| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08322400B2 |
Casting and continuous rolling method and plant to make long metal rolled products
A method for making long metal rolled products by continuous casting at high hourly productivity, by a single casting machine, a product with a rectangular section; shearing to size of the cast product to define a segment of a length between 16 and 150 m and a weight between 10 and 100 tons; introduction of the segment, having an average temperature of at least 1000° C., into a maintenance and/or possible heating furnace having a first section for moving the cast product disposed in axis with the casting axis; lateral transfer of the segment inside the furnace to transfer the segment to a second section for moving the cast product disposed parallel and misaligned with respect to the first section and aligned with a rolling axis parallel and offset with respect to the casting axis; and reduction of the section in a rolling mill. |
| US08322399B2 |
Continuous casting machine for forming a lead alloy strip of large thickness
Continuous casting machine for forming a lead alloy strip of large thickness; which comprises a cooled rotating drum (4) having an annular seat (8) formed on the periphery thereof and a vat (10) for containing a molten lead bath, which is sealingly engaged on the peripheral surface (7) of the rotating drum (4). The machine (1) also comprises a fixed shoe (11) extending, from the vat (10), along an arc (25) around the rotating drum (4) and having an arc shape suitable for sealing engagement, in a sliding relationship, on the shoulders (90) of the annular seat (8). Heating means (26) are provided, these consisting of a plurality of torches acting on the shoe (11) along at least an initial section thereof (25) which extends from the vat (10), for heating to a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the lead alloy the free surface of the lead inside the annular seat (8). The bottom (9) of the annular seat (8) is knurled, while the inner surface (13) of the shoe (11) which slides on the lead is smooth and kept at a high temperature by the heating means (26). As a result of these characteristic features, the rotating drum (4) is able to transport in a rotationally integral manner the lead from a first angular position where it is inserted in the molten state inside the annular seat of the rotating drum (8) to a following angular position where it is extracted in the form of a continuous strip. |
| US08322396B2 |
Screening arrangement having an end piece with an integrated roller shaft
In a screening arrangement comprising a top element, a bottom element, and a screening body, the top element includes two end pieces (410) and a spring-biased roller bar mounted on a roller shaft (461). The roller shaft (461) and one of the end pieces (410) constitute an integral one-piece unit formed by molding. |
| US08322393B2 |
Selective cure of adhesive in modular assemblies
The system includes a module fixture supporting a plurality of elements, the module fixture defining a plurality of bonding wells with each bonding well accepting a first portion of one or more of the elements with the module fixture including one or more apertures communicated with one or more of the bonding wells with the bonding wells having a nominal depth; and a dispensing system, coupled to the module fixture, for dispensing a high-wettability adhesive into each the bonding well and surrounding each the element substantially filling the bonding well up to the nominal depth without significant overfill, the adhesive being selectively curable upon application of a curing modality; and a curing structure for selectively exposing the adhesive to the curing modality as the adhesive emerges from the apertures during dispensation of the adhesive. |
| US08322392B2 |
Tire for heavy vehicles
A tire having a radial carcass reinforcement comprising a crown reinforcement formed of at least two working crown layers of inextensible reinforcement elements, which are crossed from one ply to the other, forming angles of between 10° and 45° with the circumferential direction, at least one protective layer being radially to the outside of the working crown layers, said crown reinforcement being topped radially by a tread, said tread being joined to two beads by means of two sidewalls. The tire additionally comprises in each shoulder at least one layer of reinforcement elements which are parallel to each other in the additional layer and are oriented circumferentially, the axially inner end of said additional layer being radially adjacent and external to the radially outermost working layer and said axially inner end of the additional layer being radially adjacent and internal to at least part of the protective layer. |
| US08322391B2 |
Flat running device for automobile and mounted assembly including same
The invention relates to a flat running device to be fitted on a tubeless mounted assembly for an automobile, and to such a mounted assembly including said device. The flat running device (30) of the invention comprises: an annular bearing structure (31) comprising a ring having a radially outside bearing face (31a) for bearing a flat-running tire cover (20), and at least one tightening belt (32) surrounding the ring so as to maintain the same substantially in contact with a running rim (10), at least one radial reinforcement (31b) being formed in the bearing face, the tightening belt(s) being applied on said reinforcement and being recessed relative to the bearing face. According to the invention, the bearing structure includes a means (33) for locking it in this hollow (11) by mounting the same so as to bear against a side wall (11b) of the hollow, a radially inner face (31c) of the locking means being adapted so as to conform to the axial profile of the bottom (11a) of said hollow. |
| US08322389B2 |
Self-tightening snow chain and methods of use
Self-tensioning snow chain for attachment to a vehicle wheel. The self-tensioning snow chain includes a chain and a tensioning device including a housing having a top including a set of housing teeth, a bottom and at least one aperture defined by the top and the bottom when joined together; a lever interconnected to the housing; a cord; a ratchet spool having a set of ratchet teeth on an upper surface, the ratchet teeth mate with the housing teeth, an under surface and a channel between the upper and under surfaces to receive the cord that is interconnected with the ratchet spool; a tension spring interconnected with the ratchet spool that places a bias on the ratchet spool toward a wind-up direction; and a wave spring positioned between a top surface of the bottom of the housing and the under surface to bias the ratchet spool towards the housing teeth. |
| US08322385B2 |
Double chain saw arrangement for trail clearing
A double chain saw arrangement which has diametrically oppositely extending chain saws powered by a single motor driving two sprockets on said hub, each engaged with an associated chain saw chains on each chain saw bar mounted to the hub. A series of hooked capture pieces project from one side of the chain saw bars in a plane parallel to the chain saw bars, which pieces act to cause brush and limbs to be captured and forced into contact with the saw chains to be cut thereby. |
| US08322383B2 |
Cylinder preparation for high purity acetylene
This invention relates in part to a method for preparing a pressure vessel for receiving high purity acetylene at elevated pressure. The method involves providing a porous filler-containing pressure vessel, deep cleaning the porous filler-containing pressure vessel, purifying a solvent, and charging the purified solvent into the deep cleaned, porous filler-containing pressure vessel. The pressure vessel is then charged with high purity acetylene for storage, transport and/or delivery of the high purity acetylene. The high purity acetylene may be useful as a source material for depositing carbon and carbon-containing films in semiconductor applications. |
| US08322382B2 |
Composite pipe having non-bonded internal liner, method and assembly for the production thereof
A composite pipe including an internal liner and at least one external layer made of a fiber reinforced consolidated thermoplastic material. A heat-resistant material mechanically separates the liner from the at least one external thermoplastic layer. The heat-resistant material forms a non-bonding barrier that is non-bonded to at least one of liner and the adjacent at least one thermoplastic layer. A method and an assembly for producing the composite pipe. |
| US08322379B2 |
Diverter valve
A diverter valve for a material transportation system includes a front cover defining an inlet passage, a rear cover defining first and second outlet passages, a casing connected to the front and rear covers and an inner tube arranged in the casing. The inner tube rotates to selectively align an outlet thereof with the first or second outlet passage. An inlet of the inner tube aligns with the inlet passage and the first outlet passage to thereby provide a straight passage through the diverter valve which aligns with a straight passage through the transportation system. When the inlet of the inner tube aligns with the second outlet passage, it provides a straight, branched passage through the diverter valve to, e.g., a receiving container. The inner tube is rotated between its alignment with the first or second outlet passage by an actuator. |
| US08322374B2 |
Channel switching valve
A channel switching valve is disclosed. The channel switching valve has a stator and a body section each having a connecting surface. The stator and the body section are removably fixed to each other by bolts at their connecting surfaces. Each of the connecting surfaces has a protruding/recessed pattern formed thereon, and the patterns are designed to fit into each other. By rotating the stator and the body section relative to each other, the stroke of a spring is changed between a position where the protruding/recessed patterns of the stator and the body section are fitted into each other and a position where they are not fitted into each other. The spring is held in the body section in its compressed state to urge the rotor toward the stator. An urging force for pressing the rotor against the stator is adjusted by changing the stroke of the spring. |
| US08322372B2 |
Flow force reduction by incremental pressure drop
A fluid flow control device for improving, for example, valve operation by reducing “error forces” occurring due to fluid communication between ports of a valve having two or more ports. Incremental pressure drop passages bleed incrementally the flow of fluid between first an second ports as the valve spool is moving between the first and second positions to decrease the pressure differential generated force exerted on the spool whereby the energy required to be applied to the spool for moving the spool between the first and second positions is decreased. |
| US08322370B2 |
Hydraulic system with a pressure reducing valve
A hydraulic system with a pressure reducing valve having at an inlet side a tank connection, a system pressure connection, and an outlet side working pressure connection that is connected to the system pressure connection or to the tank connection through the pressure reducing valve. The pressure reducing valve has a first and a second system pressure connection, wherein the second system pressure connection is pressurized at a significantly higher pressure than the first system pressure connection, and is connected to the working pressure connection through the pressure reducing valve. |
| US08322365B2 |
Implantable adjustable valve
A valve unit capable of being implanted in a patient and having adjustable performance settings, such as pressure settings and/or flow control, to regulate passage of a bodily fluid. A casing defines a port for the bodily fluid, and a valve mechanism positioned at the port includes a movable valve member. The valve unit further includes a rotor disposed at a first location in the casing and having an axle which turns about an axis of rotation. The rotor defines a plurality of arcuate, radially flat cam surfaces. Each cam surface occupies an arc about the axis of rotation. A spring arm unit is disposed at a second location in the casing having a cam follower arm in slidable contact with the cam surfaces of the rotor and having a resilient spring element applying a closing effect with the movable valve member to establish a performance setting for the valve unit. Sufficient rotation of the rotor to change the cam surface in contact with the cam follower alters the closing effect with which the valve member moves relative to the port and thereby alters the performance setting of the valve unit. |
| US08322364B2 |
Actuator for operating valves such as diaphragm valves
An actuator for operating a valve comprises a housing, a cap, a ring and a piston. The housing has a connecting interface for being mounted on the valve. The cap substantially covers a first portion of the housing. Both the cap and the housing define a substantially enclosed space inside the housing. The ring sealably covers a second portion of the housing. The ring is equipped with two ports that are in fluid communication with the enclosed space. The piston is slidably located inside the housing. Advantageously, an actuator assembly may include the actuator as previously described and one bonnet, one of the connecting interfaces of the actuator being connected to the bonnet. The bonnet is adapted to be mounted to a valve body. |
| US08322361B2 |
Methods, apparatus and/or systems relating to controlling flow through concentric passages
An annular dual-flow check valve for controlling the flow through concentric channels that have a common outlet, comprising: an outer body and an inner body that define the concentric channels, which include an outer channel and an inner channel formed therein; a spring activated annular poppet that resides in the outer channel and has a range of motion in the axial direction; and an opening through the inner body that connects the outer channel to the inner channel; wherein: the axial movement of the annular poppet is regulated by the pressure of the flow upstream of the annular poppet in the outer channel; and the axial range of motion of the annular poppet includes at least two axial positions: a closed position where the annular poppet substantially covers the opening and a open position where at least a portion of the opening is not covered by the annular poppet. |
| US08322354B2 |
Make-up kit
There is provided a make-up kit having a plurality of containers having top surfaces made up of different integer numbers of substantially identically shaped units and bottom surfaces made up of corresponding numbers of substantially identically shaped units, peripheral areas of the top surface units being of complementary shape to peripheral areas of the bottom surface units, so that each container is separably interengageable with at least one other of the containers above or below, by interengagement of the complementary shaped unit peripheral areas. In this way, large or small numbers of identical or different units may be connected together in a large number of different configurations; each differently shaped container effectively forming a differently shaped, but mutually compatible, building block. |
| US08322350B2 |
Aerosol generator
An aerosol generator device for delivering an aerosol of a nicotine salt is provided. The aerosol generator comprises: (i) a mouth end; (ii) a first chamber containing a porous material wetted with liquid nicotine, (iii) a second chamber containing a porous material wetted with a solution of a volatile acid, (iv) a third chamber in fluid communication with the first and second chambers, leading to the mouth end, and (v) an outer housing defining a passageway for air through said device. A nicotine vapor can be produced by drawing air along the passageway and through the porous material wetted with liquid nicotine. An acid vapor can be produced by passing air along the passageway and through the porous material wetted with a solution of a volatile acid. Then, the nicotine vapor and the acid vapor can be admixed in the third chamber to form an aerosol of a nicotine salt, which can be drawn out through the mouth end. |
| US08322349B2 |
Cigarette rolling and forming devices
Cigarette rolling and forming devices include parallel cylinders extending between a pair of support plates, and a looped belt trained therearound. One cylinder is moveable relative to the other for alternately receiving and compressing loose tobacco into a tobacco rod with the belt. In some devices, a pair of slots allows movement of the cylinder, and guard plates are disposed to prevent tobacco from the belt from entering the slots. Some devices include two pairs of slots and two moveable cylinders. Some devices include a support trough disposed to prevent sections of the belt from contacting each other. Some devices include a folding device configured to engage and fold the edge of a piece of paper received between the cylinders and rolled around the tobacco rod. Some devices include a nozzle to retain a pre-formed tube and a pushing device adapted to push a formed tobacco rod into the tube. |
| US08322346B2 |
Minimally-invasive procedure for monitoring a physiological parameter within an internal organ
A minimally-invasive surgical procedure for monitoring a physiological parameter within an internal organ of a living body. The procedure entails making a first incision in the body to enable access to the organ. An endoscopic instrument is then inserted through the first incision and a second incision is made therewith through an external wall of the organ and into the internal cavity thereof. A sensing unit is placed in the second incision such that the second incision is occluded by the unit and a proximal end of the unit is outside the organ. The unit includes a sensing device having a sensing element adapted to sense the physiological parameter within the organ, and an anchor to which the sensing device is secured. The first incision is closed, after which a readout device outside the body telemetrically communicates with the sensing device to obtain a reading of the physiological parameter. |
| US08322345B2 |
Surgical drape and method of use
A surgical drape includes a sheet with a shoulder portion, a body portion and a pull tab. The shoulder portion is folded longitudinally in half to form a container such that the transverse edges of the container are sealed and the body portion is folded transversely in half and rolled into a tight drape roll which is disposed and removably secured within the container. In use, the container is removably attached to a surface of an operating table such that a portion of a patient can be placed upon the container. The tight drape roll and the pull tab are configured such that when a patient is placed upon the container, the tight drape roll can be easily unfurled by pulling on the pull tab to form a relatively flat drape surface. In another embodiment, a waste bag is removably disposed on the container. In yet another embodiment, a fluid collection and drainage pouch is removably disposed on and integrated into the body portion. |
| US08322341B2 |
System and method for occluding a reproductive body lumen
An occluding system is provided that can include a first occluding device (e.g., secondary occluder) and a second occluding device (e.g., primary occluder). Providing two devices can better promote effective occlusion within the body lumen and facilitate advantageous occlusion stages, such as initial and long-term occlusion stages. In various embodiments, the two occluding devices are in operative communication with one another, such that the second occluding device is adapted to couple with or slide along a tail portion of the first occluding device. |
| US08322329B1 |
Systems, devices, and/or methods for launching a projectile
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a method and/or machine-readable medium storing machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to, controlling the amount of energy delivered to a projectile from a source of compressed gas. |
| US08322328B2 |
Solid-to-hybrid transitioning armature railgun with non-conforming-to-prejudice bore profile
An improved railgun, railgun barrel, railgun projectile, and railgun system for accelerating a solid-to-hybrid transitioning armature projectile using a barrel having a bore that does not conform to a cross-sectional profile of the projectile, to contact and guide the projectile only by the rails in a low pressure bore volume so as to minimize damage, failure, and/or underperformance caused by plasma armatures, insulator ablation, and/or restrikes. |
| US08322323B2 |
Fluid system for oscillating-piston engines
The fluid system is intended for an oscillating-piston engine (100) which has at least two double-armed oscillating pistons (4) arranged in a spherical housing (19) and revolving together about an axis (23) of revolution arranged in the housing center, wherein the oscillating pistons, when revolving, mutually perform reciprocating oscillating movements about an oscillation axis (24) perpendicular to the axis (23) of revolution, and guide members (5) attached to at least two pistons (4) engage in at least one guide groove (17) formed in the housing (19) and serving to control the oscillating movements. The fluid system (70) comprises at least one central feed opening (1), lying in the vicinity of an end of the axis (23) of revolution, for a fluid, continuous cavities and/or bores (10) in the pistons (4) for the fluid, and a fluid discharge on the outer side (3) of the respective piston. A rotation of the pistons (4) about the axis (23) of revolution causes a pressure difference which acts as suction at the feed opening (1) and as pressure in the discharge region (16) and thus makes possible a pumpless fluid system or a fluid system which needs only a low supply pressure. The fluid system serves, for example, to lubricate the oscillating-piston engine (100) and—when fuel is used as the fluid—can be supplied with fluid from a fuel tank together with a fuel supply and with cooling of the oscillating-piston engine. |
| US08322322B2 |
Diluting fuel-in-oil treating apparatus of internal combustion engine
The present apparatus includes an oil container (an oil pan); an oil path connecting the oil container to lubricated parts; an oil pump provided in the oil path and supplying the lubricating oil from the oil container to the lubricated parts; a bypass path having a first end side thereof connected to a downstream side of the oil pump of the oil path and a second end side thereof connected to an upstream side of the oil pump of the oil path; a fuel separator provided in the bypass path and separating fuel from the lubricating oil flowing in the bypass path; and an open/close valve provided in the bypass path and opening and closing the bypass path based on a temperature of the lubricating oil or a physical quantity the lubricating oil having a correlation with the temperature. |
| US08322315B2 |
Spark ignition type internal combustion engine
In an internal combustion engine, a variable compression ratio mechanism able to change a mechanical compression ratio and a variable valve timing mechanism able to control the closing timing of an intake valve are provided. At the time of engine low load operation, the mechanical compression is made the maximum so that the expansion ratio becomes 20 or more. Further, at the time of engine low load operation, in part of the operating region or all of the operating region, the actual compression ratio is lowered compared with the time of the engine high load operation and, at the time of engine low load operation, at least when the actual compression ratio is being lowered compared with the time of engine high load operation, the throttle valve is made to close. |
| US08322312B2 |
Water heater stacking detection and control
Methods and systems for operating a water heater to limit the effects of stacking in a water heater tank are disclosed. In some cases, the water heater controller may determine a rate of change of the water temperature in the water heater tank. If the rate of change exceeds a threshold value, the controller may adjust the water heater temperature set point downward to help reduce stacking in the water heater. In some cases, the water heater temperature set point may be returned to the original water heater temperature set point when stacking is no longer likely to be of a concern. In one illustrative embodiment, the controller may track the time that the heater of the water heater is in the “on” state, or the time that the heater is in the “off” state, during subsequent heating cycles. The controller may then compare the “on” time or the “off” time to respective recovery threshold times. If the “on” time or the “off” time exceeds its respective recovery threshold time, then the controller may adjust the set point toward the original water heater temperature set point, sometimes in an incremental manner. |
| US08322311B2 |
Exercising dog leash warn on a users wrist
Improvements in an animal leash are disclosed. The leash is present invention relates to a leash for an animal such as a dog that leaves the owners hands free. The leash is wrapped around the wrist of a user and includes a pocket for keys, money, ID and or credit card. The leash is made from a fixed rope or belting material or can be made from a stretchable or coiled material or a combination thereof. The leash is secured on the user with a removable fastening system that allows the user to adjust the diameter of the strap around their wrist to allow the user to jog or walk without holding the leash. The securing system can also be adjustable to different degrees of break-away force to prevent damage to a user or animal if the user or the tethered animal becomes stopped or restrained. |
| US08322310B2 |
Specimen alignment and head holding system for imaging machines
A laboratory specimen, such as a mouse or rat, can be accurately and repeatedly imaged in an imaging machine, such as an MRI machine, when securely positioned on a specimen support bed. The support bed includes contours and accessories for centering a specimen on the support bed. One or more bite bars coact with a head clamp to accurately fix a specimen's head in the same position time after time. |
| US08322306B2 |
Indexed feed dispensing mechanism
An improved livestock feeder provided with an adjustable feed dispensing mechanism including control levers which are operatively connected to the feed metering gates to control the flow of feed to livestock. The dispensing mechanism features a control lever which engages an array of indexing holes formed in the feeder to position the feed gate within the opening to adjust the amount of feed dispensed from the hopper. The dispensing mechanism includes a graduated scale corresponding to each of the index holes to provide a standard setting for the feeder which can be utilized by an animal producer to supply feed flow at a given stage in the animal's life cycle to obtain a desired growth rate. |
| US08322305B2 |
Method for making fertilizer from swine feces/urine by using Musca domestica
A method for making fertilizer from swine feces/urine by using Musca Domestica includes breeding and growing imagoes of Musca Domestica in an environment having a temperature of 18-35° C. and having a humidity of 50-80%. The imagoes of Musca Domestica lay eggs in the environment. The eggs of Musca Domestic are transferred into a cultivating material including at least one product of soybean and/or milk. The eggs of Musca Domestica are bred at a temperature of 20-35° C. until hatching into larvae. The larvae of Musca Domestica are placed on swine feces/urine of a thickness of 4-10 cm at a temperature of 20-35° C. for 2-3 days. The larvae feed on and decompose the swine feces/urine. The swine feces/urine decomposed by the larvae of Musca Domestica are collected and used as fertilizer. |
| US08322301B2 |
Electrostatic coating device
An intermediate reserve tank for temporarily storing a conductive coating medium is provided in a coating medium supply passage for supplying the conductive coating medium from a color switch valve mechanism to a spray gun. A block valve mechanism for electrically insulating the color switch valve mechanism and the intermediate reserve tank is provided. A coating medium extrusion portion for supplying water or a cleaning solution is connected to a transmission passage between the intermediate reserve tank and the spray gun via a switch valve. When an amount of the coating medium necessary until an end of a coating operation becomes a predetermined amount, the conductive coating medium is extruded by the water or the cleaning solution by switching the switch valve. |
| US08322300B2 |
Edge coating apparatus with movable roller applicator for solar cell substrates
A non-contact edge coating apparatus includes an applicator for applying a coating material on an edge of a solar cell substrate and a control system configured to drive the applicator. The control system may drive the applicator along an axis to maintain a distance with an edge of the substrate as the substrate is rotated to have the edge coated with a coating material. The applicator may include a recessed portion into which the edge of the substrate is received for edge coating. For example, the applicator may be a roller with a groove. Coating material may be introduced into the groove for application onto the edge of the substrate. A variety of coating materials may be employed with the apparatus including hot melt ink and UV curable plating resist. |
| US08322295B1 |
Implosion mitigation vessel
An arrangement and a method for implosion mitigation, and in particular a structural arrangement of a water vessel and a method thereof for mitigating implosion loads. The water vessel includes first and second end portions connected by a middle portion, with one portion structurally weaker than the others so that when the vessel experiences an overmatching load, only the structurally weaker portion of the vessel fails. The vessel may further include energy absorbing structures. |
| US08322288B2 |
Operator system with independent chain drive
The invention presented comprises an operation system in which items to be processed by an operator, such as a washer/dryer, bulk sterilizer, or kiln, are fed into and removed from the operator by a continuous conveyor. A microcontroller controls actuators in loading zones distributed along the conveyor that switch the individual loading zones from bypass to push mode to alternately allow the items to remain stationary on the moving conveyor or be moved to a downstream loading zone when in the push mode. In a preferred embodiment, at least one loading zone is located at least partly within the operator. |
| US08322287B2 |
Article Transport facility
The article transport facility includes a plurality of article transport vehicles which can travel on a travel path defined by rails installed in the ceiling. The travel path includes a loop-shaped primary path, and secondary paths each arranged to extend along and by at least one article transport location, a first connecting path that connects the primary path and the secondary path, and a second connecting path, provided independently from the first connecting path, with one end portion connected to the secondary path located on one side of the primary path, and the other end portion connected to the secondary path located on the other side of the primary path. |
| US08322282B2 |
Apparatus and process for transporting lithographic plates to a press cylinder
Transportation of a lithographic plate uses an indexer to load plates into pods for delivery to a press cylinder via a pod elevator or a pod cart. The plates are imprinted with a bar code, imaged, punched, bent, sheared, corner notched, and registered to a press cylinder. The plates are loaded into the indexer, which moves the loaded plates into a position in alignment with designated pod compartments, and loads the plates into each of the designated pod compartments by indexed movement of an elevator within the indexer. The pod elevator or the pod cart moves the pods proximate to a press cylinder where the plates are unloaded from the pod and loaded onto a press cylinder. A computing device, such as a PLC, directs the process. A vision system senses information from the indexer, pod, pod elevator, and the plate for feedback to a PLC, which initiates all of the foregoing operations. |
| US08322281B2 |
Inking units of a printing press
A color deck of a printing machine is usable to ink a printing cylinder. A roller nip is formed by at least one friction cylinder that is driven by a drive motor for rotary movement. A freewheel clutch is situated between the first friction cylinder and the drive motor for that first friction cylinder. |
| US08322280B2 |
Device for applying information onto a surface of an aircraft
The invention relates to a device for applying information onto a surface of an aircraft, wherein the information is applicable in variable locations and is modifiable. The device can include a pad unit having at least one pad, at least one hand grip, a press-on mechanism, a hand lever, at least one support, and a housing. By applying varying printing patterns to the pads, any combination of characters can be stamped on. Moreover, the device configured as a hand-held tool can be operated by a user in variable locations. The printing process is effected by operating the hand lever, causing the pads to be brought into contact with the surface, and the information or, as the case may be, the technical coding to be applied onto said surface. |
| US08322279B2 |
Marking or labeling machine and method
A machine for marking or labeling circularly symmetrical work pieces includes a marking or labeling member, elements for moving the member and a workpiece relative to each other in a first direction, and a cradle for holding a workpiece while it is being marked or while a label is being applied to it. The cradle includes components for moving the workpiece in rotation around an axis of revolution thereof. A drive carriage drives the cradle in translation in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. There are components that drive the carriage in translation in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first and second directions. Other components make it possible to drive the cradle relative to the carriage in rotation about a first axis that is parallel to the first direction. |
| US08322278B2 |
Embossing system for embossing pre-formed marker elements
A marker carrier device has carrier elements for carrying respective markers, the device being re-configurable between a compact configuration and a selection configuration in which the markers are accessibly presented for selection. Carrier devices loaded with markers are received at a receiving station of a marking unit. The markers are selected from the carrier individually while in the marking unit and marked by a marking device with a predetermined indicium. |
| US08322268B1 |
Non-metallic armor article and method of manufacture
A non-metallic armor article comprises a pultruded housing defining at least one cavity. A plurality of substantially dry ballistic impact resistant broad goods sheets are at least partially enclosed in the cavity and held in suspension independently within the cavity. The pultruded housing is engaged with the plurality of substantially dry ballistic impact resistant broad goods sheets by being secured to one or more of the plurality of substantially dry ballistic impact resistant broad goods sheets. |
| US08322261B2 |
Locking construction for a miter saw having a hinged linear guide mechanism
Embodiments of a power miter saw comprise a saw base, a rotatable table, a miter arm, a saw blade and motor assembly operatively connected to the table, a hinged linear guide mechanism configured to support and move the assembly along a predetermined linear path, the mechanism comprising a first hinge having first and second links pivotably connected together by a first shaft extending through aligned openings therein, and a locking lever having a handle and a locking blade at opposite end portions and a pivot portion with a pivot connection therebetween for pivotably mounting the lever to one of the links, the blade being configured to fit within a gap between adjacent surfaces of the first and second links when the guide mechanism is in one of its extended or retracted positions and the lever is moved into a locked position. |
| US08322258B2 |
Tool holder
The present invention relates to a tool holder (1) that either has a modular design, and the modules of which are centered via interfaces, or/and in which a centered interface (9) is provided between the tool (5) and the tool receiver (4) such that high concentricity, and thus a high processing accuracy are achieved. The present invention further relates to a system comprising a tool holder (1) and a tool (5). |
| US08322256B2 |
System for forming a tendon-bone graft
A system for forming a tendon-bone graft. The system can include a support member that is adapted to support the tendon-bone graft. The system can further include a first clamp that is adapted to engage the support member and the tendon-bone graft to orient and hold the tendon-bone graft on the support member in a first direction, and a second clamp that is adapted to engage the tendon-bone graft to clamp the tendon-bone graft to the support member in a second direction. The system can also include a shaping member that is operable to resect the tendon-bone graft. The shaping member can be moveable relative to at least one of the first clamp and the second clamp to resect the tendon-bone graft. |
| US08322254B2 |
Plank installation tool with infinitesimal joist width adjustment
A carpentry tool for the installation of parallel boards includes an elongated lever having a rotatable cam pivotally affixed adjacent to a distal end of the lever, a gripper body pivotally affixed at a distal end of the lever, the gripper body having two lugs or brackets extending downward from the lower end of the gripper body, wherein the gripper body includes a multi-piece telescopic section having outer and inner tubing members in slidable engagement, the one tubing member including a first lug or bracket on a lower face thereof, another tubing member including a second lug or bracket on a lower face thereof, opposing the first bracket, and a spindle extending from an upper face of the gripper body, and a mechanism for reversibly adjusting the sliding tubing members at predetermined points. |
| US08322252B2 |
Step-change transmission having charge and variable displacement pumps
A transmission is provided for a mobile machine. The transmission may have a plurality of available gear combinations selectively engaged to produce multiple stepped output ratios. The transmission may also have a first fluid pump and a second fluid pump. The first fluid pump may be configured to pressurize a first flow of fluid. The second fluid pump may have variable displacement to pressurize a second flow of fluid. At least one of the first and second flows of fluid may be directed to cause selective engagement of the plurality of available gear combinations. |
| US08322251B2 |
Transmission arrangement and method for load equalization in a transmission arrangement
A transmission arrangement (1) with at least two countershafts for a vehicle, in particular a utility vehicle is proposed, such that an auxiliary drive output (10) can be coupled by means of a torque-transmitting element (11) to a first countershaft (7), and such that a second countershaft (8) can be coupled with a transmission brake device (12) to bring about load equalization between the countershafts (7, 8) when the auxiliary output (10) is coupled to the first countershaft (7). In addition, a method is proposed for load equalization between the countershafts (7, 8) of a transfer transmission when an auxiliary output (10) is engaged, such that in a first shift position of a main group (2) of the transfer transmission, in which the second countershaft (8), not coupled to the auxiliary output (10), is free from load, a load torque is applied to the second countershaft (8) for load equalization. |
| US08322248B2 |
Setting screw for a control lever device
An adjusting screw (15) for a control lever device (1) for vehicles, wherein said adjusting screw (15) comprises a screw body (18) with a threaded shank (19) that can be screwed in a corresponding threaded hole (16) of the lever device (1) and a locking body (26) pivotally connected to the screw body (18). The locking body (26) comprises contact means (27) interacting with the screw body (28, 18) such as to counteract the rotation of the locking body (26) relative to the screw body (18) to a certain extent and anchoring means (29) engaging an anchoring seat (17) of the lever device (1) such as to prevent that the locking body (26) may rotate relative to the threaded hole (16) of the lever device (1).There are also provided means (25) for preventing that the locking body (26) may be displaced along the shank (19) of the screw body (18). |
| US08322247B2 |
Shifter assemblies for electronically shifted manual transmissions
A shifter assembly for use in conjunction with an electronically shifted manual transmission of a vehicle includes a shift lever, a shift knob disposed on the shift lever, a guide and at least one shifter tactile sensor. The shift lever may be disposed in the guide and is operable to move relative to the guide. The guide includes a pattern of shift lever positions corresponding to specific gear ratios of the transmission of the vehicle. When the shift lever is positioned in a specific shift lever position, a corresponding gear ratio of the transmission may be selected. The at least one shifter tactile sensor may be disposed on the shift knob. When pressure is applied to the shift knob, the at least one shifter tactile sensor may output a tactile signal indicating that pressure is being applied to the shift knob. |
| US08322246B2 |
Gear shifting mechanism with a locking mechanism for a gear shift transmission
A gear shift mechanism of a gear shift transmission having a plurality of gears is described. A first movable gear shift fork and at least one second movable gear shift fork are provided for engaging gears of the gear shift transmission and assuming a neutral position as well as an engaged position where a gear allocated to a respective one of the first and second gear shift forks is engaged. A locking mechanism comprising a locking element is provided that prevents that both gear shift forks can assume at the same time unintentionally an engaged position. The locking mechanism is designed such that in a locking position a force for moving the first gear shift fork out of its neutral position does not generate a resulting component of force that would force the locking element against the second gear shift fork. |
| US08322244B2 |
Gear mechanism apparatus
A gear mechanism arrangement includes an axial bearing apparatus and a shaft mounted rotatably in the axial bearing apparatus. The shaft is fixedly coupled to a first mechanical coupling point and a second mechanical coupling point, the first mechanical coupling point configured to engage a gear stage and the second mechanical configured to engage a movement converter. The movement converter is configured to convert between a rotational movement and a longitudinal movement of the gear mechanism arrangement. The axial bearing apparatus is configured to transmit a force which acts axially on the shaft to a stationary part of the gear mechanism apparatus arrangement. The axial bearing apparatus is further configured such that active bearing friction is dependent on a rotational direction of the rotational movement and differs for each of first and second rotational directions of the rotational movement. |
| US08322239B2 |
Electronic device controller
A controller capable of realizing continuous click feelings within an operation range of the controller and a specific click feeling at a specific position of the operation range with continuous natural maneuvering feeling. When a first member to which an element shaft of an electronic device is fixed is rotated relatively to a second member to which an element body of the electronic device is fixed to rotate the shaft, the controller adjusts the control amount the element. A notch array, formed of a serration and a first pawl, and a position confirmation means, formed of a notch and a pawl, are disposed between the first member and the second member. Both members are disposed oppositely with respect to the shaft. A center click feeling, different from the feeling in the notch array, can be obtained at the center within the range of the notch array. |
| US08322237B2 |
Coupling for a position indication device
A bearing device for coupling a position indication device to an apparatus for measuring a position of the apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a first connecting member. The bearing device includes a bearing housing including a first opening defined therein configured to receive the first connecting member and a second opening defined therein configured to receive at least a portion of the position indication device. The bearing device also includes a grommet configured for positioning within the first opening and for positioning around the first connecting member. |
| US08322234B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring liquid quantity in bulk containers
A method and apparatus for measuring the mass of liquid within collapsible, bulk fabric storage containers is provided wherein a deflection member arranged in a grid pattern supports the container and undergoes deflection creating an increase in the pressure of fluid within its interior which may be measured and correlated to the mass of the liquid within the container. |
| US08322232B1 |
Modular sample conditioning system
An on-stream sample collection and conditioning system, which is easier to construct, implement, maintain, and is more cost efficient then existing systems. The preferred embodiment of the present invention contemplates a modular system adaptable to a variety of diverse sample conditioning requirements. The system provides a docking surface specifically designed to receive modular conditioning or sampling components or the like in order to readily engage a system of passages to provide fluid flow between the mounted components. An embodiment of the invention provides a flow component having grooves formed therethrough reflecting the desired flow configuration, which is isolated from the flow component and sealed and to provide flow passages. The docking surface has access apertures formed to engage the flow passages, providing access to modular components mounted thereon. |
| US08322230B2 |
Vibratory flow meter for determining one or more flow fluid characteristics of a multi-phase flow fluid
A vibratory flow meter (5) for determining one or more flow fluid characteristics of a multi-phase flow fluid includes one or more flow conduits (103A,103B). The flow meter assembly (10) is configured to generate a very low frequency response that is below a predetermined minimum decoupling frequency for the flow fluid and to generate a very high frequency response that is above a predetermined maximum decoupling frequency for the flow fluid, independent of the foreign material size or the foreign material composition. The meter (100) further includes meter electronics (20) configured to receive one or more very low frequency vibrational responses and one or more very high frequency vibrational responses and determine the one or more flow fluid characteristics from the one or more very low frequency vibrational responses and the one or more very high frequency vibrational responses. |
| US08322221B1 |
Non-contact high resolution near field acoustic imaging system
A non-contact near field high resolution acoustic imaging system of a sample, the system including an acoustic wave generator generating a plurality of acoustic waves a ultrasonic horn amplifying the waves to an amplitude of between about 20 microns and about 300 microns, and a frequency between about 20 kHz and about 40 khz. The ultrasonic horn further directs the amplified waves to impinge upon the sample. On contact between the waves and the sample, a plurality of transmitted energy is transmitted to the sample, a plurality of longitudinal displacements and surface acoustic wave displacements in the sample are created. An adjustable separation distance lies between the sample and the ultrasonic horn, the distance adjusted to maximize the transmitted energy. The distance is preferably greater than the maximum displacement of the ultrasonic horn, or approximately 0.1 mm. The non-contact near field high resolution acoustic imaging system further includes a surface displacement detector for detecting the longitudinal wave displacements or surface acoustic wave displacements, the detector including a tip and a tip diameter; and a computer for digitizing and storing the longitudinal wave displacements or surface acoustic wave displacements. The longitudinal displacements or surface acoustic wave displacements are analyzed to create an image of at least a portion of the sample, the image alternatively having a resolution about equal to the surface displacement detector tip diameter. |
| US08322220B2 |
Non-destructive wafer-scale sub-surface ultrasonic microscopy employing near field AFM detection
A method, and corresponding apparatus, of imaging sub-surface features at a plurality of locations on a sample includes coupling an ultrasonic wave into a sample at a first lateral position. The method then measures the amplitude and phase of ultrasonic energy near the sample with a tip of an atomic force microscope. Next, the method couples an ultrasonic wave into a sample at a second lateral position and the measuring step is repeated for the second lateral position. Overall, the present system and methods achieve high resolution sub-surface mapping of a wide range of samples, including silicon wafers. It is notable that when imaging wafers, backside contamination is minimized. |
