| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08356689B2 |
Structure for the compositely formed sound box
An improved structure for the compositely formed sound box consists of a plastic-made box with one-way opening and intensified rib and inlet components provided inside the box. The main feature is the bubbled one-piece soundproof layer inside the sound box to expand the overall structure of the sound box, reduce the thickness of the sound box, minimize the thickness of the shell, and upgrade the soundproof performance at the same time. |
| US08356685B2 |
Arrangement for strengthening the road grip for a vehicle
In an arrangement for strengthening the road grip for a vehicle, particularly for a passenger car, air can be sucked from a vacuum chamber arranged under the vehicle and closed off with respect to the ambient atmosphere. As a result, a vacuum can be generated in a vacuum chamber arranged in a braking plate, and the latter can be changed from an inoperative position away from the ground into a operative position close to the ground, as a result of the generated vacuum. |
| US08356684B2 |
Industrial truck having a battery compartment base with roller accommodation openings
An industrial truck having a battery compartment that accommodates a replaceable battery block, the battery compartment comprising at least one lateral access opening for inserting and for withdrawing the battery block, the base of the battery compartment having at least one guide track in the battery movement direction capable of supporting the battery block such that it can move relative to the battery compartment on the guide track by a support element provided on the battery block. The battery compartment base may have a plurality of roller accommodation openings into which rollers can be inserted. A separate shelf may be arranged at a distance from the battery compartment base by means of spacers, the shelf having a plurality of roller accommodation openings into which rollers can be inserted. |
| US08356681B2 |
Frictional drive device and inverted pendulum type vehicle using the same
In a frictional drive device comprising a pair of drive disks (48) each rotatably supported by a frame (10) around a central axial line (A) in a mutually opposing relationship and configured to be individually rotatively actuated by a pair of first actuators (45), a plurality of drive rollers (58) arranged along an outer periphery of each drive disk each via a roller bracket (52) which is rotatable around a center line (B) extending in a radial direction at an angle with respect to the central axial line of the drive disks, each roller bracket rotatably supports the corresponding drive roller so as to be rotatable along a prescribed plane of rotation, and an annular main wheel (100) disposed at least approximately coaxially with respect to the central axial line and engaged by the drive rollers of the drive disks, the main wheel comprising an annular member (102) and a plurality of driven rollers (106) supported along the annular member so as to be rotatable around a tangential line of the annular member, each drive roller is configured to be selectively turned around the center line of the corresponding roller bracket. Thereby, the drive efficiency of the frictional drive device can be improved over a wide range of drive mode. When the frictional drive device is incorporated in an inverted pendulum type vehicle as a drive unit (40), the variable arrangement for the drive rollers can be conveniently used for imparting a yaw moment to the vehicle. |
| US08356676B2 |
Device for extinguishing fires
This device comprises a portable reservoir (2) suspended form a helicopter and provided with at least one lower hatch (21) for discharging the extinguishing liquid or water transported. The device comprises a vacuum pump (4) to create a vacuum inside said reservoir (2), a vacuum sensor (75) to regulate the vacuum created inside the reservoir (2) depending on the quantity of water to be loaded, several means to cause the opening of a lower hatch (21) of the reservoir (2) and the loading of water into the reservoir (2) as a result of the suction effect caused by the vacuum, several means for detecting when the reservoir (2) is full and several means for automatically closing the lower hatch (21) when the water load has reached a preset level. |
| US08356673B2 |
Down-hole transmitter system, method of inducing a transient electromagnetic field in an earth formation, method of obtaining a transient electromagnetic response signal, and method of producing a hydrocarbon fluid
A down-hole tool provided with a transmitter system for inducing a transient electromagnetic field in an earth formation has an induction coil with a number of windings to generate essentially a magnetic dipole field. The number of windings is divided into two or more groups of windings arranged to cooperatively generate the essentially magnetic dipole field when energized. Switching means are arranged to essentially simultaneously terminate the energizing of the groups of windings. The groups of windings are electrically isolated from each other or connected in parallel to each other, at least when the energizing is terminated. A transient electromagnetic field may thus be induced in an earth formation by essentially simultaneously terminating energizing each group of windings by operating the switching means. A transient electromagnetic response signal may be recorded, and used in a method of producing a mineral hydrocarbon fluid. |
| US08356672B2 |
Riser joint coupling
An offshore riser system has riser joints, each having a pin and a box. The pin has an external grooved profile that is engaged by a locking element carried by the box of another riser joint. An actuating ring engages with the locking element to move it into the locked position. A retractable spider supports the string of riser while the new joint is being made up. A makeup tool on the riser deploying floor moves the ring relative to the locking element, causing the locking element to move to the locked position. |
| US08356668B2 |
Variable flow restrictor for use in a subterranean well
A variable flow resistance system for use in a subterranean well can include a flow chamber through which a fluid composition flows, the chamber having at least one inlet, an outlet, and at least one structure spirally oriented relative to the outlet, whereby the structure induces spiral flow of the fluid composition about the outlet. Another variable flow resistance system for use in a subterranean well can include a flow chamber including an outlet, at least one structure which induces spiral flow of a fluid composition about the outlet, and at least one other structure which impedes a change in direction of flow of the fluid composition radially toward the outlet. |
| US08356667B2 |
Liquid crystals for drilling, completion and production fluids
Fluids containing liquid crystal-forming surfactants or polymeric surfactants, or polymers, or complex polymers or copolymers, or graphite nanotubes or Janus particles in a polar and/or non polar liquid, and optionally, co-surfactants, are useful in drilling, completion and production operations to give increased viscosity (solids suspension ability) and/or decreased fluid loss, as compared to otherwise identical fluids absent the liquid crystals. These liquid crystal compositions contain organized micelles. The liquid crystal-containing fluids are useful in completion fluids, fracturing fluids, formation damage remediation, waste management, lost circulation, drilling optimization, reducing trapped annular pressure during the hydrocarbon production process, well strengthening, friction and drag reducers, fluids introduced through an injection well, for geothermal wells, and the controlled release of additives into a wellbore, at a subterranean formation or at the oil production facilities. |
| US08356662B2 |
Devices, systems and methods relating to down hole operations
A device for improving down hole operations includes a tube that delivers high pressure jets of fluid against the interior surface of a well casing and optionally into perforations of the well casing. The tube also includes a helical array of brushes that scrape and scratch accumulated residue from the interior surface of a well casing and optionally into perforations of the well casing. A method for improving down hole operations includes moving the device into a bend or turn in an existing well casing string and retracting a nozzle or brush to facilitate passage of the device past the bend or turn. |
| US08356661B1 |
Combination swivel and ball dropper
For use with a top drive power unit supported for connection with a well string in a well bore to selectively impart longitudinal and/or rotational movement to the well string, a feeder for supplying a pumpable substance such as cement and the like from an external supply source to the interior of the well string in the well bore without first discharging it through the top drive power unit including a mandrel extending through a sleeve which is sealably and rotatably supported thereon for relative rotation between the sleeve and mandrel. The mandrel and sleeve have flow passages for communicating the pumpable substance from an external source to discharge through the sleeve and mandrel and into the interior of the well string below the top drive power unit. The unit can include a packing injection system and novel seal configuration. |
| US08356660B1 |
Apparatus having spaced apart and offset ladder rungs for interlocking and flexibly restraining service loops in an oil derrick to prevent entangling of the loops
In an oil derrick separate service loops which are power cables and/or hydraulic hoses are affixed at one end to a top drive and affixed at an opposite end to an oil derrick end, adding a series of polyurethane supports or rungs along the length of the separate service loops to provide a little lateral motion but to limit the overall amount of lateral motion. The rungs will also help insure that the cables and hoses do not wrap themselves around everything when the wind blows. In order to carry the weight of the cables, two parallel steel cables are affixed on either side of the copper cables, and two steel cables are affixed on either side of the hydraulic hoses. These steel cables will be terminated at the derrick and the top drive by being affixed to steel brackets received in steel mounting plates all designed to withstand the loads. |
| US08356659B2 |
Air conditioner
An air conditioner is disposed with a casing, a filter, an indoor heat exchanger, a blower, and a blowout passage. The casing includes a suction opening and a blowout opening. The filter is disposed downstream of the suction opening and transmits air. The indoor heat exchanger is disposed facing the filter downstream of the filter and performs heat exchange with air that passes through the indoor heat exchanger. The blower is disposed downstream of the indoor heat exchanger and generates a flow of air that is sucked in from the suction opening and is blown out from the blowout opening. The blowout passage includes an air introduction opening disposed facing and downstream of the indoor heat exchanger and guides air from the air introduction opening to the blowout opening. Additionally, the filter has an outer shape that is slanted with respect to the indoor heat exchanger. |
| US08356656B2 |
Heat dissipation device and method
A heat dissipation device and a heat dissipation method are provided. The device is disposed in a case having a first opening and a fan for generating a first cooling air flow. The device includes a heat dissipation element and an air-guiding plate. The heat dissipation element has a first region and a second region, and the first cooling air flow flows from the first region towards the second region. The air-guiding plate is disposed in the first region of the heat dissipation element and used for reducing a cross-sectional area of the first cooling air flow flowing in the first region along a flow direction of the first cooling air flow, so as to draw air outside the case into the second region via the first opening to generate a second cooling air flow, thereby lowering a temperature of the case located below the heat dissipation element. |
| US08356655B2 |
Shot tube plunger for a die casting system
A shot tube plunger of a die casting system includes a tip portion and a thermal control scheme at least partially disposed within the shot tube plunger. The thermal control scheme includes a fluid passageway having at least one coiled portion that receives a fluid to adjust a temperature of the shot tube plunger. |
| US08356652B2 |
Retractable sun shade
A retractable sun shade, comprising at least one fabric section affixed to a boom, the boom supported and slideably engaged to a track at an intermediate portion of the boom, the track supported by a frame, and at least one flexible drawing element affixed to the boom at the intermediate portion, for drawing the boom in a first direction along the track to extend the sun shade and for drawing the boom in an opposite direction along the track to retract the sun shade. |
| US08356651B2 |
Device and system to apply faceted beads
This invention is a personal bead attachment device. It consists of a base with a hot plate, a piston arm, a piston holder, spring and piston forming a pressure handle. There is a power source and a laser light from the piston. The user of the bead attachment device will plug it in and turn machine and laser light on from the back of the machine, in about 30 second the plate should be hot and ready to use. The user will place the fabric on top of the hot plate and place a bead on the top of fabric, the laser dot will tell the user the exact position of where the bead will be adhered. |
| US08356650B2 |
Working apparatus for pasting continuous paper webs together
A working apparatus for pasting two continuous paper webs together having patterns is provided which can be made small as a whole and whose pasting processing treatment reduces a paper loss occurring when the apparatus starts to operate.To this end, the apparatus which has an upper paper line 1 along which a continuous upper paper web 2 having a pattern printed thereon is driven to travel by a drive unit, a lower paper line 3 along which a continuous lower paper 4 web having a pattern printed thereon is driven to travel by a drive unit, a pasting unit 5 for pasting the upper and lower paper webs together into a combined paper web 7 while registering the patterns on them with each other, a combined paper line 6 along which the combined paper web 7 is driven to travel by a drive unit and a processing unit disposed in each corresponding one of the lines upstream and downstream of the pasting unit for processing the paper web traveling along the corresponding line, comprises: a paste applying unit 23 disposed in the lower paper line upstream of the pasting unit and whose paste applying operation can be turned on and off; an upper paper winding unit 31 disposed downstream of the pasting unit for winding up the upper paper web passed through the pasting unit; and a drive source provided for each corresponding one of the drive and processing units and operable individually. |
| US08356649B2 |
Method and a device for repairing parts of composite material of an aircraft
In order to repair a composite-material panel forming part of the external surface of an aircraft, a portable device is applied onto that surface, the portable device including an inflatable chamber consisting of a flexible and airtight membrane and a concave body of rubber-like material sealed with the membrane. The concave body incorporates an inextensible inner reinforcement. Pressurized air is introduced into the chamber via a valve. A further valve, which passes through the membrane in a zone of the membrane external to the chamber, is used to suck air from one side of the membrane to the other. |
| US08356646B2 |
Non-marking antistatic tire
A solid tire for a wheel comprising electrically conducting means (15) made according to the method of any one of claims 1-16 comprising a cured first cylindrical layer (1) comprising a first outer circumferential surface (10) provided for contacting the ground, the first layer (1) having an electrical resistance being larger than 1010 Ωcm, the tire (5) comprising an electrically conducting path (6) in electrical connection with the electrical conducting means (15) and extending through the first layer (1), the electrical conducting path (6) comprising a path-filling material (16) having a lower electrical resistance than the electrical resistance of the first layer (1), characterized in that the first layer (1) comprises less than 2 pphr carbon black, in that the first layer (1) comprises more than 30 pphr reinforcing filling material and in that the electrically conducting path (6) has a ground contacting surface (19) having an area of at least 150 mm2. |
| US08356642B2 |
Automotive service equipment and method for brake fluid exchange with wireless brake bleeding system
Automotive service equipment for brake fluid exchange includes a central unit having a controller for operating the equipment and a communication module for wirelessly communicating with each of a plurality of remote bleed modules to control bleeding brake fluid from respective brake bleeders of a vehicle connected to the modules. The brake fluid from the brake bleeders is stored in containers in the modules for later removal. When disconnected from the brake bleeders, the modules are moved to docking stations on the central unit for emptying brake fluid from the module containers and vacuum charging the containers for brake bleeding. The automotive service equipment and related method of performing brake fluid exchange in an automotive vehicle avoid the use of hoses for returning the waste fluid to the central unit thus reducing the problem of storage and handling of such hoses and spillage of residual fluid left in the hoses. |
| US08356641B2 |
Stationary band clamping apparatus
A tensioning device is provided that includes a separable punching and cutting mechanism. Provided is an impact head that holds a buckle while the band that resides within the buckle is tensioned. After a predetermined tension is achieved, a mechanism is used to lock the band with respect to the buckle then to cut the band. Various data related to tension and cutting performance may also be outputted by the invention. |
| US08356639B2 |
Insulated double-walled exhaust system component and method of making the same
A double-walled exhaust system component having hollow ceramic microspheres disposed between inner and outer pipes and method of making the same. The hollow ceramic microspheres have a size distribution wherein, on a bulk volume basis, at least 90 percent of the hollow ceramic microsphere have a size of less than 150 micrometers. |
| US08356638B2 |
Multi-layer hose
A multi-layer hose usable for a fuel hose of an automotive vehicle. The multi-layer hose includes an intermediate layer formed of a resin whose main component includes polyester. An outer layer is provided formed of rubber and disposed outside the intermediate layer. Additionally, an inner layer is provided formed of fluoroelastomer and disposed inside the intermediate layer to be laminated directly on the intermediate layer. |
| US08356636B2 |
Axially reinforced hose
A hose comprising a tubular body of flexible material arranged between an inner and an outer helically wound wire, the tubular body serving to transport fluid through the hose and to prevent fluid leakage through the body, the tubular body comprising a reinforcing layer and a sealing layer, wherein the hose further comprises axial strengthening strips extending along the length of the hose. |
| US08356635B2 |
Fluid transport device, in particular for fuel
The invention relates to a fluid transport device for incorporating in a structure that is not electrically insulating, in particular being made of a composite and including an electrically resistive tube, with conductive end pieces including means for fastening to said structure, wherein the tube comprises a central section having resistance of less than 10*4Ω per meter of length and two end sections, at least one of which presents effective resistance lying in the range of 10 Ωk to 500 Ωk and terminating in an end coupling; at least one conductive end piece and an end section having a said effective resistance lying in the range of 100 Ωk to 500 Ωk, said effective resistance being defined as the value of the resistance of the end section between the central section and the conductive element. |
| US08356634B2 |
System for controlling elongation of a conduit within which flowable material is conveyed
A conduit system having a conduit with an elongate body having a length between spaced first and second ends and bounding a passageway for communication of flowable material between the first and second spaced ends. The conduit has first and second end fittings connected respectively at the first and second ends of the body. An elongate element has a length and extends between the first and second ends of the body. The elongate element has a construction that resists elongation under applied lengthwise tensile forces to a greater extent than the body. The elongate element is connected to each of the first and second end fittings and is substantially unconnected to the body over a substantial length thereof so that elongation of the body is resisted by the elongate element. |
| US08356631B2 |
Fluid transport device and fluid transport control method
A fluid transport device transports fluid containing electrolytes within a flow channel. At least a portion of the inner walls of the flow channels are hydrophilic from the inlet to the outlet thereof except at at least one valve portion. The device also includes: the valve portions, which are hydrophobic and function to block transport of at least one fluid; electrodes, which are provided at the at least one valve portion and function to reduce the surface tension of the fluid; and air vents, which are provided at the at least one valve portion and function to introduce air in order to block the fluid. |
| US08356627B2 |
Three-valves manifold for differential pressure type flow meter
A three-valves manifold for a differential pressure type flow meter includes a valve unit and a housing. The valve unit includes a shaft portion, a first valve portion having a first through hole and first to third grooves and a second valve portion having a second through hole and fourth and fifth grooves. The housing includes a space in which the shaft portion and valve portions are rotatably arranged. The first and second through holes and first to fifth grooves are formed at positions such that the first and second through holes communicate differently with first and second inlet and outlet openings of the housing in each of first, second, and third rotational positions. |
| US08356624B2 |
Self-operated pressure transmission type of pressure reducing valve with corrugated pipe
A self-operated pressure transmission type of pressure reducing valve with corrugated pipe has an upper cover, a cylinder, a lower cover, a sealing board, a sealing sleeve, a first and second nut, and an upper valve rod. The pressure reducing valve needs no external driving force. It only needs a power-saving product which can automatically adjust the pressure according to the pressure change of the adjusted object. It has multiple functions such as measuring, implementing and controlling pressure, and it solves the problems in the operation process of the conventional pressure reducing valve. |
| US08356622B2 |
Fluid valves having dynamic valve trim joints
Fluid valves having dynamic valve trim joints are described. An example apparatus for use with a fluid valve includes a body configured to retain a cage of a fluid valve. Additionally, the example apparatus includes a plurality of projections projecting from and radially spaced about an exterior surface of the body. Each of the plurality of projections is to provide one or more contact points between the body and an inner surface of a bonnet coupled to the fluid valve. |
| US08356618B1 |
Water separator for small boat fuel systems
A portable fuel tank includes a recess formed in a top wall that accommodates a fuel/water separator canister. The canister includes an inlet in fluid communication with liquid fuel in the enclosure and an outlet in fluid communication with a motor. The canister retains water separated from the fuel. A fuel intake tube is disposed within the tank and a fuel inlet conduit is disposed externally of the tank. The fuel inlet conduit has a first end in fluid communication with the fuel intake tube and a second end in fluid communication with an inlet of the canister. A manifold includes a first branch providing fluid communication between the fuel inlet conduit and the canister inlet and a second branch providing fluid communication between the canister outlet and a fuel outlet conduit that supplies water-free fuel to a motor. |
| US08356612B2 |
Stopper for runner of umbrella
An umbrella includes a shaft with a top member connected to a top end thereof and a runner is movably mounted to the shaft. Multiple stretchers are pivotably connected between the top member and the runner. The shaft includes an inner tube and an outer tube in which the inner tube is retractably received. The runner is movably mounted to the outer tube and a stopper extends outward from an outside of the outer tube. The runner is movable over the stopper and supported by the stopper when the umbrella is opened. The shaft does not need to make a slot so as to have better strength and the inner diameter of the runner and the outer diameter of the stopper is matched so that the runner does shake. |
| US08356611B2 |
Healthy sun-like rays umbrella
A healthy sun-like rays umbrella includes at least one UV blue light emission device and a means for mounting the at least one UV blue light emission device onto at least one stretcher of the umbrella. At least one person using the umbrella will receive the benefits of the at least one UV blue light emission device for a seasonal affective disorder and a more versatile way to increase vitamin D levels. |
| US08356610B2 |
Domestic dishwasher
A dishwasher, in particular a domestic dishwasher having a detergent-solution pump for pumping dirty washing liquid out of a washing compartment; a discharge line connected to the detergent-solution pump on a pressure side thereof; a venting shaft located above the topmost liquid level of the washing compartment in fluid communication with the discharge line; and a first valve operationally disposed within the venting shaft, with the first valve being closed when the detergent-solution pump is operating and open when the detergent-solution pump is not operating, the dishwasher comprising a bypass line for operationally connecting the detergent-solution pump and discharge line, with the bypass line operationally venting the detergent-solution pump. |
| US08356604B2 |
Immobilization device
An immobilization device including an anterior component including a two-dimensional shaped section contoured to a shape of the human chest and an anterior outwardly bowed area relative to the two-dimensional shaped anterior section generally corresponding to the sternum of the wearer. The device also includes a posterior component including a two-dimensional shaped section contoured to a shape of the human back and a posterior outwardly bowed area relative to the two-dimensional shaped section corresponding to the spinal column of the wearer, with elongate cushion elements connected to and extending within a width of the posterior outwardly bowed area. A strapping system connects both the anterior and posterior components to one another. |
| US08356601B2 |
Arm stabilizer device and methods
An arm stabilizer includes a stabilizer bar and one or more modular attachments that can be detachably secured to the stabilizer bar. A wrist support attachment can be secured to the distal end of the stabilizer bar. A reducer attachment can be secured to the stabilizer bar between the wrist support attachment and the proximal end of the stabilizer bar. The reducer attachment includes a telescoping post with a rest plate that provides a support for applying reduction force to the arm. The reducer attachment can be moved along the length of the stabilizer bar at various angular orientations. A removable wrist pad and a removable brace pad are also provided. In some embodiments stabilizer bar is pivotable about a base to allow the stabilizer bar with attachments to be pivoted away from the patient and repositioned at various points in space during use. |
| US08356598B2 |
Apparatus and related method for providing a passage into the body
An apparatus and method for providing a passage into the body for use in, among other things, medical procedures, including tracheostomies and cricothyroidectomies is described herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus for providing a passage into the body includes a first slider unit and a second slider unit operably connected to a slider track for retractable deployment of a scalpel and a tissue spreader attached respectively thereto, and for the auto-retraction of the scalpel due to movement of the second slider unit. |
| US08356597B2 |
Airway devices, tube securing devices, and methods of making and using the same
Airway devices and tube securing devices are disclosed. Methods of making and using airway devices and tube securing devices are also disclosed. |
| US08356595B2 |
Apparatus for deploying oxygen masks
An apparatus for deploying oxygen masks that includes a pre-packaged modular system that does not require manual repacking of oxygen masks by aircraft technicians. The cartridge is for use with a manifold having a passageway in fluid communication with a source of breathable gas. The cartridge includes an end wall, a sidewall extending from the end wall and terminating at a distal end adjacent to an opening. A flexible member defines a chamber inside the cartridge. The chamber is in fluid communication with the passageway when the cartridge is coupled to the manifold. The flexible member has an outlet. A mask assembly is disposed inside the cartridge. The mask assembly has a hose coupled to the outlet of the flexible member. A cover is removably attached to the distal end of the at least one side wall. |
| US08356590B2 |
Method and product for cutting materials
The present disclosure relates to a wire and a method of forming a wire including an iron based glass forming alloy including iron present in the range of 43.0 to 68.0 atomic percent, boron present in the range of 12.0 to 19.0 atomic percent, nickel present in the range of 15.0 to 17.0 atomic percent, cobalt present in the range of 2.0 to 21.0 atomic percent, optionally carbon present in the range of 0.1 to 6.0 atomic percent and optionally silicon present in the range of 0.4 to 4.0 atomic percent, wherein said wire has a thickness of 140 μm or less and wherein said wire includes spinodal glass matrix microconstituents. The wire may be used in abrading a substrate. |
| US08356585B2 |
Planetary rotary engine
A planetary engine includes a charge compression system for compressing a charge of air and/or an air and fuel mixture that is precompressed by rotation of the rotors and supplied into a combustion chamber through a rotary valve that may be actively adjusted during operation of the engine to vary the intake valve opening size and/or timing. Exhaust valves may likewise be actively adjustable rotary valves for further engine control. A compression insert mounted between the end wall assemblies absorbs combustion forces and provides rigidity to the engine, as well as occupies all or nearly all of the volume between the rotors at the minimum volume of the combustion chamber to improve the compression ratio of the engine. |
| US08356584B2 |
Flywheel arrangement for an internal combustion engine
An engine is disclosed having a flywheel arrangement comprising a starter motor (1) having a pinion gear (2) at an output shaft. The pinion gear (2) constantly engages a corresponding crank gear of a crank wheel (3) located between an engine block and a flywheel assembly (9) of the engine. The crank wheel (3) is operatively connected to a crankshaft (4) of the engine via a one-way clutch unit (5). The flywheel assembly (9) comprises a first flywheel body (6) connected to the crankshaft (4) of the engine. A second flywheel body (7) is rotatable relative to the first flywheel body (6) and coupled thereto such that is able to move elastically through a limited angular distance relative to the first flywheel body (6). An interlocking device includes at least one locking arrangement (8) and is adapted to produce an interlocking connection between the second flywheel body (7) and the first flywheel body (6) during cranking of the internal combustion engine. |
| US08356580B2 |
Seal high temperature environment of a boiler assembly
A seal comprising a high temperature RTV silicone adhesive sealant layer; a first non-ceramic layer mounted to the RTV silicone adhesive sealant layer; a first expanded metal layer mounted to the first non-ceramic layer; a first silicone cloth layer mounted to the first expanded metal layer; a metal reinforcement layer mounted to the first silicone cloth layer to provide structural integrity without the use of ceramic materials; a second expanded metal layer mounted to the metal reinforcement layer; a second non-ceramic layer mounted to the second expanded metal layer; a turbine mesh layer mounted to the second non-ceramic layer; a second silicone cloth layer mounted to the turbine mesh layer; a sealing castable applied over the second silicone cloth layer to provide a covering; and, a high temperature bonding adhesive disposed between each layer following the first non-ceramic layer to bind the layers together. |
| US08356576B2 |
Vent for milking liner
A vent plug for a milking liner has an outlet that discharges the vent air in the downstream direction. The vent plug has an outlet disposed in the downstream portion of the inner flange of the vent plug so that vent air is directed toward the outlet of the short milk tube. The vent plug outlet also may be disposed in the upstream portion of the inner flange while being configured to direct the vent air in a downstream direction. |
| US08356575B2 |
Ion source and plasma processing apparatus
It is an object of this invention to provide an ion source and a plasma processing apparatus capable of generating stable and long-life plasma. The ion source is provided with a high-frequency antenna (16) installed on the outer peripheral side of a partition wall (15) made of a dielectric material and partitioning a plasma generating chamber (14) and a shield body (26) made of a dielectric material and preventing deposition on the inner peripheral surface of the partition wall (15) facing the high-frequency antenna (16) inside the plasma generating chamber (14). The structure made of a dielectric material can prevent an increase in high-frequency power required for inductive coupling with plasma. The shield body (26) is formed with a slot (26a) in a direction crossing a winding direction of the high-frequency antenna (16). Since this arrangement can prevent continuous deposition on the inner surface of the partition wall in the winding direction of the high-frequency antenna, an induction loss between the high-frequency antenna and the plasma generating chamber can be effectively prevented even if the deposited film is made of a conductive material. |
| US08356570B2 |
Indicator apparatus
To provide an indicator apparatus in which a pointer is secured to a pointer drive means by attraction force of magnets and the pointer can be secured more tightly to prevent an overshoot and pulsation of the pointer. The indicator apparatus has a display plate 21, a pointer 22 provided on a front-face side of the display plate 21, a pointer drive means provided on a back-face side of the display plate 21 for rotating the pointer 22, a first magnet 22c in a ring shape provided for the pointer 22, and a second magnet 25a provided for the pointer drive means to be opposite to the first magnet 22c, in which the pointer 22 is rotated in association with rotation drive of the pointer drive means by attraction force of the first and second magnets 22c, 25a. A shaft portion 23 rotatably supporting the pointer 22 is located in the display plate 21. The shaft portion 23 includes a main shaft 23a, a main-shaft receive portion 23b securing the main shaft 23a to the display plate 21, and a rotation shaft portion 23c provided rotatably about the main shaft 23a and located on and secured to the pointer 22. |
| US08356568B1 |
Toe-rail mounted boarding ladder for sailboats
A boarding ladder, designed for dock access, which may be securely and non-invasively mounted onto a sailboat's toe-rail. The invention utilizes a continuous hook mechanism to bear the user's weight, and attachment mechanisms to retain the hook in place. The invention offers the advantages of being sturdy, yet readily removable, and compact for easy stowage. |
| US08356567B1 |
Arrangement for fueling a water vessel
A method and apparatus for securing and fueling a surface water vessel at a floating station, attached to and remote from a parent ship. The surface water vessel may be an unmanned surface vehicle, for example. According to the invention, the surface water vessel includes a probe and the floating station includes an opening for receiving the probe therein. The floating station includes a fuel-delivering arrangement for feeding fuel from the parent ship to the water vessel. |
| US08356563B2 |
Seed planter with equalizer assembly
Disclosed herein is an agriculture planter. The planter may include a planter frame, a seed hopper and a trailing arm assembly. The planter frame may include a hitch tongue extending forwardly from the planter frame. The planter frame supports the seed hopper. The a trailing arm assembly is vertically pivotally coupled to a rear portion of the planter frame, extends rearward from the planter frame and includes a trailing arm frame and a lever arm vertically pivotally coupled to the trailing arm frame by a pivot point. The lever arm includes a leading end, a trailing end, a middle portion, a furrow opener disc and a first furrow closer wheel. The disc is rotatably mounted to the lever arm near the leading end. The first wheel is rotatably mounted to the lever arm near the trailing end. The middle portion is pivotably coupled to the pivot point. |
| US08356554B2 |
Arrangement for supporting shell into weapon barrel, and support member
The invention relates to an arrangement for supporting a shell (1) into the barrel of a breech-loading weapon and to a support member for supporting a shell. The arrangement comprises a flanged support element (5), to which a fastening element is connected with threads. A sleeve-like clamping element is arranged around the fastening element. Both have grooves for tail fins of the shell (1). The support member (5) has a support element, to which a fastening element is connected with threads and on top of which a sleeve-like support element is arranged. |
| US08356552B2 |
Surface tracking rotary pad printing apparatus and method
In one aspect of a first embodiment, a rotary pad printing system comprises a controller (400), an image source (498) that provides an image to the controller, a rotary pad (200) that is urged to rotate by a first motive source, a monochrome or color ink source or applicator such as an inkjet (215), and an actuator (235, 730). The system has the ability to print onto a flat or uneven surface (410). The controller actuates the ink source, causing it to deposit an ink image (202) onto a rotating pad wheel (200). As the surface moves, the wheel is held in contact with the surface by an actuator (235) or arm (705). As the wheel turns in contact with the surface, the ink image comes into contact with the surface and transfers to it, thereby printing the ink image onto a flat or uneven surface. |
| US08356548B2 |
Hydraulic apparatus, handle, and method of providing an extendable handle
Handles, extendable handles, and linkage mechanisms are examples of apparatuses that include a body; a pivotably attached head; cylinder, actuator, or hydraulic actuator; a fluid passage or hose; and a valve, blocking means, or hydraulic control device. The valve, blocking means, or hydraulic control device may be normally open and may close only when held closed, and may be connected on one side to the fluid passage or hose and on another side to atmosphere. An operator may use a tool, such as a drywall flat box attached to the head, by holding the handle and controlling pivoting of the head by operating the valve. Methods include providing for an operator to control a tool on a handle, and include providing the handle and instructing the operator to actuate the blocking means to hold the tool in a constant orientation relative to the handle. |
| US08356542B2 |
Slide-on slide stock for firearm
A bump stock and interface system for a semi-automatic firearm. The interface system includes first and second bearing elements. A handle is provided with an integral finger rest. The bearing elements are configured to wholly disengage and re-engage from the handle via a straight linear disconnecting motion. In use, the user grasps the handle with one hand and places an index finger of the same hand firmly on the finger rest. When intending to fire a round of ammunition, the user pushes the receiver forward with their other hand so that the trigger collides with the finger. Recoil force quickly separates the trigger from the user's finger on the finger rest. The user again pushes forward the receiver to repeat the firing cycle. A lock can be selectively engaged to prevent longitudinal movement of the firearm relative to the handle, thereby returning the firearm to normal semi-automatic functionality. |
| US08356540B2 |
Protective shield apparatus
A shield apparatus which is aimed at providing advanced protection for first incident responders is disclosed. The shield apparatus includes a transparent shield portion which has an outer edge. A trim portion made of a flexible material is affixed to the outer edge of the transparent shield portion. An On/Off switch actuates two flood lights which are controlled via separate circuits for reliability purposes. Dual handles, plus a detachable shoulder strap may also be provided. Video camera, thermal imaging sensors/camera and alternative lighting, including infrared, may also be provided. |
| US08356539B2 |
Ammunition feed chute
An ammunition feed chute has a plurality of feed chute links releasably connected together. The feed chute links have interior surfaces that define a guide path for belted ammunition. Each of the feed chute links has a transitional surface attached to one of the feed chute link's interior surfaces, the transitional surfaces each extending from the interior surface to which it is attached to a location where it overlaps the adjacent feed chute link's transitional surface. A tongue extending from one of the feed chute links may be received by a slot in an adjacent feed chute link to releasably connect the feed chute links together. The ligaments may each receive the top insert and the rivet of one of the feed chute links within their closed slots and removably receive the top insert, AN washer, and rivet of an adjacent feed chute link within their open slots to releasably connect the feed chute links together. |
| US08356536B2 |
Installation for making a cut, crease and the like having a plate-shaped frame
A rotary installation comprises a frame, a pair of rollers that define a pinch, a mount supporting the rollers on the frame, an adjuster for moving the mount and the rollers with respect to the frame as well as a drive for making the rollers rotate. The frame has an essentially flat shape determined by two main faces facing away from one another, on one of which main faces the rollers and mount are located. |
| US08356535B2 |
Precision machining apparatus
A precision machining apparatus includes a bite machining an object being rotated, according to a correction value, a fixing jig closely attaching the object to the bite and rotatably fixing the object, an optical unit magnifying and verifying a machining position on the object being rotated, a height control part controlling a height of the bite according to the machining position on the object, and an interval control part connected to an end portion of the bite and controlling an interval between the bite and the object. |
| US08356531B2 |
Actuating element for a device moved by a traction rope and a lordosis supporting element
An actuating element for a lordosis supporting device driven by a traction rope and a lordosis supporting element in a vehicle seat are provided. The actuating device includes a deflecting element that is mounted on a frame such that it is pivotable about an actuating shaft and includes a rope guiding element that is arranged with the fastening point and the deflecting element in such a way that a rope portion leading toward the deflecting element and a rope portion leading away from the deflecting element are guided approximately parallel in a starting position. In preferred embodiments, a fixed end of the traction rope is fastened to the frame at a fastening point and a free end of the traction rope is guided at least partially around the deflecting element for actuating the device. |
