| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08342685B2 |
Testing/training visual perception speed and/or span
System and methods for testing and/or training a subject's visual perception span and/or speed are provided. More specifically, a method may include testing/training various aspects of the subject's visual perception span/speed through the use of assessments that test the subject's ability to receive and retain information that is flashed in front of them. By using various assessments, an efficient examination may be administered. In accordance with the invention, an individual may be subjected to such a method of testing/training comprising: presenting one or more two-dimensional representations to the subject at a first time; receiving input responses from the subject at a second time; and processing the received input responses to provide a measure of the perception span of the subject; and processing the time between the first time and the second time to provide a measure of the perception speed of the subject. |
| US08342684B2 |
Determination of optical adjustments for retarding myopia progression
A method or process for providing an anti-myopia lens or treatment for a patient's eye with progressive myopia, which involves (in one form) generating biometric data relating to the central and peripheral refractive errors of the eye, optionally together with data relating to the patient's visual or lifestyle needs and the patient's predisposition to progressive myopia. This data is input to a processor or algorithm that generates a basic lens design, a customised design or a program for reshaping the cornea of the eye. The selected modality is applied to the patient and its suitability is assessed with the result of the assessment feedback to the algorithm to generate a refined output design, which is applied to the patient. The process is repeated at intervals to check continued myopia progression and adjust the design of the selected modality after further measurement. |
| US08342681B2 |
Eyewear for reducing symptoms of computer vision syndrome
Computer eyewear for reducing the effects of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). In one embodiment, the eyewear comprises a frame and two lenses. In some embodiments, the frame and lenses have a wrap-around design to reduce air flow in the vicinity of the eyes. The lenses can have optical power in the range of approximately +0.5 to +2.5 diopters for reducing accommodation demands on a user's eyes when using a computer. The lenses can also include prismatic power for reducing convergence demand on a user's eyes when sitting at a computer. The lenses can also include a partially transmissive mirror coating, tinting, and anti-reflective coatings. In one embodiment, a partially transmissive mirror coating or tinting spectrally filters light to remove spectral peaks in fluorescent or incandescent lighting. |
| US08342679B2 |
Metal detectable lens carrier
A metal detectable lens carrier that includes a polymeric material and metal particulate dispersed throughout the polymeric material. The metal detectable lens carrier is configured to hold one or more lenses. Eyewear including such lens carriers and methods of detecting thereof are also disclosed. |
| US08342672B2 |
Recording apparatus
A recording apparatus including: an intermediate transfer member; an image forming composition layer formation unit that supplies an image forming composition to the intermediate transfer member, the image forming composition containing a curable material that cures upon application of an external stimulus; an ink application unit that applies ink to the image forming composition layer that has been formed on the intermediate transfer member; a transfer unit that transfers the image forming composition layer from the intermediate transfer member to a recording medium by contacting the image forming composition layer onto which the ink has been applied with the recording medium; and a first stimulus application unit that applies a stimulus to the image forming composition layer that cures the image forming composition layer, the stimulus being applied at least one of immediately before the image forming composition layer comes into contact with the recording medium, or during the contact. |
| US08342671B2 |
Water-based coloring material, water-based ink for ink-jet recording, ink-jet recording method, and ink-jet recording apparatus
A water-based coloring material which colors a medium and which is to be used together with water, the water-based coloring material includes a colorant and polyetheramine represented by chemical formula (1): wherein R1 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group which has 1 to 4 carbon atoms and has a straight chain or a branched chain; R2, R3, and R4 are substituted or unsubstituted alkylene groups each of which has 1 to 4 carbon atoms and has a straight chain or a branched chain, and R2, R3, and R4 are identical with each other or different from each other; and each of m, n, and o is an integer of 1 to 5. |
| US08342666B2 |
Ink-jet image forming apparatus and method of controlling ink flow
An ink-jet image forming apparatus. The ink-jet image forming apparatus includes a print head having a plurality of nozzles to eject ink, an ink tank to store the ink, an ink supply passage to supply the ink in the ink tank to the print head, an ink return passage to return the ink in the print head to the ink tank, a regulator mounted in the ink supply passage to regulate ink flow supplied to the print head, a shut-off valve mounted in the ink supply passage, between the ink tank and the regulator, to intercept ink flow supplied to the regulator, and an ink pump mounted in the ink return passage to forcedly flow the ink in the ink return passage. The ink pump is configured to be driven in forward and reverse directions so as to change an ink flow direction. Since the shut-off valve intercepts forcedly the ink flow in the ink supply passage, the ink in the ink tank is prevented from flowing abnormally to the print head and leaking from the print head. |
| US08342664B2 |
Ink cartridge
Any of an improved conventional, a refillable, or a continuous ink supply system (CISS) ink delivery apparatus, including a housing comprising one or more walls defining a chamber therein, a structural feature configured during use to detachably engage with a reciprocal receiving portion of a printer device, a fluid dispensing port extending through a first wall of the housing, and a siphon structure comprising a curved fluid-conducting conduit originating at the chamber and extending to the fluid dispensing port. Additionally and/or alternatively with respect to the siphon structure, an improved ink delivery apparatus includes any one or more of an automatically resettable chipset, a detachable cover plate and/or a fluid (gaseous and/or liquid) input port. |
| US08342660B2 |
Piezoelectric element, method for manufacturing the same, piezoelectric actuator, liquid ejecting head, and liquid ejecting apparatus
A piezoelectric element includes: a substrate; a lower electrode that is formed on and/or over the substrate; a piezoelectric substance layer that covers the lower electrode; and an upper electrode that is formed on and/or over the piezoelectric substance layer, wherein a side surface of the piezoelectric substance layer includes a first portion that extends from an upper surface of the piezoelectric substance layer and a second portion that extends from the first portion, the first portion is inclined at a first angle with respect to an upper surface of the substrate, the second portion is inclined at a second angle with respect to the upper surface of the substrate, the second angle is smaller than the first angle, and the upper electrode covers at least the first portion and the second portion. |
| US08342658B2 |
Ink jet print head
An ink jet print head is provided which can improve throughput by increasing an ink ejection frequency and prevent crosstalk among a plurality of heat application portions, realizing a capability of printing high-quality images at high speed. An opening size of the supply ports in a direction perpendicular to the array direction of the heat application portions is made greater than the length in the direction of electrothermal conversion elements. The supply ports are arranged along the array direction so that they adjoin the heat application portions in the array direction. |
| US08342654B2 |
Liquid injection recording head
An electric wiring board 120 of a liquid injection recording head has a base film 123 formed with an opening, a first wiring member 122 formed on a first surface that is a rear surface of the base film 123 as seen from a supporting member 140, a second wiring member 129 formed at a position closer to the opening than the first wiring member 122 on the first surface, and connected to a wire 170, a cover film 124 which covers the first wiring member 122 and has an end 150 between the first wiring member 122 and the second wiring member 129, an adhesive 127 which bonds together the first wiring member 122 and the cover film 124, a third wiring member 125 formed on a second surface opposite to the first surface of the base film 123, a first through hole 160, and a second through hole 161. |
| US08342645B2 |
Printing apparatus and control method therefor
A printing apparatus prints on a printing medium by scanning a printhead having a plurality of nozzle arrays in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and has a structure in which an air flow entering the nozzle array in the scan of the printhead in the first direction becomes larger than an air flow entering the nozzle array in the scan of the printhead in the second direction. The apparatus increases, in scanning in the second direction, discharge speed of ink discharged from at least one nozzle array arranged leeward in the scanning direction of the printhead from a predetermined position on the printhead in the scanning direction to be higher than or equal to the discharge speed of ink discharged from at least one nozzle array arranged windward in the scanning direction of the printhead from the predetermined position. |
| US08342644B2 |
Inkjet printhead for use in image forming apparatus
An inkjet printhead includes multiple head modules and a mount base. The multiple head modules each includes a laminate unit containing a nozzle to eject ink in droplets and an ink chamber in fluid communication with the nozzle. The multiple head modules are mounted on the mount base. The mount base defines a first contact surface facing a first direction in which the ink is ejected. Each laminate unit defines a second contact surface facing a second direction opposite to the first direction. The first and second contact surfaces are held in contact with each other to position each head module in the mount base. |
| US08342639B2 |
Head cleaning method and head cleaning apparatus
A head cleaning method of wiping and cleaning a nozzle surface of a head with a band-shaped liquid absorbing body by, while pressing and abutting a pressing member on which the liquid absorbing body that travels is wrapped against the nozzle surface of the head, sliding the pressing member over the nozzle surface of the head, includes: a first cleaning step of wiping and cleaning the nozzle surface of the head with a non-wet region of the liquid absorbing body; a wet region forming step of forming a wet region on the liquid absorbing body; and a second cleaning step of wiping and cleaning the nozzle surface of the head with the wet region of the liquid absorbing body. |
| US08342635B2 |
Inkjet recording apparatus and recording medium conveyance method for the inkjet recording apparatus
There is provided an apparatus capable of obtaining an image with good quality even if platen suction pressure for reducing sheet floatation is different. The apparatus includes a conveyance unit configured to convey a recording medium, a platen configured to hold the recording medium at a position facing the recording head, a generation unit configured to generate power to attract the recording medium on the platen, and a control unit configured to correct a drive amount of the conveyance unit based on the generated power. |
| US08342633B2 |
Dot recording device, dot recording method and recording medium recording computer program thereon
A recording medium recording a computer readable computer program thereon, where the computer program enables the computer to generate dot recording data supplied to a dot recording device in order to perform dot recording using the dot recording device which repeats a main scanning pass and a transport based on the dot recording data so that a raster line along a main scanning direction is formed in multiple lines in a sub-scanning direction on a printing medium, where the main scanning pass is for performing the dot recording on the printing medium when an output head having a plurality of nozzles arranged in the sub-scanning direction moves in the main scanning direction, and where the transport is for enabling the printing medium to move in the sub-scanning direction, the computer program enables the computer to implement the functions of: determining a dot reduction degree for reducing the dot recording; setting a recording position of a changing target dot included in the dot recording data, according to the dot reduction degree, based on an order of performing the dot recording, where the changing target dot undergoes at least one of a thinning-out processing where the dot recording is not performed and a dot diameter shrinkage where dot size is reduced; and generating the dot recording data in which the recording position of the changing target dot is set. |
| US08342632B2 |
Printer, printing program, and printing method
A printer includes a print head in which nozzles that form an image by discharging ink are arranged in a plurality of lines. The printer prints out an image on the basis of print form data in which information of layout contents of printing elements that form the content of print is set according to the attribute of each printing element. The printer includes a print form data storage unit, a printing element data storage unit, a print form data selection unit, a printing element data selection unit, and a printing element data insertion unit. |
| US08342628B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus including a carriage including image forming units, the carriage driven reciprocally in a main scanning direction; a conveyance unit to convey a sheet of recording media to a position where the image forming units perform image formation; a first detector provided to the carriage, the first detector including a light emitting part and a light receiving part to periodically detect a surface of the sheet; a calculation unit to calculate a relative amount of movement between the sheet and the image forming units by comparing patterns periodically detected by the first detector; and a control unit to control a timing to perform image formation by the image forming units and an amount of conveyance of the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit based on a result calculated by the calculation unit. |
| US08342624B2 |
Recording apparatus
A recording apparatus includes a recording head having: a discharge port; an actuator; and a driving circuit that selectively supplies to the actuator a discharge driving signal which includes at least one of discharge pulse signals, and a non-discharge driving signal which includes at least one of non-discharge pulse signals. The recording apparatus further includes: a transport unit; an image recording control unit; a signal number calculating unit that calculates the number of non-discharge driving signals; and a non-discharge driving control unit that controls the driving circuit to supply the number of non-discharge driving signals calculated by the signal number calculating unit, wherein the signal number calculating unit calculates the number of non-discharge driving signals such that the sum of the number of correction pulses and the total number of non-discharge pulse signals supplied to the actuator within the predetermined period is equal to a predetermined value. |
| US08342622B2 |
Liquid ejection apparatus and method
In a continuous liquid ejection apparatus, when pressurizing ink with a pump and initiating ejection, the problem of a stable ink column and droplets not being formed if ink is ejected in a low ink pressure state and large droplets or droplets with unstable flight directions being formed is solved. The space where droplets fly is sealed in order to raise the pressure of ink inside a liquid chamber communicating with a nozzle up to a pressure suitable for droplet-forming condition, while the pressure of gas in the sealed space is raised corresponding to the rise in pressure of the liquid to suppress ejection from the nozzle. After the pressure of the ink is raised to pressure suitable for droplet-forming condition, the sealed space is opened to the atmosphere and ink is ejected all at once. |
| US08342621B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a base member where a plurality of recording heads is provided, the recording heads being configured to jet liquid drops onto a recording medium; a carriage configured to elevatably support the base member; and an elevating part configured to elevate the base member relative to the carriage, wherein the elevating part is a plurality of slide cam members provided movably in a horizontal direction. |
| US08342620B2 |
Driving device, recording head, and apparatus using the same
According to an aspect of the present invention, a high-resolution, small-size, low-cost driving device includes a clock signal generating unit configured to receive a first clock signal of a differential signaling system and generate a second clock signal, an input unit configured to input a data signal which includes first information and second information, a first timing generating unit configured to select an edge of the second clock signal based on the first information and to generate a first signal by counting occurrences of the selected edge a second timing generating unit configured to select edge of the second clock signal based on the second information and to generate a second signal by counting occurrences of the selected edge, a logical circuit configured to generate a pulse signal based on the first and second signals, and a driving element configured to drive a driven element using the pulse signal. |
| US08342618B2 |
Traction control device for vehicle
An electric motor is coupled to driving wheels 2, 2. When a slippage of the driving wheels 2, 2 is detected, the electric motor 5 produces a regenerative torque to suppress the slippage of the driving wheels 2, 2. The regenerative torque is controlled in a variable manner according to an index parameter that indicates a road surface condition. Thus, when the slippage of the driving wheels occurs, the slippage of the driving wheels is suppressed according to the road surface condition by a regenerative operation of the electric motor coupled to the driving wheels. |
| US08342613B2 |
Affixment system for wheel cladding
The present invention comprises an affixment system for securing wheel cladding to a vehicle wheel, with the wheel including a hub and a plurality of radial spokes extending between the hub and a wheel rim. Each wheel spoke includes at least one aperture for seating a mushroom head expansion clip mounted to the inner face of corresponding spokes of the wheel cladding. |
| US08342610B2 |
Green concrete saw
A green concrete saw that allows for precise adjustment of a height of a circular saw blade is provided. The saw provides for the circular saw blade to be secured to a front end of a mainframe mounted on an undercarriage. A major height adjustment is performed by adjusting the height of the mainframe relative to the undercarriage. Further, the undercarriage supports wheels for the saw, and a fine height adjustment is performed by adjusting the height of a front end of the undercarriage relative to the ground through the use of an eccentric front axle. |
| US08342602B2 |
Car seat
The present invention relates to a car seat. The car seat is a bucket seat having a bottom support section for supporting the bottom of a user, a back support section for supporting the back of the user, a shoulder support section for supporting the shoulders of the user, a head support section for supporting the head of the user, and a left flank support section and a right flank support section for protecting the left and right flank of the user. A substantial part of the bucket seat is constructed from aluminium sheet. The car seat further includes at least one composite reinforcement member which extends along a part of the bucket seat and is mounted to the bucket seat. The at least one composite reinforcement member is manufactured from a composite material. The present invention further relates to a method for manufacturing the car seat. |
| US08342592B2 |
Multi link retracting seal surface module
A seal module for sealing between a first door and a second door of opposing-hinged doors is moveable between an sealing position for sealing between the first door and the second door, and a withdrawn position longitudinally spaced from one of the first door and the second door to allow for independent pivotable movement of either the first door or the second door. A linkage system including a first swing arm and a second swing arm rotatably interconnects the seal module to the second door, and moves the seal module between the sealing position and the withdrawn position along an arcuate path that is disposed along a plane substantially perpendicular to an outer surface of the opposing-hinged doors. |
| US08342591B2 |
Removable shade for a stroller hood
A stroller covering including a removable cover shade is provided. Embodiments of this invention are directed to a removable shade for a stroller hood or bassinet hood to shield a stroller occupant (i.e., an infant or child) from rain, snow, sunlight, noise, etc., while allowing his/her caregiver quick and easy access to the child. In these embodiments, the removable shade comprises a curtain configured to cover an opening formed by the stroller hood, and a flange extending from the curtain for engaging a surface of the stroller hood. |
| US08342590B1 |
Truck bed having slidable tailgate
A pickup truck bed having a tailgate operable to slidably stow underneath the floor of the pickup truck bed. The pickup truck bed further includes a first channel and a second channel integrally formed into the bed to facilitate the positioning of the tailgate such that the tailgate can be stowed underneath the floor of the bed. The tailgate further includes a plurality of wheels operable to engage the first channel and the second channel so as to slidably move the tailgate such that the tailgate is substantially underneath the floor of the pickup truck bed. The tailgate further includes a first attachment pin and a second attachment pin that are operable to pivotally transition the tailgate from a closed position to an open position. The first attachment pin and second attachment pin are further configured to be retractable so as to facilitate the tailgate being slidably transitioned such that the tailgate is underneath the floor of the pickup truck bed. |
| US08342588B2 |
Insulated composite body panel structure for a refrigerated truck body
Various embodiments of the present invention provide an insulated structural panel including a superinsulating, desiccant-filled, vacuum-sealed insulating panel sandwiched between a pair of composite panels. The composite panels are configured to impart structural strength to the panel without introducing heat transfer pathways through the vacuum-sealed insulating panel. The desiccant material disposed within the vacuum-sealed insulating panel is capable of absorbing moisture within the vacuum established within the vacuum-sealed insulating panel and thereby reducing the degradation of the vacuum-sealed panel's insulating capacity. |
| US08342586B2 |
Robot hand and humanoid robot having the same
A robot hand, which minimizes the number of actuators and adjusts the bending angles of joints through torque limiters to flexibly and finely control finger units, and a humanoid robot having the robot hand. The robot hand includes a torque limiter disposed on at least any one joint of a plurality of joints to link another joint of the plurality of joints with the any one joint through a power transmission member. |
| US08342582B2 |
Absorber element for a motor vehicle lock
Device (1) for a motor vehicle lock (2) comprising an inlet (3) for a latch pin (4), wherein the inlet (3) has an entrance region (5) and an end region (6) with at least one damper element (7) which can absorb the contact force from the latch pin (4), wherein the damper element (7) has at least one opening (8), in which at least the rigid insert (9) is disposed against the damper element (7). |
| US08342578B2 |
Method and apparatus for connecting a hose to a fitting
An application for a clamp guide for joining a flexible hose to a rigid, hollow shaft having at least two beads, the clamp guide has an arced surface for interfacing with a head bead of the at least two beads and two clamp guide arms. Each of the clamp guide arms has at least two bumps and each bump is aligned with one of the beads thereby forming registration areas between each pair of bumps. The arced surface has an inner diameter equal to an outer diameter of the rigid, hollow shaft and the arced surface has an inner circumferential length greater than one half of the circumference of the rigid, hollow shaft. |
| US08342574B2 |
Device assisting with the locking of a steering column
A device for the assisted locking and unlocking of an adjustable steering column has a fixed cam element secured to a column body, a moving cam element extended by an operating lever, and an articulation system coupled to a central spindle mounted between the elements and passing through the body. The articulation system includes an elastic return member intended to collaborate with two sets of complementary bosses borne respectively by each cam element and delimiting with one another, two end-of-travel stops so that by pivoting the lever, the moving cam element can be made to move between a locked position and an unlocked position via an intermediate position of unstable equilibrium. |
| US08342570B2 |
Air bag system for vehicle
An air bag system for a vehicle includes an air bag body formed by stitching base fabric material, an inflator that charges the air bag body with gas, and a vent hole that is a through hole provided in the air bag body so as to communicate the inside with the outside of the air bag body. The vent hole of the air bag body is formed to be slit-like and longer in a longitudinal direction thereof. The air bag body includes two base fabric pieces having overlapping side ends that are joined together, a tensile-force applying mechanism that applies tensile-force in the longitudinal direction of the vent hole, including a pair of V-shaped stitched lines bent in a sharply angled V-shape and formed on the side ends of the two base fabric pieces with a predetermined distance therebetween that defines the slit-like vent hole, and portions of the side ends aligned with vent hole along the gas discharge direction form a flow-passage restriction membrane. |
| US08342567B2 |
Airbag-equipped steering wheel device
In an airbag-equipped steering wheel, a plurality of horn switch mechanisms assembled to a bag holder each have a securing pin, which is inserted into a corresponding one of through holes formed in a metal core. A clip is engaged with a locking groove of each securing pin, so that each horn switch mechanism is fastened to the metal core. The through holes include one or more normal through holes that restrict inclination of the corresponding securing pins, and a special through hole that has an inclination permitting portion. The inclination permitting portion permits the corresponding securing pin to be inclined about the corresponding clip 13 serving as a fulcrum. In the special through hole, the securing pin is permitted to be inclined about the clip serving as a fulcrum only when the clips are disengaged from the securing pin in all the normal through holes. |
| US08342565B2 |
Cross member-integrated trunnion bracket
In order to drastically reduce the effort and time required for the alignment adjustment over a conventional case to significantly alleviate the work burden, a cross member-integrated trunnion bracket 20 includes a cross member 16 coupling left and right frames and a pair of trunnion brackets 19 integrally formed on lower faces at opposite ends of the cross member 16 to open downward and outward in a vehicle width direction. The trunnion brackets 19 have bosses 18 for pivotally supporting trunnion shafts. |
| US08342562B2 |
Stroller frame, particularly for transporting a child
A frame for a child's stroller which includes two rear arms and a single front arm which are joined to one another with the two rear arms spaced on opposite sides of a front to rear median vertical plane (P) of the frame and wherein wheels are pivotally mounted to each of the arms so as to be movable between first deployed positions wherein an axes of rotation of the wheels extend transversely to the plane (P) and a second compact storage position wherein the axes of rotation of the wheels extend parallel with respect to the plane (P), and wherein the wheels connected so as to be moved simultaneously between the two positions. |
| US08342558B1 |
Glider hitch for trailer fifth wheel
A fifth wheel glider hitch is disclosed having a pair of sliding rails that support a fifth wheel assembly, the fifth wheel assembly sliding on the rails over first and second brackets that include a locking hole. The sliding rails each have apertures defining a forward position and a rear position, and the glider includes handle with a locking mechanism that traps the assembly in a forward or aft position. |
| US08342556B2 |
Lowrider aerodynamic truck
A truck for towing a trailer includes a vehicle frame spine, a pair of suspension assemblies extending from either side of the vehicle frame spine and each supports a drive assembly at an end distal to the vehicle frame spine. Extensible struts are positioned between the vehicle frame spine and the drive assemblies allowing selection of vehicle drive height from a driving surface. A fifth wheel assembly is supported from the vehicle frame spine located above the drive assemblies. The fifth wheel assembly includes a fifth wheel and a fifth wheel lift which varies spacing of the fifth wheel from the vehicle frame spine. Control system selects strut extension based on a selected vehicle drive height and operates the lift assembly to counteract changes in vehicle drive height and maintain a constant fifth wheel drive height relative to the driving surface. |
| US08342552B1 |
Self adjusting bicycle
Multiple pivot points on a bicycle frame provide for automatic adjustment of the saddle of the bicycle during usage of the bicycle within a range of positions. The bicycle will normally position the saddle in a neutral position area of the range of positions during steady pedaling over level ground. During sprinting the bicycle will position the saddle in a sprinting position area of the range of positions where the saddle raises and moves forward to maintain contact with the rider to support the rider. During downhill riding the bicycle will position the saddle in a downhill position area of the range of positions where the saddle drops and moves rearward while supporting the rider. A saddle locking assembly permit the rider to prevent the saddle from raising to permit the rider to raise off of the saddle when desired. |
| US08342550B2 |
Adjustable step arrangement for a vehicle
An adjustable step arrangement for a vehicle to assist a user to get into and out of the vehicle. The arrangement includes a U-shaped, tube member supported on a guide system. The tube member has two leg portions with a step section extending between them. The leg portions of the tube members have slots in their undersides that slidably receive vertical guide plates attached to the vehicle. The plates have guide channels in them and the leg portions of the tube member are secured to the guide plates by bolts passing through the channels wherein the adjustable step arrangement can be selectively moved either manually or by a powered assembly between its raised and lowered positions. The step arrangement is accessible to the user for assistance getting into and out of the vehicle in both its raised and lowered positions. |
| US08342549B1 |
Running board for three wheel motorcycles
A running board assembly for a three wheel motorcycle including independent first and second support frame members. Each of the support frame members further includes: i) a substantially U-shaped configuration having a rear lateral section, a longitudinal section, and a front lateral section; ii) a connector on the rear lateral section adapted for connection to a motorcycle frame; and iii) a connector on the front lateral section adapted for connection to a motorcycle engine block. A running board member is connected to each of the support frame members. |
| US08342548B1 |
Lateral air bag for trike suspension
A suspension system for a motor vehicle including a frame assembly; a differential supported on the frame assembly; two half shaft assemblies engaging the differential and being pivotally connected to the frame assembly; and at least one air spring operatively positioned between the frame assembly and each of the half shaft assemblies. The air springs are connected to a rotating linkage which maintains a substantially linear axis of compression for the air springs. |
| US08342543B2 |
Method for draining and transporting large diameter hoses
A method for draining and transporting large diameter hoses includes providing a frame that is movable by virtue of a pair of wheels. The center of gravity of the frame, and of the frame and a coiled hose situated on it, is located directly above the wheels. The frame includes a front toe for facilitating the rolling of a coiled segment of hose up and onto the frame. The frame includes horizontally disposed rollers that facilitate removal of the coil from the frame. The frame also includes a guide bar to assist in maintaining the coil in an upright position during transport. An attachment is removably secured to the frame to allow a portion of the hose to drape over an elevated roller to extract water from the hose and, alternatively, to allow a power-driven winding rod wind the hose into a coil. |
| US08342540B1 |
Vehicle implement and suspension limiter
A motorized vehicle includes left and right suspensions connected to a frame. The left and right suspensions are moving in predetermined directions. A vehicle implement is pivotally connected to one of a front portion and a rear portion of the frame by at least one arm. The vehicle implement is pivotable between a first position and a second position. The second position is vertically higher than the first position. At least one suspension limiter is operatively connected to the at least one arm. When the vehicle implement is in the first and second positions, the left and right suspensions are free to move in the predetermined directions. When the vehicle implement is in a position intermediate the first and second positions, the at least one suspension limiter restricts movement of the left and right suspensions in at least one of the predetermined directions. A suspension limiter is also provided. |
| US08342539B2 |
Clamping tool
A clamping tool includes a holder, a connector and a tool. The holder has a rearwardly tapering bore and a holder thread having a first pitch. The connector has a cylindrical shape and a connector through bore. The connector further has a first connector thread having a pitch similar to the first pitch, and a second connector thread having a second pitch that is different from the first pitch. The tool has a rearwardly tapering rear portion and a tool thread having a pitch similar to the second pitch. In an assembled position, the rearwardly tapering rear portion of the tool abuts the rearwardly tapering bore of the holder, the holder thread is threadingly engaged with the first connector thread, and the tool thread is threadingly engaged with the second connector thread. |
| US08342535B2 |
Non-contact labyrinth seal assembly and method of construction thereof
A non-contact labyrinth seal assembly, bearing assembly therewith, and method of construction thereof, has an outer rigid carrier and an inner sleeve. The carrier has an outer cylindrical flange and a radially inwardly extending leg and the sleeve has a cylindrical wall and a radially outwardly extending flange. A body is attached to at least one of the leg and the flange, wherein the body provides, at least in part, a purely non-contact labyrinth passage extending between the carrier and the sleeve. |
| US08342534B2 |
Low and reverse pressure application hydrodynamic pressurizing seals
The present invention relates to circumferential seal ring segments positioned around a rotating shaft so as to prevent fluids from leaking from a lubricant sump during both low and high pressure conditions. The circumferential seal is comprised of a plurality of adjoining annular ring segments facing the rotating shaft. Each sealing ring segment includes a dead end circumferential groove on a shaft-side face of each sealing ring such that, when the segments are joined, the circumferential dead end groove of each segment extends arcuately in the direction of shaft rotation. At least one additional groove is contained on the shaft-side face of each sealing ring segment. The additional groove(s) directs and creates pressurized air within the dead end circumferential groove, either directly or indirectly maintaining a seal between the ring segments and the shaft. A bleed hole may also be provided to create a seal between each sealing segment. |
| US08342528B2 |
Proposition wagering card game and method of play
A new card game and method of play is provided. The card game includes a means for making at least one proposition related to the value of a single card to be revealed from a 36-card deck of cards and a means for representing the deck of thirty-six cards. The deck of thirty-six cards includes (a) one card of a first value, (b) two cards of a second value, (c) three cards of a third value, (d) four cards of a fourth value, (e) five cards of a fifth value, (f) six cards of a sixth value, (g) five cards of a seventh value, (h) four cards of an eighth value, (i) three cards of a ninth value, (j) two cards of a tenth value, and (k) one card of an eleventh value. |
| US08342526B1 |
Card shuffler
A card shuffler that moves cards one-at-a-time from the bottom of a deck in a deck-crib to randomly designated single-card receptacles in a dealing rack. The dealing rack is moved by a motor to align a receptacle, randomly selected from among remaining empty receptacles, with an outfeed slot of the deck-crib to receive each card to be moved from the deck-crib. A space is provided in the dealing rack where a dealer's hand can reach cards and remove them from the dealing rack. A controller can cause the dealing rack to move so as to allow a selected number of cards to be removed by the dealer for a player hand or a dealer hand. A card reader may be included, and positions in the dealing rack of cards identified by the card reader can be stored in memory in the controller. |
| US08342524B2 |
Virtual game
A gaming method includes repetitive plays simulating rolls of virtual dice by a player and at least one of a bonus feature and a progressive feature. A gaming method includes scoring dice. |
| US08342520B2 |
Medium registration apparatus and image forming apparatus including the same
A medium registration apparatus for an image forming apparatus. The registration apparatus includes: a subassembly including a first guide plate that guides a medium along a medium transferring direction, and a side guide disposed adjacent to one side of the first guide plate, in parallel with the medium transferring direction and is a side registration reference; a subassembly moving guide that supports the subassembly, so that the subassembly can move in a direction crossing the medium transferring direction; and a subassembly driver that drives the subassembly. The image forming apparatus includes: the registration apparatus; an image forming part; a reverse roller that reverses a transferring direction of a medium printed on by the image forming part. |
| US08342512B2 |
Paper sheet pick up device
According to one embodiment, a pick up device for paper sheets includes an input unit configured to support a plurality of paper sheets in a stacked manner, a supply mechanism configured to move the placed paper sheets in a stacking direction and supply each paper sheet to an pick up position, a pick up mechanism configured to pick up the paper sheet at the pick up position from the input unit one by one, and a control unit configured to determine a supply speed or a feed amount of the paper sheets by the supply mechanism in accordance with thickness information per unit time of the picked up paper sheets obtained from a thickness detector, and configured to determine whether the supply mechanism is to be operated or stopped based on density information of the paper sheets obtained from a paper sheet sensor. |
| US08342510B2 |
Apparatus for feeding sheets, booklets or the like and system for sorting forwarding documents
Provided are an apparatus for feeding sheets, booklets or the like having a wider adjustable range according to the thickness of the object than the conventional apparatus, and a system for sorting forwarding documents with the foregoing feeding apparatus. In the feeding apparatus, a moving shaft is supported by a fixed sleeve so as to be movable upward and downward. A main compression coil spring is located between the moving shaft and the fixed base and imparts a main spring force to the moving shaft in order that an overlap feed limiting member is pressed against a conveying belt. A sub compression coil spring imparts an oppositely directed sub spring force to the moving shaft. A position of a pressing washer is displaced downward by a threading engagement of an upper end adjusting bolt, so that even when the spring force of the main compression coil spring is increased, an increased amount is cancelled by an increase in the spring force of the sub compression coil spring. |
| US08342509B2 |
Sheet feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus
At a start of sheet feeding operation, a feed cam starts to rotate in association with rotation of a feed shaft and a feed roller starts to rotate from a time when the feed shaft has passed an idle zone, so as to send out each of sheets on a rising and lowering plate. After that, the feed roller is returned to a feed initial position by a return mechanism including a conveyance roller and a feed rotatable member. A cam curve of the feed cam reduces a rising speed as compared to a rising speed of a conventional rising and lowering plate, and reduces generation of noise at the time of collision between the sheets on the rising and lowering plate and the feed rotatable member. Thus, an image forming apparatus having lower noise level can be provided. |
| US08342507B2 |
Sheet conveying device and image forming apparatus
A sheet conveying device includes an attraction belt, multiple rollers, a charging device, and a contacting and separating device. The attraction belt is arranged to face the upper surface of a stacked sheet stack. The multiple rollers stretch the attraction belt with tension. The charging device charges a surface of the attraction belt. The contacting and separating device causes the attraction belt to come into contact with and separate from the sheet stack, with different tensions set for the attraction belt at a contact position in contact with the uppermost sheet of the sheet stack and the attraction belt at a separation position separate from the sheet stack. |
| US08342504B2 |
Image forming apparatus with common support shaft
An image forming apparatus (100) is equipped with a left-side cover (2), manual supply tray (10b), a carry guide (31) and a lift plate (33), and these are rotatably supported by a third shaft (35). The apparatus is reduced in size and a protrusion length L of the lift plate (33) is enlarged. The change in inclination angle of the lift plate (33) is reduced and a paper-sheet supply characteristic, even when the amount of paper sheets placed on the manual supply tray (10b) changes, is stabilized. |
| US08342497B2 |
Sheet processing apparatus
A sheet processing apparatus includes: a holding portion which holds a booklet containing a two-folded sheet; and a pressing portion which presses a spine of a booklet into shapes during movement along the spine of the booklet held by the holding portion. The pressing portion can decrease, or release a pressing force to be applied to the booklet spine within a predetermined area of a moving range in which the pressing roller moves along the booklet spine. |
| US08342495B2 |
Sports equipment holding device
A portable holder for supporting a ski, snowboard, bicycle and firearm during cleaning, maintenance, adjustment, sighting and repair operations at a work station, the holder being adapted to support a portion of the ski, snowboard, bicycle and firearm, the portable holder comprising: a base section adapted to be fixed to the work station in a substantially upright position; a threaded rod mounted to the base section in a substantially vertical orientation; and, one of a support bead and a vise assembly affixed to the upper portion of the threaded rod; wherein the base section contains a substantially vertically orientated threaded aperture allowing the threaded rod to be rotated about its longitudinal axis into the threaded aperture of the base section to permit both mounting of the threaded rod to the base section and height adjustment of the threaded rod relative to the base section; the support head having a base and at least one flange extending upwardly from the base to receive a support tongue of one of a ski and snowboard support, a bicycle bottom bracket shell support, and a gun barrel cradle and means for pivotally connecting and locking at least one flange and the support tongue; at least one flange of the support head having a substantially horizontal aperture formed therein for receiving a bicycle axle in a substantially transverse orientation to the support head. |
| US08342492B2 |
Devices for reducing or eliminating defects in polymer workpieces
The present disclosure provides a novel suspension device used in producing a composition, such as, but not limited to, a polyimide composition. The suspension device in its most general form comprises a support element and an attachment element. The attachment element is in communication at one of its ends with the support element and at the other with a workpiece, such as a poly(amic acid) or polyimide workpiece. The suspension device may further comprise additional elements. The suspension device maintains the workpiece in a suspended state during processing so as to reduce or eliminate processing-related defects. |
| US08342491B2 |
Transport system for transportation of a spar
A transport system for transporting at least one blade or spar for a wind turbine. The blade or spar has a root end and a tip end. The transport system comprises a root frame structure for holding the root end and a fixation device adapted to fixate and support the blade or spar between the root end and tip end. |
| US08342489B1 |
Handlebar vibration damping assembly
A handlebar vibration damping assembly (HVDA) (10) that is used in combination with a conventional two-wheeled vehicle's handlebar (80) assembly having a right grip (82), a left grip (84) and a center section (86). The HVDA (10) is comprised of a weight (12) having a first end (14), a second end (16), an outer surface (18) and a cavity (20) that extends into the second end (16). A spring (22) has a first end (24) and a second end (26), with the first end (24) inserted into the cavity (20) on the weight's second end (16). In order to maintain the HVDA (10) within the handlebar, a bolt (32) having a head (34) and a tip (36) along with an insert (38) having a bore (40), an insert nut (44) and a second nut (48) are utilized. The second end (26) of the spring (22) extends into the insert bore (40). Once the HVDA (10) is securely placed within the handlebar (80) the weight (12) can vibrate in any excitable direction 90-degrees of the centerline of the handlebar and can oscillate at different frequencies. |
| US08342485B2 |
Compression post mount
A fence post assembly for mounting to a substructure with a single point of attachment. The post assembly has an outer sleeve surrounding a support member and an attachment rod extending through the support member. The post assembly is mounted to the substructure by securing one end of the attachment rod in the substructure and securing the support member between a compression plate and the substructure by tensioning the upper end of the attachment rod. Attachment points for securing additional fence components to the post are provided by inserting an adapter into a receiving channel defined along a longitudinal length of the support member. |