| US08322217B2 |
Acoustic emission toughness testing for PDC, PCBN, or other hard or superhard material inserts
An acoustic emissions testing device includes a testing sample including a hard surface, an acoustic sensor, an indenter coupled to the hard surface, and a load. The load is exerted on the indenter, which transfers the load to the hard surface. The acoustic sensor is communicably coupled to the testing sample and detects one or more acoustic events occurring within the testing sample. An acoustic emissions testing system includes a data recorder coupled to the testing device. The data recorder records the data from testing device. Based upon the data received, the toughness of the sample is objectively determined and can be ranked comparatively to the toughness of other samples. The load is ramped up to a peak load, held for a period of time, and then ramped down. |
| US08322216B2 |
Micromachined accelerometer with monolithic electrodes and method of making the same
A capacitive accelerometer having one or more micromachined acceleration sensor assembly is disclosed. The acceleration sensor assembly comprises a spring-mass-support structure, a top cap and a bottom cap. The proof mass plate of the spring-mass-support structure has cutout spaces and is supported by a pair of branched torsional beams which are substantially located in the cutout spaces. The torsional axis of the proof mass plate is offset from the mass center in direction perpendicular to the proof mass plate. The acceleration sensor assembly further comprises multiple coplanar electrodes for differential capacitive sensing and electrostatic forcing. The capacitive accelerometer according to the present invention may comprise one, two or six micromachined acceleration sensor assemblies with electronic signal detection, conditioning and control circuits in different configurations and applications to detect and measure linear and angular accelerations. Methods to fabricate the micromachined acceleration sensor assembly are disclosed. |
| US08322215B2 |
Accelerometer based removal and inversion tamper detection and tap switch feature
Disclosed are apparatus and methodologies for detecting inversion tamper, removal tamper, and taps using a three-axes accelerometer sensor in a utility meter environment. Inversion tamper is detected upon power up if the acceleration value along Y axis is greater than or equal to some small positive threshold. Removal tamper is detected if the average acceleration change of both Y and Z axes is greater than or equal to the removal threshold. A tap is detected if the average acceleration change along the X axis is greater than or equal to the tap threshold. The initial acceleration values are set upon power up. Removal tamper detection and tap detection are distinguished using a moving average filter. Tap detection uses timing constraints to avoid false tap detections. |
| US08322214B2 |
Sensor device
A sensor device includes a time determining part and an output circuit. The time determining part determines time point information, and adds the time point information to the output supplied from a part subjected to failure diagnosis and related to generation of a failure detection signal, and to the output related to generation of a sense signal. The output circuit outputs the sense signal with the time point information added by the time determining part after the failure detection signal correlated with the sense signal by the time point information is output. |
| US08322205B2 |
Method of fabricating a integrated pressure sensor
A method of fabricating a pressure sensor (30) for harsh environments such as vehicle tires, formed from a first wafer substrate (32) having first and second opposing planar surfaces. CMOS circuitry (34) is deposited on the first planar surface and a layer of passivation material is deposited on the circuitry. Openings in the passivation layer are etched to expose parts of the circuitry and an aperture is etched into the first wafer from the first planar surface towards the second planar surface. Sacrificial material is deposited in the aperture and then a flexible membrane (50) is deposited on the sacrificial material and the exposed parts of the circuitry. The sacrificial material is subsequently plasma cleaned out of the aperture from the second surface and a second substrate is sealed to the second planar surface of the first wafer substrate to define a chamber (58) containing a fluid at a reference pressure. During use, the flexible membrane deflects due to pressure differentials between the reference pressure and the fluid pressure and the circuitry converts the deflection of the flexible membrane into an output signal indicative of the fluid pressure. |
| US08322197B2 |
Method and apparatus for injecting a liquid sample in an HPLC analyzing device, and valve assembly for use therein
Method for injecting a liquid sample in an HPLC analyzing device, using an apparatus which comprises a first liquid circuit, a second liquid circuit, a valve assembly of the stator/rotor type, and a sample loop. In a first and a second valve position, respectively, the sample loop is either part of the first or of the second circuit, respectively. During the switching of the valve assembly from the second valve position into the first valve position, the valve assembly automatically and temporarily assumes an intermediate valve position in which the sample loop is automatically decompressed via a fourth connection chamber and a third valve outlet. In that intermediate valve position the sample loop is neither part of the first circuit nor part of the second circuit. |
| US08322196B2 |
Vibrating wire viscometers
Vibrating wire viscometers are described. Some example vibrating wire viscometer housings include a flowline through the housing to expose a first wire to a downhole fluid, a cavity in the housing to hold a magnet and to conduct one or more additional wires from the flowline to a signal generator, first and second electrically conductive posts mechanically coupled to the housing to hold the first wire in tension within the flowline, and a seal mechanically coupled to the housing to prevent access to the magnet by the downhole fluid. |
| US08322191B2 |
Enhanced cavity for a photoacoustic gas sensor
Photoacoustic cells for gas sensors are described. In some instances, the photoacoustic cell may be configured to provide an increased internal path length of the light beam in the photoacoustic cell relative to, for example, a conventional cylindrical photoacoustic cell. The photoacoustic cell may be shaped to provide increased internal reflection of the light within the photoacoustic cell, thereby increasing the absorption of the light by a gas to be detected in the photoacoustic cell. One example photoacoustic cell that can provide such increased internal reflection may be a generally conical-shaped. |
| US08322190B2 |
Optical cavity-enhanced photo acoustic trace gas detector with variable light intensity modulator
A photo acoustic trace gas detector for detecting a concentration of a trace gas in a gas mixture. The detector includes a light source for producing a light beam and a light modulator for modulating the light beam into a series of light pulses for generating sound waves in the gas mixture. The light modulator is arranged for modulating the light beam between a non-zero lower intensity level and a higher intensity level. An amplitude of the sound waves being a measure of the concentration. An optical cavity contains the gas mixture and amplifies a light intensity of the light pulses. A transducer converts the sound waves into electrical signals. A feedback loop with a photo detector for measuring the light intensity of the light pulses regulates the amplification of the light intensity in the optical cavity. |
| US08322188B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring and recording data from violent events
An apparatus adapted for mounting on a head protector including sensor means for sensing the presence of a head in the head protector. The sensor means includes first and second spaced apart electrode elements adapted to sense the dielectric of a head and the one or more electrode elements include a fastener for fastening an object to the head protector. |
| US08322187B2 |
Bending device
A bending device includes a bending mechanism for holding an elongated workpiece between a bending die and a clamping die revolvable around the bending die, and revolving the clamping die, to thereby bend the workpiece. The bending device includes a fixing base on which the bending mechanism is mounted, and an articulated robot on which a chuck mechanism for holding the workpiece is mounted and which moves the chuck mechanism. |
| US08322185B2 |
Mandrel assembly for tube bending
The various embodiments herein provide a mandrel assembly for tube bending. The mandrel assembly comprises a plurality of chains, a ring arranged between the plurality of chains links, a plurality of ball segments, a shank and a pin. The ring is placed between the set of chain links and the chain links are inserted into the one side of the ball segment and the other side of the ball segment is inserted with other set of chain links and the pin is held to hold the components firmly. The plurality of chains links are passed into a machined section of each of the plurality of ball segments and the pin is inserted into a groove of the ball segments to hold the plurality of chains and then connected to the shank thereby forming a mandrel joint. |
| US08322183B2 |
Manufacturing process to produce a necked container
The present invention provides a necking system including a plurality of necking dies each necking dies having an at least partially non-polished necking surface and a non-polished relief following the necking surface. The present invention further provides a method of necking a metal container including providing a metal blank; shaping the blank into a bottle stock; and necking the metal bottle stock, wherein necking includes at least one necking die having an at least partially non-polished necking surface. |
| US08322182B2 |
Method for producing a pot-shaped housing part, and a pot-shaped housing part, especially for a hub part of a hybrid drive
A method for producing a pot-shaped housing part, especially for a hub part of a hybrid drive. The housing part has a bottom and a wall extending away from the bottom. An outer face of the wall extends approximately up to an outer face of the bottom, with the outer face of the bottom facing away from a free edge of the wall. The method includes the steps of clamping the radially inner zone of a blank in a workpiece holder, so that a radially outer zone of the blank directly adjoining the radially inner zone is free, and folding the radially outer zone of the blank towards and against a contact surface of the workpiece holder by means of a forming process until the outer face of the radially outer zone extends at least up to and preferably beyond the outer face of the radially inner zone. |
| US08322181B2 |
Rotary bending system
A forming assembly includes, a rocker having an operating surface defining a cavity, the operating surface including a first cavity surface and a second cavity surface, a saddle defining a space in which the rocker rotates, and a pad extending into the cavity and defining (i) an abutment surface which faces toward the saddle and defines a first plane, and (ii) a workpiece contact surface which faces away from the saddle and defines a second plane, wherein relative movement between the saddle and the pad when the first cavity surface is positioned in contact with the abutment surface causes rotation of the rocker within the space, wherein rotation of the rocker within the space causes the second cavity surface to advance toward the workpiece contact surface, and wherein the first plane intersects the second plane so as to define an angle θ. |
| US08322178B2 |
Method for performing temper rolling on steel strip and method for manufacturing high tensile-strength cold rolled steel sheet
Temper rolling at a total elongation percentage of 0.1% or more is performed on a steel strip using a temper rolling mill in which at least one roll stand having high roughness work rolls, the center-line averaged roughness Ra of which being in the range of 3.0 to 10.0 μm, is provided, or at least one roll stand having bright rolls is further provided downstream of the above roll stand, and as a result, a predetermined elongation percentage, flatness, and center-line averaged roughness can be imparted even to a steel strip having a yield strength of 340 MPa or more at a rolling load approximately equivalent to that for a mild steel without using a large facility and complicated control. In particular, a high tensile-strength cold rolled steel sheet having an Ra of 0.5 to 3.0 μm and superior die galling resistance is obtained. |
| US08322174B2 |
Texturing of the seal surface for a roller cone rock bit
Surface texturing is employed to modify the topography of one or more surfaces (radial or cylindrical) of the sealing system for a roller cone rock bit. The surface texturing results in a dimpled surface which retains additional lubricant helpful in reducing friction in the boundary and mixed lubrication regimes. Shot peening is disclosed as one method for texturing the desired surface. |
| US08322169B2 |
Modular laundry system with vertical laundry module
A laundry system comprises a first laundry appliance, a second laundry appliance, and a vertical laundry module. The vertical laundry module can have a housing with a width less than the width of each of the first and second laundry appliances and a stain treatment assembly. The stain treatment assembly can include a screen slidable mounted to the housing of the vertical module for supporting a fabric item and a wand extendable from the housing for applying a stain treatment agent to the fabric item on the screen. |
| US08322164B2 |
Process for producing a low polarization mode dispersion optical fiber
In a process for producing a low polarization mode dispersion optical fiber, which comprises the steps of drawing a glass preform into an optical fiber and of spinning, during drawing, the optical fiber about an optical fiber axis, the spinning is imparted according to a bidirectional and substantially trapezoidal spin function, which includes zones (P) of substantially constant amplitude (plateau) and zones of transition (T) where inversion of the spin direction takes place, wherein the extension (p) of the zones of substantially constant amplitude is greater than the extension (t) of the zones of transition, and the number of inversions of the direction of spin in a length of fiber of 20 m is at most two. |
| US08322162B2 |
Method of heating glass panels for tempering and apparatus applying the method
The invention relates to a method of heating glass panels for tempering. The horizontal glass panels are heated in a lehr by upper and lower convection blast and by upper and lower radiation heating, information representing a load of the glass panels and used for the control and/or regulation of heating is read, the upper radiation heating is controlled and/or regulated in the way of a matrix by a profiling both in a conveying direction and a direction lateral thereto. At least the upper convection blast is controlled and/or regulated in various sections of the lehr in the way of a matrix by a profiling both in a conveying direction and a direction lateral thereto, and the relative blast effects of convection blowing elements successive in the conveying direction are regulated for a profiling in the conveying direction. The invention relates also to an apparatus applying the method. |
| US08322161B2 |
Process and apparatus for producing glass sheet
A process produces a glass sheet. The process includes down-drawing a molten glass into a sheet-like glass ribbon, in which the molten glass is fed to a forming trough arranged in a forming furnace and the molten glass is caused to flow down from the forming trough through a conveyance passage extending vertically. The process also includes removing an internal strain in the glass ribbon in an annealing furnace, cooling the glass ribbon to around room temperature in a cooling chamber, and cutting the glass ribbon into a given size, in which the cooling chamber is provided with a gas exhausting passage, thereby exhausting air in the cooling chamber to an outside. |
| US08322157B2 |
De-aerating flow straightener for cooling system
A liquid coolant flow straightener is provided for use with a cooling system to at least partially straighten flow of liquid coolant, promoting de-aeration of the liquid coolant. |
| US08322156B2 |
Evaporative cooling device for cooling water or other liquids and a cooling garment incorporating the same
An evaporative cooling device (40) is disclosed for cooling water or other liquids comprising a vessel (50) adapted to receive water or another liquid, said vessel comprising a vessel wall (53, 54, 55), an outer layer (90) of absorbent material and a wick (85) extending through said vessel wall, such that said wick is positioned to contact said water or other liquid within the vessel and is adapted to transport a portion of said water or other liquid through the wall by capillary action to said absorbent material, said wick being substantially impermeable to gas or vapor, so that the cooling device (40) can be connected in-line in an hydration system of the kind comprising a reservoir (12) and a drinking tube (32). Water or other liquid transported from within the vessel to the outer layer by said wick is absorbed by the absorbent material, from which it evaporates, the latent heat required for such evaporation being removed from the water or other liquid disposed within the vessel as sensible heat through the vessel wall, thereby cooling such water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the cooling device (40) may be fan-assisted. Also disclosed is a cooling garment comprising a garment portion that is adapted to be worn by a user and an evaporative cooling device (40) for cooling water or other liquids that are circulated through integrant channels or tubes provided in the garment. |
| US08322155B2 |
Method and apparatus for cooling
A method of calculating net sensible cooling capacity of a cooling unit includes measuring a discharge pressure from of fluid from a compressor and a suction pressure from an evaporator, calculating a condensing temperature of fluid flowing from the compressor and an evaporating temperature of fluid flowing from the evaporator, calculating a mass flow rate of fluid flowing from the compressor, calculating enthalpy of fluid flowing from the compressor, of fluid flowing from the thermal expansion valve, and of fluid flowing from the evaporator, calculating a mass flow rate of fluid flowing through the hot gas bypass valve, and calculating net sensible cooling capacity. Embodiments of cooling units and other methods are further disclosed. |
| US08322152B2 |
Sensor assembly for detecting ice crystal formation on heat exchange surface and ice-making machine incorporating the same
A sensor assembly for detecting ice crystal formation on a heat exchange surface in an ice-making machine comprises at least one microphone monitoring the sound made by a rotating blade assembly within the ice-making machine during ice slurry formation. A filter filters the output of the microphone to remove background noise. A comparator receives the output of the filter and compares the filtered microphone output with a threshold to determine if the filtered microphone output signifies ice crystal formation on the heat exchange surface. The operation of the ice-making machine can then be adjusted in a manner to allow the formed ice crystals to be removed from the heat exchange surface. |
| US08322151B1 |
Systems and methods for gathering data from and diagnosing the status of an air conditioner
Systems and methods for gathering data from and diagnosing the status of an air conditioner comprising three wireless transmitters, two pressure sensors, five temperature sensors, a humidity sensor, a wireless receiver, and a computing device, the sensors operable to sense parameters of the air conditioning system, the wireless transmitters operable to transmit data representing the sensed parameters of the air conditioning system to the receiver, the receiver operable to receive the data and send the data to the computing device, the computing device operable to analyze the data to determine a status of the air conditioning system. |
| US08322146B2 |
Transition duct assembly
A transition duct assembly with a thermally free aft frame and mounting system for use in a gas turbine engine are disclosed. The aft frame is capable of adjusting to thermal gradients while the mounting system provides for at least transverse movement of the transition duct during engine assembly. The mounting system also provides a means for raising the natural frequency of the transition duct outside of the engine's dynamic excitation ranges. |
| US08322142B2 |
Trapped vortex combustion chamber
A combustor for a gas turbine engine is disclosed which is able to operate with high combustion efficiency, and low nitrous oxide emissions during gas turbine operations. The combustor consists of a can-type configuration which combusts fuel premixed with air and delivers the hot gases to a turbine. Fuel is premixed with air and is delivered to the combustor with a high degree of swirl motion. This swirling mixture of reactants is conveyed through a flowpath that expands; the mixture reacts, and establishes a central recirculation zone. An imperforate trapped vortex cavity is disposed proximal to the swirler apparatus which provides for a second reaction zone. Fresh fuel/air reactants are exchanged with burned products in the trapped vortex and a pilot flame is established in the trapped cavity. The imperforate trapped cavity is not supplied with either fuel or air, but is cooled on a backside of the cavity with a flow of cooling air. The cooling air is then conveyed to the combustion chamber so as to not interfere with the critical flame holding flow features of the combustor. |
| US08322139B2 |
Condenser and steam turbine power plant
A condenser that restrains fluctuations in the condenser vacuum in a power generating installation.In particular, the condenser has a circulating path through which cooling water flows; a tube nest for condensing steam from a steam turbine with the cooling water; and a discharge path. Additionally, a bypass tube; a control valve for controlling the flow rate of the cooling water supplied from the circulating path to the discharge path; a recirculating path; and a booster pump that controls the flow rate of the cooling water are provided. One of the temperature, the flow rate and both the temperature and the flow rate of the cooling water to flow through the two tube nests is deviated from the temperature and the flow rate of the cooling water on the upstream side of the circulating path using the control valve and booster pump. |
| US08322134B2 |
Sliding fit, pipe arrangement and exhaust gas treatment device
The present invention relates to a sliding fit for the axially movable bearing of a thermally loaded pipe on a component, in particular on an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, having a wire mesh which is radially supported on the outside of the pipe and is secured directly or indirectly to the component. |
| US08322133B2 |
Externally adjustable modular tuned exhaust system
A modular tuned exhaust pipe coupled to a remote controlled vehicle having a two stroke motor, having a body portion with an exhaust port. A convergent cone section is internally and slidingly mounted within the body portion and has an at last one exhaust hole. An adjustment Mechanism coupled to the convergent cone section. The turning of the adjustment mechanism slidingly moving the convergent cone within the body portion to adjust the tuned length of the modular tuned exhaust pipe. And a pressure adjustment screw, the pressure adjustment screw penetrating the body portion such that turning of the pressure adjustment screw increases or decreases the pressure within the modular tuned pipe. |
| US08322132B2 |
Exhaust treatment system implementing regeneration control
An exhaust treatment system associated with a power source is disclosed. The exhaust treatment system may have a filter located to remove particulate matter from an exhaust flow of the power source. The exhaust treatment system may further have a heat source located to elevate the temperature of the exhaust flow. The exhaust treatment system may also have a first sensor and a second sensor. The exhaust treatment system may further have a controller in communication with the heat source, the first sensor, and the second sensor. The controller may be configured to receive a particulate matter load value and a power source load value and activate the heat source when the particulate matter load value is above a particulate matter load threshold value and the power source load value is below a power source load threshold value that is indicative of the exhaust flow being within an exhaust flow range. |
| US08322128B2 |
Hydrogen engine using a recirculating working medium
A hydrogen engine 10 supplies hydrogen, oxygen, and an argon gas serving as a working to a combustion chamber 21 to combust the hydrogen. H2O in a recirculating gas discharged from the combustion chamber 21 is separated and eliminated from the gas by a condenser 66. A three-way valve 72 is switched over in such a manner that the recirculating gas flows through a product eliminating section 70 (a carbon dioxide absorbing unit 71), when the concentration of carbon dioxide in the recirculating gas is higher than a predetermined concentration, so that the carbon dioxide is separated and eliminated from the recirculating gas. |
| US08322124B2 |
Center splitter rake wheel structure for rakes
A pair of rake wheels in an assembly is referred to as a center splitter assembly. Each rake wheel is configured for free-rotation, meaning it is powered by contacting the ground. The center splitter is used to separate material, each wheel moving material in a different direction. The rake wheel on the left side of the center splitter assembly will rotate in a clockwise direction, as viewed from behind the wheel, which will cause the material to move from the right to the left. The opposite applies to the rake wheel on the right side of the center splitter assembly, where it will rotate counter-clockwise, moving material from the left to the right. Since these rake wheels are attempting to move material in opposite directions, the spacing between the wheels has been found to be critical. |
| US08322123B2 |
Method and apparatus for stripping material from a line
A method and apparatus (100) for stripping irregular material (2) from a line (1) during relative movement between the apparatus (100) and line (1). The apparatus (100) includes a line guide (200), material guide (210) and stripping mechanism (101). The line (1) passes through the line guide (200). The material guide (210) is configured to guide, constrict, compact and/or re-orientate the irregular material (2) into engagement with the stripping mechanism (101). The stripping mechanism (101) has stripping elements (102) movable with respect to the line guide (200) and line (1) to strip the material (2) from the line (1). The method includes stripping material (2) from a line (1) extending between two end supports (4) and being releasably attached to intermediate supports (3). The material (2) is stripped by causing relative movement between a guide (100) and the line (1) after the line (1) is detached and moved away from the intermediate supports (3). |
| US08322122B2 |
Drive arrangement for a harvesting header of a harvesting machine
A drive arrangement for a harvesting header of a harvesting machine is provided. The harvesting machine has a chassis on which a feeder housing is fastened. On the front side of the feeder housing a fastening device is attached. The fastening device is movable with respect to the feeder housing. On the fastening device, a harvesting header can be attached. The drive arrangement comprises an output shaft for driving the header, the output shaft being be set in rotation by the harvesting machine and is coupled with the fastening device and can move with the fastening device relative to the feeder housing. A harvesting header drive shaft of the harvesting header can be drivingly connected to the output shaft. It is further provided that a coupling with two coupling halves is attached between the output shaft and the harvesting header drive shaft, with these coupling halves separating automatically when the harvesting header is disassembled from the feeder housing and connecting automatically when the harvesting header, is attached on the feeder housing. |
| US08322118B2 |
Systems and methods for packaging of information handling systems
Systems and methods for packaging information handling systems such as notebook computers. Information handling systems may be configured in a bulk shipping configuration to allow multiple information handling system units to be shipped in a bulk configuration, and then converted to a single pack shipping configuration to allow an individual information handling system to be shipped separately and alone, or vice-versa. |
| US08322117B2 |
Method for flexible full package deflators and former
A deflator apparatus for use in a farm, fill and seal bagging machine to deflate excess air from and form a filled or partially filled package of bulk goods includes a first deflator having a plurality of first flexible bands that extends between a pair of first arms. The apparatus further includes a second deflator having at least one second flexible band that extends between a pair of second arms. The first and second deflators are spaced from one another and movable relative to one another to sandwich the package of bulk goods between the plurality of first flexible bands and the at least one second flexible band to remove excess air from the package and form the package. |
| US08322116B2 |
Device for the roll-sealing of sheets
The device for the roll-sealing of sheets has a mating roll and a sealing roll, which presses against the mating roll with a sealing force, so that a molded sheet and a cover sheet can be guided between the sealing roll and the mating roll and sealed to form a sealed composite sheet structure. The surface of the mating roll has recesses to accept blister pockets of the molded sheet and a rippled structure. The elevations formed by the rippled structure comprise contact areas of different sizes. |
| US08322115B2 |
Insert panel for concrete fillable formwork wall
A formwork assembly is adapted to receive concrete to produce structures such as wall structures. The formwork includes PVC tubular form elements having recessed female engagement portions. The female engagement portions are adapted to receive respective male engagement portions. An octagonal form element has a female engagement portion positioned at each vertex between adjacent sides. A recessed female engagement portion is closed to the interior of the form element but open to the exterior of the form element. Thus, the form element includes a plurality of vertices open to the exterior. The form elements also include male engagement portions at an open side. Wall panels, corner panels, and joint connectors can also include the male engagement portions. The male engagement portions and female engagement portions are adapted to mate to form a formwork arrangement having a substantially flat exterior wall. A formwork assembly can additionally include concrete flow apertures and insulation. |
| US08322114B2 |
Cladding assembly and method of cladding posts
A cladding assembly comprises first and second cladding panels, each having top and bottom edge portions and a pair of lateral sides, and a corner connection element disposed to couple a pair of adjacent lateral sides of the first and second cladding panels together. The corner connection element includes top and bottom edge portions and a pair of lateral sides, wherein the corner connection element comprises a pair of female connectors disposed at its lateral sides and the pair of adjacent lateral sides of the first and second cladding panels comprises a pair of male connectors for mating with the female connectors, or wherein the corner connection element comprises a pair of male connectors disposed at its lateral sides and the pair of adjacent lateral sides of the first and second cladding panels comprises a pair of female connectors for mating with the male connectors of the corner connection element. |
| US08322113B2 |
Thermoplastic roofing system
Provided is a roofing system comprising a thermoplastic roofing membrane and one or more raised metal profiles attached to the thermoplastic roofing membrane. In an embodiment, provided is a method of improving a roofing system comprising a thermoplastic roofing membrane. The method comprises installing one or more thermoplastic coated raised metal profiles on the roofing system. A side of the one or more thermoplastic coated raised metal profiles comprises a thermoplastic layer. Installing the one or more thermoplastic coated raised metal profiles on the roofing system comprises welding the thermoplastic layer to the thermoplastic roofing membrane. The presently disclosed raised profiles provide not only desirable aesthetics to thermoplastic roofing systems, but can also provide structural benefits to the roofing system. |
| US08322112B2 |
Nestable structural hollow body and related methods
A multi-piece interconnected body for use in at least structural support and/or in creating internal cavities for an improved strength-to-weight ratio in a variety of structures is nestable prior to its assembly and use. When assembled, the device preferably forms a generally spherical and hollow body, with (1) one or more ribs or similar structural support network associated with and/or integrally formed in the body; (2) at least one latch mechanism to help hold the pieces in a desired assembled relationship with each other; and (3) a hinge or other interconnecting element that facilitates nesting and/or stacking of a plurality of the bodies with each other prior to assembly, association of the multiple parts of each body with each other prior to assembly, and ready repositioning of those parts into a desired assembled position. |
| US08322109B2 |
Multi-cage spacer
A spacer for positioning and locking spaced reinforcing cages into a combined integral unit for reinforcing large concrete structures is disclosed that is readily snapped into place even with narrow lattice cages. |
| US08322106B2 |
Column plumb stabilizer
A column-base, ground-moveable stand for stabilizing an elongate upright building-frame column, or the like, in a manner which creates and enables adjustable verticality for such a column's long axis. The stand includes (a) spaced, upper and lower, selectively openable/closeable clamping collar structures which are operable to grip the base of such a column at vertically spaced locations along the base of the column, with the collar structures, with respect to a gripped column, defining the disposition in space of the column's long axis, and (b) tilt-adjustable, load-spreading, ground-engaging, outrigger leg structures supportably joined to the collar structures. |
| US08322105B2 |
Pultruded utility support structures
Pultruded and extruded structures are presented. The pultruded and extruded structures are hollow structures, are used for structural distribution poles and transmission towers for electricity, may include lighting components and may include antenna wires in the hollow structures for telecommunications. The pultruded and extruded structures include combination pultruded-filament wound or “pull wound” structures. The pultruded and extruded structures are pultruded or extruded in pre-determined sizes and shapes, plural colors, are environmentally safe, aesthetic pleasing and resistant to damage from weather, animals, insects and resistant to corrosion. |
| US08322104B2 |
Method and system for interconnecting structural panels
Building or structural panels may be joined, such as to form walls or floors. The panels have edge anchors with mounts. The anchors may comprise elongate members defining a trough having spaced cross-pins. A connector is positioned between adjacent panels. The connector engages the mounts of the anchors, such by having the cross-pins slide into slots of the connector. The panels may have outer skins located over an expanded core comprising a matrix of supporting elongate members and voids or openings, with the anchors located slots formed in the edges of the panels. |
| US08322103B1 |
Faux brick with suspension system
A suspension system secures thin, light-weight, monolithic panels which appear as adjacent courses of brick to be suspended adjacent a substrate in a manner permitting sliding movement in the x-direction while inhibiting motion in the y- and z-directions, and, such that air can circulate behind the panel to prevent mold growth. The primary suspension hardware is an H-shaped channel with two vertically extending arms which secure the panels at the desired spaced position from the substrate. |
| US08322100B2 |
Easy to install and remove tile system
An easy-to-install and remove flooring system comprises three components: 1) a plurality of rolled-out liners, 2) a plurality of tiles, particularly resilient tiles, and 3) an adhesive adhering the tile to the liner. A grid pattern matching the size of the tiles is printed on the liner to enable easy centering and balancing of the tile in the room. The edge portions of adjacent liners are adjacent or overlapped. At least some of the tiles are adhered to two of the liners. |
| US08322095B2 |
Movable partitions and header assemblies for movable partitions
A header assembly for a movable partition includes an overhead track and a header pan. The header pan is configured to extend from the overhead track to an adjoining structure. The header pan, the overhead track, or a combination of both may form a fire-resistant barrier extending from a wall of the adjoining structure to an opposing wall of the adjoining structure. Movable partition systems may include header assemblies. Methods of forming header assemblies include positioning a header pan proximate to an overhead track and extending the header pan between a first wall and a second wall to at least substantially occlude a section of space therebetween. Methods of installing a movable partition include securing an overhead track to an overhead support structure, securing a retainer clip to an adjoining structure, extending a header pan from the overhead track to the retainer clip, and suspending a partition from the track. |
| US08322093B2 |
Base support for wind-driven power generators
Disclosed are apparatus and corresponding methodology for providing a base support, such as including concrete, and used such as for a wind-driven generator. Precast concrete cylinders are stacked in place upon a platform that may be partially precast and partially cast in place during assembly and supported, in certain embodiments, by plural concrete legs, the other ends of which are supported on a unitary or subdivided concrete foundation. In other embodiments, the platform may be supported by ribbed concrete panels. The concrete cylinders are glued together using an epoxy and then secured by an internal vertical post tension system extending from the platform to the upper most cylinder. Different types of concrete are used between upper and lower sections of the stacked cylinders. The lower section uses reinforced concrete while the upper section used ultra high performance fiber reinforced concrete. |
| US08322089B2 |
Hidden ridge vent for slate roofs
A ridge ventilation system includes a plurality of ridge vent sections configured to be arranged end-to-end along the ridge of a roof covering a vent slot formed therealong. Each ridge vent section has an elongated longitudinally flexible top panel with a central portion, edge portions terminating at extreme edges of the top panel, and ventilation grids extending beneath and along the edge portions spaced from extreme edges thereof. The space between the extreme edges of the top panel and the ventilation grids forms or defines an overhang configured to receive edges of shingles in a course of shingles installed next to the vent section and to inhibit the edges of the shingles from rising up. The ridge vent sections also have depending deflectors for deflecting blowing rain and snow that might enter through the ventilation grids and filter fabric may be affixed to the bottom of the ridge vent sections to provide additional deflection of rain and snow. The ridge ventilation system is particularly useful with slate or slate-style roofs and the vent sections are sized so that ridge cap slates extend beyond the extreme edges of the sections to hide substantially the ridge ventilation system from view. |
| US08322080B2 |
Releasable arm assembly for a swing gate
A gate arm for a swing gate incorporates a release mechanism that releases the gate arm and therefore allows the gate to swing freely about its hinges when inwardly-directed pressure applied to the gate exceeds a threshold level. The gate arm also includes a spring-loaded pivot joint that applies pressure to the gate when the gate is operating normally and is in the closed position, and further works cooperatively with the release mechanism to prevent damage to the operator and gate arm when the gate is forced open. |
| US08322078B2 |
Inner panel design for automotive door header
A door for a vehicle including a cast upper door frame having an upper halo portion including a central web. A glass run flange is connected to the central web by an intermediate connector. A door flange extends from the central web substantially orthogonally thereto. A stamped aluminum lower inner panel is operably connected to the cast upper frame. |
| US08322077B2 |
Vehicle door handle with inertia lock mechanism
A door handle assembly includes a door handle that engages a bell crank to actuate a door release latch. A locking member moves relative to the bell crank, and shifts to a locked position wherein the locking member engages an engagement member to prevent rotation of the bell crank when the door handle assembly experiences an inertial force due to an impact or the like. |
| US08322069B2 |
Pest control device and method
An apparatus and method for detecting and/or controlling subterranean termites. A station at least partially receivable within a cavity has at least one opening therein to provide access by the termites to an interior volume of the station. The apparatus includes an aggregation base attractive to the termites and including at least one void for forming an aggregation site. The apparatus includes a replaceable container received within the interior volume of the station and positioned adjacent the aggregation base. The container has at least one opening in a surface thereof facing the aggregation base to permit the passage of termites from the aggregation base to an interior chamber of the container. The container is sized and shaped such that the container may be removed from the station with minimal disturbance to the aggregation base, thereby preserving any aggregation site formed by the termites. |
| US08322064B2 |
System for providing electrical power to accessories mounted on the powered rail of a weapon
A firearm may have a plurality of power-consuming accessories that can be attached to the weapon. In order to reduce the weight of these power-consuming accessories, as well as the proliferation of their batteries, the Weapons Accessory Power Distribution System provides a common power source to power the power-consuming accessories attached to the weapon. One or more powered rails are provided on the handguard, which encircles the barrel of the weapon, to provide a point of mechanical and electrical interconnection for the power-consuming accessories to provide quick connect mounting and dismounting of the power-consuming accessory, absent the use of connectors with their tethering cables, which are susceptible to entanglement. The powered rail(s) are electrically interconnected with a power source, which typically is a battery mounted in the butt stock of the weapon. |
| US08322062B1 |
In-store marketing sign
A marketing sign is constructed of a sheet material. The sheet material includes a free portion, a base portion and a connecting portion that couples the base portion to the free portion. The base portion is configured to engage with a product display structure, which has a price holder. The connecting portion is defined between a first connecting bend line spaced apart from a second connecting bend line by a distance. The distance substantially corresponds with an edge thickness of the price holder. |
| US08322061B1 |
Distribution marketing piece
A distribution marketing piece is designed to be adhered to and carried by a substrate and includes a top ply selectively adhered to a liner ply. A transverse line of separation divides the top ply into first and second sections, each section having side strips and the first section having *a central portion and the second section having a center section. Removal of the liner before application of the top ply to the substrate results in removal of the side strips along the second section which are carried with the liner ply; a portion of the liner ply remains adhered **to the first and second sections to connecting them. By folding the liner ply and the connected part of the first and second sections, the first section adheres to the substrate surrounding the center section and the central portion to define a pocket free of adhesive connection to the substrate. |
| US08322053B2 |
Adjustable height high heel shoe
A shoe has a sole with a toe, heel and arch. A two part heel has a low heel block attached to the sole heel and includes a slot therein. A high heel extension is attached to the low heel block through a support beam having a substantially rectangular cross-section capable of limited axial and pivotal movement. The fit between the beam and the slot prevents rotational movement of the high heel about its axis. The high heel extension can be pivoted between a first position where it underlies the low heel block and a second position where it lies beneath the sole arch. The bottom of the low heel block has a heel lift extending downwardly engaging the ground when the high heel is stowed. This low heel lift is enclosed by a beveled edge at the top of the high heel piece when it is vertical. |
| US08322052B2 |
Modular shoe system
A modular shoe system having interchangeable uppers and outsoles, comprising an internal support structure, a plurality of interchangeable first removable covers and a plurality of interchangeable second removable covers. The internal support structure includes a midsole, a heel counter and a toe box. The internal support structure has a front portion including the toe box and a rear portion including the heel counter. Each of the first removable covers includes a front upper and a front outsole. Each of the first removable covers is configured for being alternately removably attached to the front portion. Each of the second removable covers includes a rear upper and a rear outsole. Each of the second removable covers is configured for being alternately removably attached to the rear portion. |
| US08322050B2 |
Outsole tread pattern
A footwear sole includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The lower surface includes a plurality of tread members formed thereon. The tread members include a plurality of projections or lugs of various sizes and shapes which are grouped together into specific patterns. The material from which the projections are formed increases the shoe sole's ability to resist slipping on floor surfaces which are covered with oil, water, soap, etc. The shape and pattern of the projections or lugs enable them to resist flexing and disengaging the floor surface. This increases the footwear sole's ability to resist slipping. |
| US08322045B2 |
Single wafer apparatus for drying semiconductor substrates using an inert gas air-knife
In one aspect, a substrate processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a mechanism for forming a meniscus on a surface of a substrate by moving the substrate through a fluid; an air knife apparatus positioned to apply an air knife to shorten the meniscus formed on the surface of the substrate; and a drying vapor nozzle positioned to direct a drying vapor to the meniscus shortened by the air knife. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US08322044B2 |
Method of measuring dents and method of classifying dents
A method of classifying a dent on a surface of a shipping container as being in an acceptable or unacceptable classification includes calculating at least one of an acceptable dent depth range corresponding to the acceptable classification and an unacceptable dent depth range corresponding to the unacceptable classification. The method further includes measuring a depth of the dent with a measurement apparatus and comparing the depth with the acceptable and/or unacceptable dent depth ranges to classify the dent in the acceptable or unacceptable classification. The method of classifying the dent on the surface of the shipping container is accurate and repeatable because it includes measuring the depth of the dent and comparing the depth with the acceptable and unacceptable dent depth ranges. The ability to classify dents allows recipients of the shipping containers to consistently accept or reject shipping containers having dents in the acceptable and unacceptable classifications, respectively. |
| US08322040B2 |
Handle including two handgrips and/or a hand alignment mechanism
