage volume and has at least one form of cosmetic selected from the group of nail polish, mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, lip liner, and lip gloss. |
| US08276597B1 |
Sunscreen applicator and method of using same
A sunscreen applicator including a reservoir containing a sunscreen, and an applicator tip in fluid communication with the reservoir, the applicator tip being configured for applying the sunscreen at a predetermined point and along a predetermined line on a user's body. In use, the sunscreen is applied from the tip to the user's body at a predetermined point on the body, such as mole, or along a predetermined line, such as a along cut or a tattoo. |
| US08276596B2 |
Applicator for applying a composition to the eyelashes
An applicator for applying a composition to the eyelashes. The applicator has at least one brush sector that has a row of fibers and at least one comb having a row of teeth and having a shape that is generally helical. |
| US08276589B2 |
Cricothyrotomy device
A cricothyrotomy syringe has a hollow body, a needle connector at an end of the body, an aperture at an opposite end of the body, a plunger in the aperture, the plunger having a seal that forms a liquid tight seal with an inner surface of the body and the plunger moveable within the body between an extended position and a compressed position and a ventilator adaptor extending from a side of the body, where an interior of the ventilator adaptor is in fluid communication with an interior of the body when the plunger is in the extended position. |
| US08276588B1 |
Respiratory mask with adjustable shape
This invention is a respiratory mask for delivering pressurized gas with a perimeter that can be custom fitted to the contours of a person's face by active and individual adjustment of multiple shape-changing members in the body of the mask. In different embodiments of this invention, the shape-changing members may be located around the perimeter of the mask and individually adjusted by inflation, other pneumatic means, hydraulic means, electric means, or magnetic means. The resulting mask can conform to the contours of an individual's face, even while they sleep, so that there are no places around the mask that fit too tightly (causing irritation, skin marks, and pain) and no places that fit too loosely (causing air leaks). |
| US08276584B2 |
Conserving device for breathable gas
A pneumatic oxygen conserving device for supplying oxygen to a user via a single-tube cannula is described. Inhalation is sensed by negative pressure in an output line 11 which causes a sensing valve 21 to open, thus venting a main control volume 14 via vent line 22. This fall in pressure causes a main control valve 2 to open to supply a pulse of gas. This pressurizes the output line 11 which in turn causes the sensing valve 21 to close, thus preventing further venting. Volume 14 now re-pressurizes via line 15 and restrictor 16 and eventually reaches a level at which valve 2 closes and terminates the pulse of gas supplied to the user. A sensing delay valve 35 is incorporated in the vent line 22 from volume 14 to prevent the volume from venting after the first pulse has been delivered, until after the user has finished inhaling. |
| US08276579B2 |
Hot-air furnace module and hot-air furnace
The invention relates to a hot-air furnace module having a furnace space, which is at least partially delimited by walls and is assigned an air-delivery device for producing an airstream and a heat-transfer device for heating the airstream. According to the invention, an incoming-air channel is provided, which is formed between the air-feed device and the furnace space for guiding the airstream delivered by the air-feed device and which is provided with first and second throttle means, which are arranged at a distance from one another in the direction of flow and are intended to even out the airstream before it flows through the furnace space. Furthermore, according to the invention a hot-air furnace is formed from hot-air furnace modules which are rotated through 180 degrees with respect to one another and are in communication with one another. |
| US08276572B2 |
Working gas circulation engine
A combustion chamber to which a reactant and a working gas whose specific heat ratio is higher than that of air are supplied and in which the working gas can expand following a reaction of the reactant, a circulation path capable of resupplying the working gas into the combustion chamber by causing the working gas to circulate from an exhaust side to a suction side of the combustion chamber, supplying means that supplies the reactant, a concentration detection means capable of detecting a concentration of the reactant in the circulation path, and a supply control means that sets at least a first supply rate of the reactant by the supplying means in a time for starting based on the concentration of the reactant detected by the concentration detection means before a start of supplying of the reactant by the supplying means are included and so proper starting can be assured. |
| US08276570B2 |
Method and apparatus for improved internal combustion of fuel/oxidizer mixtures by nanostructure injection and electromagnetic pulse ignition
A system and method to inject nanostructures into the fuel/oxidizer mixture, typically lean mixtures, to increase efficiency of internal combustion and/or decrease pollution. An electromagnetic pulse (suitably 1 to 100 GHz) couples energy to the nanostructures to produce a volumetric combustion of the fuel oxidizer mixture. The fuel/oxidizer mixture is substantially transparent to the band of the electromagnetic pulse. The nanostructures couple to the electromagnetic radiation, absorb the energy and heat rapidly producing many local ignitions that in turn produce volume combustion. The nanostructures may be filled or partially filled with energetic material. |
| US08276568B2 |
Fuel supply apparatuses
A fuel supply apparatus according to the present invention includes vapor production determining means for determining whether or not the vapor of the fuel is producible, and control means (ECU) for operating a passage resistance adjusting means of a pressure adjusting mechanism to cause increase of the pressure of the fuel supplied to an injector insomuch as the production of the vapor is inhibited when the vapor production determining means has determined a vapor producible condition. |
| US08276567B2 |
Multi-layer piezoelectric element, and injection apparatus and fuel injection system that employ the same
To provide a multi-layer piezoelectric element that is improved to mitigate the decrease in the amount of displacement under such harsh operating conditions, the multi-layer piezoelectric element, the multi-layer piezoelectric element comprising: a stacked body comprising a plurality of piezoelectric material layers and a plurality of internal electrodes, the stacked body being formed by stacking the plurality of internal electrodes and the piezoelectric layers alternately on each other; and an external electrode formed on a side face of the stacked body, wherein the external electrode comprises a base portion and a first protrusion protruding from the base portion toward an outside. |
| US08276565B2 |
Fuel management system for variable ethanol octane enhancement of gasoline engines
Fuel management system for efficient operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. Injectors inject an anti-knock agent such as ethanol directly into a cylinder of the engine. A fuel management microprocessor system controls injection of the anti-knock agent so as to control knock and minimize that amount of the anti-knock agent that is used in a drive cycle. It is preferred that the anti-knock agent is ethanol. The use of ethanol can be further minimized by injection in a non-uniform manner within a cylinder. The ethanol injection suppresses knock so that higher compression ratio and/or engine downsizing from increased turbocharging or supercharging can be used to increase the efficiency of the engine. |
| US08276564B2 |
Multiplexing drive circuit for an AC ignition system
A multiplexing drive circuit for an AC ignition system having a common leg that includes two switches coupled in series, and one or more dedicated legs, wherein each leg includes two switches coupled in series. The multiplexing drive circuit also includes a transformer for each of the one or more dedicated legs, each transformer having a primary winding coupled between one of the one or more dedicated legs and the common leg, and wherein each transformer has a secondary winding coupled in parallel to a spark plug, and a pulse-width modulated (PWM) switch controller configured to operate the common leg and dedicated leg switches to control characteristics of the spark discharge for the spark plug. |
| US08276562B2 |
Balance shaft mounting system
A balance shaft includes a housing that is disposed under an engine and a first hole is formed thereto, a balance shaft that is disposed to the housing and a second hole is formed thereto and a mounting pin that is inserted into the first hole through the second hole for mounting the balance shaft. |
| US08276560B2 |
V-type engine
A V-type engine includes: first and second banks which are arranged in a V-shape and which respectively have cylinder bores; a crankshaft which is shared by the first and second banks; a crankcase which supports the crankshaft, the first and second banks being connected to the crankcase; and a valley portion which is defined between the first and second banks, an engine auxiliary machine being disposed in the valley portion. The first and second banks are arranged so that a cylinder center line of the first bank and a cylinder center line of the second bank respectively pass through a point which is eccentric from a rotational center of the crankshaft to a side opposite from both the banks. Thus, it is possible to improve an auxiliary machine housing function of the valley portion defined between the first and second banks while maintaining a predetermined opening angle therebetween. |
| US08276559B2 |
Method and device for the optimized starting of an internal combustion engine
A method and a device are for the optimized starting of an internal combustion engine using a starter, which is connected to a capacitor store, the capacitor store being connected via a DC/DC converter to a vehicle electrical system of a vehicle, and the vehicle electrical system including an energy store for supplying electrical energy having a nominal voltage, and the starter consuming a starting energy for starting the internal combustion engine, which is a function of a temperature of the internal combustion engine, the temperature of the internal combustion engine being measured by at least one temperature sensor and the capacitor store being charged to a setpoint voltage with the aid of a battery via another DC/DC converter, which connects the battery in parallel to the capacitor store parallel to a switch, the setpoint voltage being set by a control unit such that the electrical energy stored in the capacitor store charged to the setpoint voltage is greater than the starting energy ascertained on the basis of the measured temperature. |
| US08276557B2 |
Variable valve activation system for internal combustion engine
Variable valve activation system for internal combustion engines includes a first arm, a link mechanism, a swing cam, and a variable mechanism, which continuously varies lift amount of an engine valve. The link mechanism includes a second arm rotatably linked with the first arm for transmitting the movement of the first arm to the swing cam. The variable mechanism includes a first gear provided concentrically with a swing shaft of the first arm and a second gear provided to the second arm concentrically with the link pin so as to engage with the first gear. The rotation of the first gear causes the second arm to swing and varies the swing position of the swing cam with respect to the engine valve, and in a state the first gear is in a halt or stopped position, the first arm causes the second arm to swing in a swing direction of the first arm. |
| US08276556B2 |
Continuously variable valvetrain actuator having a torque-compensating mechanism
A mechanism for compensating systematic uni-directional torque bias imposed on a bi-directional drive actuator shaft, comprising a pallet disposed on an arm for rotation with the actuator shaft. A bucket tappet is engaged by the pallet and contains a helical compression spring. As the actuator shaft rotates and compresses the spring, the load on the pallet increases linearly but the length of the lever arm changes non-linearly at a rate different from the force applied to the pallet. This results in a non-linear torque about the actuator shaft. The torque can be the same at the compression spring preload state as it is at the full load state or it can be biased to be unsymmetrical based on the layout and size of the components and the stroke of the actuator shaft. |
| US08276549B2 |
Flexible fuel variable boost supercharged engine
The present invention provides a flexible fuel, spark ignition, variable boost, supercharged internal combustion engine. A variable speed drive assembly connects the engine output to a supercharger. The engine includes a fuel sensor which provides a signal to an engine controller which determines the type of fuel. The engine controller also receives signals from a mass air flow sensor, a manifold air pressure sensor, a crank angle sensor, a camshaft angle sensor, an oxygen sensor in the exhaust stream and a transmission controller. The engine controller provides control signals to an ignition module, to a fuel injection system, to an electronic throttle control, to a supercharger drive controller and to the transmission controller. |
| US08276545B2 |
Animal treatment system
An apparatus is provided that includes at least two substantially parallel pressure sensing members adapted to detect location of an animal foot. The apparatus also includes a system for delivering ingredients to the pressure sensing members, and a system for discharging the ingredients on the animal foot. |
| US08276540B2 |
Method and system for introducing process fluid through a chamber component
A method and system for introducing a process fluid through a chamber component in a processing system is described. The chamber component comprises a chamber element having a first surface on a supply side of the chamber element and a second surface on a process side of the chamber element, wherein the process side is opposite the supply side. Furthermore, the chamber component comprises a conduit extending through the chamber element from the supply side to the process side, wherein the conduit comprises an inlet configured to receive a process fluid and an outlet configured to distribute the process fluid. |
| US08276539B2 |
Nanomaterial observation sample preparation apparatus and preparation method
An observation sample is prepared by immobilizing a nanomaterial on a substrate 10 by applying a voltage between a nanomaterial dispersion liquid 13, filled in an interior of an electrostatic spray nozzle 20, and the observation substrate 10 to electrostatically spray and dry the dispersion liquid 13 and electrostatically deposit the nanomaterial. With respect to the observation substrate 10, including a conductive grid portion 11 and a supporting film 12, a reference electrode 81 is disposed below the substrate 10 and a bias voltage of the same polarity as the electrostatic spraying voltage is applied to the grid portion 11 of the substrate 10 to adjust immobilization positions of the nanomaterial on the substrate 10. An observation sample, with which the nanomaterial is immobilized in a satisfactory state on the substrate, can thereby be prepared. |
| US08276538B2 |
Painting apparatuses and methods
A paint edging apparatus includes a body having front and rear ends defining a longitudinal axis therebetween, the body receiving a paint reservoir for supplying paint to an applicator portion of the apparatus, the body including a handle extending rearwardly at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis. An urging mechanism selectively engages the paint reservoir to discharge paint therefrom. A vibrator mounted to the body and operatively connected to the paint applicator portion of the apparatus imparts an oscillatory motion to the paint applicator. A trigger is pivotally mounted to the handle for activating the vibrator, wherein a user can move the apparatus over a work surface to apply paint to the work surface and also pivot the trigger at the same time by grasping the handle with a single hand. |
| US08276531B2 |
Embroidery data providing apparatus, computer-readable medium storing embroidery data providing program, and embroidery data providing system
An embroidery data providing apparatus includes a model information acquisition device that acquires model information, a size storage device that stores the model information and at least one embroiderable size in association with one another, a size acquisition device that acquires the at least one embroiderable size that corresponds to the acquired model information, a pattern information acquisition device that acquires target pattern information relating to a target pattern, an embroidery data output device that outputs as output data at least one of embroidery data of the target pattern and data for generating the embroidery data, a size determination device that determines whether the target pattern will fit within the acquired at least one embroiderable size, and a restriction device that, in a case where it is determined that the target pattern will not fit, restricts at least one of outputting of the output data and pre-output processing. |
| US08276528B1 |
Pneumatic fuel distributor for solid fuel boilers
A pneumatic fuel distributor for solid fuel boilers is described incorporating in various embodiments one or more of the following features: a converging nozzle section, a converging adjustable orifice section and an integral trajectory plate. The nozzle, orifice and trajectory plate are preferably all interconnected and rotate together about a common axis. The orifice damper is, in one embodiment, a rotating convergent section and independently adjustable. The unit preferably incorporates a viewing glass and access port and the rotating components are preferably removable for maintenance. The unit is preferably reversible for left or right hand installation and the trajectory plate is easily replaceable. |
| US08276524B2 |
Multiple tier center support cake stand
A multiple tier center support stand that includes a plurality of plates each being configured to be associated with a mechanical fastener and a plurality of posts each being configured to be associated with a mechanical fastener. The mechanical fastener is arranged on at least one of the plurality of plates and the plurality of posts in order to vertically arrange the plurality of plates and the plurality of posts. At least one of the plurality of plates is configured to be disassembled in at least two pieces. |
| US08276522B2 |
Steering railway bogie
A bogie for a railway vehicle includes a frame, a plurality of wheelsets, and steering linkages linking the wheelsets to maintain steering alignment. The bogie has a wheelset body linkage pivotally connecting the steering linkages with the bogie body so as to position the body relative to the wheelsets, and two alignment rams to position the body relative to the frame. The bogie also has sensors for monitoring yaw angle and yaw velocity. The sensor input is processed to estimate track curvature and determine the train speed and yaw velocity of the vehicle body. The processor actuates the alignment rams to adjust the position of the body relative to the frame in response to the track curvature and current frame positions to minimize wheel contact creepage and maximize bogie stability. |
| US08276518B2 |
Decoys for infra-red radiation seeking missiles and methods of producing and using the same
The present invention relates to decoys for heat-seeking missiles and methods of producing and using the same. The decoys are designed to be kinematic or pseudo-kinematic, producing one or more infra-red radiation emitting clouds that give the appearance of a moving infra-red target in the airspace in which the decoy has been released. |
| US08276510B2 |
Dampening system housing
A method for producing a dampening system housing, includes the steps of providing a longitudinal housing element prepared from a flat component, making available two side parts with grooves for accommodating the longitudinal housing element, inserting the longitudinal housing element in the grooves and sealing the longitudinal housing element in the grooves, as well as a correspondingly produced dampening system housing. |
| US08276508B2 |
Overload protection, drive train comprising such an overload protection, device comprising a lifting tool, and method for applying working forces
An overload protector has an input element, an output element juxtaposed with the input element, and a clamping plate. Fasteners fix the clamping plate to one of the elements against relative movement. A coupling between the clamping plate and the other of the elements permits only limited relative movement of the elements through a stroke having a predetermined length in a predetermined direction. A connector between the clamping plate and the other element fixes the clamping plate and the other element together against relative movement until an overload force greater than a predetermined critical limit is exerted shifting either of the elements toward or away from the other element in the predetermined direction. |
| US08276504B2 |
Hot-air popcorn machine especially with a seasoning coater
A popcorn making machine includes a main unit comprising a fan pumping air into a chamber, enclosing a heater and a bowl. The bowl has sidewalls tapered downwardly with mini-nozzles attached thereto. Hot airflows are introduced from the chamber through the mini-nozzles into the bowl tangentially to its inner surface, forming a main hot airflow circulation. A central nozzle is mounted at the bowl's bottom, including slots, introducing additional airflows, tangential to the nozzle's surface, from the chamber into the bowl, forming an additional hot airflow circulation surrounding the nozzle, co-directed with the main circulation. The main unit comprises a receptacle collecting popcorn coming from the bowl. The claimed machine optionally includes a coater unit for coating popcorn with oil, salt, etc., and a compact cabinet enclosing the main and coater units. The above design provides for a fast and essentially even heating of corn kernels for efficient popping thereof. |
| US08276503B2 |
Axial piston machine
An axial piston machine includes a housing and pistons situated in cylinder bores of a rotatable cylinder member, which pistons are supported on a pivoting cradle, the pivoting cradle being supported via at least one pivoting bearing having a bearing gap that has fluid acting on it. The axial piston machine further includes a control and/or regulating device is provided for the control and/or regulation of the fluid pressure in the bearing gap. |
| US08276501B1 |
Recoil dissipation apparatus
A recoil dissipation apparatus may include a linear roller rail and a roller block that is translatable on the linear roller rail with only one degree of freedom. A gear rack may be located adjacent the linear roller rail. A barrel clamp may be fixed to the roller block. A pinion gear may engage the gear rack. The pinion gear may be fixed on a shaft. The shaft may have a rotary viscous damper fixed at one end. The recoil force from a barrel fixed in the barrel clamp may cause translation of the roller block and dissipation of the recoil force by the rotary viscous damper. |
| US08276500B2 |
Weapon mount
A weapon mount including a housing through which the weapon translates when fired, a conversion subsystem configured to convert translation of the weapon when fired into rotational motion, and a braking subsystem for resisting rotation of the conversion subsystem. |
| US08276496B2 |
Modified support structure for barrel of gatling gun
A gatling gun includes an improved barrel support structure assembly comprising a plurality of circumferentially mounted barrel support arms which reduce the weight of the barrel support structure and improved air flow through the barrel support structure. |
| US08276495B1 |
Modular explosive ordnance disposal system
A kit of modular explosive ordnance disposal components may include five components. The five components may be assembled in various configurations to fire solid slugs, water shots, or fin-stabilized projectiles. Each assembled configuration may include a first component having a generally cylindrical shape, a through-bore, a muzzle end, and a breech end. The muzzle end of the first component may include external threads. The breech end of the first component may include an internally-threaded portion for receiving a .50 caliber breech plug. A .50 caliber cartridge chamber may be formed adjacent the internally-threaded portion. A bore of about one inch in diameter may extend from the .50 caliber cartridge chamber to the muzzle end of the first component. |
| US08276490B2 |
Exact weight cutting system for food products
A system for cutting blocks of food product into bars of substantially equal weight. The system includes a cutter conveyor configured to receive incoming blocks of food product and move the blocks along an in-line processing path in a plane for cutting; a programmable logic controller coupled to the cutter conveyor; and, multiple stations associated with the cutter conveyor. One such station is a camera vision system configured to create an image of the slab portion, and further including a camera controller coupled to the vision system and the PLC, and configured to determine an optimized cut solution of the slab portion from the image and data related to the food product, and is configured to provide the cut solution to the PLC. The PLC is configured to control the cutting of the food product, based on the optimized cut solution, into bars of substantially equal weight. |
| US08276487B2 |
Torque wrench for implantable medical devices
A torque wrench for implantable medical devices is disclosed. The torque wrench comprises a first and a second component. The first component has first and second ends with a bore extending between the first and second ends of the first component. The first component includes a plurality of anti-rotation members extending from an inner surface of the bore at the second end of the first component. A second component includes a middle portion having a first and second ends. A drive shaft extends from the first end and a plurality of fingers extends from an exterior surface of the second end. The second component is received in the bore of the first component such that the fingers are interdigitate with the anti-rotation members. |
| US08276486B2 |
Hinge assembly, hand tool and pliers
A hinge assembly includes a hinge and a detent cover. The hinge pivotally connects a first acting member to a second acting member. The detent cover can cover the hinge to stop the rotational motion between the first acting member and the second acting member. |
| US08276484B2 |
Adjustable wrench
An adjustable wrench includes a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, and a handle. The fixed jaw includes a chamber and a hole defined therein. An adjusting mechanism and an abutting mechanism are disposed in the chamber. The adjusting mechanism includes a worm gear and a fixing member. The abutting mechanism includes an abutting member. The handle is pivotally fixed to the fixed jaw. The adjustable wrench is operable in a first direction wrenching an object and includes the worm gear stopped from moving along the fixing member by the abutting member fixedly abutting against the worm gear. The adjustable wrench is operable in a second direction moving relative to the object and includes the worm gear adapted to be moved with respect to the fixing member and including the movable jaw moving with respect to the fixed jaw and the abutting member not fixedly abutted against the worm gear. |
| US08276482B2 |
Damaged bolt and screw removing devices
A bit for removing a broken security fastener having an elongated shaft with a longitudinal axis. The shaft has a first end and a second end. The first end terminates in a tip region having a recess for receipt of the post of the security fastener, the recess being disposed substantially along the longitudinal axis. The second end of the shaft is configured to be received by the chuck of a tool which provides rotational torque. |
| US08276478B2 |
Operating pedal support structure
A pedal bracket (3) affixed to a dash panel (1) pivotably supports a pedal unit (2) via a first pivot shaft (13) and a pivotable lever (5) via a second pivot shaft (17). A shaft retainer (51) prevents a downward displacement of the first pivot shaft (17) under normal conditions, whereas the pivotable lever (5) goes into contact with a side member (33) of a vehicle body and pivots on the second pivot shaft (17) in a specific direction in the event of a vehicle collision, thereby thrusting and displacing the first pivot shaft (13) downward and disengaging the pedal unit (2) from the pedal bracket (3). At this time, the shaft retainer (51) draws back from underneath the first pivot shaft (13), for instance, as a result of pivoting of the pivotable lever (5) and goes into a nonrestrictive state in which the shaft retainer (51) allows a displacement of the first pivot shaft (13). |
| US08276475B2 |
Part assembling apparatus
A part assembling apparatus is provided with a plurality of assembling portions and a ball screw shaft. Each of the assembling portion includes a nut runner for assembling a part to an assembling target. The ball screw shaft includes a thread portion. At least two of the plurality of assembling portions respectively include nut portions threadedly engaged with the thread portion. The nut portions are movable in an axial direction of the ball screw shaft. The thread portion includes a first thread part having a first pitch and a second thread part having a second pitch different from the first pitch. |
| US08276471B2 |
Vibration generator
A vibration generator has a piston guided in linear manner, which is connected with a crankshaft by way of a connecting rod. The piston is connected with the connecting rod by way of a piston pin bearing, and the crankshaft is connected with the connecting rod by way of a crank journal. The crank journal bearing is disposed within the piston pin bearing. |
| US08276461B2 |
Lifting member with load and/or stress measuring means
A lifting member transmits all or part of the lifting force between a lifting appliance and a load to be lifted. The lifting member includes a proximal portion configured to be fixed to the lifting appliance; a distal portion designed to be connected to the load; a longitudinal section, extending from the proximal portion towards the distal portion, and capable of being elastically elongated under the action of part of the lifting force; a longitudinal channel extending from the proximal portion into the longitudinal section of the lifting member; a stress transducer, inserted into the longitudinal channel, and fixed to the side wall of the longitudinal channel; a link for transmitting optical fiber signals from the stress transducer to a device for receiving and analyzing optical fiber signals from the stress transducer. |
| US08276449B2 |
Acceleration sensor and method of manufacturing acceleration sensor
The acceleration sensor according to the present invention includes a sensor chip having a movable portion operating in response to a change in a physical quantity and a silicon chip arranged to be opposed to a first side of the sensor chip and bonded to the sensor chip, while the sensor chip is provided with a penetrating portion penetrating the sensor chip in the thickness direction so that the first side is visually recognizable from a second side of the sensor chip, and the silicon chip is provided with an alignment mark on a portion opposed to the penetrating portion. |
| US08276447B2 |
Balancing machine for balancing vehicle wheels
The balancing machine for balancing vehicle wheels comprises a supporting structure of grip and rotation members for gripping and rotating a wheel to be balanced, detection device for detecting the unbalance of the wheel during rotation, a processing unit which is operatively associated to said grip and rotation members and to said detection device, a screen associated to the supporting structure which is operatively associated to the processing unit and adapted to display the detected unbalance data and selectable functions or lists of functions, a control panel having a touch screen control surface arranged in a discrete ring-like manner, is also located on the control panel. The operator slides his finger on the touch screen control surface to scroll between present functions, or lists of functions, displayed on the screen, in a continuous manner. A first button, located in the center of the touch screen, is used to select functions or lists of functions when the control surface is used in a continuous operation mode. A second button, located adjacent the touch screen control surface, pilots the starting and stopping of the detection device. |
| US08276442B2 |
Device and method for estimating the inflation state of a tire
A device for estimating an inflation state of a tire of at least one wheel of an automobile, that includes a memory storing a reference signature including a periodic signal corresponding to an inflation and to reference running conditions; a mechanism determining a current signature including a periodic signal corresponding to an inflation and to current running conditions; a mechanism comparing the current signature and the reference signature, and capable of outputting a signal based on the deviation between the current signature and the reference signature. |
| US08276439B2 |
System and method for determining a volume of a torque converter clutch and calibrating a transmission
A system for calibrating a transmission includes a slip generation module, a volume determination module, and a calibration control module. The slip generation module generates transmission slip. The volume determination module, after the transmission slip has been generated, applies a torque converter clutch (TCC) and determines a volume of the TCC based on a period for the TCC to fill with hydraulic fluid. The calibration control module generates a calibrated volume based on the determined volume and calibrates a control module based on the calibrated volume, wherein the control module controls the transmission. |
| US08276433B2 |
Sensor for measuring properties of liquids and gases
The present invention provides a device that measures at least one property of the liquid or gas, where the invention is a CMUT sensor that includes a substrate, a first layer disposed on the substrate, where the first layer includes a cavity, and a compound plate, where the compound plated includes a bottom plate, an intermediate plate and a top plate. According to the invention, the intermediate plate has at least one sample inlet, a sample cavity and at least one sample outlet, where the bottom plate is disposed on the first layer, and the cavity in the first layer is sealed by the compound plate. The cavity in the first layer can be a vacuum or contain a gas. The CMUT sensor can be disposed in an array of two or more sensors and connected electrically in parallel. |
| US08276430B2 |
Hydraulic pressing and/or cutting tool and mechanism for converting a rotary motion into a translational oscillating motion for this tool
A hydraulic pressing and/or cutting tool (1) comprises an electric motor (6), a converting mechanism (8) suitable to convert the rotary motion of the motor (9) to an oscillating translational motion, a hydraulic pump (11) suitable to carry out, in response to the oscillating translational motion, an increase in the pressure of a pressure fluid acting on an operating piston (12) such that the operating piston (12) is displaced, a stationary jaw (13) and a movable jaw (14) connected to the operating piston (12) such that, in response to the displacement of the operating piston (12), the movable jaw is displaced to the stationary jaw (13) to carry out pressing or cutting operations. The converting mechanism (8) comprises an epicycloidal gear (16) and a thrust unit (17) co-axial with the epicycloidal gear (16). |
| US08276422B2 |
Roller device
The invention pertains to a rolling device (1) with at least two rolls that are respectively supported in a roll stand (3) by means of chocks (2), wherein the rolls are provided with axial displacement means (4) that serve for the axial displacement in a displacing direction (x) and make it possible to move the rolls into a desired position relative to the roll stand (3), as well as to hold the rolls in this position, and wherein the rolls are functionally connected to bending means (5) that make it possible to subject the rolls to a bending moment. In order to maintain the bending force losses caused by the weight of the axial displacement means at a minimum, the invention proposes that a first functional end (6) of the axial displacement means (4) is arranged on the roll stand (3) directly or indirectly by means of an articulated connection (7) and a second functional end (8) of the axial displacement means is arranged on the chock (2) by means of an articulated connection (9). |
| US08276419B2 |
Cylinder lock with panel tumblers and key for the lock
A cylinder lock is disclosed. The cylinder lock can be used on a motor vehicle door lock. The disclosed cylinder lock has plate tumblers and also a key for the cylinder lock. The key for the cylinder lock could be a reversible key. |
| US08276417B2 |
Rim lock with removable cylinders
A rim lock includes interior and exterior lock assemblies. Each lock assembly includes a lock cylinder that is removable without removing the rim lock from the door. |
| US08276414B2 |
Micropower passive electronic lock cylinder
A micropower passive electronic lock cylinder including an immovable cylinder body (3), a rotatable plug (1), and an electronic control circuit part is described. An electronic control circuit board (13) electrically connected with a micromotor (14) and locating switches (15, 16) is arranged in the rotatable plug (1). A lock pin (8), which is controlled by a displacement limiting cam (5) driven by the micromotor (14), moves between the immovable cylinder body (3) and the rotatable plug (1) to release or block the rotatable plug (1). |
| US08276413B2 |
Pushbutton combination lock
The lock comprises a lock bolt, in particular a latch bolt (17), the actuating mechanism of which can be locked by means of a locking mechanism which comprises one series of pushbuttons (25) on each side of the lock. The pushbuttons (25) act on code and blocking tumbler members so that when the correct number combination is put in, one of the two check slides (39) is released. A selector (59) couples the two check slides (39) to the lock bolt actuating mechanism so that, when one of the two check slides is released, the lock bolt (17) can be moved to its unlocking position. The lock can thus be unlocked from either side of the lock and, due to the two locking mechanisms, a different number combination can be set for the two sides. The tumbler members each preferably comprise a first tumbler element, consisting of a base element and a code element screwed onto the base element, and a second tumbler arranged in the check slide and biased by means of a spring against the code element. With such tumbler members, it is easier to modify the number combination. |
| US08276411B2 |
Extender for securing a closure
An apparatus for securing a closure such as door or a window that opens and closes by movement relative to a fixed structure such as a wall or a floor. Many embodiments provide a device for relocating a padlock from its normal location where it secures a fastener (such as a hasp) to a location for the padlock that is more accessible for locking and unlocking the padlock. Typically an extender is provided, where the extender has a hook at a first end that is disposed through the eye of the staple of the hasp, and at an opposing second end the extender has an annulus, such as a hole in the extender or a loop or ring affixed to the extender. The shackle of the padlock may be disposed through the annulus and may be disposed through the eye of a second staple to secure the door or window in a closed or open position. Some embodiments employ a rigid sheath to enclose at least a portion of the extender. Typically the rigid sheath has an open state where the hook is exposed outside the sheath and a closed state where the hook is disposed within the sheath. |
| US08276410B2 |
Security container with linked primary and secondary security features