| US08342484B2 |
Anchor windlass for boats
A windlass for a boat pulls in an anchor rode. A chainwheel mounted on a shaft has an annular groove to engage the anchor rode. A flexible retainer with a leaf spring is disposed across the chainwheel annular groove to press the rode into the chainwheel annular groove. The retainer has trunnions that pivot and slide transversely in upper and lower arcuate grooves, toward the slack portion of the rode. A housing is attached to a base and covers the rode for safety. The housing has the upper arcuate groove and an arcuate member has the lower arcuate groove. The base, housing, and arcuate member are aligned with three key members that engage one another. The rode slides on a low friction wear plate attached to the base. A funnel with a mouth facing forward is mounted on the base for directing the rode downward through a nozzle into the boat. A motor drive has an electric motor and a worm gear transmission attached to the shaft lower end for rotating the shaft. |
| US08342483B1 |
Hinged wire installation tool
A wiring tool and method are provided for protecting a length of wiring being pulled along a wiring path through a connection box, through use of an attachment plate arrangement of the wiring tool having first and second plate elements cooperatively configured for movement from first to second relationships with respect to one another such that the wiring tool can be removed from or placed about the length of wiring without having to feed the entire length of wiring through a closed periphery of an aperture in the attachment plate. One or more rollers mounted to the attachment plate along the aperture preclude the wiring from contacting edges of the aperture while being pulled through the wiring tool. |
| US08342482B2 |
Pry bar with adjustable and lockable arms
This invention relates to hand tools and more specifically to tools designed for removing deck boards or the like from floor joists to which they are attached. The embodiment is more particularly a pry bar, having a long handle, a center block coupled to the long handle and having a transverse bore therethrough, two pry arms, one attached on each side of the center block, a bore through each of the pry arms, and a shaft rotatably coupling each of the pry arms to the tool through the center block bore. |
| US08342480B2 |
Substance communicating device with mechanically energized connector
A substance communicating device for use in conjunction with an appliance or a system including an appliance and a consumable holder. The appliance has a first substance service connector component and a first service switch component. The substance communicating device has a second substance service connector component operably engageable with the first substance connector component to permit the communication of a substance between the first and second substance service connector components. The substance communicating device further has a second service switch component operably associated with the second substance service connector component, the second service switch component being configured to engage the first service switch component when the first and second substance service connector components are engaged to selectively permit the communication of the substance between the substance communicating device and the appliance. |
| US08342479B2 |
Solenoid controlled valve for fluid media
A solenoid controlled valve includes a housing engaged into a receptacle and having a tubular member and having an outer peripheral space for receiving a coil, and having a peripheral compartment for receiving two magnetic conductive members, a solenoid controlled device includes two prongs connected to the coil, the housing includes an inlet mouth, and an outlet mouth communicative with the tubular member, and includes a valve seat formed between the outer end portion of the tubular member and the outlet mouth, and one or more reinforcing ribs for reinforcing the tubular member to resist a greater pressure, and the solenoid controlled device includes a plunger for engaging with the valve seat of the housing. |
| US08342477B2 |
Hinged clamp bracket
A clam-shell bracket for defining a mounting flange on a structural member, such as a hydroformed vehicle cross-member or frame rail, includes a lower body featuring an integrated locating feature with which to preposition the bracket on the structural member, and permanently-attached male threaded fasteners with which to thereafter secure the bracket to the structural member. The bracket further includes a hinged upper body having slotted bolt holes through which the lower body's fasteners may freely pass as the upper body is pivoted into the assembled position, thereby reducing the time required for bracket installation. The use of fasteners on the both the hinged end and opposite end of the lower clamp body provides an improved clamping force about the structural member, while the improved clamping force cooperates with the mating locating features of the bracket and the structural member to improve the lateral applied load transfer therebetween. |
| US08342475B2 |
Mounting bracket and damper system for hanging and use of a punching bag
A mounting bracket and dampening assembly for mounting a heavy bag, a first portion of the mounting bracket mounted horizontally in relation to mounting surface, a second portion of the mounting bracket depending downwardly forming a support surface for a securing means for supporting the heavy bag in combination with a dampening means in the form of upper and lower bushings in combination with a rod and spring assembly to lessen the transmission of stress, shock and vibration and to reduce the motion, both lateral and vertical, of the heavy bag. |
| US08342474B2 |
Modular support, assemblies, methods and systems
A modular support assembly receives and/or stores elongated objects that may be primarily cylindrical in shape, such as fluid conduits including hydraulic tube, pipe and hose. The modular support assembly includes a plurality of interchangeable modules of differing or similar sizes to create an adjustable assembly whose overall shape and number of modules can change depending upon the intended use of the assembly. The modules comprise sliding engagement portions that are disposed along a periphery of the modules and allow interengageable attachment to other modules. The modules also comprise apertures that can vary in size to accommodate various sizes of objects. The modules can be disassembled by sliding module portion halves apart, facilitating easy assemblage of the modules either before or after the objects retained therein have been positioned, and subsequent removal of individual objects from the assemblage. |
| US08342473B2 |
Thrust mounting arrangement
Mounting of gas turbine engines in aircraft requires use of thrust struts associated with mountings. It is important should there be failure that a load path is maintained. Furthermore, on a wing or in-situ inspection is highly desirable with respect to reducing maintenance costs. Of particular concern is failure as a result of cracking both sideways and vertical which may result in loss of all load paths through the mounting. By provision of independent cranks which are associated through crank pivots in apertures of the cranks and then articulation about central pivots provided in apertures and a central element along with pivot association of the struts through pivots created about apertures in the cranks load paths are maintained. By independent provision of the cranks sideways and vertical cracking cannot cause failure in both load paths to the arrangement from the struts. Furthermore, gaps between the cranks and the mounting and in particular snubber surface can be monitored to indicate component failure. |
| US08342472B2 |
Adjustable wall hanger
An adjustable wall hanger includes a body including an outer edge that defines a web. An adjustment feature is formed in the web. The adjustment feature includes a plurality of adjustment zones that define a corresponding plurality of orientation positions for the body. The adjustable wall hanger being selectively positionable to support an object on a wall in one of the plurality of orientation positions. |
| US08342471B2 |
Support apparatus
A support apparatus includes a supporting member, with two movable members movably attached to opposite sides of the supporting member, and two releasing members movably attached to each movable member respectively. The movable members can be moved out or in relative to the supporting member. |
| US08342469B2 |
Positioning system for a suspended medical device
A positioning system for a suspended medical device includes a positioning adjustment block fixed on a ceiling rail, a latch assembly, and a positioning assembly fixed on a trolley. The latch assembly is in a snap fit with the positioning adjustment block, and the latch assembly is connected to the positioning assembly through buffer springs. |
| US08342467B2 |
Apparatus for hand control, pressure amplification, and stabilization of medical and industrial devices
An equipoising arm structure that can selectively exert force in any direction—lifting, pressing down, or applying lateral bias—with consistent force throughout its range of articulation, comprises a force exerting device having a force exerting structure including a load arm as a first side pivotable about a load pivot, a resilient member attached to the load arm and to a termination point and forming a second side of the force exerting structure. The third side of the structure is formed by a line from the termination point to the load pivot. A first adjustment mechanism moves the termination point to change the length and disposition of the third side of the structure to positions above or below the load pivot. Additional adjustment mechanisms may alter the mounting angle of the entire force exerting structure, and/or the angular relationship between a plurality its force-exerting component devices. |
| US08342466B2 |
Mounting bracket with multidimensional stability
A support bracket that is stable in multiple dimensions includes a flat support platform and a coupling flange connected to an end of the support platform. A mount flange is connected to an end of the coupling flange, with a hole being formed in the mount flange. An L-shaped hook member extends away from an edge of the mount flange. The hook member is advanced into a slot in a support substrate and slid until it abuts an end of the slot, with the mount flange disposed flush against the support substrate. A fastener is then advanced through the mount flange and into the support substrate. This combination of structure securely holds the bracket on the substrate. |
| US08342465B2 |
Height adjustable column, in particular for tables
A height adjustable column, comprising an inner column, an intermediate column having a lower side, an outer column having a lower side, a lifting mechanism having at least a twofold transmission, and a linear actuator. The height adjustable column effects height adjustment by sliding the columns into each other and apart from each other. The linear actuator is dimensioned and arranged such that it protrudes beyond the lower side of the outer column in a state in which the columns are slid into each other. |
| US08342463B1 |
Swing support connector
A swing set assembly having a swing set connector connected to a top rail is preferably provided which has a first cantilevered arm which connects to a top rail of at least two outer perimeters. Top rails are envisioned either fitting over the arm or in a bore the arm depending upon the outer perimeter of the top rail utilized. These and other embodiments are envisioned being of modular construction of a first half and a second half whether at an end of or between top rails. On the event that modification of the swing set is desired, an end half can be removed from a first half, and a top rail half connected thereto along with another top rail to extend the length of the total swing set. Alternatively, if a total top rail length is to be shortened, a top rail can be removed and a first half of the connector can be replaced with an end half. |
| US08342461B2 |
Collapsible waste and recycling bag holder
A portable trash container for holding a removable plastic bag for storing paper, bottles, cans, and like trash. The holder includes rectangular front and rear panels, each having a top, bottom and side edges, (b) two side panels, each having two rectangular, foldable parts with top, bottom and side edges, (c) side hinges which connect the adjoining side edges of said side panel folding parts so as to allow them to fold together along said hinges, (d) primary hinges which connect the side edges of said front and rear panels to the outer side edges of said side panel folding parts so as to allow the side panels to be folded so that the front and rear panels can be brought into close and overlapping proximity to one another, and (e) a top ring that is adapted to fit over the top edges of said panels so as to locate and hold open the opening of a throw-away, trash collection bag. |
| US08342460B2 |
Device for fastening a connector piece to a carrier piece and fastening arrangement having such a device
A bracket part and a securing part are provided to connect an add-on part to a carrier part. The securing part is displaceable relative to the bracket part. The bracket part includes a carrier part receptacle that receives an edge region of the carrier part that is adjacent a carrier-part opening. In a final mounting arrangement, the securing part secures the bracket part via a mounting operation that can be performed by displacing the bracket part and the securing part. The final mounting arrangement can be easily checked for proper execution. |
| US08342450B2 |
Seating arrangement of a vehicle compartment
A seating arrangement in a vehicle compartment and particularly in an airplane cabin, includes a cabin floor with a carrier structure underneath, with at least two passenger seats, which are separated from each other by a gap. The seats include a table device in front of each seat, including a table top that can be folded down, wherein each seat includes a seat frame, which is connected to the carrier structure beneath the cabin floor of the airplane cabin, a seat cushion that is connected to the seat frame, and a backrest that is connected to the seat frame. In order to allow for a flexible and generous distribution of the seats in the cabin for the travel time and a pleasant ambiance for eating a meal together, the table device includes a table base, which is connected to the carrier structure beneath the cabin floor and is arranged such that it is generally located at the same distance from the seats of a group of seats and the table top of the table device is in front of both seats when folded down. |
| US08342449B2 |
Vertically movable passageway for rest rooms in ceiling region
A vertically movable passageway for a space in the ceiling region in an aircraft cabin. The passageway comprises a passageway floor and a displacement device, wherein the displacement device is designed to variably set the height (h1) of the passageway floor. |
| US08342448B2 |
Floor module of a cargo deck in the hull of an aircraft
Floor modules of a cargo deck in a hull of an aircraft which comprise support devices for carrying functional elements, e.g. panels, roller conveyors or ball mats, are provided. The support devices are attachable in the hull of the aircraft directly or by way of intermediate elements. To improve stability at reduced weight, end support devices, as seen in the aircraft's longitudinal direction, have a thickness reduced in such a way compared to the other support devices of the floor module that only together with the end support devices of a floor module installed adjacently in the hull do they ensure a loading capacity that corresponds to at least the loading capacity of the other support devices. |
| US08342444B2 |
Fail safe extended torque box strut-to-wing mount
An apparatus for mounting an aircraft engine to a wing includes a torque box strut for supporting the engine and a mounting system for attaching the torque box strut to the wing. The mounting system has an aft mounting system for attaching the torque box strut to the wing and that has at least one active aft link for attaching the torque box strut to the wing during normal aircraft operation, and at least one aft link catcher for attaching the torque box strut to the wing upon a failure of one of the at least one active aft link. The mounting system has a forward mounting system for attaching the torque box strut to the wing and that has at least one active forward link for attaching the torque box strut to the wing during normal aircraft operation, and at least one forward link catcher for attaching the torque box strut to the wing upon a failure of one of the at least one active forward link. |
| US08342442B1 |
Advanced airship technologies
An airship is disclosed in the form of a spherical hull having a venting duct extending diagonally therethrough from an entrance end at the forward facing surface of the hull to an exit end at the rearward facing surface of the hull. A propeller is disposed in the duct to direct an air flow through the duct for expulsion at the exit end and the exiting flow is vectored by a set of controllable louvers at the exit end. The expulsed airflow reduces drag normally associated with a spherical airship by disturbing the wake at the trailing surface of the airship. A mooring method and apparatus also is disclosed for minimizing wind induced loads on the airship, or indeed on any body such as a gas storage tank, by supporting the airship or other body a predetermined distance above the ground. |
| US08342441B2 |
VTOL vehicle with coaxially tilted or tiltable rotors
A VTOL vehicle includes a forward rotor, an aft rotor and a fuselage, the forward and aft rotor lying in a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, with the fuselage located axially between the forward and aft rotors. The vehicle has an in-flight configuration wherein the forward rotor is tilted downwardly at a negative tilt angle relative to the fuselage and the aft rotor is tilted upwardly at a positive tilt angle relative to the fuselage. |
| US08342432B2 |
Electrostatic atomizer and its cleaning method
An electrostatic atomizer 30 has a removably attachable canister 24. Once a paint bag 2 housed in the canister 24 exhausts, it is replaced by a new canister 24. Paint in a paint bag 2 is driven out by a mono pump 35 located in a pump segment 23 of the electrostatic atomizer 20. The mono pump 35 has a helical shaft 36 inside a paint feed tube 31. The mono pump 35 is driven by a servomotor via an insulating drive shaft 38. Paint in the paint bag 2 is drawn up when the helical shaft 36 rotates, and it is delivered to a bell cup 21 through the feed tube 31. Quantity of paint atomized by the bell cup 21 and interruption of the atomization are controlled by controlling the rotation of the mono pump 35. |
| US08342430B2 |
Fuel injection valve
A fuel injection valve has a valve body, a valve seat member having a valve seat and an opening portion formed at a downstream side of the valve seat member, a swirl chamber providing swirl to fuel, an orifice nozzle formed at a bottom of the swirl chamber and jetting the fuel, a communication conduit connecting the swirl chamber and the opening portion of the valve seat member, and a fuel inflow prevention wall provided at a connecting area between the communication conduit and the swirl chamber. The fuel inflow prevention wall is formed so as to prevent an incoming fuel from the communication conduit from directly flowing into the orifice nozzle and to suppresse a collision between a flow of the fuel that swirls and comes to the connecting area and a fuel flow coming from the communication conduit. |
| US08342426B2 |
Method for adjusting telescopic water pipe and structure thereof
A method for adjusting telescopic water pipe and its structure comprise assembling an internal pipe and an external pipe to form a first water passage and a second external water passage, and an independent second internal water passage. A water passage control switch is disposed to an end of the external pipe and has a channel seal cap that divided into a first channel and a first through hole to connect the first water passage. A water stop plug ring is fit to the first through hole. A second and third through holes corresponding to a second and third channels can be connected to the second internal water passage. A rotary switch is connected to the channel seal cap. A penetration hole is disposed to a partition attached to the channel seal cap. An interconnection groove and an arc plane are disposed to the partition. |
| US08342425B2 |
Multi-point low pressure inductively heated fuel injector with heat exchanger
A fuel injector (10) includes an inlet tube (20). A valve body (12) is associated with the inlet tube to define a fuel passage (23). A valve seat (14) is associated with the valve body and defines an outlet opening (18). An armature (42) is movable with respect to the valve body between a first position and a second position. The armature is associated with a closure member (18) that opens and closes the outlet opening. An electromagnetic coil (40) is energizable to provide magnetic flux that moves the armature between the first and second positions to control fuel flow through the outlet opening. A heat exchanger (50) is provided in the inlet tube and a secondary coil (46) is energizable to provide a magnetic field to inductively heat the heat exchanger and thus fuel prior to exiting the outlet opening. |
| US08342424B2 |
Fuel injection apparatus
A needle is received in a nozzle body and is adapted to reciprocate relative to an injection hole to open and close the injection hole. A pressure chamber receives the fuel and exerts a pressure against the needle in an opening direction away from the injection hole upon increasing of the pressure of the fuel in the pressure chamber. A damper arrangement is actuated upon increasing of the pressure in the pressure chamber to alleviate a change in the pressure in the pressure chamber. A pressurizing piston reciprocates to increase and decrease the pressure of the fuel in the pressure chamber. |
| US08342418B2 |
Thermo-valve
The present invention is to provide a thermo-valve which can be operated with no unnecessary work to fill fluid easily and without fail into a circuit having the fluid flow therethrough at the time of a high temperature range. The thermo-valve comprises a valve housing 21, and a center guide shaft 27 movable to assume a valve movement limitation position GP1 in which a valve member 31 is retained to a second operation position BP2 to open a specific port, and a valve movement allowance position in which the valve member 31 is allowed to displace, the center guide shaft 27 and the valve housing 21 allowing a bimetal ring 51 to be disposed therebetween, and the bimetal ring being deformed to retain the center guide shaft 27 to the valve movement limitation position GP1 at the initial stage until the temperature of oil in the valve housing 21 firstly reaches the high temperature range, and to release the center guide shaft 27 from the valve movement limitation position GP1 when the temperature of the oil in the valve housing 21 reaches the high temperature range. |
| US08342410B2 |
Method and apparatus for increasing brightness of aiming pattern in imaging scanner
A method and apparatus for using in a barcode reader. The apparatus includes an aiming lens assembly including an irregular-shape lens, an aiming light source positioned behind the aiming lens assembly, and an aperture with the desired aiming pattern shape placed in close proximity to the aiming source for generating a visible aiming light pattern towards the target object. The irregular-shape lens includes at least a recess for accommodating the imaging lens when the irregular-shaped lens is assembled into the apparatus with other components. |
| US08342405B2 |
Light pipe illumination system and method
Systems and methods provide for illuminating a subject using a light pipe that transmits light from a source. A method includes providing a light pipe, the light pipe defining an inner lumen through which the image sensor views the subject; providing a light source in alignment with a proximal portion of the light pipe; and using the light source, projecting a light into the light pipe and through the light pipe, the light pipe including a distal portion for providing a high-angle bright field illumination pattern on the subject with a first portion of the light and for reflecting a second portion of the light for providing a low-angle dark field illumination pattern on the subject. |
| US08342401B2 |
Code reading apparatus and control method
According to one embodiment, a code reading apparatus includes an image capturing section configured to capture an image picked up by an image pickup section; a code reading section configured to detect a code symbol included in the captured image and read code information corresponding to the code symbol; an image comparing section configured to compare, if the code information read this time and code information read before this time and most recently are the same, images related to the reading of the pieces of code information; and an output section configured to output the read code information and, if the images are similar as a result of the comparison of the images, regard the code information read this time as code information read twice and suppress output of the code information. |
| US08342399B1 |
Conversion of credits to funds
In one embodiment, non-negotiable credits from a user interaction with a credit providing entity can be identified. The credits can be associated with an entity with which a user has previously interacted. The previous interactions can earn the credits, which are non-negotiable credits. The credit providing entity can present the user with indicia indicating credit redemption opportunities. Responsive to a user request, a conversion agency can convert a quantity of the non-negotiable credits to a quantity of negotiable funds, wherein the conversion agency is not directly associated with the entity. The user can be permitted to access the quantity of negotiable funds, wherein the quantity of negotiable funds are able to be applied to user specified purchases, wherein at least a portion of the user specified purchases involve at least one vender that does not honor the non-negotiable credits. |
| US08342398B2 |
Banking system controlled responsive to data bearing records
An automated banking machine operates using data read from user cards. The machine is operative to transfer funds in accounts. The machine includes a user fascia adapted to be held by a lock adjacent an opening of a housing supported atop a chest. The fascia is supported by the housing through two horizontally-disposed members. The fascia is movable away from the housing. The machine includes serviceable components supported within the housing or by the fascia. A machine servicer may stand between the two horizontally-disposed members while servicing the machine. The housing additionally includes a rear panel similarly movably mounted with two other horizontally-disposed members for use in servicing rear components. |
| US08342396B2 |
Banking system controlled responsive to data bearing records
An automated banking machine controlled responsive to data bearing records includes a card reader that can read identifying data from user cards. User operation of the automated banking machine is authorized responsive to the identifying data read by the card reader. The automated banking machine is allowed temporary usage of a machine application that enables the machine to perform an authorized banking transaction requiring operation of the card reader. |
| US08342391B2 |
Travel kiosk
A travel kiosk with improved document delivery. The travel kiosk includes a first section containing a touch screen, and a second section adjacent the first section including an aperture and a document delivery tray within the aperture. The document delivery tray includes a first portion including a document slope for receiving a document at an upper end from a printer, the document falling to a lower end of the document slope, the document slope including ribs oriented generally downwardly to minimize friction between the document and the document slope. A second portion coupled to the first portion at the lower end includes first and second tabs which form a landing zone for the document after it has fallen from the document slope. |
| US08342381B2 |
Solder feeder, printer, and printing method
Disclosed is a print technology in which a solder pool staying on the surface of a mask is driven by means of a squeegee, and solder is applied onto a substrate onto which the lower surface of a mask is placed. A forward print process where solder is applied by driving a squeegee in a predetermined forward direction relative to a mask, and a backward print process where the solder is applied by driving the squeegee in a returning direction opposite to the forward direction are switched alternately. When the squeegee passes through the solder pool on the downstream side in a moving direction before switching in the course of switching from any one of the forward and backward print processes to the other one of these processes, the amount of solder in the solder pool is measured. Based on the amount of solder thus measured, the necessity of replenishing solder is determined. The solder pool is supplemented with solder, based on the result of the decision on whether solder replenishment is required. |
| US08342376B2 |
Medical stapler
A stapler for delivering a staple formed from a shape memory material is disclosed. The staple includes a first tine and a second tine connected by a bridge. The staple may be disposed within the stapler in an open position with the first tine distal of the second tine. The stapler is configured to sequentially deliver the first tine and the second tine, respectively, to opposing body tissues. The stapler includes an elongate shaft (e.g., a catheter) having a working lumen and a control mechanism for delivering the staple. A drive cable extends along the working lumen of the elongate shaft. Upon warming up to a temperature at or above a transformation temperature of the shape memory material, the staple may assume a closed position, thus drawing together opposing body tissues and closing an incision. |
| US08342373B2 |
Valve and method for dense phase flow control
A valve for controlling a flow of granular material and fluid comprises a body having a first end, a second end, and defining an interior surface. An inlet is formed proximate the first end for receiving the granular material and fluid. An outlet is formed downstream of the inlet for selectively discharging the granular material and fluid. A first member is slideably captured within the body and a resilient member is operationally coupled to the first member. The first member is moveable between an open position at which the granular material and fluid flow through the outlet, and a closed position upstream of the outlet at which the granular material is substantially prevented from flowing through the outlet. The resilient member is moveable between a retracted position and an expanded position at which it is engaged with the interior surface to substantially prevent the fluid from flowing through the outlet. |
| US08342368B2 |
Convertible peristaltic and piston pump dispenser
A dispenser for flowable material adapted for engagement and for dispensing fluid from either a replaceable piston pump reservoir unit comprising a reservoir bottle and a piston pump or a replaceable peristaltic pump reservoir unit comprising a reservoir bottle and a deformable tube member. |
| US08342366B2 |
Low-profile seed handling system with separate seed bins and turret seed feeder
A low-profile particulate handling assembly is provided for use in conjunction with a downstream treating device, such as a seed treater unit. The assembly includes a plurality of juxtaposed particulate bins and a surmounting turret assembly designed to successively deliver particulates to the bins. The particulates within the bins are delivered to the downstream treating device through respective lower outlets each equipped with an adjustable slide gate assembly and a lower, multiple-chute assembly. Preferably, each bin has a top wall which in plan configuration approximates a sector of a circle, planar sidewalls, and downwardly tapered, arcuate sidewall structure leading to the lower outlet; in this fashion, the bins can be grouped with the sidewalls in close adjacency, and with the outlets located to feed into a single inlet of the downstream treating device. |
| US08342363B2 |
Compact spray device
An automatic discharge device includes a housing having a top portion and a base portion, wherein surfaces defining a recess are provided therebetween for securely holding a container. At least one gear is disposed substantially between the recess and a rear panel of the housing. A drive motor is in association with the at least one gear. An actuator arm is also provided. Activation of the drive motor and the at least one gear provides for movement of the actuator arm between at least one of a pre-actuation position and a discharge position along a path that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the container. |
| US08342359B2 |
Condiment and sauce container with gripping area
A container for holding a dipping condiment or sauce and allowing a user to wipe a food item to remove excess condiment or sauce. The container has a base and a side wall having one portion higher than an opposing portion, the wall including at least one ridge, groove or other fluid retention device. The wall also includes a pair of opposing inwardly curved gripping surfaces for facilitating gripping by a user's fingers, the gripping surfaces including ribs or grooves. The container may also include a lid which snap fits onto the lip of the container. |
| US08342356B2 |
Document console
A document console has a plastic base and a body. The body includes a top and sides. A door is interconnected to the body and is movable between open and closed positions. The base, body and door define a document receiving interior. The plastic base defines a plurality of inner and outer members which receive the side therebetween and support the sides in an upright position. |
| US08342355B2 |
Controlled flow drinking adapter and kit
An on-demand drinking adapter for use with a beverage container is disclosed. The adapter includes a base with an upper surface and generally cylindrical sides which extend below the upper surface. The cylindrical sides are adapted for temporarily fastening the adapter to a mouth of a beverage container. The adapter also includes a spout with a vertically extending surface, a second surface, and an on-demand drinking aperture. The spout extends above the upper surface and the vertically extending surface is curved and coextensive with a portion of the cylindrical sides. |
| US08342349B2 |
Food container
A container assembly for storing and transporting consumable products. The container assembly includes two or more containers, each having a container coupling portion configured to facilitate the coupling of one container to another container. The container assembly also includes one or more adaptor lids operative to seal a cavity of a container by threaded engagement therewith, and to selectively couple two containers together. In some embodiments, two containers may be coupled to each other by placing a first container on top of a second container and rotating the two containers relative to each other. The container assembly may be operative to permit multiple quantities and sizes of containers to be selectively coupled together to provide flexibility for a user to store and transport a variety of consumable products. The container assembly may also include a lid having a handle to allow a user to easily transport the container assembly. |
| US08342346B2 |
Versatile partitioned container
A versatile, small-mouthed container is readily dis-assemblable and re-assemblable to provide direct access to its internal cavity. Portions are mutually sealingly connectable by an annular coupling ring with two sets of threads, one each respectively to mate with threads on an upper and a lower cylindrical container portion. More than two cylindrical portions and more than one coupling ring can allow assemblage of larger containers and of containers of reconfigurable capacity. Some coupling rings provide for fluid communication between adjacent body portions and others provide a degree of blockage. Inserting or removing a partitioning disk into the ring can change a ring's degree of blockage. Various partitioning disks are provided with different degrees and types of blockage, when not deployed, the disks can be retained at the base of the container. Recessed latches prevent inadvertent opening at specific coupling interfaces. |
| US08342345B2 |
Accessory storage case
A storage case is provided for power tool accessories. The storage case comprises a first frame member having an inner surface and an edge defining a hinge portion, and a second frame member having an inner surface and an edge defining a hinge portion. A rod is positioned along a longitudinal axis of the storage case. The hinge portions of the first and second frame members are coupled to the rod to define a hinge positioned along a longitudinal axis of the storage case. The first and second frame members are pivotal with respect to each other between an open position and a closed position. An accessory receptacle, including a hinge boss, is received by the rod. When the first and second frame members are in the open position, the accessory receptacle is slidable along the rod between a plurality of axial positions. When the first and second frame members are in the closed position, the accessory receptacle is fixed in one of the axial positions within an interior cavity defined by the inner surfaces of the first and second frame members. |
| US08342343B2 |
Free-standing, point-of-purchase display
A free-standing, point-of-purchase display includes a base portion and a display portion. The display portion upwardly extends from the base portion and includes a frame having a plurality of upright members and at least one display element for supporting product for retail display. The display further includes first and second advertising panels carried by first and second upright members of the plurality of uprights, respectively. |
| US08342341B2 |
Utensil storage stand
A utensil storage stand, which comprises a base, a column extending away from the base, a distal end on the column, and utensil engaging means rotatably mounted on the column. The utensil engaging means is rotatably mounted on the distal end of the column by a ball bearing arrangement comprising plastic races cooperating with plastic or ceramic bearings interposed between the races. The utensil engagement means comprises a first set of radially extending spokes with enlarged perforations through the spokes and a second set of radially extending spokes providing utensil support hooks extending from the spokes. The utensil engagement means is rotatably mounted with respect to column having an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of the base. The open body of the utensil engagement means creates a canister for the purpose of containing small kitchen items with the disc top acting as the floor or bottom of the canister. |
| US08342339B2 |
Sport accessory stand
Aspects of the invention include a sport accessory support stand. In some aspects, the sport accessory support stand is configured for retaining a sport accessory. In certain embodiments, the sport accessory support stand includes a base member and a support member wherein the support member is configured for being associated with the base member. In certain embodiments, the support member includes a plurality of post elements which extend away from the base member, wherein each of the post elements are positioned relative to one another so as to form a receptacle there between for receiving a portion of a sport accessory. In certain embodiments, the receptacle comprises a first width and a second width. For instance, in certain embodiments, the receptacle comprises a first width that is configured for receiving a portion of a bicycle, e.g., a front wheel portion, and the receptacle comprises a second width that is configured for receiving a portion of a scooter, e.g., a front portion of an inline foot scooter. In certain embodiments, the support stand is collapsible. Methods of assembling and using the support stand for supporting and/or storing one or more sports accessories are also provided herein. |
| US08342334B2 |
Cornerboard apparatus and method for positioning the same on a container
An improved cornerboard that is usable to protect a corner of a shipping container is provided. The cornerboard reduces workforce required to secure the cornerboard to a plurality of shipping containers, such as a pallet of shipping containers. For example, the cornerboard permits a single individual to position cornerboards about the pallet of shipping containers and shrink wrap or otherwise secure the shipping containers with the cornerboards. In an embodiment, the cornerboard has a tab portion that is partially separable form the cornerboard and positionable between two shipping containers to prevent movement of the cornerboard and eliminate the need for an individual to hold the cornerboard. |
| US08342327B1 |
Cassette for accommodating substrates
A cassette for accommodating substrates may include a cassette body for accommodating the substrates; a door for selectively sealing the cassette body; magnetic units for primarily coupling the door to the cassette body; and latch units for secondarily coupling the door to the cassette body. Since the door completely contacts the cassette body, penetration of a contamination source from an external environment may be fundamentally prevented. Also, since the door is double coupled to the cassette body by the magnetic units and the latch units, firm coupling may be achieved. |
| US08342326B1 |
Plunger caddy
A plunger caddy providing for discreet storage, sanitary handling and transport of and ease of access to a toilet plunger. A feature of the invention is that the bulb portion of the plunger never has to pass by or go near where the handle of the plunger is stored. With either three sides (with no door on the back side) or four sides (with a door on the back side) enclosing the plunger, the plunger caddy can be positioned so that the plunger is out of view. |
| US08342323B2 |
Waterproof housing structure for portable optical analyzer
A waterproof housing structure for portable optical analyzer mainly comprises a hard upper casing, a lower casing and a fastening element. The hard upper casing contains an outer rim and an inner rim. The lower casing contains a hard inner shell and a pliable cap. The hard inner shell has a trapezoidal rim which has a first trapezoidal surface and a second trapezoidal surface lower than the first trapezoidal surface. The pliable cap wraps a portion of outer surface of the hard inner shell, and has an outer edge and an inner edge mating the upper casing. The fastening element fastens the hard upper casing to the lower casing. Thus the two irregular rims and edges can be coupled to prevent liquid permeation. Fabrication and assembly during production or repair and maintenance are simpler. It also improves grasp feeling and anti-slipping effect on the handgrip of the portable optical analyzer. |
| US08342322B2 |
Razor bed
A razor case, also referred to as a razor saver, may keep a razor blade dry and free or any moisture. The razor saver may include an absorbent liner and one or more absorbent desiccant gel packs for removing moisture from the razor blade. The razor saver may extend the life of the razor blade, typically offering the user up to four times the use from a single blade cartridge. The razor saver may save money while also reducing landfill wastes. |
| US08342316B2 |
Conveying system for plastic material containers
A conveying system for plastic material container preforms for conveying the preforms to a blow molding machine, comprising angular orientation systems for the containers with respect to a predetermined reference system, capable of orienting the preforms from the step of loading onto a conveying line to the step of blowing the containers in a blowing machine. A corresponding method of orienting the containers is further described, which may be implemented in this system. |
| US08342305B2 |
Oil guiding device for hydraulic brake lever assembly having a brake lever
An oil guiding device for hydraulic brake lever assembly having a brake lever includes a seat connected to the brake lever. The seat has an oil reservoir disposed thereon. The oil reservoir has an oil chamber defined therein. An oil guiding base is disposed in the oil chamber. The oil guiding base has an oil inlet and an oil outlet defined therein. An oil guiding unit engages with the oil guiding base. The oil guiding unit has a pipe disposed thereon and an oil hole defined therein. The pipe and the oil hole are communicated with the oil outlet and the oil inlet respectively. A cover panel engages with the oil reservoir. The pipe sucks up the hydraulic oil gathered in the oil chamber and supplies the hydraulic oil through the oil outlet; the returned hydraulic oil flows into the oil chamber through the oil inlet. |
| US08342303B2 |
Valve apparatus
A check valve, a retainer and a washer are secured to a valve body by inserting a pin therethrough and staking a distal end portion of the pin to form a staked portion. A restraining member is interposed between the washer and the staked portion. The fit clearance between the restraining member and the shank of the pin is set smaller than the fit clearance between the check valve, the retainer and the washer on the one hand and the shank of the pin on the other. Thus, when the distal end portion of the pin is staked, the deformation of the shank of the pin is restrained by the restraining member that defines a small clearance between the same and the pin. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the enlargement in diameter of a portion of the pin where the check valve is fitted and hence possible to prevent deformation of the check valve. Thus, stable valve characteristics can be obtained. |
| US08342295B2 |
Return spring apparatus for a bicycle brake
A bicycle brake apparatus comprises a pair of brake arms and a biasing member having a first portion and a second portion. Each brake arm includes a brake arm mounting portion for mounting the brake arm to a bicycle frame member to pivot around a pivot axis of a corresponding pivot axle, a brake pad mounting portion, and a control interface portion. The first portion of the biasing member is operatively coupled to one of the brake arms so that the brake pad mounting portion of that brake arm is biased in a selected direction, and the second portion of the biasing member is coupled to the pivot axle of the other brake arm. |
| US08342292B2 |
Address assignment of elevator operating units
The invention relates to a method for setting up a number of operating units in a lift system having a number of floors. The operating units are connected in series. A first operating unit is connected to a central controller, and at least one operating unit is provided on each floor. Configuration data with an address data packet is sent from the controller to the operating units. The address data packet has a number of addresses, which permits the fixing of an address for each operating unit. The invention further relates to a lift system for carrying out the method. |
| US08342284B2 |
Work vehicle
In a work vehicle, a cutoff-pressure-setting part sets cutoff pressure at a predetermined first pressure value when vehicle speed is greater than a predetermined first speed threshold, and at a second pressure value greater than the first pressure value when vehicle speed is equal to or less than a second speed threshold less than the first speed threshold. When the vehicle is moving forward and the forward/backward switch lever is in forward motion position, or when the vehicle is moving backward and the forward/backward switch lever is in backward motion position, the second speed threshold is set to a predetermined first value. When the vehicle is moving forward and the forward/backward switch lever is in backward motion position or when the vehicle is moving backward and the forward/backward switch lever is in forward motion position, the second speed threshold is set to a second value lower than the first value. |
| US08342280B2 |
Agricultural vehicle suspension