A handle having improved ergonomics and relatively compact low cost design is provided. In particular, the handle may include two hand grip areas which may be integral with one another. The two hand grips may be approximately perpendicular to one another. Further, one or both of the grip areas may include grip alignment mechanisms that improve the ergonomic alignment of a persons hand on the hand grip area of the handle. In another aspect the hand grip(s) may have smooth rounded grasping surfaces to provide comfort when grasped by a hand. The alignment mechanism(s) may be placed at an optimal location on the hand grip(s) area and result in improved control and comfort during use. In addition, one of the alignment mechanisms may serve a dual purpose of hand alignment and as a stop that prevents a person's hand from slipping off of the grip area during use. |
| US08322038B1 |
Method of manufacturing a bearing housing for an engine with stress and stiffness control
A method for manufacturing a bearing housing comprising: selecting a configuration for housing and manufacturing the housing the configuration. The selected housing configuration comprises a bearing section and a base having a cylindrical shape. The bearing section and base are substantially aligned centrally along an axis. A plurality of members extends between the bearing section and the base. The plurality of members has a length and a width, and, in the configuration, each of the plurality of members has a side that is substantially non-perpendicular with respect to the bearing section and the base. At least one of the plurality of members extends at an angle from the bearing section to the base; the plurality of members having a curve relative to the axis; and the width of the plurality of members decreasing or increasing along the length of the plurality of members. |
| US08322036B2 |
Method of manufacturing a self-inflating tire
A method of constructing a self-inflating tire assembly includes molding in an air tube-receiving groove within a green tire carcass wall, the groove having an access opening, primary internal groove chamber and a secondary expansion groove chamber adjacent to and communicating with the internal groove chamber. A groove partial passageway is molded with the groove at a prescribed groove outlet location and extends from the groove partially through the tire carcass wall toward the tire cavity. A tire carcass wall barrier of reduced section between the partial passageway and the tire cavity is removed in a post-cure operation to create a through-bore from the groove to the tire cavity. A pump assembly inserts into the tube-receiving groove in a post-cure procedure with an outlet passage tube from a pump assembly outlet device extended through the through-bore to the tire cavity. |
| US08322028B2 |
Method of producing an isolator for a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) die
A single layer micromachined thermal and mechanical isolator may be bonded between a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) die and package. Small bond pads of the isolator are attached to the periphery of the die. The isolator material may be chosen to match that of the die, reducing CTE mismatch. Long thin isolation beams can be used to provide thermal isolation against external temperature changes, which may be conducted through the package. Weak and flexible beams can be used to tolerate large displacements with very little resistance. Thus, excessive stress or distortion to the package, from either CTE mismatch or external stress, may be absorbed by the isolator and will not be transmitted to the MEMS die. Beam rigidity may be designed to attenuate vibration of particular frequency range. The isolator can be readily inserted into an existing disc resonator gyroscope package in one thermal compression bond step. |
| US08322027B1 |
Flexible circuit electrode array and method of manufacturing the same
A method for manufacturing a flexible circuit electrode array, comprising: a) depositing a metal trace layer containing a base coating layer, a conducting layer and a top coating layer on said insulator polymer base layer; b) applying a layer of photoresist on said metal trace layer and patterning said metal trace layer and forming metal traces on said insulator polymer base layer; c) activating said insulator polymer base layer and depositing a top insulator polymer layer and forming one single insulating polymer layer with said base insulator polymer layer; d) applying a thin metal layer and a layer of photoresist on the surface of said insulator polymer layer and selective etching said insulator layer and said top coating layer to obtain at least one via; and e) filling said via with electrode material. A layer of polymer is laid down. A layer of metal is applied to the polymer and patterned to create electrodes and leads for those electrodes. A second layer of polymer is applied over the metal layer and patterned to leave openings for the electrodes, or openings are created later by means such as laser ablation. Hence the array and its supply cable are formed of a single body. Alternatively, multiple alternating layers of metal and polymer may be applied to obtain more metal traces within a given width.The method provides an excellent adhesion between the polymer base layer and the polymer top layer and insulation of the trace metals and electrodes. |
| US08322023B1 |
Method for providing a wrap-around shield for a magnetic recording transducer
A method for fabricating a magnetic transducer is described. The magnetic transducer includes a pole having a pole tip and a flared region. The method Includes providing a first mask layer on the pole and providing a second mask layer on the first mask layer. The first mask layer is soluble in a predetermined solution and has a first thickness. The second mask layer has a second thickness greater than the first thickness. The method also includes forming a mask from the first mask layer and the second mask layer. The step of forming the mask layer includes using the predetermined solution. The mask has a pattern that exposes a portion of the pole tip and covers a portion of the flared region. The method also includes providing a wrap-around shield on at least the pole tip. |
| US08322015B2 |
Flush-mount, blind fastener
A threaded blind fastener intended for installation in aerodynamically smooth or aesthetically critical panels, further adapted to minimize discontinuities on paintable surfaces of the head resulting from clearances between male and female threads that may adversely affect the quality of paint coverage. |
| US08322012B2 |
Method of manufacturing an environmentally resilient structural panel
An environmentally resilient building product of a vinyl laminated formed-sheet metallic substrate wherein the vinyl laminate is adhesively attached to the formed-sheet metallic substrate to provide a durable and attractive surface. Possible decorative and resilient surfaces include, but are not limited to solid colors, metallic finishes, and graphical images or patterns, all available in a variety of textures. |
| US08322009B2 |
Apparatus and method for separating flanges
A method and apparatus for separating or spreading flanges of pipes is disclosed and includes two bolt hole engaging devices and a force transmission system. The force transmission system selectively couples with a bolt hole engaging device and is capable of exerting a force thereon for selective movement of the flanges relative to one another. The bolt hole engaging device comprises an expandable member that is arranged to be at least partially accommodated within the bolt hole before expansion, and an expander means arranged to expand the expandable member such that at least a portion of an outer surface of the expandable member is expanded to contact the bolt hole. The expander means may include at least one wedge shaped member and an actuator means for causing relative movement between the wedge shaped member and the expandable member. |
| US08322007B2 |
Load handling device
A handling device for a resistant load includes a guide track (2) or a plurality of parallel guide tracks, a pair of slides or carriages (10a, 10b) slidingly mounted on a guide track (2) or a respective guide track, removable locking means (6a, 6b) associated with each slide or carriage (10a, 10b) and designed to keep in position its respective slide or carriage along the respective guide track (2), a linear actuator means (3) associated with each slide or carriage (10a, 10b) and having at least one first component (4) and at least one second component (5a) which can be displaced, upon control, one with respect to the other parallely to the guide track (2) or plurality of parallel guide tracks, the at least one first component (4) being displaceable together with a slide or carriage (10a) of the pair, and the at least one second component (5a) being displaceable together with the other slide or carriage (10b) of the pair, engagement means (7a, 7b) for a resistant load displaceable together with the linear actuator means, and control means designed to control the removable locking means (6a, 6b) and the linear actuator means (3). |
| US08322005B2 |
Weather strip installation device
A weather strip installation device for mechanically installing weather strip along the opening of a vehicle door is disclosed. The device includes a frame outlining said opening, and a plurality of contact pads enclosing the frame. A selectively movable unit is disposed between the frame and the contact pads, wherein the selectively movable unit is operable to push each of the contact pads outwardly from the frame. In the first preferred embodiment the movable unit is a plurality of expandable bladders disposed between the contact pads and the peripheral edge of the frame. In the second preferred embodiment, the movable unit is an extensible arm rotatably attached to the frame. The extensible arm includes a roller disposed between the frame and contact pads that presses against the contact pads thereby installing the weather strip along the opening of the door as the extensible arm rotates about the frame. |
| US08322004B2 |
Indirect laser induced residual stress in a fuel system component and fuel system using same
A metallic fuel system component includes an internal surface and an external surface. The metallic fuel system component is made by inducing compressive residual stress in only a portion of the internal surface of the metallic fuel system component by transmitting a laser shock wave through the metallic fuel system component from the external surface to the internal surface. |
| US08322002B2 |
Fastening strap assembly and foam article including same
One aspect of the present invention provides a fastening strap assembly for used in a foam article. The fastening strap assembly includes a substrate having two sidewalls each formed along one side thereof in a longitudinal direction and spaced apart from each other; a substantially fishbone-shaped fastening member disposed between the sidewalls and adhered to the substrate, the fastening member having an elongate central rib and a plurality of fastening parts laterally extending from either sides of the rib and longitudinally spaced apart from each other, each fastening part having a plurality of hooks formed on a upper surface thereof; and a magnetic layer disposed between the substrate and the fastening member. The fastening strap assembly of the present invention has a unique sideway bending/curving function. Another aspect of the present invention provides a foam article, such as a seat cushion, including the sideway-bendable fastening strap assembly. |
| US08322001B2 |
Fastening device
A fastener for fastening an attached or trim part to a support part includes a receptacle part having a pocket with a lateral opening and a guide slot, and a connecting part having at least one flange that can be introduced into the pocket through the lateral opening and having a fastening section. The fastening section has an opening to accommodate a retaining stud projecting from the support part. Located in the opening are latching fingers which can hold the retaining stud in place in the opening. |
| US08322000B2 |
Free falling locking tongue
A locking tongue seat belt assembly includes a tongue plate with a pair of side portions, an end flange that extends along the rear of the tongue plate, a pair of spaced apart side flanges that extend from the tongue plate along respective side portions of the tongue plate, and a lock bar that extends between the two side flanges. The ends of the lock bar are guided in respective slots of the side flanges such that the lock bar is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The lock bar and the end flange are configured to receive seat belt webbing between the lock bar and the end flange. The seat belt webbing is cinched between the lock bar and the end flange when the lock bar is in the locked position. |
| US08321998B2 |
Rope locking device
A tensioning device that is inexpensive to manufacture and is useful for various rope tensioning applications. The rope locking device can be used anywhere along a length of rope that is being used to hold, tie down, or secure a load or item. The rope locking device includes: a body having a first end, a second end, and side ends; a first bore extending through the body; a second bore extending through the body, wherein the second bore is horizontally aligned and spaced apart from said first bore by a first space, wherein the first and second bore are located proximate to the first end of the body; a third bore extending through the body, wherein the third bore is located proximate to the second end of the body, and wherein the third bore is spaced from the first and second bores; a first slot vertically aligned with the first bore; a second slot vertically aligned with the second bore, wherein the second slot is spaced from the first slot by a second space; and a cam element pivotally mounted within the third bore. |
| US08321995B2 |
Pallet glide with staple and screw support regions
Embodiments of the disclosed technology are of a glide or furniture/pallet support. The device has a convex base allowing for ease of rotation of a supported device and minimal surface area contacting the ground. The device may be attached to an object by way of a screw hole/aperture centrally placed and/or dimpled regions near the periphery. The device has a circular periphery and a plurality of such devices are used, in embodiments of the disclosed technology, to support an object. |
| US08321994B2 |
Furniture slide
A furniture slide for placement between an object to be moved and flooring over which the object is to be moved. The slide member has top and bottom faces wherein the bottom face is provided with a smooth surface for sliding on a carpeted floor. A block of compressible material is provided with a top surface for supportive contact with an object or furniture to be moved, and the block is configured and dimensioned for a bottom surface thereof to be removably supported on the top face of the slide member. The bottom face of this compressible block is comprised of a fabric material for sliding engagement on a hard floor surface. |
| US08321991B2 |
Precision contouring tool
Cold rolled, annealed, blue tempered spring steel and high density polytetrafluoroethylene are combined and specifically gauged, sized, and edged to form a precision contouring tool capable of shaping, contouring, and controlling the movement of synthetic fillers on damaged auto body panels, resulting in a perfectly shaped repair. For application involving flat panels a stiffening bar is frictionally fitted to the precision contouring tool. |
| US08321990B2 |
Detachable multifunctional cleaner
A detachable multifunctional cleaner comprises a handle which has an insertion piece downwardly protruded from one end; a cover which has an insertion hole at one side of an upper surface for inserting the insertion piece; and a foreign substance removing means which is detachably attached to the cover, wherein the insertion piece and the insertion hole are assembled on a vertical line Z with respect to a bottom surface of the cover, and at least one position determination protrusion and at least one position determination groove are formed in the insertion piece and the insertion hole, respectively, for determining the engaging position of the handle. |
| US08321988B1 |
Grooved broom for use with a refrigerated trailer floor
The grooved broom for use with a refrigerated trailer floor that includes a plurality of separated regions of bristles having the same length. The separated regions of bristles form grooves, which are adaptively engaged upon a grooved or notch floor, which is typically associated with trailer floors. The grooved broom features adjustable ends that extends and retracts along each end of said broom, and which provides a means to sweep against sides of said floor. The adjustable end is adjusted via a spring-loaded button that is located on the broom, and which can lock upon one of a plurality of holes located on the respective adjustable end. |
| US08321986B2 |
Nozzle cleaner
A nozzle cleaner having a configuration for centering a cutter thereof with respect to a welding nozzle. The nozzle cleaner peels off sputter from an inner peripheral surface of a welding nozzle by inserting the cutter toward the inner peripheral surface of the welding nozzle, and then rotating the cutter. The nozzle cleaner includes a guide mechanism to center the welding nozzle with respect to the cutter. The guide mechanism includes an insertion-side roller unit and a cutter-side roller unit, each having a pair of guide rollers having a smaller diameter portion and a pair of enlarged diameter portions. The enlarged diameter portions guide the welding nozzle to the vicinity of the central position of the corresponding smaller diameter portion. The facing guide rollers of the cutter-side roller unit and of the insertion-side roller unit are arranged in arrangement directions orthogonal to each other, respectively. |
| US08321978B1 |
Pillow with concealed play body
A child's stuffed pillow and a play item concealable within a pocket in the pillow. Two cushioning members, each including a cushioning medium and having a flexible fabric covering thereover, are attached together as by sewing in a side-by-side arrangement around common perimeter edges of inner covering panels of the coverings. A pocket is formed between the inner covering panels into which a play item is concealable within the pocket. A tether is connected between the bottom of the pocket and the neck of the play item to hold the play item in close proximity to the pocket during play wherein the child may grasp the play item like a handle of the pillow. |
| US08321973B2 |
Infant-carrier docking station and crib therewith
An infant-carrier docking station includes a support part and a carrier holder. The support part is disposed across on opposite handrails of a crib frame. The carrier holder is connected to the support part above the crib frame. The carrier holder can hold an infant carrier of a safety seat in a detachable way. A crib includes a bed frame and the infant-carrier docking station. The infant-carrier docking station is disposed across on opposite handrails of the bed frame. Therefore, the invention is convenient for a caregiver to directly move the infant carrier from any place else to the infant-carrier docking station without waking up the baby sleeping on the infant carrier. |
| US08321972B1 |
Easily adjustable lifting belt
A lifting belt comprising a waist belt and a detachable right and left leg strap is described. The lifting belt allows for quick and easy lifting of a person that has fallen, or is otherwise incapacitated. The lifting belt is configured with a plurality of lifting handles on the waist belt. The plurality of lifting handles allows a after to choose a handle that is in a suitable location for them to reach. The lifting handles are made of a woven fabric attached to the waist belt and a daisy chain configuration on the leg straps, so they are not uncomfortable to the fallen person. The lifting belt is adjustable in size, whereby an attachment device can connect a leg strap or waist belt by an end loop, daisy chain loop, or lifting handle. In one embodiment, the left and right leg straps are a different design, such as different colors, to allow for quick identification and coordination between lifters. |
| US08321971B2 |
Sleeper sofa
A convertible sofa-bed which is easy to convert between a sofa configuration and a bed configuration is provided. From a sofa configuration, a buttock-foot member may be pulled outward. Simultaneously, a head rest member and back rest member which are initially at a generally vertical position are traversed to a generally horizontal position. When the buttock-foot member is fully traversed outward (i.e., extended position), the head rest member, back rest member and the buttock-foot member are generally substantially coplanar and generally horizontal. This provides a firm bed. From the bed configuration, head rest member and the back rest member may be buckled to allow the buttock-foot member to be pushed inward. The buttock-foot member is then pushed fully inward (i.e., retracted position) until the head rest member and the back rest member are in the generally vertical position with the buttock-foot member and back rest member forming a seat. |
| US08321968B2 |
Self-generating bidet
There is provided a self-generating bidet that can perform power-generation using water supplied to the bidet or a water tank. The self-generating bidet, injecting water through a nozzle part, includes a water inlet into which water is introduced; a generator generating power through the water introduced by the water inlet; a charging unit storing electricity generated from the generator; and a nozzle passage part provided between the generator and the nozzle part to supply the water passing through the generator to the nozzle part. The self-generating bidet further includes a controller controlling the generator to be driven by opening a passage of the nozzle passage part in order to allow the water to be discharged through the nozzle part when a voltage of the charging unit is lower than a predetermined reference voltage. |
| US08321967B2 |
Wall installed toilet
Disclosed are toilets suitable to be installed partially behind a bathroom wall. In some embodiments a siphon leg of the toilet trapway extends sideways between lateral studs of the wall. Thus, an elongated trapway can be accommodated without needing to position the siphon leg in the bathroom or behind the wall studs. In other embodiments the tank for the toilet is also positioned between studs of the room wall. |
| US08321965B2 |
Combined head and neck protector
A head and neck protector for use by a race car or other driver includes a yoke which is mounted on the shoulders of the driver, and a helmet which is mounted on a portion of the yoke extending around the sides and back of the driver's neck. The helmet is securely latched to the yoke to prevent rotation of the helmet relative to the yoke. The interior volume of the helmet is sufficiently large that the driver can freely move his or her head without corresponding movement of the helmet. |
| US08327461B2 |
High-speed scanning probe microscope
The invention is directed to a probe for scanning probe microscopy. The probe 20 comprises a tunnel-current conducting part 30 and a tunnel-current insulating part 40. The said parts are configured such that the insulating part determines a minimal distance between the conducting part 30 and the sample surface. The invention may further concern a scanning probe microscope having such a probe, and a corresponding scanning probe microscopy method. Since the distance to the sample surface 100 is actually determined by the insulating part 40, controlling the vertical position of the probe 20 relative to the sample surface is easily and rapidly achieved. The configuration of the parts allows for a fast scan of the sample surface, whereby high-speed imaging can be achieved. Further, embodiments allow for topographical variations to be accurately captured through tunneling effect. |
| US08327460B2 |
Probe microscope and measurement method using the same
The present invention allows simple and sensitive detection of microimpurities, microdefects, and corrosion starting points which may be present in a material. A probe microscope has a function to sense ions diffused from a specimen in a liquid. A probe is caused to scan over a predetermined range on a specimen. Then, the probe is fixed to a particular position in a liquid so as to set the distance between the specimen and the probe to a given value at which the microstructure of the specimen surface cannot be observed. Thereafter, one of the current between the probe and a counter electrode and the potential between the probe and a reference electrode is controlled, and the other of the current and potential which varies in accordance with the control is measured. Thus, ions diffused from the specimen are sensed. |
| US08327457B1 |
Managing asset access
A system is provided for managing asset access. The system includes a processor, a user manager interface, an asset manager interface, and an access tool. The access tool, when executed by the processor, compiles a user list of user access to restricted assets, provides the user list to the user manager interface, and receives a modified user list of user access to the restricted assets from the user manager interface. The access tool also compiles an asset list of user access to the restricted assets, provides the asset list to the asset manager interface, and receives a modified asset list of user access to the restricted assets from the asset manager interface. Additionally, the access tool modifies the user access to at least one of the restricted assets based on at least one of the modified user list and the modified asset list. |
| US08327452B2 |
Program obfuscation apparatus, program obfuscation method and computer readable medium
A program obfuscation method includes: detecting a loop from an obfuscation target program; adding a conditional expression to the obfuscation target program at a preceding stage of the loop, wherein the conditional expression is neither permanently invalid nor permanently valid and adding a flow in which (a) when a logical value of the conditional expression is false, processing of the obfuscation target program proceeds to a start of the loop, and (b) when the logical value of the conditional expression is true, the processing executes a set of executable statements equivalent to a set of executable statements which are ones from the first executable statement to a middle executable statement among a plurality of executable statements in the loop, and then the processing proceeds to an executable statement subsequent to the middle executable statement in the loop. |
| US08327450B2 |
Digital safety deposit box
A system that enables secure data storage into a third party managed electronic storage vault is disclosed. This electronic storage vault provides customers with a secure location to store important data such as insurance policies, automobile titles, deeds, wills, birth certificates, tax documents or the like. An interface can be provided which secures (e.g., encrypts, digitally signs) data related to transmission, storage and retrieval. A management component can be employed to regulate (e.g., authenticate) deposit or access of documents to/from the storage vault. |
| US08327446B2 |
Antivirus stand-alone network or internet appliance and methods therefor
The invention provides an antivirus network or Internet appliance and methods therefor. A preferred embodiment of the Internet appliance according to the invention comprises an interface connecting the Internet appliance to a terminal, a memory, and a network connection connecting the Internet appliance to a network (such as a wide area network (WAN) or the Internet) wherein data in the network are operable with a corresponding network protocol (such as TCP/IP). Protocol-level programs are stored in the memory for receiving data being transmitted from the network to the terminal through the Internet appliance wherein the protocol-level programs are compatibly operable with the network protocol. Application-level antivirus programs are stored in the memory for detecting computer viruses in the received data serving as a firewall against the detected computer viruses for the terminal. The Internet appliance according to this particular embodiment of the invention further includes a processor (such as a central processor unit or CPU) and an operating system for implementing the protocol-level programs and the antivirus programs, wherein the antivirus programs are advantageously transparent to the terminal. |
| US08327445B2 |
Time travelling email messages after delivery
Systems and methods for reviewing email messages after delivery to an inbox. An inbox filter maintains a suspect list identifying of the email messages including unwanted content and identifies unread email messages in the inbox of the user. The inbox filter moves each identified unread email message to a suspect folder when the determined source of the identified unread email message is contained in the suspect list of sources. |
| US08327444B2 |
Suspicious autonomous system path detection
A system includes a memory to store instructions and an autonomous system path (AS-path) and a processor. The processor executes instructions in the memory to determine an origin degree for each autonomous system in the AS-path, compare the origin degree of a first adjacent autonomous system in the AS-path with each subsequent autonomous system in the AS-path, and sum percentage increase values determined by comparing the origin degree of the first adjacent autonomous system in the AS-path with each subsequent autonomous system in the AS-path to determine a suspicion score for the AS-path. |
| US08327441B2 |
System and method for application attestation
An instrumented machine or platform having a target application thereon is disclosed. An attestation service may generate an application artifact having associated therewith a name and an application statement having at least one of a plurality of attribute value assertions describing the examined runtime local execution and introspection based derived security context. The application statements may represent the level of contextual trustworthiness, at near real time, of a running application on the instrumented target platform. A runtime process and network monitor may examine the local runtime execution context of the target application, and an identity provider may authenticate a user to the web application based on a web services query for attestation of the target application. A physical or logical authorization service may control access of an authenticated user to the target application, based on a dynamic application statement and multi-factor application attestation issued by the attestation service. |
| US08327440B2 |
Method and apparatus for enhanced browsing with security scanning
A method and apparatus for enhanced browsing with security scanning. Within a document (e.g., a web page, a word processing document, a list of electronic mail messages), a link to other content or another document is selected by a computing device and the content is identified before a user clicks on the link to open the content. The content is placed into a safe cache that prevents the content from adversely affecting the user's computing device. The content is scanned and/or its behavior is analyzed to detect any security threats or undesirable content (e.g., viruses, worms, scripts, adware, spyware, pornography). Results of the analysis may be collected at a central server. The link or an associated indicator may be configured to indicate whether a threat is present; more information may be provided as desired. A user may be provided with various options to ignore a threat, disable the link, etc. |
| US08327439B2 |
System, method and computer program product for identifying functions in computer code that control a behavior thereof when executed
A security data structure, method and computer program product are provided. In use, computer code is received. Furthermore, functions in the computer code that control a behavior of the computer code when executed are statically identified. |
| US08327437B2 |
Securing network traffic by distributing policies in a hierarchy over secure tunnels
A technique for securing message traffic in a data network using a protocol such as IPsec, and more particularly various methods for distributing security policies among peer entities in a network while minimizing the passing and storage of detailed policy or key information except at the lowest levels of a hierarchy. |
| US08327425B2 |
Method for establishing an agency relationship to perform delegated computing tasks
A method is disclosed for establishing an agency relationship to perform delegated computing tasks. The method provides for initiation of the agency relationship, establishment of credentials to perform a delegated computing task, and performance of the delegated computing task. Benefits of establishing an agency relationship in a computing environment include improved security, efficiency, and reliability in performing delegated computing tasks. |
| US08327424B2 |
Method and apparatus for selecting a certificate authority
A certificate authority selection unit implements a method for selecting one of a plurality of certificate authorities servicing a plurality of administrative domains in a communication system. The method includes: receiving, from an end-entity via an interface, a certificate service request associated with an identifier; selecting, based on the identifier, one of the plurality of administrative domains in the communication system, wherein the plurality of administrative domains are serviced by a plurality of certificate authorities; retrieving a security profile for the end-entity; and selecting, based on the security profile for the end-entity, one of the plurality of certificate authorities to process the certificate service request. |
| US08327415B2 |
Enabling byte-code based image isolation
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for setting an extensible policy mechanism to protect a root data structure including a page table, interpreting a bytecode of a pre-boot driver in a byte code interpreter, and controlling access to a memory location based on the extensible policy mechanism. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08327402B1 |
Methods and devices for presenting an interactive media guidance application
Methods and devices for presenting an interactive media guidance application are provided in accordance with various embodiments. In some embodiments, the methods comprise: determining that a first portion of guide listings corresponding to guidance information for a first amount of time has been displayed on the user equipment device; automatically requesting a second portion of guide listings corresponding to guidance information for a second amount of time from a database having guidance information in response to determining that the first portion of guide listings has been displayed, wherein the second amount of time succeeds the first amount of time in time order and wherein the second portion of guide listings is stored in a cache located between the database and the user equipment device; receiving an indication that a user has requested at least one guide listing within the second portion of guide listings; and receiving the second portion of guide listings from the cache in response to receiving the indication from the user. |
| US08327393B2 |
Disc-clamping mechanism and disc driving apparatus
A simplified disc-clamping mechanism is provided to decrease the number of parts and processes of the assembly of a disc-clamping mechanism. The disc-clamping mechanism has a clamping plate sandwiching a disc by cooperating with a turntable, and a clamp base rotatably holding the clamping plate. The clamping plate has a surface plate pressing a disc toward the turntable, a small-radius body portion having an outer diameter smaller than that of the surface plate portion, and a flange portion protruding more than an end portion in an axial direction of the small-radius body portion and being parallel to the surface plate portion. The clamp base is integrally formed while including a thin-plate shaped holding portion, a stopper piece, and a bent portion which extends from the holding portion. |
| US08327388B2 |
Cloth application programmer interface
A method of executing a physics simulation is performed in a system comprising a computational platform, a main application stored in the computational platform, a secondary application stored in the computational platform, and a cloth application programming interface (API) implemented in the computational platform. The method defines a cloth simulation call in the cloth API, and by operation of the main application, invokes a software routine using the cloth simulation call. Additionally, by operation of the secondary application, a state of the physics simulation is updated in response to the software routine. |
| US08327386B2 |
Mechanism that provides more efficient event handler processing
Disclosed is an apparatus, method, service product, and program product which each provide an enhanced, registration-based event handler mechanism. Listener programs are located and compiled before notification is needed. When notification is ultimately required, the pre-located listeners can be called directly without incurring the performance expense associated with first locating and then calling each listener. |
| US08327385B2 |
System and method for recording web page events
Unobserved user interface events may be detected based on upon previously recorded data streams of events. The prior data streams are obtained by recording events from users who have browsers that support both event capturing and bubbling. When users with browsers that support only event bubbling interact with the page, the data stream is augmented by inferring unobserved events based on similarity to other event stream records. |
| US08327382B2 |
Media rendering hierarchy
To process media data from one or more sources, a hierarchy of media components are formed. Each media component receives as input one or more streams of media data and manipulates the media data to produce an output media stream. The media components conform to a uniform plug-in structure. The plug-in structure defines an abstraction that facilitates the hierarchical organization of the media components and that allows the media components to interact, in a decoupled manner, with each other and with processors that perform specific types of media data manipulations. The hierarchy can be reorganized dynamically. |
| US08327380B2 |
Method and interprocess communication driver for managing requests of a database client to a database server
Certain example embodiments relate to techniques for managing the interprocess communication between at least one database client process and at least one database server process in a database system. The at least one database client process sends at least one request to the at least one database server process, with the at least one request comprising one or more buffers. The one or more buffers are transferred, in a single step, from the at least one database client process to a buffer area. The one or more buffers are transferred, in a single step, from the buffer area to the at least one database client process. The buffer area is directly accessible by the at least one database server process. |
| US08327374B1 |
Framework for executing multiple threads and sharing resources in a multithreaded computer programming environment
Techniques for execution of multiple threads in a multithreaded computing programming environment are disclosed. The techniques are especially well suited for environments that use multilayered programming architecture where a higher layer can build on the functions provided by a lower layer where the delay time is an important consideration. In one aspect, the conceptual notion of a “Worker” effectively serves to represent the thread-specific execution context for a thread of execution (“thread”) in a multithreaded computing environment. Another aspect, provides the notion of an Exclusion Area (EA) as logical lock that serves to protect shared resources in a multithreaded environment. The combination of the worker and EA are used to provide a powerful framework that, among other things, allows minimizing of the delay time. |
| US08327372B1 |
Virtualization and server imaging system for allocation of computer hardware and software
A system for improving resource utilization across a cluster of interconnected symmetric multiprocessor (“SMP”) servers is provided. The system includes single system image (“SSI”) software that represents the cluster of SMP servers as a single virtual SMP server and virtualization software that partitions the virtual SMP server into virtual servers. The system may also include virtual infrastructure management software that is used to partition the virtual SMP server into the virtual servers. A method for using SMP servers is further provided. The method includes representing the SMP servers as a virtual SMP server and partitioning the virtual SMP server into virtual servers. The method may also include allocating and reallocating processes across the physical SMP servers. |
| US08327368B2 |
Managing execution of mixed workloads in a simultaneous multi-threaded (SMT) enabled system
A kernel of a SMT enabled processor system facilitates construction of an exclusive set of processors to simulate an ST mode for handling the tasks of the ST workload, wherein the ST workload runs more efficiently on single threaded processors. The kernel schedules the ST workload on the exclusive set of processors by selecting one hardware thread per processor within said exclusive set of processors to handle a separate one of the tasks of the ST workload, while requiring the remaining hardware threads per processor within the exclusive set to idle. As a result, the ST workload is executed on the SMT enabled processor system as if the exclusive set of processors run in ST mode, but without actually deactivating the remaining idle hardware threads per processor within the exclusive set of processors. |
| US08327367B2 |
Information service providing system, information service providing device, and method therefor
An information service providing device selects a combination, all sensors contained in which are available and which has the highest priority, from within the combinations of sensors, which are for implementing an information service. In addition, the information service providing device selects an appropriate parameter for the sensors and processing program selected so as to be provided appropriately in response to the environment in which an information service has been implemented, and sets the parameter to these. By selecting sensors and processing program, and setting parameters, the information service providing device with only the receipt of the designation of desired information service by a user, various information services by appropriately combining various kinds of sensors and a plurality of processing programs. |
| US08327366B2 |
Data processing device, scheduling device, and scheduling method for program operation cycle allocation
The present invention comprises: a unit time calculating unit for calculating, as a unit time, the greatest common denominator of the individual operating cycles of a plurality of programs; an allocating unit for allocating the individual operating cycles of the plurality of programs into each of a plurality of continuous base periods that each have their respective unit times, in sequence beginning with the shortest operating cycle, and for allocating the operating cycles of remaining programs for which the operations have not been completed during one of the plurality of base periods into remaining base periods, in sequence beginning with the shortest operating cycles; and an operating unit for running the plurality of programs that are allocated to operating times. |
| US08327364B2 |
Method of minimizing average deviation of job completion times by executing data retrieval jobs in order of decreasing retrieval times
A solution for retrieving data from a plurality of different sources, wherein the data are retrieved from the different sources by means of respective data retrieval jobs having respective execution times. A data retrieval jobs execution list is built by ordering the data retrieval jobs to be executed in order of decreasing execution times. Next, the data retrieval jobs are executed according to the data retrieval jobs execution list. |
| US08327362B2 |
Workflow information generation unit configured to construct a workflow with a plurality of processes and determine its allowability, a method of constructing the same, and an image processing apparatus configured to execute the same
A workflow information generation unit is used for constructing a workflow configured with a plurality of processes. Information of the processes is storable in a workflow information storage. The workflow information generation unit includes a process-designation information obtaining unit, an advance notice output unit, an implementation-determination information obtaining unit, a process information output unit, a result information output unit. The process-designation information obtaining unit obtains information designating a process to be included in the workflow. The advance notice output unit outputs advance notice information to notify that information of the designated process is to be stored in the workflow information storage. The implementation-determination information obtaining unit obtains implementation-determination information indicating whether the designated process is allowed to be included in the workflow. The process information output unit stores information of the designated process to the workflow information storage. The result information output unit outputs result information for the designated process. |
| US08327361B2 |
Method and system for storing and referencing partial complex resources using object identifiers in a printing system
A print control unit coupled with a printer, the print control unit having host to provide partial resource components to a complex resource generator, the partial resources components including printing instructions. The complex resource generator to generate a shell representing a complex resource, generate a partial complex resource having the partial resource components, the shell to hold the partial complex resource, and store the partial complex resource to be referenced later. |
| US08327360B2 |
Migration of process instances
For migrating process instances, first input information describing changes between a first process template and a second process template is received. Second input information describing grouping of said changes is also received. A set of combinations of the first process template and the second process template is determined by applying the changes to the first process template in complete groups as defined by the second input information. |
| US08327359B2 |
Method and apparatus for adaptive integrity measurement of computer software
Systems and methods are described herein that discuss how a computing platform executing a virtualized environment, in one example, can be integrity verified adaptively and on demand. This may occur at initial runtime, as well as during continued operations, and allows the platform user to install software from various vendors without sacrificing the integrity measurement and therefore the trustworthiness of the platform. |
| US08327357B2 |
Mechanism for virtual time stamp counter acceleration
A mechanism for virtual time stamp counter acceleration is disclosed. A method of embodiments of the invention includes setting a virtual machine (VM) time stamp counter (TSC) to a hyper-fast rate, receiving control of the VM due to a VM exit caused by the VM issuing an instruction that reads the VM TSC, and adjusting the VM TSC with a value of an offset counter associated with the VM. |
| US08327355B2 |
Method, computer program product, and hardware product for supporting virtual machine guest migration overcommit
Virtual machine guest migration overcommit is supported by providing a virtual machine with an unschedulable resource that is not available for system scheduling. The unschedulable resource may, but need not, be provided in the form of a memory buffer, or one or more network resources, or one or more resources that are accessible from a network. The unschedulable resource is utilized in one or more domains to temporarily conceal one or more user environments that do not fit into a set of currently available resources, such that the one or more temporarily concealed user environments are not terminated or paged out. |
| US08327351B2 |
Application modification framework
Methods and apparatus for an application modification framework used in an integrated technology platform are shown, which allows hot deployment of modifications, including a modification component, a hot deployment component, and a package manager component. The framework provides various editors to allow a developer of the base application or a custom client application to edit files and features associated with the application. Managers are provided to control each of the editors and for maintenance of historical information to allow auditing and modification monitoring. Hot deployment controls the ability of the user to implement modifications and changes, wherein changes are identified as to origin and purpose, allowing smart debug to identify if error(s) occurred during custom modification, base modification or otherwise. |
| US08327346B2 |
Run-time type conversion