A security storage container has a primary security feature that is adapted to be locked and unlocked with an appropriate key. A secondary security feature is activated when the security storage container is opened without first unlocking the lock with the key. In one embodiment, the secondary security feature includes prongs that are moved to an extended position when the primary security feature of the container is defeated. In the extended position, the prongs will at least damage the item of merchandise protected by the security storage container. The extended position of the prongs may also further lock the item of merchandise within the security storage container. |
| US08276406B2 |
Hydrodynamic balance ring for centrifugal rotation machines
A balance ring for washing machine devices as may be used in vertical and horizontal axis washing machines is provided. One structural arrangement of the ring comprises alternatively disposed positive and negative curved blades, as well as curved and straight blades, that in combination with the different heights of the blades, reduce the time and the amplitude of the vibrations of the transition state, thus enabling the washing basket to spin at higher velocities, and reducing the centrifugal cycle while increasing the centrifugal force applied to the objects being washed. Such an structural arrangement provides a superior drying of the clothes and further results in energy savings. |
| US08276405B2 |
Knitted fabric and sports clothing
A knitted fabric containing a composite yarn is provided, which is characterized in that the composite yarn is constituted of two or more kinds of false-twist crimped yarns and has a torque of not more than 30 T/m. |
| US08276402B2 |
Method and apparatus for manufacturing vitreous silica crucible
Provided is a method of manufacturing a vitreous silica crucible, including: an arc fusing process for fusing the silica powder molded body by using arc flames generated from the plurality of carbon electrodes, wherein the arc fusing process is performed in a state of disposing tips of at least a pair of carbon electrodes of the plurality of carbon electrodes closer to a target surface of the silica powder molded body than other carbon electrode tips, and setting distances from each of the tips of the closer carbon electrodes to the target surface, to be equal, and the arc fusing process is performed by heating and fusing the silica powder molded body while performing fire polishing, which partially removes an inner surface of the silica powder molded body by using arc flames generated by the closer carbon electrodes. |
| US08276400B2 |
Refrigeration apparatus
For the supply of refrigeration oil accumulated in an oil return compressor (90a) into a higher stage compression mechanism (11), an oil sump in a discharge pressure space defined in the casing of the oil return compressor (90a) and the downstream side of an oil separator (94) are connected together through an oil return passageway (97). And, a pressure reducing means (93) for the reduction in pressure of refrigerant flowing towards the oil separator (94) from the oil return compression mechanism (90a) is disposed in place between the oil return compressor (90a) and the oil separator (94) in a discharge pipe (85) of a lower stage compression mechanism (90). |
| US08276398B2 |
Methods and apparatus for reducing the noise level outputted by oil separator
A muffling apparatus (100) is provided for placement within an oil separator of refrigeration or cooling system, wherein the apparatus has a non-straight shape and a lumen (160) defined therein to allow for noise-creating pressure pulsations/waves to come into contact with absorbing material (110) of the muffling apparatus in order to attenuate the energy of the pressure waves/pulsations into heat and thus reduce oil separator vibrations caused thereby. |
| US08276395B2 |
Pulse width modulation with reduced suction pressure to improve efficiency
The present invention relates to a way of reducing the amount of energy required to partially compress a refrigerant in a compressor operating in a rapidly cycled unloaded mode. A valve on a suction line is closed when the compressor moves to the unloaded condition. In this manner, the amount of energy required to partially compress the refrigerant in the compressor, at the unloaded condition, is dramatically reduced. |
| US08276393B2 |
Heat exchanger
This invention relates to the field of heat-driven cooling devices, heat pumps or thermal transformers, in particular to those devices, known as sorption devices, which employ an ad- or absorbent material as a chemical compressor to raise the pressure of a refrigerant gas. This invention is particularly concerned with a heat exchanger suitable for use as a generator in a sorption device. Embodiments of the invention provide a heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of stacked plate members each plate member being provided with at least one fluid channel therein, each plate member having a channel inlet and a channel outlet associated with each channel of the plate member; a plurality of chambers, the chambers being provided between opposed major faces of respective adjacent plate members, the chambers containing a sorbent material; a thermal fluid inlet in communication with a plurality of the channel inlets and a thermal fluid outlet in communication with a plurality of the channel outlets; and a sorbate inlet and a sorbate outlet in communication with each of the chambers, the fluid channels being provided in fluid isolation from the chambers. |
| US08276390B2 |
Method and system for providing a splitter to improve the recovery of compressor discharge casing
A splitter is provided for improving a pressure recovery of a compressor discharge casing (CDC) by substantially aligning a fluid vortex about a longitudinal axis of a gas turbine engine. The CDC includes an annular wall that extends generally axially along at least a portion of the CDC. The CDC is configured to house a first combustor and a second combustor. The splitter extends from the annular wall between the first and second combustors. The splitter includes a first surface that is configured to direct fluid towards the first combustor and a second surface that is configured to direct fluid towards the second combustor. |
| US08276387B2 |
Gas turbine engine fuel conveying member
A fuel conveying member of a gas turbine engine is described and includes a fuel manifold defining an annular fuel flow passage through a body of the fuel manifold. A plurality of fuel nozzles extend from the manifold in fluid flow communication with the annular fuel flow passage. The fuel manifold includes integral attachment lugs thereon for mounting the fuel manifold within the gas turbine engine. The attachment lugs are adapted to receive pins therein and provide a mounting mechanism which allows for thermal expansion of the fuel manifold relative to a surrounding support structure to which the fuel manifold is mounted via the attachment lugs. |
| US08276386B2 |
Apparatus and method for a combustor
A combustor includes an end cover and a combustion chamber downstream of the end cover. The combustor further includes nozzles disposed radially in the end cover and a shroud surrounding at least one of the nozzles and extending downstream into the combustion chamber. The shroud includes an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface. A method for operating a combustor includes flowing compressed working fluid through nozzles into a combustion chamber, flowing fuel through each nozzle in a first subset of the nozzles into the combustion chamber, and igniting the fuel from each nozzle in the first subset of nozzles in the combustion chamber. In addition, the method includes extending into the combustion chamber a separate shroud around each nozzle in a second subset of the nozzles and isolating fuel to each nozzle in the second subset of nozzles. |
| US08276383B2 |
Power generator using an organic rankine cycle drive with refrigerant mixtures and low waste heat exhaust as a heat source
A Rankine cycle system uses as a refrigerant one of several quaternary organic heat exchange fluid mixtures which provide substantially improved efficiency and are environmentally sound, typically containing no chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). The system includes a closed circuit in which the refrigerant is used to drive a turbine, which may be used to drive an electric generator or for other suitable purposes. |
| US08276382B2 |
Systems and methods for pre-warming a heat recovery steam generator and associated steam lines
Embodiments of the invention can provide systems and methods for pre-warming a heat recovery steam generator and associated steam lines. According to one embodiment, a method for pre-warming a heat recovery steam generator can be provided. The method can include providing heating steam from a steam source. The heating steam is directed from the steam source to a superheater so that at least a portion of the superheater can be warmed. Once exiting the superheater, the heating steam can be further directed from the superheater to at least one bypass line and maintained in the bypass line until the bypass line attains a predefined temperature or pressure. Furthermore, the method can include directing, after the bypass line attains a predefined temperature or pressure, at least a portion of the heating steam from the bypass line to a reheater so that the reheater can be warmed. |
| US08276380B2 |
Zero emission natural gas power and liquefaction plant
A zero-emissions power plant receives natural gas from wells at elevated pressure and temperature. Gas is expanded through one or more turbo-expanders, preferably reformed, and sent to a fuel cell where electricity, heat, carbon-dioxide, and water are generated. The carbon-dioxide is compressed by at least one compressor and piped downhole for sequestration. The turbo-expanders have shafts which preferably share the shafts of the compressors. Thus, energy given up by the natural gas in the turbo-expanders is used to run compressors which compress carbon dioxide for downhole sequestration. In one embodiment, the natural gas is applied to heat exchangers in order to generate a stream of liquid natural gas. The remainder of the gas is expanded through the turbo-expanders and processed in the reformer prior to being sent to the fuel cell. A shifter may be used between the reformer and fuel cell. A solid oxide fuel cell is preferred. |
| US08276379B2 |
Systems and apparatus relating to solar-thermal power generation
The present application thus describes a solar-thermal power generation plant that includes one or more towers; a plurality of heliostats disposed around each of the one or more towers; a direct solar evaporator mounted at an elevated position on each of the one or more towers, the heliostats being configured to reflect solar radiation toward the direct solar evaporator such that concentrated solar radiation heats a receiving surface on the direct solar evaporator; and a heat engine mounted at an elevated position on each of the one or more towers, attached to the direct solar evaporator, and configured to use the heat from the receiving surface on the direct solar evaporator to generate electricity. |
| US08276378B2 |
System and method for controlling a two-stage series sequential turbocharger using bypass valve leakage control
A method of controlling a turbocharger for an engine and a control system for the same includes a variable nozzle turbine control module operating a variable nozzle turbine of a high pressure turbocharger closed loop in a first load-engine speed region. The system also includes a high pressure turbine bypass valve control module operating a high pressure turbine bypass valve in a closed position in a first load-engine speed region. The variable nozzle turbine control module operates a variable nozzle turbine closed loop in a second load-engine speed region between the first load-speed region and a third load speed region. The high pressure turbine bypass valve module operates the high pressure turbine bypass valve in a transient region in the second load-engine speed region. The variable nozzle turbine control module operates the variable nozzle turbine open loop. The high pressure turbine bypass valve control module operates a high pressure turbine bypass valve in an open position in a third load-engine speed region. |
| US08276375B2 |
Downforce-producing exhaust header
An exhaust system has one or more exhaust tubes having a first diameter, interfaced to an exhaust manifold at one end and open at an opposite end for exhaust gas to escape, and a tubular extension of a second diameter, larger than the first diameter, joined to the open end of individual ones of the exhaust tubes, the extension cut at an angle with vertical and joined to the exhaust tube in a manner that exhaust gas expanding at the open end is free to expand upward, but expanding downward strikes the tubular extension, creating a downward force on the exhaust system. |
| US08276374B2 |
Insulating device for a machine element, in particular an exhaust gas pipe
The invention relates to an insulating device containing a first machine element, in particular an exhaust gas pipe, and at least one second machine element, in particular an exhaust manifold. The insulating device at least partially surrounds the machine element and is connected to the unit. A base plate connected to the unit is provided-having at least two side parts arranged at a distance from each other forming an intermediate area, such that a sliding part is arranged in the intermediate area and is essentially sealingly connected the base plate and to the lateral parts by profiles and is detachably connected in relation to the base plate, a cover can be connected to the base plate by a detachable securing element. The cover rests upon the lower edges on associated areas of the lateral parts of the base plate and/or the sliding part(s). |
| US08276373B2 |
Adaptive control of SCR urea injection to compensate errors
A method for controlling a selective catalytic reduction injection system having a storage tank, a pump, a delivery line, and an injection nozzle includes monitoring the selective catalytic reduction injection system, determining a selective catalytic reduction injector system effective area ratio, comparing the selective catalytic reduction injector system effective area ratio to a threshold, calculating a compensation factor upon surpassing the threshold, and modifying the commanded injected mass according to the calculated compensation factor. |
| US08276370B2 |
Construction machine
A construction machine includes a front working implement operable as a result of driving of an engine, a urea SCR catalyst arranged in an exhaust gas line from the engine to purify and reduce nitrogen oxides in exhaust gas, an aqueous urea solution tank for storing an aqueous urea solution, a temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the aqueous urea solution, an air conditioner for air-conditioning an operator's cab, and a warm/cold air guiding device for guiding warm/cold air, which has been blown out of the air conditioner, to the aqueous urea solution tank in accordance with the temperature of the aqueous urea solution. The warm/cold air guiding device includes a controller for outputting a warm air control signal or cold air control signal, which corresponds to a temperature of the warm/cold air blown out of the air conditioner. |
| US08276357B2 |
Plastic chain guide for a row unit
A unitary plastic chain guide for a row unit is provided including 2 blocks, one disposed at each end of the chain guide, and a wall extending therebetween to guide the chain. |
| US08276351B1 |
Weight training exercise apparatus and methods of manufacturing a weight bag forming a part of a weight training exercise apparatus
A weight training exercise apparatus incorporates a handled bag to receive a weight bag containing a mass of granular material having a weight. The weight bag is formed with a sheet of flexible, pliant material, and has a bag chamber formed by and between a closed end and an opposed mouth and opposed closed sides formed by opposed hems formed in the sheet extending between the closed end of the weight bag and the mouth. The hems extend into the bag chamber, which is filled with the mass of granular material. The mouth is formed with primary and second seals to close the mouth to prevent granular material from spilling from the mouth. |
| US08276345B2 |
Jamb stud connector and method of use thereof
A device and method for providing a support for framing an opening. The device comprises generally a first stud, a second stud, and a connector to form a jamb stud connection assembly. Each of the first stud and the second stud comprises a web, a pair of flanges, and a pair of returns. The connector comprises an elevation, a pair of side flanges, and a pair of terminal flanges. The first stud and the second stud are secured together by the connector such that the elevation of the connector is flush with and attached to the web of the first stud, and the terminal flanges of the connector are flush with and attached to the web of the second stud. The jamb stud connection assembly may be vertically installed inside a wall adjacent to the opening. |
| US08276343B2 |
Modular floor
A modular floor is composed of a plurality of floor panels and combination members. Each of the floor panels includes a rectangular main body, a ridge formed at one side of the main body, an outer socket formed at an opposite side of the main body relative to the ridge, a first lateral bottom portion formed below the ridge, and a second lateral bottom portion formed below the outer socket. Each of the combination members includes a base, a front retainer protruding upward from one side of a top side of the base, a rear retainer protruding upward from an opposite side of the top side of the main body relative to the front retainer, and a partition protruding upward from a midsection of the top side of the base. |
| US08276336B2 |
Article and method for controlling moisture
A building construction method for controlling moisture in a building attic and improving the energy efficiency of the building achieved by installing a breathable membrane directly above the roof rafters thereby providing the presence of an air gap between the breathable membrane and the roof deck and sealing the membrane to the peripheral walls of the building, such that energy that normally passes from the living space into the attic and out the top of the building is conserved. |
| US08276328B2 |
Wall module, housing module and building made of such wall module
A wall module for the construction of a housing module comprises two beams, two primary studs, two bracing members, primary reinforcements and a plurality of secondary studs. The two beams are spaced apart and substantially parallel to each other. The two primary studs are perpendicularly connected between different extremities of the two beams so as to define four wall corners. The two bracing members are connected substantially diagonally between two different opposed wall corners. The primary reinforcements are located at the wall corners and are connect one of the two beams to one of the two primary studs and to one of the bracing members. The secondary studs are attached to the two beams and to at least one of the two bracing members. The wall module may further comprise a sheathing attached to the secondary studs and a finishing sheet attached to the sheathing in between the secondary studs. |
| US08276323B2 |
Take-up fastener for resisting uplift loads in light framed construction
A take-up fastener is disclosed for fastening a level in a frame construction to the level below so as to resist upward forces generated by wind and other sources on the framed construction. The take-up fastener in general includes a take-up plate, or washer, fastened to a portion of the upper level and a take-up screw fit through the take-up plate and fastened to the adjacent level below. Once the take-up fastener is fully assembled, the take-up plate includes a pair of tabs which are capable of engaging threads on a take-up screw in a way that allows one-way motion of the take-up screw relative to the take-up plate. In particular, the take-up plate can move downward relative to the take-up screw, for example on constricting of the wooden members to which the take-up plate is affixed. However, the engagement between the take-up plate and take-up screw prevents movement of the take-up plate upward with respect to the take-up screw, for example upon an upward load due to wind or other external force. |
| US08276322B2 |
Integrated mounting pole system for communication and surveillance infrastructures
An integrated mounting pole system for communication and surveillance infrastructures includes a plurality of stackable sections, which are rotationally attached to a system cabinet of the system and one another. The sections include arms supporting antennas, video cameras, and other functional devices. A conduit and/or wiring raceway thereof coupling electronic equipment disposed in the system cabinet and the functional devices propagates through interior of the sections and the arms. The system may be disposed on a trailer and may include an autonomous source of electric power. |
| US08276321B2 |
Expanded metal gutter cover and method of installation
A gutter cover is formed through expanded metal manufacturing techniques to create alternating areas of solid metal and diamond-shaped openings to facilitate the shedding of leaves while passing water into the gutter. The gutter cover is mounted without fasteners by securing a hook portion underneath the front lip of the gutter and arcing the body portion of the gutter cover to press the rearward drip foot against the gutter and the drip hip adjacent to the fascia board into a pressure fit. The length of the gutter cover from the rearward edge to the front end being slightly longer than the corresponding length of the gutter structure. The gutter cover includes an integral drip leg projecting downwardly from the drip hip and being formed with an area of expanded metal diamond-shaped apertures to direct water into the gutter trough. A front drip lip directs water away from the gutter face. |
| US08276320B2 |
Method of and system for sealing an entry
A system for impeding air or liquid penetration through an entry into the interior of a structure includes a door mounted to a door frame. The door frame includes at least one integral cavity. The system also includes a dual-sealing system between the door and the door frame. The dual-sealing system includes an inner seal and an outer seal. A drainage cavity is defined by a region bounded by the inner seal, the outer seal, the door, and the door frame. A gap is formed in the outer seal that permits equalization of pressure of the cavity with external atmospheric pressure. |
| US08276318B2 |
Door opening and closing apparatus for vehicle
A door opening and closing device for a vehicle that can remove an object attached to operation surface of a door handle with a simpler structure is provided. The device includes a door handle. The door handle includes a grip and a deflective portion. The grip protrudes outward and defines a space between the outer surface of the door outer panel and the grip to allow gripping by a user. The deflective portion is located at an end of the grip and extends from the outer surface of the grip along the outer surface of the door outer panel in a direction crossing front and rear directions of the vehicle to direct air flow flowing along the outer surface of the door outer panel to flow through at least the space of the grip to the operation surface. |
| US08276315B2 |
Vase for use with food products
Vase apparatus and decorating methods for associating flowers, and other decorative items with cakes and other food products are described. Vase embodiments include a water-holding reservoir having a bottom wall, an upright rim, and plural flower-stem-receiving wells. Each well is defined by at least one well wall depending from the bottom wall and has an opening capable of receiving water from the reservoir. Vase embodiments may include a reservoir of various shapes and sizes. Vases may be placed on a cake or other food product permitting the cake or food product to be attractively and easily decorated. |
| US08276312B2 |
Lines having shaped surface and method of making
A fishing line comprises an outer surface having at least one array of shaped features therein and having an advancing contact angle with deionized water of at least about 115°. The array comprises a plurality of discrete shaped features spaced equidistantly along a longitudinal axis of the fishing line. The shaped features are from about 0.005 to about 0.02 inches across in their broadest dimension. |
| US08276311B2 |
Compositions and methods for engaging lines
Particular aspects provide devices and methods for adjustably and reversibly engaging a line (e.g., fishing lines, ropes, string, cable, wire, cords) at an engagement position and/or for demarcating positions/spans along a line. The inventive line-stop members are reversibly disengagable, and thereby slidably adjustable and positionable along a line, and can be used to define a user-selectable range or span. Particular embodiments comprise: an elongated line-clamping member having at least one pair of line-clamping arms and having a longitudinal axial bore suitable to allow slidable passage of a line therethrough; and a cylindrical engagement collar having a collar channel therethrough and slidably positionable along the line-clamping member, and suitable and positionable to reversibly hold the line-clamping member in a line-clamping/engagement position, and suitable and positionable to reversibly disengage the line-clamping member from the line-clamping position to reversibly disengage a line. Preferred line-stop embodiments comprise an accessory attachment member or collar. |
| US08276305B1 |
Shot pattern control system
The invention relates to systems, methods and devices for controlling the dispersion of shot or other projectiles fired from a weapon such as a shotgun. Embodiments according to the invention employ an inner cylindrical chamber that is divided at a median transverse plane into forward and rear sections. The rear section of the chamber tapers toward the median transverse plane and includes a number of radial vents that open into an outer chamber that provides one or more gas bypass channels into the forward section of the tubular chamber. Alternatively, channels function as unitary vents and outer chamber to provide for a gas bypass. The forward section tapers toward a forward muzzle opening. When a multiple projectile load/wad is fired from the weapon, expanding gas is sealed behind the load until it has advanced past the radial vents at which point, gas is allowed to expand into the outer chamber resulting in a momentary pressure drop and reduced propulsion force behind the wad/load. The relatively light wad decelerates while the much heavier shot continues forward, rapidly separating from the wad before the wad exits the muzzle. The wad seals against the tapered bore of the forward section of the inner chamber blocking the escape of gas from the outer chamber passageways until sufficient pressure develops to eject the wad from the muzzle end. |
| US08276297B2 |
Clothes steam ironing apparatus
A hand-held clothes steam ironing apparatus includes first and second elongated substantially rectangular arm members having an inner portion and an outer portion, a hinge mechanism rotatably connecting the two arm members at one narrow end of each such that said inner portions are substantially opposing. Imbedded in inner portions of each arm members is at least one heat plate, this heat plates containing a plurality of steam orifices distributed longitudinally along the heat plate with fluid communication between the orifices. An electrical power supply is wired in adjacent the hinge mechanism and electrically connects to the heat plates with power control capability between the two for regulating the amount of power supplied to the heat plates. Water tanks with removable caps are attached to outer portions of each of the body members, and water conduits run between each water tank and the heat plates in the corresponding arm members. |
| US08276291B2 |
Systems and methods for drying a rotating substrate
A method of drying a surface of a substrate is provided. The method includes supporting a substrate; rotating the substrate about a rotational center point; applying a liquid to the substrate via a liquid dispenser; applying a drying fluid to the substrate via a drying fluid dispenser; moving the drying fluid dispenser and the liquid dispenser in a direction toward an edge region of the substrate, the drying fluid being applied closer to the rotational center point than the fluid; upon the liquid being applied to the edge region of the substrate, discontinuing application of the liquid while continuing the manipulation of the drying fluid dispenser; and upon the drying fluid being applied to the edge region of the substrate, continuing to apply the drying fluid for a predetermined period of time. |
| US08276286B2 |
Display for coordinate measuring machine
A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine is provided having a base. A cover is rotatably coupled to the base to move between a closed position and an open position. A display is arranged within the cover. The display includes a screen surface, such as a touch sensitive screen surface, disposed on one side of the housing. The screen surface being adjacent the base in the closed position and disposed on an angle to the base in the open position. |
| US08276282B2 |
Automatic bow sighting device with range finding means
Disclosed is an archery bow sighting device that incorporates a laser range finder, an automatically adjusting sight pin, trigger control and distance indicator. The device incorporates imbedded electronics and a gearing mechanism to adjust a sighting pin based on distance to target and calibrated distance data. The user aims the laser range finder at a designated target for determination of its distance, after which the sight pin is automatically adjusted to account for the distance and is used to aim at the target. To accurately aim the range finder, a peep sight along the length of the bow string is aligned with crosshairs within the range finder while aiming at the intended target. A trigger button along the bow pulses the laser range finder to determine distance, and the sighting pin elevation is updated accordingly by the imbedded electronic circuit and interpolation of preset distances. The device is attachable to any archery bow sight rail, and provides a means to quickly update a range to target if the target is mobile. A trigger button controls the device in use, while power is supplied by a user harnessed battery pack and wire tether. |
| US08276279B2 |
Hair clipper with a vibrator motor
A vibrator motor in a hair clipper has a stationary piece and a moving piece. The stationary piece has a primary leg and at least one secondary leg. The primary leg fits through an opening in a coil. A flange is then press fit onto the leg so that the coil is captured on the primary leg. The flange provides a magnetic pole face that is larger than the opening in the coil, which increases the efficiency of the motor. |
| US08276278B2 |
Hairdressing scissors
A pair of hairdressing scissors capable of adjusting the amount of hair cut comprises a first blade, a second blade and an adjustment member. The adjustment member is pivotally mounted on the first blade. The second blade is eccentrically pivoted on the adjustment member. The adjustment member can be rotated to change the relative position and the contact area between the two blades, thus changing the amount of hair cut. |
| US08276276B2 |
Light-weight, roll-bonded heavy duty truck frame member
A frame member for a frame assembly of a vehicle includes a first outer steel layer, a second outer steel layer and an aluminum core layer between the first outer steel layer and the second outer steel layer. The first outer steel layer, the second outer steel layer and the aluminum core layer are metallurgically bonded together. |
| US08276274B1 |
Method of assembling a marine outboard engine
A method of assembling an outboard engine is disclosed. The outboard engine has first and second driveshafts, each having a helical gear on a first end and a driving gear on a second end. A driven shaft has a driven gear. The method comprises: rotating the driven shaft; measuring an axial displacement of one of the first and second helical gears with respect to the engine casing; selecting a shim based at least in part on the measurement of the relative axial displacement; and placing the shim on the one of the first and second driveshafts at a position axially below the helical gear. A method of assembling a marine outboard engine comprising moving a height adjustment member from a first position to a second position based on the relative axial displacement is also disclosed. An outboard engine with first and second helical gears at different heights is also disclosed. |
| US08276271B2 |
Communication with a multi-contact pad having a USB application
Apparatus for making an electrical connection in a system requiring four electrical connections, including an electrical connection pad having an array of four types of electrically conductive contacts, all conductive contacts of a given type being electrically connected to all other conductive contacts of the same type; and an arrangement for providing electrical connections to conductive contacts on the pads, the arrangement having electrically conductive pins for making contact with the conductive contacts, wherein the types of electrically conductive contacts include two contacts for power and two separate contacts for signals. The pins may be arranged at corners of a first square and a second square, with the first square being rotated by forty-five degrees with respect to the second square, and a pin located at a common center of both squares. A method of operation of the apparatus, and various applications and configurations for its use. |
| US08276269B2 |
Dual epoxy dielectric and photosensitive solder mask coatings, and processes of making same
A microelectronic device mounting substrate includes a bond pad with a side wall and an upper surface. A dielectric first layer is disposed on the mounting substrate and a solder mask second layer is disposed on the dielectric first layer. A uniform recess is disposed through the solder mask second layer and the dielectric first layer that exposes the portion of the bond pad upper surface. |
| US08276266B2 |
Semi-automatic system for the manufacture of electrical induction coils
A system for the manufacture of electrical coils. The system includes a control unit configured to receive measurements for the electrical coil. The system further includes a pressure head operably connected to the control unit and mounted on a support, the pressure head including a vertical axle and a horizontal axle. At least one vertical wheel is mounted on the vertical axle and positioned to accept a conductor material and regulate height and flatness in the coil being formed. At least one horizontal wheel is mounted on the horizontal axle and positioned to accept the conductor material and position the conductor material on top of a previously formed coil. At least one hydraulic cylinder is attached to the vertical and horizontal axles and configured to adjust coiling pressure exerted on the conductor material by adjusting hydraulic pressure on the axles. |
| US08276262B2 |
Magnetically coupled thin-wafer handling system
Aspects of the present disclosure may include an apparatus for enclosing a thin wafer to prevent damage during an on-going manufacture of integrated circuit chip(s) on or in the thin wafer, and methods of utilizing the apparatus. The apparatus may include a lower support assembly and an upper retainer assembly which retains a thin wafer therebetween, wherein the lower support assembly and the upper retainer assembly may be coupled together by a magnetic attractive force. |
| US08276261B2 |
Tube expanding apparatus
In a state where the expanded protruding portion of the heat-exchanging tube, which has been expanded inside a grip portion of a chucking sleeve whose diameter has been reduced by a clamp bushing, is gripped by the grip portion, a tube expanding billet is inserted into a yet-unexpanded part of the heat-exchanging tube to cause tube expansion. When doing so, a guide portion, which is formed on a flare punch and has the same diameter as the maximum outer diameter of the tube expanding billet, is inserted inside the expanded protruding portion of the heat-exchanging tube gripped by the grip portion. |
| US08276260B2 |
Spring strut positioning device
A positioning device is provided for positioning of a spring leg and a shock damper motor axis when a connection to a body-shaped pieces of a suspension promoter suspended coach industry unit with a mounting stored chassis unit of the vehicle, with the positioning device includes an attachment element Fixture for fixing the direction positioning to mount one of the fixture resistance element jointed affiliated gripping central carrier with a gripper attached to appropriation reach of the spring leg and shock damper, with the gripping means by moving the grief-structural funds his joints in a rest medium defined rest positions to warden can be brought, namely a working position in which the grief by the central taken one spring leg or shock absorbers positioned, and the suspension strut or shock absorbers are not positioned normally. |
| US08276257B2 |
Method for making coplanar write head pole tips
A method and apparatus for providing a write head having well-defined, precise write head pole tips. A coplanar write head pole tip processing method provides a thin-film magnetic write head pole tip layer and defines first and second pole tips from the pole tip layer. When the pole tips are provided on a write head, a write gap can be defined using ion milling, E-beam lithography, FAB or can be deposited. The write head pole tips can be used in conjunction with read heads by merging a read head with a write head or a read head can be bonded to a write head in a piggybacked fashion. |
| US08276252B2 |
Extractor with slidable sleeve
An exemplary extractor includes a support member, a contact member and a sleeve. The contact member is fixed on an end of the support member. The sleeve is slidably sleeved on the support member. Extraction protrusions are formed on an end of the sleeve, and a handle bar is formed on the other end of the sleeve. |
| US08276250B2 |
Method of manufacturing a piezoelectric ink jet device
A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric ink jet device having a pressure chamber, a flexible membrane delimiting the pressure chamber, a piezoelectric actuator mounted on the membrane, and a rigid substrate attached to the side of the membrane carrying the actuator, which includes the steps of providing the piezoelectric actuator with an electrode on at least one side, attaching the actuator with its electrode side to a carrier plate, bonding the rigid substrate to the side of the carrier plate carrying the actuator, and removing material from the carrier plate on the side opposite to the actuator and leaving only a thin layer of the carrier plate which then forms the membrane. |
| US08276247B2 |
Snap hook with rotatable lock
A snap hook includes a hook member having a gap formed by an attaching end and a receiving end, a pivotal gate pivotally secured to the hook member and having a notch for receiving the receiving end of the hook member, a locking member is rotatably and slidably engaged onto the pivotal gate and includes a slot for aligning with the notch of the pivotal gate for allowing the pivotal gate and the locking member to be rotated relative to the hook member from the locking position to the unlocking position, and the locking member includes a guiding channel for guiding the locking member to slide longitudinally and to rotate relative to the pivotal gate and the hook member for a limited moving distance and for a limited rotational angle. |
| US08276242B2 |
Adjustable handle assembly with locking mechanism
The present document describes a pivotable handle assembly for mounting on a support. The assembly comprises a rotation-blocking portion comprising a pivot axis, the rotation-blocking portion for being rotatable about the pivot axis and relative to the support when in an unlocked position, and when in a locked position, the rotation blocking portion for preventing its rotation about the pivot axis; a handle depending from the rotation blocking portion; and a locking mechanism comprising a push-button and a lock release. The locking mechanism is for locking the rotation-blocking portion in the locked position, and for unlocking the rotation-blocking portion in the unlocked position upon a pushing motion being applied to the push-button to actuate the lock release, the unlocked position thereby allowing the handle to be pivoted about the pivot axis. |
| US08276239B2 |
Windscreen wiper device