| US08356529B2 |
Hydraulic control systems for dual clutch transmissions
The present invention comprehends a plurality of embodiments of a hydraulic control system for various configurations of dual clutch transmissions. The hydraulic control systems all include a regulated source of pressurized hydraulic fluid including an electric pump, a filter and an accumulator, a pair of pressure control valves and a branching hydraulic circuit including pressure or flow control valves, spool or logic valves and two position valves which collectively supply and exhaust hydraulic fluid from a plurality of shift actuators. The actuators are connected to shift rails which include shift forks and are slidable to engage synchronizers and positive clutches associated with the various gear ratios. |
| US08356528B2 |
Transmission for industrial vehicle
A transmission for an industrial vehicle has an input shaft; first and second transmission mechanisms each having a plurality of speed-change steps; a second transmission mechanism; a clutch mechanism; a rotation direction switching mechanism; and an output shaft. The clutch mechanism is disposed on the input side of the first and second transmission mechanisms and is provided with a forward clutch and a reverse clutch for switching between forward and reverse travel, and is further provided with first and second snap clutches for selecting which of the first and second transmission mechanisms will receive rotational input from the engine. The rotation direction switching mechanism is a mechanism for switching the direction of rotation inputted to the first transmission mechanism or the second transmission mechanism to the direction of rotation for forward travel or the direction of rotation for reverse travel in accordance with the switching of forward and reverse travel. |
| US08356526B2 |
Contamination measurement station and method for a semiconductor substrates transport pod
The invention concerns a measurement station for the measurement of particle contamination of a transport pod for the conveyance and atmospheric storage of semiconductor substrates, such pod comprising a casing capable of being closed by means of a removable access door, such station comprising: an interface (5) capable of coupling to a casing of a transport pod (3) instead of the said door, the interface (5) comprising at least one injection nozzle (9) arranged at one mobile end of a pipe protruding from the said interface to direct a jet of gas in a perpendicular direction towards a portion of the wall (13) on the inside (10) of the said casing coupled to the said measurement station, so as to detach particles (11) from the said casing (3) by the impact of the gas jet on the said wall (13), and a measurement device (7) comprising a vacuum pump (17), a particle counter (19), and a measurement conduit (21) of which an inlet (23) leads to the inside (10) of the said casing (3), and of which an outlet (25) is coupled to the vacuum pump (17), the measurement conduit (21) being furthermore connected to the particle counter (19), to connect the inside (10) of the casing of the transport pod (3) coupled to the said measurement station with the particle counter (19). The invention also concerns a method for the measurement of particle contamination of a transport pod for the conveyance and atmospheric storage of semiconductor substrates. |
| US08356523B2 |
Ultrasonic sensor of a measuring system for determining and/or monitoring flow of a measured medium through a measuring tube
An sensor of a measuring system for determining and/or monitoring the flow of a measured medium through a measuring tube, wherein the ultrasonic sensor is seated in a shiftable manner in a sensor housing parallel to a first inner surface of the sensor housing. The ultrasonic sensor has a coupling element and an electromechanical ultrasound transducer element, wherein the ultrasonic sensor can, at least at times, at least partially, lie against the first inner surface of the sensor housing, and that a guide hanger at least partially lies against a second inner surface of the sensor housing lying opposite the first inner surface, wherein the ultrasonic sensor is seated in a shiftable manner essentially perpendicularly to the first inner surface in the guide hanger, and wherein a spring between the guide hanger and ultrasonic sensor acts essentially perpendicularly to the first inner surface. |
| US08356519B2 |
Non-contact type transducer for rod member having multi-loop coil
Provided is a non-contact type transducer for performing modal testing or non-destructive diagnosis easily, that is, a non-contact type transducer by which even an inexperienced person may perform modal testing or non-destructive diagnosis without errors. The transducer includes a multi-loop coil including two or more looped coil portions that are connected to each other, wherein the looped coil portions are located on top of a rod member, and the looped coil portions form magnetic fields on the surface of the rod member in a direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the rod member; and one or more magnets that are arranged to form a static magnetic field on the surface of the rod member, whereon the surface of the rod member a dynamic magnetic field is formed by the multi-loop coils in the direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the rod member, even partially in a direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the rod member. |
| US08356517B2 |
Integrated optical and acoustic transducer device
An integrated transducer device includes an optical transducer and an acoustic transducer integrally joined with the optical transducer. The acoustic transducer includes a membrane responsive to acoustic signals, the membrane being aligned with the optical transducer such that optical signals emitted or received by the optical transducer pass through the membrane. A propagation direction of the acoustic signals emitted or received by the acoustic transducer is collinear with a propagation direction of the optical signals emitted or received by the optical transducer. |
| US08356510B2 |
Formation core sample holder assembly and testing method
A core sample holder assembly for performing laboratory core flooding experiments with a core sample: a pressure chamber provided by a tubular hull made of a carbon fiber composite material and an aluminum liner, and a pair of disk-shaped flanges; a flexible core sample holder sleeve within the pressure chamber, which sleeve comprises a tubular steel sheet with a plastic inner lining; an opening for injecting oil into an annular space between the hull and the sleeve; pressure control means for maintaining the oil at a predetermined pressure; an fluid injection port for injecting a fluid into a cylindrical core sample within the sleeve; a fluid outlet port arranged in the other flange for discharge of fluid from the core sample; and means for monitoring the migration of injected and/or pore fluid through the pores of the core sample. |
| US08356508B2 |
Detector system for fixing to a can bodymaker and method to dynamically measuring ram alignment in a can bodymaker
A real time detector system for monitoring ram alignment in a can bodymaker measures ram (10) position immediately before and during impact with the dome forming station (1). Displacement measurements of the ram enable the user to adjust dome (1) position or otherwise correct ram (10) alignment and avoid multiple can failures. |
| US08356499B2 |
Electric lock
An electric lock includes an outer door assembly, a nexus, an inner door assembly, and a latch bolt. The outer lock assembly is arranged to an outer side of a door. The nexus is connected to the outer door assembly. The inner door assembly is connected to the nexus and arranged to an inner side of the door. The latch bolt is connected to a latch bolt retaining unit of the nexus. An actuator of the nexus will move an engagement rod and a protruded block forward to engage an outer handle to the nexus for opening the door when inputting a correct password to the electric lock. The door can be opened by a proper key also. The nexus will be isolated from the outer handle to prevent damage to the nexus when a user does not have a right key and a correct password to the electric lock. |
| US08356498B1 |
Double lock handcuff
A handcuff comprising a bolt and a bolt spring which work in combination to double lock the handcuff. The bolt comprises an underside having teeth which are engagable with the teeth of a jaw. The underside of the bolt further comprises a groove through which a stud disposed on a cheek head of the handcuff is positioned to thereby further secure the bolt in position when the handcuff is locked. The bolt further comprises an upper side comprising a groove, a ridge, and a detent. The bolt spring comprises a body bent to form a side wall which bridges a first spring leg portion to a second spring leg portion, wherein the first and second spring leg portions engage with the upper side of the bolt to hold the bolt spring in a first position. |
| US08356495B2 |
Laundry apparatus
A laundry apparatus is disclosed. A laundry apparatus includes a cabinet, a drum rotatable in the cabinet, a weight balancer compensating eccentric rotation of the drum, and a securing member inertedly securing the weight balancer to the drum. |
| US08356492B2 |
Manufacturing of glass
Glass is mass-produced with a glass melting furnace comprising a melting tank, at least a wall surface in contact with molten glass thereof being made of refractory material, at least one pair of electrodes placed so as to be in contact with the molten glass held in the melting tank for ohmically heating the molten glass held in the melting tank; and at least one metallic member, at least a surface of which is made of metal and placed so as to be substantially always in contact with the molten glass held in the melting tank. Every metallic member is, when the melting tank is filled with the molten glass, placed so as to be substantially always outside an electric current flowing region which is formed by the electrodes into the molten glass held in the melting tank. |
| US08356490B2 |
Refrigeration apparatus
A refrigeration apparatus uses a refrigerant that operates in a supercritical range. The refrigeration apparatus includes a compression mechanism, a heat source-side heat exchanger, an expansion mechanism, a usage-side heat exchanger, a switching mechanism, an intercooler which functions as a cooler of refrigerant discharged from a first-stage compression element of the compression mechanism and drawn into a second-stage compression element of the compression mechanism, and an intercooler bypass tube. The switching mechanism is configured to switch between cooling and heating operation states in which refrigerant is circulated differently. When a defrosting operation for defrosting the heat source-side heat exchanger is performed, refrigerant flows to the heat source-side heat exchanger and the intercooler. After defrosting of the intercooler is detected as being complete, the intercooler bypass tube is used to ensure that the refrigerant does not flow to the intercooler. |
| US08356486B2 |
APU bleed valve with integral anti-surge port
A compressor bleed air valve in an auxiliary power unit (“APU”) modulates bleed air flow both for accessory pneumatic systems powered by the bleed air and for reducing or removing surge in the compressor. |
| US08356482B2 |
Methods for the protection of a thermal barrier coating system and methods for the renewal of such a protection
A method for the application and/or renewal of a protection for a thermal barrier coating system of a heat engine involves a thermal barrier coating system that includes a bond coat layer (2) and a thermal barrier coating layer (3) of porous structure (4), wherein the bond coat layer (2) is located between and in contact with a base metal (1) of a heat engine component and with the thermal barrier coating layer (3) and bonds the thermal barrier coating layer (3) to the base metal (1). At least one substance is applied inside the engine as a liquid or carried by a liquid by spraying and/or by flowing it across a hot gas exposed surface (9) of the barrier coating layer (3) of the heat engine component mounted within the heat engine in the assembled state prior to the initial start-up of the engine, before the first operation interval, or during a washing cycle of the thermal engine and/or at the end of an operation interval, before a subsequent operation interval, wherein the substance covers and/or at least partly penetrates into the porous structure (4), and concomitantly or subsequently hardens to remain within the pores (4) and/or on the upper surface (9) of the thermal barrier coating layer. Preferably, but not necessarily, for the application, the turbine washing equipment of the engine is used. |
| US08356479B2 |
Hydrostatic travel drive having two hydraulic motors
The invention relates to a hydrostatic drive having one hydraulic pump unit (3) and at least one first hydraulic motor unit (14) and a second hydraulic motor unit (15). The first hydraulic motor unit (14) and the second hydraulic motor unit (15) are connected in parallel with the hydraulic pump unit (3) in a hydraulic circuit. A flow divider (80) is provided between the two hydraulic motor units (14, 15) and the hydraulic pump unit (3). The first working line (7) connecting the flow divider (80) with the hydraulic pump unit (3) is connected to a pressure control valve (23). |
| US08356478B2 |
Compressed air energy storage system utilizing two-phase flow to facilitate heat exchange
A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control. |
| US08356476B2 |
Diesel silencer capable of Tier 3 or Tier 4 operation
A Tier 4 ready silencer that can accept both DOCs and DPFs to meet Tier 3 and can interface with an SCR system to meet Tier 4. The invention includes a silencer compartment with empty filter/catalyst banks in the shape of a V. DOCs and DPFs can be added and arranged in the V-shaped banks as needed. Various exhaust fins direct exhaust flow through the filters/catalysts. Multiple exhaust inlets to the device provide the most direct route possible from the engine outlets. A mixing tube and an SCR system can be added to the output port to comply with Tier 4. |
| US08356473B2 |
Injection device
A device is provided for injection of a liquid agent, such as fuel or reducing agent, into the exhaust line from a combustion engine. The device (1) has a nozzle arrangement (20) having a nozzle head (21), from which the liquid agent is injectable into the exhaust line. The nozzle arrangement (20) has a first conduit (22) leading to the nozzle head (21) for supply of compressed gas, preferably in the form of compressed air, to the nozzle head, and a second conduit (23) leading to the nozzle head (21) for supply of the liquid agent to the nozzle head. The nozzle head (21) is provided with at least one outlet opening (24) connected to the first conduit (22) and to the second conduit (23), through which outlet opening the liquid agent is injectable into the exhaust line under atomization thereof after mixing with compressed gas in a mixing zone (25) inside the nozzle head. |
| US08356471B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for controlling reductant dosing in an SCR catalyst system
According to one representative embodiment, an apparatus for controlling reductant dosing in an SCR catalyst system having a reductant injection system configured to inject reductant into an exhaust gas stream includes a controller, an actual reductant dosing rate module, and a reductant doser compensation module. The controller is configured to determine a reductant dosing rate command representing a desired reductant dosing rate. The actual reductant dosing rate module is configured to determine a predicted actual reductant dosing rate based at least partially on the reductant dosing rate command. The reductant doser compensation module is configured to determine a modified reductant dosing rate command based at least partially on the predicted actual reductant dosing rate. The reductant injection system injects reductant into the exhaust gas stream at a rate corresponding to the modified reductant dosing rate command. |
| US08356468B2 |
Gas turbine engine nozzle configurations
In one embodiment, a gas turbine engine exhaust nozzle comprises a housing having a length which extends along a central longitudinal axis and comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface, and a row of chevrons extending from an aft end of the housing, the chevrons having a root region and a tip, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the interior surface or the exterior surface is scalloped proximate the root region of a chevron. Other embodiments may be described. |
| US08356464B2 |
Pollen harvesting machine
A pollen harvesting machine having a motorized chassis on which there are mounted heads for harvesting pollen by suction and which heads are connected by a suction circuit to a separation cyclone which is in turn connected to a suction fan. The cyclone is associated with a pollen recovery hopper which is constructed to be cooled to freeze the harvested pollen. |
| US08356462B2 |
Machine for making pods containing infusion products
A machine for making pods (2) containing products for infusion including a first roll (3) for feeding a first web (4) of filtering paper material along a predetermined path (P), a second roll (5) for feeding a second web (6) of filtering paper material along a predetermined path (P′), a station (7) for dispensing and successively placing individual charges (8) of product on the first web (4), and a joining station (11) for superposing and joining the first web (4) and the second web (6) in such a way as to form a continuous succession (12) of pods (2); the machine also includes, upstream of the dispensing station (7), a magazine (13) for successively feeding a series of elements (14) for containing the infusion product and a station (21) for forming impressions in the first web (4) and positioning the elements (14) thereon. |
| US08356456B2 |
Apparatus for adjustable wrapping
A wrapping apparatus, system, station and/or process is generally provided. As to the apparatus, it includes a wrap bar for engaging and directing a wrapper about the product, a wrap bar carrier from which the wrap bar extends, and a drive assembly operatively linked to the wrap bar carrier. The carrier block, which translatingly retains the carrier intermediate opposing end portions thereof, is adapted for driven rotation about a wrapping axis of the apparatus so as to thereby rotatingly drive the bar about the axis via rotation of the carrier. The drive assembly, which is operatively linked to the carrier, selectively translates the carrier in relation to the carrier block during driven rotation of the carrier such that a radial distance for the bar from the axis is thereby capable of selective establishment in furtherance of delimiting a wrap bar travel path commensurate with the product profile of the product. |
| US08356452B2 |
Floor panel and method for the manufacture thereof
Floor panel of the type comprising a hard top layer forming a decorative surface, from which, together with other identical or similar floor panels, a floor covering can be formed, wherein this floor panel includes at least one sound-absorbing layer which is integrated into the floor panel and is located between other layers of this floor panel. |
| US08356451B2 |
Structural component and method for producing a structural component
The invention relates to a structural component for an aircraft or spacecraft, comprising a component core extended across a component area, a first and second cover layer, which are formed on two opposite bounding surfaces of the component core and extend across the component area, a plurality of braces, which are distributed across the component area and connect the first and second cover layers to each other through the component core, and a stiffening belt, which extends between the cover layers along a stiffening line that extends substantially parallel to the component area. |
| US08356447B2 |
Portable floor covering
A portable floor panel has at least one absorption layer and at least one load-distributing layer laminated thereto and forming therewith a circumferential edge in turned formed with notches and teeth oriented such that notches and teeth of adjacent panels fit with one another. |
| US08356444B2 |
Trap and method for trapping flying insects
A trap for insects, particularly for wasps, comprises a vapour chamber having at least one insect entrance defined in a wall of the vapour chamber, and a bait or collection chamber couplable to the vapour chamber at a restriction. The restriction is sized to control the movement of insects between these two chambers. In operation, attractant vapour from a bait source accumulates in the vapour chamber and is released through the entrance. Insects attracted by the attractant vapour enter the vapour chamber and are maintained in flight within it, the restriction delaying their entry into the collection chamber. Once tired, insects drop down into the collection chamber where, in a preferred embodiment, they are immersed in a fluid and drowned. |
| US08356441B2 |
Rapid pistol magazine loader
A pistol magazine loader device. The pistol magazine loader device includes a housing designed to receive a magazine. A control element, whose movement is directed by a handle device, coordinates the movement of a plunger designed to push a magazine follower or first cartridge resident at a top of the magazine down into the magazine and a cartridge pusher that pushes a second cartridge into the magazine. |
| US08356440B2 |
Magazine with shock absorbing tab
An ammunition magazine including a housing having a first end and an opposing second end for carrying stacked cartridges, a follower plate reciprocally movable within the housing, a spring retainer reciprocally movable within the housing and having an extension tab extending therefrom toward the second end, and a biasing member carried by the housing between the follower plate and the spring retainer. The biasing member biases the follower plate toward the first end and biases the spring retainer toward the second end. A bottom plate closes the second end of the housing and retains the spring retainer within the housing. The bottom plate includes an opening extending therethrough permitting passage of the extension tab therethrough in reciprocal directions. |
| US08356439B2 |
Lightweight, low cost semi-automatic rifle magazine
A lightweight and low cost semi-automatic rifle includes an upper receiver, a lower receiver, and a forend fabricated from injection-molded polymers. The rifle permits firing .22 LR or similar low-power ammunition from an AR-15 style frame, operates on the blowback principle, and provides a fully functional bolt catch and extractor/ejector/deflector. |
| US08356437B1 |
Firing pin position indicator for gun
A firing pin position indicator may be mounted to the breech end of a weapon. The indicator may include a solenoid with a plunger and a firing pin adapter that is selectively engageable with the plunger. The firing pin adapter may be fixed to the firing pin of the weapon. The solenoid plunger may be coupled to a quick-release lock. The quick-release lock may be selectively engageable with the firing pin adapter. The quick-release lock may include a housing and a spring-loaded piston that is translatable in the housing. The quick-release lock housing may be coupled to the solenoid plunger with a pin. A sensor may sense the position of the solenoid plunger and may provide a control signal to the weapon. |
| US08356436B2 |
Information display panel and electronic shelf label
An information display panel is configured to be held by a shelf label for displaying information. The information display panel has a display body portion for displaying the information and a holding portion formed along one edge of the display body portion and having a pair of slits. The holding portion is configured for insertion into a through-hole portion of the shelf label so as to form steps in the respective slits by which the holding portion is. engaged with the through-hole portion of the shelf label to thereby hold the information display panel. |
| US08356434B2 |
Retractable label
A labeling system comprises a wall enclosing a space and a container for holding a retractable label, the container laterally disposed in relation to the space. The retractable label is configured to extend out of and retract into the container. In some embodiments, the wall at least partially defines a container cap. In other embodiments, the wall at least partially defines another container for holding material, such as, e.g., material of medicinal utility. |
| US08356431B2 |
Scheduling communication frames in a wireless network
A method of scheduling communications in a multi-node wireless mesh network which has a first network device and a second network device includes defining a communication timeslot of a predetermined duration, defining a first superframe having a repeating superframe cycle including a first number of the communication timeslots, defining a second superframe having a repeating superframe cycle including a second number of the communication timeslots, aligning the first superframe with the second superframe, so that one of the timeslots of the first superframe begins simultaneously with one of the timeslots of the second superframe, and associating the first and the second superframes with a network schedule, so that the first network device and the second network device transmit data according to the network schedule. |
| US08356429B2 |
Article of footwear with ball control portion
A ball control portion for an article of footwear is disclosed. The ball control portion extends from a side to an underside of an article of footwear. The ball control portion includes a lattice with a plurality of protrusions arranged in a grid. The plurality of protrusions include multiple groups of protrusions arranged with one or more of different orientations, different types of protrusions, and different heights. |
| US08356428B2 |
Article of footwear with flexible reinforcing plate
A sole structure for an article of footwear is disclosed. The sole structure includes a reinforcing plate. The reinforcing plate includes a first flange portion corresponding to a big toe of a foot and a second flange portion corresponding to a ball region of a foot. The first flange portion and the second flange portion each include a cleat member. |
| US08356427B2 |
Foot support device and method
A foot support adapted to position a foot in an anatomically functional position is provided. The foot support includes a metatarsal portion, a toe portion, and a bendable joint defined between the metatarsal portion and the toe portion. The metatarsal portion is adapted to align the first metatarsal head of a foot, and the metatarsal portion includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The toe portion extends away from the metatarsal portion and is adapted to align the big toe of a foot. The toe portion also includes an upper surface and a lower surface. |
| US08356424B2 |
Substrate processing method
A substrate processing method comprises the step of subjecting a substrate to drying processing in at least one of a processing section and an interface, wherein the step of subjecting the substrate to the drying processing comprises the steps of: rotating the substrate at a first rotational speed around an axis perpendicular to the substrate, while holding the substrate horizontally, forming a liquid layer on the substrate in a state where the substrate is rotated at the first rotational speed, gradually and continuously increasing the rotational speed of the substrate to a second rotational speed after the formation of the liquid layer, and starting discharging a gas to the liquid layer on the substrate while the substrate is rotated at the second rotational speed. |
| US08356422B1 |
Drying system for personal hydration systems
A drying system for drying a personal hydration system having a fill opening and a supply tube includes a dryer assembly providing a flow of forced air to be introduced into the fill opening of the personal hydration device. The dryer assembly includes seal-forming structure engageable with the fill opening to form a seal between the dryer assembly and the fill opening to enhance the pressurization and inflation of the personal hydration system. The dryer assembly also includes a channel defining a relief valve for permitting exhaust of air flow from the fill opening upon pressurization and inflation of the personal hydration system. The dryer assembly further includes a resilient cam arm for enabling the dryer assembly to sealingly fit variously sized fill openings. |
| US08356418B1 |
Speed/agility/quickness (SAQ) skill measurement set-up assistant
This invention relates to a system and method for measuring a plurality of skills of an athlete, wherein the system is comprised of: a means for discharging and collecting a distance measuring means; a distance measuring means for measuring a distance to be used in measuring a desired athletic skill, wherein the distance measuring means further comprises a plurality of incremental markings substantially located along a length of the distance measuring means; and a securing means operatively connected to one end of the distance measuring means for securing the distance measuring means. |
| US08356417B2 |
Spherical-form measuring apparatus
A spherical-form measuring apparatus which efficiently measures the sphericity and the form of a sphere to be measured with use of the mechanism of a roundness measuring machine, including a turntable, a probe for measuring a contour of a sphere to be measured on an equatorial plane parallel to a surface of the turntable, associated with rotation of the turntable, and a holding unit mounted on the turntable, for holding the sphere to be measured, wherein the holding unit positions the center of the sphere to be measured on a rotational axis of the turntable, and holds the sphere to be measured so that the sphere is rotatable about an inclined axis which passes the center of the sphere and is inclined at the angle in the range of −5 degrees-+5 degrees centered on the angle where the sine is 1√3 (1 divided by the square root of 3) against the surface of the turntable. |
| US08356405B2 |
Method of manufacturing printed circuit board
Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a printed circuit board, including: providing a carrier including an insulation layer, first metal foils formed on both sides of the insulation layer, adhesive layers respectively formed on the first metal foils and made of a thermoplastic resin, and second metal foils respectively formed on the adhesive layers; applying resists having openings for forming metal posts onto both sides of the carrier; forming metal plating layers for forming the metal posts in the openings; grinding surfaces of the resists; removing the resist and forming insulation layers on both sides of the carrier; and grinding surfaces of the insulation layers. The method is advantageous in that both sides of a carrier are simultaneously layered, it is possible to prevent a substrate from warping during the process of manufacturing the printed circuit board. |
| US08356401B2 |
Electrical cable wiring head device and electrical cable wiring apparatus
An electrical cable wiring head apparatus is provided to rapidly wire an electrical cable while more effectively restraining the electrical cable from floating. An electrical cable wiring head device of the electrical cable wiring head apparatus moves along a wiring surface of a wiring plate to wire an electrical cable on the wiring surface. The electrical cable wiring head device comprises: a head section supported rotatably about a rotary axis and provided with a guide recess for leading the electrical cable to the wiring surface, the guide recess being offset from the rotary axis; a head rotating mechanism for rotating the head section; a guide pushing member including a shaft portion and a roller portion provided rotatably on a distal end of the shaft portion, the guide pushing member being supported movably along the rotary axis; and a guide pushing member drive mechanism for reciprocating the guide pushing member. |
| US08356399B2 |
Method for protecting a resonating sensor
A method of protecting a resonating sensor is described. The protected resonating sensor may include at least one passive ultrasonically excitable resonating sensor unit. Each sensor unit has one or more vibratable members having a resonating frequency that varies as a function of a physical variable in a measurement environment. The sensor is protected by forming one or more protective chambers defined between a compliant member and the vibratable member(s). A substantially non-compressible medium is disposed within the protective chamber(s). The compliant member has a first side that may be exposed to a measurement environment and a second side that may be exposed to the substantially non-compressible medium. The substantially non-compressible medium may be a liquid or gel and is in contact with the vibratable member(s). When the medium is a liquid, the chamber is sealed. When the medium is a gel, the chamber may be sealed or non-sealed. |
| US08356393B2 |
Method for manufacturing a polymeric piezoelectric film
A method for producing a polymer piezoelectric film, comprising: a process of moving and stretching a crystalline polar polymer sheet in contact with a conductive stretching roller having a diameter of at least 30 mm and a surface friction coefficient which has been reduced to such a level as to allow a relative displacement of the crystalline polar polymer sheet in contact with the conductive stretching roller: and a step in the process of applying a polarization voltage between an electrode disposed opposite to the crystalline polar polymer sheet and the conductive stretching roller to polarize the crystalline polar polymer sheet. As a result, it is possible to stably produce a polymer piezoelectric film exhibiting stable piezoelectricity over a large area. Especially, it is possible to obtain polymer piezoelectric film exhibiting a temperature-dispersion peak temperature of d31 piezoelectricity coefficient at least 120° C. and surface scratches extending in one direction. |
| US08356392B2 |
Cremation container
A cremation container may comprise a cover and a base. The base may comprise a corrugated fiberboard portion and a frame. The corrugated fiberboard portion may encase the frame and may form a bottom of the base. Consequently, the base may be provided with a combined structural strength of both the frame and corrugated fiberboard portion. |
| US08356389B2 |
Cotton gin and cotton drying
A seed cotton dryer comprises an array of electromagnetic wave energy generators in a cotton gin, a cotton picker/stripper. An appropriate amount of energy is used to evaporate a considerable amount of moisture in the seed cotton without producing enough energy to pop the cotton seeds. Seed cotton dried by wave energy is much easier to separate the cotton seeds and lint from leaves, stems and other plant parts. The seed cotton is preferably transported through the dryer in a conduit having flat sides which reflects the wave energy more efficiently than through a round conduit. Provisions are made to prevent arcing in the transport conduit when extraneous metal pieces are inadvertently mixed with the seed cotton. In some embodiments, heated air from a diesel engine is used to dry crops as they are being harvested. |
| US08356384B1 |
Hard drive assembly tools for evacuating particles
A clean and purge tool (CAPT) is provided and includes a nest assembly that stows an open hard disk drive (HDD). The nest assembly is rotated from an upward facing position to a downward facing position to dislodge particles from a media clamp of the HDD. The CAPT also includes a cover hingedly attached to the nest assembly and encloses the HDD. The CAPT also includes a spindle clamp assembly (SCA) mounted on the cover and has a vacuum tube configured to encapsulate the media clamp. The SCA includes an air purge nozzle extending into the vacuum tube. The CAPT dislodges particles from the media clamp when pulses of compressed gas are applied to the media clamp by a compressed gas source via the air purge nozzle and evacuates the particles from the vacuum tube when a vacuum is applied to the vacuum tube by a vacuum source. |
| US08356382B2 |
Knife swiper
A removably attachable, multifunctional Knife Swiper (10) for a utensil such as a kitchen knife is provided comprising a handle (20), an arm (30), and a wiper (40). The device is shaped in such a fashion as to have minimal effect on normal cutting behavior, and provides several benefits to the user, such as providing means to quickly and more safely remove food remnants stuck to the blade of the knife, and providing means for the user to place a knife with a Knife Swiper attached to it down on a surface so that the knife rests with its blade elevated off the surface. |
| US08356380B2 |
Interdental brush
In an interdental brush, the filaments are retained between two wire sections (1a, 1b) which are twisted with one another. The wire sections (1a, 1b) have a diameter (D) of 0.3 mm or less and consist of a nickel-free or low-nickel steel. These brushes are distinguished by an increased level of rigidity and an improved restoring force and are stable even if the wire has a small diameter. |
| US08356379B2 |
Foldable wiper plate
A foldable wiper plate includes a first plate wing pivotable about a first axis, and a second plate wing pivotable about a second axis differing from the first axis. The first plate wing includes a first lock-in device that releasably interlocks the first plate wing with the second axis. |
| US08356376B2 |
Substrate cleaning apparatus, substrate cleaning method, and storage medium
To provide a substrate cleaning apparatus capable of effectively removing deposits adhering to at least an end surface of a substrate by means of a sponge-like brush. A substrate cleaning apparatus includes: a spin chuck configured to rotatably hold a substrate W; a motor configured to rotate the substrate W held by the spin chuck; a cleaning-liquid supply mechanism configured to supply a cleaning liquid to the substrate W held by the spin chuck. The cleaning mechanism includes: a brush made of a sponge-like resin, which is brought into contact with at least an end surface of the wafer W during the cleaning; and a brush compressing mechanism configured to compress the brush. The brush is compressed by the compressing mechanism, and cleans at least the end surface of the substrate W. |
| US08356374B2 |
Powered toothbrush with associated oral solution dispenser mechanism
An oral solution dispenser apparatus for attachment to a powered toothbrush handle having a drive coupling mounted thereon, includes a housing adapted for attachment to the handle, the housing having a recess therein for receiving a cartridge containing the oral solution, a pump disposed in the housing for moving the oral solution from the cartridge, and an outlet nozzle extending from the housing and adapted to permit movement of the oral solution from the pump and from the housing. A head having bristles thereon is adapted to interconnect with the handle drive coupling and the housing outlet nozzle, to facilitate powered movement of the bristles and movement of the oral solution from the outlet nozzle to proximate the bristles. |
| US08356368B2 |
Patient lift and transfer device
A transfer device has a carriage supported on a base, movable between a home position and an extended position. A table assembly includes a lower table fixed to the carriage and an upper table coupled to the lower table, movable between a downward position in forcible contact with the lower table and an upward position having no contact with the lower table. The table assembly moves toward the extended position with the tables in forcible contact to place the table assembly underneath the object to be transferred while keeping the base stationary. The plates are separated to lift the object on the upper table while the lower table remains resting upon the support surface. The table assembly returns to the home position while supporting the object on the upper table and keeping the upper and lower tables separated. The device may operate in a bidirectional manner. |
| US08356363B2 |
Garment
A garment for a part of the body, and in particular a sport pant, includes an elasticity element, or a number of such elements, disposed on a portion of the garment, while another portion of the garment is free of elasticity elements. As a result, the garment can store energy by elastic elongation under a movement of, for example, a leg. This energy can then be released under a second movement of the leg in the opposite direction, resulting in the garment supporting the second movement of the leg. |
| US08359661B2 |
Magnetic device inspection apparatus and magnetic device inspection method
Applying an alternating current to a magnetic head as a sample generates an alternate-current magnetic field from the sample. A cantilever includes a probe that is made of a magnetic material or is coated with a magnetic material. The cantilever is displaced when it approaches the sample. Detecting the displacement of the cantilever detects distribution of the magnetic field from the sample. It is possible to fast measure distribution of the magnetic field generated from the sample when a frequency of the alternating current applied to the sample differs from a resonance frequency of the cantilever. |
| US08359660B2 |
Method and apparatus of securing data in a portable flash memory
A method and apparatus of securing data stored in a memory of a portable memory storage device are disclosed. One example may include activating an authentication detection component of the portable memory storage device, and verifying an authentication key via the authentication detection component of the portable memory storage device. Once the authentication is complete, additional operations may include interfacing the portable memory storage device with a computing device and accessing data stored in the memory device. Upon ending the access operation, the discontinuing of the interfacing of the memory storage device with the computing device will automatically lock the memory storage device after a predetermined time has passed. |
| US08359659B2 |
Method and apparatus for protecting private information on a user apparatus
There is provided apparatus comprising a user interface for displaying a plurality of items. The apparatus is arranged: a) to receive at least one instruction, by which instruction or instructions, one or more of a plurality of items initially displayed on the user interface is or are categorized as an item or items to be hidden and the remaining one or more of the plurality of items initially displayed on the user interface is or are categorized as an item or items to be displayed; b) to receive an instruction to hide, from the user interface, the one or more items to be hidden; and c) to hide from the user interface, the one or more items to be hidden, such that the item or items categorized as items to be displayed are displayed on the user interface, and the item or items categorized as items to be hidden are not displayed on the user interface. In one preferred arrangement, the apparatus is an electronic device. There is also provided a method for hiding one or more items of a plurality of items displayed on a user interface for a user apparatus. Again, the user apparatus may be an electronic device. There is further provided a method for selecting a new password or entering a predetermined password on a user apparatus. The user apparatus may be an electronic device for storing electronic files. |
| US08359656B2 |
Media processing system supporting different media formats via server-based transcoding
A method for processing media content includes receiving, at a second communications device communicatively coupled to a network at a first geographic location, from a first wireless mobile communications device communicatively coupled to the second communications device at the first geographic location, a device profile of the first wireless mobile communications device. The device profile received from the first wireless mobile communications device and media content may be sent to a server communicatively coupled to the network at a second geographic location. Media content may be received from the server, where the media content has been reformatted based on the device profile. The reformatted media content may be transmitted to the first wireless mobile communications device. The received device profile of the first wireless mobile communication device may be stored. |
| US08359655B1 |
Software code analysis and classification system and method