A method, system and computer program product for converting a class (i.e., type) of an object from a first class to a second class. Multiple classes, class layouts, and an object layout are received. A first class layout references a first virtual function table (v-table) that defines behaviors of the first class. A second class layout references a second v-table that defines behaviors of the second class. The object layout includes a reference to the first v-table to define runtime behaviors of the object as the behaviors of the first class. At runtime, the reference in the object layout is modified to reference the second v-table to update the object's runtime behaviors to the behaviors of the second class, thereby converting the object from the first class to the second class without changing to an object layout memory address or to any class layout. |
| US08327340B2 |
Executable high-level trace file generation method
An executable high-level trace file generation method provides reduced debugging effort and time, particularly on initial startup of new or modified hardware. An executable program invokes high-level application programming interfaces (APIs), to perform various tasks. Instructions within the APIs generate a trace file documenting the invoked sequence of APIs by writing a line to a trace file that documents the API and input parameters received by the API. Upon completion of execution of the API, the return value may be documented as a comment line in the trace file. The resulting trace file is then re-executable as a script and may be edited to alter the sequence of APIs invoked and/or the arguments provided. The script interpreter may be a command line interface through which the APIs are invoked, and trace files may be similarly generated that document sequences of manually entered commands. |
| US08327339B2 |
Method and system for fast static taint analysis
A method for detecting user input dependence in software code. The method including representing the software code with a reachability graph having: a plurality of nodes, where a root node of the plurality of nodes represents an input controlled by a user; a first directed edge connecting a first node of the plurality of nodes and a second node of the plurality of nodes, where the first directed edge represents a data dependency; and a second directed edge connecting a third node of the plurality of nodes and a fourth node of the plurality of nodes, wherein the second directed edge represents a data dependency. The method also includes identifying a fifth node of the plurality of nodes as a reachable node from the root node by traversing the reachability graph from the root node to the reachable node; and marking a portion of the software code represented by the reachable node as user input dependant. |
| US08327329B2 |
Application dehydration, synchronization, and rehydration
Computer software applications may be separated into components and distilled into functional and identifying attributes, which may then be used to regenerate the computer software application on a different system. A component of a computer software program is received. From the component, one or more functional attributes describing the operation of the component on a first operating platform are distilled from which the component can be generated to operate on one or more operating platforms. Attributes identifying the component are identified. The functional attributes and the identifying attributes of the component are stored in a distillation store. From the distillation store, using information about a selected operating platform on which the computer software program is to be executed, components of the computer software program may be generated to execute on the selected operating platform. |
| US08327325B2 |
Programmable framework for automatic tuning of software applications
A target application is automatically tuned. A list of solutions for identified performance bottlenecks in a target application is retrieved from a storage device. A plurality of modules is executed to compute specific parameters for solutions contained in the list of solutions. A list of modification commands associated with specific parameters computed by the plurality of modules is generated. The list of modification commands associated with the specific parameters is appended to a command sequence list. The list of modification commands is implemented in the target application. Specific source code regions corresponding to the identified performance bottlenecks in the target application are automatically tuned using the implemented list of modification commands. Then, the tuned target application is stored in the storage device. |
| US08327319B2 |
Software model process interaction
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for defining interactions between two process components. For each process component, at least one inbound operation and at least one outbound operation are defined. The inbound operations can be initiated by the other process component to read or modify data encapsulated in a business object solely associated with the process component. The outbound operations can read or modify data encapsulated in a business object solely associated with the other process component. Each of the process components characterizes software implementing a respective and distinct process, and each of the process components defines a respective at least one service interface for communicating and interacting with other process components. In addition, all communication and interaction between process components takes place through the respective interfaces of the process components. |
| US08327318B2 |
Software factory health monitoring
A method, system, and computer-readable medium for maintaining a health of a software factory that creates custom software in a standardized manner is presented. In a preferred embodiment, the method includes the steps of: defining work packets to perform sub-functions of a custom software; tracking a transmission of the work packets to an assembly line in a software factory; monitoring any retrieval of software artifacts that are used to create the work packets; monitoring any on-going changes of work activities that are contained in the work packets; determining if execution of the work packets conforms to governance guidelines for the software factory; monitoring the software factory to ensure that the work packets comply with an architecture of the software factory; tracking quality metrics for an execution of the work packets in an assembly line in the software factory; and transmitting all tracked and monitored information described above to a dashboard. |
| US08327316B2 |
Compilation model
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or method that facilitates creating executable code for an industrial environment. A language editor can enable a programming of a portion of data within a programming language. A compiler can compile the portion of data within the programming language. An assembler component can utilize an intermediate language to convert the portion of data into a portion of assembly object code, wherein the assembly object code is target independent. A linker can create a binary file from the portion of assembly object code, wherein the binary file is target independent. A loader can specifically tailor the binary file to a target resource by leveraging at least one PLC definition, wherein the loader creates a target executable code (TEC) program at runtime or at development time. |
| US08327311B1 |
Generating a simulation model of a circuit design
Approaches for generating functions for activating processes in a simulation model. At least two mutually exclusive sub-ranges of a plurality of bits of a net of the circuit design are determined. A respective process set associated with each sub-range of the plurality of bits is determined. The specification of a wakeup function includes for each sub-range of the plurality of bits, a test for a change in value of at least one bit in the sub-range of the plurality of bits, and an initiation of each process in the associated process set in response to a detected change in value of the at least one bit. The specification also includes control, responsive to a detected change in value of at least one bit in one of the sub-ranges, that bypasses a test for a change in value of at least one bit in at least one other of the sub-ranges. |
| US08327308B2 |
Method and apparatus for designing integrated circuit
An integrated circuit designing apparatus for designing a semiconductor integrated circuit. The designing includes verifying the timing based on delay information included in the design data, the delay information is extracted from results of placing and wiring of the semiconductor integrated circuit; determining whether each value of hold-time errors generated as a result of the timing verification is smaller than a criteria value; extracting, when the value of a hold-time error is smaller than the criteria value, a wiring line in which the hold-time error is improved by performing a wiring line extension process, the wiring line is included in a path having the hold-time error; calculating, for the extracted wiring line, a wiring line extension distance corresponding to an insertion delay value that improves the hold-time error; and performing the wiring line extension process to extend the extracted wiring line by the calculated wiring line extension distance. |
| US08327306B2 |
Method for optimizing location and number of power/ground pads on power/ground distribution network with multiple voltage domains
The present invention relates to a method for optimizing power/ground pads in a power/ground distribution network. A power/ground distribution network is created for each of multiple voltage domains and a load current source of each node of the power/ground distribution network is modeled in consideration of the actual shapes and areas of functional blocks. A local optimization method is developed to solve problems generated when a conventional optimization method is applied to optimization of power/ground pads in a bump shape used for a flip chip, and a combination of global optimization and local optimization is applied to layouts using bump bonding, which is discriminated from the conventional optimization method restrictively applicable to layouts using wire bonding. |
| US08327300B2 |
Place and route tool that incorporates a metal-fill mechanism
Disclosed is a method, system, and article of manufacture for a one-pass approach for implementing metal-fill for an integrated circuit. Also disclosed is a method, system, and article of manufacture for implementing metal-fill that is coupled to a tie-off connection. An approach that is disclosed comprises a method, system, and article of manufacture for implementing metal-fill having an elongated shape that corresponds to the length of whitespace. Also disclosed is the aspect of implementing metal-fill that matches the routing direction. Yet another disclosure is an implementation of a place & route tool incorporating an integrated metal-fill mechanism. |
| US08327297B2 |
User interface system for handheld devices
One or more handheld devices may be configured to receive and display content. A server may be configured to help the handheld devices display content. For example, by using at least some of the contents of one or more of feeds, the server may generate user interface data, which the handheld devices may use to display user interfaces that are configured to request content associated with the feeds. |
| US08327296B2 |
Extended keyboard user interface
The subject matter of this document can be implemented in, among other things, a method that includes displaying, on a user interface of a computing device, a base portion of a keyboard. The method further includes receiving, on the user interface, a user input that includes initiating a contact at a first region of the user interface that is associated with the base portion of the keyboard, moving the contact, while maintaining connection with the user interface, to a second region of the user interface that is outside the first region and that is associated with an extended portion of the keyboard, and releasing the contact at a location within the second region. The method further includes activating a selection in the extended portion of the keyboard based on the location within the second region at which the contact is released. |
| US08327295B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method for displaying auxiliary information
There is provided an information processing apparatus, including a direction detection unit that detects a drawing direction of a locus drawn in an input process of a gesture when the gesture is input, a gesture search unit that searches for the gesture matching the drawing direction of the locus detected by the direction detection unit from among a plurality of predetermined gestures, and an auxiliary information display unit that displays a search result by the gesture search unit in a screen as auxiliary information each time the drawing direction of the locus is detected by the direction detection unit. |
| US08327289B2 |
Layered user interface
A user interface for a device comprises a plurality of layers. The content for the user interface is associated with one of the plurality of layers. |
| US08327287B2 |
Character input program and character input device
A plurality of character input key images are displayed on the screen. One character is displayed on the screen as an undetermined character in a cyclic order from among a group of characters associated with one of the character input key images each time a button provided on the pointing device is operated while the character input key image is being pointed at by a pointing device. When the position pointed at by the pointing device moves out of the character input key image associated with the undetermined character being displayed on the screen, the undetermined character is displayed as a determined character on the screen. Thus, it is possible to suppress the lowering of the character input speed and the possibility of erroneous inputs while reducing the total number of keys required for inputting characters. |
| US08327286B2 |
Unifying application launchers and switchers
Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system, and media for intelligently presenting buttons that correspond to running windows as well as a set of application launchers that launch instances of software applications. One version of the method includes receiving an indication that an instance of a software application has been invoked by a launching mechanism, which leads to creating a windowed process in which to present the instance of the software application; determining that at least one of the application launchers was the launching mechanism; automatically removing the launcher(s) from view; and presenting a button that corresponds to the windowed process. |
| US08327285B2 |
Virtual keyboard text replication
Text that is selected at a virtual keyboard is submitted to and displayed at an application data field and is echoed at a keyboard data field that is in relatively close proximity to virtual keys used to select the text. Thus, a user does not have to alter their field of view to the application data field to determine what was submitted to the application data field. |
| US08327283B2 |
Electronic apparatus with display unit to display icon for mode and associated information-processing method
An image data taking unit takes image data of an object and stores the image data therein as an image data file. A display unit displays the image data stored in the image data taking unit. A mode-switching unit switches between a close-up mode and a distant-view mode of the image data taking unit. The close-up mode is for the object with a close distance and the distant-view mode is for the object with a long distance. A display control unit, when the close-up mode is on, displays a close-up mode icon on the display unit, and when the distant-view mode is on, displays a distant-mode icon on the display unit. The display control unit, when the mode-switching unit switches the distant-view mode on, replaces the close-up icon displayed on a predetermined position on the display unit by the distant-mode icon on the predetermined position. |
| US08327282B2 |
Extended keyboard user interface
The subject matter of this document can be implemented in, among other things, a method that includes displaying, on a user interface of a computing device, a base portion of a keyboard. The method further includes receiving, on the user interface, a user input that includes initiating a contact at a first region of the user interface that is associated with the base portion of the keyboard, moving the contact, while maintaining connection with the user interface, to a second region of the user interface that is outside the first region and that is associated with an extended portion of the keyboard, and releasing the contact at a location within the second region. The method further includes activating a selection in the extended portion of the keyboard based on the location within the second region at which the contact is released. |
| US08327278B2 |
Synchronizing metadata describes user content updates and an indication of user gestures being performed within the document, and across client systems using different communication channels
Tools and techniques for synchronizing metadata and document content across client systems using different communication channels are provided. These tools may define logical communication channels between client software components, and may allocate one of these channels to synchronizing updates to the contents of documents shared between these client components. These tools may allocate another one of the communication channels to synchronizing metadata between the client components, with the metadata describing activity pertaining to the shared documents. The client components may receive indications of activity made by users to the document contents, and may create metadata representing the activity. These client components may then transmit this metadata, using the further communication channel, to any number of other client components automatically in real time with the updates. |
| US08327275B2 |
Click-to-add, jot-it-down, and add banner
A method and apparatus is provided that allows a user to automatically add content, such as an event, to a container, such as, a calendar without directly accessing the container. Second and third preferred embodiments are also provided. |
| US08327274B2 |
Method and apparatus for customizing a model entity presentation based on a presentation policy
A method and device are provided for customizing a model entity presentation based on a presentation policy. The method comprises: applying the presentation policy to a first model to generate a presentation model; creating a model entity thereof according to the first model; reading model content from the first model and reading presentation data from the presentation model; and applying the read model content and presentation data to the model entity. The presentation model and core model of data are separated, and their association may be configured through a presentation policy in real-time during operation. The real-time and dynamic configuration of the method and device provide enhanced flexibility for users. |
| US08327270B2 |
Method, system, and computer readable storage for podcasting and video training in an information search system
A method and system for enhancing search skills of human guides in an information search system. The method allows human guides to be trained when they are not particularly busy fielding search queries from information seekers. The method can include determining whether a guide is idle and presenting to a human guide at least one video or audio source for training the human guide. The video training can include a demonstration of the most effective method for providing search results for an information search query, thereby enabling a guide to learn effective strategies and skills for conducting information searching. The training can contribute to the likelihood of the guide being promoted to a level of a more experienced human guide, thereby allowing greater effectiveness in fielding search queries for information seekers. |
| US08327266B2 |
Graphical user interface system for allowing management of a media item playlist based on a preference scoring system
Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for a peer device on a peer-to-peer (P2P) network are disclosed. A client application executing on the peer device provides and enables the GUIs. One of the GUIs may display a media item playlist. The user manages the media items displayed on the media item playlist by utilizing sorting criteria. The media item playlist displays a list of the users subscribing to the P2P network, the title of and information concerning media items recommended by the users and media items stored locally on the peer device, and a score for each media item on the media item playlist. The score may be determined by applying to the media items preferences defined by information provided by the user of the peer device, a profile developed from the defined preferences, and other information provided by the user. The user of the peer device provides the information to the peer device using other GUIs provided and enabled by the client application. |
| US08327262B2 |
Layout editing apparatus and layout editing method
Upon layout of plural contents on a sheet, containers to lay out the contents are automatically generated based on the sizes of the contents. The generated respective containers for the plural contents are arranged such that the containers are included in a sheet size. The plural contents are laid out with the arranged respective containers. |
| US08327258B2 |
Automated entry of information into forms of mobile applications
Automated form filling for mobile devices that provides reliable and accurate information to the forms, is easy to use, and is scaleable. A server-side approach is utilized, in which online applications for a mobile device are invoked on a server through a server-side proxy/cache. The proxy scans the content that is generated by the application for transmission to the mobile device to find forms that may be embedded in the content. When a form is encountered, fields of the form are filled with stored information based on automatically generated mapping information. |
| US08327257B2 |
Facilitating data manipulation in a browser-based user interface of an enterprise business application
Optimal presentation and editing of business data in a browser-based user interface of an integrated web-based business information system is described, including a browser at a user computer in dynamic communication with a web server allowing database editing and updating without browser page refreshes. For optimizing the data input/editing experience of the user, an array of features in various combinations is provided including: single-click instantiation of cell editing in a table displayed by the browser; single off-click or keyboard commits instantiating cell-wise data transfers; bulk editing allowing group modification of data elements across a plurality of adjacently-displayed or non-adjacently displayed records; client-side, location-based caching of old cell values allowing selective go-back for any edited or bulk-edited cell, in any order desired by the user, prior to a page-refreshing input event; and easy establishment/modification of sub-records associated with any of a displayed list of records using sub-record access icons, rollover menus, and auxiliary browser windows. |
| US08327256B2 |
Matrix tree presentation structures
Approaches for rendering data on a display are provided using matrix tree and matrix tree table presentation structures. A matrix table is rendered on a display. The matrix table comprises a set of columns and a set of rows. Each column is associated with a different dimension instance of a first dimension, and each row is associated with a different dimension instance of a second dimension. The intersection of each column and row is a cell. In one approach, a tree of nodes is rendered within at least one cell of the matrix table. In another approach, a tree table is rendered within at least one cell of the matrix table. The tree table comprises a tree of nodes, where each node of the tree of nodes comprises a row of data. A tree of nodes in a cell of the matrix table may be expanded or collapsed upon request. |
| US08327247B2 |
Bit probability estimation method for noisy modulation code
The present techniques provide systems and methods for decoding an optical data signal returned from an optical disc to retrieve source information. The decoding method is based on a 16 state trellis diagram, and may decode an optical data signal encoded through a modulation code where the input-to-output relationship is not convolutional, such as the 17 Parity Preserve/Prohibit (17pp) modulation code. A trellis diagram may enable non-convolutional trellis-modulated data to be more efficiently decoded. Further, the 16 state trellis diagram of the present techniques provides a unique path for each input-to-output bit pair, such that no information about input bits may be lost on parallel paths in a trellis diagram. |
| US08327240B2 |
Handling burst error events with interleaved Reed-Solomon (RS) codes
Handling burst error events with interleaved Reed-Solomon (RS) codes. A received signal, that has undergone convolutional interleaving sometime before, is received from a burst noise affected communication channel. The signal undergoes convolutional deinterleaving and the codewords generated there from undergo appropriate successive cyclic shifting to arrange burst noise affected symbols of various codewords into at least some common symbol locations. For example, at least two codewords have burst noise affected symbols in common symbol locations. An ensemble decoder jointly decodes multiple codewords during a same time period (i.e., processes multiple codewords simultaneously). By processing multiple codewords simultaneously, the ensemble decoder has greater error correction capability than a decoder that processes a single codeword at a time. |
| US08327236B2 |
Error judging circuit and shared memory system
An error judging circuit includes a first EOR circuit tree that generates a check bit of a correction code by polynomial remainder calculation with respect to a polynomial expression of an original code which is protected from an error with respect to data of m bit block unit by addition in a Galois extension field GF (2m) in SmEC-DmED using Reed-Solomon code, a second EOR circuit tree for generating syndromes from Sn=Y(αn) with respect to code C(x) in which the check bit is added to the original code when a polynomial representation of a code which is to be detected an error and has a possibility that an error is mixed is Y(x), and an error detection circuit unit that detect if there is a one block error, a two block error, or no error based on whether or not an equation of syndromes S12=S0S2 is satisfied. |
| US08327235B2 |
Error-floor mitigation of error-correction codes by changing the decoder alphabet
In one embodiment, an LDPC decoder has one or more reconfigurable adders that generate variable-node messages and one or more reconfigurable check-node units (CNUs) that generate check-node messages. The LDPC decoder has a five-bit precision mode in which the reconfigurable adders and CNUs are configured to process five-bit variable-node and check-node messages, respectively. If the LDPC decoder is unable to properly decode codewords in five-bit precision mode, then the decoder can be reconfigured in real time into a ten-bit precision mode in which the reconfigurable adders and CNUs are configured to process ten-bit variable-node and check-node messages, respectively. By increasing the size of the variable-node and check-node messages from five bits to ten bits, the probability that the LDPC decoder will decode the codeword correctly may be increased. |
| US08327233B2 |
Method and device for transmitting and receiving data packets
Forward Error Correction (FEC) coding is performed on data packets to generate verifying packets; corresponding information independent of a packet sequence number (SN) and denoting a corresponding relation between the data packets and the verifying packets is carried in the data packets, or in the verifying packets, or in the data packets and the verifying packets; the data packets and the verifying packets are transmitted by using a protocol based on a User Datagram Protocol (UDP). A method for receiving data packets and devices for transmitting and receiving data packets are further described. Thus, a receiving terminal correctly can recover lost data packets after a relay device modifies the packet SN. |
| US08327226B2 |
Adjustable error correction code length in an electrical storage device
An apparatus includes a memory that is allocated to reported portions and overprovisioned portions. The apparatus includes an error correction circuit that communicates with the memory in error correction coded data that has a controllable ECC length. The ECC length is a function of a history of error reports. A memory allocation engine balances a size of the overprovisioned portions to maintain a size of the reported portions. The balancing is performed as a function of an average of ECC lengths in the ECC length table over a time interval in which a size of the memory decreases with accumulated erase cycles of the memory. |
| US08327224B2 |
Data recovery in a solid state storage system
Methods for data recovery and memory systems are provided. According to at least one such method, when defective data is read from a memory location, the data is recovered by an XOR operation on the remaining good data and associated RAID data to reconstruct the defective data. The defective data is excluded from the XOR operation. |
| US08327218B2 |
Storage device with improved read/write speed and corresponding data process method
A storage device and data processing method thereof is described. The invention provides different ECC for different memory pages. The storage device uses the long-bit ECC for easy interference page, and uses the short-bit ECC for hard interference page. Therefore, the accuracy of the data is maintained and the reading/writing speed is increased. |
| US08327216B2 |
Single-stage decoder for raptor codes
A system and method for recovering erased symbols in a wireless communication is provided. The system and method includes a receiver configured to receive encoded data transmissions. The receiver includes a single stage decoder configured to perform a decoding operation. The single stage decoder also is configured to determine a symbol erasure rate, the symbol erasure rate defined by a number of erased symbols. The single stage decoder further is configured to generate a recovery matrix based on the symbol erasure rate and invert the recovery matrix. Thereafter, the single stage decoder recovers the erased symbols based on a function of the inverted recovery matrix. |
| US08327215B2 |
Apparatus and method for encoding LDPC code using message passing algorithm
Provided is an apparatus and method for encoding a Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) code using a message passing algorithm. The apparatus, includes: a parity calculating unit for operating a check node value on an input bit and a predetermined parity bit according to the message passing algorithm and calculating a parity bit; a parity correcting unit for correcting the calculated parity bit according to a parity check result of the calculated parity bit; and an output transform unit for combining the input bit and the corrected parity bit. |
| US08327205B2 |
IC testing methods and apparatus
A method is provided for testing an integrated circuit comprising multiple cores, with at least two cores having different associated first and second clock signals of different frequencies. A test signal is provided using a clocked scan chain clocked at a test frequency (TCK). A transition is provided in a clock circuit reset signal (clockdiv_rst) which triggers the operation of a clock divider circuit (44) which derives the first and second clock signals (clk_xx, clk_yy, clk_zz) from an internal clock (40) of the integrated circuit. The first and second clock signals thus start at substantially the same time, and these are used during a test mode to perform a test of the integrated circuit. After test, the test result is output using the clocked scan chain clocked at the test frequency (TCK). Clocking hardware is also provided, and these provide at-speed testing which enables on the fly switching between a relatively slow tester driven clock for the shift modes and faster clocks generated by on-chip PLLs and divider circuits for the test mode. |
| US08327198B2 |
On-die logic analyzer for semiconductor die
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a semiconductor die such as a system on a chip (SoC) that includes a logic analyzer with a built-in trace buffer to store information communicated between on-die agents at speed and to provide the information to an off-die agent at a slower speed. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08327196B2 |
Identifying an optimized test bit pattern for analyzing electrical communications channel topologies
Identifying an optimized test bit pattern for analyzing electrical communications channel topologies, including: ranking according to channel quality, from worst to best, a set of channel topologies for an electrical communications channel; and for each ranked channel topology beginning with the worst, carrying out the following steps in an iterative loop until a concatenated test bit pattern and a previously optimized test bit pattern are functionally equally fit: concatenating to a previously optimized test bit pattern an additional test bit pattern; optimizing the concatenated test bit pattern values for a next ranked channel in the subset, leaving the optimized values of the previously optimized test bit pattern unchanged; and comparing through use of a fitness function the relative qualities of the previously optimized test bit pattern and the optimized concatenated test bit pattern. |
| US08327192B2 |
Method for memory integrity
A method and apparatus is described herein for performing a remote memory integrity function on a remote computing system. A memory integrity module in a first system performs a memory integrity function, such as a memory test, memory update, memory dump, inventory, or other integrity function, on a second networked system using RDMAs to interface with a client memory integrity module in the second networked system. |
| US08327185B1 |
Method and system for multi-dimensional raid
A method for storing data. The method including receiving a request to write data. In response the request, selecting, a grid location in a grid to write the data, writing the data to memory, updating a data structure to indicate that the grid location is filled. The method further includes determining, using the data structure, whether a data grid in the grid is filled, where the grid location is in the data grid and based on a determination that the data grid is filled: calculating parity values for the grid using the data, determining a physical address in persistent storage corresponding to the grid location, writing the data to a physical location in persistent storage corresponding to the physical address, and writing the parity values to the persistent storage. |
| US08327184B2 |
Storage control system and storage control method
Unique information including a logical type name is stored in a user data area of a management area as a media of the alternative disk drive to become an alternative of the storage device. Upon using the alternative disk drive, a disk controller reads the unique information of the alternative disk drive, and determines that copy back is unnecessary when the rotating speed and capacity belonging to the unique information of the alternative disk drive are the same as the rotating speed and capacity of the failed disk drive belonging to RAID, and otherwise determines that copy back is necessary. |
| US08327181B2 |
Systems and methods for failover between multi-core appliances
The present disclosure presents systems and methods for maintaining operation of a first multi-core appliance 200 by a second multi-core appliance upon failover of the first multi-core appliance. A secondary appliance may receive information about configuration settings and operations of a plurality of packet processing engines (PPEs), each of the PPEs operating on one of a plurality of cores of the primary multi-core appliance. Status of operation of the plurality of PPEs of the primary appliance may be monitored by exchanging communication between the primary and secondary appliances. Configuration settings for each of a PPEs operating on the cores of the secondary appliance may be established responsive to detection that one or more of the PPEs of the primary appliance is unavailable. Configuration information for each of the PPEs of the secondary appliance may be propagated to the plurality of the PPEs of the secondary appliance. |
| US08327179B2 |
Asynchronous counter based timing error detection
A method for estimating a timing difference between a first clock signal and a second clock signal is disclosed. The estimating method comprising: generating an edge signal by detecting an edge of the second clock signal by sampling the second clock signal using the first clock signal; generating a delayed edge signal by a further sampling of the second clock signal using the first clock signal; generating a first intermediate code by counting a number of clock edges of the first clock signal within a duration defined by the edge signal using an asynchronous counter; generating a second intermediate code to represent a timing difference between the second clock signal and the delayed edge signal using a time-to-digital converter; and generating an output code using a weighted sum of the first intermediate code and the second intermediate code. |
| US08327178B2 |
Efficient service advertisement and discovery in a networking environment
A local device broadcasts a service advertisement in a wireless network, where the service advertisement includes one or more service identifiers (IDs) identifying one or more services being advertised and an availability schedule of the local device. Optionally, the local device reduces power to at least a portion of the local device and wakes up at a time according to the availability schedule. The local device listens in the wireless network according to the availability schedule of the local device. In response to a service request received from a remote device during the availability window, the local device transmits a service response to the remote device. The service request includes one or more service IDs identifying one or more services being inquired by the remote device and the service response includes detailed information associated with one or more services identified by the one or more service IDs. |
| US08327176B2 |
Optimizing power management in multicore virtual machine platforms by dynamically variable delay before switching processor cores into a low power state
Distributing a thread for running on a physical processor and enabling the physical processor to be switched into a low power snooze state when said running thread is IDLE. However, this switching into said low power state is enabled to be delayed by a delay time from an IDLE dispatch from said running thread; such delay is determined by tracking the rate of the number of said IDLE dispatches per processor clock interval and dynamically varying said delay time wherein the delay time is decreased when said rate of IDLE dispatches increases and the delay time is increased when said rate of IDLE dispatches decreases. |
| US08327174B2 |
Loading operating systems using memory segmentation and ACPI based context switch
Methods, systems, apparatuses and program products are disclosed for managing multiple OSes within a single computer and the like.Provision is made for swapping OSes with BIOS assistance and conforming with ACPI features for System State management especially as related to ACPI system sleep State S3. |
| US08327169B2 |
Power management to maximize reduced power state for virtual machine platforms
Power management in a virtual machine environment that includes at least one virtual machine platform providing a plurality of virtual machines, and a plurality of separate (user) computers, each connected to a respective one of the virtual machines in a typical virtual machine distribution environment. There is also provided a function, independent of the connections of the user computers to the virtual machines, for determining if each of said computers connected to the virtual machines is in an active state together with a function for switching the virtual machine platform into a reduced power consumption state in the platform when all of the computers connected to virtual machines are in a non-active state. |
| US08327161B2 |
Command decoder for microcontroller based flash memory digital controller system
A command decoder used for a microcontroller based Flash memory digital controller system includes multiple subsystems, including the command decoder, which serves as the main user interface for interpreting commands from a user and managing the priority of commands and command modes. The command decoder also stores crucial information including address, data, opcodes, and various flags registers that are used by other subsystems including the program buffer, burst read module, register block, and microcontroller. In addition, the command decoder contains clock synchronization logic, controls the sleep function of the microcontroller and serves as a test mode controller. |
| US08327159B2 |
Dimmer having a microprocessor-controlled power supply
A two-wire load control device for control of power delivered to an electrical load from a source of AC voltage, comprising a first controllably conductive device adapted to be operatively coupled to the source of AC voltage and to the electrical load for controlling the power delivered to the load; a microprocessor coupled to the first controllably conductive device for controlling the first controllably conductive device; and a power supply adapted to be coupled to the source of AC voltage and coupled to the microprocessor for generating a DC voltage to power the microprocessor, the power supply including an energy storage element and a second controllably conductive device for controllably storing energy in the energy storage element; wherein the microprocessor is operatively coupled to the second controllably conductive device to control the second controllably conductive device. |
| US08327153B2 |
Method and system for verifying software platform of vehicle
A system for verifying a software platform of a vehicle including at least one electronic control unit receives a first final confirmation value corresponding to a hash value of software measured in the electronic control unit from an integrated security apparatus inside the vehicle and extends a hash value of normally operated software received from a software manufacturer of the electronic control unit to generate a second final confirmation value. Next, the system verifies the software platform of the vehicle based on results obtained by comparing the first final confirmation value with the second final confirmation value. |
| US08327151B2 |
Biometrics authentication method and biometrics authentication system
A biometrics authentication system uses biometrics authentication media to simplify the process of issuing biometrics authentication media, and reduce issuing costs. A biometrics authentication application is downloaded from a server to a mobile communication terminal, and an area for authenticated biometrics information is created. A user brings this mobile communication terminal to a service area and causes an image of his own biometrics information to be captured, and this biometrics data and an account number are stored in a common area of the mobile communication terminal. Therefore, the mobile communication terminal has functions of an individual card storing biometrics information, and issuing of a card for use in biometrics authentication is completed. |
| US08327142B2 |
System and method for facilitating secure online transactions
A method and system for mutually authenticating a client and a server is provided in accordance with an aspect of the present invention. The method commences with transmitting a token from the server to the client. Thereafter, the method continues with establishing a secure data transfer link between the server and the client. A server certificate is transmitted to the client during the establishment of the secure data transfer link. The method continues with transmitting a response packet to the server, which is validated thereby upon receipt. The system includes a client authentication module that initiates the secure data transfer link and transmits the response packet, and a server authentication module that transmits the token and validates the response packet. |
| US08327135B2 |
Native WI-FI architecture for 802.11 networks
A software based wireless infrastructure system is provided. The system has a driver that communicates with the network stack and a network interface card (NIC), a station server in communication with the station driver and an 802.1X supplicant or an 802.1X authenticator. Each NIC provides station and/or access point functionality support. The driver drops packets that have been received if the packet has not been authenticated and associated. Packets that have been fragmented or encrypted are unfragmented and decrypted. An association manager is used in conjunction with a configuration table manager to associate stations and access points via management packets. A manager receives 802.1X data packets from the packet processor and sends them up to a station server that communicates with user mode applications and an 802.1X supplicant or an 802.1X authenticator that are used to authenticate and deauthenticate stations and access points. APIs are provided to enable communication between the components. |
| US08327130B2 |
Unique identification of entities of an industrial control system
Systems and methods are provided for issuing unique identification credentials to a plurality of devices, and their constituent components, in an industrial control system. Identification credentials are granted by an identification authority and conveyed to each of the credentialed devices and/or component through an identity token. The identification credentials include (1) a unique device identifier, (2) an identification authority component identifier, and (3) an indication of the location of the identification authority component. To secure the issued credentials, such credentials are encrypted and the identification token can be embedded with biometrics features. Identification credentials provide for the following prominent features: (i) Secure access to a device form a client and (ii) determination a topology of a set of credentialed devices in an industrial control system. The topology is network agnostic and facilitates organizational modeling of processes in the industrial control system. |
| US08327129B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for internet key exchange negotiation
The present invention discloses a method, an apparatus, and a system for IKE negotiation. One method comprises: upon receiving a data packet, selecting one of multiple service cards according to a pre-configured policy and triggering the service card to send an IKE negotiation packet; and saving the mapping between the IKE negotiation packet and the service card. The other method comprises: upon receiving an IKE negotiation packet, selecting one of multiple service cards according to a pre-configured policy, triggering the service card to perform IKE negotiation, and saving the mapping between of the IKE negotiation packet and the service card. The solution enables a network node a node to distribute IKE negotiations to different service cards to perform IKE negotiation at the same time, improving IKE negotiation speed. |
| US08327127B2 |
Web content customization via adaptation web services
A user agent in a Web access device transmits an HTTP request for Web content to an origin server. The request contains a set of capabilities of the Web access device. A content authoring mechanism and adaptation determination service on the origin server process the request to determine what transformation is required to make the requested content fit the capabilities of the Web access device. The adaptation determination service invokes a niche transformation service that performs, in response to the content and the capabilities, the necessary transformation. The transformed Web content is transmitted to the user agent. |
| US08327124B2 |
SD switch box in a cellular handset
A cellular handset, including a cellular base band modem, including a UART interface, and an SD host interface, a NAND flash memory, a NAND controller coupled with the NAND flash memory, a host device including a host controller, wherein the electronic host device supports an SD connection, and a convergence controller coupled with the cellular base band modem, the host device and the NAND controller, including a UART port for transferring data to and from the cellular base band modem via the UART interface, an SD port for transferring data to and from the cellular base band modem via the SD host interface, an SD port for transferring data to and from the NAND flash memory via the NAND controller, an SD port for transferring data to and from the host device via the host controller, a first mailbox into which the base band modem writes messages and from which the host device reads messages, and a second mailbox into which the host device writes messages and from which the cellular base band modem reads messages. A method is also described and claimed. |
| US08327123B2 |
Maximized memory throughput on parallel processing devices