A windscreen wiper device comprising an elastic, elongated carrier element, as well as an elongated wiper blade (2) of a flexible material, which can be placed in abutment with a windscreen to be wiped, which wiper blade (2) includes opposing longitudinal grooves (3) on its longitudinal sides, in which grooves spaced-apart longitudinal strips (4) of the carrier element are disposed, wherein neighbouring ends (5) of said longitudinal strips (4) are interconnected by a respective connecting piece (6), which windscreen wiper device comprises a connecting device (7) for an oscillating arm (8), as well as a spoiler (11) detachably connected to the wiper blade (2), with the special feature that said spoiler (11) comprises a less-flexible profile (13) which is slidably mounted on a mounting portion of the wiper blade (12). |
| US08276237B2 |
Paint roller cover support with expandable sleeve segments
Paint roller cover support includes a cage assembly mounted for rotation and limited axial movement in opposite directions on the shaft portion of a roller frame. The cage assembly includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending semi-cylindrical sleeve segments that move radially outward and inward relative to the shaft portion during axial movement of the cage assembly in opposite directions. Elastomeric rings surrounding opposite ends of the sleeve segments maintain cam members on the sleeve segments in engagement with cam lifters on respective hub members on the shaft portion. Both the elastomeric rings and elastomeric material attached to radial outer surfaces of the sleeve segments may be pressed into frictional engagement with the inner diameter of a surrounding roller cover during radial outward movement of the sleeve segments for securely retaining the roller cover on the support. |
| US08276236B2 |
Baseboard cleaning apparatus
A baseboard cleaning apparatus for cleaning a baseboard of a wall extending upright along the wall with respect to a floor includes a cleaning head and a block positioned in either side of a skid plate, and which are connected by a connector that extends through a slot formed in the skid plate. The skid plate has a lower extremity formed with a skid, and the connector is movable along the slot between lowered positions of the baseboard cleaning head and the fixture toward the skid formed in the lower extremity of the skid plate, and raised positions of the baseboard cleaning head and the fixture away from the skid formed in the lower extremity of the skid plate. |
| US08276229B2 |
Baby changing station
A baby supporting device is provided which includes a frame. The frame includes a first portion for mounting onto a wall and a second portion pivotally coupled to the first portion and rotatable between a first position and a second position. A first stop member extends from the first portion, and a second stop member extends from the second portion, such that when the second stop member engages the first stop member it stops the second portion at the second position. A first surface covers at least a portion of the first portion, and a second surface covers at least a portion of the second portion. |
| US08276228B1 |
Portable changing table
A portable changing table of the present disclosure includes at least one extendable arm assembly moveable between a retracted position and an extended position. The at least one extendable arm assembly is removably securable to a support structure. The portable changing table further includes a collapsible frame hingedly secured to the at least one extendable arm assembly, wherein the collapsible frame is moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position. The portable changing table further includes a flexible support member secured to a portion of the collapsible frame. The flexible support member extends across a portion of the collapsible frame in the deployed position. |
| US08276227B2 |
Multi-adjustable pillow
A pillow having a first pillow and a second smaller pillow attached to a face of the main pillow by an attachment member that is of sufficient length and flexibility to allow the second pillow to be positioned in an infinite number of parallel and/or skewed orientations relative to the first pillow. A third pillow, also smaller than the first pillow, can be attached to the first pillow on a face opposite the second pillow by another attachment member that is of sufficient length and flexibility to allow the second pillow to be positioned relative to the first pillow and second pillow in an infinite number of parallel and/or skewed orientations. The invention provides a fully formed pillow and a pillow cover. |
| US08276226B2 |
Method of manufacturing the stuffing of pillow using seeds of drupes and pillow filled with the stuffing manufactured thereby
A method of manufacturing the stuffing of a pillow, includes washing seeds of collected drupes to remove alien materials from the seeds, crushing the seeds removed of the alien materials into a predetermined size, polishing surfaces of the products of the seeds crushed into a predetermined size to be smooth and round and drying the resultant crushed products. |
| US08276224B1 |
Bed sheet with integrated sleeping garment
A bed sheet includes a bottom fabric layer sized to extend over the sides of and underneath a mattress. A top fabric layer is generally co-extensive with, and fastened to, the bottom fabric layer and defines a pocket therebetween. A sleeping garment integrated into the top fabric layer has a pair of garment halves removably coupleable to each other via a zipper that zips up into a fastener pocket that covers the zipper when the garment is fully closed. A flap can extend from one half of the garment, over the fastener pocket and fasten to the opposite half of the garment to inhibit the user from unzipping and removing the garment. The garment can hold a lower portion of the user within said pocket, allowing the user to remain warm without the use of a separate blanket, while being able to sit or stand on the mattress. |
| US08276223B1 |
Sleeping enclosure with assured ventilation
There is a growing need for safe methods to insulate sleeping people from intrusive environmental noises so that they can get a decent night's sleep. This invention solves the problem of how to provide a sleeping enclosure with a high degree of insulation against environmental noises while also providing assured ventilation within the enclosure. It features an active ventilation means and a passive ventilation means that are physically linked so that there is always one of them providing ventilation. This linkage combines the superior sound-insulating properties of active ventilation (such as a longer air conduit for reduced intrusion of environmental noises into the enclosure) with the superior safety properties of passive ventilation (such as not being vulnerable to power failure or mechanical failure). |
| US08281409B2 |
Systems and methods for securely providing email
Systems and methods for securely providing email messages are provided. A workstation computer is provided that includes a memory for storing computer executable instructions and a processor for accessing the memory and for executing the computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions includes an email client configured to process email messages, at least one email message having an executable decryption attachment that includes encrypted embedded content that can only be decrypted with a unique cryptography key. The executable decryption attachment, when executed, is configured to establish a secure connection with an encryption server, receive the unique cryptography key from the encryption server and decrypt the embedded content. |
| US08281407B2 |
In-line decryption device for securely printing documents
A media content printing method that includes storing encrypted media content data representing media content in a computing device, generating a file of print commands that include the encrypted media content data non-encrypted commands for printing the media content based on the encrypted media content data, and sending the file of print commands to an intermediate device that stores a cryptographic key. The method further includes sending the non-encrypted commands to a printing device, determining if the media content is authorized to be printed, and decrypting the encrypted media content data in the intermediate electronic device that corresponds to the authorized media content to produce decrypted media content data. The decrypted media content data is sent to the printing device for printing the media content based on the non-encrypted commands and the decrypted media content. |
| US08281406B2 |
Image processing apparatus and reinstallation method therefor
An image processing apparatus includes an installation unit configured to install an application for image processing and license information regarding the application, an information setting unit configured to set, as threshold information, operation restriction information, which is included in the license information, regarding the application, a counting unit configured to count operation information regarding an operation of the application, an application operation restriction unit configured to restrict an operation of the application according to the threshold information and the counted operation information, a reinstallation unit configured to reinstall the application, and an information setting control unit configured to inhibit the information setting unit from setting, as the threshold information, the operation restriction information, which is included in the license information, regarding the application reinstalled by the reinstallation unit. |
| US08281405B1 |
System, method, and computer program product for securing data on a server based on a heuristic analysis
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for securing data on a server based on a heuristic analysis. In use, information associated with attempts to access data on a server is recorded. Additionally, the information is heuristically analyzed. Further, the data is secured on the server based on the heuristic analysis. |
| US08281401B2 |
System for detecting vulnerabilities in web applications using client-side application interfaces
An improved method and apparatus for client-side web application analysis is provided. Client-side web application analysis involves determining and testing, using client-side application interfaces and the like, data input points and analyzing client requests and server responses. A security vulnerability analyzer can analyze web page content for client-side application files, such as Flash files and Java applets, extract web addresses and data parameters embedded in the client-side application file, and modify the data parameters according to user-defined test criteria. The modified data parameters are transmitted as part of a request to a respective web server used to service the client-side application files. The security vulnerability analyzer analyzes the response from the server to ascertain if there are any security vulnerabilities associated with the interface between the client-side application file and the web server. |
| US08281400B1 |
Systems and methods for identifying sources of network attacks
Methods and systems for identifying a source of an attack in a network include transmitting an address associated with the attack target to a number of network devices. Each network device may then determine whether a received packet is destined for the attack target and identify, for each packet destined for the attack target, an input interface upon which the packet arrived. Each network device may also count the amount of data destined for the attack target per input interface. A potential source of the attack may then be identified based on the amount of data destined for the attack target. |
| US08281395B2 |
Pattern-recognition processor with matching-data reporting module
Disclosed are methods and devices, among which is a device that includes a pattern-recognition processor. The pattern-recognition processor may include a matching-data reporting module, which may have a buffer and a match event table. The buffer may be coupled to a data stream and configured to store at least part of the data stream, and the match event table may be configured to store data indicative of a buffer location corresponding with a start of a search criterion being satisfied. |
| US08281394B2 |
Phishing notification service
A method includes determining whether new phishing site identifiers (URLs and/or IP addresses) have been created. Upon a determination that the new phishing site identifiers have been created, the new phishing site identifiers are compared to site identifiers of sites to which critical values have been provided in the past. Upon a determination that at least one of the new phishing site identifiers matches at least one of the site identifiers, a phishing notification is provided that the user was successfully phished in the past. |
| US08281389B2 |
System and method for tamper evident certification
A storage device has a storage medium, a set of credentials stored on the storage medium, and a controller. The controller within the storage device is coupled to the storage medium, and adapted to identify security status of the storage device. The controller is adapted to alter one or more credentials of the set of credentials responsive to the security status. |
| US08281388B1 |
Hardware secured portable storage
A portable storage device contains a real time clock, an onboard power source and secure storage. These components enable the device to securely store data and control access thereto. A secret key can be maintained in secure storage, such that access to the device can be denied to external systems that do not have a matching key. A log detailing connections can also be maintained in secure storage, such that device activity can be accurately documented, and made available in a trusted manner to a management system. Furthermore, the onboard real time clock allows stored data to be encrypted and decrypted in conjunction with specified time periods, such that a session key is destroyed after a time out, or is not made available until a given period of time has transpired. |
| US08281385B2 |
Internet friendly proxy server extending legacy software connectivity
An industrial automation proxy server comprises an interface that receives data related to legacy software, where the data is associated with a legacy protocol. Additionally, the industrial automation proxy server includes a protocol transformation component that converts the data associated with the legacy protocol to a disparate protocol. Furthermore, the industrial automation proxy server can include a routing component that redirects the data to a remote device over an internet connection. |
| US08281382B1 |
Dynamic throttling systems and services
A lightweight throttling mechanism allows for dynamic control of access to resources in a distributed environment. Each request received by a server of a server group is parsed to determine tokens in the request, which are compared with designated rules to determine whether to process or reject the request based on usage data associated with an aspect of the request, the token values, and the rule(s) specified for the request. The receiving of each request can be broadcast to throttling components for each server such that the global state of the system is known to each server. The system then can monitor usage and dynamically throttle requests based on real time data in a distributed environment. |
| US08281380B2 |
Information processing system and computer-readable recording medium
When a user makes a remote log-in to a server apparatus from a terminal apparatus, a password managing apparatus, which manages the name of a user of the server apparatus, his/her direct log-in password and transformation rule, displays an authentication purpose symbol sequence on a display apparatus. The user transforms the displayed sequence by his/her transformation rule and supplies, via the terminal apparatus, his/her user name and the post-transformation symbol sequence to the server apparatus, which then sends them to the password managing apparatus. If the result of applying the user's transformation rule to any authentication purpose symbol sequence generated in the past coincides with the post-transformation symbol sequence, the password managing apparatus sends the direct log-in password to the server apparatus to pass the remote log-in to the server apparatus by the terminal apparatus as a success. |
| US08281373B2 |
System, apparatus, and program for biometric authentication
A client apparatus transmits environmental information acquired from an environmental information acquisition device as well as a biometric authentication information matching result to a server apparatus. The server apparatus verifies the validity of the environmental information such as a luminance as well as the validity of the biometric authentication information matching result. If an environment is problematic, the server apparatus notifies the client apparatus that the environmental information is problematic. The client apparatus overcomes the problem of the environment such as the luminance based on the notification from the server apparatus and then retries a biometric authentication. The possibility of re-failure due to the environmental problem can be reduced during a retry of the biometric authentication. |
| US08281372B1 |
Device, system, and method of accessing electronic mail
Device, system, and method of accessing electronic mail. For example, a computerized method includes: receiving an identifier of an email account, and a password; if the password matches a first reference password previously stored in association with said email account, then authorizing a substantially full access to said email account; if the password matches a second reference password previously stored in association with said email account, then authorizing a restricted access to said email account. |
| US08281371B1 |
Authentication and authorization in network layer two and network layer three
A method may include authenticating a node over layer 2 in a network based on authentication rules; sending a node authentication code to the node; and providing layer 3 network access based on the node authentication code. |
| US08281370B2 |
Managing secure sharing of private information across security domains
Systems and methods for sharing information across at least two organizations is described. A physical node may receive a request for authorization for a user in an organization to access an individual's information in another organization. The request may be logged. The physical node may determine whether the user is authorized to access the individual's information and, if it is, provide appropriate access. |
| US08281363B1 |
Methods and systems for enforcing network access control in a virtual environment
A computer-implemented method may include receiving a request to access a network. The request may be sent from a virtual machine. The method may also include proxying the request to a network-access-control module, receiving a response from the network-access-control module, and transmitting the response to the virtual machine. Proxying the request to the network-access-control module may include assigning the virtual machine a virtual identifier. Proxying the request may also include creating a temporary interface. The temporary interface may be programmed to receive the response from the network-access-control module and transmit the response to the virtual machine. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed herein. |
| US08281362B2 |
Verification method, verification program, recording medium, information processor, and integrated circuit
A virtual machine can be implemented by anyone because the interface and other information necessary for implementation are publicly available. Therefore, it is possible that by implementing the virtual machine illegitimately, programs run thereon on will be made to operate illegitimately instead of legitimately. A program compares secret information held by the virtual machine with verification information held by the program itself. The program thereby verifies whether the virtual machine that runs the program is implemented legitimately, and is able to reject an illegitimate virtual machine. |
| US08281359B2 |
System and method for media transcoding and presentation
A method and apparatus for presenting a media data stream complying with a broadcast encryption standard is disclosed. A dongle is removably coupleable to a rendering device, with the dongle performing transcoding so as to allow presentation of the media in a secure manner without modification of the rendering device software or hardware. |
| US08281353B1 |
Service creation system and method for packet based cellular networks
A method and apparatus for transmitting audio information and digital images via a wireless switching network by performing the operations of starting a photo or audio session by a digital camera or audio appliance; connecting the digital camera or audio appliance to a wireless telecommunication terminal; reserving bandwidth on the wireless switching network; transmitting digital images or audio information between the digital camera or audio appliance and a centralized database via a first path on the wireless switching network; and establishing a second path for transmission of digital images or audio information upon the first path being interrupted using the reserved bandwidth for the second path. |
| US08281349B2 |
Data providing system
A data providing system in which program deliverers store programs and deliver the stored programs to requesting subscriber terminals has a program allocation control unit that allocates new programs or qualified programs to multiple program deliverers, then selectively deletes the programs from the program deliverers. This allocation scheme assures that even newly added programs can be transmitted efficiently to the subscriber terminals. |
| US08281348B2 |
Method for providing episodic media on a dedicated channel
A personalized media service provides, e.g., user customization of radio channel selections, immediate availability of multiple pre-programmed and/or customized channels, the ability to intersperse different types of content including periodically refreshed information content, availability of personal radio functions on devices such as car audio systems, PDAs, smartphones, MP3 players, etc. Available channels include, e.g., pre-programmed channels selected for the user based on an interest profile, user-owned content, user-specified recorded content, etc. An audio user interface facilitates user selection of programming and user purchase of currently played audio material. An overall radio experience is thus provided that combines the customization and flexibility of digital media with the immediacy and ubiquity of radio. Video materials may also be accommodated. |
| US08281333B2 |
Smart carousel
A data carousel exists as an out-of-band carousel (OOBC), and accessed as a hidden background service from the channel map, and that discriminates against metadata that is never (or is rarely) accessed, and that is acquired in the background, filling a cache even when the subscriber is not accessing Video on Demand. |
| US08281327B2 |
Mechanism to load disc from cartridge to recording apparatus
A disc loading mechanism transporting a disc between a disc cartridge and a recording and reproducing apparatus includes: a loading arm having at a leading end thereof claw members which comes into contact with an outer circumference of the disc and performs drawing of the disc into the recording and reproducing apparatus and insertion of the disc into the disc cartridge; an arm driving mechanism which slides the loading arm in a disc transport direction; a disc extruding lever which extrudes the disc up to a contact position with the claw members when discharging the disc; and a lever driving mechanism which drives the extrusion lever, wherein each of the claw members includes a draw-in surface portion and an insertion surface portion provided at the opposite side to the draw-in surface portion. |
| US08281325B2 |
Computing system including user program system executing user program and library program system, executing library programs to be used in user program, computing method, user program system, library program system, and storage medium containing program
A numerical data transfer section transfers numerical data and its format as input values for computation from a user program system to a library program system, gives it a name, and registers/manages it. In addition, a computation request section transfers information on the content of the computation from the user program system to the library program system. In library program system, a computing method determining section determine the types of library programs to be used and their execution sequence on the basis of the received information on the content of the computation. A computation-result transmitting section transfers results of execution from the library program system to the user program system in accordance with a request from a user. Accordingly, the user of the user program can more easily use library programs without having to pay attention to specific processes carried out by the library program system. |
| US08281323B2 |
Techniques for establishing virtual devices
Techniques for establishing virtual devices are presented. A legacy control system is encapsulated as a virtual device. The virtual device is isolated within a host hardware associate with a host OS and access to and from the virtual device is authenticated and controlled by the host OS. Legacy hardware used by the legacy control system is connected to the host hardware, thereby permitting the legacy control system to continue to access the legacy hardware when the virtual device processes. |
| US08281316B2 |
Event direction detector and method thereof
Event direction detection method that distinguishes an external event from an internal event and detects a direction of an event, includes the steps of: acting as intermediary of input/output of the external event and transferring external event input to an external event output; acting as intermediary of input/output of the internal event and transferring internal event input to an internal event output; transferring the outputs to finite state machine of a block; receiving and editing external event input terminal, via which the external event is input, and external event output terminal via which the external event is output; receiving and editing the first acting and transferring step; receiving and editing internal event input terminal, via which the internal event is input, and internal event output terminal via which the internal event is output; and receiving and editing the second acting and transferring step. |
| US08281314B2 |
Information processing device and method
An information processing device to execute programs performing encoding processing configured from a plurality of processes, includes: a program storage unit to store a plurality of encoding programs wherein an allocation pattern for a computation processing unit as to each of a plurality of processes comprising the encoding processes or the disposal pattern of memory utilized in the plurality of processes are each different; a program selecting unit to select an encoding program to be utilized in the event of executing encoding processing from a plurality of encoding programs stored with the program storage unit, as a utilized encoding program; and a program executing unit to execute the encoding processing employing a utilized encoding program selected with the program selecting unit. |
| US08281308B1 |
Virtual core remapping based on temperature
A virtual core management system including a first physical core and a second physical core, and a virtual core including a collection of logical states associated with execution of a program. The virtual core management system further includes a first temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the first physical core and a second temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the second physical core, and a virtual core management component configured to map the virtual core to one of the first physical core and the second physical core based on at least one of the temperature of the first physical core and the temperature of the second physical core. |
| US08281307B2 |
Virtual solution composition and deployment system and method
A method and information processing system are provided for creating a virtual part and for composing and deploying a virtual solution with one or more virtual parts. The virtual part includes: a virtual image including a set of compatible software components; a set of configurability points, each configurability point defining at least one parameter of the virtual part that is configurable; a set of virtual ports, wherein each virtual port indicates at least one of a set of virtual parts required by the virtual part and a set of virtual parts that are compatible with the virtual part; and a set of configuration scripts adapted to reconfigure the virtual image. |
| US08281305B2 |
Method and apparatus for resource provisioning
Embodiments of the invention provide a method and apparatus for resource provisioning for a new virtual machine to be provided in a computer device. In one embodiment, at least one storage subsystem, the computer device, and a storage management server are connected via a network. A unique virtual port name for the new virtual machine is created by one of a first storage subsystem of the at least one storage subsystem or the storage management server. A volume for the new virtual machine is provided in the first storage subsystem. The first storage subsystem includes a unique port name for a port through which the volume for the new virtual machine has I/O connection via the network. The unique virtual port name is assigned to the new virtual machine in the computer device under NPIV (N_Port ID Virtualization). |
| US08281304B2 |
High availability system and execution state control method
A high availability system includes a first computer on which a first virtual computer and a first hypervisor managing the first virtual computer operate, and a second computer on which a second virtual computer and a second hypervisor managing the second virtual computer operate. The first hypervisor includes an acquisition unit which acquires synchronization information associated with an event, wherein the event has occurred in the first virtual computer and accompanies an input to the first virtual computer, and a transmission unit which transmits the acquired synchronization information to the second hypervisor. The second hypervisor includes a reception unit which receives the synchronization information from the first hypervisor, and a control unit which performs control to match an input to the second virtual computer with an input to the first virtual computer in accordance with the received synchronization information. |
| US08281301B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling storage provisioning
Providing a volume to a host computer by a storage system is automated for ensuring that an appropriate version of a storage control software is installed on a storage control module of the storage system that manages access of the host computer to the volume. When the volume on the storage system is allocated for use by the computer, a control module on the storage system is designated for managing the access to the volume. An operating system to be used on the computer when accessing the volume is determined, and a compatible version of the storage control software is uploaded and installed on the storage control module. Multiple storage control modules may be provided on the storage system and virtual machines may be used on the storage control modules for enabling simultaneous operation of more than one version of the storage control software on each storage control module. |
| US08281300B2 |
Software package management
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive a request to roll back one or more individually specified software packages to their respective package states at a prior time on a processing system, to determine a series of transactions on the processing system associated with the individually specified software packages and their dependencies, conducted between the current time and the prior time, and to roll back the dependencies and the individually specified software packages to the respective package states on the processing system. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US08281291B2 |
System and method for embedded java memory footprint performance improvement
A system and method are provided to allow demand loading and discarding of Java executable image (JXE) files. The virtual machine allocates an address space for a requested JXE program. The read-only portion of the JXE file is memory mapped from its nonvolatile location to the allocated memory space using read-only mapping and the read/write section of the JXE file are loaded into memory. When a page of the JXE program is needed, a page fault occurs if the read-only portion has not been loaded into memory. The operating system's page fault handler retrieves the needed page(s) from the nonvolatile storage location based upon the mapping data that resulted from the previously performed memory mapping. Because the read-only section of the JXE file is memory mapped using read-only mapping, the operating system's paging process is free to discard previously loaded memory pages that contain read-only portions of the JXE file. |
| US08281289B2 |
Device, method, and program for generating and executing execution binary image, and computer-readable recording medium containing the execution binary image execution program
An execution binary image creating device includes an execution binary reading section (1) reading configuration information representing an internal configuration of an execution binary program to be executed on a computer and includes a deletable area detecting section (2) acquiring the configuration information of the execution binary program, analyzing information to be used in performing address resolution at a time of execution, and detecting a deletable area in the execution binary program, when the address resolution is not performed. Further, the device includes an execution binary rewriting section (3) rewriting the deletable area in the execution binary program into specific data and using an execution binary image creating section (4) reducing the data amount of the specific data included in the execution binary program, and converting the execution binary program into an execution binary image in a format recognizable on the computer. |
| US08281283B2 |
Model-based integration of business logic implemented in enterprise javabeans into a UI framework
A system and method for integrating business logic implemented in Enterprise JavaBeans (EJBs) into a user interface framework are disclosed. A design-time environment includes an analyzer that analyzes selected EJBs and generates a model representation of the selected EJBs, and further includes a metadata provider to provide additional metadata to the model representation. A runtime environment has a generic model component to access the selected EJBs based on their model representation, and executes the selected EJBs in the user interface framework. |
| US08281281B1 |
Setting level of detail transition points
Visual representations of different versions of an object are automatically generated and presented to users. Users can compare these visual representations to determine appropriate level of detail transition points based on the visual appearances of different versions of an object. The specified level of detail transition points are converted into level of detail parameter values to be used to select one or more versions of an object for rendering, simulation, or other tasks. The visual representation of each version of an object can include an image sequence of the version at a range of distances from the camera. Each image corresponds to a view of the version at a specific level of detail parameter value. A user interface allows users to view the image sequences associated versions of an object as still images or animation. Users can select images in image sequences as level of detail transition points. |
| US08281280B2 |
Method and apparatus for versatile controllability and observability in prototype system
Methods and systems for testing a design under verification (DUV), the method including receiving, at an interface, configured Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) images and runtime control information, wherein each of the FPGA images contains a respective portion of the DUV, and a respective verification module associated with a respective FPGA device. The method further includes, sending, by the interface, each of the FPGA images to each of the respective FPGA devices associated with each of the respective FPGA images. The method also includes, sending, by the interface, timing and control information to each of the respective verification modules based on runtime control information received from the host workstation. In response to receiving timing and control information, each of the respective verification modules, controls each of the respective portions of the DUV in each of the respective FPGA devices. |
| US08281274B1 |
Method and apparatus for performing efficient incremental compilation
A method for designing a system on a target device includes identifying candidate portions in the system to preserve based on similarities between the system and another system. Preservation criteria are applied on the candidate portions in the system to preserve to identify portions of the system to preserve. Design results from the another system are reused for portions in the system that are preserved. |
| US08281273B2 |
Method and apparatus for identifying connections between configurable nodes in a configurable integrated circuit
Some embodiments provide a method that defines a set of connections that connect the nodes in a configurable node array. The method identifies different sets of connections for connecting a set of the nodes. For each identified set of connections, the method computes a metric score that quantifies a quality of the identified set of connections. The method then selects one of the identified sets of connections to connect the configurable nodes in the array. |
| US08281272B1 |
System and method to generate re-useable layout components from schematic components in an IC design with hierarchical parameters
A method is provided to produce an integrated circuit layout design comprising: providing in non-transitory storage a pPar parent cell that includes one or more pPar instances and that specifies one or more corresponding input parameter values; producing a graphical representation on a computer display screen of a first schematic design that includes a pPar parent instance; instantiating in non-transitory storage a parameterized cell supermaster that corresponds to the pPar parent cell; determining whether a core layout cell is stored in non-transitory storage that corresponds to the parameterized cell supermaster and the one or more corresponding input parameter values; in response to determining that such a core layout cell is stored, filling a first parameterized cell submaster with an instance of the stored core layout cell; in response to determining that such a core layout cell is not stored, using program code associated with the parameterized cell supermaster to generate a core layout cell; and storing the generated core layout cell in non-transitory storage. |
| US08281270B2 |
Method and system for proximity-aware circuit design
A method for proximity-aware circuit design where a set of layout constraint values that satisfy predetermined performance or yield goals is determined in accordance with a layout effect model. One of the layout constraint values is then selected as a constraint input to layout design, and a design layout is performed with the selected layout constraint value to provide a semiconductor circuit design for the semiconductor circuit. The set of layout constraint values can be determined by varying an instance parameter of the layout effect model to determine a set of instance parameters that satisfy the at least one predetermined performance or yield goal in accordance with the layout effect model, and determining layout constraints associated with each instance parameter of the set of instance parameters, thus providing a number of candidates in a design space that can be evaluated according to performance and/or yield tradeoffs. |
| US08281269B2 |
Method of semiconductor integrated circuit device and program
An object of the present invention is to largely reduce a period required for a layout design of a semiconductor integrated circuit device by simplifying a hierarchical layout process. It is necessary to couple a signal line between a circuit belonging to a top and a signal terminal of a block, and there is such an inadequate situation that the signal line cannot be coupled to a predetermined location of the signal terminal of the block or the signal line needs to be largely detoured depending on congestion conditions of the other signal lines in the block and the signal lines of the top coupled to the other blocks. Accordingly, location information of the signal terminal is deleted before the signal line is coupled, so that the signal line can be coupled irrespective of the location information of the signal terminal of the block. Further, the signal line can be optimally coupled in some cases by arranging the circuit of the top on the inner side relative to a boundary of the block, so that location information of the boundary of the block as well as the location information of the signal terminal is deleted. |