An agricultural vehicle having a hydraulic system, a cab for the vehicle operator includes a self-levelling cab suspension system having a plurality of suspension units each having a spring, a damper and an accumulator. The accumulator comprises a hydraulic working chamber which is separated by a movable wall from a gas filled chamber serving as a spring. The working chamber is also connected to a working chamber of the damper in a closed hydraulic circuit. In the invention, there is no need for a dedicated oil pump since a hydraulic actuator powered by the vehicle hydraulic system is provided for causing hydraulic fluid to flow in the closed hydraulic circuit between the working chamber of the accumulator and the damper, to vary the height of the cab without fluid from the vehicle hydraulic system entering or leaving the closed hydraulic circuit of the damper and accumulator. |
| US08342279B1 |
Modular vehicle and associated method of construction
A modular vehicle and an associated method of constructing a modular vehicle are provided. A modular vehicle includes a chassis and a plurality of docking fixtures carried by the chassis. The docking fixtures may include an electrical power connection and optionally a fluid connection. The docking fixtures may provide for data communications via data communication connections or via the electrical power connections. The modular vehicle may also include a plurality of modules removably connected to respective ones of the docking fixtures. The plurality of modules may include at least one of an energy supply module an energy storage module or a cooling module. At least one module may include an electrical power connection coupled to the electrical power connection of a docking fixture and optionally a fluid connection coupled to the fluid connection of a docking fixture. At least one module may also provide for data communications with a docking fixture. |
| US08342278B2 |
Power source supporting mechanism for vehicle
Structures of a supporting mechanism for a power source in a vehicle can include a seat portion and a fixing portion. The seat portion can be attached to a body of the vehicle. The fixing portion can extend from the seat portion. One or more stackable power sources can be accommodated within and secured by the fixing portion. The power source supporting mechanism can be easily mounted in available space in or on or otherwise associated with the vehicle, enabling the power source supporting mechanism to be readily adaptable to various different kinds of vehicles. The vehicles may be motorcycles, for example. |
| US08342276B2 |
Cooling device and electric vehicle using cooling device
Provided are a cooling device and an electric vehicle using the cooling device. The cooling device is used for cooling a switching module containing a switching element as a heating element. The cooling device includes a cooling liquid channel having a plurality of cooling fins through which the cooling liquid flows. The cooling fins have a cut-off portion at the position corresponding at least to a center portion of chips constituting the switching module in the flow direction of the cooling liquid. A chamber is formed in the cooling liquid channel by the cut-off portion. |
| US08342270B2 |
Omni-directional drive device and omni-directional vehicle using the same
The omni-directional drive device comprises a main wheel (2) comprising an endless annular member rotatable around a center of cross section perpendicular to a corresponding tangential line, electric motors (5R and 5L) for producing rotative forces around the rotation axis of the main wheel (2) and around the center of cross section perpendicular to a corresponding tangential line of the main wheel (2) and an arrangement (rotary members (4R and 4L) fitted with free rollers (3R and 3L)) for converting the rotational forces of the electric motors (5R and 5L) to the rotational forces around the rotation center of the main wheel (2) and around the center (C) of cross section perpendicular to a corresponding tangential line of the main wheel (2). |
| US08342268B2 |
Tough carbide bodies using encapsulated carbides
A drill bit that includes a bit body having a plurality of blades extending radially therefrom, wherein at least a portion of the bit body comprises a first matrix region comprising a plurality of primary carbide particles having an average mean free path of at least about 10 microns; and at least one cutting element for engaging a formation disposed on at least one of the plurality of blades is disclosed. |
| US08342267B1 |
Mining machine with improved rib reach capability and method of use thereof
An apparatus is for use by an operator in forming boreholes in a mine passage including a rib and a roof. The apparatus includes a boom having a proximal end mounted to a base, such as a vehicle. A drill supported by the boom near a distal end thereof is adapted for drilling into the rib of the mine passage. An operator's station carried by the boom adjacent the drill includes a platform for supporting the operator arranged at least partially between a generally vertical plane aligned with the second lateral side and the rib. Accordingly, the operator can access the rib when positioned on the operator's station without interference from the boom. |
| US08342258B2 |
Seeding implement depth adjustment mechanism
A seeding implement is provided that includes a depth adjustment mechanism configured to facilitate rapid reconfiguration of a ground engaging tool for varying penetration depths. In an exemplary embodiment, the seeding implement includes a ground engaging tool and a packer arm pivotally coupled to a packer support structure. The seeding implement also includes a packer wheel rotatably coupled to the packer arm, and configured to rotate across a soil surface to limit a penetration depth of the ground engaging tool into the soil. The seeding implement further includes a depth adjustment assembly including a slot within the packer support structure, a corresponding slot within the packer arm, and a fastener disposed through the slots. In this configuration, the penetration depth of the ground engaging tool is varied by adjusting a position of the fastener within the slots. |
| US08342250B2 |
Methods and apparatus for manipulating and driving casing
An apparatus and methods for manipulating and driving casing. The apparatus includes mechanically responsive elements for gripping an interior of a casing joint, and hydraulically responsive elements for gripping an interior of the casing joint responsive to pressure of drilling fluid flowing through the apparatus. One method comprises manipulating a casing joint by mechanically gripping an interior thereof, hydraulically gripping the interior of the casing joint responsive to drilling fluid pressure, and rotating the casing joint. Another method comprises driving casing by applying weight and torque thereto through engagement with an interior thereof. |
| US08342249B2 |
Offshore drilling system
According to one or more aspects of the invention, a method for drilling an offshore wellbore into a seabed from a platform positioned proximate to the water surface comprises making-up a first tubular string with a first conveyance assembly and running the first tubular string into the wellbore with the first conveyance assembly, wherein the first tubular string enters the wellbore from the water column at an entry position proximate to the seabed; performing a wellbore task with the first tubular string; while the wellbore task is being performed with the first tubular string, making-up a second tubular string in the water column from a second conveyance assembly; withdrawing the first tubular string from the wellbore with the first conveyance assembly once the wellbore task is completed; and running the second tubular string with the second conveyance assembly into the wellbore at the entry point from the water column. |
| US08342244B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for releasing a chemical into a well bore upon command
Methods and apparatuses for releasing a chemical in a well bore are disclosed. One apparatus includes a curved member configured for coupling to a casing, and a hollow member is connected to the curved member. A chemical container is disposed, at least in part, within the hollow space, and the hollow member extends at least partially around a hollow space. |
| US08342243B2 |
Method for stage-cementing an oil well
A method and apparatus for use in stage-cementing an oil well in the region of a lost circulation zone that is proximate an annular space defined by the lower end of an outer casing surrounding an inner casing include a load-bearing annular steel plate of substantial thickness that is positioned on, and maintained stationary relative to the inner casing by supporting and retaining means secured to the inner casing, the outer diameter of the plate being less than the inside diameter of the outer casing so that the plate can be lowered with the inner casing string to the desired location inside of the outer casing and, with a layer of gravel, to provide a seal and support the cement poured into the annulus between the inner and outer casings. |
| US08342240B2 |
Method for providing a temporary barrier in a flow pathway
A flow conduit may have at least one orifice, which conduit is in the vicinity of a flow source. The source is at least partially covered (and flow blocked by) an optional temporary coating or barrier (e.g. filter cake). The flow pathway between the orifice and the source is temporarily blocked with a degradable material. A delayed degradation material layer is present over or covering the degradable material. The delayed degradation material layer degrades at a rate slower than the degradable barrier. The degradable material and delayed degradation material layer disintegrate (e.g. via time, temperature, a solvent). The degradable material optionally produces a product that removes the temporary coating. The method is useful in one context of recovering hydrocarbons where the flow conduit is the casing or liner of the well and the flow source is a subterranean reservoir where the coating is filter cake. |
| US08342236B2 |
Blast hole drill bit carousel and a blast hole drill including a blast hole drill bit carousel
A drill bit carousel for use on a blast hole drill includes a base structure that movably supports a plurality of drill receptacles. The drill bit carousel is movable between a storage position and at least one exchange position. In the exchange position, one of the drill receptacles is aligned with a centerline of a drill pipe string. In the storage position, the drill bit carousel is clear of the centerline of the drill pipe string. |
| US08342235B2 |
Counter-flow heat exchanger for vehicle air conditioning system
A counter-flow heat exchanger for a vehicle air conditioning system includes a first lateral tank having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber. The first lateral tank includes an inlet port fluidly connected to the inlet chamber and an outlet port fluidly connected to the outlet chamber. The outlet port is positioned adjacent an uppermost portion of the first lateral tank for reducing air pockets. A second lateral tank is laterally spaced apart from the first lateral tank. A first set of tubes fluidly connects the inlet chamber of the first lateral tank to the second lateral tank. A second of tubes fluidly connects the second lateral tank to the outlet chamber of the first lateral tank. |
| US08342232B2 |
Speed synchronization system of aluminum alloy slab continuous casting and rolling line and production facility and method of production of aluminum alloy continuously cast and rolled slab using same
A speed synchronization system in an aluminum alloy slab continuous casting and rolling line having a twin-belt casting machine and skin pass rolling machine which suitably controls a belt speed of the twin-belt casting machine and roll speed of the skin pass rolling machine so as to obtain a sound aluminum alloy continuously cast and rolled slab and a production facility and method of production of an aluminum alloy continuously cast and rolled slab using the same. These (1) compare an actually measured value of a slab speed during advance from a twin-belt casting machine to a skin pass rolling machine with a line speed setting to control a roll speed of a skin pass rolling machine by proportional/integrated control and simultaneously (2) control a belt speed of the twin-belt casting machine based on the line speed setting and a solidification shrinkage rate of the aluminum alloy to be cast so as to synchronize the belt speed of the twin-belt casting machine and the roll speed of the skin pass rolling machine. |
| US08342231B2 |
Cast strip withdrawing apparatus for continuous casting facility
A cast strip withdrawing apparatus includes a plurality of pairs of rolls, and retains and withdraws a dummy bar via a fixed-side roll and pressure-side roll, which face each other, of each of these pairs of rolls. Each of the pressure-side rolls includes a fluid pressure cylinder imparting a dummy bar retaining pressure. A source pressure side fluid line supplying fluid pressure to these fluid pressure cylinders includes: a first pressure-reduction unit, a pressure drop detection unit, a line isolating unit installed on a source pressure side of the pressure drop detection unit, and a bypass unit. |
| US08342229B1 |
Method of making a CIG target by die casting
A method of making a sputtering target includes providing a backing structure, and forming a die cast copper indium gallium sputtering target material on the backing structure. |
| US08342227B2 |
Sunshade
A sunshade for regulating the entry of light into the interior of a vehicle. The sunshade includes a wind-up mechanism engaging a primary sheet. A secondary sheet is secured to the primary sheet. The primary sheet has a first end remote from the wind-up mechanism, the first end having a surface with a light reflecting value (A). The primary sheet has a second end adjacent the wind-up mechanism, the second end having a surface with a light reflecting value (B) which is greater or lesser than the light reflecting value (A). The secondary sheet has a first side facing the first end of the primary sheet, the first side having a surface with a light reflecting value substantially equal to value (A). The second side of the secondary sheet faces the second end of the primary sheet and has a surface with a light reflecting value substantially equal to value (B). |
| US08342226B2 |
Collapsible sunshade
A collapsible sunshade according to the present invention has a panel comprising a foldable frame member having a folded and an unfolded orientation, the frame member defining a periphery for the panel with an interior space inside of the periphery, a meshed material covering the interior space defined by the frame member to form the panel when the frame member is in the unfolded orientation, and a shade fabric having at least a portion thereof removably attached to the panel so that the shade fabric can assume a first position in which the shade fabric completely overlies, in a planar manner, the meshed material, and a second position where the portion of the shade fabric that is removably attached to the panel is disengaged from the panel to expose a portion of the meshed material. |
| US08342225B2 |
Connector for a blind assembly
A connector for a multiple element blind assembly includes a first coupling element for association with a first blind element, said first coupling element having a body and a projection extending therefrom. The projection includes a keying portion. Also provided is a second coupling element for association with a second blind element. The second coupling element has a body defining a bore therein, which includes a keyway portion. The keying portion is insertable into and keys with said keyway to a torque transferring portion such that torque applied to one of said coupling elements is transferred to the other coupling element. Also, the keying portion is only insertable into said keyway to said torque transferring portion when said first and second coupling elements are aligned within a single relative rotational range. |
| US08342220B2 |
Process and apparatus for manufacturing a reinforcing structure for tyres of vehicles
In tire manufacture, a belt structure is made by means of strip-like segments each including parallel cords incorporated into an elastomeric layer, which strip-like segments are sequentially laid down in mutual circumferential side by side relationship on a toroidal support. The apparatus for manufacturing such a reinforcing structure for vehicle tires includes: a feeding unit to supply strip-like elements, each including threadlike elements disposed parallel to each other and at least partly coated with at least one layer of elastomeric material; a laying unit including at least one laying assembly to apply each of said strip-like elements onto a toroidal support according to a predetermined laying angle relative to a circumferential extension direction of the toroidal support itself, the laying unit including at least one presser element movable in contrast relationship against the outer surface of the toroidal support and at least one guide element to keep the strip-like element centered and guide it during laying of same, wherein the guide element includes at least one cavity in which the presser element is at least partly housed during laying of said strip-like element. |
| US08342218B2 |
Apparatus for manufacturing a tubular product
Apparatus for manufacturing a tubular product comprising a tube forming means, a tube maintaining means, a drawing means and energy application means, in which the tube forming means comprises a formation aperture or series of apertures adapted to form a subject material drawn therethrough into a tubular shape, in which the tube maintaining means comprises a circular aperture or series of apertures adapted to maintain the subject material drawn therethrough in the tubular shape, in which the drawing means is adapted to draw the subject material through the tube forming means and the tube maintaining means, in which the energy application means is adapted to direct an energy to the subject material, or an energy absorbent component disposed thereon, such that the subject material is set in the tubular shape, and in which the tube maintaining means is adapted to maintain the subject material in the tubular shape during absorption of the energy. |
| US08342210B2 |
Security cap with latch
A security cap (1) for selectively closing an open end (3) of a pipe (5). The security cap (1) includes inner and outer cap assemblies (7, 11), at least one latch (17), and a driving assembly (21). The outer cap assembly (11) is rotatable with respect to the inner cap assembly (7), and along with it, is intended to cover the open end (3) of the pipe (5). Each latch (17) is cooperable with the inner and outer cap assemblies (7, 11), and displacable with respect to the cap assemblies (7,11) so as to be operated between first and second configurations, wherein in the first configuration, each latch (17) is drawn away from an outer groove (19) of the open end (3) of the pipe (5) thereby enabling the security cap (1) to be removed from the open end (3) of the pipe (5), and wherein in the second configuration, each latch (17) is engaged with the outer groove (19) thereby preventing the security cap (1) from being removed from the open end (3) of the pipe (5). The driving assembly (21) is operatively disposed between the inner and outer cap assemblies (7, 11), and cooperable with the same, as well as with the at least one latch (17), for selectively driving each latch (17) between the first and second configurations via a given rotation of the outer cap assembly (11) with respect to the inner cap assembly (7) of the security cap (1). |
| US08342209B2 |
Plug for fluid-transfer coupling device
In a fluid-transfer coupling device (5) that connects a plug (70) and a socket (10) to each other to communicate respective flow paths in the socket and the plug with each other, the plug includes, at least, an inner spacer (74) having an inner passage (78) formed to allow a passage of fluid, a plug collar (73) covering the outer circumferential surface of the inner spacer and a flange (75) formed on a proximal end of the plug to connect the plug to a conduit. The plug collar and the flange are made of metal. Consequently, even if the flow rate of the fluid is large, the plug can be firmly supported in the device. The inner spacer is made of a resinous material. In this connection, at least one portion of an outer circumferential portion of the plug may be formed of metal. |
| US08342206B2 |
Dual butterfly control valve and method of use
A valve for a plenum or pipe is disclosed. The valve includes a large butterfly valve element pivotally supported in the plenum by at least one rod. The large butterfly valve element includes an opening for accommodating a small butterfly valve element. The small butterfly valve element is coupled to the rod by a shaft. The shaft includes a recess that accommodates the small butterfly valve element but which includes a clearance between the small butterfly valve element and the shaft to permit limited rotation of the shaft before the small butterfly valve element engages at least one wall of the recess of the shaft. Thus, the combination of the shaft and the small butterfly valve element provide limited flow through the plenum. Further rotation of the shaft, however, results in rotation of the large butterfly valve element to provide greater flow through the plenum. |
| US08342205B2 |
Slide type valve
The slide type valve of the present invention has a structure in which a movable flowpath forming member is pressed toward a slidable sealing member by use of a spring member and in which the load of the slidable sealing member received from the movable flowpath forming member becomes equal to a constant spring load determined by a spring force of the spring member. Additionally, an attachment member holding the movable flowpath forming member that is movable to the fixed flowpath forming member has a housing hole whose shape substantially coinciding with the shape of the movable flowpath forming member. The movable flowpath forming member is housed in the housing hole so as to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to the first end surface of the fixed flowpath forming member, and, accordingly, the load distribution is uniformed both in a first seal sliding surface and in a second seal sliding surface of the slidable sealing member. Additionally, a third flowpath is formed to follow one direction so as to reach the second seal sliding surface from the first seal sliding surface, and, as a result, a pressure loss in the flowpath is minimized. |
| US08342199B2 |
Dispensing equipment utilizing coriolis flow meters
An apparatus for dispensing liquid fuel comprises a plurality of inlet valves, each connected in-line with a respective inlet pipe in fluid communication with a respective source of a specific liquid fuel. A plurality of outlet valves are also provided, each connected in-line with a respective outlet pipe. A respective fuel hose is in fluid communication with each of the outlet pipes. The apparatus further comprises a coriolis flow meter located between the inlet valves and outlet valves, the coriolis flow meter providing a flow signal indicative of flow therethrough. A controller is operative to receive the flow signal and control the valves such that selected inputs of specific liquid fuels are dispensed to at least one of the fuel hoses. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the selected inputs of specific liquid fuels may include individual liquid fuels and blended combinations thereof. For example, the specific liquid fuels may include at least two of the following: a first octane gasoline, a second octane gasoline, diesel fuel, biodiesel and ethanol. |
| US08342193B2 |
Flexible dental floss applicator and interdental gum stimulator
The invention is dental floss applicator and interdental stimulator that is flexible and also includes a guard to ensure that the dental floss has not been used or otherwise tampered with. Users can adjust the angle of the dental floss applicator and stimulator into a configuration that best suits their particular needs. When flex adjusted, the applicator is able to hold its new configuration while maintaining sufficient strength to allow the user to comfortably maneuver the apparatus to properly floss the teeth or stimulate the gums. Furthermore, the invention is disposable, rendering it convenient to use after a meal when the user is away from a private bathroom setting, such as at a home or other lodging. |
| US08342191B2 |
Hair styling tool with rotatable cylinder
A hair styling tool includes a body, a cylinder extending from the body, the cylinder rotatable relative to the body, a motor for rotating the cylinder, a heater to heat the cylinder, and a styling arm pivotally attached to the body. The hair styling tool may have a generally clam shell configuration, wherein the styling arm is movable between an open position in which the styling arm is distant the cylinder and a closed position in which the styling arm is proximate to the cylinder, such as contacting the cylinder. The styling arm may also include a brush head with fixed or retractable bristles and/or a smoothing plate. |
| US08342179B2 |
Disposable mask assembly with exhaust filter and valve disc and method of assembling same
A face mask assembly and method of assembling a face mask is provided for a patient that includes a face piece sized to fit over the patient's nose and mouth. The face mask assembly forms a mask chamber between the face piece and the patient's nose and mouth. An inhalation adapter is coupled to the face piece to deliver medication to the chamber. A filter housing is coupled to the face piece and includes a flange section that defines a passageway to connect the mask chamber and the flange section. A filter is positioned in the filter housing. A cover is coupled to the flange section and has an exhalation opening or vent to allow gases from the mask chamber to pass through the filter and escape from the passageway to the atmosphere. In a second embodiment, the filter housing is modified by providing a frame adjacent the bottom with a cross-shaped structure and a retainer button attached to the housing. A valve disc is provided between the retainer button and frame adapted to allow gases from the mask chamber around the valve disc towards the filter. When a patient inhales oxygen through the nasal portion, the valve disc moves towards the mask and partially covers a plurality of apertures to partially block additional air from entering the chamber. When a patient exhales contaminated oxygen, the valve disc moves towards the retainer button to allow a maximum amount of air through the apertures towards the filter. |
| US08342174B2 |
Inhaler for powdery substances, in particular medicinal substances
An inhaler for powdery, in particular medical, substances is formed with a suction air channel, which leads to a mouthpiece. The inhaler also has a storage chamber for storing the substance and a linearly moving dosing chamber for apportioning a specified amount of substance from the storage chamber to a transfer point to the suction air flow. The aim of the invention is to obtain a structurally simple solution that makes it possible to eliminate adding an external air flow. To this end, a component of the suction air flow, which is located in the direction of extension of the dosing chamber, empties said dosing chamber. |
| US08342173B2 |
Nasal dilator with cushion layer and variable spring rate
A nasal dilator capable of introducing separating stresses in nasal outer wall tissues has a resilient member and a pair of spaced-apart end surfaces which can be forced toward one another from an initial flat position of the dilator to thereby substantially reduce the direct spacing therebetween by an external spacing reducing force. This results in restoring forces in the dilator tending to return it to the original direct spacing between the end surfaces. Resilient members, which can be asymmetrical with respect to a centerline of the dilator that is parallel to the long axis of the dilator, have a spring rate which continuously diminishes from the centerline to the end surfaces. The edges of the resilient members are contiguous to the edge of the cushion layer so that adhesive on the cushion layer is at the same level as the bottom surface of the resilient members. An adhesive on the end surfaces adhesively engages exposed surfaces of nasal outer wall tissues sufficiently to keep the dilator attached to the nasal wall surfaces while subjecting them to the restoring forces. |
| US08342171B2 |
Breath-controlled inhalation therapy device
A breath-controlled inhalation therapy device includes an obturation mechanism, obturating a nozzle opening through which a pressurised gas, preferably pressurised air, is issued when the device is in operation. An actuation mechanism actuates the obturation mechanism only in the exhalation phases of the respiration cycle of a patient. The fluid to be atomised is therefore substantially atomised only in the inhalation phases. |
| US08342170B2 |
Liquid ejection method and liquid ejection apparatus
The present invention provides a liquid ejection method and a liquid ejection apparatus which enables small droplets each of diameter at most 10 μm to be stably ejected and which allows a sufficient number of droplets to be ejected per unit time. A heater is allowed to generate heat to eject a main droplet and a liquid column from an ejection port; the liquid column is to be separated into a plurality of sub-droplets. A relationship (L2/L1)≧0.9 is set for the length L1 of the liquid column observed immediately after the liquid column has been separated from the main droplet and from a liquid in the ejection port and the length L2 of the liquid column observed immediately before the liquid column is separated into the plurality of droplets. |
| US08342162B2 |
Soccer ball delivery system and method
A system for delivering objects, such as soccer balls, the system including a delivery device and a methodology for training individuals that can be used with the delivery device, the delivery device including an accelerator that accepts, accelerates, and launches the balls with motion characteristics, and a control system having an electronic controller structured to store and execute a training program that includes ball service specifications and player service variables, ball speed and spin control inputs, and random selection of values within a range of values of the player service variables that include a starting position of the player relative to the device, a direction of motion of the player relative to the device, an identification of at least one location on the player's body to touch the ball, a time interval to wait before delivering the ball, and an action for the user to take with the ball. |
| US08342151B2 |
Deactivation of high pressure pump for noise control
An engine control system comprises an engine speed monitoring module and a pump control module. The engine speed monitoring module compares an engine speed and a predetermined threshold. The pump control module deactivates a pressure pump based on said comparison. |
| US08342146B2 |
Camshaft and production process therefor
A camshaft assembly, particularly for use in an internal combustion engine, having a shaft base body and a plurality of cam parts. In order to be able to selectively shut down individual cylinders, cam parts are provided with cams which are arranged so as to be rotationally fixed and axially displaceable in relation to the shaft base body. Depending on a desired sequence of axially fixed and axially displaceable cam parts, it is proposed to arrange the axially displaceable cam parts on a longitudinally extending profile in an axially displaceable manner and to push the axially fixed cam parts—insofar as these are necesary—over or across the receiving area for the axially displaceable cam parts and to secure them to the shaft. |
| US08342141B2 |
Engine cooling system
An engine cooling system in which a coolant flows through a coolant circuit includes: a pump for circulating coolant under pressure through the coolant circuit; a radiator provided in the coolant circuit, wherein the radiator cools coolant passing through the coolant circuit; a by-pass conduit, wherein the by-pass conduit allows coolant to by-pass the radiator, a flow control valve, which regulates the flow rate of coolant flowing through the radiator and the by-pass conduit; and a controller, wherein the controller controls the flow control valve in response to input signals from at least one pressure sensor and at least one temperature sensor in the coolant circuit. The flow control valve includes a first controllable valve located upstream of the radiator and downstream of the by-pass conduit, and a second controllable valve located in the by-pass conduit. |
| US08342137B1 |
Animal leash
An animal leash that is operable to be surroundably mounted proximate a user's waist wherein the animal leash is configured to allow the animal tethered thereto to move in a first direction and a second direction. The first direction permitted by the animal is such that the animal can move generally away or towards the user. A second direction is further allowed such that the animal can traverse in a circular direction about the user. The animal leash further includes a belt having a longitudinal track disposed therein. Captively engaged with the track is the wheel assembly, which is configured to traverse along the track. A connections module is secured to the wheel assembly and is intermediate the wheel assembly and the leash container. The connection assembly functions to disengage the leash assembly upon a substantial force being applied thereto. The leash container houses a spring-biased reel, which stores the leash. A plurality of pockets are further included which are integrally formed into the belt. |
| US08342136B2 |
Method and apparatus for animal positioning in imaging systems
An apparatus for imaging an animal includes a first mounting surface, a bed sized to support the animal and releasably secured to or integral with the first mounting surface. The apparatus also includes a plurality of straps, each having a first end in a fixed position relative to the bed and a second end for tightening around a limb of the animal. A method for in-vivo imaging of an animal includes providing an animal that has limbs, providing a first mounting surface, and providing a bed removably secured to or integral with the mounting surface and sized to support the animal as well as being coupled to a plurality of straps. The method also includes placing the animal on the bed between the plurality of straps and tightening at least two of the plurality of straps around at least two of the limbs such that the animal is substantially secured in place relative to the bed. |
| US08342131B2 |
Urban adventure playground
A recreational structure for providing a cat with adequate shelter and play area. The structure comprises a central main living unit that connects to a rectangular litter housing member by means of hollow tubes. A multi-tiered unit is disposed on top the main living unit. The top tier of this unit connects to the first tube by means of a slanted second tube. An entrance/exit member provides access to the structure. This member is connected to the bottom tier of the multi-tiered unit by a third tube. The tiers connect to one another by means of stairs. |
| US08342130B2 |
Apparatus for the cultivation of shellfish
An apparatus for the cultivation of shellfish, the apparatus including a base with a culture surface and a support attachment for the base, the apparatus characterized in that the support attachment is configured to permit rotational movement of the base relative to a support when the base is secured to the support. |
| US08342128B2 |
Viscous pet food dispensing apparatus
An apparatus for dispensing viscous pet food includes a rigid, downwardly curved, perforated dispensing sheet and a container having a cylindrical inner sidewall and a bottom surface that conforms to the dispensing sheet. The dispensing sheet preferably features a plurality of recesses and the container a plurality of corresponding rails that allow the sheet to stably descend within the container as downward pressure is applied to the sheet and the viscous food is dispensed and consumed. |
| US08342127B2 |
Squirrel resistant hopper type bird feeder
A hopper type squirrel resistant bird feeder which has a base having first and second ends and first and second sides, first and second end walls located proximate the first and second ends of the base and first and second side walls set inwardly of the first and second sides of the base to define a feed access area with the first and second side walls being spaced upwardly from the base, a feed cavity being defined by the base, end walls and side walls, and a seed guard extending over the feed access area, the seed guard having at least a portion spaced from the base and having apertures formed therein to permit access by birds to the feed access area. The bird feeder is of the knock down variety and can easily be disassembled for cleaning purposes. |
| US08342125B2 |
Safety valve for an automatic dairy animal milker unit backflusher and teat dip applicator
A safety valve for use in a dairy backflushing and dipping system. The safety valve is situated on or near a milker unit to seal and protect downstream dairy milk lines from teat dip and cleaning fluids that are fed through the safety valve to upstream milker unit components. All of the fluids, including dip, cleansers, water, and air pass through and are controlled by the safety valve. |
| US08342124B2 |
Apparatus and method for cleaning a milking system
A system and method of cleaning a plurality of teat cups (8a-d) includes using a robotic manipulation device (2) to move the plurality of teat cups (8a-d) from a first position to a second position, and cleaning the teat cups (8a-d) at a second position, wherein the robotic manipulation device (2) deposits the teat cups (8a-d) individually, in turn, at the second position. |
| US08342117B2 |
Coating apparatus
There is provided a coating apparatus capable of continuously producing coated rice having powdered coating material adhered to the grains and including a drying process to prevent the grains from being bonded to one another and make the grain surfaces smoother upon drying of the grains. The coating apparatus comprising a binder coating unit for applying liquid binder to the grains being conveyed through a coating and stirring chamber to coat the grain surfaces with the binder; a adhering unit for adding powder material to the grains conveyed through a adhering and stirring chamber to adhere the powdered material to the grain surface by the binder; and a drying unit including a drying and stirring chamber through which the grains are conveyed while being stirred, a blow passage for blowing hot air into the drying chamber to dry the grains, and an exhaust passage for exhausting the hot air from the drying chamber. |
| US08342114B2 |
Ship hull comprising at least one float
A ship hull includes at least one float (10) and a center of buoyancy (CB) situated behind the center of flotation. (CF), the distance between the center of buoyancy and center of flotation is greater by 5% than the waterline length L of the hull. |
| US08342111B2 |
Sewing machine and computer-readable medium storing control program executable in sewing machine
A sewing machine that operates with power supplied from a main power supply includes a needle plate having a needle hole through which a sewing needle can pass, an illuminating device that illuminates the needle hole and a vicinity of the needle hole, a power supply device that stores power, a detection device that detects whether a predetermined operation is performed in the sewing machine, a power distribution device that supplies the power from the power supply device to the detection device and the illuminating device, if supply of the power from the main power supply is turned off, and a turning-on device that turns on the illuminating device, if the detection device detects that the predetermined operation is performed in a condition where the supply of the power from the main power supply is cut off. |
| US08342109B2 |
Spreader equipped delivery boot for use with a sweep blade on an agricultural implement
A delivery boot for mounting on a shank of an agricultural implement and carrying a sweep blade. The boot features a channel member having front, rear and side walls defining a channel extending downward from an inlet proximate the top end to an outlet proximate the bottom end, a sweep connection element defined on the channel member at a front side and a shank connection element defined on the channel member at a rear side thereof. A spreader is supported on the channel member proximate the outlet thereof to receive product delivered from the inlet through the channel member and guide the product laterally outward to both sides of the outlet. Arranged to mount in front of the shank and behind the sweep, the boot positions the outlet ahead of the shank to minimize disruption of product placement by earth falling back into the furrow behind the shank. |
| US08342107B2 |
High-strength, lightweight blow-molded plastic structures
Blow molded plastic structures are provided for use in various structures such as, but not limited to, tables, chairs, walls, backboards, storage bins, sports equipment and the like. The blow molded plastic structure has a first surface and a second surface extending between a first end and a second end and forming a chamber there between. A plurality of depressions is formed on the second surface and extends into the chamber. The depressions are usually unitary structures formed by a depression wall. Generally, the steeper the depression wall, the more strength is provided to the structure. In addition, where the plurality of depressions has a low profile and a greater density, increased strength is provided to the structure. The depressions may or may not be joined to the first surface. |
| US08342105B2 |
Open top hopper railcar with lading shedding top chord and corner cap and integrated door operating controls with manual override
A open top railcar comprises a body on pair of spaced trucks, and a top chord extending the length of the side and the width of the end of the railcar, wherein the top chord includes an inwardly sloped top surface configured to discharge lading toward the interior of the railcar through gravity. The railcar further includes corner cap members that have inwardly sloped top surfaces configured to discharge lading toward the interior of the railcar through gravity. The railcar has a plurality of discharge chutes including a plurality of doors operated through a pneumatic door operating system and a manual door operating override for each door. The railcar also includes a nonmetallic touch pad housing provided with a plurality of touch plates for operating selective doors. |
| US08342104B2 |
Rail car and method for transport of bulk materials
Disclosed are a method and an assembly for balk transport. An inflatable bladder is inserted into a container and disposed proximal and above a gravity-fed aperture. The container may be, for instance, a hopper rail car. A bulk material then is introduced into the container, the bulk material being, for instance, a grain-based material such as corn gluten feed. The bladder is positioned and preferably secured laterally with respect to the aperture to impede access to the aperture by the bulk material. When the container has reached the transport destination, the bladder is deflated. If the bulk material has set up during transport, access to the aperture nonetheless will have been maintained. |
| US08342102B2 |
Dual path kiln improvement
A dual path kiln is provided that includes a kiln having one or more chambers and at least two lumber charge paths adapted to convey lumber through the kiln in opposite directions by means of a track having two rails in which a pusher device pushes the lumber through the kiln and comprises a variable output electric motor to effect a high degree of accurate control of the movement speed of the pusher device and the lumber it's pushing and wherein the pusher device includes a faceplate having two side walls extending from said faceplate to engage the side of the lumber in order to greatly enhance stability of the lumber while it is being transported and minimize the risk of spillage. |
| US08342099B2 |
Marking paint ball and method for making same
A marking paint ball includes a shell made of non-water-soluble polymer material and having a substantially spherical shape. A marking paint composition is contained in the shell. The shell is made of an oxo-biodegradable material. A method for making such a ball is disclosed. |
| US08342097B1 |
Caseless projectile and launching system
A launcher system includes a launcher having a barrel adapted to receive a projectile with a charge of propellant and a magazine adapted to hold additional projectiles, with each projectile including a piston shiftably mounted for movement relative to a main body. When propellant in the projectile is ignited, either mechanically or electrically, the propellant forces the piston from a retracted position during a period of initial thrust and then the propellant exits through at least one vent hole to provide an additional thrust for the projectile upon the piston moving to a fully extended position and safely discharge pressure from within the projectile. The projectile may be fired at lethal or non-lethal velocities. |
| US08342092B2 |
Porous roll with axial zones and method of proving printing liquid to a cylinder in a printing press
A roll for distributing printing liquid in a printing press is provided. The roll includes a roll core having at least a first and a second axial zone, a first liquid feed for feeding liquid to the first axial zone, a second liquid feed for feeding the liquid to the second axial zone independent of the first axial zone and a porous shell covering the first and second axial zones. A printing press, a method for providing printing liquid through a porous shell of a printing liquid supply roll to a cylinder of a printing press, an inking apparatus and a method for providing ink to an anilox roll are also provided. |
| US08342090B2 |
Ink roller for a hand-held labelling device
An ink roller (40) for a hand-held labelling device with a jacket-shaped ink receiving roller (42) and an ink roller axis (43), wherein the ink receiving roller (42) is disposed on the ink roller axis (43) in such a fashion that the free ends of the ink roller axis (43) project on both sides past the end faces of the ink receiving roller (42), and a hand-held labelling device having an ink roller (40) of this type. One gripping disk (46) that is spaced apart from the ink receiving roller (42) is thereby provided at each free end of the ink roller axis (43). |
| US08342088B2 |
Pad printing on textile substrates
A method for pad printing a pattern on a textile substrate with a pad printing machine, and fabric and apparel so formed from the textile substrate. The method includes the steps of positioning the textile substrate on the printing area of the pad printing machine, transferring a pattern having at least one color from the cliché of the pad printing machine to a printing pad, and transferring the pattern from the printing pad to the textile substrate. |
| US08342087B2 |
Production spring striper
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for applying markings, particularly to springs, that are clean (ink in self contained storage units), allows quick color changes and reduces wasted ink or paint. An application means that does not dry out during short down time periods, keeps up with production rates, and is cost effective. |
| US08342085B2 |
Apparatus and method for compensating for stress deformations in a press
An apparatus is provided for compensating for such deformations as occur in operation in first and second clamping surfaces intended for a tool in a press. The clamping surfaces are reciprocally moveable towards and away from one another in order to move a first and second part of the tool towards and away from one another, and the first and second tool parts have a first and second abutment surface for abutment against the first and second clamping surfaces and the deformations cause uneven pressure in at least one contact region between the tool and the clamping surfaces. According to the present invention, there is disposed, in at least one contact region between a clamping surface and an abutment surface, a power unit which, on activation, is operative to press, away from the clamping surface located in the contact region at least a part of the abutment surface of the tool located there. |
| US08342081B2 |
Barrier submersion cooking pouch and basket
A system and method for barrier submersion cooking comprising a thin walled plastic cooking pouch for receiving a food item effectively dimensioned such that when placed into a hot liquid cooking medium a vent remains above a top surface of the liquid cooking medium and a rack for lowering the vessel into the liquid cooking medium to an effective depth such that the food item received by the pouch is below the top surface of the liquid cooking medium and the vent is above the top surface of the liquid cooking medium. The pouch is formed of food grade pliable polymer film having a melt temperature above that of a temperature used in conventional hot oil flying processes, a heat transfer rate of an effective value to substantially instantaneously transfer heat from the liquid cooking medium to create an effective frying temperature upon the food item, and a pliability such that the pouch will collapse on itself when exposed to hydrostatic pressures when submerged within the liquid cooking medium, thereby effectively transferring heat to all food item surfaces. |