In parallel processing devices, for streaming computations, processing of each data element of the stream may not be computationally intensive and thus processing may take relatively small amounts of time to compute as compared to memory accesses times required to read the stream and write the results. Therefore, memory throughput often limits the performance of the streaming computation. Generally stated, provided are methods for achieving improved, optimized, or ultimately, maximized memory throughput in such memory-throughput-limited streaming computations. Streaming computation performance is maximized by improving the aggregate memory throughput across the plurality of processing elements and threads. High aggregate memory throughput is achieved by balancing processing loads between threads and groups of threads and a hardware memory interface coupled to the parallel processing devices. |
| US08327116B1 |
System and method for processing multiple types of data frames
An off-load for processing a data frame containing information has a memory for storing information on a plurality of processing paths. A processor in the off-load engine determines which processing path the data frame is to be processed. Each one of a plurality of processing engines processes the data frame depending on whether the processing engine is within the determined processing path. Some of the processing engines are implemented in hardware and/or data frame type specific software and others makes use of generic software. In some embodiments, the data frame is also parsed for further processing by the processing engines. In some embodiments, a static header is also pre-pended to the data frame to allow easy access to information associated with the data frame by the processing engines. |
| US08327112B2 |
Processing system implementing variable page size memory organization using a multiple page per entry translation lookaside buffer
A processing system includes a page table including a plurality of page table entries. Each of the plurality of page table entries includes information for translating a virtual address page to a corresponding physical address page. The processing system also includes a translation lookaside buffer adapted to cache page table information. The processing system also includes memory management software responsive to changes in the page table to consolidate a run of contiguous page table entries into one or more page table entries having a larger memory page size, Y. The memory management software further determines whether the run of contiguous page table entries may be cached in an entry of the translation lookaside buffer that caches multiple page table entries, X, in a single translation lookaside buffer entry. |
| US08327111B2 |
Method, system and computer program product for batched virtual memory remapping for efficient garbage collection of large object areas
A method, system and computer program product for batched remapping of virtual memory addresses for garbage collection in a large object area. A mapping from a table having a first set of virtual memory addresses and sizes of non-contiguous, page-aligned large objects in a large object area to a remapping table having a second set of virtual memory addresses is determined. In a single batch, a request is received that includes the second set of virtual addresses and requests a remapping of the large objects to the second set of virtual memory addresses. The second set of virtual memory addresses is validated, and the large objects are remapped to the second set of virtual memory addresses according to the request. The remapping results in a compaction so that the large objects are contiguous in the large object area. The remapping does not require copying data in physical memory. |
| US08327108B2 |
Slave and a master device, a system incorporating the devices, and a method of operating the slave device
An electronic slave device includes a hardware data packing block having a configurable multiplexing unit having inputs connected to system bus, wires for receiving in parallel each bit of a data word, outputs connected to the respective data write pins of a memory for outputting in parallel each bit of a rearranged data word to be recorded, and rearrangeable connections between the inputs and the outputs according to a set configuration; a format register, the value of which can be set by an external master device to at least two different values; and a logic circuit capable of setting the connections of the multiplexing unit according to the value of the format register to obtain a rearranged data word having at least one symbol with a shifted position in comparison with the position of this symbol in the received data word. |
| US08327106B2 |
Selective device access control
Various method, system, and computer program product embodiments for selective device access control in a data storage system are provided. In one such embodiment, a plurality of access groups associated with logical devices used to access the data storage system is initialized. Each of the plurality of access groups corresponds to a range of the logical devices. An access group name of one of the access groups is bound to a logical volume of the data storage system at a volume creation. The logical volume, once bound to the access group name, is granted access by those of the logical devices in a range of the logical devices corresponding to the one of the access groups. |
| US08327104B2 |
Adjusting the timing of signals associated with a memory system
A system and method are provided for adjusting the timing of signals associated with a memory system. A memory controller is provided. Additionally, at least one memory module is provided. Further, at least one interface circuit is provided, the interface circuit capable of adjusting timing of signals associated with one or more of the memory controller and the at least one memory module. |
| US08327102B1 |
Method and system for non-disruptive migration
Method and system for processing client provisioning and migration requests is provided. The process evaluates a provisioning request and selects a storage that best meets the client requirements. The process determines if non-disruptive migration is possible and if it is possible then the storage is automatically configured for non-disruptive migration. Once the storage is provisioned and configured, the process receives a migration request to migrate information from the storage. The process determines an access protocol used by the client to access the storage. The process determines if a storage system that manages the storage is capable of supporting non-disruptive migration of information from the storage. If the storage system is capable, then a migration technique is automatically selected for migrating the information from the storage. |
| US08327097B2 |
Data backing up for networked storage devices using de-duplication technique
A technique of backing up data for networked storage devices using de-duplication is disclosed in which a communication device divides a to-be-stored new file into data blocks, defines and updates a statistical value representative of a history of reference to each data block within previous files, and transmits the statistical value to another communication device. The communication device, upon reception of the statistical value, selects a preloaded data block, based on the received statistical value, and transmits to another communication device a copying request for making a copy of a real data block identical to the preloaded data block. The communication device, upon reception of the copy, stores the copy as the preloaded data block. |
| US08327095B2 |
Maintaining information of a relationship of target volumes comprising logical copies of a source volume
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for maintaining information of a relationship of target volumes comprising logical copies of a source volume. Information is maintained on a source volume having a plurality of data units and a plurality of target volumes created at different points-in-time maintaining a logical copy of the data units in the source volume for the different points-in-time. A source downstream pointer is generated for each data unit in the source volume to point to a corresponding data unit in a first target volume. For each target volume data unit whose data is maintained in the source volume or another one of the target volumes, a first upstream pointer is generated indicating one of the source and target volumes from which the target volume data unit inherits data. For each target volume data unit whose data is maintained in the source volume or another one of the target volumes, generating a second upstream pointer indicating one of the source and target volumes having the data for the data unit. |
| US08327093B2 |
Prioritizing commands in a data storage device
A unique system and method for ordering commands may reduce disc access latency while giving preference to pending commands. The method and system involves giving preference to pending commands in a set of priority queues. The method and system involve identifying a pending command and processing other non-pending commands in route to the pending command if performance will not be penalized in doing so. The method and system include a list of command node references referring to a list of sorted command nodes that are to be scheduled for processing. |
| US08327092B2 |
Memory device configurable as interleaved or non-interleaved memory
A device is disclosed having a memory module that comprises a first memory block, a second memory block, a programmable storage location, and a memory controller. The first memory block of non-volatile memory comprises a plurality of word locations and an address decoder coupled to a first access port of the memory controller. The address decoder to select one of the plurality of word locations for access in response to receiving address information via the first access port. The second memory block comprising a plurality of word locations and an address decoder coupled to a second access port of the memory controller. The address decoder to select one of the plurality of word locations for access in response to receiving address information via the second access port. The memory controller comprising an input coupled to the programmable storage location, and to access, in response to the programmable configuration information having a first value, a first portion of the first memory block and a first portion of the second memory block as interleaved memory, a second portion of the first memory block as non-interleaved memory, and a second portion of the second memory block as non-interleaved memory. |
| US08327091B2 |
Combined parallel/serial status register read
Methods and devices are disclosed, such as those involving a solid state memory device that includes a status register configured to be read with a combined parallel and serial read scheme. One such solid state memory includes a status register configured to store a plurality of bits indicative of status information of the memory. One such method of providing status information in the memory device includes providing the status information of a memory device in a parallel form. The method also includes providing the status information in a serial form after providing the status information in a parallel form in response to receiving at least one read command. |
| US08327089B2 |
Method and apparatus for sending data from multiple sources over a communications bus
In a memory system, multiple memory modules communicate over a bus. Each memory module may include a hub and at least one memory storage unit. The hub receives local data from the memory storage units, and downstream data from one or more other memory modules. The hub assembles data to be sent over the bus within a data block structure, which is divided into multiple lanes. An indication is made of where, within the data block structure, a breakpoint will occur in the data being placed on the bus by a first source (e.g., the local or downstream data). Based on the indication, data from a second source (e.g., the downstream or local data) is placed in the remainder of the data block, thus reducing gaps on the bus. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US08327088B2 |
Isolation-free in-circuit programming system
Disclosed is an isolation-free in-circuit programming system including an in-circuit programmer and an application board connected to the in-circuit programmer through a peripheral interface bus and having a bus controller and a memory, wherein the bus controller is connected to the memory through a system bus, in which the in-circuit programmer includes a leakage current discharging circuit connected to the bus controller for detouring a leakage current flowing from the memory or the in-circuit programmer to the bus controller to flow therethrough. The in-circuit programmer also includes an input level shifter for receiving data signals from the memory and adjusting the high-level input voltage of the in-circuit programmer to decode any weak high-level output voltage from the memory, thereby allowing the high-level output voltage of the memory to be higher than the high-level input voltage of the in-circuit programmer. |
| US08327086B2 |
Managing migration of a shared memory logical partition from a source system to a target system
Migration management is provided for a shared memory logical partition migrating from a source system to a target system. The management approach includes managing migration of the logical partition from the source system to the target system by: transferring a portion of logical partition state information for the migrating logical partition from the source system to the target system by copying at the source system contents of a logical page of the migrating logical partition into a state record buffer for forwarding to the target system; forwarding the state record buffer to the target system; and determining whether the migrating logical partition is suspended at the source system, and if not, copying at the target system contents of the state record buffer to paging storage of the target system, the paging storage being external to physical memory managed by a hypervisor of the target system. |
| US08327084B2 |
Method and apparatus to trigger synchronization and validation actions upon memory access
A system and method to trigger synchronization and validation actions at memory access, in one aspect, identifies a storage class associated with a region of shared memory being accessed by a thread, determines whether the thread holds the storage class and acquires the storage class if the thread does not hold the storage class, identifies a programmable action associated with the storage class and the thread, and triggers the programmable action. One or more storage classes are respectively associated with one or more regions of shared memory. An array of storage classes associated with a thread holds one or more storage classes acquired by the thread. A configurable action table associated with a thread indicates one or more programmable actions associated with a storage class. |
| US08327081B2 |
Information processing device and method for controlling the same
A processor module having a cache device and a system controller having a copy TAG2 of a tag of the cache device configure a system to which a protocol representing the states of a data block of the cache device by six states, that is, an invalid state I, a shared state S, an exclusive state E, a modified state M, a shared modified state O, and a writable modified state W can be applied. In order to implement the concept, information about a new state in a cache device of a requester is included in a reply packet from the cache device for transmitting the data block. After the completion of the snooping process of the TAG2 until the reception of the reply packet from the cache device for transmitting the data block and the determination of the next state, an object data block is locked in the TAG2. |
| US08327080B1 |
Write-back cache protection
A technique protects host data. The technique involves receiving, at a local computerized node, a block of data from a host computer, the block of data including data sub-blocks. The technique further involves storing the block of data, as a dirty cache block, in a local cache of the local computerized node. The technique further involves performing a set of external caching operations to cache a set of sub-blocks in a set of external computerized nodes in communication with the local computerized node. Each external caching operation caches a respective sub-block of the set of sub-blocks in a cache of a respective external computerized node. The set of sub-blocks includes (i) the data sub-blocks of the block of data from the host and (ii) a set of checksums derived from the data sub-blocks of the block of data from the host. |
| US08327079B2 |
Cache memory control device and pipeline control method
A cache memory control device includes: a determination unit for determining whether or not a command provided from, for example, each core is to access cache memory during the execution of the command; and a path switch unit for putting a command determined as accessing the cache memory in pipeline processing, and outputting a command determined as not accessing the cache memory directly to an external unit without putting the command in the pipeline processing. |
| US08327077B2 |
Method and apparatus of parallel computing with simultaneously operating stream prefetching and list prefetching engines
A prefetch system improves a performance of a parallel computing system. The parallel computing system includes a plurality of computing nodes. A computing node includes at least one processor and at least one memory device. The prefetch system includes at least one stream prefetch engine and at least one list prefetch engine. The prefetch system operates those engines simultaneously. After the at least one processor issues a command, the prefetch system passes the command to a stream prefetch engine and a list prefetch engine. The prefetch system operates the stream prefetch engine and the list prefetch engine to prefetch data to be needed in subsequent clock cycles in the processor in response to the passed command. |
| US08327072B2 |
Victim cache replacement
A data processing system includes a processor core having an associated upper level cache and a lower level victim cache. In response to a memory access request of the processor core, the lower level cache victim determines whether the memory access request hits or misses in the directory of the lower level victim cache, and the upper level cache determines whether a castout from the upper level cache is to be performed and selects a victim coherency granule for eviction from the upper level cache. In response to determining that a castout from the upper level cache is to be performed, the upper level cache evicts the selected victim coherency granule. In the eviction, the upper level cache reads out the victim coherency granule from the data array of the upper level cache only in response to an indication that the memory access request misses in the directory of the lower level victim cache. |
| US08327067B2 |
Nonvolatile memory system, and data read/write method for nonvolatile memory system
A nonvolatile memory system comprises a nonvolatile memory having a plurality of data areas; and a memory controller operative to control read and write operations to the nonvolatile memory. The memory controller successively executes read/write operations to plural sectors within a selected data area in the nonvolatile memory in accordance with a command and a sector count and sector address fed from a host device. |
| US08327066B2 |
Method of managing a solid state drive, associated systems and implementations
A solid state drive may include one or more memory cell arrays divided into a plurality of blocks. A first portion of the blocks may be designated for storing user data and a second portion of the blocks may be designated as reserved blocks for replacing defective blocks in the first portion. In one embodiment, the method includes reformatting, by a memory controller, the solid state drive to convert one or more blocks in the first portion into reserved blocks. |
| US08327065B2 |
Memory system, controller, and method of controlling memory system
A memory system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a volatile first storing unit, a nonvolatile second storing unit, a controller that transfers data between a host apparatus and the second storing unit via the first storing unit. The memory system monitors whether data written from the host apparatus in the first storing unit has a specific pattern in management units. When data to be flushed to the second storing unit has the specific pattern, the memory system set an invalid address value that is not in use in the second storing unit to the data. |
| US08327064B2 |
Data processor with flash memory, and method for accessing flash memory
A data processor includes a flash memory that stores a plurality of types of data therein, a random access memory that stores record data information therein, and a controller that can access the flash memory and the RAM. The record data information indicates a head address in the flash memory and a data length corresponding to latest data of each of the plurality of types of data. The controller reads, from the flash memory, the latest data of a type of a reading target among the plurality of types of data, with reference to the record data information. |
| US08327063B2 |
Memory system with a semiconductor memory device
A memory system with a semiconductor memory device, in which a physical block of n-bits serves as an erase unit, wherein the address management of the memory device is performed by a logical block with m-bits, “m” being larger than “n” and expressed by a power of two, and wherein a n-bit portion continued from the head address in the logical block is defined as a first management unit corresponding to one physical block of the memory device, and a number of the remaining fraction portions each defined as a second management unit are gathered so as to correspond to one physical block of the memory device. |
| US08327057B1 |
Ordering write bursts to memory
A device may receive requests intended for a memory that includes a number of banks, determine a number of the requests intended for each of the banks, determine an order for the requests based on the determined number of the requests intended for each of the banks, and send one of the requests to the memory based on the determined order. |
| US08327051B2 |
Portable handheld memory card and methods for use therewith
In one embodiment, a portable handheld memory card may include a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, USB controller circuitry, an input/output (I/O) port, a memory, and decompression circuitry configured to decompress compressed data stored in the memory. The memory card includes a housing storing the memory and exposing the USB port and the I/O port. The USB port and I/O port may be positioned to allow a same card-insertion direction irrespective of whether a host device comprises a mating USB port or a mating I/O port. In another embodiment, the memory card includes decryption circuitry to decrypt encrypted data stored in the memory, a power management unit, a host interface module, and circuitry configured to control read and write operations to the memory. The I/O port may include a Secure Digital port, and the memory may include Flash memory. Other embodiments are provided, and each of the embodiments described herein can be used alone or in combination with one another. |
| US08327050B2 |
Systems and methods for compressing files for storage and operation on compressed files
Methods and systems for creating, reading, and writing compressed files in a computer system comprising a file system coupled with storage medium and at least one application program interface (API) configured to communicate with the file system by means of file access-related requests are provided. The file access-related requests are intercepted in order to provide at least one of the following: a) to derive and compress data corresponding to the intercepted file access request and to facilitate storing the compressed data at the storage medium as a compressed file; b) to facilitate restoring at least part of compressed data corresponding to the intercepted file request and communicating the resulting data through the API. The compressed files comprise plurality of compressed units. One or more corresponding compressed units may be read and/or updated with no need of restoring the entire file while maintaining de-fragmented structure of the compressed file. |
| US08327047B2 |
Buffer manager and methods for managing memory
Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method comprising managing a plurality of buffer addresses in a system-on-chip (SOC); and if a number of available buffer addresses in the SOC falls below a low threshold value, obtaining one or more buffer addresses from a memory, which is external to the SOC, to the SOC. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08327043B2 |
Buffer management device which manages buffer transfer, storage apparatus comprising the same device, and buffer management method
According to one embodiment, a table holds buffer transfer information for managing data transfer, specified by each data transfer command, between a transmission FIFO and a buffer or between a reception FIFO and the buffer via a intermediate FIFO. A first sequencer activates buffer transfer for data transfer specified by a data transfer command from the host in units of at least one frame on the basis of corresponding buffer transfer information held in the table. The buffer transfer includes data transfer in sectors between the buffer and the intermediate FIFO. A second sequencer transfers data in frames between the transmission FIFO and the intermediate FIFO or between the reception FIFO and the intermediate FIFO in accordance with the activation of the buffer transfer. A third sequencer transfers data in sectors between the intermediate FIFO and the buffer in accordance with the activation of the buffer transfer. |
| US08327040B2 |
Host controller
The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for controlling a memory device. One method for controlling a memory device embodiment includes storing device class dependent information and a command in one or more of host system memory and host controller memory, setting a pointer to the command in a register in a host controller, directing access to the one or more of host system memory and host controller memory with the memory device via the host controller; and executing the command with the memory device. |
| US08327036B2 |
Method of passing instructions between a host station and a portable electronic device, and device for implementation
The method includes in placing an instruction presence parameter in the “argument” field of a binary word defining a read/write command generated by generic management programs (drivers) for removable data storage units. This makes it possible to circumvent the limitation of the set of the commands authorized by a generic program for managing a removable data storage unit, without running the risk of data being interpreted wrongly as instructions. |
| US08327034B2 |
Microprocessor systems
A slave device (20) communicates with a host system (21) via a host communications bus (22). The host system (21) includes one (or more) processing units that can act as bus masters and send access requests for slave resources on the slave device (20) via the communications bus (22). The slave device platform (20) includes a memory management unit (23), a programmable central processing unit (24) and one or more slave resources (25). The memory management unit (23) acts as an address translating device, and accepts requests with virtual addresses from the master device or devices on the host system (21), translates the virtual addresses used in the access requests to the “internal” physical addresses of the slave's resources and forwards the accesses of the appropriate physical resources (25). When an address miss occurs in the memory management unit (23), it passes the handling of the access request over to the controlling CPU (24) which executes software to then resolve the address miss and handle the access request. The memory management unit (23) also includes a write buffer (29) into which it can write the write value received from a master on the host system (21) on an access when an address miss occurs, and a read buffer (28) for storing values relating to read requests that have generated an address miss. |
| US08327033B2 |
Method and device for interleaving data
A data interleaving device is provided that includes an input, an output, and a data interleaver coupled to the input and the output. The input receives data originating from a plurality of processing blocks. The output transfers interleaved data to the plurality of processing blocks. The data interleaver includes a controller, at least one interconnection module, and a plurality of memories. The controller prepares a data-to-memory assignment data structure. The at least one interconnection module switches data in parallel according to the data-to-memory assignment data structure and acts identically on all data switched simultaneously in parallel. The plurality of memories store the switched data. The data interleaver interleaves data received from the input and provides the interleaved data at the output. |
| US08327030B2 |
Crisscross cancellation protocol
Technologies, systems, and methods for ordered message delivery that avoid message races or crisscrosses between communicating nodes. For example, if Node A sends message 3 towards Node B and, shortly thereafter, Node B sends message X to Node A, Node A would like to know whether or not message X reflects Node B's state after receiving message 3. If Node B received message 3 prior to sending message X, then proper state may be maintained between the nodes. But if messages 3 and X crisscrossed, or if message 3 was never properly received by Node B, then the state between the nodes may be corrupt. Technologies, systems, and methods are provided to avoid such corruption. |
| US08327029B1 |
Unified software construct representing multiple synchronized hardware systems
In an embodiment, a session associated with a first hardware device that sends or receives a first data stream and a second hardware device that sends or receives a second data stream may be provided. The session may be used to access information related to the first hardware device and the second hardware device. The accessed information may be used to identify a strategy from among a plurality of strategies for synchronizing either the first data stream and the second data stream or the first hardware device and the second hardware device. The identified strategy may be applied to synchronize either the first data stream and the second data stream or the first hardware device and the second hardware device. |
| US08327025B2 |
Method for publishing hand written messages
Publishing of a message divided into two portions, one portion not requiring computer recognition of it's content while another portion requires recognition of it's content. The non-recognized portion is published as-is with minimal processing by the system due to it being suited for easy human understanding of that respective portion (e.g., hand-written text). The recognized portion is processed by optical recognition software so that the output of the recognition process is an accurate representation of that information portion. The portion requiring recognition can be a critical portion such as in the case of the price for a food item on a daily specials menu, as one non-limiting example. In further aspects, messages can be published on a time and date scheduled basis. |
| US08327014B2 |
Multi-layer hardware-based service acceleration (MHSA)
Methods and apparatus for intelligent sharing and tighter integration between a service engine (SE) for network communication and a high-speed forwarding device, such that certain network flows may be offloaded from the SE to benefit from the high-speed forwarding capacity of such a device are provided. To accomplish the integration, an application binary interface (ABI) may be employed as an in-band high-priority communication protocol between the data planes of the SE and the high-speed forwarding device, and an application programming interface (API) may be utilized to leverage the ABI and any in-band or out-of-band channel to allow the master SE to control the high-speed slave device. Such integration techniques are not limited to a few specialized hardware components, but may also be applied to other types of hardware resources, such as flow tables, quality of service (QoS) tables, access control list (ACL) tables for security, forwarding and adjacency tables, etc. |
| US08327013B2 |
Dynamic index file creation for media streaming
Systems and methods for providing index files for streaming media over a network are disclosed. These systems and methods provide for receiving requests for a media file and responding to these requests by generating corresponding index files used in streaming the media file. The index file can then be provided to the requesting entity. These systems and methods, which can be utilized together with a dynamic chunk generator, enable the insertion of advertisements at any point during playback of the media file. |
| US08327005B2 |
Method to set up application to application communication over a network between applications running on endpoint devices
A method is provided to communicate media information over a network comprising: in response to a request from a first application running on a first endpoint device for a media connection with a second application running on a second endpoint device, sending a request over a network for a media connection with the second application; wherein the media connection request includes an application identifier (AppID) associated with the first application; sending an authorization request to an application manager server to obtain authorization for the requested media connection; wherein the authorization request includes the AppID associated with the first application; communicating control information over a control session set up between the first endpoint device and the second endpoint device; wherein the control information includes the AppID associated with the first application; and communicating media information over a media session. |
| US08326999B2 |
Creating context-sensitive webpage time-out intervals
An approach is provided to establish, over a network adapter, network sessions with various client computer systems. Requests for a webpage are received at the network adapter from the client computer systems. The requested webpage is retrieved from a storage area. Multiple timeout intervals are initialized and stored in a memory area, wherein each of the plurality timeout intervals corresponds to one of the client computer systems. The timeout intervals that are initialized are different for at least some of the client computer systems. The requested webpage is returned to the client computer systems. When a timeout interval elapses for any of the client computer systems, the system terminates the session that was established with the client computer system. |
| US08326996B2 |
Method and apparatus for establishing multiple sessions between a database and a middle-tier client
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for establishing multiple sessions between a database and a middle-tier client. During operation, the system receives a request for a plurality of sessions at a database from a middle-tier client. In response to the request, the system authenticates the middle-tier client, and creates a session between the database and the middle-tier client. The system clones the session one or more times to create the plurality of sessions. Finally, the system sends a plurality of session-handles associated with the plurality of sessions to the middle-tier client. This enables the middle-tier client to distribute the session-handles to end-user clients in response to subsequent requests from the end-user clients to access the database. |
| US08326988B2 |
Systems and methods for data alignment
A data alignment system suitable for use in manipulating the positioning of a designated portion of a data stream transmitted by a high speed communications system, so as to facilitate further processing of the data carried by the data stream. The data alignment system includes a detector and an alignment component in communication with each other. In operation, the detector locates and identifies, in accordance with suitable instructions, the designated portion of the data stream. The alignment component then repositions, in accordance with suitable instructions, the designated portion of the data stream at a predetermined location within the data stream. |
| US08326986B2 |
System and method for analyzing web paths
A method for analyzing web page paths associated with accesses to one or more web pages associated with one or more websites is disclosed. The method includes storing, for each instance of a web page access of the one or more web pages, time of access data, page access data, and entity data. The method further includes, for each entity reflected in the storage, determining one or more web page paths traversed by the entity based at least on the time of access data and the page access data, wherein each path includes accesses to at least two web pages. The method additionally includes analyzing at least one of the one or more websites or at least one of the one or more web pages, based on the determined one or more web page paths, and providing the analysis to one or more users or software processes. |
| US08326985B2 |
Distributed management of keep-alive message signaling for mobile network resource conservation and optimization
Systems and methods for distributed management of keep-alive message signaling for mobile network resource conservation and optimization are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, of monitoring rates of data communications with a mobile device, sending a periodic message to indicate operational state to the mobile device in response to a decrease in the rates of data communications with the mobile device, sending subsequent periodic messages to indicate operational state to the mobile device at increasing intervals between the subsequent periodic messages to decrease a number of periodic messages sent over the wireless network, and acknowledging to the mobile device that the subsequent periodic messages will be sent at increased intervals, or in a manner that conserves use of the mobile network. |
| US08326975B2 |
Power-saving network apparatus having physical layer circuit capable of entering low power state
A power-saving network apparatus includes a MAC and a PHY. The PHY includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter executes the operations of: transmitting a data signal to a remote network apparatus according to output packets of the MAC when the transmitter enters a normal state; transmitting an idle signal to the remote network apparatus when the transmitter enters an idle state; transmitting an indication signal to the remote network apparatus to notify it to enter a low power state, wherein the indication signal is different from the idle signal; entering the idle state or the normal state from the low power state in response to at least one of a predetermined period and a transmitting enable signal. |
| US08326974B2 |
Typicality filtering of event indicators for information technology resources
A monitor for information technology resources improved by introducing typicality filters to analyze potential event indicators such as alerts. A typicality filter keeps a time-dependent history of the frequency of occurrence of an associated event, wherein time is segmented into monitoring periods. At the end of each monitoring period, a present count of occurrences of the event is determined, and compared with the numbers of occurrences of that event in a subset of monitoring periods read from the history. If the present count exceeds the number of occurrences of the event in a predetermined proportion of the subset of historical monitoring periods, a first action is invoked; otherwise, a second action is invoked. |
| US08326973B2 |
Techniques for gauging performance of services
Techniques for gauging performance of services are provided. A client agent is configured to process on a client. The client agent simulates operations of a transaction as instructed by a server agent. The client agent also gathers metrics for each of the operations as they process on the client and passes the metrics back to the server agent. The server agent analyzes the metrics in accordance with a policy and takes one or more actions in response thereto. |
| US08326972B2 |
Methods and systems for managing network connections in a software provisioning environment
A provisioning server can manage network connections in the software provisioning environment. The provisioning server can maintain a network record of network configurations for the networks served by the provisioning server. The network record can include information describing the structure, hardware, software, and configuration of the networks served by the provisioning server. The provisioning server can manage and configure existing networks and instantiate new networks or sub-networks associated with the provisioning server. The network configuration module can retrieve the network configurations maintained in the network record to manage, configure, and instantiate existing or new networks. |
| US08326969B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing scalability in resource management and analysis system- three way split architecture
A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing scalability of a resource management and analysis system is disclosed. A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing scalability of a resource management and analysis system is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of receiving and storing information associated with each of the managed elements by a first system, determining a topology of the distributed system from the received managed element information, providing selected information regarding the topology to each of a second and a third system, wherein progressively less specific information is provided to the second and third systems, receiving, at the second system information, regarding status of the managed elements and determining an aggregated status of the managed components and performing, at the third system, an analysis based at least on the aggregated status information and the selected topology information. |
| US08326966B2 |
Efficient, centralized management of application log configuration settings
A log manager for tracing a user or process in a data processing system is provided. A user inputs various criteria in the log manager, indicating exactly what is to be traced. A tracer key is created based on this information. The tracer key is then transmitted to the appropriate applications in the system, which then gather the relevant information. The applications then forward this information to a log receiver. The receiver stores the information. The log receiver can then produce a trace report for the user at any time the user wishes. |
| US08326964B1 |
Website data content access progression
The present disclosure presents methods and systems for recording and analyzing a visitor's interactions with a website aimed at determining a qualified sales lead. Lead scoring may be used based on interactions with content, navigation through a website, and the providing of information from the visitor. Events, such as lead scores exceeding a threshold value, may prompt a request for information from the visitor. Providing information may increase a profile level and allow access to previously gated content. Visitor and business information may be stored in a user profile. Interests of the visitor and an associated business area may be ascertained. The interests lead score, and progressive profiles may be used to tailor the content and organization of the website according to the needs of the visitor, to suggest content and business solutions to the visitor, and to determine if/when a visitor is qualified as a lead. |
| US08326956B2 |
System and method for handling persistence information in a network
A system and method for selectively using persistence information in a network. In a specific embodiment, the system includes a proxy device for the client, wherein the proxy device includes a mechanism for employing persistence information associated with the client to perform a function for the client via the network. In a more specific embodiment, the persistence information includes information enabling the proxy device to resolve one or more domain names similarly to a client for which the appliance is resolving the one or more domain names. The system further includes a database that is adapted to maintain the persistence information pertaining to a connection between the client and the server. The proxy device is adapted to employ the persistence information to facilitate implementing a network appliance. The appliance may implement various functions on behalf of the client, such as a pre-fetch function, a refresh function, and so on. |
| US08326953B2 |
Configuration management method and system for customer premises equipment
The present invention relates to a technology for terminal equipment configuration management of a communication system, and embodiments of the present invention disclose a configuration management method and system for a customer premises equipment, which enable simpler interaction between a CS and CPEs in the case of batch configuration management on the CPEs. In the embodiments, a uniform file interaction interface is used, and a file server is provided as an intermediate for the interaction of configuration files; a uniform XML-based configuration template is used to embody therein configuration items common to the same type of CPEs, and personalized data of each CPE is further incorporated to generate a personalized configuration file for the CPE. Respective elements of the configuration file are also specified comprehensively. Furthermore, two methods for validation of the configuration are proposed respectively based upon the TR069 and the SNMP. |
| US08326951B1 |
Establishing a secure wireless network with minimum human intervention
Techniques for automatically configuring necessary parameters of a device to be coupled to a network with minimum human intervention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a wired and/or wireless Ad-hoc network is established to facilitate communications among a group of devices. When a new device is added to the network, a rudimentary communication path is initially established between one of the devices in the network and the new device such that necessary parameters (e.g., SSID, WEP security, channel frequency) can be exchanged for the new device to function properly in the network. To ensure the parameters are exchanged in a secure fashion, an additional public security procedure can be used between the two devices. |
| US08326947B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for delivering web content
According to embodiments described in the specification, a method, system and apparatus for delivering web content are provided. The method comprises maintaining a web page in a memory of a web server identifiable by a network address, the web page including at least one reference to a foreign element maintained at a second web server identifiable by a second network address; identifying the at least one reference; transmitting a request from an interface of the web server for obtaining the second network address; receiving the second network address of the second web server and storing the second network address in the memory in association with an identifier of the web page. |
| US08326942B2 |
IP unicast streaming service delivery
A method of ordering the delivery of a unicast media stream to a second client terminal coupled to an IP Multimedia Subsystem network is described. The method comprises first sending a unicast media order from a first client terminal to an application server of said IP Multimedia Subsystem network. A Session Initiation Protocol INVITE message is then sent from the application server to said second client in response to receipt of said order, the INVITE message containing a media Universal Resource Locator identifying a media source. The Universal Resource Locator is used to exchange Real Time Streaming Protocol signalling between the second client terminal and the application server to initiate and control delivery of the media. |
| US08326941B2 |
Method for autonomic detection and repair of broken links in web environments
A method for implementing autonomic detection and repair of broken links in Web environments includes receiving a request for additional Web content in a server in response to a link present in an originating Web content held on a host server; determining the present state of the received link; wherein the server performs in response to the received link: returns the requested additional Web content to a user; returns a Web content not found notification to a user; returns a Web content has moved notification with a valid link; wherein the notifications are digitally signed by the server; wherein in response to the returned notifications, the user's browser sends the notifications to the host server; and wherein in response to the reception of the notifications the host server notifies a content manager of the link state, stores the notification in a database, and repairs the link. |
| US08326940B2 |
Transfer device