| US08281268B2 |
Method and system detecting metal line failure
In a method of detecting metal line failures for a full-chip, a first net-list is converted to a second net-list. The first net-list includes first information related to elements and metal lines, and the second net-list includes second information susceptible to direct current analysis. Current densities of the metal lines are calculated by performing the direct current analysis on the second net-list. Defective metal lines among the metal lines are detected based on the current densities of the metal lines. |
| US08281264B2 |
Model-based pattern characterization to generate rules for rule-model-based hybrid optical proximity correction
A system and method are provided for analyzing layout patterns via simulation using a lithography model to characterize the patterns and generate rules to be used in rule-based optical proximity correction (OPC). The system and method analyze a series of layout patterns conforming to a set of design rules by simulation using a lithography model to obtain a partition of the pattern spaces into one portion that requires only rule-based OPC and another portion that requires model-based OPC. A corresponding hybrid OPC system and method are also introduced that utilize the generated rules to correct an integrated circuit (IC) design layout which reduces the OPC output complexity and improves turnaround time. |
| US08281260B2 |
Information processing apparatus, program, and information processing method
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus is provided with a display section, and can be instructed to be operated by a pointer displayed on the display section, and includes a detection section for detecting, from an input image of a hand, a position of the hand in the image, an operation section for obtaining a probability that the hand exists in the image by using the latest detection result detected by the detection section, and a value of a probability distribution function having a peak at a position which has been evaluated last time as a position at which a probability that the hand exists is high, and a pointer display section for moving the pointer, on the basis of an evaluation value obtained from the probability, to a position at which the probability that the hand exists is the highest and displaying the pointer at the position. |
| US08281257B2 |
Data display apparatus, method of controlling the same, and computer program
A data display apparatus comprising, a display unit operable to hierarchically display a plurality of folders, a management unit operable to manage information associated with each of the plurality of folders, a determination unit operable to, when the display unit displays each of the plurality of folders, determine based on the information associated with the folder and acquired from the management unit whether to integrally display the folder and a plurality of lower folders included under the folder as an integrated folder, and a control unit operable to control to cause the display unit to perform integral display using the integrated folder when the determination unit has determined to perform the integral display. |
| US08281256B2 |
System and method for attracting, surveying, and marketing to consumers
One method of the present invention includes displaying an interactive map to a consumer and recording interactions with the consumer, recording the interactions, analyzing the recordings, and acting on the analysis. The interactive map is provided at a tourist attraction or other location, and includes maps, images, cameras, and other information about the area surrounding the attraction, as well as information about other attractions, that is useful and/or interesting to a consumer. The interactive media include remote-controlled cameras, touch screen monitors, joysticks, and various other controls. Recording the interactions of the consumers includes recording touches, page views, clicks, session lengths, itineraries selected, and other interactions. Analyzing includes analyzing to find consumer preferences among locations presented. Acting on the results of the analyses includes contacting and forming networks with entities in the area surrounding the tourist hub or remote locations, including contacting and forming networks with other tourist hubs. |
| US08281254B2 |
Menu promotions user interface
A computer implemented method is disclosed. The method includes determining, at a set-top box device, that a plurality of menu items in a menu includes a particular menu item associated with a content item that is to be promoted when displaying the plurality of menu items in the menu. The method further includes displaying the plurality of menu items in the menu. A determination is made at the set top box whether to display a promotion of the content item. In response to determining to display the promotion, the promotion of the content item is displayed beside the plurality of menu items, and a right command is enabled allowing a cursor position to jump directly to the particular menu item from a different menu item of the plurality of menu items. The jump is performed after a single application of the right command, where the different menu item does not have a restriction as to a position in the menu. In response to determining not to display the promotion, the right command is disabled. |
| US08281252B2 |
User interface component
A sliding tab tabbed pane user interface component implementable in an electronic device is presented. The user interface component provides a user interface of the electronic device with items belonging to a plurality of different categories, each category being associated with a different sliding tab. The sliding tabs are arranged such that at least a portion of the items of at least two sliding tabs is visible. |
| US08281250B2 |
System and method for supporting document navigation on mobile devices using segmentation and keyphrase summarization
Described is system that characterizes segments of document with one or more keyphrases and then uses keyphrases to help users find interesting parts of document. Keyphrases are displayed with information about the location of the phrase in the document and are used as pointers to quickly move to from overview to section of potential interest. In another implementation, when there are many documents in a collection, inventive multi-document view can be used to reduce number of documents presented, helping user to more efficiently find documents of interest. In this view, a user (possibly repeatedly) filters documents displayed based on metadata values. In one implementation, icons corresponding to documents are displayed on a display device together with metadata corresponding to the documents. When the value of the metadata is selected by the user, display state of the icons corresponding to document is varied based on selected value of metadata. |
| US08281247B2 |
Preventing execution of programs that are embedded in email messages
Systems and methods are presented which generate modified email messages, which are largely devoid of embedded functions, from original email messages, which have embedded functions. The embedded functions are amenable to self-executing codes such as viruses, worms, and Trojan programs. Thus, the modified email message without these embedded functions, and any argument associated with these functions, provides a more secure email environment. |
| US08281246B2 |
Travelogue-based contextual map generation
A map user interface control provides functionality for displaying a map in conjunction with the display of a Web page. The map control operates in combination with a location extraction component that analyzes the contents of the Web page to identify locations mentioned therein. Once the location extraction component has identified the locations mentioned in the Web page, a map is generated that encompasses the locations identified in the Web page. Once the map has been generated, the map control displays the map in conjunction with the display of the Web page. The map might include visual indicators corresponding to the locations mentioned in the Web page. The map might also include visual indicators corresponding to other locations near the locations identified in the Web page that have been identified using co-occurrence values generated through an analysis of a set of travelogues. |
| US08281242B2 |
Editable data tooltips
System and method for debugging a program. A graphical user interface (GUI) displays source code for the program in a first GUI element, and first user input is received to the first GUI element indicating an expression, e.g., including one or more one or more variables, constants, macros, and/or operators, in the source code. A value of the expression is displayed in a tooltip in response to the first user input. Second user input is received to the tooltip modifying the value, thereby specifying a new value, and the expression in the program is set to the new value. The program continues execution in accordance with the new value of the expression. The tooltip includes a first portion, e.g., context sensitive control, displaying the value and to receive the second user input modifying the value, and a second portion, e.g., text indicator, displaying non-editable information related to the expression. |
| US08281226B2 |
Reproduction apparatus and reproduction method
A reproduction apparatus includes a reproduction unit reading a reproduced signal of the data recorded on an optical disk, a reproduced signal processing unit performing ECC decoding for the reproduced signal using a predetermined parameter value, a storage unit storing the parameter number associated with the currently set parameter value and a parameter table listing parameter values and associated parameter numbers, and a control unit controlling the reproduction unit and the reproduced signal processing unit. The control unit, when ECC decoding fails, changes the parameter values in the order of the parameter numbers and controls the reproduced signal processing unit until ECC decoding succeeds in retried reproduction processing and, when ECC decoding succeeds, stores the parameter number associated with the currently set parameter value and sets in the next retried reproduction processing the parameter value associated with the stored parameter number in the reproduced signal processing unit. |
| US08281225B2 |
Digital data coding and recording apparatus, and method of using the same
A data coding apparatus and method for recording digital data on a storage device are provided, where the recording apparatus reduces the number of times that memory is accessed by storing only additional information and parity information when ECC encoded data are temporarily stored in an external memory, and performs data coding without any clock loss by scrambling only a specific field on-the-fly when the data stored in the external memory are read. |
| US08281217B2 |
Memory devices and encoding and/or decoding methods
Memory devices and/or encoding/decoding methods are provided. A memory device may include: a memory cell array; an internal decoder configured to apply, to a first codeword read from the memory cell array, a first decoding scheme selected based on a characteristic of a first channel in which the first codeword is read to perform error control codes (ECC) decoding of the first codeword, and apply, to a second codeword read from the memory cell array, a second decoding scheme selected based on a characteristic of a second channel in which the second codeword is read to perform the ECC decoding of the second codeword; and an external decoder configured to apply an external decoding scheme to the ECC-decoded first codeword and the ECC-decoded second codeword to perform the ECC decoding of the first codeword and the second codeword. |
| US08281214B2 |
Programmable quasi-cyclic low-density parity check (QC LDPC) encoder for read channel
The present invention is a programmable QC LDPC encoder for encoding user data. The encoder may be configurable for implementation with a read channel. The encoder may include a plurality of barrel shifter circuits. The barrel shifter circuits are configured for generating a plurality of parity bits based on interleaved user bits received by the encoder. The barrel shifter circuits are further configured for outputting the parity bits. The encoder may further include an encoder interleaver memory. The encoder interleaver memory may be communicatively coupled with the barrel shifter circuits and may receive the parity bits output from the barrel shifter circuits. The encoder interleaver may be configured for interleaving the parity bits. Further, the encoder may be configured for outputting the interleaved parity bits to a multiplexer. The barrel shifter circuits may generate the plurality of parity bits via an encoding algorithm: p=u*GT. |
| US08281208B2 |
Receiver with capability of correcting error
A receiver with capability of correcting error is disclosed. A soft slicer generates quantized data and associated soft data. A decoder with error recovery generates decoded quantized data and a soft sequence, and is capable of correcting one bit of the quantized data. A serial-to-parallel (S/P) converter with code corrector generates parallel data, and is capable of correcting two bits of de-scrambled data bits. |
| US08281207B2 |
Data transmission equipment and generating method for transmission code
A transmitter communicates with a receiver and an error corrector corrects bit errors generated during data transmission. The transmitter has a scrambler unit that scrambles data so that a running disparity of 0 and 1 in the input data is substantially zero. A bit-string converting unit 15 that adds bit data for ensuring a maximum run length of a serial bit string of the scrambled data and converts control information to bit data of a fixed value. A synchronization timing generating unit 16 divides the transmitted data by a constant interval and converts the transmission data to a data block. A bit-string converting unit extracts a fixed-value bit pattern of the control data from the bit string of the data block, converts the bit pattern to the control information, and discriminates the data and the control information. A descrambler unit reconverts the data-scrambled data to the data before scrambling. |
| US08281205B2 |
LDPC decoding apparatus, decoding method and program
Disclosed herein is a decoding apparatus for decoding an LDPC code, the decoding apparatus including: a message computation section configured to carry out a process of decoding received values, where notation F denotes a non-unity measure of the integer P, and outputting F messages; a shift section configured to carry out F×F cyclic shift operations on the F messages and output F messages; a storage section configured to store the F messages and allow the stored F messages to be read out or to store F received values cited above and allow the stored F received values to be read out; and a control section configured to control an operation to supply a unit composed of the F received values to the message computation section by carrying out at least a column rearrangement process or a process equivalent to the column rearrangement process on the received values. |
| US08281204B2 |
Method and arrangement in a telecommunication system in which an acknowledgment message is fed back for a bundle of frames
A method in a receiving node for sending an acknowledgement/not acknowledgement “ACK/NACK” feedback report of received data units over a radio link is provided. When the receiving node have received (301) data units in a number of subframes over a first radio link from a sending node, it creates (302) an ACK/NACK feedback report. The report is compressed such that it comprises one single ACK/NACK feedback relating to the data units in the number of received subframes, and the report comprises an indicator indicating said number of received subframes. The sending node then transmits (303) the created ACK/NACK feedback report to the sending node over a second radio link. The feedback report renders it feasible for the sending node to decide whether a retransmission of any subframe is required or not based on a comparison of the reported number of received subframes with the known transmitted number of subframes per frame, together with the compressed ACK/NACK feedback report. |
| US08281203B2 |
PCI.Express communication system and communication method thereof
When a transaction layer circuit detects an error, error information in respect of transmission data is set in a TLP digest. The method includes: a step in which, at an endpoint (3a) that receives a memory read request transmitted by the root complex 1, if an error is detected during transmission of first data corresponding to the requested TLP, error information is set in the TLP digest and a completion with data attached is returned; a step in which the root complex (1) returns a memory read request based on the error information to the endpoint; a step in which the endpoint returns requested second data; and a step in which the root complex terminates the response after overwriting the error location of the first data that was held, with the second data. |
| US08281199B2 |
Hybrid self-test circuit structure
A hybrid self-test circuit structure comprises a plurality of input terminals and a plurality of output terminals for testing a plurality of memory units. The circuit structure comprises a first level functional unit for driving a plurality of first output terminals electrically coupled to the first level functional unit to output an output signal according to an external control signal transmitted from the outside; a plurality of second level functional units for receiving the output signal and generating a test signal according to the output signal and outputting the test signal to the memory units; a parallel interface parallelly installed between the first level functional unit and at least one of the second level functional units; and a serial interface serially installed between the first level functional unit and at least one of the second level functional units. |
| US08281198B2 |
User-initiatable method for detecting re-grown fuses within a microprocessor
A microprocessor includes a first plurality of fuses, selectively blown with a predetermined value for provision to circuits of the microprocessor to control operation of the microprocessor. The microprocessor also includes a second plurality of fuses, selectively blown with error detection information used to detect an error in the first plurality of fuses such that a blown fuse of the microprocessor returned a non-blown binary value. In response to a user program instruction, the microprocessor is configured to determine whether there is an error in the first plurality of fuses such that a blown fuse returned a non-blown binary value using the error detection information from the second plurality of fuses. |
| US08281191B2 |
Fully-buffered dual in-line memory module with fault correction
A memory circuit including a logic circuit, content addressable memory, and a multiplexer. The logic circuit is configured to output a first address. The content addressable memory is configured to i) receive the first address and ii) output a substitute address and a match signal if the first address matches a second address stored in the content addressable memory. The multiplexer is configured to i) receive the first address and the substitute address and ii) selectively output one of the first address and the substitute address based on the match signal. |
| US08281189B2 |
SATA primitive prediction and correction
A method of correcting corrupted primitives transmitted between a serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) host and a SATA device includes analyzing a current state, a previously transmitted primitive, or a previously received primitive; selecting at least one candidate primitive according to at least one of the current state, the previously transmitted primitive and the previously received primitive; predicting the identity of a current primitive according to at least one candidate primitive and a received current primitive; and replacing the corrupted primitive with the predicted primitive when the predicted primitive is different from the current primitive. |
| US08281180B1 |
Systems and methods for enabling failover support with multiple backup data storage structures
A main data center with first and second backup data centers also has a translator for assisting a failover module of a failed server at the main data center in implementing failover of the failed server to a corresponding server at the first backup data center. The translator intercepts a command from the failover module to a store of the main data center, where the command directs the store to disable writes to particular storage space in the store associated with the failed server, but does not identify with specificity which of a store of the first data center and a store of the second data center is enabled to write to such particular storage space. Thus, the translator determines an identification of the store of the first backup data center, and modifies the command from the failover module based on the determined identification. |
| US08281179B2 |
Information system, data transfer method and data protection method
Availability of an information system including a storage system that performs remote copy between two or more storage apparatuses and a host computer using such storage system is improved. A third storage apparatus including a third volume is coupled to a first storage apparatus, a fourth storage apparatus including a fourth volume is coupled to a second storage apparatus, the first and third storage apparatuses perform remote copy of copying data stored in a first volume to the third volume, the first and second storage apparatuses perform remote copy of copying data stored in the first volume to a second volume, and the third and fourth storage apparatuses perform remote copy of copying data stored in the third volume to the fourth volume. |
| US08281173B2 |
System and method for enabling fallback states for energy efficient ethernet
A system and method for enabling fallback states for energy efficient Ethernet (EEE). EEE devices can be designed to support multiple power saving states that impact layers higher than the PHY layer. Typically, these higher levels of power savings would require a greater period of time to accommodate a return to an active state. In a dynamic negotiation process, the receiving device can advertise multiple fallback power saving states to the transmitting device. The transmitting device's allocation of buffering can then determine which of the power saving states would be supported. |
| US08281171B2 |
Adjustment of power-saving strategy depending on working state of CPU
In a method for adjusting power-saving strategy of a peripheral device controller in communication with a CPU, whether the CPU is in a working state while the peripheral device enters a power-saving mode is first determined. Then, interrupt the CPU at relatively short intervals during the power-saving mode if the CPU is in the working state; and interrupt the CPU at relatively long intervals during the power-saving mode if the CPU is not in the working state. |
| US08281166B2 |
System and method for computer power control
Provided herein is a computer implemented system for managing power supply for an electronic device. The system includes computer a learning component that is trained and constructs models according to usage patterns of the electronic device, a component providing a first phase of model building relating to usage of the electronic device; and a forecasting component that employs the learning component and models to generate predictions relating to usage of the electronic device. |
| US08281163B2 |
System and method for providing power control fault masking
Systems and methods for reducing problems and disadvantages associated with traditional approaches to masking false faults generated by voltage regulators are provided. A method may include receiving, at a voltage regulator configured to be enabled by a power controller communicatively coupled to the voltage regulator via an enable line, a first indication from a device other than the power controller indicating that the voltage regulator is to be disabled, wherein the enable line is configured to communicate a second indication from the power controller to the voltage regulator indicating whether the voltage regulator is to be enabled. In response to receipt of the first signal, the voltage regulator may communicate to the power controller via the enable line, a third indication indicating that the voltage regulator has been disabled by a device other than the power controller. |
| US08281161B2 |
Data accessing apparatus and processing system using the same
A data access apparatus and a processing system using the same are disclosed herein, which can be a power-off status to permit its storage media being accessible by another processing system. When a bus signal switching and conversion unit receives a first-level control signal, the storage media is permitted to electrically connect only with a first bus channel and to perform a conversion between a first and second bus interface formats to the accessed data and to supply a system power based on a first power signal from the processing system to the storage media. When the bus signal switching and conversion unit receives the second-level control signal, the storage media is permitted to electrically connect only with a second bus channel and to perform a conversion between a second and third bus interface formats to the accessed data, and to supply a system power based on a second power signal from the another processing system to the storage media. |
| US08281160B1 |
Method and system for selecting an operating frequency for a chip to provide a desired overall power dissipation value for the chip
Methods, apparatus, and computer program products for implementing power management within Systems on Chips (SOCs). The method includes selecting an operating frequency for a chip from an operating frequency point set that provides a desired overall power dissipation value. |
| US08281159B1 |
Systems and methods for managing power usage based on power-management information from a power grid
A computer-implemented method for managing power usage of a computing device based on power-management information from a power grid may comprise: 1) receiving power-management information from a power grid, 2) identifying power-usage requirements of the computing device, and then 3) determining, by analyzing the power-management information and the power-usage requirements of the computing device, whether to adjust power usage of the computing device. The method may also comprise adjusting the power usage of the computing device in accordance with the power-management information. Corresponding systems and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08281158B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit
A semiconductor integrated circuit having an internal circuit group, which includes at least one internal circuit, includes a plurality of process monitoring circuits, each of which is disposed at a different location in the internal circuit group, each of the process monitoring circuits, which is operated in response to a power supply voltage, detecting monitoring data in the area where one of the process monitoring circuits is disposed, and a power supply voltage generating circuit generating the power supply voltage corresponding to the monitoring data, and supplying the power supply voltage to the internal circuit group. |
| US08281157B2 |
Storage system, control method therefor, and program
It is made possible to correctly decrypt data in a storage area in a computer system (storage system) having various encryption execution sections (such as a storage device or encryption appliance having an encryption function). In the case where storage areas may be encrypted by the various encryption execution sections, there is a possibility that, when a storage area is copied or the configuration of the computer system is changed, the storage area cannot be correctly decrypted unless it is managed where the storage area has been encrypted or whether the storage area is not encrypted. To prevent this, a management computer manages the key and the encryption execution section for each storage area in the system. Furthermore, when copying a storage area or the like is performed, the management computer determines which storage area's state and key should be changed together with performing the copy operation is performed, and instructs the encryption execution section to change the state and key for the storage area if it is necessary to change it. |
| US08281155B1 |
Content protection using block reordering
An apparatus and method for protecting a content item such as a digitally encoded movie, an electronic programming guide, or the like, by reordering blocks of the content item prior to transmitting it to a receiving device. The receiving device constructs a block reordering structure which is used to access the reordered content item, to facilitate retrieval of a desired block from the original content item. The reordering may be done responsive to an identifier value of the receiving device, such as a serial number. |
| US08281150B2 |
Smart card and access method thereof
A smart card and an access method thereof for use with a smart card management system are provided. The smart card management system comprises a smart card access apparatus and a card server. The smart card access apparatus is electrically connected to the smart card. The smart card is configured to store a plurality of application data and management information corresponding to the application data. The smart card access apparatus may transmit a modification signal of a user to the smart card. The smart card may modify the management information according to the modification signal to generate modified management information when the smart card access apparatus is disconnected from the card serve. Therefore, the contents of the smart card may be managed when the smart card access apparatus is disconnected from the card server. |
| US08281144B2 |
Ownership sharing method and apparatus using secret key in home network remote controller
An ownership sharing method and apparatus using a secret key in a home network remote controller are provided. A user who owns a home device generates an ownership authentication key using the secret key shared with the home device through the user's terminal device, and transmits the ownership authentication key to a terminal device of a particular user who wishes to share the ownership. The particular user can use the home device using the shared ownership authentication key, allowing for ownership of a device in home network environments based on a secret key that can be easily shared, obviating complicated calculation procedures that are no needed to share the ownership between an owner of a device and his family or customers, and achieving high security that is guaranteed based on the secret key. |
| US08281142B2 |
Notarizable electronic paper
A system and method helps to control “read” and/or “write” access to electronic paper (e-paper). Informational data may be on a restricted portion of e-paper material that is protected by a security methodology accessible to authorized entities. Some embodiments maintain a record of access activity regarding the restricted portion, and a record of access activity regarding use of an item or product or service related to the e-paper informational data. Some implementations include an authorization listing of a party having a particular access privilege or authorization to make modifications to various restricted portions including an authentication region and a protected region. One possible aspect includes performing a verification analysis of data indicia in a restricted portion of the e-paper media. Additional possible system and process components may determine an authenticity status of the data indicia, and provide an output result. |
| US08281140B2 |
Optimization methods for the insertion, protection, and detection of digital watermarks in digital data
Disclosed herein are methods and systems for encoding digital watermarks into content signals. Also disclosed are systems and methods for detecting and/or verifying digital watermarks in content signals. According to one embodiment, a system for encoding of digital watermark information includes: a window identifier for identifying a sample window in the signal; an interval calculator for determining a quantization interval of the sample window; and a sampler for normalizing the sample window to provide normalized samples. According to another embodiment, a system for pre-analyzing a digital signal for encoding at least one digital watermark using a digital filter is disclosed. According to another embodiment, a method for pre-analyzing a digital signal for encoding digital watermarks comprises: (1) providing a digital signal; (2) providing a digital filter to be applied to the digital signal; and (3) identifying an area of the digital signal that will be affected by the digital filter based on at least one measurable difference between the digital signal and a counterpart of the digital signal selected from the group consisting of the digital signal as transmitted, the digital signal as stored in a medium, and the digital signal as played backed. According to another embodiment, a method for encoding a watermark in a content signal includes the steps of (1) splitting a watermark bit stream; and (2) encoding at least half of the watermark bit stream in the content signal using inverted instances of the watermark bit stream. Other methods and systems for encoding/decoding digital watermarks are also disclosed. |
| US08281139B2 |
System and method for monitoring unauthorized transport of digital content
A system for network content monitoring and control, comprising: a transport data monitor, connectable to a point in a network, for monitoring data being transported past said point, a signature extractor, associated with said transport data monitor, for extracting a derivation of said data, said derivation being indicative of content of said payload, a database of preobtained signatures of content whose movements it is desired to monitor, and a comparator for comparing said derivation with said preobtained signatures, thereby to determine whether said payload comprises any of said content whose movements it is desired to monitor. The monitoring result may be used in bandwidth control on the network to restrict transport of the content it is desired to control. |
| US08281137B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining whether or not a reference pattern is present in a received and possibly watermarked signal
Many watermarking systems make use of correlation for calculating a detection metric, which means that several reference patterns are generated at encoder side and one or more of them are embedded inside the content signal, dependent on the message to be embedded. To decode the embedded message, it is necessary to discover which reference pattern was embedded at encoder side by correlating the known reference patterns with the content signal. In the case where watermarked audio is emitted by a loudspeaker and then captured with a microphone, the received signal echoes are used for watermark detection instead of treating them as noise by integrating the correlation values resulting from echoes into the main correlation peak, thereby using correlation result amplitude values located within a predetermined neighborhood of a correlation result peak amplitude value and exceeding a predetermined threshold. |
| US08281131B2 |
Attributes in cryptographic credentials
Method and apparatus for generating cryptographic credentials certifying user attributes and making cryptographic proofs about attributes encoded in such credentials. Attributes are encoded as prime numbers E in accordance with a predetermined mapping and a cryptographic credential is generated encoding E. To prove that an attribute encoded in a cryptographic credential associated with a proving module of the system is a member of a predetermined set of user attributes, without revealing the attribute in question, the proving module determines the product Q of respective prime numbers corresponding to the attributes in the set in accordance with the predetermined mapping of attributes to prime numbers. The proving module demonstrates to the receiving module possession of a cryptographic credential encoding a secret value that is the prime number E, and then whether this secret value divides the product value Q. |
| US08281127B2 |
Method for digital identity authentication
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an authenticating device (22) receives a first digital identity (43) and a second digital identity (63). The authenticating device (22) uses the second digital identity (63) as a key to a Identity Association Database (24) to retrieve a database entry (33). If the database entry (33) shows an association between the first digital identity (43) and the second digital identity (63), the digital identities are valid and an indication (72) of the validation of existence of association between first digital identity and second digital identity (96) is made by the authenticating device (22). |
| US08281124B2 |
Network apparatus, IPsec setting method therein, and computer-readable recording medium storing a control program for executing the method
A network apparatus which is connected to a network is disclosed. The network apparatus includes a managing unit which manages an address range in which addresses to be allocated to a destination network apparatus are registered and encryption parameters for encrypting data to be transmitted to the destination network apparatus so that the address range and the encryption parameters are related to each other, an address generating unit which generates an address for the destination network apparatus by selecting an address in the address range, and an encryption unit which encrypts the data to be transmitted to the address generated by the address generating unit based on the encryption parameters. |
| US08281122B2 |
Generation and/or reception, at least in part, of packet including encrypted payload
An embodiment may include circuitry to generate, at least in part, and/or receive, at least in part, a packet. The packet may include at least one field and an encrypted payload. The at least one field may include, at least in part, a first key and/or at least one value. The first key and at least one value, as included in the at least one field, may be encrypted by a second key. The encrypted payload may be capable of being decrypted, at least in part, based, at least in part, upon the first key and/or the at least one value to yield an unencrypted payload. The unencrypted payload may include at least a portion of application layer data that is to be communicated in a secure session. |
| US08281118B2 |
Universal operating system to hardware platform interface for gaming machines
Gaming machines and systems having a universal interface layer linking a gaming platform to a hardware platform are disclosed. In particular, the universal interface layer is configured such that the gaming platform is hardware platform independent and such that the hardware platform is gaming platform independent. Platform independence can facilitate the interchangeability of one platform without a corresponding need to modify the other platform. The gaming platform can include various gaming modules and an operating system, while the universal interface layer can include firmware, various additional gaming modules, hardware specific drivers and various APIs to facilitate communication between the gaming platform and other universal interface layer components. A safe storage manager can be included to utilize a non-volatile storage component to store data regarding a gaming machine state, with the state being recoverable after a substantial interruption to the machine. |
| US08281114B2 |
Security system with methodology for defending against security breaches of peripheral devices
A security system with methodology for defending against security breaches of peripheral devices is described. In one embodiment, for example, a method is described for protecting a computer from security breaches involving devices that may be attached to the computer, the method comprises steps of: when a device is first attached to the computer, specifying authorization information indicating that the device is allowed to communicate with the computer; detecting detachment of the device from the computer; updating the authorization information to indicate that the device is no longer authorized to communicate with the computer; and upon reattachment of the device, blocking communication with the device while the device remains unauthorized, thereby preventing a security breach involving the device. |