| US08342078B2 |
Reciprocating-piston pump for feeding a liquid
A reciprocating-piston pump having an electromagnetically driveable reciprocating piston, which is mounted with a restoring spring, for feeding a liquid, an impact damper composed of an elastomer for damping an impact of the reciprocating piston at the end of a feed phase, a core flange which is situated opposite the reciprocating piston, with a gap which is dependent on the position of the reciprocating piston being provided between the reciprocating piston and the core flange. The kinetic energy of the reciprocating piston during an early feed interval of a feed phase is absorbed primarily by the restoring spring and the feed of the liquid, and in that the kinetic energy of the reciprocating piston during a late feed interval of a feed phase is absorbed primarily by the hydraulic damping of the liquid present in the gap. |
| US08342076B2 |
Brake actuator and method of forming the same
An improved diaphragm-type pneumatic brake actuator includes a flange case, a cover cooperable with the flange case, a flexible diaphragm extending between the flange case and the cover forming a lower pneumatic chamber and an upper pneumatic chamber on opposed sides of the diaphragm. A piston assembly is disposed in the cover for moving a spring between compressed and decompressed positions. A spring guide is disposed between the cover and the piston assembly in the upper chamber. The spring guide prevents direct contact of the spring with the cover to prevent formation of a corrosion cell. |
| US08342068B2 |
Device for longitudinal cutting of a continuous web material, such as corrugated cardboard
The device comprises a path for the web material (N) and, along said path, at least one cutting unit (7A). The cutting unit comprises: a plurality of intermediate disk-shaped blades (9A) disposed on one side of the feed path of the material, which can be positioned transversely to the direction of feed and cooperating with a fixed counter-blade (33A) disposed on the opposite side of said path. Also provided are two lateral disk-shaped blades (10A) to cut the trimmings; and a member for transverse positioning of the blades. The two lateral blades each cooperate with a respective movable counter-blade (71A), separate from the fixed counter-blade, which can be positioned transversely to the direction of feed of the web material. |
| US08342063B2 |
Open-ended ratchet wrench
Among other things, an open-ended wrench comprises a wrench head defining an opening to receive a work piece. The wrench head comprises a first jaw including at least a first surface to engage with a surface of the work piece, a second jaw including a first curved surface facing the opening, and a plate mounted on the second jaw and movable relative the second jaw. The plate comprises at least a second surface to engage with another surface of the work piece. The plate also comprises a second curved surface engaging the first curved surface and being slidable against the first curved surface. |
| US08342058B2 |
Recessed belt damper
A torsional vibration damper includes an inertia mass and a rotating shaft or hub with an elastomeric ring between the inertia mass and the rotating shaft or hub. A large portion of said elastomeric member is located in a channel located either in the inertia mass or in the hub. This allows one to achieve high contact pressure without creating a significant fatigue on the elastomeric member. This can be used with either a crankshaft damper or an internal or external drive shaft damper. |
| US08342056B2 |
Telescopic shaft and vehicle steering apparatus
A telescopic shaft (5) has an inner shaft (12) and a tubular outer shaft (13) that are fitted to each other so that they can move relative to each other in the axial direction and that they can transmit torque to each other. A plurality of balls (14) are aligned between respective raceway grooves (15; 16) of the inner shaft (12) and the outer shaft (13). Limiting mechanisms (20A; 20B) are provided that limit the amount of relative rotation to not more than a predetermined amount of the inner shaft (12) and the outer shaft (13) when a ball (14) comes off the raceway grooves (15; 16). The limiting mechanisms (20A; 20B) include a pair of engagement sections (21, 22; 23, 24) engageable with each other in a circumferential direction (C1). The engagement sections (21, 22; 23, 24) are provided at ridges (25, 26) and recesses (27, 28) that are adjacent to the raceway grooves (15; 16) of the inner shaft (12) and the outer shaft (13), respectively. |
| US08342051B2 |
DCT transmission utilizing a two axis chain
A vehicle dual clutch transmission is provided which includes a first clutch housing driven along a first axis extending generally aligned with the output axis of an engine. A second clutch housing is provided which is chain driven from the first clutch housing and extends along a second generally parallel axis. First and second input shafts are respectively driven by the first and second clutches. An output shaft or shafts is provided that is driven by the input shafts and has selective meshed torsional force transferring gear contact therewith. A differential input gear is driven by the output shaft(s). |
| US08342049B2 |
Dual clutch transmission
A double clutch transmission with two clutches connected to a drive shaft and to one of two transmission input shafts. Fixed gears are coupled to the input shafts and engage idler gears. Several coupling devices connect the idler gears to a countershaft which have an output gear that couple gears of an output shaft such that at least seven power shift forward gears and at least one reverse gear can be shifted, and four gear wheel planes are positioned in a way that at least one power shift winding-path gear can be shifted via the shifting device. |
| US08342046B2 |
Environmental test apparatus
A second tank for accommodating a sample is disposed within a first tank. A heater for heating gas is provided inside the second tank. A heater controller controls the heater such that temperature of gas becomes a set temperature. A heat conducting member is disposed such that one end of the heat conducting member is positioned in the gas inside the first or second tank and the other end is positioned in the humidifying water contained in the humidifier. The heat conducting member is made of material having higher thermal conductivity than that of gas inside the first or second tank. |
| US08342042B2 |
Device for collecting chemical compounds and related methods
A device for sampling chemical compounds from fixed surfaces and related methods are disclosed. The device may include a vacuum source, a chamber and a sorbent material. The device may utilize vacuum extraction to volatilize the chemical compounds from the fixed surfaces so that they may be sorbed by the sorbent material. The sorbent material may then be analyzed using conventional thermal desorption/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD/GC/MS) instrumentation to determine presence of the chemical compounds. The methods may include detecting release and presence of one or more chemical compounds and determining the efficacy of decontamination. The device may be useful in collection and analysis of a variety of chemical compounds, such as residual chemical warfare agents, chemical attribution signatures and toxic industrial chemicals. |
| US08342039B2 |
Process for measuring preloading of low-rolling resistance bearings
A system and method for measuring the preload condition of a vehicle differential gear assembly includes a multi-axis load cell having a spherical load button. The differential assembly is supported by the pinion shaft and the load cell button is positioned within a carrier housing hole. The pinion shaft is then rotated relative to the housing resulting in the housing to rotate along with the pinion shaft and abut against the load button. The resulting force against the button is measured in three orthogonal directions permitting an accurate force vector to be determined. The bearings preload is simultaneously set by applying an axial compressive force against the bearings while the pinion shaft is rotated. |
| US08342036B2 |
Differential pressure anemometer
A pitot-static device, comprising first and second pluralities of hollow spokes extending in a radial direction from a central hub, the hollow interiors of the spokes of the first plurality being connected so as to allow fluid communication therebetween, and at least all but one of the spokes of the first plurality having at least one aperture facing in a first axial direction that is transverse to the radial direction, and the hollow interiors of the spokes of the second plurality being connected so as to allow fluid communication therebetween, and at least one of the spokes of the second plurality having an aperture at an end portion thereof that faces in the radial direction. |
| US08342035B2 |
Coriolis mass flowmeter with mounting assembly having center of gravity lying in the reference oscillation plane
A Coriolis mass flowmeter having at least one measuring tube assembly (1) and at least one mounting assembly (2), wherein the mounting assembly (2) includes at least one bracket (3) mounted on the measuring tube assembly (1) and at least a part of an actuator assembly (4) and/or a sensor assembly (5) supported by the bracket (3) for oscillation generation and/or oscillation compilation so that measuring tube assembly (1) can be excited into oscillation in a reference oscillation plane (X-plane). The Coriolis mass flowmeter oscillation behavior is improved for increasing the quality of measurements by the center of gravity of the mounting assembly (2) being set in the reference oscillation plane. |
| US08342030B1 |
Apparatus for deforming fibres
An apparatus comprising a housing comprising an end wall and side walls defining a first chamber open at one end a slide at the open end a diaphragm in the chamber spaced from the slide and generally parallel to it, defining, with the slide and side walls of the first chamber, a second chamber; and an opening in the first chamber for permitting fluid to enter and exit the first chamber. |
| US08342029B2 |
Apparatus for guarding pressure sensor for washing machine
An apparatus for guarding a pressure sensor for a washing machine is provided, which adjusts the water level required to wash laundries. The apparatus for guarding a pressure sensor includes a diaphragm built in a space part of a housing to operate in accordance with the water pressure of washing water being supplied through an inlet, a metal core mounted on an upper surface of the diaphragm through a coil spring, a first sensing part installed in a moving path of the metal core to output a signal required for adjustment of a water level of the washing water, a measurement part mounted on an upper surface of the metal core to ascend/descend along an operation path of the coil spring, a second sensing part mounted on an upper side of the space part to sense maximum and minimum positions of the measurement part, and a controller outputting a blocking signal to an inlet path of the inlet. According to the apparatus for guarding a pressure sensor, washing water more than or less than a prescribed amount is prevented from being supplied to the washing machine, and thus a uniform washing process is performed to improve the reliability of the washing machine. Also, the damage or corrosion of electric/electronic sub assembly of the washing machine due to the overflow of the washing water is prevented to prolong the lifespan of the washing machine. |
| US08342027B2 |
Determining physical properties of objects or fluids in multi-path clutter environments
A method for determining a physical property of an object or fluid in a dynamic multi-path clutter environment comprises transmitting an RF interrogation signal to a wireless sensor physically coupled to the object or fluid (gas or liquid) in the dynamic multi-path clutter environment, wherein the wireless sensor is operable to receive the RF interrogation signal, produce a reference signal and a measurement signal, and retransmit the reference signal and the measurement signal in the dynamic multi-path clutter environment. The reference signal and measurement signal are delayed by the wireless sensor by an amount of time that may be a function of the unknown physical property. The method also comprises receiving the retransmitted reference signal and the retransmitted measurement signal and comparing them in the time domain in order to determine the unknown physical property of the object or fluid. The method further comprises setting the time delays of the retransmitted reference and retransmitted measurement signals to be long enough for the ringdown time to be over but not so long so that the differential time is distorted by the dynamics of the system. |
| US08342026B2 |
Vibrating gyroscope
A vibrating gyroscope includes two input buffers each arranged to input voltage signals appearing at respective detection electrodes of one of two piezoelectric vibrators. An adding circuit adds up output voltages of the respective input buffers. An amplitude control circuit automatically controls a loop gain such that an output voltage of the adding circuit has a substantially constant amplitude. A phase-shift circuit controls the phase of a drive voltage supplied to the piezoelectric vibrators such that the piezoelectric vibrators oscillate by positive feedback. Two differential amplifier circuits each amplify a voltage difference corresponding to an angular velocity about an axis. Two synchronous detection circuits each perform detection using a synchronizing signal generated from an oscillation signal, and detect a voltage signal corresponding to the angular velocity. |
| US08342023B2 |
Coriolis gyro
A Coriolis gyro having an arrangement which comprises a substrate, at least two individual structures and spring elements. The spring elements couple the individual structures to the substrate and to one another. Force transmitters and taps are provided. The arrangement has at least one excitation mode which can be excited by the force transmitters and at least one detection mode which can be measured by the taps. The excitation mode and the detection mode are closed, as a result of which no disturbance excitations of the excitation mode and of the detection mode can be caused by linear accelerations and/or vibrations if there is no need to take account of manufacturing tolerances. |
| US08342020B2 |
Tire testing machine and tire testing method
A tire testing machine according to the present invention, which can measure both uniformity and dynamic balance of a tire T, comprises a spindle for driving the tire T to rotate about a vertical axis, a spindle housing which supports the spindle rotatably, and a rotating drum rotatable about an axis parallel to an axis of the spindle and movable toward and away from the tire T. The spindle housing is fixed to a base through a piezoelectric sensor so that it can bear a pressing force provided from the rotating drum. The piezoelectric sensor is disposed within a plane including the axis of the spindle and perpendicular to the pressing force. With this structure, dynamic balance of the tire can be measured accurately and easily. |
| US08342016B2 |
Method for evaluating the transversal grip of a tire on a snow covered ground
A method for evaluating the transversal grip of a type of tires on a snow-covered ground, of providing this type of tires to a vehicle, driving this vehicle at the transversal grip limit on a snow-covered track, and producing instantaneous measures of the vehicle transversal acceleration while it travels on the track. Track (P) includes a plurality of turns (V1, V2) making it possible to establish a transversal acceleration steady state, the transversal acceleration instantaneous measures being subjected to a low-pass filtering, and the transversal grip of a tire is judged as being even better the higher the transversal acceleration values obtained with this tire are. |
| US08342013B2 |
Oil-degradation determination apparatus
A method and apparatus for determining oil degradation measures a first electric-current value of a driving current used to operate an electric oil pump at a predetermined consistent revolution, and stores the first electric-current value as an electric-current initial value. Data is corrected by measuring a second electric-current value of the driving current, with the second electric-current value being measured when the electric pump is operated at the predetermined consistent revolution when the engine is driven a predetermined time after the electric-current initial value is stored. The electric-current initial value is compared with the second electric-current value. It is then determined that a viscosity of the oil has become low when a difference between the electric-current initial value and the second electric-current value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. |
| US08342012B2 |
Method for performing diagnostics on line systems of internal combustion engines
In a method for performing diagnostics on line systems, in particular crank casing venting systems of internal combustion engines, a correction value for an operating parameter of the internal combustion engine is formed in each of at least two chronologically successive determining steps. The correction values or values which are derived therefrom are used to detect a faulty state of the line system. |
| US08342008B2 |
Scanning probe microscope
In the case of measuring a pattern having a steep side wall, a probe adheres to the side wall by the van der Waals forces acting between the probe and the side wall when approaching the pattern side wall, and an error occurs in a measured profile of the side wall portion. When a pattern having a groove width almost equal to a probe diameter is measured, the probe adheres to both side walls, the probe cannot reach the groove bottom, and the groove depth cannot be measured. When the probe adheres to a pattern side wall in measurements of a microscopic high-aspect ratio pattern using an elongated probe, the probe is caused to reach the side wall bottom by detecting the adhesion of the probe to the pattern side wall, and temporarily increasing a contact force between the probe and the sample. Also, by obtaining the data of the amount of torsion of a cantilever with the shape data of the pattern, a profile error of the side wall portion by the adhesion is corrected by the obtained data of the amount of torsion. |
| US08342000B2 |
Servo-press machine
A servo-press machine determining whether or not a drive power supply voltage between a positive power supply path and a negative power supply path that connect a power supply device and a motor rotation control section is lower than an induced voltage of a servomotor, and correcting speed-related data based on slide motion information when the servo-press machine has determined that the drive power supply voltage is lower than the induced voltage. |
| US08341998B2 |
Forming apparatus and forming method
A forming apparatus to bend a plate-shaped material, including: a first forming device to bend one surface of the plate-shaped material not more than 180 degrees by pressing the plate-shaped material; a second forming device to bend another surface of the plate-shaped material not more than 180 degrees by pressing the plate-shaped material; wherein the first and the second forming device perform bending while changing a relative position by interlocking with each other. |
| US08341995B2 |
Method for making can bodies having axial ribs and step shoulder bottoms
A method for forming at least one rib and a step shoulder bottom of a can body in a single drawing operation from a redrawn cup or preform which has a closed end with an inwardly tapering annular periphery that includes sufficient material to enable formation of the step shoulder bottom without having the at least one rib drawn into the step shoulder bottom. |
| US08341984B2 |
Estimating velocities with uncertainty
A method and apparatus for estimating velocity in a subsurface region. Seismic data for a subsurface region may be received. One or more attributes for the seismic data may be calculated. A posterior distribution may be generated. The posterior distribution may represent one or more probabilities of one or more velocities for the attributes. A velocity with uncertainty may be determined for the subsurface region based on the posterior distribution. A pore pressure with uncertainty may be determined based on the velocity with uncertainty. |
| US08341983B2 |
Drum-type washing machine
A drum type washing machine is provided. The drum type washing machine may include a cabinet, a tub fixed to an inner side of the cabinet, a drum rotatably arranged in the tub, and a driving motor positioned at a rear side of the drum for generating a driving force that rotates the drum. The washing machine may also include a supporting plate to rotatably support a rotational shaft extending between the motor and the drum, and a plurality of supporters connected between the supporting plate and the cabinet. Such an arrangement may increase washing capacity by increasing a diameter of the drum without increasing an external size of the cabinet. |
| US08341982B2 |
Detergent supply apparatus and washing machine
A washing machine according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention includes a body having a washing tub; a detergent bottle seating part provided over the body and having a detergent inlet through which a liquid detergent is entered, a detachable detergent bottle containing the liquid detergent being seated on the detergent bottle seating part; and a detergent storing part provided under the detergent bottle seating part, the liquid detergent contained in the detergent bottle being entered and stored in the detergent storing part by its weight. |
| US08341980B2 |
Integrated multiaxial articles: method, apparatus and fabrics
Integrated multiaxial articles are formed of yarns arranged in multiaxial direction in a plurality of layers bound together by a set of through-the-layers yarns. Methods and apparatus of making same are presented. Hollow integrated multiaxial fabric and its variants are introduced. |
| US08341975B2 |
Water dispenser
A water dispenser is provided for dispensing hot water, cold water, and carbonated water, all of which is filtered. The dispenser includes a housing defining a front dispensing face, a rear face, opposite side walls and a bottom wall. A filter is mounted in the housing and has a rear end connectable to a source of water and a front end accessible at the front face of the housing to facilitate replacing the filter. A dispensing faucet is disposed at the front face of the housing. A hot water tank is located at one side of the housing and has an inlet for receiving filtered water from the filter and a hot water outlet near the dispensing faucet for delivering hot water thereto. An ice bank assembly is located at an opposite side of the housing and has an inlet for receiving filtered water from the filter and a cold water outlet near the dispensing faucet for delivering cold water thereto. A compressor is mounted on the bottom wall of the housing and is coupled to one end of the ice bank evaporator. A condenser coil is mounted at the rear face of the housing and is coupled between the compressor and an opposite end of the evaporator. A carbonator has an inlet for receiving filtered water from the filter and an outlet near the dispensing faucet for delivering carbonated water thereto. |
| US08341969B2 |
Absorptive heat pump systems and heating method
The present invention relates to an absorptive heat pump circulation systems and heating method. According to the present invention, an absorption heat pump circulation system comprises: a generator, equipped with a heat exchanger; an evaporator, equipped with a driving heat source; an absorber, equipped with a heat exchanger; and an absorbent crystallizer. An absorption solution entrance of the crystallizer is connected to an absorption solution exit of the absorber and a crystallized absorption solution exit of the crystallizer is connected to an absorption solution entrance of the generator, and a crystal output of the crystallizer is connected to an absorption solution Entrance of the absorber; The heat exchanger of the generator and the heat exchanger of the absorber are connected to form a thermal cycling loop, which transfers the absorption heat generated by the absorber to the generator. Since the absorbent crystallizer is provided, and the heat generated by the absorber is provided to the generator directly through the thermal cycling loop, then the external driving heat source required by the generator in the traditional absorption heating circulation system is essentially saved, so that the coefficient of performance is significantly improved. The present invention extensively applies to the utilization of excess heat at a low temperature as well as energy-saving and emission-reducing in the fields such as chemical industry, food industry, sewage treatment, sea water desalination and so on. |
| US08341967B2 |
Heat-dissipating device for supplying cold airflow
A heat-dissipating device (1) includes a casing (10) and a thermal insulation plate (20) provided within the casing (10). The thermal insulating plate (20) divides the interior of the casing (10) into a first accommodating space (101) and a second accommodating space (102). A hot air outlet (121) and a first air inlet (122) of the casing (10) are in communication with the first accommodating space (101). A cold air outlet (110) and a second air inlet (123) of the casing (10) are in communication with the second accommodating space (102). A thermoelectric cooling chip (30) is disposed in a through-hole (200) of the thermal insulation plate (20) and has a hot-end surface (31) facing the first accommodating space (101) and a cold-end surface (32) facing the second accommodating space (102). A heat-dissipating module (40) is received in the first accommodating space (101). A cold-airflow supplying module (50) is received in the second accommodating space (102). The heat generated by the hot-end surface (31) is dissipated to the hot air outlet (121) by the thermal conduction of the heat-dissipating module (40). The cold generated by the cold-end surface (32) is conducted and distributed uniformly by the cold-airflow supplying module (50) to the cold air outlet (110). |
| US08341961B2 |
Solar desalination system
A solar desalination system for creation of desalinated water from seawater that produces electricity includes: a) a solar furnace unit including a vessel for receiving and evaporating seawater to create desalinated steam and a solar energy concentrator positioned adjacent the vessel to concentrate solar energy to the vessel; b) input for feeding seawater to the vessel; c) brine output for removal of brine water bottoms from the vessel; d) a riser pipe connected at its bottom to the vessel and extending upwardly from for transporting steam from the vessel to a higher elevation electric power-producing steam turbine generator; f) a drop pipe having a top and a bottom, and being connected at its tops to the steam turbine generator for removal of desalinated water from the steam turbine generator; g) a hydroturbine generator connected to the bottom of the drop pipe for production of electric power with desalinated water from the steam turbine generator; and, h) egress for removal of desalinated water from the hydroturbine generator for subsequent use. |
| US08341957B2 |
Portable wave-swash and coastal-wind energy harvester
In accordance with the present invention, a portable wave-swash & coastal-wind energy harvester, placed on a sea coast in swash zone captures energy contained in coastal waves and in coastal-wind through the utilization of wave turbines, wind turbines, and wave floats. Wave-float levers carrying wave floats and wave turbines, swing and maintain lower halves of wave turbines below water always. A gear system with one-way clutches transmits torque to an alternator to generate electricity. Flywheels maintain steady rotation of alternator shaft. A buoyancy chamber at the bottom produces reduction of weight of the unit when buoyancy chamber is emptied of water, and thereby enhances maneuverability of unit in water. Stabilization tanks at the top when filled with water provide extra weight and stability of the unit in its operating location. Units linked together in an energy farm combine their energy while forming a seawall-like barrier offering protection against coastal erosion. |
| US08341952B2 |
Exhaust manifold
An exhaust gas system includes an exhaust manifold, in particular a single-wall exhaust manifold, which includes a plurality of inlet pipes for connection to exhaust gas outlets of an internal combustion engine and a collector device for the combining of the inlet pipes. The collector device has an outlet opening which is connected to downstream elements of the exhaust gas system, wherein the collector device is resistant to bending and the inlet pipes are comparatively flexible with respect to the collector device. The collector device includes an inlet pipe stub which is likewise resistant to bending and which is made for the direct connection to an exhaust gas outlet of an internal combustion engine. |
| US08341947B2 |
System and method for regenerating a particulate filter
A system for filtering and oxidizing particulate matter produced by a gasoline direct injection engine is disclosed. In one embodiment, engine cylinder air-fuel is adjusted to allow soot to oxidize at an upstream particulate filter while exhaust gases are efficiently processed in a downstream catalyst. |
| US08341941B2 |
Exhaust purification device of internal combustion engine
In an internal combustion engine, an NOx selective reduction catalyst (14) is arranged in an engine exhaust passage, and an NOx storage catalyst (12) is arranged in the engine exhaust passage upstream of the NOx selective reduction catalyst (14). When the amount of NOx stored in the NOx storage catalyst (12) exceeds a predetermined allowable value, the NOx storage catalyst (12) is raised in temperature to make the NOx storage catalyst (12) release the NOx. The amount of urea feed is decreased by exactly the amount of reduction of the calculated stored NOx amount with respect to the amount of urea feed determined from the engine operating state, and the amount of urea feed is increased by exactly the amount of reduction of the calculated released NOx amount with respect to the amount of urea feed determined from the engine operating state. |
| US08341940B2 |
Addition-amount controller for exhaust gas purifying agent and exhaust emission control system
In an addition-amount controller for an exhaust gas purifying agent to be used for an exhaust emission control system, a catalyst has properties of storing NH3 and further decreasing the critical reaction temperature as an amount of NH3 storage at the catalyst is increased. In the addition-amount controller, a present NH3 storage amount that is a storage amount of NH3 of the catalyst is detected at a detection time, the NH3 storage amount of the catalyst is changed by controlling an addition amount by an addition valve, and the NH3 storage amount of the catalyst is controlled to a target NH3 storage amount based on the detected present NH3 storage amount. |
| US08341939B2 |
Purification system for variable post injection in LP EGR and control method for the same
A purification system for variable post injection in LP EGR, the system includes a turbo charger disposed downstream of a diesel engine, a DPF (catalyzed particulate filter) disposed downstream of the turbo charger, a NOx reduction apparatus disposed upstream or downstream of the DPF, a bypass line diverged from the DPF for mixing exhaust gas and air inflowing the turbo charger, a exhaust gas control portion disposed downstream of the DPF for controlling flowing of the exhaust gas and a lean/rich controlling portion for controlling lean/rich of the exhaust gas. |
| US08341938B2 |
Method for determining the instant at which a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst is switched from the storage phase to the regeneration phase and for diagnosing the storage properties of this catalyst
When a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst is being regenerated, the regeneration may be terminated for example as a result of a premature load change in the engine, which can lead to incomplete emptying of the storage catalyst. The residual filling level which remains in the catalyst following an incomplete regeneration of this nature is used as the starting value for calculation of the filling level during the next storage phase. After incomplete regeneration, the nitrogen oxide conversion rate is initially greater than would be expected, on account of the residual filling level. By taking this increased conversion rate into account when calculating the filling level during the storage phase, it is possible to further improve the accuracy of the calculation. |
| US08341937B2 |
Diagnostic apparatus for an exhaust gas purification system of an internal combustion engine, an exhaust gas purification system and a diagnostic method thereof
An apparatus for an exhaust gas system includes a main exhaust passage, a main catalytic converter disposed in the main exhaust passage, a bypass exhaust passage, a bypass catalytic converter disposed in the bypass exhaust passage, and a valve configured to open or close a section of the main exhaust passage. The bypass exhaust passage bypasses the main exhaust passage between a branch point of the bypass exhaust passage out of the main exhaust passage and a junction with the main exhaust passage at a upstream side of the main catalytic converter. A first sensor indicates a first air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas in the bypass exhaust passage. A second sensor indicates a second air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the main catalytic converter. A controller determines whether the valve in the closed configuration leaks exhaust gas based on the first and second air-fuel ratios of exhaust gas. |
| US08341934B2 |
Infrared suppression system with spiral septum
An InfraRed Suppression System (IRSS) includes a double-walled exhaust duct and double walled septum. The double walled structure provides a flow path for secondary (non-exhaust gas) cooling air flow to slots along the surfaces exposed to exhaust gases. Exhaust gas flow past these slots draws cooling air across the duct and septum surfaces. This flow cools the surfaces close to the slots and mixes with exhaust gasses downstream to cool the exhaust plume. The septum in the shape of a helix rotating 360° fully blocks line-of-sight to the turbine exit from the aft of the aircraft. The exhaust duct is intended to be shrouded by an aerodynamic fairing which provides an aerodynamic contour which minimizes aerodynamic impact on the aircraft. |
| US08341932B2 |
Rotary air valve firing patterns for resonance detuning
An engine contains a compressor stage, a plurality of pulse detonation combustors and a rotary inlet valve structure having a plurality of inlet ports through which at least air flows to enter the pulse detonation combustors during operation of the engine. Downstream of the pulse detonation combustors is a turbine stage. Further, the ratio of the pulse detonation combustors to the inlet ports is a non-integer. |
| US08341929B2 |
Belt guard crop dam for flexible draper header
Belt guards that overlie the interface between a flexible cutterbar assembly and a flexible draper assembly of a harvesting header define an underlying void region that is sealed against the entry of crop residue by an upright dam wall that bears against the underside of the overhanging belt guards forward of the front edge of the upper run of the belt of the draper assembly. The upright dam wall is on the front extremity of flexible support panels that underlie the upper belt run and may be essentially rigid or provided with a resilient trim seal strip. |
| US08341927B2 |
Crop harvesting header with rotary disks and impellers for transferring the crop inwardly to a discharge opening
A crop header has generally horizontal flail disks mounted for driven rotation about generally upright axes. A pair of conditioner rolls is mounted in a discharge opening and a transfer roller is mounted behind the disks and in front of the nip. At each end, two disks are mounted outwardly of the discharge opening each rotating so that its blade moves inwardly and each carries an impeller to carry the crop inwardly. A third disk is arranged so that a line forward of the end of the discharge opening intersects the third disk inward of the axis of the third disk. The third disk rotates so that its blade moves outwardly so that the crop tends to pass between the second and third disks. A pair of impellers are mounted behind the second disk and move inwardly to carry the cut crop to the discharge opening. |
| US08341919B2 |
Core component and door comprising thereof
The present invention is directed to a method of forming a molded core component. A mat formed from cellulosic fiber and resin is provided. The mat is consolidated in a first press until the resin is substantially fully cured, and then removed from the first press. The consolidated mat is then placed in a second press having a mold cavity shaped to form at least one depression in at least one of the major surfaces. The consolidated mat is reformed in the second press to form a molded core component having at least one depression in at least one of the major surfaces. The molded core component has a variable density, preferably of between about 10 lbs/ft3 and 80 lbs/ft3. |
| US08341912B2 |
Decorative plastic batten shutter
A decorative shutter assembly including a plurality of main slats arranged in side-by-side relation, end pieces positioned at each end of the main slats and each including laterally spaced tongues spaced and sized to fit in their respective open ends of the main slats at a respective end of the main slats, and cross slat structures positioned in overlying relationship to seams formed between inboard ends of the end pieces and the respective ends of the main slats. The cross slat structures are removably secured to the end pieces and to the main slats so that, following delivery of the shutter assembly to a building site, the cross slat structures may be removed, the end pieces and main slats may be secured to a building surface utilizing fastener members, and the cross slats may be repositioned over the fastener members to conceal the fastener members. |
| US08341910B2 |
Insulating floor underlayment
A flooring material having a textile pad substructure with a density of greater than 10 pounds per cubic foot is provided. The textile pad has reinforcement and binding fibers. The binding fibers are thermoplastic and are used to bind the reinforcement fibers together. The pad is created by heating and compressing a fibrous textile batt so that it has a density of greater than 13 pounds per cubic foot. |
| US08341899B2 |
Cafe
A cafe may include a food purchasing area, a primary dining area, and a primary child play area. The primary child play area may be defined by at least one wall and be surrounded by the primary dining area. The wall(s) may be substantially transparent. Seats may be positioned around the primary child play area to enable parents to view children within the primary child play area. In one embodiment, the wall(s) extend from floor to ceiling. The café may include a classroom in which classes for the children are conducted. Sound absorbent material may be positioned above the primary play area to reduce sound from the primary play area entering the primary dining area. |
| US08341897B2 |
Pitch pocket assembly
A pitch pocket assembly for sealing an aperture in a roof includes a first member and a plurality of flashing members. The first member includes a wall portion and a plurality of flashing portions. The plurality of flashing portions extend from and are substantially perpendicular to the wall portion proximate at least one deformation zone. The plurality of flashing members are each attached to the first member. Each of the flashing members at least partially overlaps at least one of the flashing portions. The wall portion of the first member is bendable along each of the deformation zones to form a pitch pocket having the flashing members at least partially overlapping the flashing portions of the first member. |
| US08341896B2 |
Modular floor tile with resilient support members
Modular floor tiles and modular floors are described herein. A modular floor tile may include a top surface layer, a plurality of edge surfaces, an interlocking mechanism for attachment to adjacent tiles, and a support system. The support system may additionally include a first rigid level and at least one resilient support member disposed under the top surface layer, the at least one resilient support member extending to a distance further from the top surface layer than the first rigid level. The at least one resilient support member may be compressible toward the top surface layer. A modular floor may include a plurality of interlocking tiles connected to one another. A method of forming a modular floor that includes an interlocking modular tile is also disclosed. |
| US08341894B2 |
Active transparent or translucent enclosures with energy control capacity
An enclosure is made out of transparent or translucent panes which form a chamber (1) through which a liquid flows in closed circuit and which interchanges energy with the inner and outer environments, a heat exchanger (2) in contact with the liquid, a circulation pump (3), and a hydrostatic pressure reducer device (4). The hydrostatic pressure reducer device allows the reduction of the thicknesses of the transparent panes which hold the liquid inside. The active character of the enclosure is due to its capacity of controlling the solar heat load and the illumination. The solar heat load is regulated through the heat exchanger. The illumination of the building is controlled through the adjustable transparency of the liquid. The described enclosure allows the creation of an isothermal envelope which allows the climatization of the building. The system can be used for active outer enclosures or for interior partitions for the climatization and luminic control, as well as for glass roofs or false ceilings. |
| US08341893B2 |
Seismic coupler
A seismic coupler includes two coupling members each having an end receptacle for securing to a reinforcing bar of a column of reinforced concrete; and a flexible assembly comprising a cylindrical core formed of alloy, a plurality of steel first rings put on the core, a plurality of flexible second rings put on the core in an alternating fashion with respect to the first rings, a flexible sleeve put on the first and second rings to have both ends being flush with that of the core, two cup-shaped cap members engaged each other to conceal the core, the first and second rings, and the sleeve, and two sets of a plurality of fasteners driven through the coupling members and the cup-shaped cap members into the first rings. |
| US08341878B2 |
Zip tree tie
A tree tie and method of use is disclosed. The tree tie comprises a member. The tie member including a first end portion; a first tab coupled to the first end portion; a middle portion and one end of a middle portion coupled to the first tab. The tie member also includes an opposite end of the middle portion coupled to a second tab, a second end portion coupled to the second tab and a head portion coupled to the second end portion. The tree tie including a flexible hose surrounding the middle portion of the first member and being substantially held in place by the first and second tabs. Only flexible hose contacts the tree when the first member surrounds the tree. |
| US08341875B2 |
Aquatic snail trap, bait, and method of use thereof
A device for trapping and collecting snails in an aquatic environment. The device includes a basin with a lid having a top opening through which snails may enter, a floating screen to keep snails retained, and a standpipe to anchor the device to the bottom of a water body and to serve as a location for the deposit of snail eggs. |
| US08341871B2 |
Fishing bobbers
Some embodiments of fishing bobbers include a main body portion, a first shaft portion, a second shaft portion, a slot, a first closing mechanism, and a second closing mechanism. Each of the first and second shaft portions has a generally cylindrical shape. The first shaft portion is positioned at one of the outer ends of the main body portion, and the second shaft portion is positioned at an opposite one of the outer ends of the main body portion. The slot runs along a length of the fishing bobber and enables a fishing line to be positioned within a central aperture of the fishing bobber. The first closing mechanism is positioned within the first shaft portion, and the second closing mechanism is positioned within the second shaft portion. The first and second closing mechanisms can be rotated between open and closed positions. |
| US08341870B2 |
Swimming frog lure and method
A frog lure device that has a life-like swimming action. The device has a diving “collar” disposed around an upper region of the lure body, rather than a lower region, which is common in conventional lure devices. In a specific embodiment, the collar causes the lure body to dive under the surface like a frog. Concurrent with the diving action, the lure device also has a kicking action to resemble a living frog device. The collar also forms a trail of one or more bubbles and a vortex, or slight vacuum behind it. In a specific embodiment, the lure body includes a pair of legs, which have a suitable length to be caught in the vortex and become trapped in the vortex. the pair of legs also straighten out to cause a kicking action and also provide stability to the lure body as it accelerates through the water. |
| US08341869B2 |
Apparatus for controlling the release of a tip-up signal indicator for a trap
An ice fishing trap comprising in its operational state a crossbeam dimensioned for extending across a hole in ice covering a body of water, and a hingedly coupled vertical mast. The vertical mast has a rotatable reel dimensioned to carry a length of fishing line and a hook. A trigger mechanism is provided, wherein a rotation of the reel causes an arcuate movement of a trigger hook. One aspect of the invention provides at least two stabilizer limbs hingedly coupled to the crossbeam, so as to form a general Z shaped support base when operational. In another aspect the fishing trap provides a trigger bolt coupled to an indicator spring, wherein the trigger bolt is utilized to couple the indicator spring to the trigger hook. The trigger bolt is slidingly supported by bolt guide, thus providing improved resistance to false indications due wind vibration and the like. Preferably, the trigger bolt is coupled to the indicator spring by a ring shaped coupler. |
| US08341865B2 |
Vertical fore grip with bipod
Devices, systems and methods of using an ergonomic fore grip/gun handle with a concealable and collapsible bipod. One version can have a tubular recess consisting of a first cylindrical cutout housing the bipod legs when concealed and a sliding piston that deploys the legs and a second cylindrical cutout housing a release mechanism and a void space for other accessories. The release mechanism has a compression spring positioned between the piston assembly and the bottom of the first cylindrical cutout and the compression spring. The legs are connected to the bottom of the piston assembly via a hinge and spring that when released from confinement within the fore grip, causes the legs to expand outward until fully deployed. Telescoping legs allow adjustment of leg length for use on uneven terrain. The grip portion has an outer surface with a flat surface on sides of the grip to provide a more stable grip, assist in orienting the mounted weapon and support pressure pads for lights. |
| US08341862B1 |
Greeting card display systems
A greeting card display system featuring a sleeve, wherein at least the bottom edge is sealed and either the first or second side edge is sealed; a slot disposed in the top edge adapted to accommodate insertion of a greeting card between the front and back surface; an inside crease disposed in the front surface of the sleeve, the inside crease divides the front surface into a first inside surface and a second inside surface, the sleeve can move between an open position wherein first inside surface does not contact the second inside surface and a closed position wherein the first inside surface contacts the second inside surface; and a spine crease disposed in the back surface of the sleeve formed by moving the sleeve from the open position to the closed position, the spine crease divides the back surface into a first outside surface and a second outside surface. |