Methods for scanning software for the existence of a licensing condition. Software may be uploaded, scanned and compared against known software stored in a datastore. If the uploaded software matches known software in the datastore, a license associated with the known software may be determined. The license may have information associated with it, such as a classification based on risk and obligations. The classification of the license, as well as the obligation information may be returned as a report to a requester that uploaded software to easily identify the risks associated with incorporating the software into a larger code base or project. |
| US08359647B1 |
System, method and computer program product for rendering data of an on-demand database service safe
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for rendering data of an on-demand database service safe. These mechanisms and methods for rendering on-demand database service data safe can enable embodiments to alleviate any security risk that would otherwise be posed by such data. The ability of embodiments to provide such additional safety may lead to improved security in the context of an on-demand database service. |
| US08359645B2 |
Dynamic protection of unpatched machines
A system and method for protecting a computer system connected to a communication network from a potential vulnerability. The system and method protects a computer system that is about to undergo or has just undergone a change in state that may result in placing the computer system at risk to viruses, and the like, over a communication network. The system and method first detect an imminent or recent change in state. A security component and a fixing component react to the detection of the change in state. The security component may raise the security level to block incoming network information, other than information from a secure or known location, or information requested by the computer system. The fixing component implements a fixing routine, such as installing missing updates or patches, and on successfully completing the fixing routine, the security level is relaxed or lowered. |
| US08359643B2 |
Group formation using anonymous broadcast information
A number of devices co-located at a geographic location can broadcast and receive tokens. Tokens can be exchanged using a communication link having limited communication range. Tokens that are received by a device can be stored locally on the device and/or transmitted to a trusted service operating remotely on a network. In some implementations, the tokens can be stored with corresponding timestamps to assist a trusted service in matching or otherwise correlating the tokens with other tokens provided by other devices. The trusted service can perform an analysis on the tokens and timestamps to identify devices that were co-located at the geographic location at or around a contact time which can be defined by the timestamps. A group can be created based on results of the analysis. Users can be identified as members of the group and invited to join the group. |
| US08359640B2 |
Printing apparatus management system, printing apparatus management method, and printing apparatus management program
A printing apparatus management system includes: a printing apparatus which includes an IC tag performing wireless communication with the outside and a memory being connected to the IC tag; and a first information terminal which has at least a function of writing information in the memory through wireless communication with the IC tag. The first information terminal maintains authentication data used by the printing apparatus, writes the authentication data in the memory, and transmits the authentication data to another information terminal. In addition, the printing apparatus interrupts a predetermined function, when the authentication data is written by the first information terminal, and in a state where authentication data is written in the memory by the first information terminal or an information terminal other than the first information terminal in the interruption state, the printing apparatus makes the predetermined function effective, when the authentication data written by the first information terminal before the interruption state and the authentication data written by the first information terminal or the information terminal other than the first information terminal after the interruption state accord with each other. |
| US08359637B2 |
System and method for access control of network devices across multi-platform access lists
A system for sharing a device between two independent software platforms and for access control of a network device across the two independent software platforms is provided. The system has a first computing device operating on a first software platform for authenticating at least a first user and accessing a first user's access list having at least one address of a second user. The system also has a second computing device operable with the same first user and a second different software platform. A destination across the first and the second software platforms is mapped to selectively control the device by the second user from the first user's access list with the second user operating on the second computing device. |
| US08359636B2 |
Method and system for modeling options for opaque management data for a user and/or an owner
Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) management profiles, based on the Common Information Model (CIM) protocol, may be utilized to perform access authentication during opaque management data profile operations based on DMTF/CIM Role Based Authorization (RBA) profile and/or Simple Identity Management (SIM) profiles. Instances of CIM_Identity class may be utilized to enable validation of ownership and/or access rights, via instances of CIM_Role class and/or instances of CIM_Privilege class for a plurality of common users and/or applications. Quota related operations may be performed via “QuotaAffectsElement” associations between instances of CIM_Identity class and instances of the CIM_OpaqueManagementDataService class. The “QuotaAffectsElement” association may comprise “AllocationQuota” and/or “AllocatedBytes” properties to enable tracking and/or validating of quota related information within the opaque management data profile. |
| US08359634B2 |
Method and system to optimize efficiency when managing lists of untrusted network sites
A computer readable storage medium including a set of instructions executable by a processor, the set of instructions operable to determine if a network location included in a request to connect to the network location, is included in a first list of untrusted network locations stored on the client computer and send a request to determine if the network location is included in a second list of untrusted network locations stored remotely from the client computer when it is determined that the network location is not included in the first list. |
| US08359631B2 |
Portable identity rating
Portable on-line identity verification technology includes, for example, portable widgets with an identity rating, and other on-line identification verification icons and identity rating scores. |
| US08359630B2 |
Method and system for implementing a dynamic verification value
A method is disclosed, which includes receiving a message including an account identifier and a first verification value. The method uses the account identifier to select a dynamic verification value process from at least two dynamic verification value processes. Then, using the selected dynamic verification value process, a second verification value is determined. Next, the method determines if the first verification value and the second verification value match or are within an expected range. |
| US08359628B2 |
Display device and transmitting device
A display device includes a signal receiving unit, an image display unit, a communicating unit, a position designating unit, and an information transmitting unit. The signal receiving unit receives a video signal by a differential signal through a plurality of channels from an external apparatus via a transmission path. The image display unit processes the vide signal received in the signal receiving unit to display an image. The communicating unit performs a bi-directional communication by using a predetermined line which constitutes the transmission path. The position designating unit designates a position on a display screen of the image display unit. The information transmitting unit transmits, by the communicating unit, coordinate information on the position designated by the position designating unit to the external apparatus. |
| US08359627B2 |
Method and apparatus for realizing PVR using home network device
A method of realizing a personal video recorder (PVR) using a home network device is provided. A client receives contents and replays the contents in a home network. The client uploads first contents received from a real time broadcasting channel to the server from a time when an external time-shift input is received, terminates the uploading of the first contents if an external replay input is received during the uploading of the first contents, replays the first contents whose uploading is terminated from a portion requested by the external replay input, and simultaneously uploads second contents to the server, received from the real time broadcasting channel at a time when the uploading of the first contents is terminated. A user can watch a live broadcast using a time-shift function such as a PVR via a home network device without a separate PVR. |
| US08359626B1 |
Application data table for a multiservice digital transmission system
A method of transmission of application data (97) in a digital transport stream characterized in providing an application data table (110) containing information regarding the applications (97) carried in each service (91, 92) within the transport stream. The application data table (110) may conveniently be designated by a fixed PID value and a TID extension value varying in dependence on the bouquet of services chosen. The use of a single application data table to provide information across all services within a bouquet provides a number of advantages, in particular when deciding whether or not to maintain certain applications when switching between services. |
| US08359616B2 |
Systems and methods for automatically generating advertisements using a media guidance application
Systems and methods for automatically generating advertisements using a media guidance application are provided. In some embodiments, an advertisement database is searched to identify a stored advertisement for display in an advertisement display region of a media guidance application display screen. Upon determining that the advertisement database does not include a suitable stored advertisement, a new advertisement may be generated for display in the advertisement display region. |
| US08359615B2 |
Method and digital broadcasting system for transmitting and receiving ESG
Disclosed is a method and a digital broadcasting system for transmitting and receiving an Electronic Service Guide (ESG). When there are ESG fragments to be transmitted through a communication network among ESG fragments included in ESG data, a digital broadcast transmitter generates an ESG data session such that the ESG data session may include route information through the communication network of the relevant ESG fragments. Then, the digital broadcast transmitter transmits the generated ESG data session to a broadcast receiving terminal, which obtains the route information through the communication network of the relevant ESG fragments. Accordingly, a user can more easily and conveniently receive the ESG data by using the route information through the communication network obtained by the broadcast receiving terminal. |
| US08359610B2 |
Audience measurement apparatus, system and method for producing audience information of a media presentation
Audience measurement methods and systems for producing audience information of a media presentation. At least one embodiment includes a moveable apparatus comprising an audio capturing means for picking up audio from a media presentation distributed to an audience through at least one media rendering device to produce an audio signal, processing means for processing the audio signal to derive the content identification information, user interface means for entering the presence information of panel members, memory means to store the content identification information and the presence information, and communication means for transmitting the content identification information and the presence information for further processing to generate audience information. |
| US08359606B2 |
Generic user interface command architecture
Certain aspects of a generic user interface command architecture allow an application to host commands for presentation on a computing device. The commands can be written by the same designer or author as the application, or alternatively by other parties (e.g., by a third-party developer). Other aspects of the generic UI command architecture describe an application programming interface (API) that can be used to allow the application to host the commands. Other aspects of the generic UI command architecture describe an activation mechanism by which registered commands can be activated by an application. |
| US08359603B1 |
Techniques for inter-user-space communication
Described are techniques for intermodule communication between a first code module and a second code module each executing in user space. A shared memory portion includes storage for one or more commands and is accessible to the first and the second code modules. A first first-in-first-out (FIFO) structure is used for sending a location in the shared memory portion from the first code module to the second code module. A second FIFO structure is used for sending a location in the shared memory portion from the second code module to the first code module. The first code module stores command data for a command at a first location in the shared memory portion. A command is issued from the first code module to the second code module by sending the first location from the first code module to the second code module using the first FIFO structure. |
| US08359599B2 |
Methods and systems for efficient use and mapping of distributed shared resources
Methods and systems for coordinating sharing of resources among a plurality of tasks operating in parallel in a document presentation environment while host communications and task processing may be performed asynchronously with respect to one another. A mapped resource manager manages activation (addition) and deactivation (deletion) of resources shared by a plurality of tasks operating in parallel to assure that each task may continue processing with a consistent set of files as resources despite changes made by other tasks or by operator intervention. |
| US08359598B2 |
Energy efficient scheduling system and method
An energy efficient scheduling system and method is disclosed. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving, with a processor, a request for execution of an application. The method also includes receiving, based on the request, a scheduling policy. Additionally, the method includes for each of a plurality of datacenters, determining one or more datacenter attributes associated with each respective datacenter. The method also includes selecting one of the plurality of datacenters to execute the application based, at least in part, on the request, the scheduling policy, and the datacenter attributes and executing the application at the selected datacenter. |
| US08359597B1 |
Workload-guided application scheduling in multi-core system based at least on applicaton branch transition rates
The proposed method exploits inherent characteristics of a software program to select a core of a multi-core processor for executing the software program. Each characteristic is associated with a suitability metric, which measures the degree of the match between that characteristic and the corresponding hardware configuration. In one embodiment, fuzzy logic is used to combine individual metrics to produce an overall suitability that indicates the overall degree of the match between a program and a core. |
| US08359596B2 |
Determining capability of an information processing unit to execute the job request based on satisfying an index value and a content of processing of the job
A grid computing system having a plurality of information processing apparatuses, each of which comprises an index value storing part for storing an index value indicative of the throughput of the information processing apparatus itself; a request acquiring part for acquiring a job execution request that requests an execution of a job; a job executing part for executing the job, based on the index value stored in the index value storing part and also based on the process contents of the job, if determining that the job is to be executed in the foregoing information processing apparatus; and a request transmitting part for forwarding the job execution request to another information processing apparatus connected to the foregoing information processing apparatus if determining that the job is not to be executed in the foregoing information processing apparatus. |
| US08359593B2 |
Computer machine migration of file system images using a redo-log file
Systems and methods for migration between computing machines are disclosed. The source and target machines can be either physical or virtual; the source can also be a machine image. The target machine is connected to a snapshot or image of the source machine file system, and a redo-log file is created on the file system associated with the target machine. The target machine begins operation by reading data directly from the snapshot or image of the source machine file system. Thereafter, all writes are made to the redo-log file, and subsequent reads are made from the redo-log file if it contains data for the requested sector or from the snapshot or image if it does not. The source machine continues to be able to run separately and simultaneously after the target machine begins operation. |
| US08359587B2 |
Runtime profitability control for speculative automatic parallelization
A compilation method and mechanism for parallelizing program code. A method for compilation includes analyzing source code and identifying candidate code for parallelization. The method includes parallelizing the candidate code, in response to determining said profitability meets a predetermined criteria; and generating object code corresponding to the source code. The generated object code includes both a non-parallelized version of the candidate code and a parallelized version of the candidate code. During execution of the object code, a dynamic selection between execution of the non-parallelized version of the candidate code and the parallelized version of the candidate code is made. Changing execution from said parallelized version of the candidate code to the non-parallelized version of the candidate code, may be in response to determining a transaction failure count meets a pre-determined threshold. Additionally, changing execution from one version to the other may be in further response to determining an execution time of the parallelized version of the candidate code is greater than an execution time of the non-parallelized version of the candidate code. |
| US08359585B1 |
Instrumentation ATS/TPS mitigation utilizing I/O data stream
Methods and systems for obsolescence mitigation of electronic systems including hardware and software components, in particular methods and systems for managing obsolete instrument hardware and application software used in legacy Automated Test Systems (ATS) or Automatic Test Equipment (ATE). When one or more components of a test program set (TPS) has been rendered obsolete, migration to one or more replacement instruments without any impact to the TPS or other remaining legacy instruments in the ATE or ATS is obtained by a translator module interposed between the new instrument and the system bus for translating instructions for the obsolete instrument or set of instruments into instructions or procedures for the new instrument whereby the new instrument thus functions in the same manner as the obsolete instrument or set of instruments. |
| US08359583B2 |
Methods for selectively pruning false paths in graphs that use high-precision state information
Methods are provided that allow a false path pruner to traverse a directed acyclic graph in conjunction with one or more checker programs that are analyzing a program for defects or other artifacts of interest. While the checkers may have ways of avoiding re-traversal of portions of the graph that have already been traversed, the false path pruner may override such decisions made by the checkers as a result of a false path in order to allow re-traversal during a future different traversal when that same defect or artifact may not lie along a false path, and therefore avoid missing a valid defect or artifact. Computer programs stored on tangible media are provided that implement the methods of the invention. |
| US08359577B2 |
Software health management testbed
A testbed for testing health of software includes an input model, a hardware model, and a resource modeler. The input model represents an input system used in conjunction with the software. The hardware model represents one or more hardware components used in conjunction with the software. The resource modeler is coupled to the input model and the hardware model, and is configured to estimate effects on the software of conditions of the hardware components, the input system, or both. |
| US08359576B2 |
Using symbolic execution to check global temporal requirements in an application
In one embodiment, a method include accessing one or more global temporal requirements of an application specified using one or more requirement templates from a library of requirement templates, accessing a model of the application, generating one or more symbolic expressions of one or more of the global temporal requirements of the application, searching a state space of the application model with a model checker, monitoring the search of the state space for events in the state space encompassed by the symbolic expressions and modifying construction of a graph of the state space in response to occurrence of one or more events encompassed by the symbolic expressions, evaluating the symbolic expressions based on the graph of the state space to determine whether one or more of the global temporal requirements are valid, and communicating one or more results of the evaluation of the symbolic expressions for presentation to a user. |
| US08359574B1 |
Offline mode in IDE for seamless service-oriented-architecture-based application development
A development application can provide an integrated development environment that interfaces with one or more data sources that will be used by the application under development. Sample data from the source(s) can be used to aid the coding process and/or testing the application under development. The development application can maintain a cache to support offline access of data from the source(s) to allow development to continue when a source cannot be accessed and/or when a developer wishes not to access a particular source. Code elements can be included in the application under development to cause the application under development to access the cached data based on settings in the development application. The added code elements can automatically be removed when the application is released. |
| US08359571B2 |
Computer method and apparatus for activity-based version selection in a configuration management system
A computer method, system and apparatus for selecting version of a software program artifact includes history means and processor means. The history means indicate (a) a baseline version of each artifact in a given plurality of artifacts forming a subject software program configuration, and (b) respective change-set information per artifact. Different change sets correspond to different versions of the artifacts. The processor means determine version of an artifact in the subject software program configuration using the indicated baseline versions and change-set information. The processor means enable the configuration management system to display the determined version of the artifact to a user. |
| US08359568B2 |
Method and system for automatically adding generic change log to legacy application
A data management method includes accessing data objects in an application written in C/C++ for change-logging and multi-step redo/undo, wherein the data objects are organized in a binary format and are devoid of self-describing information, and wherein the accessing the data objects is structured in a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers including a semantic layer, a change log layer, and a repository layer, dynamically analyzing the data objects to recognize all changes made by any of a plurality of users for all data types used by the application, the dynamically analyzing the data including using semantic analysis to track changes and identifying any changes in any of the data objects, and using generated wrapper classes to convert between C/C++ data structures and generic data format, wherein the wrapper classes are generated from developer provided annotations with C/C++ data structure declarations. |
| US08359567B2 |
Timing wires in a graphical program
A system and method for specifying timing relationships among nodes in a graphical program. User input specifying desired timing of a first node with respect to timing of a second node may be received. In various embodiments, any kind of timing relationship or timing constraint between the first node and the second node may be specified. Timing information may be displayed on the display to visually indicate the timing of the first node with respect to timing of the second node. In one embodiment, displaying the timing information may comprise displaying a timing wire between the first node and the second node. The graphical program may be executed in such a way that the visually indicated timing of the first node with respect to timing of the second node is satisfied. |
| US08359565B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating test patterns for use in at-speed testing
In one embodiment, the invention is a method and apparatus generating test patterns for use in at-speed testing. One embodiment of a method for use by a general purpose computing device that is configured to generate a set of test patterns with which to test an integrated circuit chip includes receiving, by an input device of the general purpose computing device, statistical timing information relating to the integrated circuit chip and a logic circuit of the integrated circuit chip and generating, by a processor of the general purpose computing device, the set of test patterns in accordance with the statistical timing information while simultaneously selecting a set of paths on which to test the set of test patterns. |
| US08359562B2 |
System and method for semiconductor device fabrication using modeling
In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes using a processor to generate a first three dimensional (3-D) resist profile for a first process condition using an layout mask of a target structure. The method further includes using a processor to generate a second 3-D resist profile for a second process condition using the layout mask. The first process condition includes a plurality of process variables, and the second process condition includes different values of the plurality of process variables than the first process condition. The method includes generating a 3-D process variable (PV) band profile by combining the first 3-D resist profile with the second 3-D resist profile and displaying a 3-D image of the 3-D PV band profile on a display. |
| US08359557B1 |
Method and apparatus for generating data bus interface circuitry
A method is provided for generation of a circuit design. A plurality of components, including at least a processor and a peripheral device, is instantiated in a circuit design. One or more parameterizable data bus interface blocks are automatically selected based on the master-slave relationships, requirements, and capabilities of the components. The one or more parameterizable data bus interface blocks are instantiated in the circuit design. In response to user input, values are assigned to one or more parameters of the processor. The plurality of components and data bus interface blocks are automatically parameterized by determining appropriate parameter values according to the parameters of the processor and capabilities and requirements of the components and data bus interface blocks. |
| US08359553B1 |
Various methods and apparatuses for effective yield enhancement of good chip dies having memories per wafer
A method and apparatus are described in which an optimal configuration of memory instances is determined. The optimal configuration of memory instances to be fabricated with built-in repair capacity and memory instances that are non-repairable may provide a maximum number of good chip dies per wafer. An amount of memory instances to be fabricated with built-in repair capacity as well as a remaining amount of memory instances to be fabricated without any built-in repair components in the integrated circuit design is determined relative to achieving the maximum number of good chip dies per wafer for a given defect density and wafer area. The amount of good dies produced per fabricated wafer for a populated amount of memories with built-in repair components is determined to be between an amount established by a minimum limit for the die area up to the amount established by a maximum limit for the die area. |
| US08359552B2 |
Portable information terminal
A contact position detecting unit 122 detects the position on the touch panel touched by a controlling object. A rendering unit 104 determines the layout of a document file including a link and display the document in the layout thus determined. A link position specifying unit 106 specifies the position of the link in the screen. A detection area setting unit 114 sets an object detection area for determination that the link is selected by the user as a result of contact with the controlling object associated one-to-one with the link, such that the object detection area occupies a range different from that of the link and is spaced apart from an adjacent object detection area by a predefined minimum distance, that the display mode of the link is maintained, and that the object detection area is superposed on the link. A matching unit 130 matches the position on the touch panel touched by the controlling object against the range occupied by the object detection area so as to determine which object detection area is selected. |
| US08359551B2 |
Automatic mapping of pointing devices to multiple displays
An automatic pointing device mapping method (400, 420) and associated apparatus for automatically remapping the active area (12) of a graphics tablet (10) to a plurality of displays (122, 124), such as might be used in conjunction with a graphics program (130), a CAD program, or the like. Proximity zones (230, 232) are established along the edge of the active area (12). When a stylus (146) is moved into one of the proximity zones (230, 232), the graphics tablet (10) is switched to control the display (122, 124) in the corresponding direction, provided such a display (122, 124) exists in that direction. In one embodiment data regarding an elapsed time data (220), which is the time the stylus (146) has remained in the proximity zone (230, 232) is monitored, such that the multi-display system (110) is not remapped until the stylus (146) has remained in the proximity zone (230, 232) until a preset time (218) has elapsed. |
| US08359549B1 |
Multiple-function user interactive tool for manipulating three-dimensional objects in a graphical user interface environment
Methods and apparatuses are provided which may be implemented to provide a multiple-function user interactive tool adapted for manipulating three-dimensional objects graphically presented within a virtual space. |
| US08359545B2 |
Fast and smooth scrolling of user interfaces operating on thin clients
Systems and methods according to the present invention provide a user interface for scrolling through lists of information on user interfaces. |
| US08359542B2 |
Machines, program products, and computer-implemented methods for interactive aircraft performance substantiation
An interactive aircraft performance substantiation is provided by determining maneuvers for a user-selected aircraft, determining operation and performance variables for a user-selected maneuver, displaying a scale graphic representation of the user-selected aircraft according to aircraft dimensions, displaying load selection fields according to aircraft dimensions and load-sites dimensions, interactively updating the scale graphic representation of the user-selected aircraft to include an oriented graphic representation of a user-selected load according to the aircraft dimensions, load dimensions, and load-site dimensions, interactively determining mass properties of the user-selected aircraft according to the aircraft dimensions, the load dimensions, and the load-site dimensions; receiving operation properties for the user-selected maneuver corresponding to the operation variables; and displaying an aircraft performance substantiation responsive to determining performance properties of the user-selected aircraft according to the mass properties thereof and the operation properties thereof, the performance properties corresponding to the performance variables. |
| US08359541B1 |
Distributing icons so that they do not overlap certain screen areas of a mobile device
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for distributing icons so that they do not overlap certain screen areas of a mobile device. In particular, screen areas of a background image displayed on a screen of a mobile device may be identified as image portions that are desirable for protection. After the desired image portions are identified, foreground screen areas corresponding to the desired image portions are designated as being unavailable to present icons. Icons are then presented on available screen areas of the mobile device so as to avoid overlapping desired image portions. |
| US08359540B2 |
Apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture for constructing and maintaining a calendaring interface
Systems, methods, apparatus, and means for managing an event are provided including creating an event, causing event information to be transmitted to a first group of internal users for communication to a plurality of external users, receiving requests for attendance, creating a final event schedule, causing confirmation information to be transmitted, and generating event summary reports upon completion of said event. |
| US08359537B2 |
Tool for navigating a composite presentation
A computer readable medium storing a media editing application for creating media presentations is described. The application includes a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI has (1) a composite display area for displaying graphical representations of a set of media clips that are part of the composite presentation and (2) a navigation tool including several selectable navigation markers associated with several navigable locations in the composite presentation. The selection of a navigation marker causes the composite display area to present the navigable location in the composite presentation that is associated with the selected navigation marker. |
| US08359536B2 |
Method and device for composing a menu
Multimedia content of exchangeable storage media, such as optical discs, may be extended by bonus content that is downloaded via Internet connection and stored on a local storage device. An improved method for integration of different menu items relating to on-disc content and downloaded content provides flexibility and a simple, low cost solution. The method for integration of downloaded bonus content into a menu comprises defining one or more placeholders within a menu, determining a storage location or naming convention for bonus content, declaring for each placeholder an attribute providing a unique association to a specific type of bonus content, providing a button image, detecting presence of bonus content data, replacing the associated placeholder by the associated button image and enabling an associated action to be taken when said button is selected. |
| US08359532B2 |
Text type-ahead
Methods and arrangements of text entry are discussed. Embodiments include transformations, code, state machines or other logic to index segments of text from multiple sources and receive segments of text being entered into text-entry applications in a floating application. The embodiments may also involve matching the segments of text to indexed segments of text and entering completions of the received segments of text into the text-entry applications. The completions may be based upon the matching, and the completion of a segment may be entered into the text-entry application from which it was received. |
| US08359531B2 |
Method and apparatus for highlighting diverse aspects in a document
The disclosure generally relates to document summarization. Given a document, summarization can be defined as picking k sentences from the original document D such that the constructed summary exhibits two key properties: coverage and orthogonality. In one embodiment of the disclosure, the two requirements are captured in a combinatorial formulation of the problem and presented as an algorithms. |
| US08359530B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus, wireless communication method, and computer program
A wireless communication apparatus that includes a first format detecting unit detecting a format by executing signal processing on a preamble of a received packet before decoding, an estimating unit using the preamble to carry out multiple types of estimations, and a decoding unit decoding the received packet in accordance with the detected format based on the estimations. The apparatus further includes a second format detecting unit detecting the format of the received packet based on decoded control information in the preamble of the received packet, an error detection determination unit, when the format detected by the first format detecting unit differs from the format detected by the second format detecting unit, determining that the format detected by the first format detecting unit is an error, and a control unit controlling operations of the estimating unit and the decoding unit based on a determined result. |
| US08359529B2 |
Information processing apparatus and information processing method
A sending part sends a data generated by a second device from the second device to a first device. A data collating part collates the data sent from the sending part with a data generated by the first device, and determines that it is abnormal when a mismatch between these data occurs. Thus, a data generated by the first device is collated with a data generated by the second device and when a mismatch between these data occurs, it is determined that it is abnormal, so that abnormality can be detected surely. |
| US08359527B1 |
Averaging signals to improve signal interpretation
Systems and techniques to interpret signals on a noisy channel. A described system includes a filter, buffer, detector, controller, and averager. The buffer can store a group of signals, including a filtered digital signal and previous signal(s). The controller can determine whether first discrete values are adequately indicated and initiate a retry mode when the first discrete values are not adequately indicated. The averager can produce a new signal, in the retry mode, based on an average of at least a portion of the group of signals. The detector can interpret the new signal as second discrete values. The controller can determine whether the second discrete values are adequately indicated based on a measurement of differences between hard decisions indicated by the new signal and hard decisions indicated by the filtered digital signal. The controller can selectively exclude a signal of the group of signals from the average. |
| US08359523B2 |
Method and system for decoding video, voice, and speech data using redundancy
A method and system for decoding video, voice, and/or speech data using redundancy and physical constraints are presented. Video, voice, and/or speech bit sequences may be decoded in a multilayer process based on a decoding algorithm and at least one physical constraint. For voice applications, the decoding algorithm may be based on the Viterbi algorithm. At least one estimated bit sequence may be selected by performing searches that start from trellis junctions determined during by the decoding algorithm. The estimated bit sequences may be selected based on corresponding redundancy verification parameters. At least one physical constraint test may be performed on the selected estimated bit sequences to select a decoded output bit sequence. |
| US08359521B2 |
Providing a memory device having a shared error feedback pin
A system and method for providing a memory device having a shared error feedback pin. The system includes a memory device having a data interface configured to receive data bits and CRC bits, CRC receiving circuitry, CRC creation circuitry, a memory device pad, and driver circuitry. The CRC receiving circuitry utilizes a CRC equation for the detection of errors in one or more of the received data and the received CRC bits. The CRC creation circuitry utilizes the CRC equation for the creation of CRC bits consistent with data to be transmitted to a separate device bits. The memory device pad is configured for reporting of any errors detected in the received data and the received CRC bits. The driver circuitry is connected to the memory device pad and merged with one or more other driver circuitries resident on one or more other memory devices into an error reporting line. |
| US08359518B2 |
2D product code and method for detecting false decoding errors
The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for performing forward error correction with a multi-dimensional Bose Ray-Chaudhuri Hocquenghem (BCH) product code, and a method for detecting false decoding errors in frame-based data transmission systems. |
| US08359517B2 |
Memory system and method using partial ECC to achieve low power refresh and fast access to data
A DRAM memory device includes several banks of memory cells each of which are divided into first and second sets of memory cells. The memory cells in the first set can be refreshed at a relatively slow rate to reduce the power consumed by the DRAM device. Error checking and correcting circuitry in the DRAM device corrects any data retention errors in the first set of memory cells caused by the relatively slow refresh rate. The memory cells in the second set are refreshed at a normal rate, which is fast enough that data retention errors do not occur. A mode register in the DRAM device may be programmed to select the size of the second set of memory cells. |
| US08359515B2 |
Forward substitution for error-correction encoding and the like
In one embodiment, a forward substitution component performs forward substitution based on a lower-triangular matrix and an input vector to generate an output vector. The forward substitution component has memory, a first permuter, an XOR gate array, and a second permuter. The memory stores output sub-vectors of the output vector. The first permuter permutates one or more previously generated output sub-vectors stored in the memory based on one or more permutation coefficients corresponding to a current block row of the lower-triangular matrix to generate one or more permuted sub-vectors. The XOR gate array performs exclusive disjunction on (i) the one or more permuted sub-vectors and (ii) a current input sub-vector of the input vector to generate an intermediate sub-vector. The second permuter permutates the intermediate sub-vector based on a permutation coefficient corresponding to another block in the current block row to generate a current output sub-vector of the output vector. |
| US08359513B2 |
Data communications methods and apparatus
In an embodiment, a source device encodes source information corresponding to a frame, assembles an initial data frame that includes the encoded data blocks, and transmits the initial data frame to a destination device. The destination device decodes the encoded data blocks and assembles a restored version of the initial data frame. The destination device identifies corrupted data blocks and uncorrupted data blocks within the restored version, stores the uncorrupted data blocks, generates a message that identifies the corrupted data blocks, and transmits the message to the source device. In response, the source device encodes source information corresponding to the corrupted data blocks identified in the message, assembles a responsive data frame, and transmits the responsive data frame to the destination device. The destination device produces a corrected data frame from the retransmitted data blocks and the previously-stored uncorrupted data blocks. |