| US08281112B2 |
Processor decoding extension instruction to store plural address extension information in extension register for plural subsequent instructions
A processing unit has an extended register to which instruction extension information indicating an extension of an instruction can be set. An operation unit that, when instruction extension information is set to the extended register, executes a subsequent instruction following a first instruction for writing the instruction extension information into the extended register, extends the subsequent instruction based on the instruction extension information. |
| US08281109B2 |
Compressed instruction format
A technique for decoding an instruction in a variable-length instruction set. In one embodiment, an instruction encoding is described, in which legacy, present, and future instruction set extensions are supported, and increased functionality is provided, without expanding the code size and, in some cases, reducing the code size. |
| US08281108B2 |
Reconfigurable general purpose processor having time restricted configurations
A processor includes a reconfigurable field of data processing cells. A register is provided where the register has a data stream memory designed to store a data stream and/or parts thereon. The register may be a RAM PAE. |
| US08281103B2 |
Method and apparatus for allocating storage addresses
A method and apparatus for allocating storage addresses are disclosed. The method includes: receiving a storage address allocation request; searching a level-2 bitmap in a hierarchical bitmap in bidirectional mode; outputting an idle bit according to the result of searching in the level-2 bitmap; obtaining a storage address according to the output idle bit, and allocating the storage address. The apparatus includes: a first receiving module, configured to receive a storage address allocation request; a first searching module, configured to search a level-2 bitmap in a hierarchical bitmap in bidirectional mode for an idle bit, wherein the hierarchical bitmap includes N level-1 bitmaps and the level-2 bitmap; and an allocating module, configured to: obtain a storage address according to the output idle bit in the level-2 bitmap, and allocate the obtained storage address. |
| US08281102B2 |
Computer-readable recording medium storing management program, management apparatus, and management method
A management apparatus and method that manage a storage system, in which an access node and a storage node, with which the management apparatus is in communication via the network. The management apparatus includes a logical volume judging unit that acquires a plurality of processing requests to each of the plurality of storage areas, references a logical volume allocation information storage unit that stores a correspondence relationship between the plurality of storage areas and the plurality of logical volumes in the storage node, and judges a logical volume corresponding to a storage area to become a processing object of each processing request, and a processing request breakdown calculating unit that counts an acquisition count of each processing request for each logical volume based on a judgment result by the logical volume judgment unit, and calculates a proportion of each acquisition count to a total of respective acquisition counts. |
| US08281100B2 |
System and method for controlling timing of copy start
A volume group is a group of two or more copy-source volumes and two or more copy-destination volumes. A computer system stores access rate information, which is information denoting an access rate for a copy-source volume at respective time periods. The computer system estimates the access rate for a future target period for each copy-source volume based on information denoting the access rate of each copy-source volume for one or more past target periods in a predetermined period from among the access rate information. The computer system determines the start timing of a copy for each copy-source volume based on the result of this estimation. A start time and an end time of the past target period are the same as the start time and the end time of a future target period. |
| US08281098B2 |
Storage subsystem and performance tuning method
The storage system includes a first storage system and a second storage system. The first storage system, which is coupled to a computer and the second storage system, includes a first storage control device and a plurality of first storage units. The second storage system includes a plurality of second storage units. The first storage control device provides the computer with a logical unit assigned to at least one of the second storage units, receives a first access request from the computer and sends a second access request to one of plurality of the second storage units, obtains performance information relating to the second access request, and moves data stored in at least one of the plurality of second storage units to at least one of the first storage units according to the performance information. |
| US08281095B2 |
Data storage system and backup method thereof
A data storage system and the backup method thereof are provided. The data storage system includes a storage device and a storage controller. The storage controller is coupled to the storage device and used for dividing the storage device into a primary data block and a backup data block and setting the data storage system to operate under one of a real time backup mode and a non-real time backup mode. Under the non-real time backup mode, the storage controller backups the data stored in the primary data block to the backup data block when the data storage system is idle. |
| US08281094B2 |
Remote copy system
When performing asynchronous remote copying, whether or not a disaster has occurred at a main site is judged at a remote site; and if the disaster has occurred, recovery processing is immediately started at the remote site. When asynchronous remote copying is performed between a controller and a controller, the controller transfers remote copy target data in a storage apparatus and command information via a remote copy channel to the controller; and after receiving the remote copy target data, the controller stores the remote copy target data in a storage apparatus; and if the controller fails to receive the command information within a set time period, the controller judges that a disaster has occurred, and then outputs the judgment result to a backup center server; and the backup center server executes recovery processing based on data in the storage apparatus when the disaster has occurred. |
| US08281088B2 |
Method of customizing a memory lifespan management policy in an electronic token
The invention is a method of customizing a memory lifespan management policy of an electronic token. The electronic token is intended to be connected to a device able to establish a wireless channel. The electronic token has a microprocessor, a communication interface, a first memory intended to comprise said memory lifespan management policy, first means for exchanging data with a distant machine by means of a wireless channel established by said connected device, second means for applying said memory lifespan management policy in said electronic token, and third means for updating said memory lifespan management policy. Said method comprises the steps of—sending data from the distant machine to the electronic token by means of a wireless channel,—updating said memory lifespan management policy as a function of data received from said distant machine. |
| US08281085B2 |
Storage system construction managing device and construction management method
The device of the present invention manages changes in the construction of a storage system in a unified manner, and optimally disposes resources. The servers are logically divided into a plurality of virtual servers, the switches are logically divided into a plurality of zones, and the storage devices are logically divided into a plurality of virtual storage devices. The respective logical devices are respectively managed by respective managing parts. These respective managing parts are connected to a managing device via a network used for management. The managing device re-disposes resources in application program units on the basis of the load states of the respective resources in the storage system. |
| US08281081B2 |
Shared memory architecture
Disclosed herein is an apparatus which may comprise a plurality of nodes. In one example embodiment, each of the plurality of nodes may include one or more central processing units (CPUs), a random access memory device, and a parallel link input/output port. The random access memory device may include a local memory address space and a global memory address space. The local memory address space may be accessible to the one or more CPUs of the node that comprises the random access memory device. The global memory address space may be accessible to CPUs of all the nodes. The parallel link input/output port may be configured to send data frames to, and receive data frames from, the global memory address space comprised by the random access memory device(s) of the other nodes. |
| US08281078B2 |
Multi-level cache prefetch
Methods and apparatus relating to multi-level cache prefetch are described. In some embodiments, a data parking logic updates a prefetch request with one or more bits based on the status of a request queue. The one or more bits may in turn cause the corresponding prefetched data to be stored in one of at least two caches. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08281076B2 |
Storage system for controlling disk cache
A storage system coupled to a host computer, including: a non-volatile medium that stores data; a disk cache that temporarily stores data stored in the non-volatile medium, where the disk cache is divided into a plurality of independent disk cache partitions; a control unit that controls an input and an output of data to and from the non-volatile medium; and a memory unit that stores information used by the control unit, including consistency control information setting respective commands permitted for each of the disk cache partitions, to guarantee consistency of the data; wherein the control unit is configured to determine whether or not to execute a requested command for a given disk cache partition, by referring to the consistency control information setting respective commands permitted for each of the disk cache partitions. |
| US08281071B1 |
Systems and methods for managing cluster node connectivity information
A computer-implemented method for managing cluster node connectivity information. The method may include maintaining a set of cluster nodes of a clustered application. The method may also include, for each node in a set of cluster nodes, determining a connectivity state of the cluster node and transmitting, from the cluster node to non-volatile Random Access Memory (“RAM”) of a cluster disk, connectivity information that indicates the connectivity state of the cluster node. The method may further include accessing, from a remote system, the non-volatile RAM of the cluster disk to retrieve connectivity information of one or more cluster nodes from the set of cluster nodes. The method may include using the connectivity information to inform the remote system of the connectivity state of the one or more cluster nodes. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08281065B2 |
Systems and methods for determining the status of memory locations in a non-volatile memory
Systems and methods are provided for storing data in a portion of a non-volatile memory (“NVM”) such that the status of the NVM portion can be determined with high probability on a subsequent read. An NVM interface, which may receive write commands to store user data in the NVM, can store a fixed predetermined sequence (“FPS”) with the user data. The FPS may ensure that a successful read operation on a NVM portion is not misinterpreted as a failed read operation or as an erased NVM portion. For example, if the NVM returns an all-zero vector when a read request fails, the FPS can include at least one “1” or one “0”, as appropriate, to differentiate between successful and unsuccessful read operations. In some embodiments, the FPS may also be used to differentiate between disturbed data, which passes an error correction check, and correct data. |
| US08281064B2 |
Systems, methods and computer program products for encoding data to be written to a nonvolatile memory based on wear-leveling information
A nonvolatile memory system is operated by providing data to be written to a nonvolatile memory, logically combining the data to be written to the nonvolatile memory with a random pattern to generate encoded data; and programming the encoded data in the nonvolatile memory. |
| US08281063B2 |
Data programming methods and devices for programming data into memories
A data programming device is provided and comprises a non-volatile memory, a volatile memory, and a memory control unit. The non-volatile memory is arranged for programming data. The volatile memory is arranged for temporarily storing data. The memory control unit is arranged for receiving data and determining whether the data is programmed into the non-volatile memory or stored into the volatile memory. If the data exceeds one page, the memory control unit programs a first portion of the data into the non-volatile memory and stores a second portion of the data, which is insufficient for one page, into the volatile memory. |
| US08281057B2 |
Information processing apparatus, host bus adaptor and control method
An information processing apparatus includes a first host bus adaptor that has a first storage section and expands the function of the information processing apparatus. Multiple first input/output devices are connected to the first host bus adaptor. A first firmware issues a first inquiry to each of the first multiple input/output devices and stores a first response to the first inquiry obtained from each of the first multiple input/output devices in the first storage section. A second host bus adaptor has a second storage section and expands the function of the information processing apparatus. Multiple second input/output devices are connected to the second host bus adaptor. A second firmware issues a second inquiry to each of the second multiple input/output devices independently from the first inquiry and holds a second response to the second inquiry obtained from each of the second multiple input/output devices in the second storage section. |
| US08281055B2 |
Memory systems and methods for dividing physical memory locations into temporal memory locations
Described are memory modules that support dynamic point-to-point extensibility using fixed-width memory die. The memory modules include data-width translators that allow the modules to vary the effective width of their external memory interfaces without varying the width of the internal memory interfaces extending between the translators and associated fixed-width dies. The data-width translators use a data-mask signal to selectively prevent memory accesses to subsets of physical addresses. This data masking divides the physical address locations into two or more temporal subsets of the physical address locations, effectively increasing the number of uniquely addressable locations in a given module. Reading temporal addresses in write order can introduce undesirable read latency. Some embodiments reorder read data to reduce this latency. |
| US08281054B2 |
Methods and apparatus for improved host/initiator utilization in serial advanced technology attachment communication
Methods and apparatus for improved performance in communications between a SAS/STP initiator device and a plurality of SATA storage devices coupled with the initiator through an enhanced switching device. The switching device is enhanced in accordance with features and aspects hereof to receive a DMA SETUP FIS from a SATA storage device and to transmit multiple modified DMA SETUP FISs to the initiator where each modified DMA SETUP FIS comprises a subcount less than the maximum count in the received DMA SETUP FIS. |
| US08281053B2 |
Performing an all-to-all data exchange on a plurality of data buffers by performing swap operations
Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for performing an all-to-all exchange on n number of data buffers using XOR swap operations. Each data buffer has n number of data elements. Performing an all-to-all exchange on n number of data buffers using XOR swap operations includes for each rank value of i and j where i is greater than j and where i is less than or equal to n: selecting data element i in data buffer j; selecting data element j in data buffer i; and exchanging contents of data element i in data buffer j with contents of data element j in data buffer i using an XOR swap operation. |
| US08281048B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method for detecting a type of apparatus connected to a connector thereof
An information processing apparatus includes a connector that conforms to a Universal Serial Bus standard. The information processing apparatus detects voltages at signal terminals of the connector a plurality of times, and judges a type of an apparatus connected to the connector by using detection results obtained the plurality of times. |
| US08281046B2 |
System and method for distributing user interface device configurations
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computing device including a memory, a display device and a controller. The controller is programmed to provide to a first server a request for User Interface (UI) device configurations, provide to the first server configuration criteria associated with the request, receive configuration data associated with target UI device configurations from the first server, present a Graphical User Interface (GUI) on the display device based on the configuration data where the GUI displays selections for each of the target UI device configurations, provide a selection from among the selections of the target UI device configurations, and receive provisioning information from the first server that allows for implementing the selection of the target UI device configuration. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08281036B2 |
Using network access port linkages for data structure update decisions
A device, method, computer program product, and network subsystem are described for displaying a portion of a data structure or for obtaining an inter-core linkage in association with a tabular data object and for deciding whether to update the data structure in response to an inter-core linkage and to input received after displaying the portion of the data structure or for deciding whether to update the tabular data object in response to the inter-core linkage in association with the tabular data object. |
| US08281031B2 |
High speed ethernet MAC and PHY apparatus with a filter based ethernet packet router with priority queuing and single or multiple transport stream interfaces
In one embodiment, an audio-visual content delivery system, such as a set-top box/personal video recorder system, is configured to interface with a local area network (LAN). A packet processing circuit comprised in the system may be configured to filter and route Ethernet packet data received from the LAN to specific ports and/or queues without host processor intervention. The packet processing circuit may utilize a set of filter and routing mechanisms configurable in hardware to interpret various Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) networking transport protocols, and may transfer the packet data in a format recognized by a variety of consumer subsystems, each of which may be coupled to the decoder. The packet processing circuit may be implemented as a semiconductor device, and may allow encapsulated application data, (encapsulated using standardized encapsulation techniques), to be routed to a plurality of different types of application sinks or processors, forming a point-to-point or multi-point serial or parallel data stream over a standard transport covering numerous levels of the ISO data communications stack. |
| US08281029B2 |
System and method for acceleration of a secure transmission over satellite
A broadband communication system with improved latency is disclosed. The system employs acceleration of secure web-based communications over a satellite communication network. In accordance with aspects of the invention, secure protocol acceleration is employed such that required protocol signals transmitted from a computer employing a web browser may be intercepted by a remote terminal. To insure that the browser will continue transmitting data, the remote terminal generates required acknowledgment and security signals to continue the secure communication, which may then transmitted back to the computer. Meanwhile, the received protocol signals may be converted by the remote terminal for transmission through the satellite communications system in a format appropriate for that communication medium. Aspects of the invention further include a hub or similar device for communicating with the satellite communications system, and a secure connection between that device and the web server may be maintained by similarly simulating a continuous secure connection between the computer and the web server. Transmissions from the web server to the browser may be preformed in a similar manner. Further aspects of the invention related to distributed certificate sharing which may involve the generation of multiple certificates for the various links between the components employed in the communication system and the manual and/or automatic addition of a certificate authority. |
| US08281028B2 |
System and method for performing multistream storage operations
Systems and methods for performing storage operations over multi-stream data paths are provided. A first agent receives a request for a storage operation from a storage manager, identifies folders of a client computing device based on one or more file types of files in the folders of the client computing device, weights the folders based on the amount of data in the folders, and groups the folders into two or more sets of folders based at least in part on a file type of one or more of the files in the folders and the weight of the folders. A second agent transmits data from each of the two or more sets of folders to one or more storage devices in via at least one of two or more streaming communications paths based on pathway characteristics. |
| US08281024B2 |
Method of using tokens and policy descriptors for dynamic on demand session management
Tokens and policy descriptors are used for dynamic on demand session management in a distributed and scalable architecture for on demand sessions and resource management. The architecture includes an on demand client, a purchase server, and a session manager. A purchase token is generated at the purchase server and assigned to the on demand client. The purchase token represents at least one requested asset. In response to an on demand session set-up request corresponding to the purchase token from the on demand client to the session manager, the purchase token is expanded to generate at least one dynamic policy management descriptor for the on demand session. This provides token-based purchase authorization and policy management for on demand services. |
| US08281020B2 |
Smart load balancing for call center applications
Methods, devices, and systems for smart load balancing are provided. SIP Requests destined for a particular AOR are delivered to one of several registered contact addresses according to associated availability score stored in routing element's contact resolution table. The availability score is periodically updated by the contact entity itself using the SIP PUBLISH mechanism to push the score to the routing element. |
| US08281018B2 |
Method for automatically providing a client with access to an associated virtual machine
Techniques for automatically providing a client with access to a virtual machine associated with the client are described herein. According to one embodiment, a message is received by a controller from a client over a network indicating that the client is starting up. In response, the controller causes a connection to be automatically established between the client and a virtual machine (VM) associated with the client once the client has started up. The associated VM may be one of a predetermined VM, a member of a group of VMs that are associated with the client, and a VM selected from a pool of VMs. As a result, a user of the client can instantly access contents provided by the associated VM without having to manually log onto a Web portal in order to select the associated VM to be launched. Other methods and apparatuses are also described. |
| US08281015B2 |
Automatic detection and establishment of network connection
A device attempts to establish a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) connection and attempts to establish a point-to-point protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) connection when the attempt to establish the DHCP connection is unsuccessful. The device establishes the DHCP connection when the attempt to establish the DHCP connection is successful, or establishes the PPPoE connection when the attempt to establish the PPPoE connection is successful. |
| US08281013B2 |
Non-disruptive, reliable live migration of virtual machines with network data reception directly into virtual machines' memory
Techniques are disclosed for the non-disruptive and reliable live migration of a virtual machine (VM) from a source host to a target host, where network data is placed directly into the VM's memory. When a live migration begins, a network interface card (NIC) of the source stops placing newly received packets into the VM's memory. A virtual server driver (VSP) on the source stores the packets being processed and forces a return of the memory where the packets are stored to the NIC. When the VM has been migrated to the target, and the source VSP has transferred the stored packets to the target host, the VM resumes processing the packets, and when the VM sends messages to the target NIC that the memory associated with a processed packet is free, a VSP on the target intercepts that message, blocking the target NIC from receiving it. |
| US08281009B2 |
Intermediate NAS apparatus having ACL inheritance function for namespace integration
According to this invention, a computer system which provides a client node with a file system mounted into a virtual namespace, comprising: at least one file server which provides the file system; a root node which mounts the file system provided by the file server into the virtual namespace; and a network which couples the file server and the root node. The root node has an interface coupled to the network, a processor coupled to the interface, and a memory coupled to the processor. The root node is configured to: obtain access information set to a directory above a point in the virtual namespace at which the file system is to be mounted when mounting the file system into the virtual namespace; judge whether the obtained access information is to be inherited; and set, to the file system to be mounted, the obtained access information that is to be inherited. |
| US08281008B2 |
Resource allocation apparatus, method, and computer readable medium thereof
A resource allocation apparatus, method, application program, and computer readable medium thereof are provided. A plurality of data streams are transmitted to a plurality of receiving ends via a network resource, wherein each of the receiving ends has a subscribing status. Each of the data streams comprises a plurality of data layers. First, required data are sent to the receiving ends. Then, an efficiency ratio of each of the possible transmission combinations is dynamically calculated. Finally, data layers comprised in the possible transmission combination that has the greatest efficiency ratio are transmitted to the receiving ends. Efficiency ratios are calculated according to the whole network resource, the channels of the receiving ends, and the characters of the data streams. By the aforementioned arrangement, data layers received by the receiving ends can be adjusted dynamically. Thus, the efficiency of the network resource can be increased. |
| US08281007B2 |
Cluster control apparatus, cluster control method, and computer product
A cluster control apparatus controls an allocation of a job to each node in a cluster system formed by mutually connecting a plurality of nodes by a high-speed network. A node selecting unit selects an allocation node for allocating the job and a similar node that is similar to the allocation node. A data-redundancy command unit issues a command to store data created from the job executed by the allocation node in the allocation node and the similar node. |
| US08281002B1 |
Method and system for providing notification of the availability of a peer computer in a peer-to-peer network
The invention includes a system and method for providing notification of the availability of a peer computer in a peer-to-peer network. The system includes a peer network server (PNS) configured to provide the peer-to-peer network. The PNS receives a request for access to the peer computer and determines whether the peer computer is connected to the peer-to-peer network. In the event that the peer computer is not connected to the peer-to-peer network at the time the request is received, the PNS provides a notification that the peer computer has connected to the peer-to-peer network after the peer computer connects to the peer-to-peer network. |
| US08280999B2 |
Apparatus for remotely rebooting VolP communication devices and an associated method and computer program product
An apparatus is provided for remotely rebooting Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication devices. In general, the apparatus remotely selects VoIP communication devices connected to a network, reboots the selected devices, and evaluates the status of each device. A processor allows a user to select VoIP communication devices connected to the network and receives inputs pertaining to the reboot operation, including a time input and search criteria. The processor communicates with the designated VoIP communication devices over a packet-switching network to instruct the devices to reboot and monitors each device. In this way, multiple VoIP communication devices may be rebooted from a remote location, and problems or issues that arise during the reboot process may be identified and addressed. An associated method and computer program product are also provided for remotely rebooting VoIP communication devices. |
| US08280994B2 |
Method and apparatus for designing, updating and operating a network based on quality of experience
A software program/software tools allows end user quality of experience to be quantified and translated into network conditions required to achieve that end user quality of experience. By focusing on the Quality of Experience (QoE) for the applications that will use the network rather than the traditional bottom up approach, and then looking to design the network based on those end user requirements, the network may be designed and/or operated to achieve a high quality of experience. The program and tools may be used at different phases of the networking cycle, including design, planning, deployment, and operational phases, to allow the QoE requirements to be obtained while optimizing network cost and utilization. A QoE server may be implemented off line and used for network design/planning, or may be included on the network to monitor the network and control operation of the network to achieve the intended QoE. |
| US08280989B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for provisioning a communication client
According to embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a method, system and apparatus for provisioning a communication client. The method comprises receiving via a communication network a request from the communication client. The method further comprises determining a positioning object associated with the communication client. The method further comprises, based on the positioning object, determining a subscription profile associated with the communication client. The method further comprises, based on the subscription profile, compiling a configuration file. |
| US08280985B2 |
Serving content from an off-line peer server in a photosharing peer-to-peer network in response to a guest request
A method and system for serving content from a peer server in a photosharing peer-to-peer network is disclosed, wherein the peer server stores a web album and at least one associated digital image. Aspects of the invention include prior to the peer server going off-line, the peer server initiates a synchronization with a proxy server and a guest content server in which the web page a web page descriptor defining the web album is copied from the peer server to the guest content server, and the image associated with the web album is copied from the peer server to the proxy server. In response to a request from a requesting computer to view content stored in the peer computer when the peer server is off-line, the request is fulfilled by forwarding the web page from the guest content server to the requesting computer, and forwarding the image associated with a web page from the proxy server to the requesting computer, thereby successfully serving content from the peer server even when the peer server is off-line. |
| US08280984B2 |
Adding syndication feeds to calendar data exchange enabled programs
The present invention discloses a solution for adding syndication feeds to calendar data exchange enabled programs, such as programs conforming to the iCalendar (iCal) standard. Default syndication feed links can be established by a publisher of iCalendar data. Subscribers of iCalendar data can replace default syndication feeds with feeds from other sources and/or add their own syndication feeds to a program that supports iCalendar data. Information obtained from the syndication feeds can be stored in a calendar entry indexed fashion, so that users accessing a iCalendar program can view information obtained from the syndication feeds as well as information related to an iCalendar subscription. |
| US08280982B2 |
Personal content server apparatus and methods
Personal content server apparatus and associated methods that allow a user (e.g., cable or satellite network subscriber) to access content, such as a video program, from a location outside the subscriber's network. In one embodiment, a personal content server streams the content to the subscriber over a network connection from the local e.g., (subscription) network to a remote network upon authorization by a content manager process. Various access, business or operational rules are applied depending on the content and delivery mode; e.g., to live video broadcast, video-on-demand (VOD), or archived content from the subscriber's digital video recorder (DVR) or networked PVR. Secondary content (e.g., promotions, advertisements, etc.) can also be selectively replaced if desired in order to make the remotely delivered content more appropriate to the remote user's context. |
| US08280980B2 |
Methods and systems for providing a synchronous display to a plurality of remote users
Methods and systems for providing a synchronous display to a plurality of remote users are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes providing a synchronous display from a host to a plurality of remote users comprising rendering a frame on the host, determining a communication characteristic between each of the plurality of remote users and the host, modifying a frame display characteristic for at least one of the plurality of remote users based on one or more of the communication characteristics, and transmitting the frame to two or more of the plurality of remote users to provide substantially synchronous display of the frame to the two or more of the plurality of remote users, wherein transmitting includes transmitting to the at least one of the plurality of remote users based on the modified frame display characteristic. |
| US08280976B1 |
Distributed adaptive network memory engine
Memory demands of large-memory applications continue to remain one step ahead of the improvements in DRAM capacities of commodity systems. Performance of such applications degrades rapidly once the system hits the physical memory limit and starts paging to the local disk. A distributed network-based virtual memory scheme is provided which treats remote memory as another level in the memory hierarchy between very fast local memory and very slow local disks. Performance over gigabit Ethernet shows significant performance gains over local disk. Large memory applications may access potentially unlimited network memory resources without requiring any application or operating system code modifications, relinking or recompilation. A preferred embodiment employs kernel-level driver software. |
| US08280975B2 |
Image supply apparatus and imaging apparatus, an information processing apparatus and control method thereof, and communication system
When there are very many images stored in a memory card, a time after a computer and a digital camera have been logically connected with each other until the computer and the camera answers a user becomes extremely long. When the digital camera caches the information of a file stored in a storage medium by accessing the storage medium in a reproduction mode, and when the digital camera and the computer are physically connected to each other and they are in a communication mode, information which the computer appears to request finally is generated and stored. After that, when the digital camera receives a data transfer request from the computer, the digital camera transmits stored information to the computer in a lump. |
| US08280973B2 |
Method and system for publishing an electronic file attached to an electronic mail message
Publishing content associated with an electronic file attached to an electronic mail message by executing instructions contained in the electronic mail attachment and accessing the content at a remote computer server identified by the attached file. The attached file includes computer-executable instructions, such as a computer program or script, which include an identifier for a remote server connected to a distributed computer network. This identified remote server typically hosts a web site containing content for viewing by the recipient of the electronic mail message. In response to launching the attached file of the electronic mail message with a viewer program, a browser program can be opened to enable the recipient to view the content of the identified remote server, typically a web site on an intranet or the global Internet. |
| US08280970B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving data transfers in peer-to-peer networks
One embodiment of the present method and apparatus for improving data transfers in peer-to-peer networks includes receiving a search request message from a requesting node, where the search request message requests specific data. A responding node then sends a response message to the requesting node including a referral message comprising at least one referred node that is expected to have the requested data, based on knowledge of the referred node's previous incoming and outgoing data transfers. The responding node may also indicate that the responding node has the requested data. In addition to increasing the requesting node's view of the peer-to-peer network, this also enables the identification of nodes (e.g., referred nodes) with which the requesting node may wish to establish direct peer-to-peer connections, e.g., to build peer-to-peer communities of nodes having similar interests. |
| US08280966B2 |
System and method of controlling access to information in a virtual computing environment
In one embodiment the present invention includes a method comprising specifying personal spaces in the virtual computing environment for first and second users and moving the personal spaces to encompass a virtual object, where the virtual object is associated with data on another system. A message is sent from a virtual server to one of the user's clients to access the data associated with the virtual object from the other system. Credentials necessary for accessing the data are stored on different user's clients, and the credentials are used to authenticate the user and perform the data access. The data associated with the virtual object may then be sent to the other user. |
| US08280964B2 |
System and method for communicating an air travel message