| US08341861B2 |
Display structure and support body
Disclosed is a display structure in which an insertion opening, slide grooves, a first fitting portion and a ridged portion along which the display plate bends when the display plate is bent arranged in the loading sections of a support body in a suitable manner to ensure that when the display plate is inserted into or removed from the loading unit, a force is exerted on both sides of the display plate in either the direction from the display surface side to the rear surface side thereof or the direction from the rear surface side to the display surface side thereof, and a force is exerted in another direction at the center region of the display plate. As a result of configuring in this manner, the display plate deforms so that the entire display surface side comes to have a convex or concave shape, thereby allowing the display plate to be attached to or detached from the support body without forcible localized deformation of the display plate. |
| US08341860B2 |
Sign post comprising composite material
The present invention provides a tubular support (12) comprising a composite layer of resin and longitudinal arranged first fibers (66), said tubular support (12) further comprising longitudinal arranged second fibers (68) that are concentrated in discrete domains along the circumference of the tubular support, said second fibers having a Tensile modulus that is higher than the Tensile modulus of said first fibers. |
| US08341855B2 |
Spinning shoe
A spinning shoe having an upper and sole member in which the sole member has a spinning assembly in the forefoot. The spinning assembly is placed within a recess in the forefoot region of the sole member. Thus, the user may walk about in the spinning shoe in a normal mode or spin about a vertical axis by placing the user's weight on the forefoot region and then spin about on the vertical axis. |
| US08341848B2 |
Method and apparatus for vehicle service system optical target assembly
A method and apparatus for determining the alignment of a vehicle wheel using an optical target assembly secured to the vehicle wheel in a non-determined position, the optical target assembly having a dimensionally stable shape and a plurality of optical target elements disposed on a plurality of target surfaces. Images of the optical target elements are acquired by an imaging system, together with target identifying indicia, and utilized together with previously stored target characterization data to determine a spatial orientation of the optical target assembly and an alignment of the vehicle wheel onto which it is secured. |
| US08341846B1 |
Hair clippers with electrically adjustable blades
The hair clippers use a self-contained motor-driven adjustment mechanism to adjust the relative position of the stationary and reciprocating blades of a common type of blade set. Two momentary switches operable by the thumb of the hand holding the clipper afford a barber total automatic adjustment with the clipper itself in an on or off condition. Since the small gear motors used for the adjustment are brush type or brushless permanent magnet motors which are operated by direct current, the adjustment feature is most compatible with cordless clippers already using an on-board DC source in the form of a re-chargeable battery to drive the reciprocating blade. The invention will be described as a modification of a cordless clipper, although AC driven corded type clippers can also be modified with this feature by the addition of an on-board AC to DC power supply for the adjustment motor. |
| US08341844B2 |
Manufacturing method of an outer ring for a bearing unit
With respect to an outer ring 2b in which a diameter DB1 of a first outer ring raceway 10c is greater than a diameter DB2 of a second outer ring raceway 10b (DB1>DB2), a method is realized which facilitates the entry of a grinding tool 12 into an inner side of the outer ring when these both outer ring raceways 10c and 10b are subjected to a grinding process.The grinding tool 12 is made to enter the inner side of the outer ring 2b through an opening on a side close to the first outer ring raceway 10c. |
| US08341837B2 |
Modular power distribution and control system
The invention describes apparatus for designing and installing power distribution systems for: residential, commercial and industrial applications, as well as for power distribution within electro-mechanical devices. The invention transforms existing labor-intense installations into practically plug-and-power type modular systems. For a specific project, pre-designed, fabricated and tested kit, including factory assembled and tested: power and control enclosures, power outlets and junction boxes, interface cables, as specified by the invention, will be delivered directly to the installation site. No labor intense operations: wire crimping, outlet/switch wiring, junction box wiring, load wiring. No exposed hot wires or leads at any point outside enclosure. The invention will: significantly lower labor costs, reduce installation time, improve safety, reliability and quality. Utilization of shielded cables and shielding of other components within a system, will significantly lower electrical power emissions, benefiting the environment for all—the end users and other technologies. |
| US08341836B2 |
Manufacturing method of an airtight container
An airtight container manufacturing method includes the steps of (a) exhausting an inside of a container through the through-hole; (b) arranging a spacer along a periphery of the through-hole on an outer surface of the container the inside of which has been exhausted; (c) arranging a plate so that the spacer and the through-hole are covered by the plate and a gap is formed along a side surface of the spacer between the plate and the container outer surface; and (d) arranging the cover to cover the plate and bonding the cover and the container outer surface via sealant positioned between the cover and the container outer surface. The sealing includes hardening the sealant after deforming the sealant by pressing the plate with the cover so that the gap is infilled with the sealant. |
| US08341832B2 |
Method to create an enclosure for an electronic device
A top case assembly for a portable computer is disclosed. The assembly may include an integral unified (e.g., homogenous) top case formed from a single part. The integral top case provides an enclosure, frame and cosmetic exterior of the portable computer. The integral top case also serves as the primary structure of the portable computer. The assembly may include a variety of subassemblies such as keyboards, touchpads, circuit boards, and drives that are carried by the underside of the integral top case. The integral top case may be formed from aluminum slab that has been machined to form walls, openings, attachment areas and cosmetic areas of the top case. |
| US08341830B2 |
Quick circuit board press-mount device
A quick circuit board press-mount device comprises: a positioning device, having a positioning board and a back board, and the positioning board having an adjusting knob with a screw rod portion, and the back board having an adjusting notch; an adjusting device, having a combining board, an insert board extended forward from the front end of the combining board, and the insert board having a screw hole for securing the screw rod portion, and the insert board being inserted into the adjusting notch, and the insert board having a lateral connecting board extended from a side from the combining board, and the lateral connecting board having an oblong adjusting slot for securing a position screw hole of the back board by a screw rod; and a press-mount element, coupled to the combining board, so that the circuit board module and the interface card can be mounted conveniently and quickly. |
| US08341829B2 |
Taut sheath splicing apparatus
An apparatus for splicing a fiber optic cable comprises a clamp for clamping a first portion of a first fiber optic cable, a bail for connecting the clamp to a support structure, a splice closure for splicing a second portion of the first fiber optic cable to a second fiber optic cable, and means for connecting the splice closure to the bail. A method of splicing a fiber optic cable, using the apparatus is also included. |
| US08341827B2 |
Device for placing a component on a substrate
A device suitable for placing a component on a substrate is provided with a component feeding device, a component pick-and-place device comprising a nozzle, a substrate carrier, means for moving the component pick-and-place device from the component feeding device to the substrate carrier and vice versa. A global measuring system is provided for determining the position of the component pick-and-place device during movement of the component pick-and-place device from the component feeding device to the substrate carrier and vice versa. The device is further provided with a local measuring system, remote from the global measuring system, for almost continually determining, in the proximity of a desired position of the component on the substrate, the position of the component pick-and-place device with respect to the substrate. The local measuring system is located closer to the substrate carrier than the global measuring system. |
| US08341825B2 |
Method for manufacturing a thermally-assisted magnetic head
A thermally-assisted magnetic head includes a slider including an air bearing surface (ABS) and a waveguide with a core that extends from a light entering surface to the ABS, and a laser diode (LD) unit attached to the light entering surface. The LD unit faces the light entering surface, and a photo detector faces the ABS. A polarizer that only transmits light having a polarization component orthogonal to a polarization direction of linearly polarized laser light is disposed between the ABS and the photo detector. An LD of the LD unit is activated, and the linearly polarized laser light enters the core from the light entering surface. Light radiated from the ABS enters the polarizer, and an alignment of the slider and the LD unit is performed while the photo detector detects the light transmitted through the polarizer. |
| US08341824B2 |
Method for manufacturing circumferentially deploying type of stator coil
A method of manufacturing a stator coil to be wound in and around a stator by bending an insulating-coating conducting wire so as to alternately have slot-held conductor sections to be held in slots of the stator and a coil-end conductor sections each mutually connecting two of the slot-held conductor sections outside the slots. The method includes arranging three or more pairs of molds at predetermined intervals along the insulating-coating conducting wire, each pair of molds having paired molds facing each other with the wire located therebetween. First, the coil-end conductor sections are formed by moving the mold pairs such that the paired molds come closer to each other. Then the slot-held conductor sections are formed by moving the molds, in parallel, in both the longitudinal direction along which the insulating-coating conducting wire extends and in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. |
| US08341823B1 |
Method for connecting a head window to a frame
The present invention provides a fixture and method for mounting a head window to a frame for use in a submarine periscope system. The fixture supports the head window during the potting of the head window to the frame. A spring-loaded clamping plate is mountable to a baseplate for relative movement therebetween. The clamping assembly has an oval recessed portion. A plurality of spaced apart feet are formed within the oval. The feet support and are bonded to the head window. Shim stock are placed between the feet to define a critical gap. |
| US08341814B2 |
Methods for manufacturing piezoelectric devices
Methods are provided for manufacturing piezoelectric devices. In an exemplary method, a base wafer is prepared that defines an array of multiple bases. Between each base on the wafer is a through-hole defined in respective parts by the respective edge surfaces of adjacent bases. A piezoelectric wafer is prepared that defines an array of multiple piezoelectric frames each having a piezoelectric vibrating piece and a surrounding frame portion. The vibrating piece includes an excitation electrode and extraction electrode. The extraction electrode extends to the through-hole. An adhesive is applied to a surface of the frame portion including a surface of the extraction electrode. The adhesive bonds the piezoelectric wafer to the base wafer. Excess adhesive is removed from the through-hole to expose a portion of the extraction electrode in the through-hole. An external electrode is formed on the outer surface of the base and extends to the through-hole in which the external electrode covers the edge surface of the through-hole, an edge surface of the adhesive, and the exposed portion of the extraction electrode. |
| US08341813B2 |
Hinge locator device
A locator device for locating the centerline of a plurality of piano hinge segments without the use of hard tooling includes a target support element, a pair of targets supported on opposite ends of the target support element, and a locator element for locating the target support element relative to hinge pin holes so that the targets are equally spaced from the hinge pin holes. The targets may be reflective-type targets used in laser targeting systems, photogrammetry targets used in digital photogrammetry locating systems, or other known targets. |
| US08341811B2 |
Snap ring for fishing implements
A snap ring for fishing implements is provided. The snap ring includes a hook-like body having an opening on a portion thereof, a rotary shaft coupled on one side to a portion of the body such that the rotary shaft is rotatable around the opening, a hollow guide into which the rotary shaft is fitted and slides along, and a guide spring provided between the rotary shaft and the guide to elastically support the guide against the rotary shaft. |
| US08341807B2 |
Mounting device for producing an all-steel card clothing
A mounting device 12 for producing all-steel card clothings 2 with improved mounting quality. The mounting device 12 comprises a guide arrangement 28 for guiding the profile wire 3. The guide arrangement 28 may comprise, for example, an angle adjustment arrangement 32 comprising two brake jaws 30, 31. The mounting device 12 has at least one longitudinal axis 34, 45, about which the guide arrangement 28 can be pivoted. The guide arrangement 28 can be pivoted manually, with the use of a motor or by spring force. In addition, the guide arrangement 28 and the angle adjustment arrangement 32, respectively, can be adjusted in linear direction, and horizontally and vertically in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the profile wire 38. Optionally, the guide arrangement 28 may replace a separate brake arrangement as well as a separate alignment arrangement. |
| US08341805B2 |
Hinge assembly for foldable electronic device
An exemplary hinge assembly includes a sleeve, a first member, a second member, a conductive member and a resilient member. The sleeve includes an open end. The first member is received in the sleeve. The conductive member is positioned on the first member. The second member is located next to the first member. One of the first member and the second member have a cam, the other of the first member and second member have a cam follower interacting with the cam so that the first member rotates about an axis and the second member moves linearly along the axis when the cam follower follows the cam. The resilient member is fitted in the sleeve and provides an elastic force to bias the first member and the second member into contact with each other. A plurality of tabs formed adjacent to the open end contact the conductive member for electronically connecting the sleeve to the first member. |
| US08341802B2 |
Robot cleaner
A robot cleaner that is capable of preventing dust collected in a dust tank from flowing backward outside when a situation in which the dust may be discharged outside occurs includes a cleaner body, a dust tank mounted in the cleaner body to collect dust, and a backward-flow preventing device to prevent dust from flowing backward outside through a suction port of the dust tank. The backward-flow preventing device includes a shutter unit to open and close the suction port and a stopper unit to drive the shutter unit. |
| US08341798B2 |
Expandable supports for paint roller covers
Paint roller support includes a substantially rigid sleeve portion for supporting a roller cover thereon and a plurality of flexible fingers that are engageable by an actuator to cause outer ends of the fingers to flex outwardly. An elastomeric material at least partially covers outer surfaces of the fingers for pressing engagement of the elastomeric material against the inner diameter of a surrounding roller cover during outward flexing of the fingers for securely retaining the roller cover in place on the support. |
| US08341790B2 |
Drive system for a toothbrush using a flexible membrane for cleaning teeth
The power toothbrush includes a toothbrush body and a stem portion extending from the toothbrush body which has a workpiece with a flexible membrane at a remote end thereof, and a flexible membrane at a near end thereof as well. A movable piston is positioned in the stem portion, as well as a fluid which is in communication with the flexible membrane at the workpiece end of the toothbrush and the flexible membrane at the near end of the stem portion. The body includes a solenoid coil which, when actuated, moves the piston in opposing directions in a controlled manner within the stem, which acts on the fluid in the stem and moves the flexible membrane at the workpiece in and out at a desired frequency and amplitude. |
| US08341787B2 |
Drum type washing machine having ball balancers and controlling method of the same
Disclosed herein are a drum type washing machine having ball balancers and a controlling method of the same that are capable of reducing spin-drying time. The drum type washing machine having ball balancers according to the present invention includes a rotary tub having the ball balancers mounted therein, a wash motor to rotate the rotary tub, and a controller to detect the eccentricity amount of the rotary tub while controlling the rotary tub to be rotated at a first rotation speed, and, when the rotation speed of the rotary tub reaches a second rotation speed, to control the rotary tub, such that the rotary tub is decelerated to a third rotation speed and a drainage process is carried out. |
| US08341785B2 |
Individual crib rail bumper
A crib rail bumper is formed with a cushioning pad, a fabric cover dimensioned to encompass the pad, and reversible fastening means on opposite sides of the cover for securing the cover and pad to the crib rail. The reversible fastening means is preferably a reversible zipper. The crib rail bumper is compressible along the length dimension so as to encompass crib rails of varying lengths. The cushioning pad has a major length dimension, a minor width dimension, and a thickness dimension, the dimensions being selected for encompassing a crib rail. The reversible fastener allows multiple bumpers to be attached together to encompass wide rails or a plurality of rails. |
| US08341783B2 |
Baby change mat
A baby change mat has a rectangular base mat, and pockets attached to a side of the base mat. The base mat has a non-slip fastening belt for fastening the base mat to a change table. The base mat provides a first work surface for changing a baby. The pocket provides storage space for storing items needed for changing the baby. A cover is detachably attached to the base mat for providing a second work surface. A flap is detachably attached to a side of the rectangular base mat. The flap can be folded on top of the base mat or the cover for providing a third work surface. The baby change mat can be rolled up and held in the rolled up configuration with an elastic closure loop. A carrying handle facilitates attaching the rolled up baby change mat to a support such as a baby stroller. |
| US08341779B2 |
Retractable foot caster supports
A bed has a head section and a foot section. The bed can assume a horizontal position and at least one position in which the foot section is at an angle relative to horizontal. For instance, the bed may assume a chair position, in which the head section is pivoted upwardly and the foot section is pivoted downwardly, to a substantially vertical position.Casters allow the bed to move relative to the floor. The casters can retract toward the head section of the bed as the foot section pivots downwardly toward the floor. |
| US08341778B2 |
Bed gap filler and footboard pad
A hospital bed includes a frame having a head end, a foot end longitudinally spaced from the head end, and first and second laterally spaced sides. A siderail is coupled to the frame adjacent one of the first and second laterally spaced sides. A footboard is coupled to the frame adjacent the foot end such that a gap is defined between the siderail and the footboard. A barrier pad is coupleable to the frame in a first position and in a second position. The barrier pad is situated in the gap and extends generally longitudinally when coupled to the frame in the first position. The barrier pad extends generally laterally in juxtaposition with the footboard when coupled to the frame in the second position. The barrier pad, therefore, serves as a gap filler when in the first position and serves as a footboard pad in the second position. |
| US08341776B2 |
Adjustable leg rest assembly
A spa apparatus including a frame, a basin received in the frame, and an adjustable leg rest coupled to the frame. The adjustable leg rest is configured to slide between a first retracted position and a second extended position. The adjustable leg rest is selectively lockingly engaged by a fixation member to hold the adjustable leg rest in the desired position relative to the frame. |
| US08341774B1 |
Vertically sliding enclosure containing three-slidable glass panel assemblies for bathtub/shower combinations
A vertical sliding enclosure for a bathtub, including three vertically slidable glass panel assemblies, wherein each assembly contains a slidable glass panel attached by the left and right glass connectors serving as the transverse position limiters which limit the panel in the transverse movement, a pair of left and right housings having the respective longitudinal tracks for the panel in the vertical movement, and room for a counterbalancing weight system containing left and right pulleys and weight combination so that a weight of the glass panel can be balanced. The enclosure provides a sufficient height for a user to access the bathtub when the three panels are raised to their maximum heights. When in their lowered position, the three panels prevent shower water from entering the bathroom floor. |
| US08341771B2 |
Opening/closing apparatus and helmet including the same
An opening/closing apparatus capable of manipulating a sun visor, which is opened and closed at a front side of a front opening of a helmet main body, from a top portion of the helmet is provided. The opening/closing apparatus includes a sliding member in which its one end portion is coupled to a central top end portion of the sun visor, and a grip helping the sliding member to move forwards and backwards is formed at another end portion, a guide holder that is attached to an inner top portion of the helmet main body and guides a forward and a backward movement of the sliding member, and a damper that is a saw-toothed member and is attached to one side of the guide holder. |
| US08341768B2 |
Surgical garment with means for affixing a glove thereto
A surgical garment (1) has a front portion (2) and a back portion (3) and two sleeves (4). Each sleeve (4) has at least one adhesive region (6) for affixing a donned surgical glove (11) thereto, each such region (6) being covered by a strip (7) of release material being removable from the associated adhesive region (6) in a sterile manner after donning of the surgical glove (11). |
| US08341765B2 |
Garment for training swimmers
A training garment is provided for use by a swimmer. The garment includes a layer of material that is configured to conform to a body portion of the swimmer, and a plurality of pockets that extend from the layer of material for increasing drag on the swimmer as the body portion is moved in a preselected direction of movement. At least one of the pockets has first and second conditions. In the first condition, drag is increased by that pocket on the swimmer as the body portion moves in the preselected direction of movement. In the second condition, drag is not increased by that pocket on the swimmer as the body portion moves in the preselected direction of movement. |
| US08341764B1 |
Calf protector for rowers
A calf protector for rowers, comprising a single strip of neoprene (or a similar synthetic or natural rubber) covered by nylon (or other fabric having loops) with a strip of hook fasteners (as in VELCRO®) on one end. The neoprene strip is wider in the main middle part, and narrower at the ends. Hook fasteners on the inside surface at one end of the strip can engage loops in the fabric on the outside surface at the opposite end of the strip (or visa versa) so that it forms a loop around the rower's leg, to protect the back of the leg from friction against the front ends of rails on which the seats in a boat move when rowing. The invention may also be used by other persons to protect their legs and/or arms. The invention encompasses both an apparatus and a method for protecting limbs using the apparatus. |
| US08347411B2 |
Scanning probe microscope and method for operating the same
The scanning probe microscope has a primary control loop (7, 11, 12) for keeping the phase and/or amplitude of deflection at constant values as well as a secondary control loop (9) that e.g. keeps the frequency of the cantilever oscillation constant by applying a suitable DC voltage to the probe while, at the same time, a conservative AC excitation is applied thereto. By actively controlling the frequency with the first control loop (7, 11, 12) and subsequently controlling the DC voltage in order to keep the frequency constant, a fast system is created that allows to determine the contact potential difference or a related property of the sample (3) quickly. |
| US08347410B2 |
Method for examining a sample
Disclosed is a method for examining a sample using a scanning tunneling microscope, wherein before or during image recording, a contrast agent is applied to at least one location on the tip of the scanning tunneling microscope and/or on the sample, which is part of the tunneling contact during the image recording, while a temperature less than or equal to the condensation temperature of the contrast agent is set at this location. A corresponding scanning tunneling microscope is disclosed. |
| US08347409B2 |
Resonance compensation in scanning probe microscopy
A method includes generating, using a sensor, a data signal. The data signal includes a first component based on a motion in a first direction of an actuator configured to provide motion between a sample and a probe in the first direction, the first direction substantially in the plane of the sample; and a second component based on at least one of topographic variations of the sample in a second direction, and a materials property of the sample. The method further includes generating, using a processor, a compensatory signal based on the first component of the data signal generated by the sensor; and providing the compensatory signal to the actuator. |
| US08347405B2 |
Asynchronous java script and XML (AJAX) form-based authentication using java 2 platform enterprise edition (J2EE)
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for Asynchronous Java Script and XML (AJAX) form-based authentication using Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE). The apparatus for AJAX form-based authentication using J2EE is provided with a plurality of modules configured to functionally execute the necessary steps for redirecting an AJAX client request to an authentication required servlet, issuing an AJAX response to the client, authenticate the user security credentials, and process the client request for secure data. In addition, a method of the present invention is also presented for programming Asynchronous Java Script and XML (AJAX) form-based authentication that avoids a page change using Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE). |
| US08347403B2 |
Single point authentication for web service policy definition
A single point authentication component is provided that is responsible for authenticating incoming requests received via various mediums into a system of a plurality of Web services. The single point authentication component is configured to receive a request from a client for accessing one of the plurality of Web services and to determine and enforce security policies acceptable for accessing the requested Web service. |
| US08347401B2 |
Method and system for ensuring a sharing violation free environment for a trusted software agent
A method and system is provided by which a trusted software agent can perform in a sharing violation free environment, which reduces complexity and eliminates interference with applications. A method for handling sharing violations in a computer system comprises intercepting a request by an application for access to a file, capturing a sharing violation raised by the operating system due to the said request, determining whether the sharing violation is due to the trusted agent, and if so holding the request by the application for access to the file until the trusted agent no longer holds the file, and then reprocessing the request by the application for access to the file. The application is not aware that the sharing violation due to the trusted agent occurred, or that the request was pending and reprocessed as at the end of the process it receives a file handle as if a sharing violation did not occur. |
| US08347400B2 |
Document access management method and system
This disclosure provides a document access method and system. The document access method and system are based on a social network model which interconnects members of the social network as a function of trust. This framework provides a basis for documents to be accessed by members which are not directly specified by a document's owner, while providing a certain degree of document security. |
| US08347397B2 |
Method to restore a failed HDD of a PVR
The invention relates to recovering files stored on a HDD of a Personal Video Recorder (PVR) in the case of a crash of the HDD. Every time a file is stored on an external medium special information of the file system of the HDD is stored—optionally in encrypted form—on the medium as far as enough storage capacities available there. According to the invention the stored information is overwritten if a rewritable medium is used. By that the medium can be optimally used. If the HDD fails the stored information can be used to copy the files to external media. |
| US08347396B2 |
Protect sensitive content for human-only consumption
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for protecting sensitive content. In response to receiving a selection of content, the process determines whether the content is of a sensitive content type based on a policy. The process then designates the content as the sensitive content in response to the content being of a sensitive content type. Thereafter, the process generates a sensitive content reference for publication and stores the sensitive content in a data structure, wherein the data structure associates the sensitive content with the sensitive content reference. Subsequently, in response to receiving a request from a requester for the sensitive content reference, the process obfuscates the sensitive content using a selected obfuscation algorithm to form obfuscated content, and returns the obfuscated content to the requester. |
| US08347395B2 |
Filtering data requiring confidentiality in monitor mirroring
A method and an apparatus for monitor mirroring in the display of data requiring confidentiality is disclosed, including a computer system, an identification unit that identifies the data requiring confidentiality, and a filter unit that filters the identified data requiring confidentiality, so that only the filtered data and data not requiring confidentiality are shown on the monitor. The screen content of the monitor can thereupon be mirrored onto a further monitor. |
| US08347392B2 |
Apparatus and method for analyzing and supplementing a program to provide security
A computer readable storage medium has executable instructions to perform an automated analysis of program instructions. The automated analysis includes at least two analyses selected from an automated analysis of injection vulnerabilities, an automated analysis of potential repetitive attacks, an automated analysis of sensitive information, and an automated analysis of specific HTTP attributes. Protective instructions are inserted into the program instructions. The protective instructions are utilized to detect and respond to attacks during execution of the program instructions. |
| US08347390B2 |
Wireless communication system congestion reduction system and method
A messaging server forwards emails to mobile communication devices of users to whom the emails were respectively addressed. An antivirus server determines whether an email addressed to a user of a mobile communication device, to be forwarded by the messaging server to the mobile communication device, is infected with a virus. In response to determining the email is infected with a virus, a bulletin generator transmits, to the mobile communication devices besides the mobile communication device of the addressee of the email determined to be infected, an all points bulletin message disclosing the existence of the virus. The bulletin message is transmitted directly to, instead of via email to, the wireless mobile communication devices. |
| US08347383B2 |
Network monitoring apparatus, network monitoring method, and network monitoring program
A traffic monitoring system (10) monitors traffics flowing through a network (100); when an abnormal traffic is detected, identifies an attack source network, a source of an attack, on the basis of attack source information indicating a source device from which the abnormal traffic is transmitted, which is obtained by an analysis of the abnormal traffic, and also identifies an attack destination network, a destination of the attack, on the basis of attack destination information indicating a destination device to which the abnormal traffic is to be transmitted, which is obtained by the analysis of the abnormal traffic; notifies an administrator of the attack source network of the attack source information by acquiring administrator information corresponding to the identified attack source network; and notifies an administrator of the attack destination network of the attack destination information by acquiring administrator information corresponding to the identified attack destination network. |
| US08347380B1 |
Protecting users from accidentally disclosing personal information in an insecure environment
A method and system for protecting users from accidentally disclosing personal information in an insecure environment. In one embodiment, the method includes monitoring I/O device input data associated with a guest operating system on a virtualization platform. The guest operating system has less privilege than a privileged operating system on the virtualization platform. The method further includes determining whether the I/O device input data corresponds to personal information of a user, and delaying or blocking the transfer of the I/O device input data to the guest operating system if the I/O device input data corresponds to the personal information of the user. |
| US08347378B2 |
Authentication for computer system management
An improved solution for authenticating a user seeking to manage a computer system is provided according to aspects of the invention. A user seeking to perform out-of-band management of the computer system can provide a set of credentials to a service processor, which in turn provides them to the computer system for authentication. Additionally, a user seeking to perform in-band management of the computer system can provide a set of credentials to a management agent executing on the computer system for authentication. In either case, the computer system can authenticate the set of credentials, e.g., using an operating system interface. |
| US08347369B2 |
System and method for communication security
A system and method for communication security receives a request from a first communication device for communication with a second communication device, and determines if the communication is to be secure. The system and method further requests identity verification from the second communication device if the communication is to be secure. In addition, the system and method establishes a secure communication between the first communication device and the second communication device when a valid password is received from the second communication device. |
| US08347358B2 |
Open enhanced federation security techniques
Techniques to protect from open enhanced federation user enumeration are described. An apparatus may include a network interface operative to establish connections. The access edge server may further include an open enhanced federation (OEF) module communicatively coupled to the network interface. The OEF module may be operative to manage connections between multiple federated networks. In one embodiment, for example, the OEF module may comprise a peer authentication module operative to determine whether a peer making the request is an untrusted peer domain. The OEF module may further comprise a peer tracking module operative to retrieve a total request number and a total limit number associated with the untrusted peer, and compare the total request number with the total limit number to form a threat status indicator value. The OEF module may also comprise a peer authorization module operative to authorize the request based on the threat status indicator value. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08347355B2 |
Networking as a service: delivering network services using remote appliances controlled via a hosted, multi-tenant management system
Networking as a Service (NaaS) delivers network services using remote appliances controlled by a hosted, multi-tenant management system. The system may include a heartbeating process for communication between a web-based server and appliances, in which the appliances periodically contact the management system on the server. The heartbeating process allows the appliances to maintain a completely up-to-date configuration. Furthermore, heartbeating allows for comprehensive monitoring of appliances and for software distribution. The system may also include means for authenticating appliances, without the need for pre-installed PSKs or certificates. |
| US08347353B1 |
Addressing security in asymmetrical networks
Addressing security in an asymmetrical network. At a centralized database, a handshake message is received from a security element that received the message on a first path. A second handshake message is received from a second security element that received the second message on a second path, where the centralized database tracks handshake messages and associations between the messages and communication sessions. A determination is made that the first message is associated with a session. Another determination is made that the second message is associated with the same session. An association between the second message and the first message is stored in the centralized database, based on the associations of the first message and the second message with the same communication session. A determination that the communication session is allowed is stored in the centralized database, based on the association of the second handshake message to the first handshake message. |
| US08347340B2 |
Aircraft communications system with video file library and associated methods
A video file system for an aircraft carrying a person having a personal electronic device (PED) for displaying video files includes a ground-based video server and an aircraft-based video system. The ground-based video server stores video files, with each video file being updatable from an available status to an unavailable status. The aircraft-based video system copies video files from the ground-based video server while the aircraft is on the ground. A determination is made, via communications with the ground-based video server and while the aircraft is airborne, whether a given video file has been updated from the available status to the unavailable status. The PED is permitted to display the given video file if it has the available status, and is not permitted to display the given video file if it has the unavailable status. |
| US08347333B1 |
Modified electronic program guide
The present invention enables a broadcaster to vary the time and the descriptive information in a program guide on a per-channel basis. A priority ranking system of the channels allows the preparation of multiple versions of a program guide in order to fit the guide into the memory space allocated in a receiver. When constructing the program guide, the algorithm of the present invention fits the longest title variation allowed while still keeping the total size of the guide product within space constraints supported by the receiver. |
| US08347331B2 |
Method of acquiring program guide information, program guide method appropriate for the same, and program guide apparatus
A method of acquiring program guide information for a digital television receiver, and program guide method, are provided. A method of channel searching for a digital television receiver, comprising: receiving a digital television transport stream (TS) which includes audio, video, and program information; extracting the program information from the received TS; storing the extracted program information in a storage; accessing the storage to generate a channel list based on the stored program information, wherein the channel list comprises at least one channel number and the at least one channel number comprises at least one main channel number; and navigating the channel list to search a channel number, wherein when the at least the one main channel number has at least one corresponding sub-channel number, the sub-channel number can be listed after the at least one main channel number. |
| US08347323B2 |
Method and apparatus for supporting development of broker program, and computer product
A broker-program generating unit generates a broker program by using an interface-definition-language file defining interface definition information concerning a plurality of applications described in various programming languages. The broker program is installed in a middleware platform that absorbs and hides a common object request broker architecture, and brokers an interaction between the applications with a structure that stores data in a binary format as an interface to the middleware platform. |
| US08347318B2 |
Application component communication apparatus of SCA-based system and method thereof
An application component communication method and an apparatus using the same are provided to an SCA-based system for efficiently performing data communication between SCA-based application components by using a dynamic connection manager. The application component communication apparatus includes an application module provided in the SCA-based system and driven, an application packaged by a plurality of application components, and an application factory for generating the application and driving the application components by parsing XML files. The dynamic connection manager registers port information of each of the application components, and establishes a connection for data communication between the application components according to the port information. According to the present invention, data communication between the respective application components can be efficiently performed by using the dynamic connection manager. |
| US08347317B1 |
Strategically providing event notifications in light of multiple nearby devices
Systems, products, and methods are disclosed for performing a method of intelligently providing notification of an occurrence of an event in an environment in which potentially multiple devices might provide notification of the event; thereby reducing the number of devices that will provide the notification if those devices are nearby each other. |
| US08347316B2 |
Method and system for synchronous operation of linked command objects
A system and method provide for synchronous operation of linked command objects in a general purpose software application. The software application provides a user with a variety of operations that manipulate available data objects. The software application manages the data objects in a number of contexts. Each context manages the existence and execution of a number of command objects. Each command object operates on one or more data objects in its context. To support synchronous operations that affect the state of data objects in more than one context, command objects are linked to each other. When one command object is executed, the context of the command object identifies a command object linked to the executed command object and initiates the execution of the linked command object via the context that manages that command object. This synchronization allows for synchronous undo and redone operations. The delete states of the command objects are also synchronized. Deleting a command object destroys it, and prevents it from being undone. When one command object is deleted the command object linked thereto is also deleted, thereby preventing the linked command object from being independently undone resulting in an inconsistent state of the contexts. |
| US08347315B1 |
Configuration console for messaging middleware
A method is provided comprising a server reading a first plurality of message queue objects associated with a first application transitioning from a first environment, reading a second plurality of objects associated with a baseline, and determining that a first time stamp associated with a first object in the first plurality is more recent than a second time stamp associated with the corresponding first object in the second plurality. The server reads approved changes, determines approval of the change to the first object, compares file names of objects in the first plurality with those of objects associated with the baseline, and determines that a name of a second object in the first plurality does not correspond to an object in the second plurality. The server determines that the placement of the second object in the first application is not approved, provides notification of need for approval and transitions the application. |
| US08347314B2 |
Method for managing java applications
A method for managing JAVA applications executable in a user device provides an expandability for and a continuity between JAVA applications by changing states of the JAVA applications in execution and sharing information between the JAVA applications. |
| US08347310B1 |
System and method for representing and managing a multi-architecure co-processor application program
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for representing and managing a multi-architecture co-processor application program. Source code for co-processor functions is compiled in two stages. The first stage incorporates a majority of the computationally intensive processing steps associated with co-processor code compilation. The first stage generates virtual assembly code from the source code. The second stage generates co-processor machine code from the virtual assembly. Both the virtual assembly and co-processor machine code may be included within the co-processor enabled application program. A co-processor driver uses a description of the currently available co-processor to select between virtual assembly and co-processor machine code. If the virtual assembly code is selected, then the co-processor driver compiles the virtual assembly into machine code for the current co-processor. |
| US08347305B2 |
Allocation of storage units for execution of application programs
A CPU executes initialization for allocating a storage area of an auxiliary storage device for a program execution area after a particular application program is loaded into the program execution area and becomes executable. Subsequently, the CPU loads a plurality of application programs into the program execution area. |
| US08347303B2 |
Apparatus, method, and system to provide a multi-core processor for an electronic gaming machine (EGM)