| US08359503B2 |
Method and system for generating an integrated circuit chip facility waveform from a series of chip snapshots
Methods and corresponding test systems for generating a chip facility waveform from a series of chip snapshots. The methods including, (i) testing an integrated chip multiple times, each time increasing a clockstop delay delaying a clockstop generated by triggered error condition each time determining the state of state holding elements of the integrated circuit and (ii) testing an integrated circuit chip one time to generate a error condition and determining multiple times the states of state holding elements of the integrated circuit based on previous states of the state holding elements. |
| US08359497B2 |
Determining the cause of serialization failures
A method, computer program product, and system determining the cause of serialization failures is described. A method may comprise, if a first object that has been serialized with all references to member fields by the first object removed passes deserialization, restoring, via at least one of a client electronic device and a server computer, a first reference to a first member field by the first object. The method may further comprise serializing, via at least one of the client electronic device and the server computer, the first object with the restored first reference to the first member field. The method may also comprise, if the serialized first object with the restored first reference to the first member field fails deserialization, determining, via at least one of the client electronic device and the server computer, that the first reference to the first member field by the first object causes the failure. |
| US08359496B1 |
Fault-resistant just-in-time compiler
The present disclosure relates to techniques for potentially increasing the reliability and/or stability of systems having virtual machines that support multiple modes of execution. For example, as described herein, a virtual machine partitions a plurality of program instructions into a plurality of traces for execution by a virtual machine operating on a computing device, wherein the virtual machine has first and second modes of execution, and wherein each of the plurality of traces comprises one or more of the plurality of program instructions. The virtual machine applies the second mode of execution to a first trace in the plurality of traces and determines an error condition that is caused by the application of the second mode of execution to the first trace. After determining the error condition, the virtual machine applies the first mode of execution to the first trace to recover the virtual machine from the error condition. |
| US08359495B2 |
System and method for using failure casting to manage failures in computer systems
A system and method for using failure casting to manage failures in a computer system. In accordance with an embodiment, the system uses a failure casting hierarchy to cast failures of one type into failures of another type. In doing this, the system allows incidents, problems, or failures to be cast into a (typically smaller) set of failures, which the system knows how to handle. In accordance with a particular embodiment, failures can be cast into a category that is considered reboot-curable. If a failure is reboot-curable then rebooting the system will likely cure the problem. Examples include hardware failures, and reboot-specific methods that can be applied to disk failures and to failures within clusters of databases. The system can even be used to handle failures that were hitherto unforeseen—failures can be cast into known failures based on the failure symptoms, rather than any underlying cause. |
| US08359490B2 |
Memory controller, system including the controller, and memory delay amount control method
A memory controller coupled to a DRAM includes a delay control section including a delay holding section, and coupled to the DRAM to output a delay set value to the DRAM and a delay adjustment section coupled to the DRAM to receive data from the DRAM, and to arrange a delay amount of the received data based on the delay set value. The delay set value is stored in both the delay holding section of the memory controller and the DRAM. |
| US08359489B2 |
Frequency calibration circuit for automatically calibrating a frequency generated by an oscillator and method thereof
A serial interface engine generates a series of digital data according to a pair of differential signals received from a high-speed Universal Serial Bus host and/or a full-speed universal serial bus host. Then, a packet identification (PID) unit identifies a packet identification of a start of each frame and a first period between two consecutive packet identifications according to the series of digital data. A count comparator is used for generating a calibration signal to calibrate an output frequency of an oscillator according to the first period. |
| US08359488B2 |
Keeping time in multi-processor virtualization environments
A virtual machine receives a request for a current time. The virtual machine determines an approximation of the current time based on readings from one of a plurality of processors and compares the approximation to a virtual machine time stamp value. If the approximation is smaller than the virtual machine time stamp value, the virtual machine returns the global time stamp value as the current time and if the approximation is not smaller than the virtual machine time stamp value, the virtual machine returns the approximation as the current time. |
| US08359485B2 |
Non-volatile semiconductor memory device with power saving feature
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device, which comprises (i) an interface having an input for receiving an input clock and a set of data lines for receiving commands issued by a controller including an erase command; (ii) a module having circuit components in a feedback loop configuration and being driven by a reference clock; (iii) a clock control circuit capable of controllably switching between a first state in which the reference clock tracks the input clock and a second state in which the reference clock is decoupled from the input clock; and (iv) a command processing unit configured to recognize the commands and to cause the clock control circuit to switch from the first state to the second state in response to recognizing the erase command. The module consumes less power when the reference clock is decoupled from the input clock than when the reference clock tracks the input clock. |
| US08359479B2 |
High performance arithmetic logic unit (ALU) for cryptographic applications with built-in countermeasures against side channel attacks
The present invention is a cryptoengine configured for providing countermeasures against attacks, including: an input/output (I/O) control unit, a memory, a controller, and an Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU). The memory is communicatively coupled with the I/O control unit, receives inputs from the I/O control unit, and provides outputs to the I/O control unit based upon the received inputs. The controller is communicatively coupled with the I/O control unit for transmitting and receiving control signals. The ALU includes a plurality of storage components and computational components. The ALU is communicatively coupled with the controller and receives commands from/transmits status bits and flags to the controller. The ALU is further communicatively coupled with the memory and is configured for providing output signals to/receiving input signals from the memory. Further, the cryptoengine is configured for being communicatively coupled with a host computing device. |
| US08359474B2 |
Method and system for secure authentication
A system and method configured to provide secure Personal Identification Number (PIN) based authentication is disclosed. A passcode or PIN associated with a customer value card can be securely authenticated by an issuer prior to authorizing payment. An Access Control Server (ACS) can receive the PIN or passcode from a customer via a secure connection over a public network. The ACS can generate an encrypted PIN and can communicate the encrypted PIN to a remote issuer for authentication. The ACS can use one or more hardware security modules to generate the encrypted PIN. The hardware security modules can be emulated in software or implemented in hardware. The system can be configured such that the PIN is not exposed in an unencrypted form in a communication link or in hardware other than the originating customer terminal. |
| US08359471B2 |
System and method for generating a signature
The present invention provides a system and a method for generating digital signatures. The system comprises a first formula which generates the signature as selected series from at least two, but preferably more digitized biometric features of a user. The signature comprises a different selected series per unit of time of for instance 10 seconds. The invention comprises a second formula which assigns a numerical value to a data file. The second formula can also use the numerical value to define another time interval, on the basis of which another signature can be generated. The invention further provides a number of examples for application of the generated signature during the sending of data files. |
| US08359470B1 |
Increased security during network entry of wireless communication devices
What is disclosed is a method of operating a wireless communication system. The method includes exchanging wireless communications between a wireless access node and a wireless communication device to perform a network entry process, where the network entry process comprises at least a capability exchange phase and a subsequent authentication exchange phase. The method also includes, during the capability exchange phase, transferring a capability negotiation message from the wireless communication device, and receiving the capability negotiation message in the wireless access node. The method also includes, during the authentication exchange phase, transferring an authentication key associated with the wireless communication device and a digital signature for the capability negotiation message from the wireless communication device, and receiving the authentication key associated with the wireless communication device and the digital signature for the capability negotiation message in the wireless access node. The method also includes authenticating the capability negotiation message by processing the digital signature for the capability negotiation message and the authentication key associated with the wireless communication device. |
| US08359461B2 |
Running-shift instructions for processing vectors using a base value from a key element of an input vector
The described embodiments provide a processor for generating a result vector with shifted values. During operation, the processor receives a first input vector, a second input vector, and a control vector. When generating the result vector, the processor first captures a base value from a key element position in the second input vector. The processor then determines a number of bit positions to shift the base value using selected relevant elements in the first input vector. The processor then shifts the copy of the base value by the number of bit positions and writes the value into a corresponding element in the result vector. In addition, a predicate vector can be used to control the values that are written to the result vector. |
| US08359454B2 |
Memory access techniques providing for override of page table attributes
A memory access technique, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, includes selectively overriding attributes contained in a translation lookaside buffer or page table data structure with attributes contained in a context specifier. |
| US08359453B2 |
Real address accessing in a coprocessor executing on behalf of an unprivileged process
A coprocessor performs operations on behalf of processes executing in processors coupled thereto, and accesses data operands in memory using real addresses. A process executing in a processor generates an effective address for a coprocessor request, invokes the processor's address translation mechanisms to generate a corresponding real address, and passes this real address is the coprocessor. Preferably, the real address references a block of additional real addresses, each for a respective data operand. The coprocessor uses the real address to access the data operands to perform the operation. An address context detection mechanism detects the occurrence of certain events which could alter the context of real addresses used by the coprocessor or the real addresses themselves. |
| US08359451B2 |
Management of host physical memory allocation to virtual machines with a balloon application
Methods and systems for managing distribution of host physical memory (HPM) among virtual machines (VMs) executing on a host via a hypervisor are presented, where each VM has guest system software including an operating system. A method includes an operation for reserving, by a balloon application executing in a first VM, a guest virtual memory (GVM) location in the first VM. The GVM location is mapped to a guest physical memory (GPM) location, which is mapped to a host physical memory (HPM) location. The balloon application is responsive to the hypervisor for reserving memory. Further, the method includes operations for writing a value to the reserved GVM location and for remapping a plurality of GPM locations containing the value to a single HPM location. The remapping is performed by a content-based page sharing component of the hypervisor. Additionally, the method reclaims the HPM location when the HPM location is freed due to the remapping, and assigns the reclaimed HPM location to a different VM or to a pool of available HPM locations. |
| US08359448B1 |
Specific memory controller implemented using reconfiguration
A circuit controls a memory arrangement and includes an array of programmable resources and interconnect resources, a reconfiguration port, and a processor. The programmable resources and interconnect resources in the array are initially configured with a reference configuration data-set. The reference configuration data-set configures the programmable resources and interconnect resources to implement a general memory controller. The processor obtains a characteristic of the memory arrangement and selects a particular partial reconfiguration data-set based on the characteristic of the memory arrangement. The processor reconfigures the programmable resources and interconnect resources in the array via the reconfiguration port. The processor reconfigures the programmable resources and interconnect resources with the particular partial reconfiguration data-set. The particular partial reconfiguration data-set partially reconfigures the programmable resources and interconnect resources to implement a portion of a specific memory controller that differs from the general memory controller. |
| US08359446B2 |
Method for processing data using triple buffering
In a method for processing data using triple buffering, a data block to be processed is written to a memory area in a first interval of time. The data block is processed in the same memory area (A, B, C) in a second interval of time. The processed data block is returned from the same memory area in a third interval of time. |
| US08359438B2 |
Memory banking system and method to increase memory bandwidth via parallel read and write operations
A cache memory and a tag memory are included in a banked memory system and used to effectively enable parallel write and read operations on each clock cycle, even though the memory banks consist of single-port devices that are not inherently capable of parallel write and read operations. |
| US08359437B2 |
Virtual computing memory stacking
Virtual stacking is utilized in a virtual machine environment by receiving a data element for storage to a shared memory location and writing to the shared memory location. Writing to the shared memory location may be implemented by reading the shared memory location contents, encoding the received data element with the shared memory location contents to derive an encoded representation and writing the encoded representation to the shared memory location so as to overwrite the previous shared memory location contents. The method may further comprise receiving a request for a desired data element encoded into the shared memory location, decoding the shared memory location contents until the desired data element is recovered and communicating the requested data element. |
| US08359434B1 |
Distributive network control
Included are systems and methods for distributive network control. In addition, embodiment of a method includes receiving an indication related to recording data stored on a local cache and determining whether to remotely store at least a portion of the data. Some embodiments include sending a request for the stored data. |
| US08359430B1 |
Techniques for efficient mass storage layout optimization
A data storage system can automatically improve the layout of data blocks on a mass storage subsystem by collecting optimization information during both read and write activities, then processing the optimization information to limit the impact of optimization activities on the system's response to client requests. Processing read-path optimization information and write-path optimization information through shared rate-limiting logic simplifies system administration and promotes phased implementation, which can reduce the difficulty of developing a self-optimizing storage server. |
| US08359429B1 |
System and method for distributing volume status information in a storage system
System and method for distributing volume status information in a storage system. According to one embodiment, a system may include a plurality of volumes configured to store data, where the volumes are configured as mirrors of one another, and a plurality of hosts configured to access the plurality of volumes. A first one of the plurality of hosts may be configured to execute a mirror recovery process and to maintain a progress indication of the mirror recovery process, and the first host may be further configured to distribute the progress indication to another one or more of the plurality of hosts. |
| US08359426B2 |
Flash memory storage system
A flash memory storage system has a plurality of flash memory devices comprising a plurality of flash memories, and a controller having an I/O processing control unit for accessing a flash memory device specified by a designated access destination in an I/O request received from an external device from among the plurality of flash memory devices. A parity group can be configured of flash memory devices having identical internal configuration. |
| US08359424B2 |
Flash memory device and reading method thereof
Provided are a flash memory device and a reading method of the flash memory device. A multi-level cell flash memory device includes: a memory cell array comprising main memory cells storing main data, and indicator cells storing indicate data indicating one of a first mode and a second mode in which the main data of the main memory cell, to which the indicate cells correspond, is written; and an output unit outputting in response to a control signal corresponding to the indicate data, one of main data read from the memory cell array and forced data forcing some bit values of the main data to bit values of mode specific data, as reading data. |
| US08359419B2 |
System LSI having plural buses
A system LSI includes first and second memories, first and second buses, a bus bridge that performs signal transfer between the first and second buses, a first bus system connecting to the first bus and accessing the first or second memory, a second bus system connecting to the second bus and accessing the first or second memory, a memory access circuit having first and second bus-side input/output terminals that perform signal transfer to/from the first and second buses and first and second memory-side input/output terminals that perform signal transfer to/from the first and second memories. |
| US08359415B2 |
Multi-root I/O virtualization using separate management facilities of multiple logical partitions
Mechanisms are provided for implementing a multi-root PCI manager (MR-PCIM) in a multi-root I/O virtualization management partition (MR-IMP) to control the shared functionality of an multi-root I/O virtualization (IOV) enabled switch fabric and multi-root IOV enabled I/O adapter (IOA) through the base functions (BF) of the switches and IOAs. A hypervisor provides device-independent facilities to the code running in the I/O Virtualization Management Partition (IMP), Multi-Root (MR)-IMP and client partitions. The MR-IMP may include device specific code without the hypervisor needing to sacrifice its size, robustness, and upgradeability. The hypervisor provides the virtual intermediary functionally for the sharing and control of the switch and IOA's control functions. |
| US08359414B2 |
Retry mechanism
An interface unit may comprise a buffer configured to store requests that are to be transmitted on an interconnect and a control unit coupled to the buffer. In one embodiment, the control unit is coupled to receive a retry response from the interconnect during a response phase of a first transaction for a first request stored in the buffer. The control unit is configured to record an identifier supplied on the interconnect with the retry response that identifies a second transaction that is in progress on the interconnect. The control unit is configured to inhibit reinitiation of the first transaction at least until detecting a second transmission of the identifier. In another embodiment, the control unit is configured to assert a retry response during a response phase of a first transaction responsive to a snoop hit of the first transaction on a first request stored in the buffer for which a second transaction is in progress on the interconnect. The control unit is further configured to provide an identifier of the second transaction with the retry response. |
| US08359412B2 |
Data storage device to control signal strength of memory channel and setting method thereof
A data storage device includes a plurality of memory devices and a memory controller. The memory controller exchanges data with the plurality of memory devices via a plurality of channels and adjusts drive strength of the plurality of channels by referring to at least one of the number of the plurality of memory devices and current temperature. |
| US08359408B2 |
Enabling functional dependency in a multi-function device
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for reading configuration information from a multi-function device (MFD), building a dependency tree of a functional dependency of functions performed by the MFD based on the configuration information, which indicates that the MFD is capable of performing at least one function dependent upon another function, and loading software associated with the functions in order based at least in part on the indicated functional dependency. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08359407B2 |
Method and device for activating functions of a powered-off device via a serial data bus interface
A method and device are provided for activating certain functions of a powered-off device having a serial data bus interface when it is attached to a powered device via the serial bus interface. On detection of a voltage on the power line of the serial bus, the processor of the device is booted in a special operation mode, wherein certain functions of the serial data bus interface can be used without powering the complete device. The device may then be enumerated by the attached host device and for example allow access to its memory unit or use the power signal on the serial bus interface for battery charging. |
| US08359396B2 |
Multiple identity management in an electronic commerce site
In electronic commerce (e-commerce) sites that are executed on a single e-commerce application, a user's session is only associated with a single user identity for e-commerce site domain. Acting under a single identity across the site may not be desired. There may be requirements to associate an individual user with one or more separate identities within parts of the site. Aspects of the invention provide a method, system and computer program product for managing multiple user identities for a user of an electronic commerce (e-commerce) site. The method comprises defining the e-commerce site as one or more security domains; and in response to a user's request to invoke an operation of the e-commerce site: determining a one of the one or more security domains to which the operation relates; performing one of a) creating a session and b) reusing a session for the user automatically in accordance with the determined security domain, said session associated with a user identity and a role indicating privileges for invoking operations of the e-commerce site in at least the determined security domain; and persisting said session for reuse. The user's request may be received in association with one or more sessions persisted for the user and a one of the sessions selected in accordance with the determined security domain. In response, either a session may be created or reused. Persisting may comprise providing one or more cookies defining the session to the user for associating with a subsequent request. In accordance with a feature of this aspect, the e-commerce site may define each of the one or more security domains as a hierarchy of organizations and assets owned by the organizations and the determining a one of the one or more security domains to which the operation relates may comprise evaluating the user's request in accordance with the hierarchy. |
| US08359395B2 |
Service distribution apparatus and method
A service distribution apparatus and method are provided. The service distribution apparatus includes a service module that provides a plurality of separable services; a storage module that stores group information of service reproduction apparatuses which reproduce the services, and a service control module that distributes requested services to different service reproduction apparatuses, respectively, based on the group information. |
| US08359394B2 |
Tearing and conformal transformation human interactive proof
The HIP creation technique described herein pertains to a technique for creating a human interactive proof (HIP) by applying tearing and/or a conformal transformation to a string of characters while maintaining readability of text. In one embodiment, the technique tears a character string into two or more pieces and applies conformal transformation to warp the pieces in order to create a HIP. The transformation changes the shape and orientation of the characters but preserves angles of the characters which makes it easy for humans to recognize the characters after the transformation. Other embodiments of the technique create HIPs by applying tearing only to a string of characters, or by applying conformal transformation only to the character string. |
| US08359392B2 |
System and method for securely communicating on-demand content from closed network to dedicated devices, and for compiling content usage data in closed network securely communicating content to dedicated devices
A system for securely communicating content as streaming data is provided. The system includes a closed network created on a public network, and a dedicated device for receiving twice-encrypted streamed content from the closed network. Upon authentication of the dedicated device, a content enabling component in the closed network twice-encrypts previously once-encrypted streamed content by using randomly selected encryption algorithms, and streams the twice-encrypted streamed content to the dedicated device during a closed network communication session and through a closed connection established between the closed network and the dedicated device. The dedicated device includes a content enabling component having a unique content enabling component identifier and a unique decryption key. The dedicated device decrypts the twice-encrypted streamed content by using its unique information and decryption key as well as randomly selected information received from the closed network during the closed network communication session and through the closed connection. |
| US08359391B2 |
Apparatus and computer-readable media for processing HTTP requests determine scoping mapping between a mapped resource name extension and a content type
Various embodiments of the invention are directed to closely integrating functionality between an internet server and a WebDAV tool. Areas of specific focus in this document include delegation of duties between the internet server and the WebDAV tool, efficient management of a resource's content-type, support for segregation of a namespace into separate virtual roots, and determinations of whether to invoke certain processing extensions to handle requests for a given HTTP verb. |
| US08359386B2 |
System and method of migrating virtualized environments
A system and method migrating virtualized environments is disclosed. According to an aspect of the disclosure, the information handling system can include a migration monitor configured to initiate migration of a remote virtualized environment operating on a first remote system. The information handling system can also include a trusted platform module including a local memory storing a plurality of access keys configured to enable use of a plurality of virtualized environments. According to an aspect, the plurality of access keys can include a first access key configured to be used with a first remote system. The information handling system can also include a secure communication channel configured to enable a mapping of the first access key to a second remote system upon the migration monitoring determining the second remote system is capable of satisfying an operating characteristic of the remote virtualized environment. |
| US08359380B2 |
Configuring a host using configuration parameters of another host
Techniques for automatic network discovery for host configurations are described herein. A management server may receive a first message from a first host entering a network, where the first message includes a network identifier (ID) identifying a logical network coupled to a network interface card (NIC) of the first host. In response to the first message, the management server may automatically configure the NIC of the first host using one or more network configuration parameters of a second host based on the first message, where the second host has been coupled to the logical network prior to the first host. |
| US08359376B1 |
Proactive sending of an IP-to-MAC address binding for a high fan-in node
Proactive sending of an IP-to-MAC address binding for a node is performed if a node is determined to be a high fan-in node. If the node is determined to be a high fan-in node, the node periodically sends its IP-to-MAC address binding to nodes in a network. If the node is not determined to be a high fan-in node, the node sends its IP-to-MAC address binding in response to receiving a request for the node's IP-to-MAC address binding. |
| US08359375B2 |
Migration of data between computers
Techniques and mechanisms that allow configuration information, applications and/or data to be transferred between computer systems in an automated, or partially automated, manner, which may allow for more efficient transfer as compared to manual transfer. A source computer system may be coupled with a destination computer system directly via a wired or wireless communications channel. Data including, for example, user identification information, network settings, system settings, permissions and/or other data may be transferred from the source computer system to the destination computer system. |
| US08359372B2 |
Automatic transfer of information through physical docking of devices
A personal media player is arranged to capture information, such as wireless network information (including network ID and key) and other kinds of information such as credentials (e.g., user name and password), and then share the information with a wireless networkable device when the player is physically coupled to the device in a docking process. When the personal media player is docked, the information is automatically transferred from the player to the device to enable the device to perform some action without any additional effort by the user. This could include, for example, discovering and be securely admitted to the wireless network, or accessing a remote service using the transferred credentials. |
| US08359371B2 |
Input candidate providing device, input candidate providing system, input candidate providing method, and input candidate providing program
A method for providing input candidates with respect to a form which is embedded in a content to be displayed, the method comprising a parsing result obtaining step of requesting and obtaining a result of parsing performed by a parsing function which parses a content; an analyzing step of passing the result of the parsing to an analyzing function which analyzes a context of the content, letting the analyzing function execute analysis, and obtaining a result of the analysis from the analyzing function; an input candidate determining step of passing the result of the parsing to an input candidate determining function which determines input candidates, letting the input candidate determining function determine the input candidates, and obtaining the input candidates from the input candidate determining function; and an input candidate displaying step of displaying the obtained input candidates on a display as the input candidates with respect to the form. |
| US08359367B2 |
Network support for system initiated checkpoints
A system, method and computer program product for supporting system initiated checkpoints in parallel computing systems. The system and method generates selective control signals to perform checkpointing of system related data in presence of messaging activity associated with a user application running at the node. The checkpointing is initiated by the system such that checkpoint data of a plurality of network nodes may be obtained even in the presence of user applications running on highly parallel computers that include ongoing user messaging activity. |
| US08359363B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing destination-address suggestions
A method and apparatus for providing destination-address suggestions for a new communication. For each of various communication addresses, multiple counts of use of the communication address are maintained, with each count being for a respective type of communication and/or for a respective application class. When a new communication of a particular type or by an application of a particular class is being established, the communication addresses are presented as destination-address suggestions in a rank-order based on the counts specific to the communication type and/or application class. The rank-ordering of can also take into account other factors, such as source persona, time, and location, for instance. |
| US08359357B2 |
Secure E-mail messaging system
According to one embodiment, a secure e-mail messaging system includes an e-mail relay server coupled to a secure client configured on a secure domain and an external client configured on an external domain. The e-mail relay server has a memory for storage of an actual address of the secure client, a first certificate associated with the actual address, an alias address associated with the actual address, and a second certificate associated with the alias address. The e-mail relay server receives an e-mail message that includes the alias address from the external client and decrypts the e-mail message according to the second certificate. The e-mail messaging server then replaces the alias address with the actual address to form a modified e-mail message, encrypts the modified e-mail message according to the first certificate, and transmits the modified e-mail message to the secure client. |
| US08359353B2 |
Scheduling method and system
A scheduling method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system first data and second data associated with a user. The first data comprises user identification associated, an activity selection for an activity, and first scheduling information. The second data comprises geographical preference data. The computing system determines facilities associated with the activity. The facilities are located within boundaries specified by the geographical preference data. The computing system generates tentative reservations for the user at each facility. The computing system presents the tentative reservations data to the user. The computing system receives verification data from the user. The computing system posts the tentative reservations data in a social networking environment. The computing system stores the tentative reservations data. |
| US08359351B2 |
Network-accessible control of one or more media devices
A content management (CM) system is provided to centrally control operation of one or more connected devices by issuing control requests and/or data requests. In some situations the connected device(s) include devices that control presentation of television programming-related content, such as digital video recorder (“DVR”) devices and media center devices, and in other situations may include other types of media devices and/or other electromechanical (“E/M”) devices that may be centrally controlled, such as E/M devices for home automation that may operate independently or in conjunction with the media devices. In some situations, the CM system communicates with the connected devices via a network and using appropriate protocol(s), and may be accessed remotely via a network so as to allow a user to remotely operate the CM system. The CM system may further control searching, identification, selection, and presentation of pieces of media content by the connected device(s). |
| US08359349B2 |
System and associated terminal, method and computer program product for uploading content
A system for uploading content includes a sender capable of sending an upload request, where the upload request comprises a request to upload content from the sender to a recipient. The system also includes a network entity, such as the recipient, capable of operating an upload agent. The upload agent, in turn, is capable of receiving the upload request, and thereafter determining an upload schedule relating to the time and/or manner of uploading the content. The sender can then be capable of uploading the content to the recipient in accordance with the upload schedule. The network entity can be further capable of recovering an upload session that has encountered an interruption. |
| US08359346B2 |
Hash function for hardware implementations
A logic block is presented that generates avalanche criterion hash values using minimal logic. The logic block includes a first exclusive-OR function, a second exclusive-OR function, and an OR function. The first exclusive-OR function receives two input bits from a data packet and generates a linear output value based upon exclusive disjunction between the two input bits. The OR function receives two different input bits from the data packet and generates a first nonlinear output value based upon logical disjunction between the two different input bits. The second exclusive-OR function receives the linear output value and the first nonlinear output value, and generates a second nonlinear output value based upon exclusive disjunction between the linear output value and the first nonlinear output value. In turn, the second nonlinear output value is utilized to generate a hash value for the data packet. |
| US08359336B2 |
Interpreting remote objects at a local site
A method and apparatus for receiving objects is provided. Embodiments provide for receiving, from a source database server, at a target database server, an object. If the object type of the object is involved in an inheritance hierarchy, then the target database server inspects the object to determine a source identifier that identifies to a source database server the object type associated with the object. The target database determines a target identifier that identifies to the target database server the object type associated with the object based on a mapping that associates source identifiers to target identifiers. Alternately, if the object type of the object is not involved in an inheritance hierarchy, then the target database server inspects the object to determine a set of characteristics of the object. The target database server determines the target identifier for the object based on the characteristics of the object. |
| US08359334B2 |
Allocating files in a file system integrated with a RAID disk sub-system
Integrating a file system with a RAID array that exports precise information about the arrangement of data blocks in the RAID subsystem. The present invention uses separate current-write location (CWL) pointers for each disk in the disk array where the pointers simply advance through the disks as writes occur. The present invention writes on the disk with the lowest CWL pointer. A new disk is chosen only when the algorithm starts allocating space for a new file, or when it has allocated N blocks on the same disk for a single file. A sufficient number of blocks are defined as all the buffers in a chunk of N sequential buffers in a file. The result is that CWL pointers are never more than N blocks apart on different disks, and large files have N consecutive blocks on the same disk. |
| US08359333B2 |
Virtual regulator for multi-database systems
A system for managing a plurality of systems, includes a domain comprised of a plurality of systems, wherein the systems are managed by one or more closed-loop system management (CLSM) regulators. A virtual regulator manages operational characteristics of the domain and the plurality of systems, by communicating with the CLSM regulators to monitor the systems' states, events and conditions within the domain and to adjust the systems' operational characteristics in response to the systems' states, events and conditions. |
| US08359332B1 |
Secure content enabled drive digital rights management system and method
The present invention facilitates convenient and secure distribution of proprietary content. A present secure content enabled drive system and method permits flexible use of storage medium for both protected distribution of information and user definable storage use. In one embodiment a digital right management method includes creating a secure content enabled drive with protected storage locations and unprotected storage locations. Initial digital rights authorization is established to access secure content stored in said protected storage locations. The initial digital rights authorization to access secure content stored in said protected storage locations can be revised. |
| US08359328B2 |
Party reputation aggregation system and method
A party reputation aggregation unit determines and collects the reputation of a party from various sources. Further, the party reputation aggregation unit provides for the weighing and aggregation of such data, including reputation data of the party, reputation data of the party's relationships, reputation data of the party's social networks and reputation data of the members of the party's social network so that a complete picture of an individual or organization may be provided to a qualified requestor for his/her use/assessment. |
| US08359325B1 |
Determining materialized view coverage for join transactions
A database system includes database software to receive a query specifying a join of plural base tables, and to determine whether a foreign key and primary key relationship exists between join columns specified by the query and a materialized view definition. Based on the existence of the foreign key and the primary key relationship between join columns specified by the query and the materialized view definition, the database software determines that a result for the received query is to be computed from the materialized view. |
| US08359323B2 |
Method and system for providing access to adapters
A computer program product comprises a computer useable medium. The computer useable medium has a computer readable program such that when the computer readable medium is executed on a computer, the computer is caused to receive a request from a database driver that is compatible with a software application. The request is in a database language format. Further, the computer is caused to parse the request. In addition, the computer is caused to convert the request into an intermediary data format. The computer is also caused to provide the request in the intermediary data format to a common client interface builder that reformats the request into a format that is compatible with a system resource adapter and invokes the system resource adapter with the reformatted request. |