A system and method are disclosed for communicating transactional and informational messages among air travel service providers and other participants. The technique implements a public protocol in a network having a service oriented architecture. A message in a source format is converted to a public format message with a payload, wherein the payload is the message. The open source message is parsed and communicated over a network, such as the Internet Protocol network, to a switch. The switch authenticates the message, extracts the payload, and communicates the message to the destination, where the message may be converted into a destination format and communicated to a user interface. The message may be processed by the switch and/or the destination to obtain statistical and/or other useful data. |
| US08280952B1 |
Methods implementing a preferred placement service for domain registration websites
Methods of the present inventions allow for providing a preferred domain position on a registration website. An exemplary method may comprise receiving a request from a registrar, which may comprise a bid that the registrar had previously received from a registry seeking a preferred placement on a domain registration website for a domain administered by the registry. The method may further comprise generating a quality score for the domain, determining (based upon the bid and the quality score) a preferred placement for the domain, and transmitting the preferred placement to the registrar. |
| US08280946B1 |
Reduction of perceived DNS lookup latency
Perceived domain name service (DNS) lookup latency can be reduced for the user of a browser program. A server determines domain names that the user is likely to request in the future. In one implementation, a list of these domain names is transmitted to the browser program as a separate command. The browser program may then lookup up the domain names in the background before the user selects a link corresponding to the domain names. In another implementation, the domain names are transmitted to the browser program by embedding the domain names in a web document, in which the embedded information is not visible in the rendered version of the web document. |
| US08280942B2 |
VOIP telephone location system
A documentation system for a network is provided. The system has a data port and a destination device, each of which includes an electronic module with an identification code. A source device sends query signals along a network path addressed to the data port and destination device. Each of the data port and destination device electronic module responds to the query addressed to the data port and destination device by transmitting its identification code to the source device. A processor and switch in communication with the source device direct the source device to send the query signals and to interpret the responses. The data port and destination device electronic modules are powered by a local power source and patch cord. A patch cord may be adapted to provide power from the local power source both to the destination device and to the data port. |
| US08280940B2 |
Data processing apparatus with shadow register and method thereof
A data processing apparatus including a register bank, a shadow register and an arithmetic operation unit. The register bank includes a number of registers respectively for storing a number of operands wherein the registers are n-bit registers, and n is a nature number. The shadow register stores a first backup operand for making a backup of a first operand, which is stored in a first one of the registers in response to first control signal. The arithmetic operation unit performs at least an arithmetic operation on the operands to obtain operational data, and stores the operational data in the first register in response to an arithmetic operation command. |
| US08280930B1 |
Obtaining configuration information from host devices which store data into and load data from a data storage array
A technique, which involves participation by electronic circuitry of a data storage array, obtains configuration change information from host devices which are constructed and arranged to store data into and load data from the data storage array. In particular, the technique involves receiving a set of change notices from a set of host devices. Each change notice is received by the electronic circuitry of the data storage array when a respective host device of the set of host devices undergoes a configuration change. The technique further involves providing a set of requests from the electronic circuitry of the data storage array to the set of host devices based on the set of change notices. The technique further involves acquiring configuration change information from the set of host devices in response to the set of requests. |
| US08280929B2 |
Recording apparatus
A recording apparatus includes a recording unit configured to record a plurality of content files on a recording medium, each containing an image signal, a first management file creating unit configured to, in association with a recording operation by the recording unit, create a first management file managing the plurality of content files using a plurality of hierarchical layers, and a second management file creating unit configured to, based on the first management file, create a second management file managing the plurality of content files recorded on the recording medium using one hierarchical layer. |
| US08280927B2 |
Electronic equipment and memory managing program
The present invention claims and discloses an electronic equipment capable of executing a processing executing program that performs a predetermined processing. The electronic equipment comprises a memory; a setting unit that sets an allocation time for a memory region in the memory that the processing executing program is to use; and a memory leak detecting unit that detects when the memory region has not been deallocated within the allocation time. |
| US08280925B2 |
Resolution of multi-instance application execution
Generally described, the present invention is directed to a network operating system that provides more effective ways of leveraging the connectivity of computer networks. In one embodiment, an XML virtual machine is implemented that accepts high-level application code written in an XML programming language as input. Functionality is provided to interpret or translate the application code written in an XML programming language into code that is suitable for execution across computer platforms. Moreover, the XML virtual machine supports the Model View Controller (MVC) design paradigm that facilitates true data abstraction from applications to a common data model. Multi-instance applications, with each instance potentially supporting multiple views, may be created and executed. |
| US08280924B2 |
Object-relational mapping with dynamic relational schemas
In an embodiment, a generic database application of a computer system receives a portion of input data from a database. The generic database application can communicate with the database using a variety of different database schemas. The generic database application of the computer system infers a portion of ORM metadata associated with the received input data. The computer system accesses a generic ORM query where the ORM query is configured to provide mapping information to map the input data into a graph of objects according to the database object properties included in the ORM metadata. The computer system maps the input data into a graph of objects using the database object properties included in the ORM metadata and displays an ORM object view which includes the graph of objects. |
| US08280923B2 |
Schema mapper
Embodiments of the present invention provide the ability to effectively visualize the mapping between two schemas, referred to herein as a source schema (or first schema) and a destination schema (or second schema), regardless of the size or complexity of the schemas and mappings. According to one aspect of the present invention a method for visually representing a mapping between a first schema and a second schema is provided. The method includes receiving a selection of an object, emphasizing the selected object and identifying a plurality of objects that are relevant to the selected object. The objects that are identified as being relevant to the selected object are also emphasized. |
| US08280918B2 |
Using link structure for suggesting related queries
An approach is provided for determining related queries for a given search query based on the linking structure of electronic documents within a document set. Document titles are used to represent potential search queries and links between the electronic documents are used to determine relationships between the potential search queries. As such, the document set may be represented as a directed graph in which document titles (which represent potential search queries) are nodes and links are edges between the nodes. When a particular search query is received, a corresponding node is identified and related queries are determined by identifying other nodes having connections with that node. |
| US08280912B2 |
Power monitoring device simulation using a database profile generated from real time-value data
A system and methods for using data from an external database compiled from real device used for testing and simulation of a system. The system includes an external database interface to access an external database. The external database includes a plurality of categories of time-value data collected from an electrical device. An importer converts one of plurality of categories of time-value data to a corresponding topic of a common data format. A device profiler is coupled to the importer to create a device profile including the converted topic. A database profiler creates a database profile representing a system including a device defined by the device profile and including the category of time-value data. |
| US08280909B2 |
Distributed database system and retrieval server and retrieval method for the same
A plurality of database hosts hold subscriber information in a distributed manner. A retrieval server processes inquires (host retrieval requests) on which of the database hosts has desired subscriber information stored therein. The retrieval server includes a plurality of processors, and the plurality of processors performs processing in parallel. Therefore, inquiries can be processed at a high speed. Further, a conversion information database and a host information database are provided as in-memory databases, which allow inquiry processes to be processed at a high speed. A call control server can efficiently acquire subscriber information from the database host based on the result of an inquiry made to the retrieval server. |
| US08280907B2 |
System and method for managing access to data in a database
A method, system and article of manufacture for data processing and more particularly for managing access to data in a database that should be available for a limited number of accesses. One embodiment provides a method comprising receiving, from a requesting entity, a query against a database having consumable data that is configured to be accessible for only a predefined number of accesses. The query is configured to access the consumable data and is executed against the database to obtain a query result that includes the consumable data. The method further comprises determining whether the predefined number of accesses is reached as a result of the execution of the query against the database. If so, the consumable data is made inaccessible. The obtained query result is returned to the requesting entity. |
| US08280904B2 |
Annotation system for creating and retrieving media and methods relating to same
The invention described herein is generally directed to a method and apparatus for creating and retrieving audio data. In one implementation the invention comprises an annotation system configured to record, store, and retrieve media. The annotation system contains a set of client-processing devices configured to capture media for subsequent playback. Each client-processing device typically contains a record button to initiate the capture and is configured upon performing the capture operation to trigger an association of a unique ID with the media. The client-processing devices are further configured to upload the media and a unique ID to a server for purposes of storage. The server obtains the media and unique ID for subsequent retrieval and provides the media and the unique ID to at least one client-processing device from the set of client processing devices. |
| US08280903B2 |
System, method and computer program product for performing unstructured information management and automatic text analysis, including a search operator functioning as a Weighted AND (WAND)
Disclosed is a system architecture, components and a searching technique for an Unstructured Information Management System (UIMS). The UIMS may be provided as middleware for the effective management and interchange of unstructured information over a wide array of information sources. The architecture generally includes a search engine, data storage, analysis engines containing pipelined document annotators and various adapters. The searching technique makes use of a two-level searching technique. A search query includes a search operator containing of a plurality of search sub-expressions each having an associated weight value. The search engine returns a document or documents having a weight value sum that exceeds a threshold weight value sum. The search operator is implemented as a Boolean predicate that functions as a Weighted AND (WAND). |
| US08280901B2 |
Method and system for displaying search results
Methods and systems related to the display of primary and secondary search results are provided. Search results are displayed to the user without requiring the user to perform any tasks to view the entire set of search results. The user may then request secondary searches based on the displayed primary search results through performing a single action. Secondary search results are displayed along with the primary search results. |
| US08280899B2 |
Abstracting events for data mining
An event is described herein as being representable by a quantified abstraction of the event. The event includes at least one predicate, and the at least one predicate has at least one constant symbol corresponding thereto. An instance of the constant symbol corresponding to the event is identified, and the instance of the constant symbol is replaced by a free variable to obtain an abstracted predicate. Thus, a quantified abstraction of the event is composed as a pair: the abstracted predicate and a mapping between the free variable and an instance of the constant symbol that corresponds to the predicate. A data mining algorithm is executed over abstracted, quantified events to ascertain a correlation between the event and another event. |
| US08280896B2 |
Reporting row structure for generating reports using focus areas
A method and an apparatus for generating reports and other outputs from a computer program. A user first defines a focus area, composed of chosen data types and then creates a row definition for the focus area. In defining the row definition the user defines groups and subgroups from the data represented by the focus. This definition process allows the user to generate reports from data organized in similar rows. The user has the ability to define the data to be included in the report through the use of an expression. The expression can also be used to exclude data from the report. Additional embodiments allow the user to verify the use of data and if the data has been used multiple times, and to capture on the output the missings and duplicates. |
| US08280895B2 |
Multi-streamed method for optimizing data transfer through parallelized interlacing of data based upon sorted characteristics to minimize latencies inherent in the system
A method which operates a plurality of threads in parallel on disparate file sizes ordered by an additional thread. Efficiently backing up of heterogeneous non-volatile mass store to a network attached server scalably distributes computing hashes and eliminating duplication. The method segments each file and object into a hierarchy of pieces in a plurality of types and avoids sending unnecessary pieces. |
| US08280894B2 |
Method and system for maintaining item authority
An item authority system is provided. The item authority system uses rules to identify item definitions that match or potentially match an item description. When a unique match is found, then the item authority system may indicate that the item description describes the same item as the item definition. If multiple matches or only potential matches are identified, then the item authority system may allow a user to manually indicate which item definition matches. |
| US08280884B2 |
Exposing rich internet application content to search engines
Systems and methods which facilitate search engine discovery of and/or access to application program content are shown. Declarative code may be provided within the procedural code of a rich Internet application in order to identify various states, and their associated content, of the rich Internet application. A Web crawler may identify content associated with a rich Internet application using the foregoing information. Likewise, direct access to rich Internet application states associated with the identified content may be provided using the foregoing information. A translation module may be provided for interfacing between a Web crawler and a rich Internet application. Such a translation module may interact with the Web crawler to respond to Web crawler navigation instructions and access declarative code associated with different states of the rich Internet application, providing responsive information identifying content in a structure that is compatible with a search engine associated with the Web crawler. |
| US08280882B2 |
Automatic expert identification, ranking and literature search based on authorship in large document collections
Disclosed is an author-centric search that facilitates identifying a source commonly associated with a topic by, for example, providing a ranked listing of experts in a field of knowledge related to a search phrase. The search phrase can be captured and parsed into the individual words (e.g., substrings) of the search phrase. Based on occurrences of the words in one or more documented communications, statistics can be generated to determine the relevancy of each documented communication in relation to the search phrase. Further, additional statistics can be generated describing the occurrence of multiple words in a documented communication and/or a distance of words between the search phrase words in a documented communication. The statistics can be utilized to generate expert scores. The expert scores can be sorted for and/or displayed to the user. |
| US08280881B1 |
Similar search queries and images
Methods, systems and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining similar queries for image searches. In one aspect, a method includes generating, for each of a plurality of search queries, a selection vector for the search query, each selection vector including a plurality of vector elements, each vector element corresponding to a unique image, and the value of each vector element being proportional to a number of selections of its corresponding unique image in response to the unique image being presented as a search result for the search query. The method further includes selecting a first search query and a second search query from the plurality of search queries and determining, from the selection vectors for the first and second search queries, a similarity measure that is a measurement of the similarity of the first search query to the second query. |
| US08280879B2 |
System and method for quantifying visibility within search engines
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable media for quantifying visibility into a search engine and into search results for a specific query into a search engine. A system configured to practice the method obtains a first set of search results from a search engine, using a name of an entity and at least one additional search term relating to attributes of the entity, and obtains a second set of search results, from the search engine, using the name without the at least one additional search term. The system determines what search results in the first set of search results are in the second set of search results. Then the system can generate an indicator that relates information about how many results from the first set of search results were in the second set of search results to a total number of results in the first set of search results. |
| US08280871B2 |
Identifying offensive content using user click data
Techniques are provided for designating an item as being of a particular type when the item has been selected after being returned in response to a search and by identifying which mode, of a plurality of modes, in which the search engine was operating when the item was selected. |
| US08280870B2 |
Search engine and associated method
A method of searching for a entity amongst a plurality of entities, wherein all the entities are linked by at least one criterion in common and have a plurality of data formats, wherein each entity comprises a set of data which can be searched by means of criteria entered by a user; and wherein each entity has a data format; and further wherein a specific one of the data formats defines a standard record format; the method comprising the steps of: determining the data format of an entity; if the data format of the entity does not match the standard record format, passing the entity to a pre-processing engine; if the data format of the entity does match the standard record format, passing standard record format data of the entity to a main processing engine; in the pre-processing engine comparing the entity data format to the standard record format and applying a conversion to the entity set of data; converting the entity set of data to the standard record format based on the conversion to form a converted set of data; passing the converted set of data to the main processing engine; in the main processing engine receiving the standard record format entity set of data and the converted set of data; and producing a set of results combining the converted set of data and the standard record format data for selection by a user of a preferred entity. |
| US08280866B2 |
Monitoring writes using thread-local write barrier buffers and soft synchronization
During garbage collection, writes to objects being copied (relocated) are monitored (tracked) using a write barrier that uses a thread-local write barrier buffer. In the preferred embodiment, soft synchronization is used for reading the thread-local write barrier buffers. In response to detecting a write to an object, the object may be re-copied, the copying may be made to fail, the write may be propagated to another copy of the object, or, e.g., another node in a distributed system may be notified of the write. |
| US08280863B2 |
Real-time or near real-time streaming with compressed playlists
Methods and apparatuses provide real-time or near real-time streaming of content using transfer protocols such as an HTTP compliant protocol. In one embodiment, a method includes providing a request for a playlist file (e.g. an updated playlist) and specifying a compression protocol with or for the request; the request can come from a client device which is requesting the playlist from a web server. The web server can provide the playlist in a compressed format. |
| US08280862B2 |
Digital-cinema processing apparatus, ingesting method, and program
A digital-cinema processing apparatus for ingesting a digital cinema package (DCP) in a storage device includes a DCP obtaining unit configured obtain at least one divided DCP to be ingested among divided DCPs including a common asset map corresponding to a digital cinema, the divided DCPs having allocated thereto one or more picture track files, sound track files, and/or subtitle track files for the digital cinema; an asset-map-information extracting unit configured to extract asset map information from the asset map included in the divided DCP to be ingested, the asset map information being information unique to the asset map; a directory determining unit configured to determine an ingestion destination directory for the divided DCP in the storage device on the basis of the asset map information; and an ingesting unit configured to ingest the divided DCP in the ingestion destination directory of the storage device. |
| US08280858B2 |
Storage pool scrubbing with concurrent snapshots
A method for scrubbing a storage pool is disclosed. The method includes loading a scrub queue with a number of identifiers corresponding to a number of datasets, selecting a first identifier from the scrub queue, where the first identifier corresponds to a first dataset, initiating a scrubbing of the first dataset. The method further includes, upon receiving an indication of a requirement to pause the scrubbing, pausing the scrubbing of the first dataset, creating a bookmark recording a last location within the first dataset that was scrubbed before pausing the scrubbing of the first dataset, detecting at least one change to a storage pool, and performing a modification in response to detecting the at least one change to the storage pool. |
| US08280855B2 |
Extended logical worm data integrity protection with unique worm identifier in header and database
A data storage system stores logical data object(s), each identified by a logical identifier. A control is configured to assign a unique WORM (Write Once Read Many) identifier to the logical data object, and stores the unique WORM identifier as associated with the logical identifier, in a database maintained by the control so as to be persistent. Data storage is configured to write the logical data object with a header with the unique WORM identifier. The control, in order to allow the logical data object to be accessed externally to the control, requires matching the unique WORM identifier in the header of a logical data object to the unique WORM identifier of the persistent database for the logical object. The unique WORM identifier is formed of a checksum hash value related to nonce fields comprising at least the logical identifier of the logical data object, an incrementing token, and a time stamp. |
| US08280854B1 |
Systems and methods for relocating deduplicated data within a multi-device storage system
A computer-implemented method for relocating deduplicated data within a multi-device storage system. The method may include identifying a set of deduplicated data units stored on a first device of the multi-device storage system. Each data unit in the set of data units is referred to by one or more deduplication references. The method may also include procuring reference data that indicates, for each data unit in the set of deduplicated data units, the number of deduplication references that point to the data unit. The method may further include using the reference data to select one or more data units from the set of deduplicated data units for relocation to a second device in the multi-device storage system and relocating the one or more data units to the second device in the multi-device storage system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08280851B2 |
Applying a policy criteria to files in a backup image
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for applying a policy criteria to files in a backup image. A backup image of files in a file system is maintained. A policy is applied to the files in the backup image to determine files satisfying a policy criteria. A list is prepared indicating the determined files. The determined files in the file system are accessed and a deferred operation indicated in the applied policy is applied to the accessed files in the file system. |
| US08280849B2 |
Method and system for enhanced data transfer
A system and method for enhanced data transfer are disclosed, the method being applicable to a system comprising a computing device configured to transfer data from a portable device. In one embodiment, the computing device stores a fingerprint of the newest record downloaded from a portable device and stops downloading records from the device when a downloaded record matches the fingerprint. In another embodiment, the computing device stores a fingerprint of the newest record downloaded from a portable device and fully processes records that are downloaded from the device after a downloaded record matches the fingerprint. The system may include a portable device configured to adapt its operation responsive to a system fingerprint provided by the computing device. The portable device may be a medical device. The system may be a healthcare data management system. |
| US08280843B2 |
RSS data-processing object
Various embodiments utilize a special object referred to as an rsshttp object to acquire an RSS feed, process the feed and expose an object model to a web page or application. In at least some embodiments, the rsshttp object can parse through the feed's associated RSS data, normalize the feed data to a standard format, sanitize the feed data if necessary, and then present a standardized object model for interaction with web pages and applications. |
| US08280842B2 |
Collaborative linking of support knowledge bases with visualization of device
A system and method which may be implemented at least partly by a computer, are provided for developing a support system. A virtual representation of a device is generated for display on a user interface. Links between components of the virtual representation, which represent components of the device, and corresponding cases in a searchable knowledge base (SKB) are stored. Users can navigate the SKB in search of a solution to a problem with the device with the assistance of the virtual representation which enables actuation of the existing links. The users are able to create new links, each new link linking a component of the virtual representation with a case in the SKB which the user identifies as providing a solution to the problem with the device which is related to the component. The new link is stored for future use by the user or by other users. |
| US08280841B1 |
Apparatus and method for stage judgment using of technology life cycle
Stage determination apparatus including storage and processor includes: bibliographic database integrating heterogeneous resources; feature-set creation module calculating feature values of predefined features by searching the bibliographic database, and creating feature-set of each technology using the feature values, for technologies on technology lifecycle; answer-feature-set creation module calculating common feature value of feature sets of technologies belonging to the same stage in the technology lifecycle and creating answer-feature-set of each stage; stage determination module that, if technology is inputted, acquires feature values and creates feature-set for predefined features by searching the bibliographic database for the technology, compares corresponding feature value in the feature-set of the technology with feature value according to feature selection flow in previous decision tree according to the feature selection flow, and determines a stage having feature value finally selected according to the feature selection flow as a stage where the technology belongs to in the technology lifecycle. |
| US08280837B2 |
Contact state estimation for multi-finger robot hands using particle filters
A method for identifying the location, orientation and shape of an object that a robot hand touches that includes using a particle filter. The method includes defining an appropriate motion model and a measurement model. The motion model characterizes the motion of the robot hand as it moves relative to the object. The measurement model estimates the likelihood of an observation of contact position, velocity and tactile sensor information given hand-object states. The measurement model is approximated analytically based on a geometric model or based on a corpus of training data. In either case, the measurement model distribution is encoded as a Gaussian or using radial basis functions. |
| US08280836B2 |
Converting unordered graphs to oblivious read once ordered graph representation
Data characterizing a desired variable order and an unordered graph can be received so that all paths in the unordered graph can be enumerated and a first path in the unordered graph can be leveled according to the desired variable order in a first oblivious read once decision graph. For each additional path other than the first path, the additional path is leveled in the desired order, nodes of the additional path are added to the first oblivious read once decision graph, and a union operation is performed on the first oblivious read once decision graph to union graph roots on the first oblivious read once decision graph. Thereafter, generation of a second oblivious read once decision graph can be initiated after completing processing of the first path and each additional path. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described. |
| US08280835B2 |
Method for automated distributed diagnostics for networks
A method for distributed computations for fault-diagnosis in a system whose fault propagation model has deterministic couplings between faults and symptoms includes creating a ‘relation graph’ in which the nodes correspond to the potential faults, with two nodes connected by a ‘relational link’ if their corresponding faults have an observed symptom in common. Each relational link is assigned a weight equal to the sum, taken over the symptoms represented by the relational link, of the reciprocal of the number of distinct fault-pairs that produce each such symptom. The relation graph is then partitioned into several domains, while minimizing the number of cross-domain relational links, which correspond to cross-domain symptoms. In each domain, all the optimal local solutions to the domain's sub-problem are first determined, and then a combination is selected of the local solutions, one from each domain, that explains the maximum number of cross-domain symptoms, where the optimal solution is supplemented, if necessary, with additional faults to explain any remaining unexplained cross-domain symptoms, determining also a bound on the deviation from optimality of the global solution. |
| US08280833B2 |
Fraud detection and analysis
Systems and methods generate a risk score for an account event. The systems and methods automatically generate a causal model corresponding to a user, wherein the model estimates components of the causal model using event parameters of a previous event undertaken by the user in an account of the user. The systems and methods predict expected behavior of the user during a next event in the account using the causal model. Predicting the expected behavior of the user includes generating expected event parameters of the next event. The systems and methods use a predictive fraud model to generate fraud event parameters. Generation of the fraud event parameters assumes a fraudster is conducting the next event, wherein the fraudster is any person other than the user. The systems and methods generate a risk score of the next event to indicate the relative likelihood the future event is performed by the user. |
| US08280832B1 |
Proving latency associated with references to a data store
A technique for analyzing a model, either statically or dynamically, checks the model for one or more specified patterns with respect to accessing a data store associated with the model. The patterns may include, for example, writing to the data store prior to reading the data store, reading the data store prior to writing to the data store, writing to the data store multiple times prior to reading the data store, reading the data store multiple times before writing to the data store, etc. The model may be an executable graphical model that is generated in a graphical modeling environment. A result may be generated based on analyzing the model and the result may be output. |
| US08280830B2 |
Systems and methods for using multiple in-line heuristics to reduce false positives
An exemplary method for using multiple in-line heuristics to reduce false positives may include: 1) training a first heuristic using a set of training data, 2) deploying the first heuristic, 3) identifying false positives produced by the first heuristic during deployment, 4) modifying the training data to include the false positives produced by the first heuristic, 5) creating a second heuristic using the modified training data, 6) deploying both the first heuristic and the second heuristic, and then 7) applying both the first heuristic and the second heuristic, in sequence, to a set of field data. |
| US08280824B1 |
Method and system for dynamic pricing of web services utilization
A method and system for dynamic pricing of web services utilization. According to one embodiment, a method may include dynamically predicting utilization of a web services computing resource that is expected to occur during a given interval of time, and dependent upon the dynamically predicted utilization, setting a price associated with utilization of the web services computing resource occurring during the given interval of time. The method may further include providing the price to a customer. |
| US08280820B2 |
Latency locator
A method for capturing data packets sent on a network for evaluating response time performance, the network including a financial institution and a partner bank. The method includes associating a captured data packet sent to the partner bank with a captured data packet received from the partner bank, by comparing at least one coded field of a data portion of the captured data packet sent to the partner bank with at least one coded field of a captured data portion of the data packet received from the partner bank. The method also includes measuring a response time of the associated data packet received from the partner bank, relative to a transmission time of the captured data packet sent to the partner bank. The method further includes transmitting an alert message upon determining that the response time is not within an adjustable predetermined threshold, wherein the alert message includes data from a data portion of the associated data packets. |
| US08280819B2 |
Method and apparatus for securely displaying and communicating trusted and untrusted internet content
A method and apparatus for securely displaying and communicating trusted and untrusted internet content via a web browser is described. In a preferred embodiment, the invention is an electronic marketplace system in which auction-related content is displayed in one window of a customer's web browser while item-related content is displayed in a second window of the customer's web browser, such that the auction-related content and the item-related content are substantially prevented from substantially interacting. The invention further provides a method and apparatus for communicating predetermined information between multiple documents opened in multiple web browser windows, where the documents are served from multiple domains. |
| US08280817B2 |
Authentication and tracking system
A subset of unique codes are generated from a set of codes. The subset of codes are stored in a database on a secure server and each of the codes is marked on a corresponding instantiation of the product. The marked instantiations are distributed. During their distribution, the marked instantiations are verified for authenticity and for routing. This verification is performed by reading or scanning the codes on the instantiations, and transmitting that information to the secure server for comparison against the codes and other information located in the database contained therein. |
| US08280814B2 |
Reverse vault cash system and methods
An electronic cash management system including a plurality of electronic cash safes each associated with a cash acceptor and a communicator under the physical control of a financial institution operating as a vault cash manager which owns the cash located therein and operative upon receipt of cash into one of said plurality of cash safes, verified by the cash acceptor to employ the communicator for providing a computer network notification to the financial institution indicating receipt of the cash as vault cash owned by the financial institution. |
| US08280812B1 |
Ensuring the accurateness and currentness of information provided by the submitter of an electronic invoice throughout the life of a matter
A facility for insuring information currentness is described. The facility receives from a party a request to submit an invoice. In response to receiving a request, the facility tests the currentness of information to be provided by the party. The facility permits the party to submit an invoice in connection with the request only if the testing determines that the information to be provided by the party is current. |
| US08280810B2 |
Method and system for automatically harmonizing access to a software application program via different access devices