The user of a mobile station which is prepared to receive information providing services from unspecified IP (Information Providers) accesses a gateway server and performs a pre-registration procedure (S71). When an IP server has information to provide to users, it constructs the information in the form of electronic mail, appends user attribute data, and sends this to the gateway server (S72). Upon receiving electronic mail with attribute data, the gateway server stores the electronic mail in a third mailbox, makes a comparison of the user attributes, and calls the mobile stations of relevant users (S73). A user who has received a call requests a download of the electronic mail from the gateway server (S74). The gateway server sends electronic mail to the mobile station which made the request (S75, S76). |
| US08326939B2 |
Storage system that transfers system information elements
A first storage system that has a first storage device comprises a first interface device that is connected to a second interface device that a second storage system has. A first controller of the first storage system reads system information elements of first system information (information relating to the constitution and control of the first storage system) from a first system area (a storage area that is not provided for the host of the first storage device) and transfers the system information elements or modified system information elements to the second storage system via the first interface device. The system information elements are recorded in a second system area in a second storage device that the second storage system has. |
| US08326934B2 |
System and method for remotely configuring a desktop mailbox
A method and system for remotely configuring a desktop mailbox manager. A mobile node operable to communicate within a wireless network includes a remote desktop controller to generate configuration messages for transmission to a home node at which the desktop mailbox manager is located. When reconfiguration is required, reconfiguration criteria are formulated, usually at the direction of the user. The reconfiguration criteria are then used by the remote desktop controller to create a reconfiguration message, which is addressed for delivery to the home node. A network connection is established, and the reconfiguration message is transmitted. A network server associated with the base station through which the mobile node is communicating with the network routes the message to a server associated with the home node, utilizing an appropriate gateway if necessary. The message is stored on the server until the home node establishes communication and then the message is downloaded to the home node. In the home node, the message is used to reconfigure the desktop manager. |
| US08326928B2 |
Adjunct use of instant messenger software to enable communications to or between chatterbots or other software agents
A user's chatterbot participates in a chat session with other users and the other users' chatterbots. The originator of an incoming instant message is identified to such a degree that a buddy on a buddy list is able to determine that the instant message was sent by a user's chatterbot (e.g., “Jackie's chatterbot”), and not the user (“Jackie”). The chatterbots can communicate with other chatterbots while the chatterbots' users listen to the chatterbots converse. The chatterbots may respond to messages originated by other chatterbots' messages and buddies' (users') messages. |
| US08326923B1 |
Smart prefetching of data over a network
A method, system, an apparatus are directed towards selectively prefetching content over a network. A request for a content object is received. The content object may comprise a link to another content object. A cachability measure for the link may be determined based on whether a plurality of previous requests for the link returned the other content object, an annotation in a link map, a probability of traversing the link, a network metric, or the like. A prefetchability measure for the link may be determined based on the cachability measure and/or another factor relating to the link. The other factor may be an annotation of the link indicating that caching the other content object will cause a related object to be uncachable. Based on the prefetchability measure, the other content object is selectively prefetched for subsequent provisioning and/or display. |
| US08326921B2 |
Data communication device, terminal device, and data communication system using the same
A data communication device with no wait time, which multiple users can operate simultaneously, each user being able to obtain desired content simultaneously, regardless of the content of a content screen, being the same or different content screens. A body of the data communication device is provided with a communication unit having a terminal and a plurality of communication elements for communicating content, a transferring unit for transferring content to certain communication elements of the communication unit, and an associated data creating unit for selecting the communication elements to which content is to be transferred from among the plurality of communication elements. Content can thereby be provided simultaneously to multiple users without a wait time, and areas from which content can be obtained can thereby be varied dynamically. Operations related to provision of content, such as to many users, are therefore easy. |
| US08326916B2 |
Relay method, relay apparatus, and computer product
A relay apparatus for relaying a communication between a client and a server includes a determining unit that determines, when the server is to be switched to a standby server, whether connection in an application layer established between the server and the client can be maintained, without depending on an application; and an executing unit that executes a process depending on a result of determination by the determining unit. The process includes a maintaining process for maintaining the connection when the determining unit determines that the connection can be maintained; and a disconnecting process for disconnecting the connection when the determining unit determines that the connection cannot be maintained. |
| US08326914B2 |
Network system extensible by users
In one aspect, a network system includes a user interface which allows a user to interact with the network system. An agent server is coupled to the user interface. The agent server manages the operation of the network system. Furthermore, the agent server in conjunction with the user interface is operable to create or modify an agent in response to interaction by the user. In another aspect, a network system includes an agent server which manages the operation of the network system. An agent is operable to utilize a service within the network system. A service wrapper, associated with the service, cooperates with the agent server to mediate interaction between the service and the agent. |
| US08326907B2 |
Method for establishing a simulating signal suitable for estimating a complex exponential signal
A method for establishing a simulating signal suitable for estimating a complex exponential signal includes the following computer-implemented steps: sampling a time domain signal of a physical system to obtain a sampling signal; transforming the sampling signal to a frequency domain signal using Fast Fourier Transform; determining parameters of the frequency domain signal; establishing a simulating signal; establishing a target function which is a deviation of the simulating signal from the sampling signal; obtaining correcting factors; iterating the target function using a gradient method and the correcting factors to obtain three sets of iterated signal parameters; obtaining corrected parameters using quadratic interpolation; and using the corrected parameters to correct the simulating signal, and establishing an updated target function. The simulating signal can be used to estimate dynamic behavior of the physical system if the updated target function converges to a tolerable range. |
| US08326900B2 |
Device and method for creating summaries of multimedia documents
The invention relates to a device (1) and a method for creating summaries of multimedia documents, the device comprising a storage means and means enabling a user to view a multimedia document. According to the invention, the device comprises means of automatically weighting multimedia documents stored in the storage means according to the frequency with which the different stored documents are viewed by said user, means of creating a summary of the multimedia documents stored on the storage means according to the weighting assigned to each multimedia document. |
| US08326898B2 |
Method and system for run time directories for address services on a mail processing system
The present application generally relates to address data maintenance services using a mail processing system. The present application discloses techniques and equipment to update address information and usage of mail processing equipment to print delivery point barcodes that represent the current and accurate address information available for the addressee. The present application also provides a new approach for storing and searching address and name run time directories as part of a mail processing system using address reader technology. |
| US08326894B2 |
Method and system to space-efficiently track memory access of object-oriented language in presence of garbage collection
The present invention provides a method and system for processing memory access events. The method comprises: executing an extended program including instrumented memory tracking code for tracking memory access events of a plurality of objects; allocating a unique identifier for each of the plurality of tracked objects; creating a weak reference for each of the plurality of tracked objects, wherein a mapping relationship is established between the identifier of the weak reference and that of the corresponding tracked object; recording and storing the memory access events of the plurality of tracked objects; in response to receiving a notification of memory garbage collection which includes an identifier of a weak reference of a collected object, determining the identifier of the collected object based on the mapping relationship between the identifier of the weak reference and that of the corresponding tracked object, and searching the stored memory access events for the memory access events of the collected object; and deleting the memory access events of the collected object. The storage overhead may be reduced according to the above method of the present invention. |
| US08326892B2 |
Methods and systems for automatic conversion of a utility monitoring system layout into a storage format
A method and system of converting numerical infrastructure data relating to a utility monitoring system having elements arranged in a hierarchy to a graphic compatible storage data format. Numerical infrastructure data relating to the elements of the utility monitoring system is obtained. The numerical infrastructure data relating to the elements of the utility monitoring system is converted to the graphic compatible storage data format. The graphic compatible storage data format may be System Specification Description (SSD). The converted data is stored in a storage file. A user interface may access the storage file to generate a graphic display showing the elements of the utility monitoring system arranged in the hierarchy. |
| US08326889B2 |
Systems and methods for generating customizing documentation
The present disclosure involves systems, products, and methods for generating software documentation. One method includes operations for identifying a transport request containing information associated with a set of software modifications; identifying at least one view identified by the transport request, each identified view comprising a modified view of information associated with the software; accessing metadata information describing a structure for each identified view; identifying at least one database table associated with each identified view; accessing, for each identified database table, at least one database table field modified by the transport request and values associated with each of the database table fields; outputting, for each identified view, at least a portion of the set of metadata information describing the structure of the identified view; and outputting, for each identified database table associated with each identified view, at least a portion of the values associated with each database table field. |
| US08326888B2 |
Method and apparatus for oilfield data repository
The invention relates to a method for performing operations of an oilfield having at least one wellsite, a surface network, and a process facility, each wellsite having a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation for extracting fluid from an underground reservoir therein. The method includes storing oilfield data associated with a plurality of oilfield entities in a first data repository, obtaining a first target metamodel comprising structural description of a first plurality of data entities of the first data repository, obtaining a domain metamodel interleaved with a first mapping specification, the domain metamodel comprising structural description of a domain model for representing the plurality of oilfield entities in an application programming interface, obtaining a mapping specification associating the first target metamodel with the domain metamodel and forming the application programming interface based on the domain metamodel, the first target metamodel, and the first mapping specification using a computer implemented method. |
| US08326887B2 |
Report generation with integrated quality management
Reports are generated by a computing engine using user inputs to a template and automatically added quality management values. Quality management reports can be automatically generated at selected intervals, such as daily, monthly, and yearly. Users are thus able to meet required quality assurance standards. |
| US08326878B2 |
System for and method of processing business personnel information
Information for personnel of a plurality of business organizations is collected. For each person, the information includes the name of the person, the identity of a business organization that the person currently works for and biographical information containing any affiliations identified for the person. Information for a plurality of affiliations is collected and a table of the affiliations is generated, the table of affiliations being stored in computer-readable storage. From the collected information, a data structure is generated and is stored in computer-readable storage. The first data structure includes an entry for each match between the biographical information of a person and an affiliation included in the table of affiliations. A query of a user may be responded to by executing a computer-implemented process on the first data structure. Results of the query are displayed for the user. |
| US08326875B2 |
Apparatus for processing information and a method for setting environment thereof
The invention provides an information processing apparatus and a system environment setting method thereof capable of changing over profiles flexibly and preventing failure to return to the original profile if the time zone desired to change over the profiles of the information processing apparatus is irregular or if the schedule is suddenly changed. The information processing apparatus of the invention includes a DB 230 for storing a plurality of profiles composed of data for setting the system environment, a profile changeover section 214 for reading out a specified profile from the DB 230 in order to change over the profiles, and setting the system environment, a user interface section 212 for receiving the continuation time of the profile being changed over, and a timer control section 211 for clocking the lapse of time after changeover of profiles, in which when the lapse of time has reached the continuation time of the profile, the profile changeover section 214 reads out the predetermined default profile from the DB 230, and sets the system environment. |
| US08326874B2 |
Model-based implied authorization
An authorization system determines a user's permission to access an object implicitly based on relationships in a data-driven model. The system provides the ability to mark a relationship type in the model between one object class (accessor) and another object class (accessed) as an implicit authorization relationship type. A user can define the permissions granted to the accessor object on the accessed object. When an accessor object tries to access a related accessed object over an authorization relationship type, the authorization system determines the permissions granted by inspecting the implicit authorization relationship type definition. The authorization system can also traverse containment relationship types to grant objects permissions contained by other objects. The authorization system dynamically determines authorization based on a relationship model that more naturally fits the actions that an administrator of a data-driven system is familiar with, and does not involve complex direct authorization or group membership management. |
| US08326873B2 |
Enterprise architecture system and method
Various embodiments of the invention may provide a method for operating a REST web service operable to search one or more data sources. In some embodiments, the invention may comprise receiving a query directed to a first data source, wherein the first data source defines at least one characteristic of at least one first data object returned by the query. Some embodiments of the invention may comprise querying the first data source. Various embodiments of the invention may comprise receiving at least one first data object from the first data source in response to querying the first data source. In some embodiments, the invention may comprise retrieving linked relationships between the at least one first data object and one or more second data objects from a second data source. Some embodiments of the invention may comprise querying the second data source for information on the one or more second data objects. Various embodiments of the invention may comprise receiving the one or more second data objects from the second data source in response to querying the second data source. In some embodiments, the invention may comprise generating a composite data object in response to the received query, the composite data object including the at least one first data object and the one or more second data objects formatted as markup language, wherein the markup language contains embedded functionality therein. |
| US08326871B2 |
Method and system for dynamically generating category-based views
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for dynamically creating a view in a distributed processing system. The system can have nodes such as a service node and a directory with entries. An object class of a view can be defined as including an attribute type that accommodates a new attribute value. An attribute value associated with one of the nodes can be received at the service node whereupon it can be determined whether the attribute value is associated with the new attribute value. A new view can be created if the attribute value is associated with the new attribute value. |
| US08326869B2 |
Analysis of object structures such as benefits and provider contracts
The hierarchical relationships between objects in different levels of an object structure (such as a contract) are stored as elements in two-dimensional matrix representations. In general, the matrix representations facilitate queries, clustering of like objects and contracts, and comparisons that identify common objects and contracts. |
| US08326867B2 |
Apparatus for generating job network flow from job control statement described in job control language and its method
An object of the present invention is to convert JCL files into a job network without manual labor.An apparatus interprets dependency between JCL files as a logical expression, performs deduction for the logical expression to solve the dependency, and converts the JCL files into a job network in consideration of the above information. The apparatus reads the JCL files, analyzes dependency between the JCL files, and interprets the dependency as a logical expression. The apparatus expresses the logical expression obtained by interpreting the dependency using an algorithm in a list form. The apparatus reads the JCL files, converts the JCL files into intermediate files, and converts the intermediate files into a job network. The apparatus divides the intermediate file into parts based on a JCL command left in the intermediate file and converts the JCL command into components of the job network to generate a job network flow. |
| US08326861B1 |
Personalized term importance evaluation in queries
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for personalized term importance evaluation in natural language queries are disclosed. The personalized term importance evaluation utilizes a personalized profile tree constructed using search history associated with a user. The personalized profile tree is a hierarchy of nodes representing categories of information that the user has previously searched or selected from search results. When a search query is received from the user, each term and phrase in the search query is compared against the nodes in the personalized profile tree, and an importance score is given to the search term or phrase based on the depth of a matching node in the tree, and a child count for the matching node. An alternative query can be generated from a subset of the search terms that have respective importance scores exceeding a predetermined threshold. |
| US08326855B2 |
System and method for abstraction of objects for cross virtual universe deployment
A system and method for abstracting objects in a virtual universe (VU) deployment is provided. The system and method abstracts VU objects for editing in a common abstraction utility and for deploying to one or more VU grids containing one or more VU architectures and/or platforms (servers). The method can be implemented in a computer infrastructure having programming instructions operable to: obtain an object associated with a first virtual universe server; translate the object with syntax specific to at least a second virtual universe server, the syntax being different than that used with the first virtual universe server; and deploy the translated object to the second virtual universe server. |
| US08326854B2 |
Method of detecting a reference sequence of events in a sample sequence of events
A method of detecting a reference sequence of events in a sample sequence of events, wherein each event is of a certain event type and holds a set of data attributes, includes the steps of: picking candidate combinations of events from said sample sequence so that the event types within each candidate combination match the event types in the reference sequence, calculating an overall similarity score for each candidate combination from at least (i) an event occurrence score based on occurrence deviations representing a count of non-matching events between the events of a candidate combination matching events of the reference sequence and (ii) an attribute match score based on similarity deviations between the data attributes of the events of a candidate combination and the data attributes of the matching events of the reference sequence, and identifying the candidate combination with the best overall similarity score as reference sequence detected. |
| US08326850B2 |
Data converting apparatus, method, and computer product
A data converting apparatus includes a storage unit that stores encoded meta-definition information, a data converting function, a conversion rule table, and a conversion rule; an input unit that receives input of data to be converted; a detecting unit that uses the encoded meta-definition information to detect metadata codes for a conversion source and a conversion destination for which the conversion rule code matches; a determining unit that determines whether the detected metadata codes match; a specifying unit that, by referring to a conversion rule and based on the determination result at the determining unit, specifies the data converting function, according to the combination of the metadata codes for the conversion source and for the conversion destination; and a converting unit that uses the specified data converting function to convert the data of the conversion source to have a property prescribed by metadata for the conversion destination. |
| US08326849B2 |
System and method for optimizing the de-identification of data sets
A method, system and computer memory for optimally de-identifying a dataset is provided. The dataset from a storage device. The equivalence classes within the dataset is determined. A lattice is determined defining anonymization strategies. A solution set for the lattice is generated. Optimal node from the solution set is determined. The dataset is then de-identified using the generalization defined by the optimal node and can then be stored on the storage device. |
| US08326843B2 |
Apparatus and method for navigating data using a graphical interface
A computer-implemented graphical apparatus and method for navigating a collection of data such as a database by exploring or drilling down through a database without needing to enter a text-based keyword search; and navigating a database using a graphical interface that presents structured options to users rather than relying on user knowledge to direct the navigation process. |
| US08326841B2 |
Clustered search processing
Methods and apparatus for searching data and grouping search results into clusters that are ordered according to search relevance. Each cluster comprises one or more data type, such as images, web pages, local information, news, advertisements, and the like. In one embodiment, a search term is evaluated for related concepts indicating categories of data sources to search. Data sources may also be identified by context information such as a location of a client device, a currently running application, and the like. Search results in each cluster are ordered by relevance and each cluster is given a score based on an aggregate of the relevance within the cluster. Each cluster score may be modified based on one or more corresponding concepts and/or context information. The clusters are ordered based on the modified scores. Content, including advertisements, may also be added to the ordered list to appear as another cluster. |
| US08326838B2 |
Education credentials management method and system
A system and method for online storage and distribution of educational credentials and related documents of student and job seeker applicants comprising, a centralized education credentials document management database that receives and securely stores resumes, transcripts, letters of recommendation, military records, professional certificates, rental and credit history, and related documents from document sources such as university or school registrars, referees, and related entities to be easily accessible by document recipients such as undergraduate and graduate schools, recruiters, or employers. The system of the present invention provides a vast improvement over the existing time consuming and expensive methods of collecting, compiling and physically sending documents required for school admissions and job placement. By storing all of the original documents in a centralized online database student and job seeker applicants can easily comply with a wide array of document support requirements simply by providing a link to the parties that are requesting the information. |
| US08326837B2 |
Dynamically generating a portal site map
Embodiments for dynamically generating a portal site map may include determining a root node of a navigational construct of a portal site, where the root node has one or more child nodes. Embodiments may further include recursively crawling through the one or more child nodes of the root node to discover a composition subtree for at least one of the child nodes, the composition subtree comprising information relating to one or more portlets associated with at least one of the child nodes. Embodiments may further include generating a portal site map having an indication of the one or more child nodes and an indication of the one or more portlets associated with at least one of the child nodes. Further embodiments may include generating a portlet response based on the generated portal site map. |
| US08326834B2 |
Density-based co-location pattern discovery
Described is using density to efficiently mine co-location patterns, such as closely located businesses frequently found together in business listing databases, geographic search logs, and/or GPS-based data. A data space of such information is geographically partitioned into a grid of cells, with dense cells scanned first. A dynamic upper bound of prevalence measure of co-location patterns is maintained during the scanning process. If the current upper bound is smaller than a threshold, the scanning is stopped, thereby significantly reducing the computation cost for processing many cells, while providing suitable results. |
| US08326832B2 |
On-demand data management system and method
An on-demand data management system. The system comprises a file management module and a demand analysis module. The file management module receives files. Each file has attributes. The file management module segments the files according the attributes. The demand analysis module receives a data demand and selects data from the segmented files according to the data demand. |
| US08326830B2 |
Pattern recognition in web search engine result pages
Described herein are methods and systems for pattern recognition in web search engine result pages. The input data is a result page from a web search engine as well as an integer number for the results on the page. The output is a regular expression that matches all the results on the page, capturing each result and its individual fields. |
| US08326828B2 |
Method and system for employing a multiple layer cache mechanism to enhance performance of a multi-user information retrieval system
A method and system for optimizing resource usage in an information retrieval system. Meta information in query results describes data items identified by identifiers. A chunk of the identifiers and a set of meta information are loaded into a first cache and a second cache, respectively. A portion of the set of meta information is being viewed by a user. The portion describes a data item identified by an identifier included in the chunk and in a sub-chunk of identifiers that identifies data items described by the set of meta information. If a position of the identifier in the sub-chunk satisfies a first criterion, then a second set of meta information is preloaded into the second cache. If a position of the identifier in the chunk satisfies a second criterion, then a second chunk of the identifiers is preloaded into the first cache. |
| US08326827B2 |
Network peer-to-peer goods and services delivery system and method for ranking peers by degrees of association
Methods and systems for providing a list of peers that satisfy a query are disclosed. A plurality of peer profiles are obtained from a data repository, each having a degree of association with the query originating peer. A first and second group of peers, respectively having a first and second degree of association with the query originating peer are determined. A third group of peers that satisfy the query are determined. A fourth group of peers is determined from the third group based on an assigned score to each of the peers in the first and second group, the assigned score reflecting a degree of association between the query originating peer and each of the peers in the first and second group. Results are ranked based on the assigned score. |
| US08326826B1 |
Navigational resources for queries
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for identifying navigational resources for queries. In an aspect, a candidate query in a query sequence is selected, and a revised query subsequent to the candidate query in the query sequence is selected. If a quality score for the revised query is greater than a quality score threshold and a navigation score for the revised query is greater than a navigation score threshold, then a navigational resource for the revised query is identified and associated with the candidate query. The association specifies the navigational resource as being relevant to the candidate query in a search operation. |
| US08326822B2 |
Methods and systems for querying event streams using multiple event processors
In one embodiment, a system for distributed event processing includes a first event processor and a second event processor. The first event processor receives event data associated with an event stream. The second event processor receives a query associated with the event stream. A request to the first event processor is generated by the second event processor based on the query for a first portion of event data associated with the event stream. The second event processor receives the first portion of event data from the first event processor. The second event processor then generates an event based on the first portion of event data. |
| US08326819B2 |
Method and system for high performance data metatagging and data indexing using coprocessors
Disclosed herein is a method and system for hardware-accelerating the generation of metadata for a data stream using a coprocessor. Using these techniques, data can be richly indexed, classified, and clustered at high speeds. Reconfigurable logic such a field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) can be used by the coprocessor for this hardware acceleration. Techniques such as exact matching, approximate matching, and regular expression pattern matching can be employed by the coprocessor to generate desired metadata for the data stream. |
| US08326818B2 |
Method of managing websites registered in search engine and a system thereof
A method of managing websites registered in a search engine in a search engine administration system includes receiving, by an interface module, website information on a website. A website registration module sorts the website information according to an information field. The sorted website information is recorded in a database, and an adult keyword database stores adult keywords. An HTML file of a web page of the website is extracted, and a redirection tag included in the HTML file is extracted by analyzing the HTML file. A character string associated with a target URL of the redirection tag is also extracted so that the adult keyword database is searched for an adult keyword corresponding to the extracted character string. When an adult keyword corresponding to the extracted character string is found, a process for the website is also performed. The process for the website includes contacting a registrant of the website. |
| US08326816B2 |
Fine grain synchronization for database replay
A method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for preserving data dependency during replay of database commands without strictly preserving a global ordering of the database commands is provided. A capture process captures a workload of database commands executed by a production system. The captured workload includes object identifiers that identify database objects that were referenced directly or indirectly during execution of the database commands by the production system. The captured workload also includes an indication of whether the database objects were potentially read or written during execution of the commands. The workload is processed to determine that an object accessed during execution of a command was previously modified during execution of one or more other commands. A replay process on a test database system prevents the command from being replayed until after the one or more other commands have been replayed to modify the object. |
| US08326808B2 |
Information processing apparatus, and information processing method, program, and recording medium
A method of verifying the consistency in a hierarchical database includes: generating a pointer record by acquiring a reference point stored in the hierarchical database and associating a first reference point identification value determined from a storage location of the reference point with pointer information retained at the reference point; generating a segment record by acquiring a segment stored in the hierarchical database and associating verification data with a retention address of the acquired segment, the verification data giving a second reference point identification value in connection with the calculation module, the calculation module calculating, for a segment in the hierarchical database, a reference point identification value used to identify a reference point which points to the segment; and verifying the consistency of a chain formed in the hierarchical database from the reference point to the segment by comparing the segment record with the pointer record. |
| US08326807B2 |
Methods of measuring consistability of a distributed storage system
A method for measuring consistability of a distributed storage system is disclosed. The method includes determining at least one consistency level that the distributed storage system can provide. A plurality of failure classes can be determined for the distributed storage system. A probability of the distributed storage system to be in each of the plurality of failure classes can be measured. Each failure class can be mapped to the at least one consistency level. The probability of each failure class for each consistency level can be summed to determine an expected portion of time that the distributed storage system provides each consistency level. |
| US08326805B1 |
High-availability file archiving
Computer file archiving systems and techniques are described. Various aspects include wide area high-availability file archiving, volume-level management capabilities of archiving systems, and methods and systems for storing file archiving metadata. The methods and systems described can be used individually or in combination. |
| US08326803B1 |
Change tracking of individual virtual disk files
A first write operation is intercepted. The first write operation is a write from a virtual machine to a virtual disk. The first write operation is a change to a first data location. The change to the first data location is recorded. The recording creates a first change record. The first change record is stored separately from the first data location. A first backup operation is performed. The first backup operation, the intercepting, and the recording are performed by an application executing on a host of the virtual machine. The first backup operation includes a read request for the first data location. The read request for the first data location is fulfilled based on the first change record. |
| US08326798B1 |
File system agnostic replication
A replication operation service migrates data from a source volume having a source file system type to a destination volume having a destination file system type, where the source file system type may be different from the destination file system type. The replication operation is completed without interrupting the operations of a client device in the system. A stable copy of the source file system is generated on the source volume. A file system agnostic representation of a portion of the data in the source volume is generated from the stable copy. The representation is transmitted to the destination volume where it is converted to conform to the destination file system type. |
| US08326795B2 |
Enhanced process query framework
An enhanced process query framework, including receiving a user input defining behavioral and static aspects of a target process artifact, and automatically defining a query specification including an axiom component expressing the static aspect using a logical expression, and a process definition component expressing the behavioral aspect using ontologized π-calculus. The process further includes querying a process artifact library using the automatically defined query specification, and outputting a candidate process artifact matching the defined behavioral and static aspects, based on querying the process artifact library. |
| US08326790B2 |
Fuzzy logic approach in temporal fault reasoning and application in air handling units
A system that transforms information into fuzzy observable states. These states may be matched against a mapping table which indicates which observable state admits or excludes particular faults. This information may be processed over time when in each time instant the admitted or excluded faults are used for updating the rate for each fault. |
| US08326789B2 |
Expert system integrated with remote performance management
The invention relates to a method of troubleshooting process issues using an Expert System. More specifically, the invention involves transmitting, to an Expert System, Remote Performance Management (RPM) data based on Distributed Control System (DCS) information and subsequently translating the RPM data. The Expert System determines a solution along with an associated confidence level. The Expert System may prioritize the solution and simultaneously signal the DCS to automatically implement the transmitted solution. |
| US08326787B2 |
Recovering the structure of sparse markov networks from high-dimensional data
A method, information processing system, and computer readable article of manufacture model data. A first dataset is received that includes a first set of physical world data. At least one data model associated with the first dataset is generated based on the receiving. A second dataset is received that includes a second set of physical world data. The second dataset is compared to the at least one data model. A probability that the second dataset is modeled by the at least one data model is determined. A determination is made that the probability is above a given threshold. A decision associated with the second dataset based on the at least one data model is generated in response to the probability being above the given threshold. The probability and the decision are stored in memory. The probability and the decision are provided to user via a user interface. |
| US08326779B2 |
Information processing device, information processing method, and program
An information processing device for generating a target feature amount computational expression for outputting a target feature amount corresponding to input data, comprising: a feature amount extraction expression list generating unit configured to generate and update a feature amount extraction expression list; a feature amount computing unit configured to input actual data supplied as tutor data to each feature amount extraction expression included in the feature amount extraction expression list to compute multiple feature amounts corresponding to the actual data; a target feature amount computational expression generating unit configured to employ the multiple feature amounts, and an existing feature amount corresponding to the actual data supplied as tutor data for the same rank to generate the target feature amount computational expression by machine learning; and an evaluation value computing unit configured to compute the evaluation value of each feature amount extraction expression included in the feature amount extraction expression list. |
| US08326777B2 |
Supplementing a trained model using incremental data in making item recommendations
Incremental training data is used to supplement a trained model to provide personalized recommendations for a user. The personalized recommendations can be made by taking into account the user's behavior, such as, without limitation, the user's short and long term web page interactions, to identify item recommendations. A trained model is generated from training data indicative of the web page interaction data collected from a plurality of users. Incremental training data indicative of other web page interaction data can be used to supplement the trained model, or in place of the trained model. Incremental training data can be indicative of user behavior collected more recently than the data used to train the model, for example. |
| US08326775B2 |
Signature generation for multimedia deep-content-classification by a large-scale matching system and method thereof
Content-based clustering, recognition, classification and search of high volumes of multimedia data in real-time. The invention is dedicated to real-time fast generation of signatures to high-volume of multimedia content-segments, based on relevant audio and visual signals, and to scalable matching of signatures of high-volume database of content-segments' signatures. The invention can be implemented in any applications which involve large-scale content-based clustering, recognition and classification of multimedia data, such as, content-tracking, video filtering, multimedia taxonomy generation, video fingerprinting, speech-to-text, audio classification, object recognition, video search and any other application requiring content-based signatures generation and matching for large content volumes such as, web and other large-scale databases. |
| US08326773B1 |
Systems and methods for cost-plus pricing
Systems and methods, specifically computer implemented systems and methods for determining cost-plus pricing for pharmaceuticals. Specifically, systems and methods which can provide for transparent pricing which helps to provide a reasonable profit for a pharmacy while also generally providing competitive or reduced cost prescriptions to individual patients. |
| US08326769B1 |
Monetary transfer in a social network
A method and system for billing and paying friends on a social network is described. A monetary transfer module generates an invoice for sharing an expense with at least one friend on a social network. The monetary transfer module identifies users on the social network. The monetary transfer module generates a group that includes the users based at least in part on at least one common feature between the users. At least one of the users included in the group incurs an expense. The monetary transfer module generates an invoice for paying for the expense. The monetary transfer module sends a notification to at least one of the users that includes the invoice. |
| US08326767B1 |
Customer data privacy implementation
A system for privacy management of customer data is provided. The system includes a data store, a plurality of applications, a central broker and a distributed component. The data store maintains customer privacy data used by the applications. The central broker provides the applications with customer data and manages the customer privacy data according to a set of rules regarding access to the customer privacy data. The distributed component is distributed from the central broker and is operable to communicate with the central broker to obtain at least some of the customer data. The distributed component provides at least some of the customer privacy data to the applications according to the set of rules regarding access to the customer privacy data. |
| US08326765B2 |
Method and apparatus for a cryptographically-assisted commercial network system designed to facilitate and support expert-based commerce
The present invention is an expert matching method and apparatus for managing communications between an expert having particular qualifications and an end user seeking a solution to an expert request. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus of the present invention includes a controller having a database for storing expert qualifications. In one embodiment, the controller receives an expert request. A search program identifies experts qualified to respond to the expert request. The expert request is then transmitted to the expert, which results in an expert answer transmitted to and received by the central controller. After authentication of the expert answer, using a wide range of security levels from passwords to cryptography, the answer is forwarded to the end user. The method and apparatus of the present invention have applications on the Internet as well as conventional voice telephony systems. |
| US08326754B2 |
Method and system for processing transactions
A system and method are provided for processing transactions between at least one buying company and at least one selling company using a central datastore accessible to users from the buying company and selling company. Purchase order and invoice data are obtained and compared to identify a matched record having purchase order data and corresponding invoice data. A collaborative data set in the central datastore is created, based in part on the matched record and storing in the datastore detailed settlement data regarding settlement of the matched record of purchase order data and corresponding invoice data. A complete settlement transaction history is stored by providing for storage of additional settlement data in the central datastore, wherein credit memos, debit memos regarding the invoice, the purchase order of the matched record, and/or other documents related to the transaction are stored as part of the collaborative data set. |
| US08326747B2 |
System and method for flexible deferred payment terms
A method is disclosed for offering transaction account consumers with payment term options to pay a minimum amount due early, defer payment into the following payment cycle, and pay a standard amount when due. When generating a periodic billing statement, the invention determines a consumer's eligibility to elect early payment, deferred payment, and regular payment. When a consumer is eligible for early payment, a received payment is compared to a discount rate tier, then a discount amount is calculated and credited to the consumer's account. When the consumer is eligible for deferred payment, the system calculates a new current minimum payment due by multiplying the current non-deferred balance by a predetermined percentage amount and adding the result to the deferred balance. When the consumer is not eligible for deferred payment, the system calculates a new current minimum due by summing the current non-deferred balance with the deferred balance. |