| US08359319B2 |
Tool for personalized search
The invention provides for customized display of search results to Users. The invention further provides for customization of associated advertisements. The invention further provides for a dynamic personal knowledge base that is kept private. The invention provides an Intelligent Web Proxy that re-sorts search results based on the contents of the personal knowledge base (PKB) and creates a display customized to User preferences. The invention also automatically tracks and updates User activity, and “learns” User preferences. |
| US08359317B2 |
Method and device for indexing resource content in computer networks
A method and device index resource content in a computer network. The computer network includes at least a first computer as a search engine and at least a second computer as a resource content site where a resource content of a user is stored. A determination is made as to whether the resource content is linked to a user-defined indexing code. The user-defined indexing code is used to process the resource content to obtain a set of information describing the resource content. The user-defined indexing code is executed in response to determining that the resource content is linked to the user-defined indexing code. The set of information describing the resource content is obtained as an indexing result in response to the executing. |
| US08359312B2 |
Methods for generating a personalized list of documents associated with a search query
A method for generating, by a monitoring program, a list of relevant documents, related to a search query, comprising tracking activities of first user pursuant to retrieval of a first list of primary documents resulting from a first search query; assigning a user interest score to a secondary document whose identifier is referenced within the contents of a primary or another secondary document; adding said identifier and score to a list of relevant documents wherein said list is associated with said first query and said first user; persisting said list of relevant documents to store. |
| US08359306B2 |
Intelligent automatic recognition toolbar search method and system
An intelligent automatic recognition toolbar search method and system is provided. The method comprises the steps of: installing a toolbar in a user client's web browser or application program; recognizing a query term entered in the search window of the toolbar and registering information about search sites that search for the information on the query term; registering the search site as the basic search site; when the user client enters a query term in the search window and performs a search on the entered query term, performing the search on the entered query term using the query term of the basic search site and storing the search results; displaying the search results: and when the registered search site is displayed and a query term is entered in the search window in the web browser, extracting and searching for the query term entered in the search window of the search site as a query term of the toolbar. |
| US08359305B1 |
Query metadata engine
In one example, a method comprises receiving, with a data access service, an input query from an enterprise software application, wherein the data access service is positioned between the enterprise software application and a multidimensional data source; parsing the input query into a parse tree; generating an abstract syntax tree based on the parse tree, the abstract syntax tree comprising input query elements and multidimensional expression query elements based on the input query; performing an evaluation of metadata comprised in the multidimensional expression query elements of the abstract syntax tree; restructuring the abstract syntax tree based on the evaluation of the metadata; executing a query based on the restructured abstract syntax tree on the multidimensional data source; and retrieving a query result set from the multidimensional data source comprising results that are responsive to the query based on the restructured abstract syntax tree. |
| US08359303B2 |
Method and apparatus to provide multimedia service using time-based markup language
A multimedia player and method is disclosed for displaying multimedia content on a video screen. A video stream and a markup language segment associated with the video stream are received, wherein the markup language segment comprising a time stamp identifying a target segment of the video stream, and at least one keyword associated with the time stamp. The keyword is transmitted over a network to a search engine, and related content is received from the search engine over the network, wherein the related content is related to the keyword. When the target segment of the video stream is displayed on the video screen, the related content is concurrently displayed on the video screen. |
| US08359302B2 |
Systems and methods for providing hi-fidelity contextual search results
Systems and methods for providing hi-fidelity contextual search results are described. In one described embodiment, a method for providing hi-fidelity contextual search results includes receiving a query comprising a search term, determining a location on a page that is responsive to the query, wherein the page has a native appearance, determining a contextual area associated with the location on the page, and causing the contextual area to be output in a hi-fidelity result set, wherein the contextual area has an appearance the same as the native appearance of the page. |
| US08359301B2 |
Navigating product relationships within a search system
Embodiments of the present invention relate to aggregating product information from a variety of sources to generate user interfaces that allow users to navigate and discover products. Product information is aggregated from both feed and crawl sources, and product entities are identified within the aggregate product information. In some embodiments, product entities are associated with product classes, and product class detail pages are generated that include product entities within each product class and allow users to view correlations between those produce entities. In some embodiments, relationships are identified between product entities. When a user selects to view information for a given product entity, information is provided indicating similar product entities that have a relationship with the given product entity. |
| US08359300B1 |
System and method for displaying both localized search results and internet search results
A method of presenting search results includes sending to a server a search query, wherein the search query does not include any term that identifies a geographic location, and receiving a set of search results corresponding to a search query. The search results include first results and second results. The first results match the search query. Each first result corresponds to one or more locations associated with a respective geographic location and include links to additional information about the one or more locations. The respective geographic location is associated with a client or a user of the client. The second results correspond to Internet accessible documents that satisfy the search query and include links to the Internet accessible documents that satisfy the search query. The method further includes presenting the first results and second results in a single web browser window. |
| US08359299B2 |
Data processing system
A data processing system is provided for storing and managing multiple data entries. The data processing system employs a data structure which allows the storage and management of a vast number of interrelated data entries the interrelations of which change over time. The data structure reflects such changing interrelations over time and allows the querying and extracting of data entries on the basis of their interrelations as they were or are defined at any desired point in time. |
| US08359289B1 |
Message processing system
A method of handling messages determines if a message is approved for a recipient of the message. If the message is approved, the method processes the message for subsequent viewing by the recipient. If the message is unapproved, the method notifies the recipient and stores the message. |
| US08359288B1 |
Method and apparatus to utilize sensor, monitor, device (SMD) data based on location
A method of using location-dependent sensor information comprising receiving information from one or more sensor/monitor/device (SMD) and determining a location associated with the SMD. The method further comprising integrating the SMD data into a comprehensive location-based database, and enabling a user to search for local conditions in the location-based database. |
| US08359280B2 |
Diversifying recommendation results through explanation
Methods and apparatus for making recommendations of content items to users of computer systems include compiling a database relating a list of items and corresponding explanations; receiving from a user, through a computer user interface, a request for a recommendation; extracting from the database a preliminary list of items related to the request; identifying distances between the extracted items based on the explanation corresponding to each item; and identifying a subset of the preliminary list to form a recommendation list having a limited number of recommendation results with a desired balance of both high relevancy and high diversity relative to each other. |
| US08359277B2 |
Directory infrastructure for social networking web application services
A computer-implemented method of implementing information security. The method can include receiving a user input comprising a first user identifier and at least a second user identifier, determining whether the first user identifier corresponds to at least one of a plurality of existing user profiles, and determining whether the second user identifier corresponds to at least one of the plurality of existing user profiles. When it is determined that the first user identifier does not correspond to at least one of the plurality of existing user profiles, but that the second user identifier does correspond to at least one of the plurality of existing user profiles, the method can include selecting the user profile to which the second user identifier corresponds, automatically generating a unique user identifier, and associating the unique user identifier with the selected user profile. |
| US08359268B2 |
System and method for processing financial transactions
A system for processing financial transactions based on consumer preferences is disclosed. The system allows a user to specify on a payment device a consumer preference which is communicable to a payment terminal and is determinative in pricing goods and services. |
| US08359267B1 |
System and method for investing public deposits
A method, system and program product for operating an exchange method for municipal and/or state funds from banking institutions, comprising: accessing, one or more electronic databases holding data on client transaction accounts and funds in aggregated accounts and banking institutions holding Federal government securities; obtaining transaction data; generating instructions to deposit/transfer funds to or withdraw/transfer funds; receiving data for a first deposit from a first one of the banking institutions, where the first deposit comprises municipal funds and/or state funds; selecting, at least another of the banking institutions holding government securities to receive at least a portion of the first deposit of municipal funds and/or state funds; selecting, a plurality of client transaction accounts from one or more of the other banking institutions for the transfer of funds to the first banking institution; generating instructions to deposit/transfer funds. |
| US08359266B2 |
Method and system for an inter-financial institution transactional network
Systems and methods for conducting transactions across financial institutions are presented. More specifically, in one embodiment a financial transaction center may be provided such that transactions may be coordinated and controlled utilizing the financial transaction center. The financial transaction center may determine a financial institution associated received requests and issue requests to financial institutions. By coordinating the fulfillment of transactions between financial institutions through the financial transaction center a level of abstraction may be introduced whereby transactions may be conducted across financial intuitions without knowledge of host systems at the financial institutions or overly compromising the privacy or security of these host systems. |
| US08359262B2 |
System and method for dynamically regulating order entry in an electronic trading environment
A system and method are provided for trading a trading strategy defined for at least one tradeable object in an electronic trading environment. More specifically, one example method includes using a first pay-up tick value to determine a first acceptable price level for an order associated with the trading strategy, automatically modifying the first pay-up tick to a second pay-up tick value in response to detecting a predefined condition, and using the second pay-up tick value to determine a second acceptable price level for the order associated with the trading strategy. |
| US08359261B2 |
Market data recovery
Networks, systems and methods for recovering data messages from a market data stream and for building a book for a financial instrument are disclosed. An out-of-band data stream related to an as-of state of the market for one or more financial instruments is distributed parallel to a stream of market data for the financial instrument. The as-of data stream is referenced to the financial according to a unique identifier of the messages of the market data stream. The as-of data for a financial instrument may be provided at periodic rate that may be varied according to one or more factors. |
| US08359258B2 |
System and method for processing data relating to annuities
A system for administering an insurance account includes a processor; a memory in communication with the processor; the processor being adapted to: access data indicative of a value of an index calculated based on a formula including as factors prices of individual equity securities; access data indicative of dividend yield; access data indicative of an asset value of an insurance account having a value based on the index; determine an updated asset value of the insurance account based on change in the index and on the dividend amount paid; store the determined updated asset value in the memory; and provide an output signal indicative of the determined updated asset value. |
| US08359253B2 |
Systems and methods for providing anonymous requests for quotes for financial instruments
Embodiments of the invention provide computer systems and methods for providing an anonymous request for quotation environment that enables sharing of confidential trading interest information without sacrificing anonymity or enabling information leakage. |
| US08359250B2 |
Method and apparatus for payment retrieval and review collection
A method for conducting a review including the step of detecting a payment request from a vendor; generating a review based on the payment request; and, transmitting a reference to the review to a customer, wherein the reference provides a link to retrieve the review. A system for performing the method is also described. |
| US08359246B2 |
Secondary marketplace for digital media content
A secondary marketplace can provide potential consumers with a plurality of previously sold digital media content items. Each of the previously sold digital media content items can include a utilization right and a transfer right. A user selection of one of the digital media content items of the secondary marketplace can be received. Responsive to the user selection, a utilization right to the selected one of the digital media content items can be transferred to a user, who is different from the original consumer. The transferring of the utilization right occurs without the secondary marketplace providing the user with a new tangible storage medium that contains the selected one of the digital media content items. Thus, the user received digital media content item can be a digital only item, such as a downloadable one. |
| US08359245B1 |
Taxonomy and data structure for an electronic procurement system
A computer-implemented method is described, performed at a server hosting an electronic procurement system. Supplier catalog data is received at the server from a plurality of respective suppliers associated with the electronic procurement system. The supplier catalog data is in a plurality of formats. The supplier catalog data is converted from the respective plurality of formats to respective common format catalog data. The respective common format catalog data is added to a database. |
| US08359243B2 |
System and method for electronically scheduling a vehicle order
A method and system for scheduling an electronic vehicle order. The method includes receiving an electronic vehicle order, which has a plurality of associated vehicle-option inputs, from a customer; expanding the order by associating each vehicle option with a plurality of part codes to generate a subset of part codes; applying a first set of rules that has non-deterministic criteria to the subset of part codes for conflict determination; resolving any conflict(s) between part codes by applying a second rule set, which has deterministic criteria; and scheduling a vehicle build order based at least in part on the part code subset. |
| US08359239B1 |
Method and apparatus for tracking mobile transactions
A method to submit transaction data using a mobile device involves obtaining a receipt associated with a financial transaction, transmitting a message, based on the receipt, from the mobile device to a transaction management service, wherein the message comprises a mobile device identifier and transaction data associated with the financial transaction, wherein transaction data associated with financial transaction is stored in a repository based on the mobile device identifier, receiving a form, wherein the form is generated based on transaction data associated with the mobile device identifier, and transmitting and synchronizing transaction data from the repository to a financial management software associated with a user of the mobile device. |
| US08359237B2 |
System and method for context and community based customization for a user experience
A system and method for context and community based customization for a user experience is disclosed. The apparatus in an example embodiment includes a user experience customizer to gather context information, automatically produce user experience customization selections based on the context information, collect user activity feedback from a community of users, and use the user activity feedback to adjust the user experience customizer to automatically produce user experience customization selections likely favored by a user based on a correlation of the user activity feedback with the context information. |
| US08359235B1 |
Business finder for locating local businesses to contact
Marketing techniques are disclosed that allow companies to efficiently identify target businesses to solicit for purchase of advertising products. One embodiment includes a map-based interface for selecting a neighborhood and locating any businesses known to a company selling advertising products in that area, with the intent of allowing a company representative to select a set of those businesses to contact regarding the company's advertising products. The map displays business listings as markers on the map, with color-coding used to indicate listings the representative has already contacted, and listings that some other representative has contacted. |
| US08359234B2 |
System to generate and set up an advertising campaign based on the insertion of advertising messages within an exchange of messages, and method to operate said system
A method is provided that includes receiving message data at a server from a first remote device. The message data is associated with a message and the message includes text of one or more words, one or more characters, one or more symbols, or any combination thereof. The method also includes determining an intended recipient of the message and parsing the message data to identify text that matches criteria associated with an advertisement campaign. Further, the method includes composing an advertisement based on characteristics of the intended recipient and based on the text that matches the criteria associated with the advertisement campaign. Additionally, the method includes creating an audio file based on the message data and the advertisement and sending the audio file from the server to a second remote device, the second remote device associated with the intended recipient. |
| US08359231B2 |
Method and system for electronically selecting, modifying, and operating a motivation or recognition program
A system and method for allowing multiple customers to each create an individual, modified motivation or recognition program having participants, each said motivation program permitting the participants to earn awards on the basis of the participants' performance, each said motivation program of a particular customer operating according to preferences selected by the particular customer. |
| US08359230B2 |
Internet trading
A new internet trading method, concept and process is introduced, enabling users to post goods and services for sale and purchasing, whereby the posted price begins at its maximum, and thereafter is gradually reduced to a minimum, pre-selected price, based on pre-programmed methods and programs, according to a pre-selected schedule of price reduction based on frequencies and sequences of amounts of time, money and percentage, respectively.The new process provides sets of pre-programmed price reduction schedules which may be prepared by the seller, or selected from a pool of sets, or randomly selected from the system, thereby, at every certain amount of pre-selected times, the maximum price of such goods or services is reduced by certain amount of money, or percentage, respectively to the maximum price initially posted during the duration of the sale, enabling a prospective buyer to ‘grab’ (purchase) the item by placing an offer at any given time, for the posted price at that time, thereby instantly purchasing the product or service, thus also, instantly, ending the sale. |
| US08359226B2 |
System and method for marketing mix optimization for brand equity management
A method of marketing optimization with respect to brand lifetime management formulates a problem of brand equity maximization utilizing Markov Decision Process (MDP) thereby casting brand equity management as a long term regard optimization problem in MDP, The marketing mix is optimized by formulating the mix as actions in MDP and, utilizing historical marketing and transaction data, aspects of the MDP are estimated. |
| US08359225B1 |
Trust-based video content evaluation
A system and method determines which uploaded videos to subject to further analysis based upon a measure of trust in the users who uploaded the videos. The evaluation system obtains the information about a user's uploaded video content to a video hosting website, determines a measure of trust of the user's account based on the user information, and ranks or classifies the user into a trust category base on the trust measure. The evaluation system determines the user's trust category responsive to user uploading a video, and selectively evaluates the uploaded video based on the trust category. |
| US08359220B2 |
Technical support routing among members of a technical support group
Computer-implemented methods, apparatus and products for technical support routing among members of a technical support group, including maintaining, by a configuration manager, a system configuration history of a user's computer system, the system configuration history including historical records of changes in configuration of the user's computer system; receiving, by a technical support module, a support request identifying a current error that occurred during operation of the user's computer system including receiving information describing the error and the system configuration history of the user's computer system; and routing, by the technical support module automatically without human intervention, the support request to one or more particular members of the technical support group in dependence upon the information describing the error and the system configuration history. |
| US08359209B2 |
System and method for predicting and responding to likelihood of volatility
The invention relates generally to data analysis, and to systems and methods for the computation of the volatility of a loss. The system comprises a module for receiving a data parameter, a database for storing the parameter, a computerized predictive model, and a business logic processor for executing the predictive model. The volatility is used to, among other things, determine an appropriate work flow for handling the loss. |
| US08359207B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating toxicology reports
The present disclosure provides methods and apparatuses for generating toxicology reports. Using the methods and apparatus disclosed herein, physicians can more easily understand toxicological lab test results. Physicians receive a toxicology report that explains, in plain language, the toxicological lab test results. A rules engine provides rules for interpreting the toxicological lab test results. Detailed explanations are associated with the rules, and the explanations appear on the toxicology report. The toxicology report greatly reduces the need for the physician to call the toxicology scientist. |
| US08359206B2 |
Web based interactive meeting facility
A computer program product helps organize an in-person gathering of users of topic-related interest to help maintain ongoing local interest groups by providing meeting management resources through a web-based meeting facility, where the meeting management resources may enable a meeting group organizer to manage a meeting group. The meeting facility may receive meeting group criteria from a user, and may provide to the user an indication of at least one meeting group of a plurality of meeting groups based on the user's received meeting group criteria, wherein the meeting groups may have respective members. The meeting facility may receive from the user a selection of a meeting group to join, and the organizer may be enabled to accept the user as a new member to the meeting group and to manage meeting group user resources available to the user through a web-based graphical interface provided by the meeting facility. |
| US08359204B2 |
Free-speech command classification for car navigation system
The present invention provides a system and method associating the freeform speech commands with one or more predefined commands from a set of predefined commands. The set of predefined commands are stored and alternate forms associated with each predefined command are retrieved from an external data source. The external data source receives the alternate forms associated with each predefined command from multiple sources so the alternate forms represent paraphrases of the predefined command. A representation including words from the predefined command and the alternate forms of the predefined command, such as a vector representation, is generated for each predefined command. A similarity value between received speech data and each representation of a predefined command is computed and the speech data is classified as the predefined command whose representation has the highest similarity value to the speech data. |
| US08359202B2 |
Character models for document narration
Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text in multiple different voices where the portions of the text narrated using the different voices are selected by a user. Also disclosed are techniques and systems for associating characters with portions of a sequence of words selected by a user. Different characters having different voice models can be associated with different portions of a sequence of words. |
| US08359199B2 |
Frame erasure concealment technique for a bitstream-based feature extractor
A frame erasure concealment technique for a bitstream-based feature extractor in a speech recognition system particularly suited for use in a wireless communication system operates to “delete” each frame in which an erasure is declared. The deletions thus reduce the length of the observation sequence, but have been found to provide for sufficient speech recognition based on both single word and “string” tests of the deletion technique. |
| US08359198B2 |
Pre-processing and speech codec encoding of ring-back audio signals transmitted over a communication network to a subscriber terminal
A method of pre-processing an audio signal transmitted to a user terminal via a communication network and an apparatus using the method are provided. The method of pre-processing the audio signal may prevent deterioration of a sound quality of the audio signal transmitted to the user terminal by pre-processing the audio signal, and by enabling a codec module, encoding the audio signal, to determine the audio signal as a speech signal. The method of pre-processing may include separating the audio signal into channels, measuring the channel energy for each of the channels, selecting a specific channel energy, and amplifying the specific channel energy. The method may include encoding an audio signal using a speech codec and/or decoding an encoded audio signal using the speech codec. |
| US08359196B2 |
Stereo sound decoding apparatus, stereo sound encoding apparatus and lost-frame compensating method
A stereo sound decoding apparatus wherein lost-frame compensation performance has been improved to enhance the quality of decoded sounds. In this stereo sound decoding apparatus, a sound decoding part uses encoded monophonic signal data and encoded side signal data, which are received from a sound encoding apparatus, to generate monophonic decoded signals and stereo decoded signals; a compensation signal switching determining part that compares an inter-channel correlation and an intra-channel correlation, which have been calculated by use of the monophonic decoded signals of a previous frame and the stereo decoded signals of the previous frame, with respective comparison thresholds; a compensation signal switching part that selects, based on a result of the comparison in the compensation signal switching determining part, as compensation signals either inter-channel compensation signals generated by an inter-channel compensating part or intra-channel compensation signals generated by an intra-channel compensating part; and an output signal switching part that outputs either the stereo decoded signals or the compensation signals according to whether the encoded side signal data of the current frame has been lost. |
| US08359195B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing audio and speech signals
A method and device for processing signals representing speech or audio via a plurality of filters that approximate behaviors of the basilar membrane of human cochlea. Each of the plurality of filters is formed from a mother filter via the dilation and a shift in time and has the similar impulse response of the basilar membrane to the frequency band for which the filter represents. Any process can be conducted and any feature can be extracted in the domain of the filters' outputs for applications, such as noise reduction, speech synthesis, coding, and speech and speaker recognition. Processed signals can be synthesized back to the time domain via an inverse cochlear transform. |
| US08359194B2 |
Device and method for graduated encoding of a multichannel audio signal based on a principal component analysis
A system and a method for the scalable coding of a multi-channel audio signal comprising a principal component analysis (PCA) transformation of at least two channels (L, R) of the audio signal into a principal component (CP) and at least one residual sub-component (r) by rotation defined by a transformation parameter (θ), comprising the following steps: formation of a frequency subband-based residual structure (Sfr) on the basis of the at least one residual sub-component (r), and definition of a coded audio signal (SC) comprising the principal component (CP), at least one residual structure (Sfr) of a frequency subband and the transformation parameter (θ). |
| US08359192B2 |
System and method for internet radio station program discovery
An Internet radio station program discovery service is provided. In general, the discovery service subscribes to or downloads a number of Internet radio station programs. For each radio station program, the discovery service analyzes audio content of the radio station program to dynamically categorize the radio station program over time. The discovery service also enables users to discover radio station programs of interest based on the dynamic categorizations of the radio station programs. The users may be enabled to search for radio station programs of interest based on the dynamic categorizations of the radio station programs, navigate or browse the radio station programs based on the dynamic categorizations of the radio station programs, or the like. |
| US08359190B2 |
Identifying semantic positions of portions of a text
A computer executable method includes determining semantic positions in a semantic space of portions of a text. Once the semantic positions of portions of the text have been determined, an action is performed with respect to the text based on the determined semantic positions. |
| US08359189B2 |
Methods, computer program product, and computer system for language-enhanced programming tools
Statements of a computer program expressed using a first source natural language are made meaningful to a programmer familiar with a second target natural language. The first source natural language of the computer program is determined from the programmer, or through analysis, and the second target natural language desired by the programmer is selected. Textual constructs may be parsed, with reference to stored coding conventions to determine meaningful lexical tokens. Such tokens are translated with a translation engine, and displayed to the programmer, desirably using a graphical user interface feature of an integrated development, environment (IDE) for computer programming in a particular programming language. |
| US08359179B2 |
Test equipment and portable test device
The present invention relates to an equipment, device (10; 110) and apparatus for applying electrical stimuli to a system and acquiring a system response. According to the present invention there is provided a test equipment such as a portable test device (10; 110) for testing a system, the equipment comprising: signal generation means, signal receiving means, and signal processing means, wherein, in use, the signal generation means generates a signal to be applied to a system to be tested and the signal receiving means receives a response signal of the system, and the generated and response signals undergo processing by the signal processing means so as to provide a measure of a characteristic of the system, wherein further the generated signal comprises a plurality of periodic signals each of different frequency and phase and which are applied to the system simultaneously. The equipment finds particular use in the field of dentistry, but also finds other uses, e.g. in medicine and also in corrosion detection and battery testing. |
| US08359178B2 |
Method and apparatus for identifying erroneous sensor outputs
A method for identifying erroneous sensor outputs is provided. The method includes obtaining a first plurality of samples from a sensor over a period of time. A mean of the plurality of samples is determined. A first additional sample from the sensor at a time subsequent to times that the first plurality of samples were obtained is also received. A divergence of the first additional sample from the mean is determined. The first additional sample is identified as erroneous when the divergence is greater than a threshold. |
| US08359175B2 |
Apparatus and method for checking insulation of cell module assembly and probe for it
An apparatus for checking insulation of a cell module assembly composed of a plurality of pouch cells includes a first probing unit electrically contacted to an electrode of the cell module assembly; a second probing unit electrically contacted to aluminum films of selected ones of the pouch cells in the cell module assembly; and a measuring unit for measuring an insulation resistance between the first probing unit and the second probing unit. This apparatus may measure insulation resistances of a plurality of pouch cells of the cell module assembly at once, thereby ensuring faster insulation checking. |
| US08359174B2 |
Battery pack, electronic appliance, and method of detecting remaining amount of battery
A battery pack has a charge and discharge count measuring part (131) configured to measure the number of times of charges and discharges of a secondary battery based on the summed value of the charge current for the secondary battery, and a decay rate output part (132) configured to compute a decay rate that indicates a degree of decay of the secondary battery based on the number of times of charges and discharges measured by the charge and discharge count measuring part (131) and to output it to a device being a discharge load. For example, the charge and discharge count measuring part (131) repeatedly sums the detected values of the charge current to a predetermined threshold, and counts up the number of times of charges and discharges every time when the summed value reaches the threshold. Accordingly, even though charges and discharges are repeated at finer steps in a relatively narrow voltage range, the number of times of charges and discharges can be counted accurately, and the computing accuracy of the decay rate is improved. In the battery pack in which the secondary battery is accommodated, parameters for detecting the remaining amount of the battery are detected more accurately. |
| US08359171B2 |
Electronic pressure gauge for measuring pressure
The invention relates to an electronic pressure gauge for measuring the pressure inside a container, particularly a pressurized gas cylinder, said pressure gauge including: at least one pressure sensor; an electronic unit designed to acquire, store and process data; and at least one information device capable of transmitting at least one item of information. The pressure gauge also includes a first radio with a reception port, said first radio being connected to the electronic unit so as to receive external data in order to modify the operation or the configuration of the pressure gauge. The reception port of the first radio is designed to read data modulated in terms of the frequency and/or intensity of an external magnetic field at a first low frequency, for example a frequency between 50 and 300 khz. |
| US08359170B2 |
Laser-based ultrasonic measurements of cellular ceramic bodies during thermal processing
Laser-based ultrasonic (LBU) systems and methods for measuring at least one material property of a ceramic cellular ceramic body during thermal processing are disclosed. The method includes subjecting the ceramic cellular ceramic body to a temperature cycle within an interior of an oven. For a plurality of temperatures within the temperature cycle, the cellular ceramic body is irradiated with a modulated laser beam to generate acoustic waves in the cellular ceramic body over a plurality of acoustic paths. The method also includes sequentially irradiating the cellular ceramic body using a detection laser beam so that the acoustic waves are detected. The method also includes calculating from the detected acoustic waves at least one material property of the ceramic cellular body as a function of temperature. |
| US08359168B2 |
Fuel identification system and method
The present invention relates to a fuel identification system and method normally applied to internal combustion engine vehicles of the flex-fuel type by means of which it is possible to identify the composition of the fuel used at each point in time, particularly the ratio used in a gasoline/ethanol blend or detect the presence of air or fuel in the vapor state in the fuel line, using the same device that heats the fuel. The system according to the invention comprises a heating resistor (3) having a variable resistance value as a function of its temperature, said resistor being arranged in contact with the fuel (2); a current measuring device (6), which measures the current through the variable resistor (3); and an electronic control unit (4) connected to the resistor (3) and connected to the current measuring device (6), receiving from it the measured resistor (3) current values, the electronic control unit (4) comprising data processing means to help identify fuel (2) properties based on the current in resistor (3). |
| US08359167B2 |
Measurement of carbon capture efficiency and stored carbon leakage
Data representative of a measured carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and of a measured oxygen (O2) concentration at a measurement location can be used to determine whether the measured carbon dioxide concentration at the measurement location is elevated relative to a baseline carbon dioxide concentration due to escape of carbon dioxide from a source associated with a carbon capture and storage process. Optionally, the data can be used to quantify a carbon dioxide concentration increase at the first location that is attributable to escape of carbon dioxide from the source and to calculate a rate of escape of carbon dioxide from the source by executing a model of gas-phase transport using at least the first carbon dioxide concentration increase. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described. |
| US08359161B2 |
Method and apparatus for locating a magnetic object using the perturbation of the earth's magnetic field
A method is provided for tracking a magnetic object situated in an area in which a system of coordinates is defined, including an axis of abscissas, an axis ordinate and a height axis. The method includes: a phase of measuring at least one magnetic parameter in multiple measuring points in the area, in order to obtain multiple values take from this parameter in the measurement method including the following steps: construction of at least on projective magnitude; and establishment of the at least one projective magnitude on the values extracting in order to obtain an estimated value of a parameter proportional to a sensitivity within the multiple estimated points of the area, allowing the tracking of the object to take place. |
| US08359159B2 |
System which mediates providing of map information, server which mediates providing of map information, and method for providing map information
When a map acquisition judgment means judges that the acquisition of map information is required, a terminal device transmits spot position information calculated by a spot information calculation means to a server which mediates providing of the map information, via a first map information providing server where the terminal device is positioned. The server causes an area judgment means to judge according to the spot information an area of providing map information including the spot, identifies a map information providing system on the basis of the judgment, and requests providing of the map information including the spot to a second map information providing server in the area according to the spot position information. The terminal device synthesizes map information held by the terminal and map information provided by the second map information providing server by a map synthesis means and displays the synthesized map information on a display means. |
| US08359157B2 |
Computing navigation device with enhanced route directions view
Systems, methods and a graphical user interface are provided for enhancing a computing navigation device route directions view. A system is disclosed including a computing navigation device configured to identify a route for travel. The route includes one or more geographic locations along the route. The computing navigation device is further configured to receive media from a media service via a computer network, wherein each media includes associated geographic information indicating that the media relates to the one or more geographic locations. The computing navigation device is further configured to display the media in a route directions view of a graphical user interface. |
| US08359153B2 |
Indication apparatus for hybrid vehicle