A method and system automatically harmonizes access to a given software application program via different access devices. Through use of the method and system, a financial institution can provide access to a given application (such as, for example, automatic bill payment services) to customers using different access devices such web browsers, screen phones and personal computers. A single application program is all that needs to be written and maintained by the financial institution. Also, the method and system enables financial institutions to “leverage” existing programs because now the institution can automatically “project” its existing stock of program services unto new access devices—devices which may not have even existed at the time the program was created. By receiving information from the user via the user's access device, including information identifying the type of device being used and the application program the user wishes to access, the present invention solves these problems. The application program is then accessed and the information to be displayed to the user is identified. This information is automatically translated into a format which is compatible with the device, including its display, and sent to the device for display. The user, in turn, inputs information in response to the displayed information and this input information is automatically translated into a format which is compatible with the application program and is sent to the application program. The response generated by the application program is automatically translated to be compatible with the device and is sent to the device. |
| US08280808B2 |
Multiple rate loan
Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatuses for implementing, in connection with a loan account, a loan management tool. In some embodiments, the method includes: storing information relating to a loan account associated with a borrower in a storage device, wherein a first interest rate is associated with the loan account, segmenting the loan account into at least a first spend category, and associating a second interest rate with the first spend category, wherein the second interest rate is different from the first interest rate. The method may also include receiving a payment comprising a first portion based on the first interest rate and a second portion based on the second interest rate, and applying a first portion of the payment to reducing a balance of the first spend category. The systems and methods of the present invention are used in connection with a HELOC account. |
| US08280807B2 |
System of transferring and utilising reusable credit
The present Invention provides a system of transferring and utilizing reusable credit including a server having at least one database, at least one credit account having at least one line of credit, at least on© request for transfer, a reusable credit transfer processing (RCTP) system, a reusable credit accounting and transaction processing (RCATP) system and a reusable credit-merchant acceptance (RCMA) system whereby the system of transferring and utilizing reusable credit provides a means for enabling a sender to transfer reusable credit to a recipient for the purchase of goods/services and/or payment to another third party. |
| US08280806B1 |
Systems and methods for determining the likelihood that a loan closes
Systems and methods are provided for determining an indication that an application for a mortgage loan to secure a property may result in closing of the loan transaction. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving application information, such that the application information includes at least borrower information, property information, and a first interest rate; receiving home value information, such that the home value information represents an estimated value of the property; receiving a second interest rate; and determining the indication based on the received application information, received home value information, and received second interest rate, such that the indication represents a likelihood that the mortgage loan may result in closing. |
| US08280803B2 |
System and method for providing a linear spread
A system and method for providing a linear spread in an electronic trading environment are described. According to one example embodiment, a trading system can receive market information associated to a trading strategy, known as a spread. The trader may also define a market volatility parameter to utilize in the calculation of a linear spread price axis. The received market information and a divide spread algorithm are also used to determine the linear spread price axis. The trading application determines a linear spread price axis, at which price levels are separated by consistent linear tick increments. The linear spread price axis allows for more efficient and effective trading in the electronic trading environment especially when certain tradeable objects are traded or when certain spread algorithms, like the divide spread algorithm, are utilized. |
| US08280801B2 |
System and method for dynamically changing an electronic trade order quantity
A system and methods for dynamically changing a trade order quantity in an electronic trading environment are described herein. According to one example embodiment, an automated trading tool determines if a leaned on quantity of a trading strategy has increased or decreased and if so, dynamically changing a desired order quantity to reflect the change in the leaned on quantity. Dynamically changing an order quantity may be more profitable for a trader as order queue position may be maintained and portion of the desired order quantity may get filled; rather than a trader losing their order queue position and/or taking a chance of not getting any of their order quantity filled. |
| US08280788B2 |
Peer-to-peer and group financial management systems and methods
Systems and methods for providing peer-to-peer and group financial management are provided herein. An example system includes a payment processor that executes software instructions for creating and managing electronic payment accounts and an accounts database to store account data from the payment processor. The payment processor may be configured to receive a payment request from a payer, the payment request including information to identify a payee and a payment amount. The payment processor may be further configured to determine if the accounts database includes an account associated with the payee, and based on a determination that the accounts database includes an account associated with the payee, send an electronic message to the payee that notifies the payee of the payment request. The payment processor may also be configured to access the accounts database to determine if the payee is identified as having a trusted relationship with the payer, and based on a determination that the payee is identified in the accounts database as having a trusted relationship with the payer, access the accounts database to transfer the payment amount from an account associated with the payer to the account associated with the payee without first receiving authorization for the transfer from the payee. |
| US08280783B1 |
Method and system for providing multi-level text cloud navigation
Methods and systems for providing multiple level text cloud navigation are described, where various categories are displayed in a first text cloud and, when a category is selected, a second text cloud is displayed having child nodes of the selected category and selected lower level nodes. The categories, child nodes, and selected other nodes are displayed using an importance identifier indicative of the number of results in that category or node, a relative importance thereof, a similarities metric, a recommendations metric, or the like. |
| US08280778B2 |
Mortgage and real estate data integration and presentation system
A method of presenting real estate data is provided. A plurality of property listings can be presented, and a selection of one of the presented property listings may be received from a user. The user may be associated with a financial profile, which may be specified via user input. In response to receiving the selection by the user, at least one loan offer corresponding to the property listing may be automatically presented, for example, together with the property listing. The loan offer may be at least partially based on the financial profile, and may also be based on a property corresponding to the selected property listing. For example, the property listing and the financial profile may be automatically transmitted to one or more loan providers in response to receiving the selection by the user of the property listing, and in response loan offers may be received from some of the loan providers. |
| US08280772B2 |
Method of playing content having a termination time
An apparatus, method, and system for a Media Expiration System (MES) that improves upon current content control systems by better managing media recordings. The MES enables media owners to disable recordings of their broadcast content and/or advertising, locally, after the content has been recorded by a consumer. In one embodiment, the MES places expiration stamps into broadcast media as it is recorded by a consumer electronics device. The MES tracks viewing habits, enables the purchasing of extended views of programs, and removes expired media programming content. The manner and way in which this is achieved results in the expiration of stale media content. |
| US08280764B2 |
System and method for delivery of electronic coupons
A method for delivering an electronic coupon to a mobile device includes receiving via a wireless network a target image or icons extracted from the target image, comparing the target image to a plurality of learned images using a processor in communication with the wireless network, determining whether the target image matches at least one learned image, and when the target image matches at least one learned image, delivering to the mobile device over the wireless network an electronic coupon associated with the at least one learned image. The target image can represent at least a portion of a front surface of a consumer packaged good located in a retail outlet. The target image can be generated using a mobile device configured to communicate with the wireless network. The front surface of the consumer packaged good is the surface of the consumer packaged good that faces an aisle of the retail outlet carrying the consumer packaged good; accordingly, the consumer does not need to handle the consumer packaged good in search of a bar code. |
| US08280763B2 |
Customer rewarding
The present invention provides an approach for rewarding customers for use of self-checkout stations and, optionally, for being self-sufficient in such use by not requiring retailer (employee) assistance. Specifically, the under the present invention, a set of service choices made by a customer during purchasing transactions are tracked. Such service choices include whether the customer elected to use self-checkout stations. In addition, a frequency of assistance needed by the customer during the purchasing transactions will be tracked. Such tracking can be accomplished using any known technology including the use of the customer loyalty cards that are assigned to specific customers. In any event, a reward can be offered to the customer if the customer elected to use self-checkout stations to complete at least a subset of the purchasing transactions, and/or if the frequency of assistance needed by the customer during the purchasing transactions fell below a predetermined threshold. |
| US08280762B2 |
Integrated advertising management method and system with respect to plurality of advertising domains
An integrated advertising management method and system with respect to an advertising campaign including a plurality of advertising domains is provided. The integrated advertising management method includes the steps of: generating an advertiser identification associated with an advertiser; in response to a request from the advertiser, setting up an advertisement management component associated with the advertiser identification; and allowing the advertiser to manage the plurality of advertisements included in the advertising campaign by using the advertisement management component such that the advertiser can set up and update at least one of a plurality of conditions for the plurality of advertisements included in the advertising campaign. |
| US08280753B1 |
Systems and methods for bridging coverage
A method of providing a bridge life insurance policy includes receiving a request for a life insurance policy having a coverage amount, wherein approval of the request requires completion of an external process, and determining that the customer is a pre-existing customer of an organization associated with the life insurance policy. The method also includes determining, using a processor, that the customer meets eligibility requirements for a bridge life insurance policy and obtaining financial information associated with the customer from the organization associated with the life insurance policy. The method further includes defining a coverage amount for the bridge life insurance policy less than or equal to the coverage amount of the life insurance policy and issuing the bridge life insurance policy to the customer. Additionally, the method includes initiating the external process, issuing the life insurance policy, and terminating the bridge life insurance policy. |
| US08280752B1 |
Usage-based insurance cost determination system and method
A system and method for calculating and applying insurance costs. For vehicle insurance under one embodiment of the present invention, insurance costs are calculated on a per-mile basis in a nonlinear fashion, assigning different levels of risk based upon the distance driven by a customer. In one embodiment of the present invention, the first miles or kilometers driven by a customer are assigned a greater level of risk than later-driven miles or kilometers. The present invention provides an actuarial method that more closely conforms the cost of insurance for a particular vehicle to its annual mileage by creating a Rate Per Mile Factor (RMF), where the RMF is expressed as a function of annual mileage. |
| US08280747B1 |
Systems and methods for health information analysis and storage
Systems and methods for a healthcare information collection and analysis system to collect health information, aggregate and/or analyze the information, and use the collected information to provide relevant information in an organized form to one or more system users. The information may be used to provide system users with health information about health conditions and their related procedures and medications. The information may be used by the system users, for example, to determine what procedures and medications they can expect with certain health conditions. The information may also help system users select healthcare providers and may provide system users with a range of approximate costs to expect for the procedures and medications. |
| US08280746B2 |
Personalized plan development
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: receiving a request for a personalized plan designed to facilitate an end user to achieve one or more target outcomes when one or more emulatable aspects indicated by the personalized plan are emulated, the request identifying at least a source user; acquiring source user data indicating a plurality of reported aspects associated with at least the source user in response to receiving the request; and developing the personalized plan by at least determining which of the plurality of reported aspects associated with the source user are relevant to the achievement of the one or more target outcomes. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure. |
| US08280745B2 |
Systems and methods for applying secondary information to business addresses
Systems and methods are provided for determining secondary address information. In one implementation, a method is provided that uses a data processing apparatus. According to the method, a code word is created for a business name and a building default extended delivery code. A data table is searched using the code word and secondary address information is revealed when a match is found between the code word and data stored in the data table. |
| US08280743B2 |
Channel reconfiguration with side information
During production, at least one audio signal is processed in order to derive instructions for channel reconfiguring it. The at least one audio signal and the instructions are stored or transmitted. During consumption, the at least one audio signal is channel reconfigured in accordance with the instructions. Channel reconfiguring includes upmixing, downmixing, and spatial reconfiguration. By determining the channel reconfiguration instructions during production, processing resources during consumption are reduced. |
| US08280738B2 |
Voice quality conversion apparatus, pitch conversion apparatus, and voice quality conversion method
The voice quality conversion apparatus includes: low-frequency harmonic level calculating units and a harmonic level mixing unit for calculating a low-frequency sound source spectrum by mixing a level of a harmonic of an input sound source waveform and a level of a harmonic of a target sound source waveform at a predetermined conversion ratio for each order of harmonics including fundamental, in a frequency range equal to or lower than a boundary frequency; a high-frequency spectral envelope mixing unit that calculates a high-frequency sound source spectrum by mixing the input sound source spectrum and the target sound source spectrum at the predetermined conversion ratio in a frequency range larger than the boundary frequency; and a spectrum combining unit that combines the low-frequency sound source spectrum with the high-frequency sound source spectrum at the boundary frequency to generate a sound source spectrum for an entire frequency range. |
| US08280737B2 |
Sound signal generating method, sound signal generating device, and recording medium
A sound signal generating method includes: generating, using a computer, a plurality of unit waveform signals by dividing the original sound signal having a periodic length of repeating similar waveforms by the length of the waveform; generating, using a computer, a repetitive waveform signal for each of the generated unit waveform signals by repeating the waveform of the unit waveform signal a given number of times; and generating, using a computer, an outputsound signal by shifting each of the repetitive waveform signals in each length with a sequence in which the unit waveform signals form the original sound signal and then superimposing on one another. |
| US08280734B2 |
Systems and arrangements for titling audio recordings comprising a lingual translation of the title
Generally methods for titling segments of recorded audio data are disclosed herein. An input from a voice activation module, a push button input or another user interface can provide a stimulus for a system or device to record title information. The title information can be received as an utterance, converted to text, and linked to a segment or body of recorded audio. A speech to text converter can perform the conversion from audio to text and the text can be displayed to a user. Then, the system can request and accept a confirmation from the user that the title information reflects a user's desires. In a recording retrieval mode, the system can display a plurality of titles with textual characters that represent a lingual translation of the title to the user and prompt the user for a user selection of a title. After such a selection is made, the recorded audio can be retrieved from memory and played back to the user over speakers or headphones. |
| US08280733B2 |
Automatic speech recognition learning using categorization and selective incorporation of user-initiated corrections
An automatic speech recognition system recognizes user changes to dictated text and infers whether such changes result from the user changing his/her mind, or whether such changes are a result of a recognition error. If a recognition error is detected, the system uses the type of user correction to modify itself to reduce the chance that such recognition error will occur again. Accordingly, the system and methods provide for significant speech recognition learning with little or no additional user interaction. |
| US08280732B2 |
System and method for multidimensional gesture analysis
Hand gestures are translated by first detecting the hand gestures with an electronic sensor and converting the detected gestures into respective electrical transfer signals in a frequency band corresponding to that of speech. These transfer signals are inputted in the audible-sound frequency band into a speech-recognition system where they are analyzed. |
| US08280729B2 |
System and method for encoding and decoding pulse indices
Methods, and corresponding codec-containing devices are provided that have source coding schemes for encoding a component of an excitation. In some cases, the source coding scheme is an enumerative source coding scheme, while in other cases the source coding scheme is an arithmetic source coding scheme. In some cases, the source coding schemes are applied to encode a fixed codebook component of the excitation for a codec employing codebook excited linear prediction, for example an AMR-WB (Adaptive Multi-Rate-Wideband) speech codec. |
| US08280721B2 |
Efficiently representing word sense probabilities
Word sense probabilities are compressed for storage in a semantic index. Each word sense for a word is mapped to one of a number of “buckets” by assigning a bucket score to the word sense. A scoring function is utilized to assign the bucket scores that maximizes the entropy of the assigned bucket scores. Once the bucket scores have been assigned to the word senses, the bucket scores are stored in the semantic index. The bucket scores stored in the semantic index may be utilized to prune one or more of the word senses prior to construction of the semantic index. The bucket scores may also be utilized to prune and rank the word senses at the time a query is performed using the semantic index. |
| US08280720B2 |
Association dictionary creation apparatus
An association dictionary creation apparatus is provided that is capable of easily and efficiently creating an association dictionary suiting the user's taste. The association dictionary creation unit includes: a profile storage unit that stores a profile which is information regarding the user's taste; a word selection unit that determines, every predetermined time, a word from the profile stored in the profile storage unit as an associated word search word, and further, selects words, other than the associated word search word, included in the profile as the associated word candidates; and an association degree calculation unit that calculates the degree of association between the associated word search word and each associated word candidate word selected by the word selection unit with reference to the contents stored in the contents storage unit, and when the association degree is higher than a predetermined threshold value, sets the associated word search word and the associated word candidate word as the associated word pair and stores the associated word pair and the association degree in the association dictionary storage unit in association with each other. |
| US08280715B2 |
Storage system management tool including simulation mode to support pre-configuration of storage systems
A method may include receiving a first selection via a user interface comprising a hardware configuration for a simulated computer storage system, the hardware configuration including a plurality of hardware components. The method may also include receiving a second selection via the user interface comprising a storage configuration for the plurality of hardware components of the simulated computer storage system. Further, the method may include creating a storage configuration template utilizing the storage configuration. Additionally, the method may include associating the plurality of hardware components of the simulated computer storage system with the storage configuration template. Further, the method may include storing the plurality of hardware components of the simulated computer storage system and the associated storage configuration template. |
| US08280714B2 |
Memory circuit simulation system and method with refresh capabilities
A system and method are provided including an interface circuit in communication with a plurality of memory circuits and a system. The interface circuit is operable to interface the plurality of memory circuits and the system for simulating at leas one memory circuit with at least one aspect that is different from at least one aspect of at least one of the plurality of memory circuits. The interface circuit is further operable to control refreshing of the plurality of memory circuits. |
| US08280713B2 |
Automatic generation of test suite for processor architecture compliance
A parametrically controlled model-based test generator automatically generates architectural compliance test suites for different implementations of a processor architecture, based on a set of architectural decisions chosen among optional behaviors for each implementation. Thus, different implementations of the same architecture can be easily supported by modifying the parameter values. In addition, ongoing changes to the architecture or comprehensive updates to the test suite can be easily handled by updating the architecture model or the coverage models, forgoing the need to review the whole, potentially huge, set of tests. |
| US08280712B2 |
Simplified data signal support for diagramming environment languages
A computer-implemented method may include defining an input bus signal in a graphical block diagram model by associating the input bus signal with a first group of signals, at least two of the first group of signals having a different data type; defining an output bus signal in the graphical block diagram model by associating the second bus signal with a second group of signals, each of the second group of signals corresponding to one of the first group of signals; defining an input to a non-virtual operation block in the graphical block diagram model as the input bus signal; defining an output to the non-virtual operation block in the graphical block diagram as the output bus signal; and simulating an operation performed on the input bus signal by the non-virtual operation block, the operation being performed on each of the first group of signals and output to each of the second group of signals. |
| US08280710B2 |
Method for determining thermal stability of collagen or collagen-like peptide
The present invention is a method for determining the thermal stability of a collagen peptide, collagen-like peptide or triple-helix construct with the repeating peptide unit Gly-Xaa1-Xaa2. The instant method accounts for the destabilizing effect of peptide repeats which do not conform to the highly stable Gly-Pro-Hyp peptide and for the interaction between triplets. The instant method finds use in mutant analysis of collagen peptides, collagen-like peptides or triple-helix constructs and engineering of collagen peptides, collagen-like peptides or triple-helix constructs. |
| US08280704B2 |
Characterisation of soft body impacts
The fragmentation of a bird or similar soft body, following its impact on an angled target plate, is modeled by representing the body as a combination of fragments and slurry, their relative proportions depending on the severity and angle of impact. The method is particularly suitable for modeling the behavior of a bird striking an obscuring intake of a gas turbine engine. |
| US08280695B2 |
Method to adapt a template dataset to a target dataset by using curvelet representations
Method for adapting a template to a target data set. The template may be used to remove noise from, or interpret noise in, the target data set. The target data set is transformed (550) using a selected complex-valued, directional, multi-resolution transform (‘CDMT’) satisfying the Hubert transform property at least approximately. An initial template is selected, and it is transformed (551) using the same CDMT. Then the transformed template is adapted (560) to the transformed target data by adjusting the template's expansion coefficients within allowed ranges of adjustment so as to better match the expansion coefficients of the target data set. Multiple templates may be simultaneously adapted to better fit the noise or other component of the data that it may be desired to represent by template. |
| US08280693B2 |
Nondestructive analysis for periodic structure
There is provided a nondestructive analysis for a periodic structure. In the method, a virtual periodic structure is set and divided into a plurality of layers. By utilizing the Lippmann-Schwinger equation with an M-th order interpolation, physical properties related to reflectivity or transmittance of the virtual periodic structure are calculated. An M-th order interpolation formula employed in discretization of the Lippmann-Schwinger equation leads to an accurate and rapid calculation of the physical properties of the periodic structure. |
| US08280690B2 |
Signal processing method and unit for a dimension-gauging system
A dimension-gauging system to determine at least one dimension of a non-ferrous, electrically conducting object produces a magnetic field inside the object and changes the excitation of the magnetic field. A signal processing unit measures the reaction of the magnetic field to the change in excitation, obtains an actual field transfer function between the excitation and the measured field reaction and determines the at least one dimension of the object by fitting the measured field transfer function to a predetermined field transfer function, where the predetermined field transfer function represents the dynamic behavior between the excitation and the measured field reaction with the one dimension as a parameter. |
| US08280688B2 |
Compactor independent direct diagnosis of test hardware
Methods, apparatus, and systems for performing fault diagnosis are disclosed herein. In one exemplary embodiment, a failure log is received comprising entries indicative of compressed test responses to chain patterns and compressed test responses to scan patterns. A faulty scan chain in the circuit-under-test is identified based at least in part on one or more of the entries indicative of the compressed test responses to chain patterns. One or more faulty scan cell candidates in the faulty scan chain are identified based at least in part on one or more of the entries indicative of the compressed test responses to scan patterns. The one or more identified scan cell candidates can be reported. Computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform any of the disclosed methods are also provided. Likewise, computer-readable media storing lists of fault candidates identified by any of the disclosed methods are also provided. |
| US08280686B2 |
System and method for generating a transporting instruction using an environmental sensor
A system including an environmental sensor that can travel with a product within a carrier's logistics network. The environmental sensor being configured to sense an environmental condition capable of affecting the product to generate product environment data. The system includes a scanner configured to read product environment data from the environmental sensor. The system also includes a hub control unit configured to communicate with the scanner and receive the product environment data from the scanner and determines whether the product environment data transcends a limit of exposure of the product to an environmental condition. The hub control unit is also configured to generate a transporting instruction to redirect transport of the product to an alternate destination different from its original destination if the hub control unit determines that the product environment data indicates the environmental condition of the product has transcended the limit of exposure. |
| US08280683B2 |
Probabilistic framework for the highly efficient correlation of call chains with hardware events
A system and method for correlation of resources with hardware events includes event driven sampling a call chain of functions to determine when functions of the call chain are active. The call chain is mapped to execution times based upon a probabilistic integration of the functions such that when portions of the call chain are active, resources associated with call chain activity are correlated with hardware events. |
| US08280678B2 |
Step length estimation method and portable terminal for the same
An apparatus and method for estimating a step length of a user are provided. The apparatus and method use a step length estimation algorithm, e.g. a step length estimation parameter coefficient, according to a movement state of a user, i.e. whether the movement state is a walking state or a running state. The movement state of the user is determined on the basis of an acceleration variance value of an acceleration signal output from an accelerometer. Accordingly, the apparatus and method prevent errors in step length determinations. |
| US08280671B2 |
Compressive data gathering for large-scale wireless sensor networks
Techniques for data gathering in large-scale wireless sensor networks are described. A data collection device receives aggregate data from at least one sensor node of a group of N sensor nodes. The aggregate data includes M weighted sums. Each of the M weighted sums includes a respective sum of N products each of which being a product of a respective coefficient and a sensor reading from a respective one of the N sensor nodes. M and N are positive integers and M is less than N. Computation is performed on the aggregate data to recover sensor readings from the N sensor nodes. |
| US08280667B2 |
Test apparatus, performance board and calibration board
Provided is a test apparatus that tests a device under test, comprising a waveform generator that generates a test signal to be supplied to the device under test; a digitizer that measures a response signal output by the device under test; a judging section that judges acceptability of the device under test based on the measurement result of the digitizer; and a loop-back path that connects an output terminal of the waveform generator to an input terminal of the digitizer when calibration is performed for the waveform generator and the digitizer. The loop-back path includes a noise removal filter that eliminates a noise component from a signal passed therethrough; and a path switching section that connects the waveform generator to the digitizer via the noise removal filter when the digitizer is being calibrated, and connects the waveform generator to the digitizer without including the noise removal filter therebetween when the waveform generator is being calibrated. |
| US08280664B2 |
XY-coordinate compensation apparatus and method in sample pattern inspection apparatus
Stage orthogonal error and position errors caused by mirror distortion are reduced. A CPU calculates a coordinate error (Δx,Δy) between a measured XY coordinate (x,y) of each of arbitrary reference points on a wafer W0 loaded on a XY stage which is measured by a laser interferometer and a calculated ideal position XY coordinate of the reference point, calculates an orthogonal error of the XY coordinates on the bases of the calculated coordinate errors (Δx,Δy) and an error due to mirror distortion, and stores them in a storage device. When a wafer W is actually inspected, the CPU corrects the measured position coordinates (x,y) from the laser interferometer on the basis of the calculated orthogonal error, and corrects beam deflector for deflection on the basis of the calculated error due to mirror distortion. |
| US08280662B2 |
Optical system, optical module and threshold setting method
An optical system includes an optical module having an optical reception unit that receives input light and output an electric signal related to received input light, and a processing unit having an identification unit that performs identification processing based on a threshold value on the electric signal input via a reception signal path from the optical reception unit. The optical module includes a threshold calculation unit that calculates the threshold value based on the electric signal from the optical reception unit and a signal path characteristic of the reception signal path from the optical reception unit to the identification unit, and the identification unit of the processing unit performs the identification processing based on the threshold value calculated by the threshold calculation unit. Thereby, the threshold value is optimized when the identifier is provided in the unit as a connection destination of the optical module. |
| US08280657B2 |
Utility monitoring system with variable logging
A method of storing data in a utility monitoring system includes monitoring a characteristic of a utility system in an intelligent electronic device (IED) to produce monitored characteristic values that are buffered in the IED. The IED is communicatively coupled to a server via a network. The monitored characteristic values are indicative of the characteristic. The method further includes storing a first monitored characteristic value of the buffered monitored characteristic values periodically at a first logging interval in a memory of the IED. The method further includes storing a second monitored characteristic value of the buffered monitored characteristic values periodically at a second logging interval in the memory of the IED in response to satisfying a criterion. The second logging interval is distinct from the first logging interval. |
| US08280655B2 |
Digital power monitoring circuit and system
A digital power monitoring circuit for monitoring power through an output inductor of a switching power supply in accordance with an embodiment of the present application includes a first analog to digital converter receiving a current sense signal indicative of the current through the output inductor and providing a first digital signal including information regarding the current through the output inductor, a second analog to digital converter receiving a signal indicative of the output voltage of the switching power supply and providing a second digital signal containing information regarding the output voltage of the switching power supply; and a convolver circuit operable to receive the first digital signal and the second digital signal and to provide a third digital signal including information regarding the power through the output inductor based on the first and second digital signals. |
| US08280649B2 |
Board or electronic component warp analyzing method, board or electronic component warp analyzing system and board or electronic component warp analyzing program
Board warp analysis includes dividing a temperature profile with respect to an electronic component by a predetermined time. A relaxation elastic modulus of the electronic component corresponding to the divisional time is obtained by shifting on a time base of a master curve related to the electronic component A curing degree of the electronic component is calculated based on a relationship between a time after shift and an actually applied temperature. A warp of the electronic component is analyzed based on a relaxation elastic modulus on the master curve or a relaxation elastic modulus calculated based on a relationship between the curing degree and the elastic constant according to a value of the curing degree calculated. |
| US08280647B2 |
Method and system for monitoring process states of an internal combustion engine
For monitoring (unmeasured) process states of a rotating machine having a combustion chamber (e.g. a gas turbine), compositions of educts entering the combustion chamber are measured. Based on the compositions of the educts, the composition of the product produced by the combustion chamber can be determined. Moreover, the mechanical power (Pmech) generated by the rotating machine can be determined. Based on the mechanical power (Pmech), the composition of the educts and product, and stoichiometric relationships of educts and product, the values of process states, such as the air mass flow (wa) through the compressor leading into the combustion chamber and/or the gas mass flow (wg), the composition and/or the temperature (T3) of exhaust gas exiting the combustion chamber can be determined. Based on precise measurements of the educt (e.g. the composition of air and fuel in the combustion process), the product (i.e. the composition of the exhaust gas and its temperature) is derived and, without the need of an iterative or recursive method, the turbine inlet temperature (T3) can be monitored and controlled. |
| US08280644B2 |
Sustainability systems and methods directed to food compositions
A method of calculating the carbon or greenhouse gas footprint of a food composition includes determining the CO2 or greenhouse gas emission of each ingredient by associating a total energy value with the ingredient, determining the proportion of the total energy value contributed by each of at least one energy source, where each energy source has a characteristic CO2 or greenhouse gas emissions value, and then calculating a CO2 or greenhouse gas emission value for the ingredient based on the GHG emission values of each contributing energy source. Also, optimizing the CO2 or greenhouse gas emissions in the formulation of pet food employs this method. |