An electronic gaming machine (EGM) implements a multi-core processor. A first of the processor cores is adapted to perform or otherwise control a first set of operations. The first set of operations can include, for example, game manager operations and other operations of the EGM that are more time-sensitive. A second one of the processor cores is adapted to perform or otherwise control a second set of operations. The second set of operations can include, for example, operations related to multimedia presentation associated with the running/playing of a game and/or other operations of the EGM that are not time-sensitive or are otherwise less time-sensitive than the operations performed/controlled by the first processor core. Each of the processor cores may run an operating system that matches the needs of its respective processor core. |
| US08347301B2 |
Device, system, and method of scheduling tasks of a multithreaded application
Device, system, and method of executing multithreaded applications. Some embodiments include a task scheduler to receive application information related to one or more parameters of at least one multithreaded application to be executed by a multi-core processor including a plurality of cores and, based on the application information and based on architecture information related to an arrangement of the plurality of cores, to assign one or more tasks of the multithreaded application to one or more cores of the plurality of cores. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08347298B2 |
Autonomous distributed control involving constraint on resources
Disclosed is a distributed control method of cooperatively allowing a control strategy for satisfying a constraint on an aggregated resource and simultaneously achieving or maintaining a performance of a system to be determined in a real-time manner by any one of a plurality of entities which have the highest need for the resource at any given time, without providing a specified management entity. The proposed method or “card game scheme” of the present invention is designed to dynamically carry out a function of satisfying a constraint on an aggregate resource and simultaneously achieving or maintaining a performance of the entire system, based on a distributed control with high flexibility, wherein an “agent”, i.e., a software having a function of performing autonomous determination and control, is set in each of the entities, to allow the entities to dynamically take turns to perform a processing of determining a strategy for resource allocation. |
| US08347297B2 |
System and method of determining an optimal distribution of source servers in target servers
A method of, and a system for, optimizing the distribution of a plurality of source servers amongst a plurality of target servers each having a resource, wherein each of the source servers has a functional characteristic and two or more of the source servers belong to a cluster. |
| US08347295B1 |
Profile-based assignment of queued tasks
Assigning queued tasks is disclosed. A request is received for a task assignment. A task is automatically assigned from a queue to a task performer based at least in part on a profile of the task performer. |
| US08347293B2 |
Mutual exclusion domains to perform file system processes on stripes
Multiple domains are created for processes of a storage server. The processes are capable of execution on a plurality of processors in the storage server. The domains include a first domain, which includes multiple threads that can execute processes in the first domain in parallel, to service data access requests. A data set managed by the storage server is logically divided into multiple subsets, and each of the subsets is assigned to exactly one of the threads in the first domain, for processing of data access requests directed to the data set. |
| US08347292B2 |
Transaction aggregation to increase transaction processing throughout
Provided are techniques for increasing transaction processing throughput. A transaction item with a message identifier and a session identifier is obtained. The transaction item is added to an earliest aggregated transaction in a list of aggregated transactions in which no other transaction item as the same session identifier. A first aggregated transaction in the list of aggregated transactions that has met execution criteria is executed. In response to determining that the aggregated transaction is not committing, the aggregated transaction is broken up into multiple smaller aggregated transactions and a target size of each aggregated transaction is adjusted based on measurements of system throughput. |
| US08347291B2 |
Enterprise scheduler for jobs performable on the remote system by receiving user specified values for retrieved job definitions comprising metadata representation of properties of jobs
A system and method for interaction with a remote server is described. Using an enterprise scheduler, jobs and other tasks may be scheduled on a remote server. Typically, the enterprise scheduler and remote server communicate through an API which serves as an interpreter between them. A Java API is used when the remote server utilizes Java technology. |
| US08347290B2 |
Monitoring spin locks in virtual machines in a computing system environment
Methods and apparatus involve monitoring spin locks for guest devices. Fully virtualized guests have multiple virtual processors configured under the scheduling control of a hypervisor on a physical hardware platform. The hypervisor posts On CPU and CR3 load information to shared communications pages for each of the processors. A monitoring module in the guest device monitors the pages to ascertain forward progress of the processors. If forward progress is being made, the virtual processors continue to spin. If not, the CPU's control is variously relinquished. The monitoring module typifies a kernel driver so that the guest can maintain an unmodified operating system. Ticket spin locks, and their ordering, are also considered as are computations for lock owners. Other features contemplate computing systems and computer program products, to name a few. |
| US08347288B1 |
System and method for verification of repeatable virtualized computing
A physical computer system includes a processor and a memory configured to store instructions executable by the processor to implement a virtualization module, which in turn implements virtual machine(s) as a service on behalf of clients. Each virtual machine executes an operating system that is distinct from any underlying operating system executed by the physical computer system. The virtualization module instructs that the virtual machine(s) perform a computation that has been identified as a repeatable computation, to generate an original terminal state of the repeatable computation. In response to a request to repeat the repeatable computation, the virtualization module instructs that the virtual machine(s) perform the repeatable computation to generate a new terminal state of the repeatable computation, and, dependent upon a comparison of the original and new terminal states, to determine whether the repeatable computation has been successfully repeated according to a success criterion. |
| US08347285B2 |
Embedded agent for self-healing software
The present disclosure relates to attempting to maintain and/or repair the embedded software components of a computer and, more specifically, to attempting to maintain and/or repair the embedded software components of a server utilizing a service processor. |
| US08347281B2 |
Automatic software update detection and flexible installer for set-top boxes
A method and apparatus for updating set top box software from a resident software version stored in a memory of the set-top box to a current software version is disclosed. The method comprises the step of automatically checking to determine if the resident software version is the current software version, and downloading data comprising at least a portion of the current software version if the resident software version is not the current software version. |
| US08347274B2 |
Debugging support device, debugging support method, and program thereof
A debugging support device includes: a plurality of CPU simulating units which simulates the operations of a plurality of CPUs which executes programs in parallel; a memory simulating unit of a memory to be shared by the plurality of CPUs; an event monitoring unit that detects a predetermined event occurring between each CPU simulating unit and the memory simulating unit; and a state judging unit that judges whether the state of the occurred predetermined event matches a predetermined condition and, if the predetermined condition is matched, records history information related to the state of the memory simulating unit. |
| US08347272B2 |
Call graph dependency extraction by static source code analysis
A method of analyzing program source code prepared for a multithreading platform comprises analyzing a targeted source code set to extract a set of characteristic information for each wait operation; analyzing the targeted source code set to extract a set of characteristic information for each notification call to an application programming interface of the multithreading platform; identifying a one-way branching correspondence with a wait operation for each notification call by comparing the extracted set of characteristic information for the notification operation and the extracted set of characteristic information for each wait operation with a set of predefined asynchronous operation correspondence pattern information for notification and wait functions implemented by the application programming interface; extracting a set of information for each identified one-way branching correspondence; and storing the extracted set of information for each identified one-way branching correspondence in a data store. |
| US08347271B1 |
Software testing
Defining a software test is disclosed. A benchmark complexity for a test case including at least one test step having a check condition and a functionality is defined. The test case is represented as a flow graph in which the check condition of each test step of the test case is represented as an edge of the flow graph and the functionality of each test step is represented as a vertex in the flow graph. A test case complexity is determined by determining a number of independent paths in the flow graph. If the test case complexity as determined based on the number of independent paths exceeds the benchmark complexity, the number of test steps in the test case is reduced. |
| US08347270B1 |
Self-assembled software and method of overriding software execution
A computer-implemented software self-assembled system and method for providing an external override and monitoring capability to dynamically self-assembling software containing machines that self-assemble execution sequences and data structures. The method provides an external override machine that can be introduced into a system of self-assembling machines while the machines are executing such that the functionality of the executing software can be changed or paused without stopping the code execution and modifying the existing code. Additionally, a monitoring machine can be introduced without stopping code execution that can monitor specified code execution functions by designated machines and communicate the status to an output device. |
| US08347269B2 |
Method, system and computer program for debugging software applications in a web environment
A method and system are provided for debugging a software application in a data processing system that includes a server entity and client entities. For at least one of the client entities, a server component of the application running on the server entity is accessed, and a client component of the application is downloaded from the server entity. The client component is executed. Client log information relating to the execution of the client component is saved by invoking a log function provided by the client component; the client log information is saved into a non-persistent memory structure of the client component. The client log information is transmitted for use in the debugging of the application. |
| US08347266B2 |
Declarative object identity
Systems and methods are described that enhance a programming language by introducing support for declarative object identity in both class declarations and object literals. An exemplary system includes a memory that stores code associated with a computer program and a component coupled to the memory. The component is configured to access the code, to identify a variable in the code and a modifier associated with the variable and, responsive to identifying the variable, to use the variable to determine the identity of an object associated with the variable and to determine whether the object is equal to another object based on value semantics. |
| US08347263B1 |
Repository including installation metadata for executable applications
Systems and methods of executing and/or provisioning an application in an application specific runtime environment are disclosed. The application specific runtime environment is defined by an application environment specification to include a minimal or reduced set of software resources required for execution of the application. These software resources are optionally stored in a resource repository that includes resources associated with a plurality of operating systems and/or executable applications. Various embodiments of the invention include the development of hierarchical resource metadata configured to characterize the various files, packages and file families included in the resource repository. In some embodiments this metadata is used to select between files and different versions of files when provisioning an application specific runtime environment. |
| US08347262B2 |
Method of deriving an integrated circuit schematic diagram
A method, computer-readable medium and system are described for deriving a schematic diagram representative of an integrated circuit (1C) comprising a plurality of circuit elements. In general, the method, computer-readable medium and system are configured to receive as input a working schematic diagram identifying at least some of the circuit elements, and at least one existing schematic diagram from one or more libraries thereof. Based on this input, at least a portion of the working schematic diagram that matches at least a portion of the at least one existing schematic diagram is identified and replaced, thereby forming a revised schematic diagram. |
| US08347261B2 |
Method and system for implementing graphically editable parameterized cells
Disclosed is an improved mechanism and method for implementing electronic designs. According to some approaches, a method, mechanism, and compute program product is disclosed for implementing electronic designs that allows visual editing of complex objects with advanced editing features, which also provides for automated correspondence of the editing results to parametric values for a programmable object in the design. |
| US08347259B1 |
Circuit enhancement by multiplicate-layer-handling circuit simulation
Critical circuit blocks are identified in a chip design layout, and are marked by a marker layer identifying a marked region. Multiplicate layers are generated for each critical circuit block within each marked region. Each multiplicate layer includes a different type of variant for each identified critical circuit block. The different types of variants correspond to different types of optimization goals to address different issues in circuit performance. Circuit simulation is performed with each type of variants in combination with adjacent circuit blocks as provided in original design. In each marked region, the results of the circuit simulations are evaluated to determine an optimal type among the variants. The optimal type is retained in each marked region, thereby providing a chip design layout in which various marked regions can include different types of variant circuit blocks to provide local circuit optimization. |
| US08347258B2 |
Method and apparatus for interfacing multiple dies with mapping for source identifier allocation
A package includes a die and at least one further die. The die has an interface configured to receive a transaction request from the further die via an interconnect and to transmit a response to the transaction request to said further die via the interconnect. The die also has mapping circuitry which is configured to allocate to the received transaction a local source identity information as source identity information, the local source identity information comprising one of a set of reusable local source identity information. This ensures the order of transactions tagged with a same original source identity and target and allows transactions tagged with different source identifiers to be processed out of order. |
| US08347253B2 |
Designing supply wirings in semiconductor integrated circuit by detecting power supply wiring of specific wiring layer in projection area
A design support method for causing a computer using layout data for providing a layout in which macro cells are arranged and in which power supply wirings are formed at certain intervals in each wiring layer to execute, the method including: extracting a set of adjacent macro cells from the layout data; specifying a region located between macro cells that constitute the set of adjacent macro cells extracted in the extracting step from among row regions included in the layout represented by the layout data; detecting a power supply wiring of a specific wiring layer in a projection area located above the region specified in the specifying step, the specific wiring layer being higher than a bottom layer of the layout represented by the layout data; and outputting a region where no power supply wiring of the specific wiring layer is detected in the detecting step. |
| US08347252B2 |
Method for rapid estimation of layout-dependent threshold voltage variation in a MOSFET array
An automated method for estimating layout-induced variations in threshold voltage in an integrated circuit layout. The method begins with the steps of selecting a diffusion area within the layout for analysis. Then, the system identifies Si/STI edges on the selected area as well as channel areas and their associated gate/Si edges. Next, the threshold voltage variations in each identified channel area are identified, which requires further steps of calculating threshold voltage variations due to effects in a longitudinal direction; calculating threshold voltage variations due to effects in a transverse direction; and combining the longitudinal and transverse variations to provide an overall variation. Finally, a total variation is determined by combining variations from individual channel variations. |
| US08347247B2 |
Visualization interface of continuous waveform multi-speaker identification
A method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code having programming instructions tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium. The programming instructions are operable to receive a current waveform of a communication between a plurality of participants. Additionally, the programming instructions are operable to create a voiceprint from the current waveform if the current waveform is of a human voice. Furthermore, the programming instructions are operable to determine one of whether a match exists between the voiceprint and one library waveform of one or more library waveforms, whether a correlation exists between the voiceprint and a number of library waveforms of the one or more library waveforms and whether the voiceprint is unique. Additionally, the programming instructions are operable to transcribe the current waveform into text and provide a match indication display (MID) indicating an association between the current waveform and the one or more library waveforms based on the determining. |
| US08347245B2 |
Hardware definition language generation for frame-based processing
A method generates hardware description language (HDL) code from a model having a plurality of components, including at least one component that processes frame-based input data. A selected preference is received for implementing the frame-based component. The generated HDL code includes a hardware implementation of the frame-based component that satisfies the selected preference. |
| US08347242B2 |
Processing wiring diagrams in a data processing system
A method, computer program product, and apparatus for processing a wiring diagram is provided. Information associated with a number of components in the wiring diagram is identified. A scaling factor between a first format for the wiring diagram and a second format used by a software application configured to use wiring diagrams in the second format is identified. The scaling factor is applied to the information identified as being associated with the number of components in the wiring diagram to form processed information. |
| US08347240B2 |
Split-layer design for double patterning lithography
A mechanism is provided for converting a set of single-layer design rules into a set of split-layer design rules for double patterning lithography (DPL). The set of single-layer design rules and minimum lithographic resolution pitch constraints for single exposure are identified. The set of single-layer design rules comprise a first plurality of minimum distances that are required by a set of first shapes in a single-layer design. Each of the first plurality of minimum distances in the set of single-layer design rules are modified with regard to the minimum lithographic resolution pitch constraints for single exposure, thereby forming the set of split-layer design rules. The set of split-layer design rules comprise a second plurality of minimum distances that are required by a set of second shapes and a set of third shapes in a split-layer design. The set of split-layer design rules are then coded into a design rule checker. |
| US08347239B2 |
Fast lithography compliance check for place and route optimization
A computer is programmed to use at least one rule to identify from within a layout of an IC design, a set of regions likely to fail if fabricated unchanged. An example of such a rule of detection is to check for presence of two neighbors neither of which fully overlaps a short wire or an end of a long wire. The computer uses at least another rule to change at least one region in the set of regions, to obtain a second layout which is less likely to fail in the identified regions. An example of such a rule of correction is to elongate at least one of the two neighbors. The computer may perform optical rule checking (ORC) in any order relative to application of the rules, e.g. ORC can be performed between detection rules and correction rules i.e. performed individually on each identified region prior to correction. |
| US08347238B2 |
Device, method, and graphical user interface for managing user interface content and user interface elements by dynamic snapping of user interface elements to alignment guides
Alignment guides configured for adaptive snap-to behavior are disclosed. In one embodiment, during a user interface element resize or move gesture, match-priority values for potential alignment guides are determined based at least on gravity values associated with said alignment guides. After a displayed object is snapped to a first alignment guide having the highest match-priority value, and the user interface element is moved away from the first alignment guide during the resize or move gesture, the gravity value associated with the first alignment guide is adjusted. |
| US08347237B2 |
Method, apparatus, and program product for efficiently detecting relationships in a comprehension state of a collection of information
Aspects of the disclosed technology present a workspace window responsive to a belief graph and a relationship data structure that represents a comprehension state by presenting an instance-representation of a first separately-movable instance object that represents a first entity/relationship object in the relationship data structure wherein the instance-representation of the first separately-movable instance object can be selected. |
| US08347233B2 |
Measured value visualization
The embodiments of the present invention provide novel techniques for visualizing parameter values, such as parameter values measured in an industrial measurement process. In particular, the disclosed embodiments provide visualization techniques for re-scaling a representation of a target parameter range with respect to an overall parameter range for a parameter value. Re-scaling the representation of the target parameter range effectively provides continuous dynamic zooming for the measured parameter value. This allows for better visualization as well as providing continuous feedback to an operator of the industrial measurement process regarding the current measured parameter value, thereby facilitating faster and more accurate operation of the industrial measurement process. |
| US08347226B2 |
Menu entries for drop-down menus of graphic user interfaces
The invention relates to a method for the input and display of information, data and/or input elements in drop-down menus of graphical user interfaces, the drop-down menus or layered menu levels having a number of menu items of any type, the number of menu items comprising at least a number of menu items which may be selected and deselected in any combination in the form of a check box list and/or mutually exclusive and thus merely switchable menu items in the form of a radio button list, the menu item in the form of a check box list and the menu item in the form of a radio button list respectively comprising its own significant status recognition describing the character of the menu item in the drop-down menu and in the layered menu. |
| US08347224B2 |
Content viewing method, content viewing apparatus, and storage medium in which a content viewing program is stored
In a content viewing apparatus, an acquisition unit acquires a content set including one or more contents, and a conversion unit converts each content in the content set acquired by the acquisition unit into a predetermined format. An arrangement unit arranges indication information of each content subjected to the conversion performed by the conversion unit such that the indication information of each content is displayed on a display device in such a manner that indication information of each content is arranged along a time axis according to date/time information associated with each content thereby making it possible to use each content via the corresponding indication information. In accordance with an operation command input by a user, a display control unit controls displaying of the indication information of all contents as a whole, displayed on the display device by the arrangement unit, along the time axis. |
| US08347221B2 |
Touch-sensitive display and method of control
A method includes displaying one or more selection options on a touch-sensitive display and detecting a hovering touch associated with a first option of the one or more selection options. Information associated with the first option is previewed in a first format in an information field in response to detecting the hovering touch. A selection of one of the one or more selection options is detected, and a function associated with the selected option is performed. |
| US08347217B2 |
Customized rule application as function of avatar data
Methods, services, articles of manufacture comprising computer readable programs, systems, articles and programmable devices are provided for customizing an avatar behavior rule within a virtual universe environment as a function of individual avatar data. It is determined whether the activity of an avatar is relevant to a behavior rule for a virtual universe. If the activity is determined to be relevant to the rule, the rule is customized for the avatar as a function of individual avatar data associated with the avatar, and it is determined whether the activity exceeds a violation threshold of the customized rule. If the activity is determined to exceed the customized rule violation threshold, an appropriate action is taken as specified by the customized rule. |
| US08347214B2 |
Automated interface-specification generation for enterprise architectures
In a computer-implemented method, a data set characterizing a first enterprise application is received. The data set is organized into a model. A set of standards is applied to the model, yielding a set of computer-executable instructions operable to enable implementation of an interface between the first enterprise application and a second enterprise application. |
| US08347212B2 |
Presentation production system with universal format
A fully customizable system and method for producing videos utilizing a decentralized business model for receiving input parameters from the customer or user and for presenting production elements for selection based on the input parameters. The system providing feedback by calculating, a cost, a delivery date, and/or the required raw video source material, as the customer or user makes production element selections. The customer or user is further provided with specific direction as to which and how many raw source materials are to be gathered for the video production. |
| US08347211B1 |
Immersive multimedia views for items
Disclosed are various embodiments for providing immersive multimedia views for items. A network page is generated that provides information regarding an item and includes code for rendering an immersive multimedia view for the item. A user interface presents a first one of a plurality of media objects associated with the item. The user interface includes a menu for selecting one of the media objects for presentation in the user interface and first set of media controls associated with the content form of the first one of the media objects. The user interface is updated to present a second one of the media objects having a different content form in response to a selection of the second one of the media objects in the menu. The first set of media controls is replaced with a second set of media controls that is associated with the different content form. |
| US08347209B2 |
Structured document drawing system, and method and program therefor
According to the present invention, when a style relating to a dimension of all elements included in a subtree of a structured document is set in a relative unit, all these elements can be displayed in the same style. The user terminal 100 allocates a drawing area to each key when drawing each key configuring a key string of a tree structure, determines a root of a subtree to which a specific key belongs when a style whose format relating to dimension is expressed in the relative unit is set to the key, and converts the style expressed in the relative unit into an absolute unit with the drawing area allocated to the root of the subtree as reference and draws the key according to style expressed in the absolute unit. |
| US08347208B2 |
Content rendering on a computer
Portions of content are transformed into portions of rendered content. While the portions of the content are being transformed into portions of the rendered content, each discrete portion of the rendered content can be provided to the application program after that portion is completed. |
| US08347205B2 |
Automated generation of multiple versions of a publication
In one embodiment, a method for generating a publication is provided. The method includes determining a template for one or more pages of the publication. A structured document for the publication is generated where the structured document includes entry fields corresponding to the one or more addressable blocks. The structured document is then sent to one or more entities to allow users to input information for different versions of the publication. After the entities enter in information, a structured document is received from each of the plurality of entities. Information in the structured document refers to version information. A design application version of the structured document is then generated from the different structured documents received from the plurality of entities. The plurality of versions of the publication is then automatically generated. |
| US08347201B2 |
Reading method of a memory device with embedded error-correcting code and memory device with embedded error-correcting code
A reading method for a memory device with error-correcting encoding envisages the steps of: carrying out a first reading of a plurality of memory locations (A0, A1, . . . , ALS-1) to generate a first recovered string (S1), and performing a first decoding attempt using the first recovered string (S1). When the first decoding attempt fails, the memory locations are read at least one second time, and at least one second recovered string (S2-SN) is generated. On the basis of a comparison between the first recovered string (S1) and the second recovered string (S2-SN), a modified string (SM) is generated, in which erasures (X) are located, and at least one second decoding attempt is carried out using the modified string (SM). |
| US08347197B2 |
Terminal device, time adjusting method of terminal device and communication system
A terminal device includes: a time information receiving unit which receives measured time and an estimated error of another terminal device; an estimated error calculating unit which calculates an error containing the estimated error of another terminal device received by the time information receiving unit as an updating-use estimated error; and a time updating unit which, when the updating-use estimated error calculated by the estimated error calculating unit is smaller than an estimated error stored in an estimated error memory unit, stores the updating-use estimated error calculated by the estimated error calculating unit in the estimated error memory unit thus updating the estimated error stored in the estimated error memory unit, and adjusts a measured time measured by a time measuring unit in response to the measured time of another terminal device received by the time information receiving unit. |
| US08347196B2 |
Computationally efficient convolutional coding with rate-matching
An error coding circuit comprises a non-systematic convolutional encoder for coding an input bit stream to produce two or more groups of parity bits, an interleaver circuit for interleaving parity bits within each group of parity bits, and a rate-matching circuit for outputting a selected number of the interleaved parity bits ordered by group to obtain a desired code rate. |
| US08347194B2 |
Hierarchical decoding apparatus
A decoder includes multiple decoder stages and a controller. The decoder stages perform decoding operations with respect to a received signal using corresponding different decoding algorithms. The controller determines whether the decoding operation performed by one of the decoder stages with respect to the received signal is successful, and controls the decoding operation of each of the other decoder stages in response to a result of the determination. |
| US08347192B1 |
Parallel finite field vector operators
Parallel Reed Solomon error correction can be performed using dot products in finite fields while factoring out multiplier reduction. A finite field accumulator with left and right shifts of the polynomial dot products is used to generate the final result using a fixed dot product core and a small number of post processing Galois Field multiplies. An efficient Reed Solomon decoder for transmission, storage, and processing operations can be implemented in a small area while being easily scalable. |
| US08347191B1 |
Method and system for soft decision decoding of information blocks
A receiver, including a memory unit and a processor, wherein the memory unit stores a sorted parity check matrix that is sorted according to reliabilities of columns; wherein reliabilities of columns are responsive to values of information elements of a soft demodulated received information block, wherein the processor is adapted to: (a) iterate over columns of the sorted parity check matrix to find independent columns and dependent columns; (b) find non-redundant dependent columns out of the dependent columns; wherein the finding is responsive to a relationship between a reliability of a dependent column and a reliabilities of multiple independent columns on which the dependent column depends; (c) select, out of a group of combinations of columns, a selected combination; wherein each combination of the group equals a syndrome; wherein the group of combinations includes independent columns and the non-redundant dependent columns; and (d) correct errors in response to the selected combination. |
| US08347190B2 |
Systematic encoder with arbitrary parity positions
An encoder structure for an error correcting code with arbitrary parity positions is presented. The invention is effective for all error correcting codes whose parity check matrix is of the Vandermonde type. In contrast to conventional encoder circuits, the parity symbols produced by this encoder are not restricted to form a block of consecutive parity symbols at the beginning or at the end of a codeword, but may be spread arbitrarily within the codeword. A general structure of the parity check matrix for such a code is found by exploiting the special Vandermonde structure of matrices. From this general parity check matrix, an expression for the evaluation of the parity symbols in terms of a polynomial with limited degree is derived. An efficient hardware implementation of the proposed encoder is suggested. |
| US08347189B2 |
Data transmission system, program and method
A data transmission system includes a packet missing state data storage unit that stores packet missing state data including distribution of the numbers of consecutive missed packets in a decoder and distribution of intervals of the packet missing in the decoder; an interleave unit determination processing unit that determines, based on the distribution of the numbers of consecutive missed packets, an interleave unit that represents the number of Forward Error Correction (FEC) blocks, wherein the FEC block is a unit for which an FEC packet is generated; an FEC block determination processing unit that determines, based on the distribution of the intervals of the packet missing, the number of data packets included in the FEC block; and a packet communication processing unit that identifies, based on the determined interleave pattern data, a transmission order of the packets to the decoder. |
| US08347185B2 |
Memory and method for checking reading errors thereof
A method for checking reading errors of a memory includes the following steps. A first data fragment is received. A first count index according to the first data fragment is generated, wherein the first count index is corresponding to a quantity of one kind of binary value in the first data fragment. The first data fragment is written into the memory. The first data fragment is read from the memory as a second data fragment. A second count index is generated according to the second data fragment. The first count index is compared with the second count index. |
| US08347183B2 |
Flash memory device using ECC algorithm and method of operating the same
A flash memory device using an error correction code (ECC) algorithm and a method of operating the same. The device includes a memory cell array including a error correction code (ECC) block including data memory cells configured to store data and a parity cell configured to store a first parity code, a parity controller configured to generate a second parity code based on a the current operating mode of the flash memory device, and an error correction unit configured to receive one of the first and second parity codes and to perform an ECC algorithm on the data stored in the data memory cells using the received parity code. A control logic restarts an erase operation on an erroneously unerased data memory cell or prevents the erase operation from being restarted based on the number of erroneous bits per ECC block. |
| US08347180B2 |
Data storage system and method
A data storage system includes a first memory, a controller, a counting module, and a checking and correcting module. Copyback operations are performed in the first memory. The controller couples the first memory to the counting module and the checking and correcting module. The counting module provides a counting operation for the copyback operations at different logic addresses of the first memory and, according to a counting result of the counting operation, determines whether a checking and correcting requirement has been satisfied by any of the logic addresses. The checking and correcting module receives data read out from the first memory, wherein the received data corresponds to a satisfying logic address, and checks the received data and corrects the received data when it is checked that the received data is incorrect, to correct the first memory accordingly. |
| US08347179B2 |
Selective storage of additional inversion data or EDC data
A data processing apparatus includes a non-volatile semiconductor memory configured to store a storage data and an additional data control circuit configured to generate an additional data and add the additional data to a main storage data, and the additional data is different between a first mode and a second mode. The additional data control circuit includes a first mode circuit configured to generate the additional data in the first mode; and a second mode circuit configured to generate the additional data in the second mode. The storage data contains a target data or an inversion data of the target data, as the main storage data and the additional data. |
| US08347171B2 |
Semiconductor memory device capable of reducing current in PASR mode
A semiconductor memory device capable of reducing current consumption in a partial-array self-refresh (PASR) mode includes a plurality of banks and at least one parity bank. A specific area to be self-refreshed is individually selected from each of some banks selected out of the plurality of banks to perform a self-refresh operation. Data of the specific area to be self-refreshed is verified using an error correction code (ECC) stored in the parity bank. |
| US08347170B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing decoding using LDPC code
A method of performing decoding using an LDPC code is disclosed. The method of performing decoding an encoded codeword using a parity check matrix, comprises decoding the codeword using the parity check matrix, wherein the parity check matrix includes a plurality of layers, each of which includes at least one or more rows split exclusively from a specific row of a base parity check matrix. |
| US08347169B1 |
System and method for encoding using common partial parity products
A system and method are provided for creating codewords using common partial parity products. The method initially accepts an algorithm for creating p indexed parity bit positions, where the parity bit for each position is calculated from mathematical operations performed on bits from n indexed user word positions. A first group of parity bit positions is found, where the parity bit for each position in the first group is calculated using at least a first number of common mathematical operations. A second group of parity bit positions is found, where the parity bit for each position in the second group is calculated using at least a second number of common mathematical operations. The common mathematical operations are subtracted from the first and second group of parity bit position calculations, so that unique mathematical operations can be found, associated with each parity bit position calculation in the first and second group. |
| US08347168B2 |
Multiple-input-multiple-output transmission using non-binary LDPC coding
A wireless communication system constructed by a MIMO antenna system and transmitting information from a transmitter having Nt number of transmitting antennas to a receiver 3 having Nr number of receiving antennas. The receiver 3 of this wireless communication system 1 linking the inputs and outputs between a demodulating unit 32 demodulating the input signals from receiving antennas 31 and a decoding unit 35 receiving as input that demodulation output and decoding the non-binary LDPC code of the GF(q) one-to-one under predetermined conditions to enable the inputs and outputs of this demodulating unit 32 and decoding unit 35 to be directly connected and thereby improve the decoding characteristic. That predetermined condition is preferably q=2Nt·m. |
| US08347166B2 |
Device and method for optimally adjusting transmitter parameters
A device and a method for optimally adjusting transmitter parameters are provided to optimize transmission performance of a digital signal system. The device comprises an error signal analyzing unit and a step length adjustment unit which are connected in signal with each other; the error signal analyzing unit analyzes an error signal and makes a determination to carry out a transmitter parameter adjustment operation; the step length adjustment unit calculates and determines an adjustment direction and an adjustment step length of the transmitter parameter; and a transmitter parameter adjusting unit carries out operations of direction adjustment and step length adjustment of the transmitter parameter according to the result of the determination. |
| US08347163B2 |
System and method for data transmission
A method for a receiver to receive data from a transmitter, the receiver including a plurality of buffers to support data retransmission by the transmitter. The method includes: receiving a data packet from the transmitter; determining whether or not at least a predetermined number of buffers are in use; and notifying the transmitter if it is determined that at least the predetermined number of buffers are in use. |
| US08347158B2 |
System-on-chip with master/slave debug interface
A System-on-Chip (SOC) debugging system comprising a plurality of SOCs connected to a shared bus, at least one of the plurality of SOCs being a master SOC and comprising a master/slave debug interface, wherein the master/slave debug interface is a bidirectional debug interface configured to initiate transactions on the shared bus and operable to send and receive debug data between the SOCs, wherein the debug data comprises trace data. |
| US08347157B2 |
Multiplexer control circuitry for TAP selection circuitry
Today many instances of IEEE 1149.1 Tap domains are included in integrated circuits (ICs). While all TAP domains may be serially connected on a scan path that is accessible external to the IC, it is generally preferred to have selectivity on which Tap domain or Tap domains are accessed. Therefore Tap domain selection circuitry may be included in ICs and placed in the scan path along with the Tap domains. Ideally, the Tap domain selection circuitry should only be present in the scan path when it is necessary to modify which Tap domains are selected in the scan path. The present disclosure describes a novel method and apparatus which allows the Tap domain selection circuitry to be removed from the scan path after it has been used to select Tap domains and to be replaced back into the scan path when it is necessary to select different Tap domains. |
| US08347153B2 |
Protocol aware error ratio tester
A method and an apparatus for testing the physical layer of high speed serial communication devices and systems with protocol awareness is disclosed. The apparatus comprises of two major blocks: a General Purpose Platform (GPP) and an Analog Front End (AFE). Physical layer testing is divided into two sets of testing procedures: Receiver and Transmitter testing. This test system can be used in a traditional BERT setting where the test system commands the Device Under Test (DUT) to be placed into either a loop back mode, or into a more advanced mode where the test system is communicating with the DUT on a protocol level and counts the frame error ratio (FER). This FER is protocol dependent and each protocol receiver has its own way of reporting transmission errors to the transmitter. The protocol awareness of this invention is capable of detecting such a level of errors. |
| US08347152B2 |
Link performance abstraction for ML receivers based on RBIR metrics
A PHY abstraction mapping between the link level and system level performance is presented based on mapping between the mean RBIR (Received Bit Information Rate) of the transmitted symbols and their received LLR values after symbol-level ML detection in SISO/MIMO wireless systems, such as WiMAX. In MIMO antenna configuration, the mapping is presented for both vertical and horizontal encoding. An embodiment of this invention provides the PER/BLER prediction in the actual system, enabling the system to use more aggressive methods to improve the system performance. |
| US08347151B2 |
Error tracking method and system
Data storage services are provided for clients for backup of data objects from the clients. A data object is sent to a first location in a first storage device. A determination is made if the data object was successfully stored at the first location, and if so, meta data corresponding with the data object is stored, wherein the meta data includes first path information on a first data path of the data object to the first location. The data object is migrated from the first location to a second location in a second storage device. A determination is made if the data object was successfully stored at the second location, and if so, second path information on a second data path of the data object is added to the second location to the meta data corresponding with the data object, to update the meta data. |