| US08326744B2 |
Electronic transaction system and method
An Internet based system for executing transactions is described. The system may include transaction data, a database, a business logic manager and user profiles. A rules may also be included, and store information about system responses to modifications of the data. The user profiles may be configured to store information concerning the availability of information and displays depending upon the user. |
| US08326742B2 |
Programmed trading system
An Internet based investment account management system that consists of data, a rules database, a business logic manager and user profiles is described. The rules database stores information about system responses to modifications of the data. The user profiles store information concerning the availability of information and displays depending upon the user. Automatic updates to user profiles in response to modifications to the data are performed. The business logic manager can be configured to define whether the trader is authorized to execute a trade and whether sufficient holdings are available at a custodian bank in order to execute trade. A data exchange link may then be used to send data to a broker/dealer system to execute the trade. |
| US08326740B2 |
Method and system for calculating an intraday indicative value of leveraged bullish and bearish exchange traded funds
A computer implemented method, system, and software for calculating and using an intraday indicative value of a leveraged Bullish or Bearish exchange traded fund (“ETF”) for arbitrage purposes, includes calculating an intraday current value of all the equity securities in the ETF (applicable only to Bullish ETFs), calculating mark to market gains or losses of at least one derivative product, and retrieving an accumulated loss or gain of the at least one derivative product and other cash equivalent amounts. The intraday indicative value of the ETF is determined by combining the calculated intraday current value of all the equity securities (applicable only to Bullish ETFs), the accumulated loss or gain, the mark to market gains of the at least one derivative product and other cash equivalent amounts. The determined intraday value of the ETF is used, by a party, for arbitrage purposes. |
| US08326737B2 |
Opening cross in electronic market
A method, executed in a computer system, for opening an electronic market for trading of a security is described. The method includes receiving by the computer system eligible orders and quotes for the security traded in the electronic market and disseminating an order imbalance indicator indicative of predicted trading characteristics of the security at the open of trading. The method also includes determining by the computer system a price or prices at which the maximum shares would be executed and determining which price would minimize any imbalance of eligible orders and executing at least some of the eligible orders at the determined opening price. |
| US08326726B2 |
Systems and methods to allocate relevancy of global asset peers
The present invention provides apparatus and methods to facilitate allocation of find assets amongst asset classes including: equity inverse assets, precious metal assets, commodities and hard assets, international equity, international fixed income, domestic fixed income and domestic equity. |
| US08326721B2 |
Distribution of electronic market data
A system and method are provided that, among other things, can reduce the burden on receiving computers, increase data throughput, reduce system failure, and provide components of a scalable and flexible network architecture. Specifically, the system and method provide a multichannel-multicast network environment for use in dynamically assigning data to channels. This configuration is particularly useful in a trading network environment, as it effectively performs channel reassignments in a way not to disturb the receipt of the underlying data. While the example embodiments described herein pertain to electronic trading, the principles of the present invention may be equally applied in other environments where the advantages presented herein are beneficial. |
| US08326712B2 |
Method and system for technology consumption management
A method and system for tracking expenditures incurred by an entity involves determining the costs incurred, reading a file containing business model information, and allocating the costs according to the business model information. The business model information includes information regarding the internal structure of the entity including groups and sub-groups within the entity. Furthermore, value drivers of the entity and application profiles of the entity are also taken into consideration in determining whether various groups and sub-groups within the entity are performing optimally. |
| US08326711B2 |
Spending vehicles for payments
A system and method for associating payments with spending vehicles so that an individual who is entitled to receive periodic or special payments such as social security checks receives in place of the payment a spending vehicle such as a discount card, rebate, or coupon for use with purchases of the sponsor's products or services. Sponsors include companies and organizations interested in offering purchase incentives to their customers. An individual who wishes to receive a spending vehicle rather than the regular payment selects the spending vehicle he or she would like to receive. The individual then assigns his or her right to receive the payment to a third party. The third party then arranges to give a spending vehicle to the individual and to transfer the individual's payment to the sponsor of the spending vehicle. The third party may take a portion of the payment as compensation for the service. |
| US08326710B2 |
System and method for generating and tracking field values of mortgage forms
A system for generating field values of mortgage forms. The system includes a database, a calculation module, a monitoring module. The database contains jurisdictional tax and fee information used to calculate field values for the mortgage form. The calculation module is configured to calculate field values for the mortgage form and to generate a transaction log for mortgage and related transactions. The monitoring module communicates with the database and identifies when changes in the field values of tax and fee information occur in the transaction log, and report those changes to the affected lender. |
| US08326705B2 |
Restaurant yield management portal
A system and method to optimize the yield of a restaurant having perishable inventory is described. Through a card company, a restaurant can market incentives to make reservations during an off-peak time to enrolled card members. Offer marketing is based on stated customer preferences, and conducted via, for example, a website, email, or text message. Reservations are made, for example, via a centralized booking service. The incentive is fulfilled to the card member in a coupon-less manner. The card company receives a commission from the participating restaurant for every such sale. |
| US08326703B2 |
Architectural design for product catalog management application software
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for implementing a software architecture design for a software application implementing catalog management useful to create or update published catalogs based on product master data changes or external supplier catalogs. The application is structured as multiple process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, and multiple service interface operations, each being implemented for a respective process component. The process components include a Purchasing Contract Processing process component that handles agreements between a purchaser and a supplier; a Product Catalogue Authoring process component that creates and edits product catalogs by collecting product information from relevant sources, controls the quality of the product catalogs' contents, and controls when and to what extent Product Catalogues can be published; and a Product Catalogue Publishing process component that makes published product catalogs available to a large number of users electronically for use in other business processes. |
| US08326702B2 |
Providing supplier relationship management software application as enterprise services
Methods and apparatus, including systems and computer program products, for a services architecture design that provides enterprise services having supplier relationship management functionality at the level of an enterprise application. The design includes a set of service operations, process components, and optionally deployment units. Suitable business objects are also described. |
| US08326694B2 |
Personalized interactive network architecture
A system for personalizing interaction between a user communicating over at least one communication channel and a provider of information/products/services, the user having a communication device for communication over the channel with the provider, the system comprising a channel interface for interfacing with the channel, an information/product/service interface for interfacing with an information/product/service provider; and a knowledge management system coupled to the channel and information/product/service interface, the knowledge management system comprising a knowledge management repository storing information concerning the user, the information obtained from interaction with the user over the channel including current interactions between the user and the knowledge management system, and further storing information concerning a plurality of information/products/services to offer to the user, and a personalization engine for making a decision as to which of the plurality of information/product/services to present to the user over the communication channel based on the stored information in the knowledge management repository. |
| US08326690B2 |
User interface and methods for recommending items to users
Improved user interfaces and methods are provided for presenting item recommendations to a user when the user selects an item to add to an electronic shopping cart. In response to the user's selection, a page generation process generates and returns a page that includes a condensed shopping cart portion and a recommendations portion. The condensed shopping cart portion displays the contents of the shopping cart, but omits some of the item information and/or controls provided on a shopping cart page, thereby preserving more screen real estate for the display of item recommendations. The condensed shopping cart portion also includes a link to the shopping cart page. |
| US08326689B2 |
Flexible advertising system which allows advertisers with different value propositions to express such value propositions to the advertising system
Different advertisers that may have different value propositions and that may desire different types of ad spots may effectively participate in an advertising network. An advertiser may express various value propositions using various types of offers, such as offers (or maximum offers) per impression, selection, and/or conversion (or some other user event). Probabilities of events, associated with offers, occurring may be used to allow different advertisers with different value propositions to compete against one another in an arbitration such as an auction. Advertisers may target the serving of their ads to keywords (search and/or content), particular publications or properties, particular vertical categories, other types of ad spots, etc. |
| US08326688B2 |
Method and system for behavioral classification
A plurality of pages viewed by a communications network user (e.g., an Internet user) are classified as pertaining to one of a plurality of topics. A count of each of the pages viewed by the communications network user for each of the topics is tracked, as is a recency with which each of the pages viewed by the communications network user was viewed for each of the topics. The communications network user is characterized as belonging to one or more behavioral segments based on the count and the recency. Advertisements are served to the communications network user based on at least advertising targeting parameters and the characterization. |
| US08326685B2 |
System and method for an adaptive scheduling system architecture
The disclosed embodiments describe an automatic, adaptive system and method for efficiently and effectively scheduling advertising spots in commercial break locations across various networks, zones, channels, dates, times, and specific products, for example. The disclosed embodiments make use of fixed and relative factors, that may be user-defined, which assign a “cost” to one or more particular breaks which thereby allow for quick and accurate scheduling of spots. The “costs” may represent a value, or desirability, of a break for the advertiser and may be a function of both the fixed and relative factors. The fixed and relative factors may be configurable and may change for different advertising clients, different contract lines, different networks, different spot placement, etc.The placement of spots may be accomplished through the use of an ordered list which may be generated based on a number of inputs that may be user-selected. A non-limiting example of user inputs may include: spot length, spot cost, contract line priority, beginning date/time of contract line, ending date/time of contract line, a predefined value index for the client, and contract line number, among others. |
| US08326683B2 |
Method and appartus for personalized consumer to business matchmaking
A personalized consumer to business matchmaking apparatus and its related method correlate and quantify a personalized match between a business offering products or services to a searching consumer looking for the reviewed products or services. In one embodiment of the invention, the personalized consumer to business matchmaking is based on requirements, traits, and profiles of the business, the searching consumer, and business evaluators who have reviewed the business. Whereas conventional consumer reviews such as star-ratings merely give an average rating based on inputs from the business evaluators, the personalized consumer to business matchmaking apparatus and its related method generate a personalized match score based on individual traits, requirements, and profiles of the business, the searching consumer, and the business evaluators. |
| US08326682B2 |
Applications of cluster analysis for cellular operators
Subscriber travel behavior is defined using cellular call location data. The defined travel behavior is used to segment the customer population. In a further aspect of the disclosed principles, a method to consolidate numerous of price plans is disclosed wherein price plans are grouped using cluster analysis. In the context of this disclosure, the term “cluster analysis” encompasses a number of different algorithms and methods for grouping objects of similar kind into respective categories to thus organize observed data into meaningful structures. In this context, cluster analysis is a data analysis process for sorting different objects into groups in a way that the degree of association between two objects is maximal if they belong to the same group and minimal otherwise. |
| US08326681B2 |
Determining performance proficiency within an organization
Described are methods and mechanisms for determining performance proficiency within an organization. The method includes receiving rating data that includes one or more values that are each associated with an element and each element describes a specific rating criterion associated with a specific rating subject. The method additionally includes producing a hierarchical data structure responsive to the receipt of the rating data that includes at least one category and each category includes at least one factor having at least one element. The method further includes generating a rating schema based on the hierarchical data structure. The method may additionally include providing the rating schema to a client and the value within each element may define an ability of a rating subject. Each value associated with an element may be a numerical value. |
| US08326675B2 |
Method and system for load balancing a sales forecast by selecting a synchronous or asynchronous process based on a type of event affecting the sales forecast
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for selecting a synchronous or asynchronous process to determine a forecast. These mechanisms and methods for such synchronous/asynchronous process selection can enable embodiments to determine forecasts for multiple users (e.g. with hierarchical relationships, etc.) over an arbitrary time interval. The ability of embodiments to provide forecasts that involve such a large amount of data in an effective way can enable forecasting that was otherwise infeasible due to resource limitations. |
| US08326674B2 |
Method and system for load balancing for determining a sales forecast by selecting a synchronous or asynchronous process based on a type of event affecting the sales forecast
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for selecting a synchronous or asynchronous process to determine a forecast. These mechanisms and methods for such synchronous/asynchronous process selection can enable embodiments to determine forecasts for multiple users (e.g. with hierarchical relationships, etc.) over an arbitrary time interval. The ability of embodiments to provide forecasts that involve such a large amount of data in an effective way can enable forecasting that was otherwise infeasible due to resource limitations. |
| US08326673B1 |
Carrier data based product inventory management and marketing
A method and system are disclosed for carrier data based product inventory management and marketing. The method includes receiving a product transaction record relating to a product from a carrier data source. The method also includes determining a present phase in a life cycle for the product based on a product history for the product and the product transaction record. The method additionally includes adjusting a product management plan for the product based on the present phase in the life cycle. |
| US08326671B2 |
Using commercial share of wallet to analyze vendors in online marketplaces
Commercial size of spending wallet (“CSoSW”) is the total business spend of a business including cash but excluding bartered items. Commercial share of wallet (“CSoW”) is the portion of the spending wallet that is captured by a particular financial company. A modeling approach utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a company's spend capacity. Online marketplaces that allow small businesses to advertise their services can use this CSoW/CSoSW modeling approach to provide a rating that gives an indication of the business prospects of the vendors listed on their sites. Further, such marketplaces can combine this information with their own internal analytics to provide a single holistic rating. |
| US08326668B2 |
Managing encounters with persons
Techniques are disclosed for facilitating coordination of user activities in accordance with information processing systems and, more particularly, to techniques for managing encounters with persons using such information processing systems. For example, a method for facilitating user coordination of one or more activities comprises the following steps. User personal preference input for managing an encounter with at least one other person is accepted. Input of at least one user schedule entry is received. Schedule entries of the at least one other person are evaluated and it is automatically determined whether there is an overlap between the at least one user schedule entry and the schedule entries of the at least one other person. A response to a determined overlap is automatically determined. The user personal preference input may comprise an indication of whether the user wishes to avoid an encounter with the at least one other person or coordinate an encounter with the at least one other person. |
| US08326664B2 |
System for supporting carry-in operation planning
A carry-in ready period calculation part calculates a candidate of a carry-in ready period which is a period during which a carry-in operation can be conducted and outputs the candidate in an output part so as to make entire construction works efficient. The calculation is performed based on a site arrival time schedule which is a time schedule showing when a carry-in target equipment arrives at a site, a temporary placement time schedule which is a time schedule showing when the equipment arrived is temporarily placed, and a construction time schedule of a building in which the equipment is carried. |
| US08326663B2 |
System for optimizing lead close rates
A system is described for optimizing lead close rates. The system may create a seller scoring model that may be “trained” by a sales lead data over a period of time. The scoring model may be used to measure the performance of sellers in terms of handling and closing sales leads. The scoring model may be used to predict the sellers' close rates for future leads. The system may normalize the sellers based on lead volume to increase the confidence level in the scoring model. The system may utilize the scoring model to determine lead specific handling instructions for future leads to optimize sellers' close rates. |
| US08326657B2 |
Systems and methods for insurance underwriting
The systems and methods described herein may automate insurance underwriting by integrating information from multiple online databases and creating decision making advice useful to insurance underwriters. One system includes a client, database, and server. The client allows an underwriter to enter applicant information, enter customized risk modifiers, and receive an underwriting decision. The database provides additional applicant information. This information can include one or more of prescription drug history, credit history, motor vehicle records, and geocentric mortality risk. The server obtains the applicant information, calculates the applicant's risk, and makes an underwriting decision. Another system calculates a prescription drug risk for an applicant from pharmacy benefits management data, drug risk category data, and application data. Another system calculates a geocentric mortality risk for an applicant from census data, mortality data, credit information, and application data. Preset external modifiers are added to systems and methods of calculating risk in order to allow the underwriter to customize the risk results. |
| US08326656B2 |
Lossless account compression for health care patient benefits eligibility research system and methods
A system and method for determining eligibility for reimbursement for medical claims for patients may be implemented with computer software which compares a service provider's patient information against a benefit provider's database of covered persons to determine if the patient is eligible for benefits. The service provider records may be compressed by grouping all of the medical claims relating to a particular patient into one cluster represented by a composite medical claim, which may be used to query the benefit provider databases to determine if the patient is recognized. If the patient is recognized, every record within the cluster may be checked against the benefit provider's database to determine whether one or more patient medical claims are eligible for reimbursement. |
| US08326655B2 |
System and method of managing an insurance scheme
A system for managing an insurance scheme includes a benefit module to define at least one insured event for an insured person and to define at least one benefit to be paid out on the occurrence of one of the insured events. A calculation module alters the at least one benefit based on a) a time factor; and b) the life impact of the insured event on the insured person. An awards module, on the occurrence of the at least one insured event, provides the at least one altered benefit to the insured person. |
| US08326651B2 |
User interface for managing medical data
Techniques for managing patient information accessible by mobile devices are supported. A system may include a central medical information management system that maintains information regarding ongoing treatment of patients. Medical professionals may use mobile devices to access and display the information by way of a user-friendly interface that includes multiple display modes for different types of information reporting and information capture. |
| US08326649B2 |
System for providing expert care to outpatients from a remote location
A system for providing expert care to a basic care medical facility (OPCL) from a remote location. The system facilitates real-time, continuous assessment of patients receiving care in an OPCL that is not generally equipped to provide expert medical care on a twenty-four basis. Patient monitoring equipment acquires monitored data elements from a patient monitoring station and transmits the monitoring data over a network to a remote command center. The remote command center also receives other patient data to the extent available from the OPCL. Alternatively, the patient monitored data is sent to a remote command center along with patient data at a pre-established time or when requested by remote command center. The delivery of stored monitoring data and patient data may be expedited if an urgent consultation is warranted. A rules engine continuously applies a patient-specific rule or rule set to the data elements selected from the assessment data from each OPCL monitored patient to determine whether intervention is warranted. Patient-specific rules may be created that are consistent with the capabilities of the OPCL. |
| US08326648B2 |
System for secure mobile healthcare selection
A method, system and device for secure mobile healthcare selection are presented in which a user can, from a mobile device, authorize the comparison of pangenetic (genetic and epigenetic) data with data profiles corresponding to healthcare products, services and service providers to determine which are the most appropriate for a particular consumer. Data masking is used to maintain privacy of sensitive portions of the pangenetic data. |
| US08326647B2 |
Method and system for distributing patient referrals
Practitioners are certified to perform a medical procedure, such as an orthodontic procedure. Certified practitioners are maintained in a referral directory and classified within tiers based on criteria such as the number of procedures that they have performed. Inquiries are solicited from prospective patients, and referral lists are provided to those patients who request them. The referral lists are obtained from the referral directory with doctors from higher tiers who have performed more procedures receiving preferential inclusion on the referral lists. |
| US08326638B2 |
Audio compression
For audio encoding and decoding, in order to enhance coded audio signals, the audio signal is divided into at least a low frequency band and a high frequency band, the high frequency band is divided into at least two high frequency sub-band signals, and parameters are generated that refer at least to the low frequency band signal sections which match best with high-frequency sub-band signals. |
| US08326637B2 |
System and method for processing multi-modal device interactions in a natural language voice services environment
A system and method for processing multi-modal device interactions in a natural language voice services environment may be provided. In particular, one or more multi-modal device interactions may be received in a natural language voice services environment that includes one or more electronic devices. The multi-modal device interactions may include a non-voice interaction with at least one of the electronic devices or an application associated therewith, and may further include a natural language utterance relating to the non-voice interaction. Context relating to the non-voice interaction and the natural language utterance may be extracted and combined to determine an intent of the multi-modal device interaction, and a request may then be routed to one or more of the electronic devices based on the determined intent of the multi-modal device interaction. |
| US08326635B2 |
Method and system for message alert and delivery using an earpiece
Earpieces and methods for an earpiece to manage a delivery of a message are provided. A method can include receiving a notice that a message is available at a communication device, parsing the notice for header information that identifies at least a portion of the message, and requesting a subsequent delivery of at least a portion of the message from the communication device if at least one keyword in the header information is in an acceptance list. |
| US08326632B2 |
Application server providing personalized voice enabled web application services using extensible markup language documents
A unified web-based voice messaging system provides voice application control between a web browser and an application server via an hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) connection on an Internet Protocol (IP) network. The application server, configured for executing a voice application defined by XML documents, selects an XML document for execution of a corresponding voice application operation based on a determined presence of a user-specific XML document that specifies the corresponding voice application operation. The application server, upon receiving a voice application operation request from a browser serving a user, dynamically generates a personalized HTML page having media content and control tags for personalized execution of the voice application operation. Hence, a user can personalize any number of voice application operations, enabling a web-based voice application to be completely customized or merely partially customized. |
| US08326630B2 |
Context based online advertising
A software and/or hardware facility for inferring user context and delivering advertisements, such as coupons, using natural language and/or sentiment analysis is disclosed. The facility may infer context information based on a user's emotional state, attitude, needs, or intent from the user's interaction with or through a mobile device. The facility may then determine whether it is appropriate to deliver an advertisement to the user and select an advertisement for delivery. The facility may also determine an appropriate expiration time and/or discount amount for the advertisement. |
| US08326629B2 |
Dynamically changing voice attributes during speech synthesis based upon parameter differentiation for dialog contexts
A method of speech synthesis can include automatically identifying spoken passages and non-spoken passages within a text source and converting the text source to speech by applying different voice configurations to different portions of text within the text source according to whether each portion of text was identified as a spoken passage or a non-spoken passage. The method further can include identifying the speaker and/or the gender of the speaker and applying different voice configurations according to the speaker identity and/or speaker gender. |
| US08326628B2 |
Method of auditory display of sensor data
A method of auditory communication is provided. The method includes measuring physiological data from at least one sensor to form a data set; identifying a type of the data set; identifying an auditory cue associated with the type of the data set; and generating an auditory notification based on the data set and the auditory cue. The auditory notification indicates at least one of a temporal, spectral, spatial or power characteristic of the data set. The method also includes emitting the auditory notification. |
| US08326624B2 |
Detecting and communicating biometrics of recorded voice during transcription process
Determining and communicating biometrics of a recorded speaker in a voice transcription process is provided. An interactive voice response system receives a request from a user for a transcription of a voice file. A profile associated with the requesting user is obtained. The profile comprises biometric parameters and preferences defined by the user. The requested voice file is analyzed for biometric elements according to the parameters specified in the user's profile. In response to detecting biometric elements in the voice file that conform to the parameters specified in the user's profile, a transcription output of the voice file is modified according to the preferences specified in the user's profile for the detected biometric elements to form a modified transcription output file. The modified transcription output file is provided to the requesting user. |
| US08326618B2 |
Method and apparatus for lossless encoding of a source signal, using a lossy encoded data steam and a lossless extension data stream
In lossy based lossless coding a PCM audio signal passes through a lossy encoder to a lossy decoder. The lossy encoder provides a lossy bit stream. The lossy decoder also provides side information that is used to control the coefficients of a prediction filter that de-correlates the difference signal between the PCM signal and the lossy decoder output. The de-correlated difference signal is lossless encoded, providing an extension bit stream. Instead of, or in addition to, de-correlating in the time domain, a de-correlation in the frequency domain using spectral whitening can be performed. The lossy encoded bit stream together with the lossless encoded extension bit stream form a lossless encoded bitstream. The invention facilitates enhancing a lossy perceptual audio encoding/decoding by an extension that enables mathematically exact reproduction of the original waveform, and provides additional data for reconstructing at decoder site an intermediate-quality audio signal. The lossless extension can be used to extend the widely used mp3 encoding/decoding to lossless encoding/decoding and superior quality mp3 encoding/decoding. |
| US08326612B2 |
Non-speech section detecting method and non-speech section detecting device
A non-speech section detecting device generating a plurality of frames having a given time length on the basis of sound data obtained by sampling sound, and detecting a non-speech section having a frame not containing voice data based on speech uttered by a person, the device including: a calculating part calculating a bias of a spectrum obtained by converting sound data of each frame into components on a frequency axis; a judging part judging whether the bias is greater than or equal to a given threshold or alternatively smaller than or equal to a given threshold; a counting part counting the number of consecutive frames judged as having a bias greater than or equal to the threshold or alternatively smaller than or equal to the threshold; a count judging part judging whether the obtained number of consecutive frames is greater than or equal to a given value. |
| US08326607B2 |
Method and arrangement for enhancing speech quality
The present invention relates to a method and arrangement for improving quality of a voice transmission by extracting filter coefficient parameters with respect to a voice signal in a first speech transmission rate, and using the extracted filter coefficient parameters in a second transmission rate that is equal or lower than the first transmission rate. |
| US08326604B2 |
Dictionary for textual data compression and decompression
A dictionary for compressing and decompressing textual data has a number of keys. Each key is associated with an identifier. The keys include static word or phrase keys, where each static word or phrase key lists one or more unchanging words in a particular order. The keys further include dynamic phrase keys, where each dynamic phrase key lists a number of words and one or more placeholders in a particular order, and each placeholder denotes a place where a word or phrase other than the words of the dynamic phrase key is to be inserted. At least one of the dynamic phrase keys may identify one or more of the words by identifiers for corresponding static words or phrase keys. At least one of the static word or phrase keys may identify one or more of the words by identifiers for corresponding other static words or phrase keys. |
| US08326603B1 |
Memory system for storing and retrieving experience and knowledge with natural language queries
A memory system for storing and retrieving experience and knowledge with natural language through methods and apparatus is disclosed. The primary components of this memory system include syntactic processes, function word processes, ellipsis processes, morphology processes, meaning word sense number processes, purpose identification processes, plausibility and expectedness processes, communication processes, context storage processes, and text generation processes. The function word processes select and evaluate functions associated with function words which are certain words in each part of speech. Ellipsis processes replace unstated words. Morphology processes replace morphological words with phrases or clauses composed of function words and word sense numbers. A word sense number is an address to the meaning of a word. Certain nouns, verbs, and adjectives are meaning words. Word sense numbers are selected to be consistent with the context of the clause containing the words, the context, and stored experience and knowledge. Experience and knowledge are stored as nodes with associated clause implying word sense numbers organized into paths in a directed graph. Nodes in the directed graph have access conditions which determine if a node is accessible on a path. A path has an associated purpose relation which is any concept that labels the path. Purpose identification processes select: purpose relations, experience and knowledge, processes for setting a verb's result states or a state value, object classification paths, and activity selection paths. The communication processes coordinate incoming and outgoing natural language text. Text generation processes generate natural language text from word sense numbers. |
| US08326601B2 |
Queue based mechanism to support multi-language chat rooms
The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that produce multilingual capabilities for use in text based chat rooms. The system can include components that receive textual messages from a first client, route these messages to a first queue, and subsequently direct the textual messages to a translation facility that transforms the language of the textual messages from a first language to a second language. The system can further include devices that supply the converted messages to a second queue that is periodically polled by a second client prior to the messages in the second language being retrieved by the second client for display on the second client in the second language. |
| US08326598B1 |
Consensus translations from multiple machine translation systems
Systems, methods, and apparatuses including computer program products for machine translation. A method is provided that includes generating a plurality of machine translation systems using a single machine translation engine, and generating a consensus translation from a plurality of candidate translations for a source sentence, where each candidate translation of the plurality of candidate translations is an output of a respective machine translation system of the plurality of machine translation systems. |
| US08326597B2 |
Translation apparatus, method, and computer program product for detecting language discrepancy
A setting unit sets an input language and an output language, a first receiving unit receives input data in a language, a storage unit stores the input data, a detection unit detects a discrepancy between the input language and the language of the input data, a swapping unit swaps the settings of the input language and the output language if the discrepancy is detected, a recognition unit recognizes the input data from the storage unit in the input language set by the setting unit if the discrepancy is not detected, and recognizes the input data read from the storage unit in the input language swapped by the swapping unit if the discrepancy is detected, and a translation unit translates a recognition result recognized in the input language set by the setting unit into the set output language if the discrepancy is not detected, and translates the recognition result recognized in the input language swapped by the swapping unit into the output language swapped by the swapping unit if the discrepancy is detected. |
| US08326594B2 |
Power flow analysis for balanced power distribution systems
A method analyzes a model of a balanced power distribution system by transforming a model of the balanced distribution system with zero impedance branches to an equivalent model of the balanced power distribution system with non-zero impedance branches. Decoupled power mismatch equations with second orders are generated for each bus in the equivalent model. Power mismatches are determined using the bus power flow equations. The power mismatches are compared to a predetermined threshold. Then, for each bus, solving iteratively, if the comparing is true, the power mismatch equations to obtain a bus voltage magnitude correction and a bus phase angle correction until the comparing is false. |
| US08326592B2 |
Method and system for verifying electronic designs having software components
Disclosed is a method and system for providing an improved and flexible approach for handling models of hardware and software designs for verification activities. The semantics of the software and hardware are mapped to allow correct interfacing between the hardware and software models. This allows designers to more efficiently and accurately perform hardware/software co-verification. |
| US08326586B2 |
Method for designing glass antenna
The present invention features a technique comprising the design of a glass antenna having a desired performance regardless of the kind of vehicle and the glass size and the shape of vehicle, by operating an EM (engineering model) simulation tool with an optimization algorithm. |
| US08326576B2 |
Detecting power quality events in power distribution networks
Power quality (PQ) events in a waveform in a power distribution network are detected by sampling the waveform. For each sample, a normalized sample is determined by subtracting an undistorted waveform from the sample. An accumulated weighted log-likelihood ratio (LLR) is determined for all normalized samples, as well as a minimum of the accumulated weighted LLR. If the difference between the accumulated weighted LLR an the minimum LLR is greater than a predetermined threshold, then the PQ event is signaled. The network can be a smart grid. |
| US08326574B2 |
Programmable device for issuing alert signals as a reminder to perform a recurring act
A method for issuing alert signals as a reminder to perform a recurring act. The method comprises providing a device with a programmable electronic circuit, an electrical power source, a control switch, and an alert body controlled by the electronic circuit, programming the device with a signaling pattern, determining a first alert time based at least in part on the signaling pattern, issuing a first signal from the alert body, issuing a second signal from the alert body at the first alert time, the second signal being different from the first signal, and determining a next alert time upon activation of the control switch, wherein the next alert time is based at least in part on the signaling pattern and the time elapsed between the first alert time and activation of the control switch. |
| US08326572B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring length of pipe
An apparatus for detecting a pipe length in an air conditioning system includes a detector to detect a signal traveled through a pipe and a first impedance coupler that couples to one end of the pipe, where the detector detects the signal traveled through the pipe at the first impedance coupler. A processor determines a pipe length based on the detected signal and a signal generator generates the signal to be sent through the pipe. A second impedance coupler couples to another end of the pipe, where the signal generator sends the signal to the pipe through the second impedance coupler. |
| US08326571B2 |
Person location detection apparatus and air conditioner
A person location detecting apparatus according to the present invention includes a light emitting section for radiating a projection light and a TOF method distance image sensor for receiving a reflected light from a room space of the projection light to output distance information in accordance with a distance to an object in the room space from each of a plurality of light receiving sections, and further includes a distance change detecting section for detecting a distance change to the object in the room space based on the distance information from the TOF method distance image sensor and a person distinguishing section for distinguishing a person by specifying a shape of a detected distance change area to detect a direction and distance to the distance change area that is specified as a shape of a person as a location of a person. |
| US08326569B2 |
Tap detection
Methodology and circuitry for determining if a device, such as a cellular phone or personal digital assistant has been tapped is disclosed. The device includes an accelerometer and in response to an acceleration, the accelerometer outputs an acceleration signal. The accelerometer may continuously output an acceleration signal even if no acceleration occurs. A tap detection device receives the temporally sampled acceleration signal and takes the first derivative of the temporally sampled acceleration signal producing one or more derivative values. The tap detection system compares each derivative value to a threshold value and if the derivative value exceeds the threshold a tap is detected. By taking the derivative of the acceleration signal, the noise floor for the acceleration signal is reduced leading to more accurate results with less false positives and less positive negatives. |
| US08326567B2 |
Measurement apparatus
A measurement apparatus includes an elastic detector configured to detect an elastic wave by utilizing photoacoustic tomography and to convert the elastic wave into a detection signal, and a signal processor configured to calculate an absorption characteristic of a heterogeneous part included in a homogeneous part of a scattering medium based on μa=2P(z)/(ΓΦ(z)) where μa is the absorption coefficient at distance z from the light source, P(z) is the pressure of the elastic wave at distance z, Γ is a Grüneisen coefficient, and Φ(z) is the light intensity at the position of the heterogeneous part, the signal processor obtaining the light intensity by approximating a signal component derived from the homogeneous part separated from a signal component derived from the heterogeneous part in the scattering medium by utilizing the detection signal output from the elastic wave detector. |
| US08326564B2 |
Detected data processing apparatus and computer readable medium for detecting data
A detected data processing apparatus includes a selecting unit that calculates mutual correlation between a plurality of groups of detected data acquired from a detecting unit that detects an operational state of a circuit board, and then selects as analysis data the detected data of a group whose value indicating correlation with other groups is smaller than a threshold value set up in advance; and a first calculating unit that calculates a first Mahalanobis distance on a basis of a first Mahalanobis space generated by using the analysis data selected by the selecting unit from the detected data obtained when a normal circuit board is operated and on a basis of the detected data obtained when a circuit board of diagnosis target is operated. |
| US08326561B2 |
Dynamic motion control
In one embodiment a method and corresponding apparatus are arranged to determine an accurate device heading by continuously combining an average magnetic heading with the compensated inertial heading. The example embodiment obtains the compensated inertial heading by compensating for a time delay of an inertial heading. |
| US08326560B2 |
Portable electronic apparatus and geomagnetism sensor calibration method
A portable electronic apparatus able to suppress a drop of display precision concerning a bearing due to a drop of a detection precision of geomagnetism accompanying non-contact communication by electromagnetic coupling etc. and a calibration method of a geomagnetism sensor are provided. When a non-contact communication function part (111) carries out non-contact communication, processing concerning the calibration of a geomagnetism sensor (110) and processing calculating the bearing after the end of that communication are performed so as to suppress the drop of the display precision concerning the bearing accompanying the non-contact communication. |
| US08326553B2 |
Fault detection in a system under control
A method (300) for fault detection in a system under control includes monitoring a command value and a wraparound signal (301) by a fault detection module (203); determining a standard deviation of the command value (302) by the fault detection module; determining a standard deviation of the wraparound signal (303) by the fault detection module; determining a ratio of the standard deviation of the command value to the standard deviation of the wraparound signal (304) by the fault detection module; and determining the presence or absence of a fault in the system under control by the fault detection module based on the ratio (305) by the fault detection module. A fault detection module (203) and a computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium containing computer code that, when executed by a computer, implements a method (300) for fault detection are also provided. |