An ECU executes a program including: steps of detecting an SOC and a temperature TB of a traction battery; when an EV switch is on, a step of calculating a temperature correction coefficient α from TB; when EV switch not on, a step of calculating a temperature correction coefficient α from TB; steps of calculating an EV traveling allowed power value WOUT based on the SOC and the temperature correction coefficients; and a step of transmitting EV traveling allowed power value WOUT to a meter ECU in order to indicate EV traveling allowed power value WOUT on a power meter. |
| US08359152B2 |
Indication apparatus for hybrid vehicle
An ECU executes a program including: steps of detecting an SOC and a temperature TB of a traction battery; when an EV switch is on, a step of calculating a temperature correction coefficient α from TB; when EV switch not on, a step of calculating a temperature correction coefficient α from TB; steps of calculating an EV traveling allowed power value WOUT based on the SOC and the temperature correction coefficients; and a step of transmitting EV traveling allowed power value WOUT to a meter ECU in order to indicate EV traveling allowed power value WOUT on a power meter. |
| US08359151B2 |
Cconveying traffic congestion data to a user
A method of displaying traffic information, comprising: providing a graphical interface to display information related to traffic routes; displaying a first bar to represent a total distance of a first traffic route; and displaying segments of the first bar, each segment of the first bar representing a corresponding range of traffic speeds along the first traffic route, and each segment of the first bar located on the bar in rough proportion to where the corresponding range of traffic speeds occurs along the first traffic route. |
| US08359150B2 |
Following distance control device and following distance control method
A following distance control device (1) that controls a vehicle to regulate a distance to a preceding vehicle to a target following distance, the following distance control device (1) including: detecting unit (30) that detect at least one of acceleration operation (12) or deceleration operation (13) by a driver; a target following distance changing unit that changes the target following distance on the basis of the acceleration operation (12) or the deceleration operation (13) by the driver that is detected by the detecting unit (30); and an inhibition unit that inhibits a changing amount of the target following distance by the target following distance changing unit when the given acceleration operation (12) or the given deceleration operation (13) is executed. |
| US08359146B2 |
Single channel roll stability system
A method and system for assessing and preventing overturn of a vehicle, the method and system being particularly suitable for use with commercial vehicles with brake systems typically used in North America, wherein a vehicle equipped with single brake pressure modulator is controlled to increase or decrease brake pressure, depending on braking state, to test vehicle wheel speed by response. If the vehicle wheel speed response indicates the inside wheels of the vehicle are off the ground or only lightly loaded, it may be assumed that the vehicle is approaching overturning. A braking intervention may be then executed by the single brake pressure modulator to prevent the incipient overturn event. |
| US08359144B2 |
Driveline lash management in powertrain systems
A powertrain system includes a torque machine mechanically rotatably coupled via a transfer gear set to a drive wheel. The transfer gear set includes a first gear meshingly engaged to a second gear with lash angle between the first and second gears. A method for operating the powertrain system includes monitoring an output speed associated with the torque machine and a wheel speed associated with the drive wheel. A transition between a first torque transfer state and a second torque transfer state is detected, the transition including a gear lash event across the transfer gear set. An elapsed time period for completing the gear lash event across the transfer gear set during the transition between the first torque transfer state and the second torque transfer state is set, and a target output speed derived from the wheel speed during and at the end of the elapsed time period is determined. A preferred output speed profile during the gear lash event is also determined, and includes prescribed changes in the output speed associated with phase-shifting the lash angle from a minimum lash angle to a maximum lash angle. The output speed is adjusted to be substantially equal to the target output speed at the end of the elapsed time period. The torque machine is controlled to achieve the preferred output speed profile. |
| US08359139B2 |
Method and system for vehicle orientation measurement
The orientation of a self-propelled vehicle or a towed vehicle relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle can be determined by mounting two ground speed sensors on the vehicle. The orientation of the vehicle relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle can be used to correct the error in the location of an implement mounted on the vehicle determined by a GPS system mounted on the vehicle or the vehicle towing the implement due to crabbing of the vehicle as the vehicle travels substantially perpendicular to a significant slope. |
| US08359134B2 |
In-vehicle component assessment system
A center control unit (11) of a center unit (4) generates assessment information corresponding to the strictness of the usage conditions for a specified component based on operation data stored in an operation data accumulation unit (13) received by an in-vehicle terminal (2) and assessment regulations stored in an assessment regulation storage unit (14), and generates report information for displaying a report in a form allowing comparison of this generated assessment information to relative comparison assessment information stored in an assessment information storage unit (15). A transmitter-receiver (12) transmits the report information generated by the center control unit (11) to a user terminal (3). |
| US08359131B2 |
Method and system for operating an electric motor
Methods and systems for operating an electric motor having a plurality of windings with an inverter having a plurality of switches coupled to a voltage source are provided. A first plurality of switching vectors is applied to the plurality of switches. The first plurality of switching vectors includes a first ratio of first magnitude switching vectors to second magnitude switching vectors. A direct current (DC) current associated with the voltage source is monitored during the applying of the first plurality of switching vectors to the plurality of switches. A second ratio of the first magnitude switching vectors to the second magnitude switching vectors is selected based on the monitoring of the DC current associated with the voltage source. A second plurality of switching vectors is applied to the plurality of switches. The second plurality of switching vectors includes the second ratio of the first magnitude switching vectors to the second magnitude switching vectors. |
| US08359128B1 |
Solar energy collection flight path management system for aircraft
A method and apparatus for managing solar power collection. A position of the sun is identified relative to an aerospace vehicle while the aerospace vehicle is moving along a flight path. A level of power generation is identified by a solar power generation system while the aerospace vehicle moves along the flight path using a threat management module and equivalent radar signature data. The threat management module uses the equivalent radar signature data to identify the level of power generation by the aerospace vehicle from different positions of the sun relative to the aerospace vehicle, and the equivalent radar signature data is based on solar power generation signature data identifying the level of power generation for the different positions of the sun relative to the aerospace vehicle. A change in the flight path that results in a desired level of power generation is identified by the solar power generation system. |
| US08359126B2 |
Method to resolve a remote electrical outlet for an electrically-powered vehicle
A method for operating a charging stall having a known geographic location configured to electrically charge an electrically-powered vehicle includes communicating a first message to a remote access server from a subject vehicle, the first message including geographic location information corresponding to the subject vehicle, detecting a presence of a parked vehicle at the charging stall with a monitoring system signally connected to a monitoring controller, communicating a second message to the remote access server from the monitoring controller, the second message comprising the detected presence of the parked vehicle at the charging stall, resolving that the parked vehicle at the charging stall comprises the subject vehicle based upon the first and second messages, and activating a power access control device at the charging stall to permit electric power flow through a corresponding electric power outlet. |
| US08359123B2 |
Robotic system and training method for rehabilitation using EMG signals to provide mechanical help
A robotic system for rehabilitation using EMG signals to provide mechanical help includes EMG electrodes (6) sequentially connected in series, a DAS card (2) and a control portion (1), and further includes an actuator (3) connected to the DAS card (2) and an additional moment providing portion (4) connected to the actuator (3). The EMG electrodes sense EMG signals corresponding to the muscle of suffering joint, and input the sensed EMG signals to the control portion (1) through the DAS card (2). The control portion (1) uses the input EMG signals and a constant moment set as desired to calculate an additional moment to be applied to the suffering joint, and additional moment providing portion (4) is controlled to apply the corresponding additional moment to the suffering joint through the DAS card (2) and the actuator (3). |
| US08359119B2 |
Method for assisting at least partially manual control of a metal processing line
In a method for assisting at least partially manual control of a metal processing line (1), in which metal (4) in strip or slab form or a pre-profiled state is worked, the proportion of at least one metallurgical phase of the metal is continuously determined with respect to at least one specific location of the metal processing line while taking into account operating parameters of the metal processing line (1) that influence the phase state and/or state parameters of the metal, and the proportion of the least one phase with respect to the specific location of the metal processing line is indicated to an operator. |
| US08359118B2 |
Method of producing flexible vessel model for simulating surgical operation
A method of producing a flexible vessel model for simulating a surgical operation, which is a three-dimensional model being capable of reproducing an aneurysm or narrowing occurring in the artery or vein based on CT/MRI image data of a patient obtained in practice and thus allowing vascular therapy trainings and preoperative simulations, with the use of a precise lamination modeling machine, wherein a vascular model having an affected part is fabricated by using a lamination technique together with a supporting material for sustaining the shape of the three-dimensional model during the fabrication in the precise lamination modeling machine and, after the completion of the fabrication by the lamination machine technique, the supporting material is removed. Thus, it is possible to provide a three-dimensional vascular model whereby the shape of an aneurysm or narrowing occurring in the artery or vein, which is to be used in preoperative simulation of vascular therapy for the artery or vein, can be reproduced with the use of a flexible polymer model and thus vascular therapy trainings and preoperative simulation can be carried out by using the same. |
| US08359116B2 |
Production management system
A monitoring system includes a control circuit configured to determine scrap values, yield values, and remainder values for at least a first operation and a second operation. The control circuit is configured to transmit one or more display signals. The one or more display signals include instructions to display a first operation status bar and a second operation status bar. The first operation status bar includes a first operation yield value, a first operation scrap value, and a first operation remainder value. The second operation status bar includes a second operation yield value, a second operation scrap value, and a second operation remainder value. |
| US08359113B2 |
Method and an apparatus for processing an audio signal
A method of processing an audio signal is disclosed. The present invention comprises receiving downmix signal including object signals, transforming the downmix signal per frequency band, determining a direction of an object signal from the transformed downmix signal, and determining blind information by estimating a level of the object signal corresponding to the direction. Accordingly, the present invention generates blind information in case of using an encoder incapable of generating object information, thereby enabling a gain and panning of object to be controlled using the blind information. |
| US08359101B2 |
System and method for electrical stimulation of the intervertebral disc
In one embodiment, a method electrically stimulates an area in a spinal disc. The method comprises: implanting at least one steerable lead at a placement site for stimulating a spinal disc such that the lead is disposed exterior and immediately adjacent to and circumferentially along an annulus of the spinal disc, the at least one lead including a plurality of electrodes distributed along a majority of a circumference of the annulus; connecting the lead to a signal generator; and generating electrical stimulation pulses using the generator to stimulate targeted portions of the spinal disc, wherein the stimulation of the targeted portion of the spinal disc sufficiently stimulates nerve tissue within the spinal disc to prevent communication of pain signals originating in the spinal disc without damaging tissue of the spinal disc. |
| US08359097B2 |
Method of detecting sleep apnea and treatment thereof
A method is presented for evaluating whether an episode of sleep apnea is occurring in a patient suffering from chronic sleep apnea disorder, for delivery of appropriate therapy. The method, performed by an implantable device, includes sensing the patient's EKG signal and using electrical energy generated by the heart to power subsequent signal processing. This signal is applied as the sole input to a differential signal processing circuit for passage through both a high impedance path and a substantially lower impedance path and amplification of the difference in magnitude between the resulting two signals, to determine changes in the patient's thoracic impedance. Based on such changes, the presence or absence of patient ventilation is detected, to enable an assessment of whether an episode of sleep apnea is occurring. An actual episode of sleep apnea is deemed to have occurred if lack of ventilation exceeds a predetermined interval of time between otherwise regular respiratory cycles. If sleep apnea is indicated, the appropriate therapy is delivered by the device to induce ventilation and halt the apnea episode. |
| US08359096B2 |
Apparatus and methods for automatic optimization of interventricular and atrio-ventricular delays in real time for cardiac resynchronization in an active implantable medical device
An active implantable medical device for cardiac resynchronization with automatic and almost in real time optimization of the interventricular and atrio-ventricular delays is disclosed. The active implantable medical device includes a closed-loop for continuously controlling the atrio-ventricular delay AVD and the inter-ventricular delay VVD according to a hemodynamic signal delivered by a hemodynamic sensor. The closed-loop provides controlled modulation (38) and demodulation (42) the AVD, and modulation (48) and demodulation (52) the VVD, the modulation and demodulation being functionally interdependent (54, 56) by a sequence of alternating operation. A closed-loop regulator (36) for controlling the AVD receives as input an error signal (EAVD) delivered based on demodulating the AVD (42) and outputs an AVD signal. A closed-loop regulator (46) for controlling the VVD receives as input a signal error (EVVD) based on demodulating the DVV and outputs a VVD signal. In one embodiment, the regulators are PID controllers. |
| US08359095B2 |
Medical system and a method for determining settings of an implantable device
In a medical system and a method for operating such a system, the system includes an implantable medical device of a patient, a programmer device, and an extracorporeal stress equipment adapted to exert a physiological stress on the patient, for automatically determining settings of a sensor for sensing a physiological parameter of the patient or for automatically determining a pacing setting of the device over a broad range of workloads of the equipment. The ingoing units and/or devices of the medical system, i.e. the implantable medical device of the patient, the programmer device, and the extracorporeal stress equipment, communicate bi-directionally with each other and form a closed loop. |
| US08359094B2 |
Extravascular arrhythmia induction
A cardiac arrhythmia may be induced by delivering a sequence of pulses to a patient via one or more extravascular electrodes. In one example, one or more pacing pulses may be delivered to a patient via an extravascular electrode and a shock pulse may be delivered to the patient the extravascular electrode. In some examples, the pacing pulses and the shock pulse may be generated with energy from a common energy storage module and without interim charging of the module. For example, the pacing and shock pulses may be generated as the energy storage module dissipates. In another example, a cardiac arrhythmia may be induced in a patient by delivering a burst of pulses to a patient via an extravascular electrode. In some cases, the burst of pulses may be generated with energy from a common energy storage module and without interim charging of the energy storage module. |
| US08359093B2 |
Application of electric fields to the lung as therapy for pulmonary edema
System and method of applying electric fields to a patient's lung(s) to reduce pulmonary edema. The system includes a first electrode and a second electrode, at least one of which is associated with the lung. The electric field can be controlled so as to modulate a level of fluid in the lung. |
| US08359091B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting and filtering artifacts by analysis of a cardiac vectogram
Apparatus and method for detecting and filtering noise artifacts by analysis of a cardiac vectogram is disclosed. An active medical device collects electrical activity signals of a patient's heart over a series of cardiac cycles. At least two distinct temporal components (Vbip, Vuni) are obtained from at least two endocardial electrogram (EGM) signals that are collected concurrently on different respective channels from the same heart cavity. The means for analyzing and filtering of the active medical device operates by: constructing a non-temporal 2D characteristic of a vectogram (VGM) of an analyzed cardiac cycle, using a variation of one of the two distinct temporal components (Vuni) as a function of the other (Vbip); conducting a morphological analysis of the non-temporal 2D characteristic to derive at least one intrinsic descriptor parameter, including the average angle of velocity vectors of consecutive data points of the 2D characteristic, and classifying the analyzed cardiac cycle as invalid noisy cycle or as valid not noisy cycle, depending on the analysis of the descriptor parameter. |
| US08359088B2 |
Folder-type portable electrocardiogram monitor
A portable electrocardiogram monitor includes: an upper housing and a lower housing coupled to each other via a hinge; and a positive electrode formed on lateral sides of the upper and lower housings, which are disposed opposite sides centering on the hinge. |
| US08359084B2 |
Containment tubes and imaging systems employing same
An isolation system with imaging or radiation therapy capability is disclosed. At least one containment barrier (14, 15, 16, 17) defines an isolation region (10). An imaging or therapy system (20) is disposed outside of the isolation region. The containment barrier includes a substantially hollow tubular extension (24, 42, 44, 124, 224, 324) protruding away from the isolation region (10). The substantially hollow tubular extension surrounds an interior volume (26) that is in fluid communication with the isolation region and is in fluid isolation from the imaging or therapy system. The substantially hollow tubular extension is made at least partially of a material providing operative communication between the imaging or therapy system and the interior volume of the substantially hollow tubular extension. |
| US08359081B2 |
Service-detectable analyte sensors and methods of using and making same
Generally, embodiments of the invention relate to analyte determining devices (e.g., electrochemical analyte monitoring systems) that include an indicator element that provides information relating to service history of the analyte determining devices, including, for example, previous use of the analyte determining devices. Also provided are systems and methods of using the, for example electrochemical, analyte determining devices in analyte monitoring. |
| US08359080B2 |
Signal processing apparatus
The present invention involves a method and an apparatus for analyzing measured signals, including the determination of a measurement of oxygen saturation and respiration rate in the measured signals during a calculation of a physiological parameter of a monitored patient. Use of this invention is described in particular detail with respect to oximetry-based measurements but extends to other types of measurements. |
| US08359079B2 |
Pulse oximetry system and techniques for deriving cardiac and breathing parameters from extra-thoracic blood flow measurements
Medical devices and techniques derive breath rate, breath distention, and pulse distention measurements of a subject from a pulse oximeter system coupled to a subject. These parameters, together with the conventional physiologic parameters obtained from a pulse oximeter system, can be used to assist in controlling the ventilation levels and the anesthesia levels of the subject. The development has human applications and particular applications for animal research. |
| US08359078B2 |
Mobile media device enclosure, method of use of mobile media device enclosure, and method of providing mobile media device enclosure
In some embodiments, a mobile media device enclosure can include: (a) an enclosure having an interior, an exterior, a top side, a bottom side, a right side, and a left side, the interior configured to form a cavity, the cavity is sized to retain a mobile media device therein; (b) a vertical boundary, the vertical boundary having a substantially vertical orientation and configured to substantially bisect the mobile media device enclosure from the top side to the bottom side; and (c) a horizontal boundary, the horizontal boundary having a substantially horizontal orientation and configured to substantially bisect the mobile media device enclosure from the left side to the right side. The vertical boundary and the horizontal boundary are further configured to substantially divide the mobile media device enclosure into four sections. Each of the four sections is elastically coupled to two other sections of the four sections. Other embodiments and related methods are also disclosed herein. |
| US08359077B2 |
Antenna matching structure, antenna matching method and wireless communication terminal
The present invention relates to an antenna matching structure, an antenna matching method and a wireless communication terminal. In which, the antenna matching structure comprising: a measuring unit configured to measure a RSSI value; a control unit configured to generate a first switching control signal when the RSSI value measured by the measuring unit is less than a predetermined threshold; and a parameter switching unit configured to select one set of matching parameters from predetermined at least one set of matching parameters according to the first switching control signal, and switch current matching parameters of the adjustable antenna matching circuit to the selected matching parameters. According to the embodiments of the present invention, a higher RSSI value can be acquired to ensure the signal transmission quality. |
| US08359075B2 |
Apparatus with transparent display
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing frame, a transparent display, and a movable element. The transparent display is connected to the housing frame. The transparent display includes a front side and a rear side opposite the front side. The movable element is connected to the housing frame. The rear side of the transparent display is configured to be directly exposed to ambient light when the movable element is in a first position relative to the transparent display. The rear side of the transparent display is blocked from being directly exposed to the ambient light when the movable element is in a second different position relative to the transparent display. |
| US08359074B1 |
Method and apparatus for reducing wake up time of a powered down device
A dummy circuit is provided to which a bias circuit of an low noise amplifier (LNA) can be coupled to during power down of the LNA. The dummy circuit maintains the bias circuit at an approximately normal operating state to reduce wake up time of the LNA. |
| US08359073B2 |
Power transmission control device, power transmission device, power receiving control device, power receiving device, and electronic apparatus
There is provided a power transmission control device included in a power transmission device in a contactless power transmission system that transmits power from the power transmission device to a power receiving device by electromagnetically coupling a primary coil to a secondary coil to supply the power to a load of the power receiving device. The power transmission control device includes a controller controlling the power transmission control device, a host interface communicating with a power transmission-side host, and a register section accessible from the power transmission-side host via the host interface. The controller shifts into a communication mode that executes communication between the power transmission-side host and a power receiving-side host, when the power transmission-side host writes, via the host interface, a communication request command that requests the communication between the hosts in the register section. Then, the controller transmits the communication request command to the power receiving device. |
| US08359068B1 |
Cellphone video imaging
A system for forming and transmitting a plurality of video images, at an image transmission rate of at least 1-3 images per sec, from a first cellphone to a second cellphone spaced apart from the first cellphone. A first cellphone user can choose to illuminate and transmit an image of the user or an image of a selected object distinct from the user. |
| US08359064B2 |
Wireless apparatus
This invention is directed to a wireless apparatus to carry out transmission and reception by either a digital communication system or an analog communication system and, in particular, provides a technical method to change over a signal system for a transmission electric wave. Concretely, when a carrier is received, a switch (PTT) is pushed in the case of response. In this case, if a default set transmission signal system is different from a reception signal system of a received audio signal, it is possible to modulate the audio signal after the transmission signal system is changed over to the same signal system as the reception signal system. Thus, a wireless apparatus is provided for making it possible to promptly change over a signal system of a transmission electric wave without doing troublesome operations. |
| US08359063B1 |
Multi-antenna mode based call admission control
A first plurality of wireless devices associated with a wireless network element is communicated with using a first multi-antenna mode. There is a first number of the first plurality of wireless devices. A second plurality of wireless devices associated with the wireless network element is communicated with using a second multi-antenna mode. There is a second number of the second plurality of wireless devices. A request for traffic resources is received from a wireless device associated with the wireless network element. In response to the request for traffic resources, the request for traffic resources is granted based on whether the first number satisfies a first criteria and whether the second number satisfies a second criteria. |
| US08359048B2 |
Close proximity alert messaging system and method
An alert broadcast method includes wirelessly transmitting a first message from a first cellular communication device to a central transceiver. The first message has a characteristic identifying the first message as an alert message. A location of the first cellular communication device is determined. A plurality of second cellular communication devices that are within a proximity of the first cellular communication device are identified. A second message is transmitted from the central transceiver to the second cellular communication devices. The second message is dependent upon the first message. |
| US08359046B2 |
Control apparatus and mobile terminal
A controller apparatus, when it receives packets addressed to a mobile terminal, implements paging control in which it transmits a paging notification packet to a paging area of the mobile terminal, so as to obtain location information on the mobile terminal and to determine a forwarding destination of the packets. The controller apparatus includes a paging area forming unit having a plurality of algorithms for forming the paging area. The paging area forming unit is configured to form the paging area of the mobile terminal by an algorithm specified by the mobile terminal. |
| US08359044B2 |
Enhanced mobile location method and system
A method and system is disclosed for locating a mobile radio terminal in a radio communications network. The method makes use of additional positional constraints provided as a result of unreported cells. In one form of the invention, a likely reason for a particular cell not being reported is determined and an associated probability term is determined for use in a position location model. The invention also relates to a system for implementing the method. |
| US08359041B2 |
System and method for adaptively controlling feedback information
A system and method for adaptively controlling feedback information according to a loading condition of a communications cell is provided. A method comprises receiving an indication from a base station, computing an amount of feedback information to transmit back to the base station using the indication, locating a feedback resource assigned to the mobile station using the amount of feedback information and an identity of the mobile station, computing a feedback information, and transmitting the feedback information using the located feedback resource. The indication is for a set of candidate transmission formats that is based on loading conditions in the cell. |
| US08359038B2 |
Channel access for local heterogeneous communication in a cellular network
In an exemplary embodiment there are determined which radio resource are to be used for contention based access, and the allocated radio resource is accessed according to a probability function that varies in dependence on at least one of interference measured on the allocated radio resource and a received power level for the allocated radio resource. By example the radio resource is allocated by a cellular base station for use in D2D communications; the base station provides configuration parameters for the D2D communications via common or dedicated signaling; the received power level is a target received power level that is received via broadcast system information or dedicated control signaling; and/or the received power level is itself a function of pathloss on a wireless link to the cellular base station. Embodiments are presented for method, apparatus, and tangibly stored computer program. |
| US08359035B2 |
Base station apparatus, mobile station and wireless communication controlling method
A wireless base station includes a candidate-cell obtaining unit that obtains a plurality of wireless communication route candidates usable for wireless communication of a mobile station with wireless base stations; a candidate-cell extracting unit that determines whether a wireless communication route candidate via which wireless communication can be performed is included in a plurality of wireless communication route candidates managed by the wireless base station itself from among the obtained wireless communication route candidates; a self-station determining unit; and a handover preparing unit that, when wireless communication can be performed via at least any of the wireless communication route candidates managed by the wireless base station itself according to the result of determination, notifies a wireless base station with which the mobile station is in wireless communication that wireless communication can be performed with the mobile station. |
| US08359029B2 |
System, method, and device for providing communications using a distributed mobile architecture
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium of a first distributed management architecture (DMA) system includes a first home location register (HLR) that stores information associated with one or more mobile subscribers that are registered with the first DMA system. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium includes a community location register (CLR) associated with a second DMA system. The CLR stores information associated with a second HLR of the second DMA system, and the second HLR stores information associated with one or more mobile subscribers that are registered with the second DMA system. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium includes instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to initiate connection of a call from a first mobile subscriber to a second mobile subscriber via the first DMA system and the second DMA system when the second mobile subscriber is registered with the second DMA system. |
| US08359027B2 |
Mobility management entity information deleting method and device
A mobility management entity (MME) information deleting method includes: receiving a message sent by a first MME; and if needed, determining whether it is necessary to delete information about the first MME according to version information about the first MME. The method further includes: receiving a message sent by a target MME, in which the message carries version information about a source MME acquired by the target MME or an indication of deleting information about the source MME added by the target MME; and deleting the information about the source MME according to the message. A network device for deleting MME information is also provided. According to the present invention, a network device, such as a home subscriber server (HSS), is capable of acquiring version information about a source MME or receiving an indication of deleting information about the source MME, so as to determine whether it is necessary to delete the information about the MME. |
| US08359026B2 |
RF signal feed through method and apparatus for shielded aircraft fuselage
A system and method for selectively enabling and disabling wireless connectivity between cellular or PDA users on-board commercial aircraft having a shielded fuselage, and remotely located wireless access points, while the aircraft is at an airport or airfield. The system and method does not require access to an on-board LAN system of the aircraft. The system includes one or more antennae disposed in the cabin area of the aircraft that are coupled via an RF switch with an exterior antenna mounted on an exterior of the fuselage. The RF switch is controlled by a switch control subsystem, and enables or disables communication between the interior antennae and the exterior antenna. The exterior antenna is connected to the switch via a conductor that extends through the shielding of the aircraft. When the RF switch is in the closed position, cellular or PDA users can connect through the interior antennae and the exterior antenna directly to remotely located wireless access points. |
| US08359023B2 |
Radio communication method, radio base station, radio communication terminal and base station controller
A radio communication method acquires a moving speed of a radio communication terminal located in a cell formed by a first radio base station. A second radio base station is requested to radiate a dynamic directional beam in a direction of the cell formed by the first radio base station when the moving speed is equal to or more than a predetermined threshold prior to entering a cell formed by the second radio base station. The radio communication terminal is accommodated in the second radio base station that has transmitted the directional beam in response to the request. |
| US08359021B2 |
Remote activation of video share on mobile devices
A method for initiating a video share service of a mobile device based on commands from a remote source. The method includes receiving a request from the remote source to initiate the video share service, authenticating the sender of the request, receiving a command to start the video share service; and transmitting the output of the service. There is also a system configured for receiving a request from a first mobile device to initiate a service from a second mobile device, for authentication of the request, for commanding the second mobile device to start a service under control of the first mobile device, and for delivery of the output of the service. |
| US08359016B2 |
Management of mobile applications
In particular implementations, a mobile device management system allows network administrators to control the distribution and publication of applications to mobile device users in an enterprise network. |
| US08359013B2 |
System and methods for wireless messaging
A mobile device receives via a wireless network an enable message which indicates that a data message has been received and is ready for retrieval. The mobile device then provides an indication which indicates that the data message has been received, and includes a subset of the data message. After providing the indication, the mobile device detects a user-initiated entry into a messaging application. In response to detecting the user-initiated entry, the mobile device examines a setting in a data store which is provided in response to the enable message. If the setting is provided in the data store, the mobile device requests the data message by sending via the wireless network a fetch message and subsequently receives the data message. If the setting is not provided in the data store, the mobile device refrains from sending the fetch message. |
| US08359009B2 |
Method for the reliable and targeted suppression of alarms in a monitoring and control center
Authorized or unauthorized opening of access to equipment of a telecommunications network in a control center is detected on the basis of alarm messages. The telecommunication network is a mobile radio network or a hard-wired network. The control center monitors the access equipment and transmits alarm messages as a result of the access equipment being opened. A message is first transmitted by a signaling device to a signaling server before the access equipment is opened. Then the server, after receiving the message from the signaling device, generates an alarm-suppression information item. This alarm-suppression information item is evaluated in the control center, and, whenever an alarm message is received, this message is compared with the alarm-suppression information items and the alarm message is filtered in the event of a positive association. |
| US08359004B2 |
Charging method and system
An intelligent charging triggering method is provided. The method includes receiving a subscriber location data update request sent by a serving mobile switching center (MSC), determining whether subscriber data delivered to the serving MSC carries intelligent subscription data of a prepaid subscriber according to a preset intelligent charging triggering policy, and then delivering the subscriber data carrying the intelligent subscription data to the serving MSC if a determination result is that the subscriber data delivered to the serving MSC carries the intelligent subscription data. A home location register (HLR) and a charging processing system are further provided. The technical solutions can realize real-time charging of a calling service of a prepaid subscriber in a BOSS system when the prepaid subscriber roams in a roaming region of a home country, and meanwhile realize an international roaming service of a prepaid subscriber in an intelligent network (IN). |
| US08359003B1 |
Alternative text billing system and method
An alternative billing system for communication service, comprising a gateway comprising a processor and a memory, and an application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, receives a text message from an originating electronic device, determines that an account balance associated with the originating electronic device lacks sufficient funds to pay for origination of the text message, sends a message to a terminating electronic device identified by the text message to inquire if the terminating electronic device wants to be billed for the origination of the text message, when a message accepting billing for the origination of the text message is received from the terminating electronic device, sends the text message to the terminating electronic device, and when a message rejecting billing for the origination of the text message is received from the terminating electronic device, does not send the text message to the terminating electronic device. |
| US08359000B2 |
Portable emergency device
A portable emergency device is disclosed. The device contains an internal antenna for allowing two-way communications, a speaker, an activation button to be pressed in case of an emergency, a microphone, a battery for powering the device and a GPS tracking device that allows emergency personnel to locate the person. The device performs in two operation modes, wherein in one mode a call is placed to a public emergency service provider, and in the second mode a call is placed to the public emergency service provider and a recorded message is transmitted along with the location of the device. The device is particularly useful for the elderly and the handicapped that they can use in case of an emergency. |
| US08358999B1 |
System and method for providing dispatch call features
Systems and methods for providing dispatch call features are provided. The dispatch call features include the ability to maintain multiple simultaneous dispatch calls and the ability to manage multiple dispatch stations. The maintenance of multiple simultaneous dispatch calls feature allows a dispatch station to place a current dispatch call on-hold to either initiate a new dispatch call or to accept an incoming dispatch call. The management of multiple dispatch stations feature allows a number of dispatch stations to be associated with one or more dispatch station identifiers. When a dispatch call is made to one of the dispatch station identifiers, all associated dispatch stations are paged. The first dispatch station to respond to the page is connected to the incoming dispatch call. |
| US08358998B2 |
Frequency mixer
A down-conversion frequency mixer includes: a radio frequency (RF) input unit disposed between a VDD line and a GND line and configured to receive an RF signal; an LO input unit configured to receive a carrier frequency (LO) from an internal frequency synthesizer; an intermediate frequency (IF) output unit disposed in parallel to the RF input unit between the VDD line and the GND line and configured to mix the RF signal with the LO signal and output an IF signal; a current generation unit configured to generate a stabilized current without being influenced with noise entered through the VDD line and the GND line; and a noise blocking unit disposed between the VDD line and the RF input unit, between the VDD line and the IF output unit, between the GND line and the RF input unit, and between the GND line and the LO input unit and configured to copy the current generated from the current generator and generate a stabilized current. |
| US08358988B2 |