| US08347148B1 |
Computer systems and methods for predictive performance management of data transactions
Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring and managing data transactions, such as SQL transactions. In certain examples, a management subsystem generates an alert identifying degrading database transactions to facilitate preventative tuning or other maintenance. In particular, a monitor module tracks performance measurements (e.g., logical reads) of select transactions. A modeler correlates the performance measurements and assigns first performance model(s) to represent the performance measurements and predicted performance measurements of a particular transaction. A trend change module detects a significant change in a trend and/or variance of the performance measurements and can cause the modeler module to generate a second performance model to represent at least a portion of the performance measurements and the predicted performance measurements of the particular transaction. An interface module triggers an alert when the second performance model indicates that the predicted performance measurements of the particular transaction are degrading at or above a threshold rate. |
| US08347136B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method thereof
An image forming apparatus and a control method thereof includes an image forming unit to form images, a main control unit to control operations of the image forming unit; a switching unit to selectively supply an operating voltage to the main control unit according to a level of the voltage control, a power mode selecting unit to convert an on state or an off state according to a user's operation, a first voltage determining unit to determine a level of the control voltage according to the state of the power mode selecting unit, and a second voltage determining unit to determine the level of the control voltage in parallel with the first voltage determining unit, according to the control signal output from the main control unit. |
| US08347132B2 |
System and method for reducing processor power consumption
A system and method for reducing active power in processors is disclosed. A method embodiment comprises the steps of determining when a particular logic block is inactive, determining the powered state of the particular logic block, isolating the particular logic block from a main processor core, and powering off the particular logic block. When the system needs the particular logic block, the method further comprises reactivating the block. A system embodiment comprises software and a processor coupled to a clock control module, an isolation control module and a header/footer module, operable to isolate a particular logic block and power off a particular logic block, thereby reducing power. Another embodiment comprises a logic module coupled to a clock by a clock gating module, an isolation module for isolating the logic module, a header/footer module for disabling power to the logic module, and a power and clock gating control module for controlling the clock gating module and the header/footer module. |
| US08347130B2 |
Low-power system-on-chip
A system-on-chip comprises a power-off domain block; and a power-on domain block that analyzes externally transferred data during a power-down state of the power-off domain block, wherein the power-on domain block executes an operation of the power-off domain block or a wake-up operation, based on an analyzed result of the externally transferred data. |
| US08347127B2 |
Automatic dynamic processor operating voltage control
A technique to adjust a processor's operating voltage dynamically while preventing a user from placing the processor into a harmful operating voltage state in relation to the core/bus frequency ratio of the processor. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to a technique to control the operating voltage of the processor as a function of the processor's bus and/or core clock frequency. |
| US08347124B2 |
Workload power consumption projection on information handling system
The projected power consumption for an application program running on a future IHS is determined by generating a power proxy for the application program, and power proxies for a plurality of standard benchmarks. An algorithm correlates the power proxy for the application program, and the power proxies for the standard benchmarks to generate weighted surrogates that are combined with power proxies derived from running the benchmark surrogates on the future IHS to generate the projected power consumption. |
| US08347116B2 |
Semiconductor device having multi access level and access control method thereof
An access control method of a semiconductor device includes providing an inputted password as an input of a hash operator; performing a hash operation in the hash operator and outputting a first hash value; controlling the hash operator so that the hash operation is repeatedly performed in the hash operator by providing the first hash value as an input of the hash operator when the first hash value and a second hash value stored in a nonvolatile memory do not coincide; and setting an access level with respect to the inner circuit according to the repetition number of times of the hash operation of the hash operator when the first and second hash values coincide. |
| US08347115B2 |
System and method for transparent disk encryption
A data storage system providing transparent encryption. The data storage system has a hardware encryption/decryption engine and a register coupled to the hardware encryption/decryption engine. The register is for securely storing a key for encrypting and decrypting data. The key may not be read from outside the data storage system. More specifically, the key may not be read by the operating system. The user does not have access to the encryption key, but may have a password that is passed to a controller coupled to the encryption/decryption engine. The controller verifies the password and causes data received from main memory to be encrypted by the hardware encryption/decryption engine using the key. The controller also transfers the encrypted data to the data storage device. |
| US08347111B2 |
Data processing apparatus
A data processing apparatus comprises a monolithic integrated circuit having a data processor, a non-volatile memory storing at least one security code, and at least one interface at the boundary of the integrated circuit via which communication with the data processor can occur. Processing by the data processor of data received at the at least one interface is controlled by the at least one security code. |
| US08347109B2 |
Secure serial number generation
An apparatus and a method for generating serial numbers is described. In one embodiment, a block cipher encrypter encrypts an application identifier and a sequence of random numbers to generate a signature. The block cipher encrypter is associated with a serial number key. The application identifier, the sequence of random numbers, and the signature are concatenated to generate a serial number. An encoder encodes the serial number into a string. |
| US08347106B2 |
Method and apparatus for user authentication based on a user eye characteristic
An information delivery device interacting with a user's eye, the device comprising an eye characteristic reader for reading at least one characteristic of the user's eye, a retinal projector for projecting information onto the retina, and an eye characteristic processor operative to receive at least one characteristic of the eye and to select the information based at least partly thereupon. A content protection system may comprise a multiplicity of such eye characteristic readers and a content protector receiving said at least one characteristic from such readers and controlling the user population's use of content to be protected based on that at least one characteristic. Related apparatus and methods are also provided. |
| US08347105B2 |
Method and system for obtaining a PIN validation signal in a data processing unit
The present invention relates to a method for obtaining a PIN validation signal in a data processing unit, the method including the steps of receiving a PIN in the data processing unit, submitting it to a first portable object for verifying it and obtaining a validation signal. The method further includes the steps of catching or receiving an entered PIN directly in said first portable object for verifying it; transmitting a fake PIN to the data processing unit, the fake PIN being seen by the data processing unit as a PIN to submit to the first portable object for verifying it, and returning a validation signal in case the entered PIN is verified successfully in the first portable object. The invention relates also to corresponding system and secure portable object. |
| US08347104B2 |
Security interface for a mobile device
A method and device are described which provide a security interface, preferably for a mobile device. The security interface provides user-selectable non-secure data that is displayed without the need for a password. The non-secure data is preferably updated on a regular basis, and can be obtained from different sources, as selected by a user. The secure data can be accessed after successful authentication, such as a positive password verification. Additional non-secure data, related to the displayed non-secure data, can preferably be accessed, with or without a need for a password. An indication can be provided to inform a user that secure data has been updated, without the need to access such secure data. The security interface is preferably enabled after a predetermined timeout period. The interface allows the device to operate in three data access states: a controlled access state; a verification state; and a full access state. |
| US08347101B2 |
System and method for anonymously indexing electronic record systems
A method for issuing Anonymous Public Key Certificates to Registered Persons in an electronic record system, where pointers for indexing the record system are stored within the Anonymous Public Key Certificates, and where associated Private Keys are controlled by smartcards or similar devices. Electronic records may be identifiably indexed when the smartcard has been activated by its holder correctly entering their secret pass-phrase, or anonymously indexed when only the value of a pointer is known. The only direct linkage between each Anonymous Public Key Certificate and the associated Registered Person is through the associated Private Key as controlled by a smartcard or similar device. Using this invention the retrieval of identifiable records pertaining to a given Registered Person from an electronic record system is normally only possible with the agency of the Person's smartcard or similar device, and therefore normally only possible with the Person's consent. |
| US08347098B2 |
Media storage structures for storing content, devices for using such structures, systems for distributing such structures
Some embodiments of the invention provide a content-distribution system for distributing content under a variety of different basis. For instance, in some embodiments, the content-distribution system distributes device-restricted content and device-unrestricted content. Device-restricted content is content that can only be played on devices that the system associates with the particular user. Device-unrestricted content is content that can be played on any device without any restrictions. However, for at least one operation or service other than playback, device-unrestricted content has to be authenticated before this operation or service can be performed on the content. In some embodiments, the system facilitates this authentication by specifying a verification parameter for a piece of device-unrestricted content. The content-distribution system of some embodiments has a set of servers that supply (1) media storage structures that store content, (2) cryptographic keys that are needed to decrypt device-restricted content, and (3) verification parameters that are needed to verify device-unrestricted content. In some embodiments, the device that receives the media storage structure inserts the received cryptographic key or verification parameter in the received media storage structure. In some embodiments, the set of servers also supply cryptographic content keys for the device-unrestricted content. These keys are used to decrypt the content upon arrival, upon first playback, or at some other time. However, some embodiments do not store these cryptographic keys in the media storage structures for the device-unrestricted content. |
| US08347094B2 |
Securing wireless body sensor networks using physiological data
A password protocol for establishing secure communications between sensor nodes in a network using secure environmental values (SEV). A first sensor sends a message to a second sensor comprising the first sensor's location and a key encrypted by a first SEV. The second sensor responds with a message comprising a key encrypted by a second SEV and a first nonce encrypted by a session key. The first sensor sends a third message comprising the first nonce and a second nonce encrypted by the session key. The second sensor verifies the first nonce and sends a fourth message comprising the encrypted second nonce. The first sensor then verifies the second nonce. |
| US08347092B2 |
Subsystem authenticity and integrity verification (SAIV)
Systems and methods are disclosed for enhancing anti-terrorism public safety measures, by more securely determining whether explosives or other contraband have been inserted into notebook computer batteries or other large, replaceable subsystems of electronic devices. Because notebook computers typically require large, heavy batteries, they present attractive containers for smugglers and terrorists attempting to bring explosives onto an airplane. The disclosed security testing system provides more reliable results than many current tests, and does not require that the device under test be powered on. The systems and methods disclosed use out-of-band authentication for added security. |
| US08347091B2 |
Authenticator apparatus
An authenticator apparatus which makes it difficult for an unauthorized user to masquerade and enhances safety includes an authenticating information holding unit (102) previously stores characteristic information indicating an input and output characteristic involving an environment change of an authentic authenticatee apparatus entitled to be authentic, an authenticating information transmitting unit (107) which transmits authenticating information to a portable medium (2), a response information receiving unit (108) which receives response information outputted from the portable medium (2) in response to an input of the authenticating information, an environment selecting unit (105) which identifies an environment of the portable medium (2), and a response information confirming unit (109) which determines whether or not the authenticating information and the response information satisfy the input and output characteristic indicated in the characteristic information stored in the authenticating information holding unit (102), and judges that the portable medium (2) is authentic in the case where the input and output characteristic is satisfied, the authenticating information and the response information being in the environment identified by said environment identifying unit. |
| US08347090B2 |
Encryption of identifiers in a communication system
A method and apparatus including units configured to send a request from a first network entity to a user equipment for an identifier and receive a message indicating that a public key is required from the user equipment by the first network entity. The method and apparatus also includes units configured to send, by the first network entity, the public key to the user equipment and receive an encrypted identifier by the first network entity, wherein upon authenticating the public key, the user equipment encrypts at least part of the identifier using the public key, thereby enabling further processing between the network entity and the user equipment. |
| US08347089B2 |
System and method of indicating the strength of encryption
A method and system are provided for secure messaging on mobile computing devices. The method and system provide for an indication of a security trust level associated with a security method used with an electronic message. |
| US08347085B2 |
Integrating security protection tools with computer device integrity and privacy policy
At computer device power on, the operating system of the computer device initiates a monitor. The monitor assigns a monitoring program to each program and object (collectively, “program”) running on the computer device to monitor the activities of the program. When the monitoring program is assigned to a program, the monitoring program is assigned an integrity and/or privacy label (collectively, “integrity label”) based on predetermined criteria applied to the monitored program. The monitoring program, in turn, assigns an integrity label to the program monitored by the monitoring program. The integrity label assigned to the monitored program is less than or equal to the integrity label of the monitoring program. The monitor enforces an integrity policy of the computer device based on the integrity label assigned to monitored programs and the integrity label associated with data, another program, or a remote network resource that the monitored program is seeking to access. |
| US08347084B2 |
Information transmission security method
A method for securing the transmission of information in a communication network comprising a plurality of nodes, characterized in that it includes the steps of: an information transmitting node encodes the information with a given code; an error of given weight is added to the encrypted information; the encrypted information and the error are divided into a number of portions that is substantially equal to a chosen number r of possible routes for transmitting the information in the network; the destination address is encrypted; and for each portion, a control information item is associated, making it possible to reconstruct the message at the destination and the encrypted address of the destination node. For the various sets, each including a portion of encrypted information, a control information item and the encrypted address of the recipient node are sent in parallel over the r chosen routes. |
| US08347078B2 |
Device certificate individualization
A method of generating a device certificate. A method of generating a device certificate comprising, constructing a device certificate challenge at a device, sending information to a device certificate individualization server in response to the device certificate challenge, validating the device certificate challenge by the device certificate individualization server, and validating the device certificate response by the device. |
| US08347076B2 |
System and method for building home domain using smart card which contains information of home network member device
A home domain building method and system that allow devices to join a home domain using smart cards. In the method, a master device reads device information from a smart card having a device ID and a device key as the device information of a guest device authenticated as a legal device and transmits a challenge request signal to the guest device, the guest device randomly generates a challenge value in response to the challenge request signal, the master device encrypts the challenge value using the device key of the guest device and transmits the encrypted challenge value to the guest device, the guest device decrypts the encrypted challenge value, and if the decrypted challenge value is the same as the challenge value generated in response to the challenge request signal, the guest device allows the master device to join the guest device in the home domain. |
| US08347074B2 |
System and method for bend-in-the-wire adjacency management
A method for translating network data transmissions begins with a data transmission received at a router. An interface identifier is prepended before a first field of the data transmission, forming a prepended field. The data transmission is transmitted to a translation device. The data transmission is translated without altering the prepended field. The translated data transmission is transferred back to the router. The interface identifier is removed. The translated data is transmitted while maintaining adjacency with an adjacent peer using the interface identifier. |
| US08347060B2 |
Storage system, storage extent release method and storage apparatus
This storage system has an allocation unit for allocating a storage extent in prescribed units to the dynamic logical volume upon storing the data sent from the host computer in the dynamic logical volume; a management unit for managing the storage extent recognized as being currently used by the file system among the storage extents allocated to the dynamic logical volume by the allocation unit; and a release unit for releasing the storage extent that is not being managed by the management unit from the dynamic logical volume. |
| US08347058B1 |
Storage configurator for determining an optimal storage configuration for an application
A method for automatically (i.e., programmatically) determining a storage configuration for a storage system for a given application. The method may receive information on existing storage capabilities in the storage system and information regarding the software application that will use the storage system. The method may then automatically determine a storage configuration for the storage system based on the existing storage capabilities in the storage system, the information regarding the application, and application specific rules about storage configuration principles of the application. The rule may comprise priority information that specifies a priority in application of the rules, e.g., a structure or list of storage types in order of priority for different application data types. |
| US08347054B2 |
Method and computer program product for memory management in a mass storage device
A method for memory management in a mass storage device, comprising the steps of providing a managed memory area (stockling) of s blocks that can be moved and stored in two parts to prevent fragmentation; repeatedly moving each of stockpiles 1,2, . . . , i-1 one block to the right until all stockpiles to the right of stockpile i have moved si blocks, or the left part of the rightmost stockling to the end of the free area (without changing the order between the blocks); returning the contiguous si blocks area beginning where the rightmost stockling began before its leftmost part was moved; locating the rightmost stockling that is stored in one piece (it is either the rightmost stockling itself or the stockling to the left of the rightmost stockling) and moving it to the location of the stockling to be deallocated, and reversing the allocation procedure. |
| US08347052B2 |
Initializing of a memory area
A method for initializing a memory area, the method includes: receiving a request to access a first memory sub area of a first memory area that comprises multiple memory sub areas; and initializing the first memory sub area if a first memory area initialization indicator differs from a first memory sub area initialization request indicator; wherein the first memory area initialization request indicator is a multiple bit variable indicative of a time of a last request to initialize the first memory area and the first memory sub area initialization indicator is a multiple bit variable indicative of a time of a request to initialize the first memory area that resulted in a last initialization of the first memory sub area. |
| US08347051B2 |
Storage apparatus, backup apparatus, and backup method
A storage apparatus includes a second volume which stores data serving as a copying source of data to be stored in a first volume, serving as a data copying destination in another storage apparatus, a session establishing unit which establishes a session between the second volume and the first volume, and a copy directing unit which directs a volume, including a free area, in the other storage apparatus such that data equivalent to the data to be stored in the first volume is copied, in response to a copy setting command issued by a server. |
| US08347049B2 |
Storage system and storage subsystem
In the storage system, a storage apparatus includes a disk device for storing write data from a host computer as a primary volume and copied data of write data as a secondary volume, and a disk controller for collecting and managing status information of a plurality of copy pairs from the disk device with a primary volume and a secondary volume as a single copy pair. The disk controller monitors the status information of the plurality of copy pairs according to the status of failure, and, upon receiving a status notification command, transfers the detailed information concerning a copy pair as the status information of the copy pair subject to a failure, and flag information showing the overall status of all other copy pairs as status information of such other copy pairs. |
| US08347047B2 |
Memory system and device with serialized data transfer
A memory system with serialized data transfer. The memory system includes within a memory controller and a plurality of memory devices. The memory controller receives a plurality of write data values from a host and outputs the write data values as respective serial streams of bits. Each of the memory devices receives at least one of the serial streams of bits from the memory controller and converts the serial stream of bits to a set of parallel bits for storage. |
| US08347046B2 |
Policy framework to treat data
Data can be retained upon a storage medium that has characteristics suitable for the data. However, as the storage mediums are used, time passes, etc., characteristics of memory can change and therefore data can reside upon an improper medium. Data can be dynamically moved from one storage location to another automatically and intelligently based upon a change in characteristics. In addition, new data can be placed on a storage medium based upon characteristics of the medium in a current state. |
| US08347045B2 |
Using a dual mode reader writer lock
A method, system, and computer usable program product for using a dual mode reader writer lock. A contention condition is detected in the use of a lock in a data processing system, the lock being used for managing read and write access to a resource in the data processing system. A determination of the data structure used for implementing the lock is made. If the data structure is a data structure of a reader writer lock (RWL), the data structure is transitioned to a second data structure suitable for implementing the DML. A determination is made whether the DML has been expanded. If the DML is not expanded, the DML is expanded such that the data structure includes an original lock and a set of expanded locks. The original lock and each expanded lock in the set of expanded locks forms an element of the DML. |
| US08347040B2 |
Latency reduction for cache coherent bus-based cache
In one embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of agents coupled to an interconnect and a cache coupled to the interconnect. The plurality of agents are configured to cache data. A first agent of the plurality of agents is configured to initiate a transaction on the interconnect by transmitting a memory request, and other agents of the plurality of agents are configured to snoop the memory request from the interconnect. The other agents provide a response in a response phase of the transaction on the interconnect. The cache is configured to detect a hit for the memory request and to provide data for the transaction to the first agent prior to the response phase and independent of the response. |
| US08347038B2 |
Optimizing memory copy routine selection for message passing in a multicore architecture
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method to obtain topology information regarding a system including at least one multicore processor, provide the topology information to a plurality of parallel processes, generate a topological map based on the topology information, access the topological map to determine a topological relationship between a sender process and a receiver process, and select a given memory copy routine to pass a message from the sender process to the receiver process based at least in part on the topological relationship. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08347037B2 |
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 that specifies a non-modifying access to a target coherency granule, a determination is made whether the memory access request hits or misses in a directory of the lower level victim cache. In response to determining that the memory access request hits in the lower level victim cache in a data-valid coherence state, the lower level victim cache provides the target coherency granule of the memory access request to the upper level cache. The lower level victim cache preserves the target coherency granule in the lower level victim cache in a shared coherence state if the memory access request is of a first type and invalidates the target coherency granule if the memory access request is of a second type. |
| US08347034B1 |
Transparent level 2 cache that uses independent tag and valid random access memory arrays for cache access
A computer cache for a memory comprises a data random-access memory (RAM) containing a plurality of cache lines. Each of the cache lines stores a segment of the memory. A tag RAM contains a plurality of address tags that correspond to the cache lines. A valid RAM contains a plurality of validity values that correspond to the cache lines. The valid RAM is stored separately from the tag RAM and the data RAM. The valid RAM is selectively independently clearable. A hit module determines whether data is stored in the computer cache based upon the valid RAM and the tag RAM. |
| US08347033B2 |
Storage system having power saving function
A data element that is identical to a part of a plurality of data elements stored in a logical storage device (LU hereinbelow) is stored in a storage area (pool hereinbelow) separate from the LU. A first PDEV (physical storage device) that stores the data element stored in the LU may be placed in a power saving state while the storage system is operating (in periods when a read command can be received), and a second PDEV which stores the data element stored in the pool is not placed in a power saving state during operation. When the storage system receives a read command which is received from the host apparatus, and if the first PDEV is in the power saving state and a data element identical to the data element which is the target of the read command is stored in the pool, the storage system reads the identical data element from the pool without canceling the power saving state of the first PDEV, and sends the read data element to the host apparatus. |
| US08347030B2 |
Digital component power savings in a host device and method
A control arrangement, for example, in a digital component that forms part of a system, draws an input current for its operation and is configured for monitoring an interface for any one of a group of commands and, upon detecting an issued one of the group of commands, operates the component for executing the issued command in an operational mode, and during an idle time on the interface, the control arrangement exclusively monitors the interface for any one of the group of commands such that the input current is limited to a leakage current. The component may draw less than 1 milliamp of current during the idle mode. |
| US08347029B2 |
Systems and methods for fast state modification of at least a portion of non-volatile memory
A method is provided for reducing the number of writes in a non-volatile memory (122). The method involves writing data in the non-volatile memory and determining a set of data from the data in the non-volatile memory to be written to a removable memory (126) that is operatively coupled to the non-volatile memory (e.g., a NAND memory). The method also involves writing the set of data to the removable memory (e.g., a hard disk) from the non-volatile memory. The method further involves writing a delineation marker (e.g., a sequence number) to the non-volatile memory specifying that the set of data has been written to the removable memory. Notably, the metadata of the data in the non-volatile memory comprises at least one marker set as a specific marker type (e.g., a valid marker and a dirty marker). |
| US08347025B2 |
Memory controller interface
A memory controller interface, mobile device and method are provided. The memory controller interface can allow a processor designed and configured to operate with NOR flash and static random access memory SRAM devices to instead operate using NAND flash and synchronous dynamic random access memory SDRAM. The system accomplishes this by caching sectors out of NAND flash into SDRAM, where the data can be randomly accessed by the processor as though it were accessing data from NOR flash/SRAM. Sectors containing data required by the processor are read out of NAND flash and written into SDRAM, where the data can be randomly accessed by the processor. Boot code is stored in memory accessible to the processor and is read out of the memory for execution. The boot code is scanned for a predetermined signature, and if the predetermined signature is found, a portion of the memory is write-protected. |
| US08347023B2 |
Compression based wear leveling for non-volatile memory
The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to non-volatile memory. Systems and techniques can include obtaining information to store in a non-volatile memory, the information including a data segment, compressing data within the data segment, including pad data in one or more portions of the data segment based on a compression result attained by the compression, and writing data of the data segment. |
| US08347021B1 |
Storing application messages
The subject matter of this document can be implemented in, among other things, a method that includes receiving, by a process executing separately from a first software application on a computing device, a first message generated by the first software application. The method further includes storing, by the process executing separately from the first software application, the received first message in a volatile memory storage location of the computing device. The method further includes retrieving, by the process executing separately from the first software application, the first message following a termination of the first software application. |
| US08347020B2 |
Memory access controller, systems, and methods for optimizing memory access times
A configurable memory access controller and related systems and methods. In embodiments described herein, the configurable memory controller is adapted to provide a separate memory access configuration for each of a plurality of memory banks in a given memory system. The memory access configuration provided for each memory bank can either be to leave open or close at least one memory page in each memory bank. In this manner, a memory access configuration can be provided for each memory bank on an individualized basis to optimize memory access times based on the type of data activity in each memory bank. In embodiments described herein, the memory controller can also be configured to allow for dynamic configuration of one or more memory banks. Dynamic configuration involves changing or overriding the memory access configuration for a particular memory bank to optimize memory access times. |
| US08347019B2 |
Structure for hardware assisted bus state transition circuit using content addressable memories
A design structure including universal peripheral processor architecture on an integrated circuit (IC) includes a first data bus and a second data bus communicating with first and second ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) devices configured as state machines. First and second processors are coupled to the first bus interface logic and the second bus interface logic. First and second data storage devices communicate with the first and second processors and are coupled to the first and second data buses and communicate with each other. The TCAM devices are configured as state machines and are coupled to and adapted to interface with the processors, the data storage devices, and the bus interface logic using predefined protocols. |
| US08347017B2 |
Integrated circuits for accessing USB device via USB 3.0 receptacle
An integrated circuit for accessing a universal serial bus (USB) device via a USB 3.0 receptacle is provided. The integrated circuit includes a plurality of pins and a controlling unit. The pins include a first group for receiving and transmitting a first pair of differential signals of the USB device, a second group for receiving a second pair of differential signals from the USB device, and a third group for transmitting a third pair of differential signals to the USB device. The second group is disposed between the first and third groups. The controlling unit controls the plurality of pins to receive or transmit the first, second or third pair of differential signals. |
| US08347006B2 |
Minimizing interconnections in a multi-shelf switching system
In certain embodiments, minimizing interconnections in a multi-shelf switching system includes receiving a map describing the switching system, where the switching system comprises shelves and input/output (I/O) points. The map is transformed to yield a graph comprising nodes and edges. A node represents an I/O point, and a node weight represents a number of interface cards of the I/O point represented by the node. An edge between a node pair represents traffic demand between the I/O points represented by the node pair, and an edge weight represents the amount of the traffic demand represented by the edge. The graph is partitioned to yield a groups that minimize interconnection traffic among the shelves, where each group represents a shelf of the multi-shelf switching system. |
| US08347004B2 |
Systems and methods for compression of data for block mode access storage
Systems and methods for creating, reading, and writing compressed data for use with a block mode access storage. The compressed data are packed into plurality of compressed units and stored in a storage logical unit (LU). One or more corresponding compressed units may be read and/or updated with no need of restoring the entire storage logical unit while maintaining de-fragmented structure of the LU. |
| US08347002B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting a video signal with combined color signal
An apparatus for transmitting a video signal includes a signal detector, a multiplexer and a transmitter. The signal detector detects the video signal from the source to determine whether the horizontal sync signal and the vertical sync signal of the video signal are independent or composite. The multiplexer generates a composite sync signal by combining the horizontal sync signal and the vertical sync signal with reference to timing characteristics of the horizontal sync signal and the vertical sync signal while the horizontal sync signal and the vertical sync signal are detected as independent signals, and passes the composite sync signal while the horizontal sync signal and the vertical sync signal are detected as the composite sync signal. The transmitter transmits the video signal with the composite sync signal to the destination via a media. A method for transmitting the video signal is also disclosed. |
| US08347000B2 |
System and method detecting cable plug status in display device
A timing controller provides a cable plug status detection function by receiving a reference lock signal from a graphics system connected via a constituent cable and comparing the reference lock signal to one or more reference time periods to determine the cable plug status. |
| US08346999B2 |
Dynamic receive queue balancing with high and low thresholds
A method according to one embodiment includes the operations of assigning a network application to at least one first core processing unit, from among a plurality of core processing unit. The method of this embodiment also includes the operations of assigning a first receive queue to said first core processing unit, wherein the first receive queue is configured to receive packet flow associated with the network application; defining a high threshold for the first receive queue; and monitoring the packet flow in the first receive queue and comparing a packet flow level in the first receive queue to the high threshold; wherein if the packet flow level exceeds the threshold based on the comparing, generating a queue status message indicating that the packet flow level in the first queue has exceeded the queue high threshold. |
| US08346997B2 |
Use of peripheral component interconnect input/output virtualization devices to create redundant configurations
In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for creating redundant system configurations is presented. The computer-implemented method creates a set of virtual function path authorization tables, and receives a request from a requester to provide requested data from a virtual function wherein the virtual function is performed by a single root or a multi-root peripheral component interconnect device. Further a receive buffer is created in a selected address range in a set of addresses ranges as well as a virtual function work queue entry for the virtual function containing an address of the receive buffer in the selected address range. Responsive to a determination that the virtual function is authorized, writing the requested data into the receive buffer of the selected address range in the one or more systems, and responsive to writing the requested data, issuing a notice of completion to the requester. |
| US08346995B2 |
Balancing usage of hardware devices among clients
Techniques are disclosed for managing the flow of IO jobs from a client to a hardware device such that resource starvation is reduced without significantly impacting throughput. Each flow can be assigned an amount of time that a hardware device can deplete completing IO jobs from the client. When the allocated amount of time is used IO jobs associated with the client can be stored in a queue until the client obtains more time. |
| US08346990B2 |
Methods and systems for tracking data activity levels
methods and systems for monitoring data activity may include various operations, including, but not limited to: modifying a value of at least one counter in response to one or more input/output requests directed to at least one data storage region during a first time interval; storing a first cumulative value of the counter modified in response to one or more input/output requests directed to at least one data storage region during the first time interval following the expiration of the first time interval; modifying a value of at least one counter in response to one or more requests directed to the at least one data storage region during a second time interval; storing a second cumulative value of the counter modified in response to one or more requests directed to the at least one data storage region during the second time interval following the expiration of the second time interval; and computing at least one activity index for the at least one data storage region from at least the first cumulative value and the second cumulative value. |
| US08346981B2 |
Connection of peripherals to operating systems
An arrangement for installing function drivers that provide communication between computer applications and various peripheral devices employs a master driver that is loaded for each peripheral device. The master drivers receive notification of the connection of the respective peripheral devices and, in time, load the proper function drivers. Each function driver has (1) an interface part that communicates with an application and (2) a peripheral part that communicates with the peripheral device associated with that application. When a device is disconnected, the associated function driver is notified and, in response, the driver discontinues operations of its peripheral part and retains operation of its interface part. |
| US08346980B2 |
Modular input/output bridge system for semiconductor processing equipment
Apparatus and methods for providing an interface for a semiconductor processing tool are provided. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include an input/output bridge for receiving analog and state command system control signals from, and sending return data and status information to, a system controller, wherein the analog and state command system control signals are intended to control an analog device, and for converting the analog and state command system control signal into a digital system control signal intended to control a digital device; and an upper pneumatic assembly coupled to the input/output bridge for providing pressure control to one or more pressure zones located on a polishing apparatus coupled to the upper pneumatic assembly for the polishing of semiconductor wafers. |
| US08346976B2 |
Secured registration of a home network device
A home router configured to receive a network registration request from a device that is locally connected to the home router and to provide the request to a service provider network through a network tunnel is disclosed herein. A device configured to provide a network registration request for the device to the service provider network is also disclosed herein. The device sends the request directly to the service provider network via a network tunnel if the device is not connected to the home router or sends the request to the home router for subsequent transmission if the device is connected to the home router. |
| US08346974B2 |
Hardware control interface for IEEE standard 802.11
A standardized 802.11 hardware control interface may be provided such that a driver may communicate with any one or more of a variety of network adapters. |
| US08346971B2 |
Data transfer, synchronising applications, and low latency networks
Asynchronous network interface and method of synchronization between two applications on different computers is provided. The network interface contains snooping hardware which can be programmed to contain triggering values comprising either addresses, address ranges or other data which are to be matched. These data are termed “trip wires”. Once programmed, the interface monitors the data stream, including address data, passing through the interface for addresses and data which match the trip wires which have been set. On a match, the snooping hardware can generate interrupts, increment event counters, or perform some other application-specified action. This snooping hardware is preferably based upon Content-Addressable Memory.The invention thus provides in-band synchronization by using synchronization primitives which are programmable by user level applications, while still delivering high bandwidth and low latency. The programming of the synchronization primitives can be made by the sending and receiving applications independently of each other and no synchronization information is required to traverse the network. |
| US08346970B2 |
Data relay device, data receiving device and communication system
A data relay device has a reception processing unit for dividing transmitted data into data blocks to store in a storage unit together with labels for managing the data blocks, a manipulation processing unit for manipulating the data blocks stored in the storage unit and a transmission processing unit for transmitting the data blocks of which manipulation is completed to a destination. Since the reception processing unit divides the transmitted data while receiving the same, the reception processing unit, the manipulation processing unit and the transmission processing unit may operated in parallel, thereby realizing reduction of time required to relay the transmitted data. |
| US08346968B2 |
Proactive DNS query system based on call flow analysis
DNS requests associated with a network call flow may be proactively predicted. A method may include receiving a model relating DNS queries to DNS queries that are likely to be subsequently issued by other network devices; receiving a first DNS query, the first DNS query being received from a first network device; predicting additional DNS queries that are likely to be issued by the other network devices; and transmitting responses to the predicted DNS queries to other network devices. |
| US08346966B1 |
Transparent file system access for wide area network file system acceleration
The present invention, in particular embodiments, provides methods, apparatuses and systems directed to providing a mechanism by which clients can transparently access remote file server appliances. Due to this, clients do not need to modify the pathnames in order to access the file servers. |