| US08326552B2 |
Redundant and fault-tolerant power distribution system having an integrated communication network
A power distribution and communication system includes nodes connected by power lines and communication links. The system receives power from one or more power sources. Each node contains at least one power port, data port and load port. Associated with each power port and load port is a port monitor for measuring current flowing into or out of the port and the voltage difference between the port outlet and ground, which measurements are passed to a processing element. The processing element and monitor analyze measured values to detect fault conditions. Upon fault condition detection, the port is disabled by opening a switch, disconnecting the port from the system voltage. The processing element receives power directly from the power line, thus receiving power from a live power line even if the associated power port is disabled allowing the processing element to enable a disabled node following a failure. |
| US08326549B2 |
Control device, image forming device, wear detecting method, program, and storage device
A control device includes a transmission unit including a first gear rotating with a motor shaft and a second gear rotating with a rotating roller which drives a rotated body, a speed detecting unit for detecting the rotational speed of the rotated body or rotating roller, a motor controlling unit for maintaining a constant motor shaft rotational speed based on the rotational speed, a converting unit for converting the rotational speed to a relationship between a frequency contained in a variation of the rotational speed in association with time and a variation value of the rotational speed, and a wear detecting unit for detecting a predictor of wear of cogs in at least one of the first and second gears when the variation value at a specified frequency, determined based on the number of the cogs of the first gear and the motor shaft rotational speed, exceeds a threshold value. |
| US08326548B2 |
Prediction of wax appearance temperature and solid wax amount by reduced spectral analysis using FTIR spectroscopy
A method that uses corrected areas integrated at two different wavelength ranges, 1402-1324 cm−1 and 735-715 cm−1. The invention uses the reduced form of FTIR spectral integration. The invention provides reliable data in the variety of applications regardless of FTIR spectral instability occurring unexpectedly, such as loading sample thickness, sample cell location changes of FTIR light source passes, volume changes during cooling procedure, existence of emulsified water, moisture building on the surface of FTIR crystals. |
| US08326547B2 |
Method of sequence optimization for improved recombinant protein expression using a particle swarm optimization algorithm
An improved gene sequence optimization method, the systematic optimization method, is described for boosting the recombinant expression of genes in bacteria, yeast, insect and mammalian cells. This general method takes into account of multiple, preferably most or all, of the parameters and factors affecting protein expression including codon usage, tRNA usage, GC-content, ribosome binding sequences, promoter, 5′-UTR, ORF and 3′-UTR sequences of the genes to improve and optimize the gene sequences to boost the protein expression of the genes in bacteria, yeast, insect and mammalian cells. In particular, the invention relates to a system and a method for sequence optimization for improved recombinant protein expression using a particle swarm optimization algorithm. The improved systematic optimization method can be incorporated into a software for more efficient optimization. |
| US08326546B2 |
Methods and apparatus for evaluating glucose levels around a repeating event
Methods for evaluating changes in glucose levels include selecting a repeating event, obtaining a pre-event measurement and a post-event measurement for a plurality of occurrences of the repeating event wherein a glucose change between the pre-event measurement and post-event measurement may be determined for each of the plurality of occurrences of the repeating event, and, recording unique details for each of the plurality of occurrences of the repeating event such that the unique details may be correlated with the glucose change for each of the plurality of occurrences of the repeating event. |
| US08326540B2 |
Method and apparatus for fluid migration profiling
The method for obtaining a fluid migration profile for a wellbore, including the steps of obtaining a static profile for a logged region of the wellbore, obtaining a dynamic profile for the logged region of the wellbore, digitally filtering the dynamic profile to remove frequency elements represented in the static profile, to provide a fluid migration profile, and storing the fluid migration profile on a computer-readable memory. |
| US08326533B2 |
Apparatus and methodology for calibration of a gyroscope and a compass included in a handheld device
Techniques for estimating compass and gyroscope biases for handheld devices are disclosed. The compass bias can be determined by causing a small movement of the handheld device and comparing the data obtained from the compass with the data obtained from the gyroscope. The gyroscope bias can be determined by obtaining a quaternion based angular velocity term of the handheld device when the accelerometer and compass data are reliable, and then comparing the angular velocity term with the gyro data to estimate the gyro bias. When the compass and/or the accelerometer data are unreliable, a previously determined quaternion angular velocity term is used. The gyroscope bias can also be determined by measuring gyroscope biases at various temperatures in a non-factory setting, storing the data in a memory, and using the data to estimate gyro biases when the accelerometer and/or the compass data are unreliable. |
| US08326531B2 |
Map update data supply apparatus, map data update system, and map update data supply method
A map update data supply apparatus includes: isolation detection means for detecting the presence and the absence of an isolated state in which some of the roads are isolated from other roads in a road network of target map data due to updating of one or more update target segments of the target map data based on update map data; extraction means for extracting, as update required segments, segments of the update map data, other than the update target segments, that have a road that connects to the isolated some of the roads when it is detected that there is the isolated state; and update data file generating means for generating update data files for the update target segments and the update required segments based on the update map data. |
| US08326526B2 |
Method for exchanging messages in a navigation system using visible light communications
Method and device for exchanging messages in a VLC navigation system is provided, in which a map server generates a provision message in the form of visible light signals through all lamps in an area, using a PLC network, where a navigation service is provided, a terminal that wants to implement the navigation service among terminals that have received the provision message transmits a registration request message to the map server, the map server transmits a registration response message for the registration request message to the terminal, the terminal transmits a map request message including information about a destination to the map server, the map server transmits a map response message including information about a path to the destination to the terminal, and the terminal displays map information and the path. |
| US08326524B2 |
Navigation device
A navigation device that can surely provide information on sightseeing facilities, etc. to a user is provided.A navigation device 1 for displaying a map screen representing the present position of a mobile on a map on which landmarks 6 are displayed is provided with a sightseeing area data base 31 for storing the position of a prescribed sightseeing area and sightseeing facilities within a prescribed sightseeing area, and a controller 10 for detecting whether a mobile enters the prescribed sightseeing area. Furthermore, the navigation device 1 includes an automatic facility display mode in which when it is detected by the controller 110 that the mobile enters the prescribed sightseeing area, the sightseeing facilities within the prescribed sightseeing areas are read out from the sightseeing area data base 31 and automatically displayed on the map, and also display of the landmarks 6 is reduced from the map. |
| US08326520B2 |
Process for automatically turning off and starting an internal-combustion engine
A process and a corresponding system are provided for automatically turning off and starting an internal-combustion engine in a motor vehicle via a start-stop device, which automatically turns off the internal-combustion engine if the vehicle is braked to a stop and is held in the stopped position by the operation of the brake pedal, and which, if the internal-combustion engine is automatically turned off and the operated brake pedal is released, automatically starts the internal-combustion engine. If the internal-combustion engine is automatically turned off, an automatic starting of the internal-combustion engine by releasing the brake is prevented if the brake pedal was increasingly depressed beforehand while the internal-combustion engine was turned-off. |
| US08326519B2 |
Oxygen flow reduction during engine start/stop operation
An engine control system comprises an intake valve deactivation module and an exhaust valve deactivation module. The intake valve deactivation module deactivates an intake valve of a cylinder of an engine based on an engine stop request such that the intake valve remains closed. The exhaust valve deactivation module deactivates an exhaust valve of the cylinder after the intake valve deactivation module deactivates the intake valve such that the exhaust valve remains closed. |
| US08326517B2 |
Control device for internal combustion engine
A control device for a spark-ignition internal combustion engine that sets ignition timing based on a target value of a predetermined combustion-related parameter correlated with a combustion state and operates an ignition device in accordance with the ignition timing thus set. The control device calculates an actual value of the combustion-related parameter from an output value of the cylinder pressure sensor and feeds back the calculated value of the combustion-related parameter to the setting of ignition timing. Further, in parallel with the above processing, the control device calculates a value of a predetermined combustion variation parameter correlated with the magnitude of combustion variation from the output value of the cylinder pressure sensor. If the calculated value of the combustion variation parameter deviates from an allowable range of the combustion variation, the control device stops the feedback of the calculated value of the combustion-related parameter. |
| US08326512B2 |
Device for longitudinally guiding a motor vehicle having a navigation system
A device for longitudinally guiding a motor vehicle includes a sensor system for locating preceding vehicles, a regulator that regulates the speed of the vehicle to a setpoint speed, either in a free driving mode or in a following driving mode, the setpoint speed depending on the distance from a preceding vehicle, as well as an interface to a navigation system that provides information concerning the route traveled, and a limiting device for limiting the setpoint speed based on the information provided. The limiting device is designed to deactivate automatically when changing from free driving mode to following driving mode and activate automatically when changing from following driving mode to free driving mode. |
| US08326510B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling output torque of a motor for an electric vehicle in downhill mode
A method and an apparatus for controlling output torque of a motor for an electric vehicle in downhill mode comprises following steps: detecting a tilt angle value θ, a current vehicle speed value V and an accelerator-pedal travel value Gain of the vehicle, determining whether the vehicle is in downhill mode or not, and if the result is positive, then calculating a downhill slip torque T1 of the vehicle under the tilt angle value θ, obtaining a maximum output torque T2, calculating an output torque T of the motor based on T1, T2, Gain and a given vehicle speed delimitative value Vref, and controlling the motor to output the calculated output torque T. The present invention ensures the vehicle speed not too high by controlling the output torque of an electric vehicle in downhill mode, even if the brake-pedal travel is zero. |
| US08326507B2 |
Method for checking the function of a brake system with a brake booster
A method is described which is used to check the correct function of the under-pressure brake system of a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine and in particular of the output signals of a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is arranged in the under-pressure region of the brake system. |
| US08326505B2 |
System and method for self-adaptive control of an electromechanical brake
A control system for an electromechanical-braking system provided with actuator elements configured to actuate braking elements for exerting a braking action has a control stage for controlling the braking action on the basis of a braking reference signal. The control stage comprises a model-based predictive control block, in particular of a generalized predictive self-adaptive control type, operating on the basis of a control quantity representing the braking action. The control system further has: a model-identification stage, which determines parameters identifying a transfer function of the electromechanical-braking system; and a regulation stage, which determines an optimal value of endogenous parameters of the control system on the basis of the value of the identifying parameters. |
| US08326500B2 |
Row unit wheel turning monitor for an agricultural machine
A row unit of a planter or other agricultural machine having ground engaging wheels is equipped with a rotation sensor to determine if and when a wheel stops rotating. An alert is issued by a monitor to the operator so that corrective action can be taken. Further, further the monitor also determines when the machine is in use depositing an input versus turning at the end of the rows so that the rotation sensors to not generate an alert when the machine is not in use delivering an input to the field. |
| US08326498B2 |
Vehicle anti-pinch control having variable threshold and method
A vehicle is provided which includes a closure member such as a powered window or a moon roof or sunroof that may be controlled in an auto close mode. The closure member may be controlled with anti-pinch control to provide a plurality of thresholds that are selected based on the presence of an occupant in close proximity to the vehicle, such as in the vehicle, so that an unsupervised control of the closure member provides a lower anti-pinch threshold than a supervised control of the closure member. |
| US08326497B2 |
Vehicle door close/open assist and anti-slam device
A vehicle door actuating device for a vehicle includes an actuator device disposed on one of a vehicle door and a door frame of the vehicle. A bumper is disposed on the other of the vehicle door and the door frame opposite the actuator device. A door sensor is disposed on the vehicle that measures door position and door movement. A controller receives data from the door sensor relating to the door position and door movement and activates the actuator device when the vehicle is in a parked position. The controller instructs the actuator device to repel the bumper to assist a user in opening the vehicle door and attract the bumper to assist a user in closing the vehicle door during closure. |
| US08326494B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining a desired yaw rate for a vehicle
Methods and systems are provided for determining a desired yaw rate for a vehicle. The vehicle has a plurality of handling states and comprises a yaw rate sensor for determining an actual yaw rate. The method comprises selecting one of the plurality of handling states, determining the desired yaw rate for the vehicle based on the road wheel angle, the velocity, and the selected one of the plurality of handling states, and activating one or more vehicle stability control measures if the difference between the desired yaw rate and the actual yaw rate for the vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold. |
| US08326493B2 |
Motor driven power steering control apparatus for suppressing vibration
A motor-driven power steering control apparatus is achieved, which uses a small-amplitude pass filter, the filter filtering out a component having a small amplitude, to remove a steering component from dynamic state quantity such as a rotational speed signal, and to accurately extract only a vibration component having a small amplitude compared with the steering component, and controls the vibration component to be reduced. |
| US08326484B2 |
Programmable wireless in-line connector
A system employing a vehicle module, and an intelligent connector in communication with the vehicle module implements a method for controlling the vehicle module. First, the intelligent connector receives a wireless transmission of a command signal. Second, the intelligent connector determines one or more control actions responsive to the command signal. Finally, the intelligent connector communicates one or more control signals indicative of the control action(s) to the vehicle module. |
| US08326483B2 |
Monitoring and automatic equipment control systems
The present invention relates to improved image sensor-processor interconnections and to monitoring and automatic control systems incorporating the improved image sensor-processor interconnections. |
| US08326479B2 |
Method for controlling a HEV fuel pump
The present disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method of controlling an engine fuel pump in a hybrid-electric vehicle. The method includes: cycling a vehicle powertrain between an electric mode, where an engine is commanded off, and a mechanical mode, where the engine is commanded on; depowering an engine fuel pump when the engine is commanded off; and determining if the engine is operating in a fuel shut-off mode. |
| US08326476B2 |
Electrically powered vehicle
In a vehicle, a power storage device starts to be charged at a set time. An electric power control unit monitors a charging/discharging device from startup of the charging/discharging device to the moment when charging starts. When the electric power control unit detects a problem in the charging/discharging device, a signal is sent to a timer control unit in order to cancel setting of the charging start time. When receiving the signal, the timer control unit cancels the setting. Specifically, even when the present time reaches the charging start time, the timer control unit does not transmits a signal for canceling the setting of the charging start time, i.e., a start instruction to the electric power control unit. The electric power control unit never allows operation of the charging/discharging device to start unless it receives the signal, so the charging/discharging device remains stopped. |
| US08326468B2 |
Substrate transfer apparatus, substrate transfer module, substrate transfer method and computer readable storage medium
Disclosed is a substrate transfer apparatus including a transfer arm of a joint type having an arm portion rotatably connected with a holding portion for holding a substrate, the apparatus including: a heating unit for heating the arm portion; a temperature detection unit for detecting a temperature of the arm portion; and a control unit for heating the arm portion by the heating unit prior to a start of a transfer of the substrate, allowing the transfer of the substrate after a temperature detection value obtained by the temperature detection unit reaches a preset temperature range, and then controlling the heating unit so as to maintain the temperature detection value within the preset temperature range. |
| US08326467B2 |
Controller and method of controlling a power system
A controller for a power system including a plurality of power system components includes a memory for storing computer-executable instructions and a processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions. The computer-executable instructions program the processor to determine an operating condition of at least one first power system component and at least one second power system component of the plurality of power system components. The processor is also programmed to determine whether a predetermined condition is met based on at least one operating condition, and transmit a command to at least one other controller to at least one of electrically couple the first power system component to the second power system component and electrically decouple the first power system component from the second power system component based on whether the predetermined condition is met. |
| US08326465B2 |
Wireless building management system and method using a building model
A building system includes a communication network, a plurality of wireless nodes, a plurality of passive wireless devices, a plurality of sensors, and a processing circuit. The wireless nodes are disposed within a building and are operably coupled to the communication network. Each passive wireless device is affixed to an object within the building, and contains first information regarding at least one property of the object. Each the passive wireless device is configured to communicate wirelessly to the wireless nodes using power derived from communication signals detected in the passive wireless device. The sensors are configured to generate second information representative of sensed temperature throughout the building, each sensor operably connected to the communication network. The processing circuit is operably coupled to receive the first information from the wireless devices and the second information from the sensors. The processing circuit is configured to generate control information regarding the building based on the first information and the second information. |
| US08326463B2 |
Digital position transmitter
The disclosure relates to a digital position transmitter for control of an actuating element having a positioner in a process installation, with the position transmitter having a regulator with a dead band in order to suppress disturbance signals. It is proposed that the dead band in each case lags the set-value change asymmetrically with respect to the set value. |
| US08326462B1 |
Tactile contact and impact displays and associated methods
A tactile contact and impact display system comprises a receiver, operable to receive therein a user's digit while leaving a target area of skin of the user's digit at least partially exposed. A contact pad is operable to engage the target area of the user's skin. An actuation system is actuatably coupled to the contact pad and is operable to move the contact pad relative to the target area of skin. A distance sensor is coupled to the contact pad, the distance sensor being operable to sense a separation distance between the contact pad and the target area of the user's digit. A restraining system is operable to substantially restrain the contact pad from moving in at least one degree of freedom relative to the receiver while allowing the contact pad to move in at least one degree of freedom relative to the receiver. |
| US08326460B2 |
Robot system comprising visual sensor
A robot system calculates positional information of a workpiece with respect to a visual sensor and calculates positional information of an arm tip at a second time based on first times stored by a storing section and the second time at which the visual sensor measures the workpiece. |
| US08326459B2 |
Robot control apparatus, robot control method, and computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a robot control program
A robot control apparatus includes walking operation control unit which controls the robot to carry out a predetermined walking operation; an obstacle detection unit which detects an obstacle existing in a place where a leg of the robot lands; a determination unit which determines whether or not a place on a sole of the robot's leg on which a reaction force from the obstacle works is in a stable area; and a reflex control unit which causes an ankle of the robot's leg in contact with the obstacle, when the reaction force working on the sole of the robot's leg is not in the stable area, to carry out a pitching or rolling operation, expanding the stable area, extends the leg, and controls the leg in such a way that a ZMP converges on a point of equilibrium of a support leg. |
| US08326456B2 |
Behavior control apparatus, method, and program
A behavior control apparatus collects information of a mobile object in relation to an action space of the mobile object, and acquires a position and an orientation of a human. The behavior control apparatus sets an exclusive area for the human based on the position and the orientation, and judges whether any information is to be notified to the human by the mobile object. If judging negatively, the behavior control apparatus determines a target position, a target orientation and a travel route of the mobile object such that the mobile object moves out of the exclusive area. |
| US08326455B2 |
Methods for point-of-use medication control
Methods for controlling the dispensing of medication are provided. The method can include holding at least one medication within a dispenser and alerting a patient that a dose of medication is to be taken or an optional dose of medication is available to be taken. Once the patient is present for receiving a does of medication, the identification of the patient can be confirmed. Upon confirmation of the identification, a dose of medication for the patient can then be dispensed and removal of medication from dispenser can be confirmed. The method can also include providing a location determination device with the dispenser to permit locating the dispenser. |
| US08326454B2 |
Power assist apparatus, and its control method
Provided are a power assist apparatus and its control method, which realize improvements in positioning precision and in workability while reducing the burden of a work positioning operation on a operator by burdening a portion of the positioning work on the power assist apparatus and while making good use of the decision or experience (or institution or knack) by the operator when the operator positions the work by using the power assist apparatus. The power assist apparatus thus autonomously cooperated with the working action of the operator comprises a transfer tool including an articulated robot, a sucking jig and a free joint for gripping and transferring windows, and a control device for controlling the actions of the transfer tool. The control device divides and stores a series of working tasks into a plurality of working section, and sets control logics for the individual working sections and for the individual working directions, in which the power assist apparatus has degrees of freedom. |
| US08326451B2 |
Inventory control and method
An inventory control system and method uses a locating device associated with a mover and identifies an ID tagged asset using an ID reader also associated with the mover. Thus, a single relatively high-cost locating device may be temporarily associated with the asset, enabling precise location of a multitude of assets as a mover traverses an inventory area. The asset location and identification may be associated in a database. The asset location may be refined by using additional measurement devices, for example a forklift height sensor, to determine extension from a locating device. A further embodiment utilizes RFID or barcode technology for the ID tag. The locating device may utilize near-field location technology, signals-of-opportunity, or other RTLS technologies. |
| US08326450B2 |
Method and system for GPS augmentation of mail carrier efficiency
Mail carriers are assisted in delivering mail pieces. Each group of mail pieces is received from a sorting system, for delivery to respective final destinations. Also, the sorting system provides delivery data, preferably in electronic form, about delivering the group of mail pieces. Subsequently, GPS is used to determine a location of the mail carrier along a mail route. Information is then provided to the mail carrier regarding delivery of the group of mail pieces, in response to the location of the mail carrier and in response to the delivery data that was received from the sorting system. |
| US08326449B2 |
Augmenting a virtual machine hosting environment from within a virtual machine
Systems and methods augment a virtual machine (computer) hosting environment from within a virtual machine. A communication channel between the virtual machine and the player is used to send instructions to the player to load and execute requested software modules. Requests to load and execute the modules may originate in the corporate network and may be issued by the corporate network administrator. If a requested module is not stored on the host computer, the virtual machine may upload the module, via the communication channel, to the player. The uploaded module may, for example: (a) install a required upgrade in the host operating system; (b) execute virus checking software on the host computer; or (c) install a corporate network-provided secure printing module that enables software being executed by the host computer to print on devices connected to the host computer. |
| US08326448B2 |
Method and device for operating a machine tool
A method and a device for operating a machine tool are disclosed, wherein a machining operation of the machine tool is controlled by a parts program by storing a simulated configuration of the machine tool in the parts program, determining an actual configuration of the machine tool, comparing the actual configuration with the simulated configuration of the machine tool stored in the parts program, and generating a warning message if the actual configuration is not in conformance with the simulated configuration. This prevents errors in the machining process resulting from a discrepancy between the configuration of the machine tool used in the simulation of the parts program and the configuration of the actual machine tool during the actual machining operation. |
| US08326447B2 |
Advanced planning system
An advanced production planning system for allocating production capacity to meet a demand includes a demand receiver, a demand consolidator, a capacity balancer, and a planning module. The demand receiver is configured to receive input demand data and is in communication with the demand consolidator, calculates a consolidated demand as a sum of all input demand data. The capacity balancer calculates and stores a production capacity, and the planning module creates a production plan by allocating production capacity to meet the consolidated demand based on the consolidated demand and the production capacity. |
| US08326444B1 |
Method and apparatus for performing audio ducking
A method, apparatus and computer program product for performing audio ducking is presented. A plurality of tracks are displayed in a user interface, each track of the plurality of tracks including at least one audio clip. A first clip of the plurality of tracks is linked to at least one other clip of the plurality of tracks. At least one audio clip of the first track is preprocessed to obtain characteristic data of the at least one audio clip of the first track. The characteristic data of the at least one audio clip is utilized to determine level change parameters for the at least one clip of the plurality of tracks linked to the first clip. |
| US08326443B2 |
Computer enabled method for disabling protective safety gear
An apparatus control method and system. The method includes disabling by a computer processor of a computing system, an apparatus. The computer processor retrieves detection data, safety gear detection data, and safety gear indication data. The computer processor analyzes the detection data, the safety gear detection data, and the safety gear indication data and in response to results of the analysis, the computer processor enables the apparatus. |
| US08326431B2 |
Implantable medical device for the concurrent treatment of a plurality of neurological disorders and method therefore
Implantable medical device adapted to be implanted in a patient having a plurality of neurological disorders. First and second therapy modules are adapted to provide first and second outputs to the patient for the treatment of first and second of the plurality of disorders, respectively. Also, a method for the treatment of a plurality of neurological disorders in a patient. A first output is provided to the patient for the treatment of a first one of the plurality of neurological disorders and a second output is provided to the patient for the treatment of a second one of the plurality of neurological disorders. |
| US08326430B2 |
Devices and methods for treatment of heart failure and associated conditions
Devices and methods of use identification, treatment, and/or management of heart failure and/or associated conditions. Methods may include providing a baroreflex therapy system, providing an implantable measurement device proximate a blood vessel of a patient, the implantable measurement device including a plurality of electrodes, determining an impedance of the blood vessel with the implantable measurement device over a time period of at least one cardiac cycle, generating at least one signal representative of a pressure waveform based on the impedance, activating, deactivating or otherwise modulating the baroreflex therapy system to deliver a therapy to treat heart failure based at least in part on the at least one signal representative of the pressure waveform. |
| US08326428B2 |
Acquiring nerve activity from carotid body and/or sinus
An exemplary includes acquiring an electroneurogram of the right carotid sinus nerve or the left carotid sinus nerve, analyzing the electroneurogram for at least one of chemosensory information and barosensory information and calling for one or more therapeutic actions based at least in part on the analyzing. Therapeutic actions may aim to treat conditions such as sleep apnea, an increase in metabolic demand, hypoglycemia, hypertension, renal failure, and congestive heart failure. Other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed. |
| US08326424B2 |
System and method for RF wake-up of implantable medical device
A telemetry system is presented for enabling radio-frequency (RF) communications between an implantable medical device and an external device in a manner which reduces the power requirements of the implantable device by duty cycling its circuitry. A wakeup scheme for the implantable device is provided in which the external device transmits a data segment containing a repeating sequence of special wakeup characters in order to establish a communications session with the implantable device. The wakeup scheme may be designed to operate in the context of a handshaking protocol for collision avoidance. |
| US08326421B2 |
Ventricular assist device
Devices and methods are disclosed for implanting, positioning, removing, replacing and operating intra-aortic balloon pumps. |
| US08326410B2 |
Method for automated analysis of submaximal F-waves
A novel submaximal F-wave acquisition and analysis system that employs computational intelligence to set up submaximal F-wave acquisition conditions and to extract submaximal F-wave features automatically, without operator intervention. |
| US08326409B2 |
Adjustment device, method, and computer program for a brainwave identification system
In a system having an interface which utilizes an electroencephalogram, device operations which are not intended by the user are reduced.An adjustment apparatus for an electroencephalogram distinction method is used for an electroencephalogram interface system. The system has a biological signal measurement section for acquiring an electroencephalogram signal from a user, and an electroencephalogram interface section for presenting via an output section a plurality of menu items of the manipulation menu in a regular order, distinguishing by a previously determined distinction method a component of an event-related potential which is contained in the electroencephalogram signal after each menu item is highlighted, and operating a device based on the distinguished event-related potential. The adjustment apparatus includes: an analysis section for determining a gradient of a waveform of the event-related potential before the menu item is highlighted; and a determination section for comparing the gradient of the waveform as determined by the analysis section against a threshold value, and determining that the menu item corresponding to the gradient is a menu item which the user wishes to select based on a result of comparison. |
| US08326408B2 |
Method and apparatus of neurological feedback systems to control physical objects for therapeutic and other reasons
A method and apparatus using brainwaves to control real objects is provided. The method and apparatus comprise using sensors to detect the brain's electrical signals and transmit at least two brainwaves to an apparatus that converts the brainwaves into a format usable by a signal processor. The signal processor determines a coherence between portions of the brainwaves, typically in the frequency domain, and compares the coherence values, which change rapidly from moment to moment, to thresholds. Based on the comparison of the coherence value to the thresholds, which are adjusted over time based on feedback relating to success, a control signal is developed that can be sent to a real object to control 3 dimensional motion of the control object. |
| US08326405B2 |
Imaging of macular pigment distributions
Macular pigments are measured by spectrally selective lipofuscin detection. Light from a light source that emits light at a selected range of wavelengths that overlap the absorption band of macular carotenoids is directed onto macular tissue of an eye for which macular pigment levels are to be measured. Emitted light is then collected from the macular tissue. The collected light is filtered so that the collected light includes lipofuscin emission from the macular tissue at an excitation wavelength that lies outside the macular pigment absorption range and outside the excitation range of interfering fluorophores. The collected light is quantified at each of a plurality of locations in the macular tissue and the macular pigment levels in the macular tissue are determined from the differing lipofuscin emission intensities in the macula and peripheral retina. |
| US08326399B2 |
Systems and methods for phase encode placement
A method for a medical examination is provided. The method includes acquiring at least two datasets that include data acquired at a plurality of points that lie along at least two lines through a center of k-space, reconstructing the at least two datasets to generate an image, and outputting the image. |
| US08326398B2 |
System for analyzing and treating abnormality of human and animal tissues
A patient treatment unit for analyzing and treating abnormality of human or animal tissues, includes a display; a pulse generator circuit that outputs a sequence of electrical pulses at a pulse frequency, the electrical pulses having a pulse width, the pulse generator controlling the pulse frequency and the pulse width of the electrical pulses; a pair of probes for contacting a body of a patient and electrically coupled to the pulse generator; and a voltage and current sensing circuit that senses a voltage or a current via the probes when contacting the body of the patient. |
| US08326396B2 |
Dry electrode for detecting EEG signals and attaching device for holding the dry electrode
An electrode for detecting EEG signals comprises a body comprising a fixture on a first end of the body, and a sensor detachably held by the fixture, wherein the body has an external thread in a portion of the body extending from the first end of the body towards a second end of the body, and the sensor has a brush-like shape with pins protruding off the body. The electrode may be held by an attaching device for holding electrodes for detecting EEG signals, the attaching device comprising a strap including a plurality of holes for accommodating electrodes and a rotary closure connecting a first end of the strap and a second end of the strap. |
| US08326393B2 |
Layered sensor for determining an analyte concentration
An implantable sensor is provide which can be used for determining a concentration of at least one analyte in a medium, in particular a body tissue and/or a body fluid. The implantable sensor has a layered construction with at least one insulating carrier substrate and at least two electrodes which are arranged in at least two different layer planes of the implantable sensor and are electrically isolated from one another by the at least one insulating carrier substrate. The electrodes have electrode areas which face the medium when the sensor has been implanted, and are in contact with the medium over a large area and substantially uniformly, directly or via a generally analyte-permeable membrane layer. |
| US08326389B2 |
System for in vivo biosensing based on the optical response of electronic polymers
A system for continuous in vivo biosensing of specific analyte molecule concentrations based on the dynamic optical properties of electronic polymers is disclosed. The biosensor system includes at least one implant member subcutaneously exposed to the interstitial fluid of the subject, and a reader member at least temporarily positioned over the implant member to probe it with light of specific wavelengths through the skin. The system has many potential applications, including the real-time monitoring of blood glucose levels in diabetics as a method to supplement or replace conventional capillary blood testing. |
| US08326388B2 |
Method and apparatus for non-invasive measurement of living body characteristics by photoacoustics
A method and apparatus for non-invasive measurement of living body information comprises a light source configured to generate light containing a specific wavelength component, an irradiation unit configured to irradiate a subject with the light, and at least one acoustic signal detection unit including piezoelectric devices formed of a piezoelectric single crystal containing lead titanate and configured to detect an acoustic signal which is generated due to the energy of the irradiation light absorbed by a specific substance present in or on a subject. |
| US08326385B2 |
Mobile wireless communications device with proximity based transmitted power control and related methods
A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing, at least one antenna carried by the portable housing, and at least one capacitive proximity sensor carried by the portable housing and configured to sense proximity of a human user adjacent thereto. The mobile wireless communications device may also include a wireless transmitter carried by the portable housing and coupled to the at least one antenna, and a controller carried by the portable housing and coupled to the wireless transmitter and the at least one capacitive proximity sensor. The controller may be configured to cooperate with the wireless transmitter to adjust transmitted power output from the at least one antenna based upon the at least one capacitive proximity sensor. |
| US08326371B2 |
DC current based on chip RF power detection scheme for a power amplifier
A method, system, and apparatus of a DC current based on chip RF power detection scheme for a power amplifier are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes generating a scaled current from an other current associated with power amplifier, transforming the scaled current (e.g., the scaled current may be scaled to the other current value) into a digital signal and using the digital signal to set a radio frequency power value of an antenna of the antenna module. The method may include transforming the scaled current into a voltage signal. The method may also include transforming the voltage signal into the digital signal. The method may also include generating a current mirror from a low dropout regulator. |
| US08326367B2 |
Foldable image processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus includes a first casing and a second casing hinge-connected to the first casing via a hinge part. A sub display provided to the second casing is exposed to the outside when the first casing and the second casing are in a closed state, and displays a plurality of input numeral keys in a first display area when the first and second casings are in the closed state. A control unit accepts an input of any input numeral key from among the plurality of the input numeral keys displayed in the first display area and decides the input of the accepted input numeral key. While following pressing of an outgoing call key provided to the second casing, an outgoing call is performed to another information processing apparatus identified by a combination of the decided numerals based on the input numeral keys whose inputs have been decided. |
| US08326366B2 |
Multiple-antenna system for cellular communication and broadcasting
A transmission method and apparatus for use in a multi-cell orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) wireless system. A base station includes a plurality of antennas and a plurality of switches coupled to the plurality of antennas. In a unicast transmission mode, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signals are generated and routed to multiple of the plurality of antennas for transmission by turning on multiple of the plurality of switches. In a single-frequency-network (SFN) transmission mode, OFDM signals are generated and routed to one of the plurality antennas for transmission by turning on one of the plurality of switches. The plurality of antennas produce a first beam pattern during the unicast transmission mode and a second beam pattern during the SFN transmission mode. |
| US08326365B2 |
Sectorized base stations as multiple antenna systems
Methods and apparatus for improved utilization of air link resources are discussed in wireless communications systems employing multi-sector base stations and wireless terminals with multiple antennas. Timing synchronization is maintained across the base station sectors, and the same set of tones are used in adjacent sectors. In a sector boundary region, which is typically a high interference region, a wireless terminal is set to a sector pair state and operated in a MIMO mode of operation, communicating with two adjacent base station antenna faces of the same base station concurrently, the two different adjacent base station antenna faces corresponding to different adjacent sectors. Thus, typically high interference sector boundary regions, are converted into high capacity regions by having the sectors coordinated and utilizing MIMO techniques. |
| US08326364B2 |
High resolution, low power design for CPRI/OBSAI latency measurement
As part of the protocol for Common Public Radio Interface/Open Base Station Architecture Initiative (CPRI/OBSAI) systems, timing circuits are used to calculate the “round trip” latency across CPRI/OBSAI links. Traditionally, these timing circuits have been plagued with numerous problems. Here, however, a timing circuit is provided that has improved latency measurement accuracy, reduced power consumption, and a reduced likelihood of detecting a false comma. This is generally accomplished through the use of double edge latching in combination with post processing circuit and single bit transmission between low and high speed clock domains. |
| US08326360B2 |
Method and system for the configuration of a mobile station baseband circuit for an acoustic accessory
A method and system for the configuration of a mobile station baseband circuit for an acoustic accessory having an identifier, the method comprising the steps of: determining whether the mobile device recognizes the identifier of the acoustic device; and configuring the baseband circuit with a DSP filter response and CODEC acoustic gain parameters for the acoustic device if the mobile device recognizes the identifier of the acoustic device. The system comprising: an identifier for each of the plurality of acoustic devices; a local memory in the mobile station storing a frequency (filter) response and gain parameters for at least one of the plurality of acoustic devices and for mapping them to the identifier; and a digital signal processor to re-shape an acoustic frequency response and adjust an audio gain of a baseband circuit for the mobile station based on the stored frequency response and gain parameters. |
| US08326347B2 |
Wireless communication system integrated into a computer display
An electronic device has a display in which the casing of the display includes a plurality of recessed cavities into which radio and antenna modules can be inserted to provide the electronic device with a wireless communication capability. The display can have cavities for one or more radios and one or more antenna modules. A radio electrically connects to one or more antenna modules via conductor(s) contained within the display and connects to the host electronic device via a serial bus (e.g., USB). Accordingly, the display can have a plurality of radio/antenna combinations thereby concurrently providing the electronic device with multiple wireless communication capabilities. |