Interface between chip rate processing and bit rate processing in wireless downlink receiver
A bit rate processor in a wireless system includes a front end processor to process physical channel data and to generate encoded transport channel data, a transport channel buffer to hold the encoded transport channel data, and a back end processor to process the encoded transport channel data from the transport channel buffer and to generate decoded transport channel bits. The front end process may include a frame buffer that receives the physical channel data, a first stage to de-map the physical channel data, an intermediate frame buffer that receives the de-mapped physical channel data, and a second stage to process the de-mapped physical channel data and to provide the encoded transport channel data. The back end processor may include a third stage, including a scaling circuit to scale the encoded transport channel data, a decoder to decode the scaled transport channel data, a CRC checker and an output buffer. |
| US08358985B2 |
Radio wave receiving apparatus
A radio wave receiving apparatus is provided with a tuning circuit for bringing a receiving frequency of an antenna tuned in to a frequency of a desired wave, a frequency converting circuit for mixing a local oscillation signal with the signal received through the antenna, thereby converting the received signal into an intermediate frequency signal, a feed back loop including at least a portion of the tuning circuit for feeding back the received signal, a controller for detecting a level of the intermediate frequency signal to change a frequency characteristic of the tuning circuit, thereby obtaining a tuning point corresponding to the desired wave, wherein, the controller brings the feed back loop in operation, thereby changing the frequency characteristic of the tuning circuit, and when two peaks of a level of the received signal are detected while the frequency characteristic of the tuning circuit is changed, the controller selects as a tuning point corresponding to the desired wave a tuning point at which one of the two peaks of the level of the received signal corresponding to a high-low relationship between the predetermined frequency of the local oscillation signal and the frequency of the desired wave is detected. |
| US08358983B2 |
Detachable wireless terminal
A limited-capability wireless terminal that is particularly well adapted for use in emergency situations, recreational activities and occasional calls is disclosed. The detachable wireless terminal does not have a display or a numeric keypad. Rather, the detachable wireless terminal has several “one-touch” buttons that place a call to pre-programmed phone numbers when pressed. The detachable wireless terminal is small enough and light enough to be worn around a user's neck, received by a lanyard or a necklace. The wireless terminal detachably couples to a relatively larger docking device, which can be used to program it. |
| US08358978B2 |
Multiservice communication device with cognitive radio transceiver
A multiservice communication device includes a plurality of transceivers that wirelessly transceive network data with a corresponding plurality of networks in accordance with a corresponding plurality of network protocols, wherein the plurality of transceivers includes at least one cognitive radio transceiver that is configured based on cognitive transceiver configuration data received from a management unit in communication with the multiservice communication device via a control channel. |
| US08358969B2 |
Feedback delay control in an echo cancellation repeater
A wireless repeater includes an echo canceller to cancel an estimated feedback amount from an input signal and a delay to delay the input signal. The delay may be selected to decorrelate a remote signal from a signal to be transmitted by the repeater. |
| US08358960B2 |
Image heating apparatus
An image heating apparatus includes an endless belt; a rotatable member, contacting an outer surface of the belt, for forming a nip in which a recording material is nipped and conveyed; a stretcher for stretching the belt; an urging member, contacting an inner surface of the belt, for urging the stretcher by movement of the belt so as to include a contact portion at which the urging member contacts the stretchers; a lubricator for applying a lubricant onto the inner surface of the belt; and a collector, contacting the stretcher downstream of an area in which the stretcher contacts the belt and upstream of the contact portion with respect to a rotational direction of the stretcher, for collecting the lubricant from the stretcher. The collector includes a guide for guiding the lubricant, collected from the stretcher, onto the inner surface of the endless belt. |
| US08358956B2 |
Corotron device for a moving element moving via a guide unit
In a corotron device, a moving element moves via a guide unit. A corotron having a corotron element and a corotron shield is provided. The corotron element is arranged relative to the guide unit such that a distance from, and a parallel position of, the corotron element relative to the guide unit substantially do not change. |
| US08358954B2 |
Image forming apparatus with openable and movable members
An image forming apparatus includes a cartridge including at least one of an image bearing member and a developing device; a main assembly including an opening; an openable member movable between a closed position in which the opening is covered and an open position in which the opening is exposed; and a movable member for supporting the cartridge. The movable member is movable between an inside position in which the cartridge is located inside the main assembly and a pulled out position in which the movable member is outwardly pulled out from the main assembly. The openable member is prevented, from moving from the open position to the closed position, in a state in which the movable member is located outside the open position but is movable from the open position to the closed position in a state in which the movable member is located at the open position. |
| US08358951B2 |
Image forming apparatus, process cartridge and developing cartridge with electrode
An image forming apparatus that includes: an image carrier; a developing cartridge detachably mountable with respect to the image carrier; a processing device to which voltage acting between the image carrier and the processing device is applied; and a first electrode, wherein the developing cartridge further includes: a developing roller on which toner is capable of being held; and a second electrode capable of being electrically connected with the first electrode when the developing cartridge is mounted with respect to the image carrier, the processing device further includes: a third electrode capable of being electrically connected with the second electrode when the developing cartridge is mounted with respect to the image carrier, wherein the second electrode positions the developing cartridge in an axial direction of the developing roller. |
| US08358948B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same
A fixing device includes a fixing rotary body and a pressing member each of which includes a waveform elastic layer having at least one wave crest and at least one wave trough to form a waveform face between the fixing rotary body and the pressing member pressed against each other. A controller identifies a temperature differential between a first temperature of the wave crest of the fixing rotary body detected by a first temperature detector and a second temperature of the wave trough of the fixing rotary body detected by a second temperature detector and adjusts an amount of heat stored from a heater into the fixing rotary body based on the identified temperature differential. |
| US08358947B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus having improved accuracy of temperature control
In a fixing device, having a sheet portion and an inter-sheet portion, heats and fixes the toner image onto each of sheets by rotationally bringing the sheet portion into contact with each sheet. A heating unit heats the fixing unit. A sensing unit senses a temperature of the fixing unit. A control unit controls a duty ratio of on/off of the heating unit based on a sensing output of the sensing unit, determines whether the sensing unit is sensing the temperature of the sheet portion or the temperature of the inter-sheet portion in a rotation cycle, and controls the temperature of the heating unit by using the adjustment value corresponding to the sheet portion or the inter-sheet portion depending on a determination result. |
| US08358946B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a first reading device which reads a reference image formed on a sheet, a second reading device which reads a reference image formed on an image carrier, a control device which can execute a first control process for adjusting image formation conditions based on a density of the reference image acquired from a read result of the first reading device, and a second control process for adjusting the image formation conditions based on a density of the reference image acquired from a read result of the second reading device, wherein the control device executes the second control process before performing image formation based on the image data when the first control process has not been executed in a period from when mounting of the unit configuring the image forming device is detected to when image formation is performed. |
| US08358931B2 |
System and method for precise, accurate and stable optical timing information definition including internally self-consistent substantially jitter free timing reference
An optoelectronic timing system includes an optical timing compensation system in which optical pulses developed by a semiconductor laser are advanced or retarded based upon an expected arrival time. The pulses are directed into a number of time-quantifiable optical paths. Time quantification for a pulse is based upon the time required for a pulse to travel a particular length at the speed of light. Pulses are directed into an advancing path or a retarding path by optical switches which compare an expected arrival time of a new pulse to an expected arrival time based on a previous pulse. The optical compensation system is incorporated into a precision timing device in which multiple optical paths, having decreasing lengths in a defined pattern, are arranged in serial fashion so as to have each subsequent path of the series represent a travel time one order of magnitude different than a travel time of an adjacent path. Timing signals are developed by coupling an optical detector to each of the multiple optical paths. |
| US08358924B2 |
Method and apparatus for operating the automatic focus or the optical imaging stabilizing system
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus, comprising a printed wiring board. The printed wiring board comprising a coil and being coupled to an image sensor. Further, the coil, using the magnetic circuitry, is designed to tilt the printed wiring board and automatic focus optomechanics, the automatic focus optomechanics being attached to the printed wiring board over at least one of: a pivot point and a tilting axis to operate an optical imaging stabilizing system. Moreover, a second coil is designed to interact with the magnetic circuitry to move the lens barrel at least one of closer and farther from the image sensor to perform an automatic focus. |
| US08358920B2 |
Water heater tank with convex heads
A tank for a water-heating appliance including a body, a first head, and a second head. The body includes a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis. The body extends along the longitudinal axis from the first end to the second end. The first head includes multiple landings. The first head is coupled to the first end so that the first head is convex and extends away from the body. The longitudinally outermost points of the landings define a first plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The second head includes multiple landings. The second head is identical to the first head except for at least one opening through a landing. The second head is coupled to the second end so that the second head is convex and extends away from the body. The longitudinally outermost points of the landings define a second plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. |
| US08358919B2 |
Super heated steam generator with slack accommodating heating tanks
A multi-stage, superheated steam generator for crude oil recovery comprises a plurality of radially spaced-apart first stage electric heating tanks that peripherally surround an inner, second stage electric steam tank. The steam tanks are secured within casing by a slack accommodating mounting comprising a downwardly projecting stub received within a rigid, tubular expansion sockets secured beneath each steam tank. A plurality of serpentine, electric resistive heating elements abut each steam tank. The elements have loop portions proximate the bottoms of each steam tank and vertical portions abutting each tank periphery. First stage tanks output steam to a manifold system that outputs to the second stage heater. |
| US08358913B2 |
Resolving recording conflicts
A system and methods of incrementally updating a recording schedule in response to changes in user requests and changes in availability of requested content. Changes to the recording schedule may be prompted by a user request to record new content, a change in the parameters of an existing request, removal of a request, and the like. Before changing the recording schedule, an algorithm generates new possible recording schedules by combining recording assignments for a given program with the existing recording schedule. In one embodiment, the algorithm reduces the new possible recording schedules to a final recording schedule and applies the final recording schedule to a digital recording device. In another embodiment, the final recording schedule is presented to a user for approval before the schedule is applied to the digital recording device. |
| US08358911B2 |
Systems and methods for reducing disruptions in recorded programming
Various embodiments reduce disruptions in recorded programming, by automatically recording retransmissions of prior programming. In one embodiment, a recording manager is provided for execution on a receiving device, such as a set-top box. The recording manager detects a disruption in a recorded program. In response, the recording manager automatically records, or schedules a recording of, a later transmission of the same program. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US08358909B2 |
Coordinated output of messages and content
A data stream is provided to a user in which a number of data streams may be integrated together at proper times within the data streams. For example, a first data stream may be displayed for a user while a second data stream may be received. The second data stream may be determined to contain data content corresponding to the first data stream in a particular temporal relationship. Based on a determination of various parameters or characteristics of the first and/or second data stream, the second data stream may be integrated into or combined with the first data stream at a desired time point within the first data stream to create a combination data stream. The combination data stream may be presented to the user. |
| US08358905B2 |
Recording medium having a data structure for managing graphic information and recording and reproducing methods and apparatuses
In one embodiment, the method includes reading a play list including at least one subplayitem, the subplayitem including navigation information for a clip file including the graphic information. The graphic information is preloaded before starting reproduction of the playlist, and the graphic information is reproduced on the basis of the subplayitem. |
| US08358902B2 |
Apparatus, method and program for image search
One or more representative images extracted from an image group comprising a plurality of images is/are displayed. A part or all of the representative image or images, such as a main subject region or a background region including a search target, is/are selected from the representative image or images, and used for setting search conditions. The image group is searched for an image or images agreeing with the search conditions having been set. |
| US08358900B2 |
Fiber optic module with adapters mounted at open front
A fiber optic telecommunications frame is provided including termination modules positioned on left and right sides of the frame. The frame further includes left and right vertical cable guides. The frame includes a horizontal passage linking the left and right panels and the cable guides. The termination modules hold fiber optic modules with front termination locations. The fiber optic modules can house couplers, such as splitters, combiners, and wave length division multiplexers. A retention mechanism retains each fiber optic module in a partially removed position from the termination module. |
| US08358895B2 |
Two-dimensional photonic crystal
Holes 12 are created in a slab-shaped body 11. On the first surface 131 of the body 11, the holes 12 are arranged at the lattice points of a triangular lattice 141. On the second surface 132, they are arranged at the lattice points 122 located at positions corresponding to the gravity center of a triangular lattice 141. Three air columns 12A obliquely extend from each lattice point 121 to the nearest three lattice points 122. Similarly, three air columns 12A obliquely extend from each lattice point 122 to the nearest three lattice points 121. In this construction, a periodic structural unit 16 consisting of three holes is created within the body 11 and this unit has a C3v-symmetrical shape at any section 14 parallel to the body 11. Due to this symmetry and the obliquely extending form of the air column 12A, a complete PBG with a large width is obtained. In one embodiment, a broad complete PBG whose width equals 15% of its middle value is obtained. |
| US08358893B1 |
Photonic-powered cable assembly
A photonic-cable assembly includes a power source cable connector (“PSCC”) coupled to a power receive cable connector (“PRCC”) via a fiber cable. The PSCC electrically connects to a first electronic device and houses a photonic power source and an optical data transmitter. The fiber cable includes an optical transmit data path coupled to the optical data transmitter, an optical power path coupled to the photonic power source, and an optical feedback path coupled to provide feedback control to the photonic power source. The PRCC electrically connects to a second electronic device and houses an optical data receiver coupled to the optical transmit data path, a feedback controller coupled to the optical feedback path to control the photonic power source, and a photonic power converter coupled to the optical power path to convert photonic energy received over the optical power path to electrical energy to power components of the PRCC. |
| US08358889B2 |
Device fabrication with planar bragg gratings suppressing parasitic effects
The present invention relates to various methods of fabricating Planar Bragg Gratings (PBG) in a doped waveguide in a Planar Lightwave Circuit (PLC) device, suppressing unwanted parasitic grating effects during fabrication of the device. One approach to reduce parasitic gratings is to use a hard mask before the waveguide photolithography and etch, that results in a steeper sidewall angle that reduces or eliminates the parasitic grating effect. Another method of reducing parasitic grating effect is to deposit a layer of developable Bottom Anti Reflective Coating (BARC) prior to depositing the photo resist for waveguide etch. A third method of resisting parasitic gratings comprises using a planarizing undoped silica layer as a barrier layer on top of the core. During subsequent high temperature annealing germanium outdiffuses laterally into the cladding. The net effect is an optical waveguide with improved lateral uniformity because germanium diffusion smoothes out the sidewall roughness created during the waveguide reactive ion etch process. The undoped silica (SiO2) layer on top of the grating also serves the purpose of significantly reducing germanium outdiffusion from the core in the upward direction. |
| US08358885B2 |
Optical semiconductor device, manufacturing method thereof and optical transmission device
An optical semiconductor device, including a first optical waveguide with a first width, a second optical waveguide with a second width narrower than the first width with a bending region, and a third optical waveguide with a third width wider than the second width and coupled to the second optical waveguide. |
| US08358884B2 |
Microoptical component and method for its manufacture
A microoptical component for coupling a laser light to microresonators includes at least two microresonators, each having a form of an axially symmetric body disposed on a pedestal, and at least one waveguide for the laser light. The at least two microresonators are disposed on a first substrate having first side walls. The at least one waveguide is disposed on a second substrate having second side walls. The first side walls and the second side walls are fixedly joined. |
| US08358882B2 |
Modalmetric fibre sensor
A modalmetric fibre sensor comprises a multimode sensor fibre (26), a light source (14) for launching light into the multimode fibre (26) to produce a multimode speckle pattern of light at an end of the fibre (26), a single mode fibre (22) to receive light from the multimode speckle pattern and a detector (18) connected to the single mode fibre (22) to detect the received light from the multimode speckle pattern. A connector (33) connects the ends of the multimode fibre (26) and single mode fibre (22) with the end faces (31,32) of the two fibres disposed at an acute single to one another. The light from source (14) may be transmitted to the multimode fibre (26) through the single mode fibre (22) and the end of multimode fibre (26) remote from single mode fibre (22) may be mirrored to reflect light back along the multimode fibre to the single mode fibre which transmits the received light to the detector (18). |
| US08358880B2 |
Hybrid coupling structure of the short range plasmon polariton and conventional dielectric waveguide, a coupling structure of the long range plasmon polariton and conventional dielectric waveguide, and applications thereof
The present invention provides a hybrid coupling structure of a short range surface plasmon polariton and a conventional dielectric waveguide, including a dielectric substrate layer, a dielectric waveguide layer positioned on the said dielectric substrate layer, a coupling matching layer positioned on the said dielectric waveguide layer and a short range surface plasmon waveguide portion, formed on the said coupling matching layer, for conducting the short range surface plasmon polariton. The present invention also provides a coupling structure of a long range surface plasmon polariton and a dielectric waveguide, including a dielectric substrate layer, a dielectric waveguide layer, a coupling matching layer and a long range surface plasmon waveguide portion upward from below respectively. |
| US08358877B2 |
Apparatus, process, and program for image encoding
In an image encoding process for encoding data of an inputted image and outputting encoded image data: an image-size condition including image size and target sharpness is stored in an image-size-condition storage; a reduced image of the inputted image having the above image size included in the image-size condition stored in the image-size-condition storage is produced; and the sharpness of the reduced image is calculated. When the calculated sharpness of the reduced image is higher than the target sharpness, the image size included in the image-size condition stored in the image-size-condition storage is reduced, and a further reduced image of the inputted image having the reduced image size is produced. |
| US08358875B2 |
Image display device, image display method, and computer readable medium
An image display device includes: an acceptance unit that accepts image information including at least one character image as a processing object; a detection unit that detects a size of a character included in the accepted image information; an extraction unit that extracts at least one part of the image information as a display object image; a decision unit that decides an enlargement ratio or a reduction ratio based on a size of the character included in the extracted display object image, information on the size of the character detected by the detection unit, and information on a size range for the character; and a display unit that displays the extracted display object image enlarged or reduced at the enlargement ratio or the reduction ratio decided by the decision unit. |
| US08358870B2 |
Image reading apparatus and method for successively reading a plurality of partial images from a relatively moving object
An image reading apparatus includes a fingerprint sensor that acquires a plurality of first images obtained by successively reading the portions of a relatively moving object, an extrapolation section that extrapolates the plurality of first images to generate a plurality of second images obtained by extending the image area of the first image, and a relative position detection section that calculates the relative position between the plurality of images or the plurality of second images based on a plurality of images including at least the plurality of first images or the plurality of second images. |
| US08358869B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method, and a recording medium storing a program for executing the image processing method
An image processing apparatus and method for quickly and effectively reducing noise in images processed by apparatuses having a low hardware specification, and a program for executing the image processing method. The image processing apparatus includes an image dividing unit for obtaining a plurality of first sub-image data items corresponding to a plurality of first sub-images that are obtained by dividing a first image corresponding to first image data, a noise reducing unit for obtaining a plurality of second sub-image data items corresponding to a plurality of second sub-images by reducing noise in the first sub-images from the first sub-image data items that are obtained by the image dividing unit, and an image synthesizing unit for obtaining second image data corresponding to a second image corresponding to the plurality of second sub-images from the plurality of second sub-image data items that are obtained by the noise reducing unit. |
| US08358868B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, image extending apparatus, image compressing apparatus, image transmitting system, and storage medium
Even when an enlarged image is deteriorated due to a block noise or color mixture, the contour in the enlarged image is sharpened and a quality of the image is improved. A contour extracting unit 103 determines a pixel indicating the contour in an interpolation image, using brightness gradient strength and a brightness gradient direction. A contour correcting unit 104 specifies a first isolation pixel isolated by the predetermined distance from each pixel indicating the contour in a brightness gradient direction of the pixel indicating the contour and a second isolation pixel isolated by the predetermined distance from each pixel in a 180°-rotation direction of the brightness gradient direction, for each pixel indicating the contour, corrects colors of the pixels between the pixel indicating the contour and the first isolation pixel with a color of the first isolation pixel, and corrects the colors of the pixels whose colors are not corrected with the color of the first isolation pixel among the pixels between the first isolation pixel and the second isolation pixel with a color of the second isolation pixel. |
| US08358866B2 |
Method and system for increasing signal-to-noise ratio
Methods and systems for increasing the signal-to-noise ratio for satellite sensor data or signals, such as hyperspectral imageries (also referred to as datacubes due to their 3-dimensional nature). This is done by reducing the noise in the data or signals by first elevating the noise level temporarily for effective denoising. The denoising process is then performed in this condition and the noise level is then reversibly de-elevated after denoising. The denoising process comprises noise removal in both the spectral and the spatial domains. Once the denoising process is complete, the data is converted back from the spectral and spatial domains. Since this reconstruction process introduces errors, these errors are compensated for using the components from both the original data and denoised data filtered by the low pass filters. |
| US08358864B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive image data of program content and genre information relating to the program content, a selection unit configured to select a size selection parameter for causing the genre information received by the receiving unit to be reflected in a block size, a determination unit configured to determine a block size in accordance with the size selection parameter selected by the selection unit, the block size being used for orthogonal transformation, and an orthogonal transformation unit configured to perform orthogonal transformation on the image data received by the receiving unit at the block size determined by the determination unit. |
| US08358862B2 |
Image signal processing apparatus, image signal processing method, prediction coefficient generating apparatus, prediction coefficient generating method, and programs for causing computer to execute the methods
An image signal processing apparatus includes: a block division unit inputting an image signal encoded by orthogonal transformation and dividing the image signal into second blocks different from first blocks encoded using the orthogonal transformation; an activity calculation unit calculating an activity of each second block; a re-encoding unit encoding the second blocks using the orthogonal transformation; a re-encoded difference calculation unit calculating difference values between the second blocks and the first blocks; a class determination unit determining a class of each second block on the basis of a distribution of the difference value and the activity; a prediction coefficient generating unit generating a prediction coefficient corresponding to each class; a prediction tap construction unit constructing a prediction tap for calculating a target pixel in each second block; and a predictive operation unit operating the prediction tap and the prediction coefficient to calculate a pixel value of each target pixel. |
| US08358861B2 |
Image compression device and image decompression device
A compression device using a prediction coding method performs a prediction for one line in an image to be compressed by using each of a plurality of the same types of predictors as plural types of predictors, and determines one quantizer out of plural types of quantizers based on a prediction error amount of a predictor having the smallest prediction error. It also performs a prediction for a prescribed pixel block in the one line, and identifies one predictor out of the plural types of predictors based on a type of a predictor having the smallest prediction error. Then, it compresses data of the prescribed pixel block by using the identified predictor and the determined quantizer. A decompression device decompresses the compressed image data to generate the image to be compressed by using an inverse quantizer corresponding to the determined quantizer and the identified predictor. |
| US08358858B2 |
Matrix compression arrangements
This invention relates to utilizing image compression and reconstruction algorithms for transmission and reception of data that can be represented as a numerical matrix or a sequence of numerical matrices in bandwidth limited channels. The method and algorithms described herein may reduce data size to such an extent that data that was considered too large to be practically transmitted in a useful time frame can be transmitted in real or near real time. The algorithms can be applied to data communications for a variety of sensor, electronic and information systems. |
| US08358856B2 |
Semantic event detection for digital content records
A system and method for semantic event detection in digital image content records is provided in which an event-level “Bag-of-Features” (BOF) representation is used to model events, and generic semantic events are detected in a concept space instead of an original low-level visual feature space based on the BOF representation. |
| US08358855B2 |
Determining probabilities from compared covariance appearance models to detect objects of interest in images
Methods and apparatus are provided for recognizing particular objects of interest in a captured image. One or more salient features that are correlative to an object of interest are detected within a captured image. The captured image is segmented into one or more regions of interest that include a detected salient feature. A covariance appearance model is generated for each of the one or more regions of interest, and first and second comparisons are conducted. The first comparisons comprise comparing each of the generated covariance appearance models to a plurality of stored covariance appearance models, and the second comparisons comprise comparing each of the generated covariance appearance models to each of the other generated covariance appearance model. Based on the first and second comparisons, a determination is made as to whether each of the one or more detected salient features is a particular object of interest. |
| US08358854B2 |
Search skip region setting function generation method, search skip region setting method, and object search method
According to one embodiment, a search skip region setting function generation method includes associating, detecting, and generating. The associating associates a template used to search a model image for an object with a designated search point on the model image, and detects a designated search point similarity between the designated search point and the template. When the designated search point similarity exceeds an object detection determination threshold, the detecting detects surrounding search point similarities between a plurality of surrounding search points around the designated search point on the model image and the template. The generating generates a function required to set a search skip region of the object based on relative positions between the object and the template, which are estimated based on a distribution of the surrounding search point similarities. |
| US08358851B2 |
Digital image analyzing method and related computer program product
A computer program product capable of enabling a computer to perform a digital image analyzing operation, wherein the digital image analyzing operation comprises: receiving settings of a plurality of lines corresponding to one or more image edges of a digital image; and identifying a plurality of intersections of the plurality of lines and the one or more image edges of the digital image. |
| US08358848B2 |
Image recognition device, copy apparatus and image recognition method
An image recognition device of the invention includes an image reading means for reading image information from a manuscript, discriminating a specific image in which a surrounded image is surrounded by a surrounding image from the image information. The image recognition device includes a first determination means for determining whether the surrounding image is included in the image information or not and a second determination means for determining whether there is the specific image in the image information or not by extracting n×n images to be processed by dividing an extraction region positioned at the center of the surrounding image into n×n regions (“n” is an odd-number of three or more) when the first determination means determines that the surrounding image is included in the image information, then, by checking respective images to be processed with a specific image template. |
| US08358845B2 |
Method for labeling connected components and computer system using the method
A method for labeling connected components and a computer system using the method are provided. With the method, during a process of scanning an image for the first time, each object pixel in the image is assigned a temporary label, and a relationship between each temporary label and a representative label is established after the completion of the process of scanning the image for the first time. Thereafter, the temporary label of each object pixel is replaced by the corresponding representative label during a process of scanning the image for the second time. As a result, the labeling of the connected components can be accomplished by only scanning the image twice such that the efficiency of labeling the connected components can be significantly improved. |
| US08358842B2 |
Electronic device with function of separating panels of digital comic strip and method thereof
An electronic device with a function of separating panels from a comic strip includes an input unit, a storage unit for storing comic strips, and a processing unit. Each comic strip includes a frame, a number of panels within the frame, and a number of borders separating the panels. The processing unit includes a comic strip acquiring module, a frame identifying module, a border identifying module, a panel separating module and a sorting module. The comic strip acquiring module acquires a comic strip. The frame identifying module identifies the frame. The border identifying module identifies whether there are first borders around the panels within the identified frame. The panel separating module separates the number of panels from the acquired comic strip according to the identified first borders. The sorting module sorts the panels. |
| US08358841B2 |
Foreground/background separation in digital images
A method for providing improved foreground/background separation in a digital image of a scene is disclosed. The method comprises providing a first map comprising one or more regions provisionally defined as one of foreground or background within the digital image; and providing a subject profile corresponding to a region of interest of the digital image. The provisionally defined regions are compared with the subject profile to determine if any of the regions intersect with the profile region. The definition of one or more of the regions in the map is changed based on the comparison. |
| US08358836B2 |
Specific color detection applicator
A specific color detection circuit shows an RGB input pixel and an RGB color signal to be detected in a three-dimensional coordinate, calculates a first distance from an origin to a foot of a perpendicular drawn from the coordinate of the RGB input pixel to a straight line connecting the origin and the coordinate of the RGB color signal or a coordinate with the same RGB ratio as the signal and a second distance from the coordinate of the input pixel to the foot, and detects a hue of a signal of the input pixel. The circuit generates a detection region in a color-difference direction according to the first distance and the hue, calculates a third distance based on the first distance for the detection region and judges the input pixel as being in a predetermined color detection region when the third distance is longer than the second distance. |
| US08358834B2 |
Background model for complex and dynamic scenes
Techniques are disclosed for learning and modeling a background for a complex and/or dynamic scene over a period of observations without supervision. A background/foreground component of a computer vision engine may be configured to model a scene using an array of ART networks. The ART networks learn the regularity and periodicity of the scene by observing the scene over a period of time. Thus, the ART networks allow the computer vision engine to model complex and dynamic scene backgrounds in video. |
| US08358832B2 |
High accuracy beam placement for local area navigation
An improved method of high accuracy beam placement for local area navigation in the field of semiconductor chip manufacturing. This invention demonstrates a method where high accuracy navigation to the site of interest within a relatively large local area (e.g. an area 200 μm×200 μm) is possible even where the stage/navigation system is not normally capable of such high accuracy navigation. The combination of large area, high-resolution scanning, digital zoom and registration of the image to an idealized coordinate system enables navigation around a local area without relying on stage movements. Once the image is acquired any sample or beam drift will not affect the alignment. Preferred embodiments thus allow accurate navigation to a site on a sample with sub-100 nm accuracy, even without a high-accuracy stage/navigation system. |
| US08358822B2 |
Automatic determination of field of view in cardiac MRI
A method for automatically determining a field of view for performing a subsequent medical imaging study includes acquiring one or more preliminary images. A body mask is generated by thresholding the preliminary images and identifying a largest connected component. A boundary mask is obtained from the boundary of the generated body mask. A rectangular bounding box is fit to the obtained boundary mask. The rectangular bounding box is used as a field of view for performing a subsequent medical imaging study. |
| US08358820B2 |
Modifying software to cope with changing machinery
A method for adapting a detection algorithm developed for usage with data generated by a first system to data generated with a second system, the algorithm for fail safe diagnosis of irregularities including a first procedure of detecting irregularities with minimal type I errors and a second procedure of filtering out type II errors; the data generated including values for selected features characterizing the irregularities; the method including applying an intermediate step of linearly transposing the values of each selected feature generated by the first procedure, prior to applying the second procedure to those values. |
| US08358819B2 |
System and methods for image segmentation in N-dimensional space
A system and methods for the efficient segmentation of globally optimal surfaces representing object boundaries in volumetric datasets is provided. An optical surface detection system and methods are provided that are capable of simultaneously detecting multiple interacting surfaces in which the optimality is controlled by the cost functions designed for individual surfaces and by several geometric constraints defining the surface smoothness and interrelations. The graph search applications use objective functions that incorporate non-uniform cost terms such as “on-surface” costs as well as “in-region” costs. |
| US08358817B2 |
Systems and methods for fingerprint matching based on transforming the deformable mesh
A fingerprint matching system includes a first minutiae obtaining unit and a second minutiae obtaining unit adapted to obtain minutiae information of first and second fingerprints. On the minutiae of the first fingerprint, a deformable mesh is constructed by a mesh construction unit, and a mesh transformation unit is used to transform a state of the deformable mesh, thereby obtaining a distortion-compensated first fingerprint. Based on the distortion-compensated first fingerprint, a matching determination unit determines whether the first fingerprint matches the second fingerprint or not. |
| US08358815B2 |
Method and apparatus for two-dimensional finger motion tracking and control
Enhanced accuracy finger position and motion sensors devices, algorithms, and methods are disclosed that can be used in a variety of different applications. The sensors can be used in conjunction with partial fingerprint imagers to produce improved fingerprint scanners. The finger motion sensors may also be used (either with or without a partial fingerprint imager) to control electronic devices. When several of these finger motion and position sensors are aligned in different directions, finger motion over a two dimensional surface may be detected. This creates a finger controlled “mouse” computer input device. Motion of a finger along the surface of such sensors may allow a user to control the movement of an indicator on a display screen, and control a microprocessor device. Such techniques are particularly useful for small space constrained devices, such as cell phones, smart cards, music players, portable computers, personal digital accessories, and the like. |
| US08358814B2 |
Pattern information registration device, pattern information registration method, pattern information registration program and pattern collation system