| US08280643B2 |
Crystal structure of Staphylococcus aureus clumping factor A in complex with fibrinogen derived peptide and uses thereof
The present invention provides a method for determining the structure of a microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecule in complex with fibrinogen, by providing a ClfA complexed with a fibrinogen gamma-peptide; determining a ClfA binding region of the fibrinogen gamma-peptide; determining one or more critical amino acid residues in the ClfA binding region of a native fibrinogen gamma-peptide that is critical for a ClfA:fibrinogen gamma-peptide interaction; determining one or more amino acid residues of the ClfA that binds to the ClfA binding region of the native fibrinogen gamma-peptide; modeling the structure of the ClfA binding region; determining the structure of the ClfA in complex with the :fibrinogen gamma-peptide interaction; and identifying one or more potential agent(s) that inhibit the ClfA:fibrinogen gamma-peptide interaction without affecting binding of other proteins to the fibrinogen gamma-peptide. |
| US08280640B2 |
System and method for pattern recognition in sequential data
The present invention is based on the encoding of sequential data or sequences in a novel manner that permits efficient storage and processing of sequential data, as well as methods for searching sequences or databases of sequences. The methods and systems of the current invention may be adapted broadly to various fields of application and to a variety of sequences types. For example, the current invention has broad application including to the fields of bioinformatics, molecular biology, pharmacogenomics, phonetic sequences, lexicographic sequences, signal analysis, game playing, law enforcement, biometrics, medical diagnosis, equipment maintenance and micro-array data analysis. |
| US08280633B1 |
Weather risk estimation system and method
A method of presenting a visual representation of a probable impact of a weather phenomenon to a location includes obtaining an impact function for the location by combining a weather function corresponding to a characteristic of the weather phenomenon with a damage function associated with the same characteristic. A graphic representation of an interest at the location is obtained. A visual representation of a probable impact of the weather phenomenon on the interest by modifying the graphic representation of the interest, where the modification is based on a predicted impact to the interest determined using the impact function. |
| US08280627B2 |
Map information processing apparatus, navigation system, and program
Conventional map information processing apparatuses have the problem of not being able to automatically provide appropriate information according to map browse operations. The present invention provides a map information processing apparatus, comprising: a map information storage portion in which map information, which is information of a map, can be stored; an accepting portion that accepts a map browse operation, which is an operation to browse the map; an operation information sequence acquiring portion that acquires operation information, which is information of an operation corresponding to the map browse operation; a keyword acquiring portion that acquires at least one keyword from the map information using the operation information; a retrieving portion that retrieves information using the at least one keyword; and an information output portion that outputs the information retrieved by the retrieving portion. With this map information processing apparatus, it is possible to automatically provide appropriate information according to map browse operations. |
| US08280622B2 |
Terrain avoidance system for transport aircraft
A system indicating to a pilot that an aircraft has passed the limit-point of success of a standard vertical avoidance maneuver is disclosed. To determine the limit-point, the system monitors a penetration of a model of the terrain being flown over into a first protection volume linked to the aircraft and configured so as to model a standard vertical avoidance maneuver path executed without delay. To determine disengagement azimuth sectors, the system monitors the penetrations of the model of the terrain being flown over into a second protection volume with large azimuth aperture, linked to the aircraft and configured so as to contain the limit-point protection volume and, for the various azimuths covered, paths of a composite maneuver beginning with change-of-heading maneuvers with which to reach the azimuth concerned and continuing with the standard terrain vertical avoidance maneuver. |
| US08280613B2 |
Control apparatus for internal combustion engine
A fuel injection control apparatus for an internal combustion engine which can inject a fuel injection quantity to a fuel injector with accuracy even when the fuel injection quantity is reduced than before is provided. A fuel injection control apparatus of a direct cylinder injection type of internal combustion engine, including a fuel injector which performs fuel injection by supplying a drive current to a solenoid, a fuel pressure sensor which detects fuel pressure supplied to the fuel injector, and operation state detecting means which detects the operation state of the internal combustion engine, comprises current profile changing means 100 which has multiple current profiles of the drive current and changes current profiles based on the operation state and the fuel pressure, valid pulse width calculating means 701 which calculates a valid pulse width for opening and driving the fuel injector, invalid pulse width calculating means 103 which calculates an invalid pulse width, and fuel injector control means which calculates a fuel injection pulse width based on the valid pulse width and the invalid pulse width, and controls the fuel injector based on the fuel injection pulse width, wherein the invalid pulse width calculating means 103 calculates an invalid pulse width corresponding to the current profiles to be changed before the current profiles are changed. |
| US08280612B2 |
Multi-pulse enable determination and transition control systems and methods
A coordinated torque control (CTC) system is provided that includes an engine capacity module, a multi-pulse enable module, and a catalyst light off torque reserve module. The engine capacity module determines a torque capacity of an engine and generates a maximum engine torque capacity signal. The multi-pulse enable module enables a multi-pulse mode that includes the injection of at least two pulses of fuel into a cylinder of the engine during a combustion cycle. The multi-pulse enable module generates a multi-pulse desired signal to operate in the multi-pulse mode based on the maximum engine torque capacity signal, a catalyst light off signal, and a brake torque request signal. The catalyst light off torque reserve module generates a torque reserve corrected signal based on the multi-pulse desired signal. |
| US08280606B2 |
Vehicle behavior control system
A slip angle differential value calculation unit 34 calculates a slip angle differential value of a body of a vehicle, a braking force application prohibiting unit 35 prohibits the application of braking force by a braking force application unit 33 when a yaw rate detection value takes a positive value and the sip angle differential value is a positive judgment threshold or more or when the yaw rate detection value takes a negative value and the slip angle differential value is a negative judgment threshold or less. |
| US08280599B2 |
Vehicle control device and vehicle drive system for implementing a one-way transmission speed or engaging a first engaging element in an idle stop state
A vehicle control device where, the transmission apparatus is provided with a state in which the rotational driving force is not transmitted from the output member to the input member when a first engaging element is engaged; the vehicle control device is provided with a control unit that controls the transmission apparatus to engage the first engaging element by a hydraulic pressure from the electric pump for implementing the state in an idle stop state in which the vehicle is in a moving state and the engine is stopped; in a case where a travel speed of the vehicle is not greater than a predetermined release threshold value, the first engaging element is engaged by the hydraulic pressure from the electric pump; and in a case where the travel speed of the vehicle is greater than the predetermined release threshold value, all of the engaging elements are released. |
| US08280596B2 |
Method of estimating the volumetric carrying capacity of a truck body
A method for estimating the effective volumetric capacity of a truck body is provided. The method includes the step of establishing a side-to-side profile of a generic load model by extending load side lines upward at a predetermined material angle of repose from the upper edge of each of the side walls of the truck body. A front-to-rear profile of the generic load model is also established by extending a front load line upward from the upper edge of the front wall of the track body at the predetermined material angle of repose and a rear load line upward from at or near a rear edge of the floor of the truck body at the predetermined material angle of repose. The volume of the final three-dimensional generic load model can then be calculated. |
| US08280594B2 |
Door opening/closing apparatus and coating film forming method
A door opening/closing apparatus includes an opening/closing handle provided in a vehicle door, electrodes disposed in the door handle, a detection circuit configured to detect a change of electrostatic capacitance which occurs in the vicinity of the electrodes when a human body portion approaches or contacts the door handle and then to output a locking or unlocking operation signal and a device for executing locking or unlocking of the door based on the operation signal, and a transmission/reception antenna for effecting transmission/reception with a portable unit corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the door handle includes an insulating base body, and on a vehicle outer side surface of the base body, there is attached a metal layer comprised of a group of island shaped metal particles that extend along the surface of the base body and that are separated from each other. |
| US08280590B2 |
Automatically adjustable axle oscillation stops
An automatically adjustable axle stop of an agricultural combine (100) includes a sensor (222, 224) to sense the position of an extendible axle (200) supported on the chassis (214) of the agricultural combine (100) at a pivot coupling (206), the extendable axle (200) being configured to pivot about a longitudinal pivotal axis (208) with respect to the chassis (214), an electronic control unit (400) to read the sensor (222, 224), to calculate a stop position based at least on the sensor signal, and to control an axle oscillation stop (210, 212) in order to limit the range of pivoting of the extendible axle (200) about the pivotal axis (208). |
| US08280586B2 |
Determination of the actual yaw angle and the actual slip angle of a land vehicle
In a method for determining the actual yaw rate and slip angle of a vehicle, a slip angle characteristic is first determined by a driving condition sensor system, a yaw rate sensor and a position determination system. If the slip angle characteristic remains below a threshold value, the actual yaw angle is adjusted to match the actual speed vector angle. Otherwise, the actual yaw angle is determined by a continuous value integration using yaw rate sensor values and the slip angle is calculated as the difference between the yaw angle and the speed vector angle. The slip angle is reliably determined with sufficient accuracy, without the need for additional sensors, if the values of the slip angle increase over several seconds. In addition, the yaw angle is reliably determined over long periods of time and the deviations in the values that occur in the integrating methods are adjusted at frequent intervals. |
| US08280585B2 |
Control method for adjusting electronically controlled damping system in motor vehicles and an electronically controlled damping system
A control method is provided for an electronically controlled damping system in a vehicle, wherein at least one characteristic quantity varying with different axle load conditions of an axle of the vehicle is determined, a correcting variable is established for an actuator of a vibration damper based on the characteristic quantity and the correcting variable is transmitted to the actuator of the vibration damper to adjust a desired damping behavior of the vibration damper. |
| US08280584B2 |
Climate control system
A system for controlling the climate in a cabin space using the state of a user's hand is provided. The system includes a controller and a heating ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC system). The HVAC system is operable to direct air into the cabin space so as to maintain a predetermined climate within the cabin space. The controller is operable to actuate and control the HVCAC system. The system further includes a handheld sensor operable to detect the state of the user's hand. The handheld sensor is in communication with the controller and transmits the state of the hand to the controller. The controller processes the state of the hand so as to calculate an HVAC system operating setting operable to optimize the user's comfort. The controller then actuates the HVAC system so as to execute the calculated heating ventilation and air conditioning system operating setting. |
| US08280581B2 |
Dynamic discovery of vehicle communication interface device and method
A communications system that includes a vehicular diagnostic tool and a vehicle communication interface (VCI) configured to be connected to a vehicular computing system. In operation, the vehicular diagnostic tool automatically detects the presence of the VCI when the VCI is proximate thereto. Thereafter, the VCI and vehicular diagnostic tool communicate through a wireless connection. Also, a method of communicating using the aforementioned vehicular diagnostic tool and VCI. |
| US08280580B2 |
System and method for controlling electronic stability control based on driver status
A system and method for controlling the operation of stabilizing the movement of a vehicle between primary and secondary drivers is provided. A primary key is adapted to be associated to the primary driver. A secondary key is adapted to be associated to the secondary driver. A key ignition device is positioned on the primary and secondary keys and is configured to generate driver status signals indicative of whether the driver is a primary or secondary driver. The controller is adapted to determine whether the driver of the vehicle is the primary driver or the secondary driver based on the driver status signals. The controller is further adapted to stabilize the movement of the vehicle. The controller is further adapted to selectively control the operation of stabilizing the movement of the vehicle in response to the driver status signals. |
| US08280579B2 |
Memory management apparatus
A vehicular memory management apparatus includes in an SRAM a mirror area for mirroring information from a PDTC storage area and an update information storage area for storing update information of the SRAM. When a fault is detected, a DTC is stored in both of the mirror area and a DTC storage area for maintaining consistency between the contents of the two areas, and the update information is updated. After confirming the consistency based on the update information, the information in the mirror area is copied to the PDTC storage area. Further, the information in the PDTC storage area is copied to the mirror area upon determining that the information in the mirror area is deleted based on the update information. |
| US08280577B2 |
Driving recorder
In order to provide an integrated driving recorder that can avoid a trouble due to a temperature rise in a vehicle interior, the driving recorder 1 is so arranged that one or multiple detection devices that sense a situation concerning a behavior, a surrounding conditions of a vehicle, or the like and that output situation data indicating the situation, and a situation data storage section that stores the situation data output from the detection device are held in a single casing 2, and a heat dissipation area 2a is formed on the casing 2 and a heat conduction member 9 that has a predetermined thermal conductivity and whose one surface is connected to the heat dissipation area 2a is arranged and another surface of the heat conduction member 9 can be bonded to a window glass W of the vehicle. |
| US08280574B2 |
Path planning device and method, cost evaluation device, and moving body
To generate an optimal path in a search space represented by a grid. A path search device includes: an edge generation section that generates edges extending to neighboring nodes located at least forward and diagonally forward right and left of a focus node, assuming that each grid point is a node and that a minimum cost node among end nodes each located at an end of the edges is the focus node, when a cost from a start point to a given node is a cost of the given node; an edge cost calculation/readout section that reads out a shortest distance from a reference node to the neighboring node (first distance) and a shortest distance from the reference node to the focus node (second distance) from a database, assuming that a node obtained by tracing back a predetermined number of nodes from the focus node in a direction toward the start point along the path is the reference node; a path cost calculation section that calculates a cost of a path from the start point to the neighboring node as a sum of costs of edges constituting the path; and a path determination section that selects a path having a minimum cost from the start point to the end point. |
| US08280568B2 |
Electric train car controlling device
A first threshold is determined, with reference to an absolute acceleration that is determined in accordance with a vehicle usage condition, to detect an acceleration change generated in acceleration of a self-axle speed that is a maximum speed (a minimum speed in a decelerating operation) of revolving speeds of plural motors that drive plural driving wheel axles. When the acceleration exceeds the first threshold, a system for generating a target torque command value reduced in accordance with the acceleration deviation is separated by setting an output of a comparator circuit to level “0”, and a first-order delay circuit outputs the target torque command value subjected to a reduction process during a processing period designated by an output of a delay time generating circuit. |
| US08280566B2 |
Method, system, and computer software code for automated establishment of a distributed power train
In a locomotive consist having at least a lead locomotive and a remote locomotive with a distributed power system on each locomotive in the locomotive consist, a system for establishing distributed power operations of the locomotive consist from a single location, the system including a communication network providing communications to and from at least one distributed power system, and a distributed power setup unit in communication with the distributed power system by way of the communication network. The distributed power setup unit has at least one of a processor, display and an input device to allow a user to establish distributed power operations. |
| US08280565B2 |
Drive control apparatus for electric car
A drive control apparatus for an electric car as can correct a synchronizing frequency without employing beacons, is proposed. A wheel-diameter correction information output means includes wheel-diameter information calculation means for calculating wheel-diameter calculation information expressive of a wheel diameter of an electric car, on the basis of two-phase current information. The wheel-diameter correction information output means also includes selection output means. The selection output means selects a wheel-diameter data output WD1, the wheel-diameter calculation information WD2 based on the wheel-diameter calculation means, or wheel-diameter default information WD0, and it outputs wheel-diameter correction information WD. A synchronizing-frequency calculation means outputs synchronizing frequency information FM on the basis of axle rotational-frequency information FR and the wheel-diameter correction information WD. |
| US08280559B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing cooling to multiple components
In an embodiment, an integrated circuit includes an input configured to receive a first control signal and an output module configured to generate an output signal based at least on the first control signal and a second control signal generated based at least on a measured temperature of the IC. The output signal is configured to control a cooling device. |
| US08280558B2 |
Computerized light control system with light level profiling and method
A computerized method for controlling one or more a lights in an area. The method may include establishing an electronic profile of lighting conditions in an area to be controlled and then controlling lighting conditions in the area based on the profile. For example, the profile could be created by determining a respective influence on artificial light of each switch within the area to be controlled. This information could be used to turn on the appropriate switches that best match a set point for a light level in the area. |
| US08280551B2 |
Manipulator with camera
A manipulator includes at least one camera capable of observing an end effector from a direction suitable for work. A rotating portion rotatable coaxially with the end effector is provided to a link adjacent to a link located at a manipulator tip end. At least one camera for recognizing a work piece as an object is arranged on the rotating portion through a camera platform. An actuator for controlling a rotation angle of the rotating portion is driven according to a rotation angle of the link located at the manipulator tip end, and thus the camera is arranged in a direction perpendicular to a plane where the end effector can move when the end effector performs a grip work. In an assembly work, the rotating portion is rotated such that the camera is arranged in a direction parallel to the plane where the end effector can move. |
| US08280549B2 |
Method for controlling a drug dispensing system
An automated drug dispensing system includes a cabinet adapted to store a variety of prepackaged pharmaceuticals in a plurality of bins for filling patient prescriptions. Each bin stores a particular variety of packaged multiple-dose pharmaceutical. Each variety of pharmaceutical is associated with a particular code. A controller receives request signals and in response generates dispense signals. Each bin includes a dispenser coupled to the controller for dispensing the packaged pharmaceuticals therefrom in response to a dispense signal sent from the controller. After a package is dispensed, a code reader determines the code of the dispensed package and verifies whether the code on the dispensed package matches the code of the requested package. |
| US08280548B2 |
Optimizing vehicle loading operations
Computer-implemented method of loading goods stored in a warehouse on a vehicle for transporting and delivering to a number of destination locations, whereby the destination locations are on a predetermined route, comprising the following steps: receiving a number of delivery requests, each request specifying the goods to be delivered, and the destination locations of the goods to be delivered; receiving data descriptive of the route which the vehicle has to travel for delivering the goods at the destinations; placing the goods to be delivered on a staging area associated with the vehicle, the staging area defining a physical place where the goods are intermediately put down and sequentially picked up from for being loaded on the vehicle; whereby the goods are positioned on the staging area in such a first spatial sequence that they can be picked up there from and placed in the vehicle in such a second spatial sequence that they can be unloaded from the vehicle at the respective destination locations in the sequence of arriving at the destination locations. |
| US08280541B1 |
Audio control of multimedia objects
In some examples, aspects of the present disclosure may include techniques for audio control of one or more multimedia objects. In one example, a method includes receiving an electronic document that includes a group of one or more multimedia objects capable of generating audio data. The method also includes registering a multimedia object of the group of one or more multimedia objects, wherein registering the multimedia object comprises storing a multimedia object identifier that identifies the multimedia object. The method further includes receiving audio data; and determining, by a computing device, a volume level of the audio data generated by the registered multimedia object based on one or more configuration parameters, wherein the one or more configuration parameters define one or more volume levels associated with the multimedia object identifier. The method also includes outputting, to an output device, the audio data at the determined volume level. |
| US08280540B2 |
Multimedia playing system and time-counting method applied thereto
A multimedia playing system includes an audio outputting device and a multimedia player. The audio outputting device includes a connecting plug and a distance detector. The distance detector generates a distance detecting signal if the distance detector detects the presence of a nearby object. The multimedia player is communicated with the audio outputting device through the connecting plug so as to transmit an output audio signal to the audio outputting device. The distance detecting signal is transmitted to the multimedia player through the connecting plug. The multimedia player generates a prompt event to the audio outputting device if the time duration of continuously receiving the distance detecting signal exceeds a time threshold. |
| US08280535B2 |
Massage bathtub automatic control system and method for controlling the same
The present invention discloses a massage bathtub automatic control system and method for controlling the same, which provides a control panel and a digital control unit, wherein the control panel is disposed with a visual-displaying unit, a master control device and an input device connected to the master control device. The visual-displaying unit displays multi-layer function menus where a user can use the input device to pick up one of function icons appearing. The picked up function icon corresponds operation of at least one of attaching devices or operations of combining the plural attaching devices connected to the bathtub, and simultaneously, the control panel sends a related control command to the digital control unit for performing such an operation on the corresponding attaching device. The operational result of the corresponding attaching device can be sent back to the control panel for data process. Therefore, this brings the user conveniences on rapid and simplified operation and watching the control performance in time. |
| US08280533B2 |
Continuously scheduled model parameter based adaptive controller
An adaptive process controller performs continuously scheduled process model parameter interpolation to determine a particular set of process model parameters which are used to develop controller tuning parameters for controller tuning. More particularly, a state-based, adaptive PID controller described herein uses a new technique to determine an appropriate process model to be used to perform adaptive tuning over the various operating regions of the plant, and in particular, uses a process model parameter determination technique that enables continuously scheduled process model parameter update over the various plant operating regions or points. The use of this continuously scheduled process model parameter update method provides for smoother transitions between tuning parameters used in the PID controller during adaptive tuning procedures which are implemented based on changes in the operating region or the operating point of the process, thereby providing for better overall control. |
| US08280532B2 |
Remote control system
Providing a remote control technique capable of realizing the achievement of constraints and the certain following of a target value even with a network in which delay, loss, distortion, or the like may occur. In a remote control system, an area setting unit of a client-side control unit sets at least two areas representative of a group of states of an target object, which changes over time by feedback control. A state-evaluation information sending unit sends, to the host-side control unit, state evaluation information obtained by evaluating the state of the target object based on the area set by the area setting unit. A target value setting unit of the host-side control unit sets a target value such that the state of the target object changes in the area set by the area setting units. Moreover, a target value updating unit updates the target value based on the state evaluation information received from the client-side control unit. |
| US08280530B2 |
Plant control system
A plant control system includes: an engineering apparatus for defining change information so as to change definition information about the system; and a control apparatus for referring to the change information downloaded from the engineering apparatus to set an output value of a field device. The control apparatus includes a locking part for inhibiting setting of the output value of the field device. |
| US08280528B2 |
Implantable cochlear lead
A cochlear stimulation lead and method of making a curved electrode array are provided. In one embodiment of the lead, while the curved section of the lead is curled further beyond its originally molded curvature and held in this position, a filling channel is filled with a filling material that is hardened or cured in this held position. The resulting lead has a tip curvature that is more curved than the originally molded curvature. |
| US08280525B2 |
Dynamically matched microwave antenna for tissue ablation
A microwave ablation probe for providing microwave energy to tissue is disclosed. The probe includes a feedline having an inner conductor, a secondary inner conductor, an insulating spacer, and an outer conductor. The inner conductor is slidably disposed within the secondary inner conductor. The feedline also includes a radiating portion having an extruded portion of the inner conductor centrally disposed therein, wherein longitudinal movement of the inner conductor relative to the feedline tunes the radiating portion. |
| US08280523B2 |
System and method for monitoring diastolic function using an implantable medical device
Diastolic function is monitored within a patient using a pacemaker or other implantable medical device. In one example, the implantable device uses morphological parameters derived from the T-wave evoked response waveform as proxies for ventricular relaxation rate and ventricular compliance. In particular, the magnitude of the peak of the T-wave evoked response is employed as a proxy for ventricular compliance. The maximum slew rate of the T-wave evoked response following its peak is employed as a proxy for ventricular relaxation. A metric is derived from these proxy values to represent diastolic function. The metric is tracked over time to evaluate changes in diastolic function. In other examples, specific values for ventricular compliance and ventricular relaxation are derived for the patient based on the T-wave evoked response parameters. |
| US08280520B2 |
Systems configured to locate a photonic device disposed in a living subject, and related apparatuses and methods
In an embodiment, a system includes a biocompatible photonic device configured for disposal within a living subject and a location-indicating aid associated with the photonic device. The location-indicating aid is configured to facilitate locating the biocompatible photonic device within the living subject. Related apparatuses and methods of use are also disclosed. |
| US08280512B2 |
Identifying heart failure patients suitable for resynchronization therapy using QRS complex width from an intracardiac electrogram
Methods and systems are disclosed for determining whether a patient is a responder to cardiac resynchronization therapy. The beginning and ending of the intrinsic ventricular depolarization are determined through signals measured from one or more electrodes implanted in the patient's heart. An interval between the beginning and ending of the intrinsic ventricular depolarization is computed and is compared to a threshold. The threshold may be determined empirically. The pacing parameters of a heart stimulation device, such as a pacemaker, may then be configured, for example, by setting the paced atrio-ventricular delay based on whether the patient responds positively to cardiac resynchronization therapy. |
| US08280508B2 |
Signal compression based on curvature parameters
For a sampled signal, storing characteristic points generated based on parameters corresponding to curvature of the signal. The characteristic points include a time of occurrence of a lobe in a curvature series based on the signal and a corresponding amplitude of the signal. The characteristic points provide a compressed version of the sampled signal. The signal is reconstructed by establishing a function between a chronological sequence of characteristic points. For a repetitive signal, the stored data includes a code to indicate a time of reoccurrence of a previous cycle or data corresponding to differences between a previous cycle and a current cycle. |
| US08280500B2 |
Discrimination of ventricular tachycardia from supraventricular tachycardia
This disclosure describes various techniques for discriminating supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) from ventricular tachycardia (VT). As one example, a method includes detecting a tachycardia rhythm, identifying a rate of change in heart rate corresponding to the tachycardia rhythm, identifying a rate of change in heart rate variability corresponding to the tachycardia rhythm, and classifying the tachycardia rhythm as at least one of supraventricular tachycardia or ventricular tachycardia based on the rate of change in heart rate and rate of change in heart rate variability. |
| US08280497B2 |
Impedance hyperaemic stress echocardiography
A method for performing echocardiography for use with patient's unable to perform on a treadmill and in which no medications for increasing heart rate are used. Compression cuffs are placed on each of a patient's four extremities and compression is applied rotatingly to subsets of three out of the four cuffs. EKG is monitored before, during, and after application of the sequential decompression, thereby providing an echocardiograph of the patient's heart. |
| US08280493B2 |
Breast milk flow meter apparatus and method
An apparatus measures the quantity of milk consumed by an infant during a breast-feeding session. The apparatus includes a brassiere-like garment (30) with openings allowing the breasts to be exposed for nursing an infant. Lining (32) is attached to the inside of the brassiere. Ultra-sonic Doppler-Effect transmitter probes (44) and receiver probes (46) are annexed to the brassiere lining pointing at the direction of the respective nipple of the nursing person. A processor is provided for translating flow measurements by the probes (44, 46) into volume units. |
| US08280489B2 |
Method and system for determining placement of a tracheal tube in a subject
According to various embodiments, a tracheal tube may employ optical sensing techniques for determining a distance between the inserted tube and an anatomical structure, such as a carina. The distance information may provide an indication as to whether or not the tracheal tube is properly placed within the trachea. The optical techniques may include backscattered intensity measurements. |
| US08280485B2 |
Medical robot for use in a MRI
A medical robot for use inside a magnetic resonance imager includes a horizontal motion assembly, a vertical motion assembly and a controller. The horizontal motion assembly includes a motion joint, an ultrasonic motor operably connected to the motion joint and an encoder operably connected to the ultrasonic motor. The motor and encoder are positioned proximate to the joint of the horizontal motion assembly. The vertical motion assembly is operably connected to the horizontal motion assembly and it includes a motion joint, an ultrasonic motor operably connected to the motion joint and an encoder operably connected to the ultrasonic motor. The motor and encoder are positioned proximate to the joint of the vertical motion assembly. The controller is operably connected thereto and is adapted to be powered off when the magnetic resonance imager is being used to collect images. A medical instrument assembly is connectable to the medical robot. |
| US08280484B2 |
System, devices, and methods for detecting occlusions in a biological subject
Systems, devices, and methods are described for detecting an embolus, thrombus, or a deep vein thrombus in a biological subject. |
| US08280483B2 |
Multi-modality medical image viewing
A medical imaging system (10) comprises one or more displays (66). A viewer device (86) generates an interactive user interface screen (80) on the display (66), which viewer device (86) enables a user to simultaneously inspect selected image data of multiple patients or multiple images. |
| US08280481B2 |
Electrodes possessing pH indicator
The present disclosure provides electrodes that possess components capable of indicating to an end-user when the electrode is in need of replacement. In embodiments, the electrodes include a hydrogel in combination with a pH indicator which changes its color or opacity upon repeated use of the electrode, thereby indicating an appropriate time for changing or replacing the electrode. |
| US08280472B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring blood oxygen saturation
A method and apparatus are disclosed for measuring blood oxygen saturation by using spectrophotometry to improve the accuracy of the measurement under a condition of low perfusion. |
| US08280471B2 |
Fiber optic based detection of autofluorescent bacterial pathogens
Disclosed are methods and devices for continuous in vivo monitoring of a potential bacterial infection site. Disclosed devices may be utilized to alert patients and/or health care providers to the presence of pathogenic bacteria at an early stage of a hospital acquired infection, thereby providing for earlier intervention. Disclosed methods utilize optical fibers to deliver an excitation signal to an area in which pathogenic bacteria may exist. In the presence of the excitation signal, bacterial pathogens may autofluoresce with a unique spectral signature. Upon generation of a fluorescent emission, an optically detectable emission signal may be transmitted to a detection/analysis device. Analysis of the characteristics of the emission signal produced in response to the excitation signal may be used to determine the presence or concentration of pathogens at the site of inquiry, following which real time information may be transmitted to medical personnel via a wireless transmission system. |
| US08280470B2 |
Analyte sensor method and apparatus
The invention generally relates to systems, methods, and apparatuses for an analyte sensor. In one aspect, an analyte sensing device comprises a sensor body member including at least one nanopore and an optical conduit in optical communication with the sensor body member. The optical conduit transmits optical energy to the sensor body member and receives reflected optical energy back from the sensor body member. A photodetector is optically coupled to the optical conduit to determine an optical parameter from the reflected optical energy. |
| US08280468B2 |
Superconducting magnet device for single crystal pulling apparatus
A superconducting magnet device for a single crystal pulling apparatus is arranged outside a pulling furnace containing a crucible for melting a single crystal material therein so as to apply a magnetic field to the melted single crystal material. The superconducting magnet device for a single crystal pulling apparatus includes a cryostat containing a superconducting coil therein, and a refrigerator port arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the cryostat and provided with a cryogenic refrigerator that cools the superconducting coil. The cryogenic refrigerator is provided in a region of the outer surface region of the cryostat at which the intensity of the magnetic field generated by the superconducting coil is weak. |