| US08346965B2 |
Systems and methods for multi-layer traffic grooming
A method may include constructing an auxiliary graph for a network comprising a plurality of network elements, the network elements having an Internet Protocol layer, a lower layer, and a wavelength layer, the auxiliary graph including a plurality of directed edges, the plurality of directed edges indicative of connectivity of components of the plurality of network elements. The method may further include: (i) deleting directed edges from the auxiliary graph whose available bandwidth is lower than the required bandwidth of a selected demand; (ii) finding a path for the demand on the auxiliary graph via remaining directed edges; (iii) deleting at least one directed edge of the auxiliary graph on the wavelength layer along the path; (iv) adding lower layer lightpath edges to the auxiliary graph for a lower layer lightpath for the path; and (v) converting lower layer lightpaths to Internet Protocol lightpaths if a conversion condition is satisfied. |
| US08346960B2 |
Systems, methods, and devices for defending a network
Certain exemplary embodiments comprise a method comprising: within a backbone network: for backbone network traffic addressed to a particular target and comprising attack traffic and non-attack traffic, the attack traffic simultaneously carried by the backbone network with the non-attack traffic: redirecting at least a portion of the attack traffic to a scrubbing complex; and allowing at least a portion of the non-attack traffic to continue to the particular target without redirection to the scrubbing complex. |
| US08346959B2 |
Client-controlled adaptive streaming
A client determines the transmission of a data stream from a server and transmits to the server a Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) header having either RTSP Speed or both RTSP Scale and RTSP Speed values where the values are formed based at least on the determined transmission rate of the data stream received by the client and a reference data stream rate. An RTSP server responsive to the Speed value or the Speed and Scale value may adjust properties of the data stream being transmitted in response to the RTSP header values sent by the client. |
| US08346956B2 |
Dynamic image delivery system
A dynamic image delivery system receives a client request for an image at an image caching server. The image caching server measures the client's network access speed and looks for an appropriate pre-rendered copy of the requested image that is rendered for the client's network access speed in local storage. If the appropriate rendered copy is found, then the image caching server sends the rendered image to the client. If it is not found, then the image caching server dynamically renders a copy of the image and sends it to the client. |
| US08346955B2 |
Streaming content delivery management for a wireless communication device
A wireless communication device comprises a wireless communication interface, a user interface, and a processing system. The wireless communication interface is configured to receive streaming content from a communication system. The user interface is configured to display the streaming content in a plurality of windows. The processing system is configured to monitor a screen arrangement of the wireless communication device and determine an amount that each of the windows is covered, and if the amount exceeds a threshold value, to initiate a packet indicating a source packet address of the streaming content being displayed in the covered window. The wireless communication interface is further configured to transfer the packet to the communication system, wherein the communication system receives the packet, and in response, ceases transmission of the streaming content being displayed in the covered window to the wireless communication device. |
| US08346954B2 |
Networking architecture for efficient communication between different types of home networks
A method is described that involves performing the following between first and second appliance networks: receiving a packet from the first appliance network; removing header information for the first appliance network from the packet; and, sending the packet's payload into the second appliance network without having appended any header information for the second appliance network to the payload. Another method is described that involves performing the following with a network interface to a first appliance network: receiving a first command through an API for the first appliance network where the command identifies an appliance and an action to be taken by the appliance; translating the first command into a second command that identifies the appliance and the action to be taken by the appliance, where the second command is in a format for a second appliance network that is a different type of appliance network than the first appliance network; and, constructing a packet having header information formatted for the first appliance network and a payload containing the second command. |
| US08346952B2 |
De-centralization of group administration authority within a network storage architecture
An embodiment of a network manager permits a resource group administrator (with resource group level permissions but without global permissions) to add a global object to his/her resource group as a managed object, without requiring the administrator to have a global permission, as discussed further below. An embodiment of the network manager permits a resource group administrator to also edit the configuration settings that are attached to his/her resource group without requiring the administrator to have a global permission. |
| US08346951B2 |
Method for first packet authentication
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a network client (42) inserts an authorization key (38) into the SEQ (30) and ACK (32) fields of a TCP connection request (56). The TCP connection request (56) is sent to a authorizing server (46). The authorizing server (46) extracts the authorization key (38) and uses the authorization key (38), with other implicit and explicit data contained within the TCP connection request (56) to authorize the TCP connection request (56). If the TCP connection request (56) is authorized, the authorizing server (46) sends a TCP-SYN/ACK (58) back to the network client (42) as described in the TCP protocol specification. If the TCP connection request (56) is denied, the TCP connection request (56) is discarded and nothing is sent back to the network client (42). |
| US08346945B2 |
Dynamic SDP update in IPDC over DVB-H
Various embodiments of present invention relate to the synchronization of an SDP stream to the media stream. In various embodiments, the SDP-consuming application initiates a FLUTE receiver and retrieves new versions of the SDP file. The terminal also retrieves information from the RTCP layer about the current sender time. The sender time is indicated as an NTP timestamp in RTCP sender reports. The receiver indicates to the player that the new SDP file will be valid after some time period. Various embodiments of the present invention also cover the behavior of a terminal upon receiving an SDP update. Still further, various embodiments of the present invention provides for richer out-of-band ESG delivery than conventional systems, permitting more meaningful session updates. |
| US08346943B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling a multimedia gateway comprising an IMSI
A multimedia gateway that has an ISIM is provided. The multimedia gateway comprises: request receiving means for receiving, from a client terminal, a request message that specifies a destination IMS AS and a communications protocol, and identifying an IMPU assigned to the client terminal, establishing means for establishing a session for communication with the IMS AS by means of the communications protocol, and establishing a connection with the IMS AS over the session, authentication information sending means for sending authentication information derived from the ISIM that contains the identified IMPU to the IMS AS, request sending means for sending the request message together with the identified IMPU to the IMS AS through the connection, response receiving means for receiving a response message from the IMS AS through the connection as a response to the request message, and response sending means for sending the response message to the client terminal. |
| US08346942B2 |
Call centers for providing customer services in a telecommunications network
A software-based distributed architecture allows rapid provisioning and flexible management of fault-tolerant call centers for interaction between companies' agents and outside customers via multi-media messages, using both real time and non-real time messages. The real time messages include web-based chat, forms and applications sharing, PSTN calls, and incoming and outgoing Voice over IP calls. The non-real time messages include web call-back requests, voice messages, fax messages, and email messages. The architecture provides for sharing of non-dedicated resources among multiple companies, mirrored hot backup, dynamic resource provisioning and allocation, dynamic load balancing, and implementation of service controls on individual companies in accordance with subscription service limits. |
| US08346936B2 |
Method for managing the allocation of resources to channel swarms in a peer-to-peer network
A resource-node of a peer-to-peer (P2P) network adapted to manage the allocation of resources to channel swarms. Resource allocation is based on a distributed algorithm in which resource-nodes of the P2P network occasionally join and leave channel-swarms. Each resource-node independently decides whether or not to stay in the channel-swarm that it has joined to. These decisions are based on values of a transience parameter set by a transience mechanism of the resource-node. |
| US08346935B2 |
Managing hardware resources by sending messages amongst servers in a data center
Systems and methods to manage workloads and hardware resources in a data center or cloud. In one embodiment, a method includes a data center having a plurality of servers in a network. The data center provides a virtual machine for each of a plurality of users, each virtual machine to use a portion of hardware resources of the data center. The hardware resources include storage and processing resources distributed onto each of the plurality of servers. The method further includes sending messages amongst the servers, some of the messages being sent from a server including status information regarding a hardware resource utilization status of that server. The method further includes detecting a request from the virtual machine to handle a workload requiring increased use of the hardware resources, and provisioning the servers to temporarily allocate additional resources to the virtual machine, wherein the provisioning is based on status information provided by one or more of the messages. |
| US08346932B1 |
System for providing integrated voice and data services
Embodiments of the use case-based management system enable non-technical users to manage devices, resources, and services that are remote to the premises where their integrated system management devices, applications, or appliances are located. This permits users to subscribe to remote voice, data, and other services without having to first configure their local equipment to ensure proper acceptance of these services. The users can simply select the desired remote services in the use case-based management system, enter a minimum amount of non-technical information such as account information provided by the service provider, and enable the service. The use case-based management system automatically creates generalized system management requests and passes them externally to the proper remote service, resource, or device managers, which then translate and broker these requests into proper low-level commands. Example remote services that can be managed include domain and sub-domain registration services, email seconding services, and Internet telephony services. |
| US08346930B2 |
Multimedia processing method and device for resource management using virtual resources
A multimedia processing device and method for using virtual resources to manage multimedia content system resources and access to such resources by system applications. A multimedia content processing device, such as a set-top box, is configured to provide virtual resources that emulate actual resources, such as a media playing resource, in a manner that allows system applications, such as a television or video on demand application, to believe they have access to the actual underlying system resource. The method includes providing a virtual resource for a system application seeking access to a system resource. The virtual resource can be configured in an attached mode, in which the virtual resource forwards information between an active system application and the accessed resource. The virtual resource also can be configured in a detached mode, in which the virtual resource emulates the actual resource to which a non-active system application is seeking access. |
| US08346929B1 |
System and method for generating secure Web service architectures using a Web Services security assessment methodology
System and method for designing and implementing secure Web Services according to a Web Services Security Assessment structured methodology and design patterns. Lifecycles of the Web Services Security Assessment structured methodology may include, but are not limited to: vision and strategy, architecture design, development, integration, and deployment. In one embodiment, security components may be identified based on one or more use case requirements. Web Services objects that need to be protected may be identified. The object relationship for security protection may be defined, and associated trust domains, security policy and strategy and threat profiles may be identified. Protection schemes for these Web Services objects may be generated. Web Services security design patterns may be applied. One embodiment may be implemented as a secure Web Services architecture design mechanism that may receive Web Services requirements as input and assist a user in designing and generating a secure Web Services architecture. |
| US08346921B1 |
Predictive governing of dynamic modification of program execution capacity
Techniques are described for managing program execution capacity or other capacity of computing-related hardware resources used to execute software programs, such as for a group of computing nodes that is in use executing one or more programs for a user. Dynamic modifications to the program execution capacity of the group may include adding or removing computing nodes, such as in response to automated determinations that previously specified triggers are currently satisfied, and may be automatically governed at particular times based on automatically generated predictions of program execution capacity that will be used at those times by the group, such as to verify that requested dynamic execution capacity modifications at a time are within the predicted execution capacity values for that time. In some situations, the techniques are used in conjunction with a fee-based program execution service that executes multiple programs on behalf of multiple users of the service. |
| US08346920B2 |
Managing network resource requests
Systems and methods for managing network resource requests are described herein. Servers may be configured to operate in communication with a network. A server, in accordance with embodiments described in the present disclosure, includes a resource request handling program that is stored in a memory device. The resource request handling program is configured to extract an abbreviated resource request into at least an abbreviated site name and a page symbol. The server also includes a database that is configured to store a first relationship between the abbreviated site name and a web site. The database may also store a second relationship between the page symbol and a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address of a web page associated with the web site. |
| US08346919B1 |
Failover and migration for full-offload network interface devices
A method and apparatus are provided for communication of a host having a first network interface device and a second network interface device coupled thereto. The first network interface device is configured to operate a transport layer network connection between the host and a peer. The host is configured to, while the first network device is operating the transport layer network connection with the peer, independently determine connection information that describes the transport layer network connection being operated by the first network interface device. The second network interface device is caused to operate the transport layer network connection with the peer based at least in part on the connection information maintained by the host. |
| US08346918B2 |
Apparatus and method for biased and weighted sampling of network traffic to facilitate network monitoring
An apparatus is described that performs biased and weighted sampling of network traffic to facilitate network monitoring. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a plurality of microcode controlled state machines, and a distribution circuit that routes input data to the plurality of microcode controlled state machines. A first individual microcode controlled state machine applies a first rule to the input data to determine first instructions associated with a first subset of the input data based on first sampling information associated with the first rule. A second individual microcode controlled state machine applies a second rule to the input data to determine second instructions associated with a second subset of the input data based on second sampling information associated with the second rule. The second sampling information differs from the first sampling information. This embodiment further includes a first circuit that generates first routing instructions for the first subset of the input data based on the first instructions, and that generates second routing instructions for the second subset of the input data based on the second instructions. This embodiment further includes a second circuit that routes the input data based on the first routing instructions and the second routing instructions. Advantageously, the apparatus provides an architectural framework well suited to a low cost, high speed, robust implementation of flexible, advanced network security and monitoring features and network traffic analysis. |
| US08346916B2 |
Information processing apparatus, control method of information processing apparatus, and storage medium of storing computer program to perform control method
In a search server, a search request for searching for a device is received from a client PC, the device satisfying a search condition included in the received search request is searched for, and a searched result is transmitted to the client PC. Further, it is judged whether or not an apparatus at a transfer destination to which the search request is transferred has been registered in the search server. If it is judged that the apparatus at the transfer destination has been registered in the search server, the search request is transferred to the registered apparatus at the transfer destination based on the received search request. |
| US08346915B2 |
System and method of recording and sharing mobile application activities
A method of recording activity at a wireless device is provided. The method includes receiving a record command, determining a user activity at the wireless device, and determining available memory at the wireless device. The method further includes recording the user activity to create a device recording at least partially based on the user activity and the available memory. |
| US08346909B2 |
Method for supporting transaction and parallel application workloads across multiple domains based on service level agreements
An on-demand manager provides an improved distributed data processing system for facilitating dynamic allocation of computing resources among multiple domains based on a current workload and service level agreements. Based on a service level agreement, the on-demand manager monitors and predicts the load on the system. If the current or predicted load cannot be handled with the current system configuration, the on-demand manager determines additional resources needed to handle the workload. If the service level agreement violations cannot be handled by reconfiguring resources at a domain, the on-demand manager sends a resource request to other domains. These other domains analyze their own commitments and may accept the resource request, reject the request, or counter-propose with an offer of resources and a corresponding service level agreement. Once the requesting domain has acquired resources, workload load balancers are reconfigured to allocate some of the workload from the requesting site to the acquired remote resources. |
| US08346905B2 |
Systems and methods for improved multisite management and reporting of converged communication systems and computer systems
A method for providing a report database is disclosed. A server system coordinates management activities for a plurality of localized devices. An abstraction layer references the localized devices as “locations” rather than physical equipment, which are distinct from an IP address. The server system communicates with an individual device of the plurality of localized devices via the abstraction layer to request software distribution information without requiring user initiation at the individual device. Communications between the server system and the individual device are performed using a protectable communications protocol that includes an atomic error handling capability to enable one or more transaction instructions to be reversed upon an error in one of the plurality of transaction instructions. |
| US08346903B2 |
Print server, mobile computing device, system and method for printing using a mobile computing device
A print server, a mobile computing device, a method of printing, and a system for printing using a mobile computing device. The print server includes a submission processor, an orchestration processor, and a positioning processor. The print server is configured to track the global position of a mobile computing device and determine a print location and/or print time based upon the global position of the mobile computing device. The method involves tracking the global position of the mobile computing device and determining the print location and/or print time based upon the global position of the mobile computing device. |
| US08346900B2 |
Network service for modularly constructing a software defined radio
Systems and methods are provided that disclose a network service for modularly constructing a software defined radio (“SDR”). A server system provides an SDR kernel (i.e., a potentially platform-neutral definition of digital signal processing functionality and control operations necessary to implement the core portion of a software defined radio implementing a particular radio standard) to a client system. The client system may select a desired SDR kernel through a variety of means disclosed herein. While some SDR kernels may be provided for free and unrestricted use, others may be purchased or subscribed to and additionally restricted by digital rights management (“DRM”) policies. Based upon the agreed upon payment terms and any other restrictions, a customized set of DRM policies may be applied by the server system to the SDR kernel before sending it to a client system. Additionally, the server system may provide a description of governmental regulations applicable to a given locality. |
| US08346897B2 |
System and method for deploying and maintaining software applications
A method and system for software deployment or maintenance where procedures for software installation or maintenance are defined by a skilled individual; site-specific or confidential information is separated from operating system native commands; parameterized commands referencing a hierarchy of variables are acquired by another individual; site-specific or confidential information of the other individual is combined with parameterized commands; new operating system native commands are generated; and, the new operating system native commands are execute on a computing system to reproduce the procedures for software installation or maintenance originally defined by the skilled individual.The software deployment or maintenance procedures originally defined by the skilled individual may be applied to any number of computing systems maintained by any number of other individuals without the skilled individual's further involvement in the process. The site-specific or confidential information belonging to the other individuals is not shared with the skilled individual. |
| US08346896B2 |
User pivot navigation of shared social media
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to social media navigation in a social network and provide a method, system and computer program product for user pivot for media sharing in a social network. In an embodiment of the invention, a social networking data processing system for user pivot navigation. The system can include a social network executing in a host server, the social network providing shared media for viewing by communicatively coupled clients. The system also can include user pivot logic coupled to the social network. The logic can include program code enabled to identify a user of the social network associated with shared media selected for display in a media view to a requesting user and to generate a navigation view in a consistent location in a user interface to the social network irrespective of a page view rendered in the user interface, the view providing a link to a profile page for the identified user. |
| US08346895B2 |
User productivity on-demand services
The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for providing user productivity on-demand services. One process includes operations for determining a hosted service for use with an application at a client based on user context data associated with the application. A request for the hosted service and a reference to stored data required for the hosted service is received. The hosted service is executed, and the results are transmitted to the client. |
| US08346893B2 |
Mobile wireless communications device to display a remaining content portion of a web article and associated methods
A mobile wireless communications device includes a processor cooperating with a wireless transceiver for displaying on a display a linking web page including a plurality of introductory content portions of linked web articles having hyperlinks associated therewith. User selection of a corresponding hyperlink for a given linked web article is permitted via at least one input device. Content of the given linked web article is searched to determine a remaining content portion after the introductory content portion. At least part of the remaining content portion is displayed on the display. |
| US08346891B2 |
Managing entities in virtual computing environments
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for discovering entities in a first portion of a data center network, examining information associated with the discovered entities to determine relationships that exist between pairs of entities in the first portion of the data center network, and generating a specification of the relationships that exist between pairs of entities in the first portion of the data center network based on results of the examining. |
| US08346890B1 |
Multi-homed web server with compiled animation server
A multi-homed web server is disclosed including a plurality of virtual hosts operable in a web server. The multi-web server is configured to serve animations to clients over the web. The multi-web server may determine whether the specified time to send a subsequent graphic in a series of graphics has passed, and if the specified time has passed, then send a next graphic the next appropriate time. The web server software may be compiled as part of the native web server code. |
| US08346888B2 |
Contents data output apparatus, contents data delivery system, contents data output method, and contents data output program
[PROBLEMS] To surely deliver additional data to be delivered with contents data at a desired timing, and allow a delivery result to be easily confirmed.[MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] When the contents data is acquired in real time from the delivery apparatus 5 by the contents data acquiring device 11a, the contents data is outputted to a display or the like and displayed in real time by the contents data outputting device 11b. At the same time, the additional data corresponding to the contents data is acquired from the delivery apparatus 5 by the additional data acquiring device 11c, the available data is acquired from the delivery apparatus 5 by the available data acquiring device 11d, and the additional data outputting period is calculated based on the available data by the additional data outputting period calculating device 11e. The additional data is outputted to a display or the like and displayed in the additional data outputting period by the additional data outputting device 11f, and is stopped outputting in response to an end of the additional data outputting period. |
| US08346876B2 |
Method and system for message delivery
The present invention is directed to an apparatus, system, methods, and computer-program product for message delivery in a publish/subscribe network is provided. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for message delivery in a publish/subscribe network includes defining a group of publish/subscribe engines as a subset of a set of fully connectable publish/subscribe engines, wherein the group provides a function which can be carried out by any one of the publish/subscribe engines in the group. Each of the publish/subscribe engines in the group sends a group proxy subscription including a topic, an indication of the publish/subscribe engine sending the group proxy subscription, and an indication of the group. A publish/subscribe engine outside the group sends a single publish message to one of the group of publish/subscribe engines with a group proxy subscription for a topic. If the one of the group of publish/subscribe engines to which the single publish message is being sent also has an individual proxy subscription, the publish message for the group is included in the publish message for the individual proxy subscription. |
| US08346875B2 |
Intelligence of the crowd electronic mail management system
Embodiments of ranking emails within an email system are disclosed. One method of ranking emails within an email system includes monitoring actions of a plurality of email users of the email system, and ranking a plurality of emails sent or received by at least one of the email users based on the monitored actions of the plurality of email users. |
| US08346868B2 |
Real-time web sharing system
The customer presses the Connect button (2240) on the customer terminal (1230). By this, a connection request to an operator terminal is notified to an operator terminal (1210) via the push sharing server (2100). On receiving this notification, the operator terminal (1210) changes the Respond button (2310) to the Incoming button. When the operator presses the Respond button (2310) on the operator web page (2300), the push sharing server (2100) transmits a difference notification command to the operator terminal (1210), and the operator terminal displays the same web page as the web page on the customer terminals (1230). |
| US08346867B2 |
Dynamic playlist for mobile computing device
A method of managing electronic media items includes accessing first geographic information that indicates a first geographic location of a first device; accessing second geographic information that indicates a second geographic location of a second device; determining whether the first device and the second device are within a defined geographic proximity based on the first geographic location and the second geographic location; if the determination indicates that the first device and the second device are within the defined geographic proximity, generating at least one playlist of media items based on a set of media preferences shared between a first user of the first device and a second user of the second device; and sending the playlist to the first device such that the first user is able to select one or more of the media items on the playlist to be output by the first device. |
| US08346866B2 |
Formation of special interest groups
Special interest subgroups are formed by a group of participants by establishing a profile for each participant. The profile defines contribution attributes dealing with contributions the profiled participant might make to a subgroup and attribution attributes dealing with benefits the profile participant might receive from participating in the subgroup. For each possible pairing of participants in the group, an overall contribution score and an overall benefit score is calculated for each participant. A mutual benefit score is calculated by combining the benefit scores for both participants in the pair. Participants are assigned to subgroups as a function of participant contribution and mutual benefit scores. |
| US08346864B1 |
Systems and methods for social network based conferencing
Computer-based systems and methods provide additional management options for members of social networks whereby the members can define and participate in conferences, with the extent of the participation and messaging within such conferences based on the structure of the underlying social network(s). Metadata sent by participants includes one or more distribution parameters, with the parameter(s) specifying the extent to which a message is distributed within a conference and/or the extent of participation in the conference. In some embodiments, replies to messages cannot extend beyond the original recipient list, but may be further limited. Embodiments of a client interface for use in social networking conference systems are disclosed, and may include threaded chat areas and content sharing areas. |
| US08346863B2 |
Contact initialization based upon automatic profile sharing between computing devices
A method of initiating contact based upon automatically shared profile data can include a step of automatically and wirelessly exchanging profile information between at least two computing devices. A determination can be made as to whether a contact opportunity exists by comparing received profile information with a set of previously established contact rules. A notification of a contract opportunity can be automatically presented upon one of the computing devices, depending upon whether the profile information favorably compares with the contact rules. |
| US08346862B2 |
Mobile communication terminal and method
The present invention relates to methods for sending and receiving sound based messages in an efficient way between one or several mobile communication terminals, a mobile communication terminal, a computer program, and a system and method for handling an audio messaging service (AMS) chat session between mobile communication apparatuses. The methods for sending and receiving comprises steps for handling AMS chat sessions in the mobile communication apparatus. The mobile communication comprises means for handling AMS chat sessions. The system comprises means for handling AMS in a network; a server; and mobile communication apparatuses accessing the server, wherein the mobile communication apparatuses are adapted to send a request for participating in an AMS chat session to the server, and the server is arranged to provide an AMS message for the mobile communication apparatuses, to update the AMS message from the mobile communication apparatuses, and to transmit the updated AMS message to the mobile communication apparatuses participating in the chat session. The method for handling an audio messaging service AMS chat session between mobile communication apparatuses comprises steps for handling AMS chat sessions in the system. |
| US08346859B2 |
Method, system, and graphical user interface for dynamically updating transmission characteristics in a web mail reply
A method, system and graphical user interface for dynamically updating transmission characteristics in a web mail reply are described. In one embodiment of the invention, a graphical user interface includes a web mail reply form that includes: one or more address fields; an input area for inputting a reply message; and a plurality of response options selectable by a user. In response to selection of a response option by a user, one or more of the address fields in the reply form are changed while maintaining the reply message in the input area. |
| US08346857B2 |
Systems and methods for providing resource allocation in a networked environment
Methods and systems for allocating resources, such as computer controlled resources, in a networked system are described. An example system includes a network interface, an item database, a load balancer, a web proxy processor configured to selectively block or route an inbound user browser request, a cache cluster system configured to cache data and states for access by other system components, and program code stored in computer readable memory configured to store a session identifier on a user terminal associated with a user browser, process an item acquisition request from the user browser while the browser is accessing a first website, transmit to the browser an indication that the acquisition request is accepted if the acquisition request meets a predefined criterion, if the acquisition request is accepted then automatically transmit to the browser an offer to transfer the item to another, use the session identifier for identification, and determine if a transfer instruction has been received from the browser. |
| US08346854B2 |
Method and system of operating system independence
A method and system of operating system independent cloud computing is provided. In one embodiment, a method of a client device includes accessing a first application through a first application template. The first application template resides on a server. The method also includes accessing the first application based on a response to a request of a user interface of the client device. Furthermore, the method includes processing the first application through a processor such that the first application accesses the first application template such that the client device permits an access of the first application through the first application template. The method also includes executing the first application through the first application template such that an execution of the first application through the first application template emulates the execution of the first application installed on an operating system of the client device. |
| US08346851B2 |
System and method for determining when to generate subordinate coordinators on local machines
A local machine receives a service request from a parent transaction coordinator hosted by a remote machine, the service request including a transaction context. The transaction context is cached at the local machine. Processing logic on the local machine monitors a service as the service performs work to comply with the service request. Processing logic determines when to generate a subordinate transaction coordinator and when to register the subordinate transaction coordinator with the parent transaction coordinator based on the work performed by the monitored device. |
| US08346842B2 |
Reformatting dynamically rerouted production requests
Automatically reformatting rerouted production requests so that a production request directed to one production device can be rerouted to another device with little if any user intervention. A method embodying the present invention includes queuing a production request formatted for a primary production service. Upon detection of a redirection event for the primary production service, an available secondary production service is identified. The production request is reverted and then reformatted specifically for the secondary production service. |
| US08346840B2 |
Flexible accumulator for rational division
A system and method are provided for rational division. The method accepts accepting a binary numerator and a binary denominator. A binary first sum is created of the numerator and a binary first count from a previous cycle. A binary first difference is created between the first sum and the denominator. In response to comparing the first sum with the denominator, and first carry bit is generated and added to a first binary sequence. The first binary sequence is used to generate a k-bit quotient. Typically, the denominator value is larger than the numerator value. In one aspect, the numerator and denominator form a rational number. Alternately, the numerator may be an n-bit bit value formed as either a repeating or non-repeating sequence, and the denominator is an (n+1)-bit number with a decimal value of 2(n+1). |
| US08346836B2 |
Apparatus and method for area and speed efficient fast fourier transform (FFT) processoring with runtime and static programmability of number of points
An apparatus and method for area and speed efficient fast Fourier transform (FFT) processing comprising mapping a one-dimensional DFT to a multi-dimensional representation; re-indexing the multi-dimensional representation as a radix 23 decimation architecture; simplifying the radix 23 decimation architecture to obtain a nested butterfly architecture; acquiring N samples of a finite duration time-sampled signal; and inputting the acquired N samples into the nested butterfly architecture to obtain a N-point fast Fourier transform (FFT) output. |
| US08346835B2 |
Filter structure and method for filtering an input signal
The invention relates to a method and filter structure for filtering an input signal, which is applied to an input (1) of the filter structure, having a symbol rate. The input signal is guided to multiple parallel branches of the filter structure connected to the input (1), in which at least two sequence holding members (4) are each disposed. Symbol values of the input signal, which are applied to the outputs of the sequence holding members (4) at certain points are guided to multiple (N) parallel signal addition units (3) having weighted inputs. One output signal each is generated in the signal addition units (3) as the sum of the weighted symbol values that are applied to the inputs. According to the invention, space and energy saving filter structure is provided, wherein: the same amount of sequence holding members (4.1, 4.2, 4.3) is disposed in each of the parallel branches; as many signal addition units (3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4) are disposed in the filter structure as the amount of parallel branches are provided in the filter structure; the sequence holding members (4.1, 4.2, 4.3) and addition units (3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4) are nested inside each other; and the sequence holding members die (4.1, 4.2, 4.3) and the signal addition units (3) are controlled via a multi-phase clock signal (F1 to 4). |
| US08346830B2 |
Digital signal processing apparatus
Register includes flip-flop circuits each constructed to retain data of n bit in synchronism with a clock pulse, the register retaining a multiplication result of a multiplier dividedly by the flip-flop circuits, n bit per flip-flop circuit. For each of a first and second numeric value data to be multiplied by the multiplier, a control circuit detects the number of consecutive zeros from the lowest-order bit of the data and performs control, on the basis of the detected number of the consecutive zeros and for each flip-flop circuit, as to whether or not the clock pulse should be supplied to the flip-flop circuit. The control circuit obtains an integral quotient value x by dividing by the number n the sum between the detected numbers for the first and second numeric value data, to stop the clock pulse supply to a particular number x of flip-flop circuit counted from the lowest-order. |
| US08346826B2 |
Switch device, system, backup method and computer program
A system which includes at least one client, a plurality of file servers, each having a file system, and a switch logically arranged between the client and the plurality of file servers to provide file access services which virtually render the plurality of file systems accessible as a single file system, termed a ‘pseudo file system’, when viewed from the terminal. The switch distributes a command that starts generation of snapshots to the plurality of file servers, which file servers formulate respective snapshots responsive to the command that starts formation of the snapshots. The switch sets the plurality of snapshots, generated by the plurality of file servers, so as to be associated with the file system structure of the virtual file system at the time of formation of the snapshots. |
| US08346825B2 |
Stored data reverification management system and method
A system and method are provided for verifying data copies and reverifying the copies over the life span of media according to a verification policy. Characteristics of media and use of media are tracked to provide metrics which may be used to dynamically reevaluate and reassign verification policies to optimize media usage. Copies that fail verification operations may be repaired by repeating a storage operation for recent copies or by substituting a close temporal copy of the failed copy. |
| US08346824B1 |
Data distribution system
Distributing data is disclosed. A first request for data associated with a first file is received at a first node. It is determined, at the first node, that the first file is located on a second node. A second request for data associated with the first file is received at the first node. It is determined that a third node should have an instance of the first file. The third node is caused to have an instance of the first file. |
| US08346823B2 |
Method of storing and organizing files on a storage medium via a file system
In order to face fragmentation, a method for storing and organizing files on a storage medium via a file system reserves on the storage medium a non-fragmented segment for taking up a file by storing within the file system an identification of an address range of the segment. The file is written within the segment and information is stored in the file system. The information is suited to find the file. The size of the segment is derived by statistical methods from file sizes of a kind of the file. |
| US08346822B2 |
Memory management
A method of memory management for a software application in execution in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of: a memory manager supplying a first unit of memory having a predetermined size as a first allocation space for the software application; the software application storing data in the first allocation space; and discarding inactive data in the first allocation space by the steps of: a) the memory manager supplying a second unit of memory for the software application; b) identifying active data in the first allocation space and copying said active data to the second unit of memory, the active data including at least data that is in use by the software application; c) indicating, in the first allocation space, that the active data has become inactive; d) mapping a portion of the first allocation space to be logically contiguous with the second unit of memory to define a second allocation space for the software application whereby the second allocation space has a size that is equivalent to the predetermined size; and e) returning a remaining portion of the first allocation to the memory manager as a unit of memory suitable for reuse. |
| US08346817B2 |
Systems and methods for embedding interpolated data object in application data file
Embodiments relate to systems and methods for embedding an interpolated data object in an application data file. A database management system can store operational data, such as financial, climate or other information. A user can input or access target data, representing an output desired to be generated from an interpolated set of input data. Thus, the average air temperature of a region may be known for several years, along with other inputs including water temperature, wind speed, and other data. The target data can include an expected average temperature for the current year. The interpolation engine can receive the current-year target temperature, and generate water temperatures, wind speeds, and other variables that produce the target temperature. In aspects, the interpolation engine can embed the interpolated data as an object in a local or remote spreadsheet or other local data file via dynamic data links, to permit automatic updating of the embedded interpolated data. |