A pattern information registration device for selecting and registering pattern information data as an object for determination of registration for use in pattern collation includes unit which forms arbitrary pattern information data having a feature point of the same number as pattern information data of an object for determination, unit which calculates an identification accuracy value indicative of the degree of coincidence between the pattern information data as an object for determination and the arbitrary pattern information data and determines whether the pattern information data as an object for determination is adequate or not based on the identification accuracy value. |
| US08358812B2 |
Image Preprocessing
A method performed by a software process executing on a computer system includes selecting a first set of pixels in a digital image in the RGB color space. The pixels are selected such that, for each pixel in the set, a red component is a highest value component and a blue component is a lowest value component. The method also includes identifying at least a subset of the first set as a region of orange hue in the digital image. |
| US08358810B2 |
Digital terrain mapping with GPS and laser system
This invention concerns digital terrain mapping, and in particular a method for producing digital terrain maps of the vicinity around large rotating machinery, such as draglines, shovels, excavators, wheel loaders or cranes. The method involves the following steps: Mounting a 2-Dimensions laser scanner and a high-accuracy RTK GPS system to an item of large rotating machinery, at a radial extremity of the machinery. Arranging the laser scanner to record radial lines of data representing the terrain below the extremity of the machinery. Rotating the machinery completely about its axis of rotation and generating data from both the laser scanner and GPS system that represents the terrain around the machinery. Wherein, a calibration is conducted by recording data from markers at known locations in the terrain below the extremity of the machinery to determine the relative positions of the laser scanner centre and the GPS antenna, the orientation of the laser scanner and the time lag between the data generated from both the laser scanner and the GPS system. In a further aspect the invention concerns equipment for use in the method and software. |
| US08358805B2 |
System having a layered architecture for constructing a dynamic social network from image data
A system having a layered architecture for constructing dynamic social network from image data of actors and events. It may have a low layer for capturing raw data and identifying actors and events. The system may have a middle layer that receives actor and event information from the low layer and puts it in to a two dimensional matrix. A high layer of the system may add weighted relationship information to the matrix to form the basis for constructing a social network. The system may have a sliding window thus making the social network dynamic. |
| US08358799B1 |
Ambient noise isolation audio headphones having a layered dampening structure
An audio headphone apparatus having ambient noise isolation properties for musicians and sound engineers which allows a user to substantially attenuate ambient noise levels and focus on the electronic audio presented to the headphones. The apparatus utilizes a unique layering of absorber materials with unique geometric shapes which in combination highly attenuate external ambient acoustic energy and control undesirable “boomy” bass response. The apparatus further has a jack adapter holder which retains a ¼ inch adapter for use with an external plug on the headphones. |
| US08358788B2 |
Noise cancellation for microphone-speaker combinations using combined speaker amplifier and reference sensing
An audio host device has a connector having a speaker contact, a microphone contact, and a reference contact. The reference contact is shared by a microphone and a speaker. The reference contact is also directly coupled to a power return plane of the audio host device. A difference amplifier is provided, having a first cold input, a second cold input, and hot input. The first cold input is coupled to an output of the speaker amplifier, while the second cold input is coupled a sense point for the reference contact. The hot input is coupled to the microphone contact. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08358783B2 |
Secure wiegand communications
The present invention is directed toward secure access systems. Specifically, a method and system is provided that enhances the security of unidirectional communication protocols used in access control systems, such as the Wiegand protocol. The enhancements may include obfuscation of data, a two-way packet-mode communications, and blind synchronization of pseudo-random number generators. |
| US08358782B2 |
Method for displaying a video of a scene
Method of displaying a video of a scene onto a display with enhanced image quality, the video of the scene having first subframes and second subframes wherein the first subframes correspond to a first region of an image-presentation element of the display and the second subframes correspond to a second region of the image-presentation element; and selecting an access key corresponding to the first subframes. The method further includes encoding the access key into one or more of the second subframes; providing the second subframes to the display using a first data transport; the display, decoding the access key and receiving the corresponding first subframes using a second data transport different from the first data transport; and selectively providing the first and second subframes from the first and second data transports to corresponding regions in the image-presentation element of the display, whereby the displayed image has enhanced image quality. |
| US08358781B2 |
Nonlinear feedback mode for block ciphers
Plain text, a secret key and a primitive polynomial that defines a finite field of even characteristic are received. The plain text is divided into a plurality of plain text blocks. For each plain text block of the plurality of plain text blocks other than a first plain text block, the plain text block is multiplied by a preceding cipher text block over the finite field of even characteristic, modulo the primitive polynomial, to generate an intermediate block, wherein the preceding cipher text block was generated from a preceding plain text block. Each intermediate block is processed by a block cipher using the secret key to generate a subsequent cipher text block. The block cipher operates in a nonlinear feedback mode of operation. |
| US08358780B2 |
Execution unit for performing the data encryption standard
Described is an execution unit for performing at least part of the Data Encryption Standard that includes a Left Half input; a Key input; and a Table input, as well as a first group of transistors configured to receive the Table input, perform a table look-up, and output data. The execution unit further includes a first exclusive-or operator having two inputs and an output that is configured to receive the Left Half input and the Key input. The execution unit also includes a second exclusive-or operator having two inputs and an output that is configured to receive the data output by the first group of transistors and to receive the output of the first exclusive-or operator. The execution unit also includes a third exclusive-or operator having two inputs and an output that is configured to receive the Left Half input and the data output by the first group of transistors. |
| US08358774B2 |
Enterprise-wide occupancy based routing
A method and apparatus are provided for routing a contact with a client to one of a plurality of automatic contact distributors, each having a plurality of agents, by a network router. The method includes the step of determining by each automatic contact distributor of the plurality of automatic contact distributors a largest relative difference between a target occupancy and actual occupancy of each agent among the plurality of agents of the automatic contact distributor and for each contact type processed by the automatic contact distributor. The method further includes the steps of each of the plurality of automatic contact distributors transferring a value of the determined, largest relative difference for each contact type to the network router, the network router detecting a contact, the network router determining a contact type of the detected contact and the network router routing the detected contact to an automatic contact distributor of the plurality of automatic contact distributors that provided a largest relative difference for the determined contact type among the plurality of automatic contact distributors. |
| US08358773B2 |
Apparatus and method for executing agent
Systems for executing a number of agents in a multiagent system are presented including: an agent executing apparatus for managing a number of active agents and for controlling activities associated with the number of active agents such that the number of active agents are cooperatively processed, where the agent executing apparatus is configured to provide an intra-transaction message mechanism and an out-of-transaction message mechanism; a cache for temporarily storing the number of active agents, where the number of active agents include a first active agent in a committed transaction and a second active agent in an uncommitted transaction; a permanent storage device for storing the number of agents before the number of agents enter a running state. |
| US08358771B1 |
System and method for managing customer communications over communication channels
A system and method for managing customer communications over communication channels are disclosed. A method may include (1) determining a contact mode for contacting a customer based on at least one of a campaign strategy, a customer account attribute, a phone number attribute, a previous contact outcome, a previous call outcome, an email address attribute, a time of day, a customer contact preference, a customer availability, and a customer contact consent; (2) initiating contact with the customer; and (3) interacting with the customer. A system may include a database comprising contact data including at least one of a campaign strategy, a customer account attribute, a phone number attribute, a previous contact outcome, a previous call outcome, a customer contact preference, a customer availability, and a customer contact consent; a computer processor executing a communication manager, the communication manger determining a contact mode for contacting a customer on a communication channel selected from the group consisting of a telephone, a cellular phone, an email, a text message, a chat, a facsimile, and a social networking site. The communication manager may select a communication channel based on the contact data; and the contact system may contact the customer using the selected communication channel. |
| US08358767B2 |
System and method for efficient call management for directory assistance services
A communication assistance system includes a first database having a plurality of listings, each listings has at least one contact name and a corresponding contact number. A means is provided for receiving communications from a user among a plurality of users desiring to access the listings. An operator terminal displays a search screen among a plurality of search screens, each of which maintain at least a partially different arrangement of content and search windows for receiving search terms to search for listings contained in the first database, where the displayed search screen is determined based on criteria contained in a search request from the user. The operator terminal is further configured to receive the communication from the user and retrieve a listing from the first database using the displayed search screen. |
| US08358764B1 |
Method and apparatus for automatically scheduling a telephone connection
A method and apparatus are provided for automatically scheduling or rescheduling a voice connection (e.g., a telephone call) when one attempt to establish the connection fails. A recipient of a call fails to answer the call, but instead of the caller only having the option of leaving a voicemail message, he or his communication device (e.g., a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant) automatically issues a separate communication toward the recipient's communication device indicating a time at which the caller will be available to receive a return call from the recipient of the attempted call. Alternatively, or in addition to this separate communication, the recipient's communication device may issue another separate communication toward the caller's communication device, to identify a time at which the recipient is expected to be available to receive a later call attempt. |
| US08358763B2 |
Camping on a conference or telephony port
In one embodiment, a scheduling/conferencing system provides a user with the ability to set up a camp-on request for a person invited to attend a conference session in response to one or more selections made by the user via a user interface, which may include a name of the person and a specified action to be taken when the person leaves the conference session. During the conference session, a conference port of the person is camped-on. When the person leaves the conference session and his conference port becomes free, the specified action, which includes an attempt to communicate with the person by the user, is executed. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. |
| US08358762B1 |
Conference calls and meetings via electronic messaging interface
Initiating a conference call includes receiving a conference call request message from an initiating user specifying a plurality of other users and determining an availability of the other users to receive conference call invitations. A conference call is initiated between the initiating user and one or more of the other users that are determined to be available. The availability of one or more of the other users determined to be unavailable is monitored and interaction with a conference call invitation by one or more of the other users determined to be unavailable is enabled upon their monitored availability changing from unavailable to available. The interaction with the conference call invitation by the other users is conditioned on whether the conference call is still in progress. |
| US08358759B2 |
Biometric identification in communication
A method is provided for identifying a calling party to a called party utilizing biometric information. Biometric information of first calling party is received. If stored, a calling party profile is retrieved based on first calling party biometric information. A call is placed to a called party. The first calling party profile is provided to called party. A biometric information change from first calling party biometric information to a second calling party biometric information is automatically detected, and it is determined whether the second party biometric information is stored. If stored, a second calling party profile of second calling party is retrieved and is provided to called party. Responsive to determining that the biometric information for second calling party is not stored, the called party is notified that the second calling party is communicating and the second calling party profile is automatically created based on second calling party biometric information. |
| US08358758B2 |
Familiarization augmentation system and technology (FAST) dialer
The present invention relates to the field of telecommunications. More particularly, to an apparatus that would allow callers to time-share telephone, telecommunication or communication lines in order to truthfully vary the telephone line from which they are calling parties through the Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN). The system would allow customers to manage the identity of their calls in ways that would maximize the probability that a called party would answer. |
| US08358757B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a customer premise based communication system
A method and an apparatus for providing a customer premise based feature. For example, the method receives a call directed to a customer, wherein the call is associated with a customer premise based feature. The method then forwards the call to a customer premise based communication system located at a location of the customer, wherein the customer premise based feature is implemented locally by the customer premise based communication system. |
| US08358755B1 |
Preventing undesired voicemails
Methods are provided for preventing the delivery of undesired voicemails, which may occur when a voicemail is being left for a given user, and the given user calls back the user currently leaving the voicemail. An incoming call is received while a communications device is facilitating a recording of the voicemail. A voicemail system is instructed to prevent the voicemail from being delivered and also to terminate a suspended call corresponding to the recording of the voicemail. The incoming call is connected. |
| US08358749B2 |
System and method to search a media content database based on voice input data
A computer implemented method includes initiating a call from an interactive voice response (IVR) system to a first device associated with a user in response to a user request. The computer implemented method includes receiving voice input data at the IVR system via the call. The computer implemented method also includes performing a search of a media content database based at least partially on the voice input data. The computer implemented method further includes sending search results identifying media content items based on the search of the media content database to a second device associated with the user. |
| US08358748B2 |
Method and apparatus for navigation of a dialogue system
In one embodiment, the present disclosure is a method and apparatus for navigation of a dialogue system. In one embodiment, a method for facilitating navigation of a menu of a dialogue system includes encoding data including information for navigating the menu in a machine-readable data structure and outputting the machine-readable data structure. |
| US08358746B2 |
Method and apparatus for unified interface for heterogeneous session management
Methods, devices and systems for sharing content as part of a voice telephony session are provided. More specifically, content can be added to a voice communication session by selecting, dragging, and dropping a representation of that content onto a representation of the voice communication session. Where the selected content comprises an audio file, that content is played over the voice communication channel. Where the selected content comprises text, the text is converted to speech, and then played over the voice communication channel. |
| US08358745B2 |
Recording identity data to enable on demand services in a communications system
Recording identity data enables telecomm system to provide on-demand services such as Record-ON (RCD), index, bookmark, transcribe, translate and supplement the recording. Party identity uses sender metadata in telecomm data packets. At log-in the station assigns on-demand command (CMD) control tokens and control transfer tokens to each party based on the party's profile. One party has RCD-CMD enabled and, if both parties have a RCD-CMD Transfer Token, parties can transfer RCD-CMD to all. In the absence of RCD-CMD or Transfer, a party cannot activate On-Demand services nor accept control CMD tokens. A call table-database links sender metadata and CMD permissions. |
| US08358743B2 |
Method and device for determining the leakage resistance of at least one wire of a subscriber line having a number of wires in a communication network
While determining a leak resistance of a subscriber connection line provided, for example, with two wires in a communication network, a capacitor connected between two said wires is discharged prior to measuring leakage currents. For this purpose, prior to be connected to a high resistance of the other wire, the measurable wire and the other mentioned wire are supplied with a constantly falling and increasing voltage. For that, the final value of said tensions is determined in such a way that, when the connection to the high resistance of the other wire is produced, the voltage of said wire is equal to 0 volt. The leakage current is measured only when the discharge process is over, thereby making it possible to avoid an incorrect measurement caused by a current coming from the capacitor. |
| US08358741B2 |
Device and method to control an electron beam for the generation of x-ray radiation, in an x-ray tube
A device to control an electron beam for the generation of x-ray radiation, has an electron emitter to generate an electron beam, to which emitter an emitter voltage can be applied, a diaphragm, at least two control elements associated with the diaphragm to affect the electron beam, and switching arrangement with which at least two different electrical voltages can be applied to the at least two control elements. The same electrical voltage is applied to each of the at least two control elements. Upon switching the voltage, an electrical circuit that delays the setting of the respective voltage at the one control element is associated with the connection line of the one control element with the switching arrangement to switch over the voltage. The invention moreover concerns an operating method for the device and an x-ray tube provided with the device. |
| US08358740B2 |
Radiographic image capturing system
A radiographic image capturing system includes a radiographic image capture device, a radiation irradiation device, and a control device. The radiographic image capture device is capable of wired and wireless communications, and is capable of fluoroscopic imaging in which radiographic images are successively captured at notified synchronization timings or at a predetermined frame rate. The radiation irradiation device irradiates radiation toward the radiographic image capture device during fluoroscopic imaging, with continuous irradiation or pulse irradiation. The control device includes a wireless communication unit, a wired communication unit, and a controller that, if communication with the radiographic image capture device is performed by the wireless communication unit, prohibits fluoroscopic imaging with pulse irradiation in which the synchronization timings are notified to the radiographic image capture device and radiation is irradiated from the radiation irradiation device in pulses matching the notified synchronization timings. |
| US08358739B2 |
Systems and methods for temporal multiplexing X-ray imaging
The present subject matter relates to systems and methods for temporal multiplexing x-ray imaging of dynamic objects with high temporal resolution and fast imaging speed. A pulsed x-ray beam can irradiate an object undergoing a range of motion such as a cyclic motion. Multiple x-ray images can be acquired at different phases within a single motion cycle or range of the object. The multiple x-ray images can be demultiplexed to produce an individual phase image. Compared to sequential imaging, temporal multiplexing x-ray imaging can achieve high temporal resolution of dynamics object in multiple phases with imaging time comparable to that of a single phase. Temporal multiplexing x-ray imaging can thus be applied to a wide variety of applications, including biomedical imaging and industrial non-destructive testing. |
| US08358736B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer-readable medium analyzing components using X-ray
Provided is an apparatus, method and computer-readable medium analyzing components using an X-ray. The apparatus, method and computer-readable medium may photograph an object using an X-ray of at least two energy bands to output X-ray images, predict a component ratio of the object using the X-ray images, calculate a length of the object for each of the at least two energy bands using an intensity of the X-ray images, when the object is configured in the predicted component ratio, and verify whether an error in the component ratio occurs by comparing the lengths of the object calculated for each of the at least two energy bands. |
| US08358734B2 |
X-ray computerized tomography apparatus, breathing indication apparatus and medical imaging apparatus
An X-ray computed tomographic apparatus includes a gantry 100 including an X-ray tube 101 which generates X-rays and an X-ray detector 103 which detects X-rays transmitted through a subject to be examined, a reconstruction device 114 which generates tomogram data on the basis of an output from the X-ray detector, a breath detector 203 which detects a respiration waveform representing a temporal change in respiration index value associated with the subject, a regular respiration waveform generating unit 207 which generates a respiration waveform with a regular respiration cycle which originates from the detected respiration waveform, and a gantry mount display 201 which displays the generated regular respiration waveform. |
| US08358733B2 |
Helically fluted tubular fuel rod support
A support grid for a nuclear fuel assembly, the fuel rod assembly having a generally cylindrical fuel rod with a diameter, wherein the support grid includes a frame assembly having a plurality of outer straps and a plurality of helical frame members. The helical frame members have a contact portion structured to contact an adjacent helical frame member and at least one helical fuel rod contact portion with a lesser diameter. The lesser diameter is generally equivalent to the fuel rod diameter such that a fuel rod disposed in the helical frame member would engage the inner helical frame member at helical fuel rod contact portion. The helical frame members are coupled to each other at the contact portions thereby forming a grid. The plurality of outer straps are disposed about the perimeter of the helical frame members. |
| US08358732B2 |
Core catcher, manufacturing method thereof, reactor containment vessel and manufacturing method thereof
Core debris generated during a molten reactor core in a reactor containment vessel penetrating the reactor containment vessel is configured to be caught by a core catcher located beneath the reactor containment vessel which has a main body having first stage cooling water channels and second stage surrounded by cooling fins extending radially. The number of the second stage cooling channels is larger than that of the first stage cooling channels. Cooling water is supplied from a cooling water injection opening and distributed to the first cooling water channels at a distributor. An intermediate header is formed between the first and the second cooling water channels, and the cooling water is distributed to the second cooling water channels uniformly. |
| US08358731B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting and classifying explosives and controlled substances
A system for detecting and classifying small amounts of explosives and other controlled substances while rejecting confounders, including a source/detector array formed of a plurality of sources and a plurality of detectors, a signal processor coupled to the source/detector array for processing data received from the detectors, a classifier coupled to the signal processor for classifying data received from the signal processor according to a plurality of algorithms, a maximal rejection classifier coupled to the classifier; and a declarative decision module coupled to the maximal rejection classifier for rendering an accurate decision regarding the contents of the object is provided. The apparatus includes an enclosure, a shield layer disposed within the enclosure, a cavity disposed within the shield layer, a plurality of neutron sources and a detection array disposed within the cavity, and a transport mechanism for moving objects through the cavity past the sources and detection array. The cavity has one or more turns which preclude a straight line trajectory through the cavity. The shield layer is water-filled to prevent stray radiation from exiting the enclosure. The use of multiple lower power neutron sources and the particular geometry of the enclosure provide a compact, relatively lightweight explosive detection system which is practical for use in airports and other public locations. |
| US08358727B2 |
Wireless apparatus
The present invention has an object to provide a wireless apparatus which is capable of correctly sampling a waveform of a pulse even when a shape of the pulse is varied.A synchronizing apparatus for causing an input signal to be synchronized with a clock signal is equipped with sampling unit 102, 103, and delay control unit 112. The sampling unit 102 and 103 sample the input signal at first sampling timing and second sampling timing, which are separated from each other in a predetermined time interval. The delay control unit 112 shifts both the first and second sampling timing during synchronous pull-in operation, and also, narrows the interval between said first and second sampling timing during synchronous follow-up operation. A synchronous status judging unit 105 judges whether or not the input signal is synchronized with the clock signal based upon a phase error amount outputted from a phase error calculating unit 104, and outputs the synchronous status to a delay amount control unit 106. The delay amount control unit 106 controls to increase/decrease delay amounts which have been presently set in variable delay devices 107 and 108 based upon the phase error amount outputted from the phase error calculating unit 104 and the synchronous status outputted from the synchronous status judging unit 105. |
| US08358721B2 |
Mobile communication system and wireless device
A base station transmits a control channel transmitted before information channels upon performing differential coding between control channels of adjacent frequencies. A terminal apparatus performs transmission path estimation on the basis of a pilot while decoding the control channel having undergone the differential coding. The information channels are decoded on the basis of information obtained by decoding the control channel and a transmission path estimation result on the pilot. |
| US08358717B2 |
Device and method for binary phase shift key demodulator using phase shifter
Disclosed is a binary phase shift key (BPSK) demodulating device using a phase shifter and a method thereof. The BPSK demodulating device includes an I signal generator to generate an in-phase (I) signal from a received BPSK signal, a Q signal generator to generate a quadrature-phase (Q) signal from the received BPSK signal, using a plurality of phase shifters, an oscillator to generate a first signal to separate a baseband signal, and a determining unit to determine a transmission phase angle based on the I signal and the Q signal. |
| US08358715B2 |
System and method for quasi-orthogonal space-time block coding
The present invention relates to a quasi-orthogonal space-time block coding system and method. The system does not become particularly complicated since the encoding rate is given as 1 and it is possible to decode the encoded signal by using a simple linear algorithm, and system performance is increased since there is no interference component of an adjacent signal in the estimated signal. |
| US08358714B2 |
Coding and modulation for multiple data streams in a communication system
Techniques for transmitting multiple data streams to a single receiver using a single code rate and different modulation schemes are described. Channel estimates are determined for the multiple data streams and used to select a single code rate and multiple modulation schemes for the multiple data streams. The system may support a set of code rates, and each code rate may be associated with a respective set of modulation schemes that may be used with that code rate. The single code rate for all data streams is selected from among the set of supported code rates, and the modulation scheme for each data stream is selected from among the set of modulation schemes associated with the single code rate. The multiple data streams are encoded in accordance with the single code rate. Each data stream is further modulated in accordance with the modulation scheme selected for that stream. |
| US08358713B2 |
High throughput and low latency map decoder
In digital communication systems forward error correction coding techniques are typically used to improve the bit error rate performance. The receiver of the digital communication systems employs a decoding apparatus which may use Maximum A posteriori Probability (MAP) algorithm and its variations such as Logarithmic-MAP (Log-MAP), Maximum-Logarithmic-MAP (Max-Log-MAP). MAP decoding apparatus is commonly used as a key component in of decoder for error correcting codes such as convolutional codes and turbo codes. The MAP decoding apparatus computes likelihood estimates as the output. The present invention performs faster MAP decoding by computing likelihood estimates in parallel. |
| US08358711B2 |
Circuit arrangement for reducing a crest factor, and method for reducing a signal dynamic range
To reduce the crest factor of a total signal, the signal dynamic range is corrected in baseband upstream of the interpolation filters. To this end, provision is made for the input of a correction device to be coupled to at least two signal sources which are designed to provide digital signals on different frequency bands. The correction device is designed to determine correction factors from the digital signals applied to the input and use them to alter the respective digital signals. The output of the correction device is coupled to a first and at least one second interpolation filter. This allows reduction of the signal dynamic range in baseband, which reduces the crest factor without having to accept substantial losses in signal quality. |
| US08358707B2 |
Apparatus and method for ultra wide band communication based on multi-coded bi-orthogonal pulse position modulation
Provided is a communication system for ultra wide band impulse communication, and more particularly, to a communication apparatus and method that can be used in a sensor network or a low-rate wireless personal area network. To be more specific, the present research suggests a transmitter employing multi-coded bi-orthogonal pulse position modulation/demodulation and a method thereof. The transmitter of the present research provides: a serial-to-parallel converter for convening L-bit serial data to be transmitted into parallel data by performing grouping on the L-bit serial data; a multi-coder for generating a multi-coded symbol by multiplying the parallel data by total L orthogonal codes of length Ns; a bi-orthogonal pulse position modulator for positioning the multi-coded symbol in a predetermined pulse period and performing biorthogonal pulse position modulation; and a pulse generator for multiplying an output signal of the bi-orthogonal pulse position modulator by a predetermined pulse and outputting an output signal. |
| US08358706B2 |
Apparatus and system to multiplex data on a plurality of digital frame images into data on one frame and to encode and transmit the data
An image transmitting apparatus includes input terminals, first frame buffers corresponding to the input terminals, a write controlling portion, a read clock generating portion, a read controlling portion, an image compressing portion, and an image transmitting portion. The image transmitting apparatus inputs data on digital frame images of one frame captured with video cameras and synchronous signals synchronized with the data on the digital frame images, respectively, within a predetermined period of time; processes the data including multiplexing and compressing the data; and outputs the data on the digital frame images encoded by the image compressing portion. |
| US08358705B2 |
Transmission of multimedia streams to mobile devices with uncoded transport tunneling
A system and method for wirelessly transmitting audiovisual information. First audiovisual information may be encoded using a first error correction coding method. A plurality of packets may be generated, including the first audiovisual information, second audiovisual information, and control information. The second audiovisual information may not be encoded using the first error correction coding method, and the control information may indicate this. The plurality of packets may be wirelessly transmitted. The control information may be usable by a receiver to determine that the second audiovisual information is not encoded using the first error correction coding method, and may thereby determine that the second audiovisual information is a different service version than the first audiovisual information. |
| US08358700B2 |
Video coding apparatus and method for supporting arbitrary-sized regions-of-interest
A computer readable storage medium has executable instructions to select a plurality of macroblocks in a video sequence to be coded as anchor macroblocks, the anchor macroblocks distributed across the video sequence and facilitating random access decoding of a portion of the video sequence. The video sequence is coded into a bit stream. Auxiliary information associated with the anchor macroblocks is generated. The auxiliary information associated with the anchor macroblocks is inserted in a supplementary section of the bit stream. |
| US08358698B2 |
Method and device for motion vector estimation in video transcoding using full-resolution residuals
A transcoder and method of transcoding in which inter-prediction frames of a downsampled video are encoded using downsampled full-resolution residuals in the rate-distortion analysis used to locate a motion vector for a given partition in the downsampled video. |
| US08358695B2 |
Methods and apparatus for providing a scalable motion estimation/compensation assist function within an array processor
An apparatus is described for attaching a motion search hardware assist unit to a processing element and its local memory. A current macro block storage unit is attached to a local memory interface unit for storage of a copy of a current macro block from the local memory. A search window reference storage unit having N rows is attached to a local memory interface unit for storage of a copy of N rows of pixels from a search window from the local memory. N independent arithmetic pipelines are attached to the current macro block storage unit and the search window reference storage. Each pipeline operates on one of the N rows of the search window reference storage unit and a corresponding row of the current macro block of the current macro block storage unit. An accumulator is attached to the N independent pipelines to accumulate results from the N arithmetic pipelines, to produce independent results for different organizations of macro blocks. |
| US08358690B2 |
Predictive adaptive coding and modulation
Methods, systems, and devices are described for providing predictive adaptive communications. Embodiments include a network access unit, in communication with multiple data terminals, and adapted to determine geospatial and other network data (e.g., current capability and position information relating to a designated one of the data terminals, map data, etc.), and to generate a link condition prediction as a function of the network data. The network access unit may then adaptively encode source data (e.g., using adaptive coding and modulation of hierarchically pre-coded data) to preempt impacts of changing link conditions on communications with the designated data terminal as a function of the link condition prediction. |
| US08358687B2 |
Method and apparatus for receiving multiple simultaneous stream bursts with limited DVB receiver memory
An apparatus and method for receiving multiple simultaneous stream bursts comprising determining if a frame size is smaller than a size of an available memory; determining if a priority of a first packet is lower than a priority of a second packet, wherein the frame size is of a frame for the second packet; requesting to abort processing the first packet and to de-assign the available memory from the first packet if the priority of the first packet is lower than the priority of the second packet; waiting for the size of the available memory to become equal or greater than the frame size if the priority of the first packet is not lower than the priority of the second packet; and assigning the available memory to the frame for the second packet. |
| US08358686B2 |
Video compression system
A video compression system processes images captured from a video camera mounted to a vehicle. Vehicle-mounted sensors generate vehicle motion information corresponding to a current state of motion of the vehicle. An optical flow estimation circuit estimates apparent motion of objects within a visual field. A video encoder circuit in communication with the optical flow estimation circuit compresses the video data from the video camera based on the estimated apparent motion. |
| US08358680B2 |
Reducing power levels associated with two or more signals using peak reduction distortion that is derived from a combined signal
The present invention provides a technique for reducing power levels associated with two or more input signals using peak reduction distortion that is derived from a combined signal, which represents a combination of the input signals. |
| US08358675B2 |
Nitride semiconductor laser device and wafer
Provided is a nitride semiconductor laser device that is reduced in capacitance to have a better response. The nitride semiconductor laser device includes: an active layer; an upper cladding layer which is stacked above the active layer; a low dielectric constant insulating film which is stacked above the upper cladding layer; and a pad electrode which is stacked above the low dielectric constant insulating film. |
| US08358674B2 |
Semiconductor laser element and method of manufacturing thereof
A semiconductor laser element having; a substrate, a semiconductor layer laminated a first conductivity type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second conductivity type semiconductor layer in that order on the substrate, a stripe-like ridge formed on the upper face of the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, a conductive oxide layer formed on the upper face of the ridge, a dielectric layer, with a refractive index that is lower than the refractive index of the semiconductor layer, formed on the side faces of the ridge, and a metal layer formed so as to cover the conductive oxide layer and the dielectric layer, the surface of the conductive oxide layer is exposed from the dielectric layer, and the side faces of the conductive oxide layer are sloped with respect to the upper face of the ridge, and the inclination angle of the side faces of the conductive oxide layer with respect to the normal direction is greater than the inclination angle of the side faces of the ridge with respect to the normal direction. |
| US08358668B2 |
Physical layer frame format design for wideband wireless communications systems
Systems and methods are provided for processing a payload portion of a received signal in a single carrier mode or a multiple carrier mode using a wireless channel receiver based on a portion of the received signal, where a signaling portion of the received signal is a single carrier signal. A single carrier signaling portion is received, and whether the payload portion of the signal is a single carrier signal or a multiple carrier signal is detected from the received single carrier signaling portion. The payload portion of the received signal is demodulated in a single carrier mode if the detecting determines that the payload portion of the received signal is a single carrier signal, and the payload portion of the received signal is demodulated in a multiple carrier mode if the detecting determines that the payload portion of the received signal is a multiple carrier signal. Data from the demodulated payload portion of the received signal is stored in a computer-readable memory. |
| US08358664B2 |
Method and system for providing smart offload and upload
Provided is a system and method for performing smart offloads between computer applications module and a network interfacing device within a data communications system. The method includes receiving data requests from the computer applications module and determining whether the received data requests require offloading. The received requests are forwarded along a first data path to the network interfacing device if offloading is required. If offloading is not required, the received data requests are forwarded along a secondary data path to a host protocol stack for processing. Next, the protocol processing is performed and the processed data requests are forwarded to the network interfacing device. |
| US08358662B2 |
Creating and maintaining traffic engineered database for path computation element
An apparatus comprising a node configured to communicate with a path computation element (PCE) and a neighbor node, wherein the node is configured to send a local traffic engineering (TE) information directly to the PCE without sending the local TE information to the neighbor node. Also disclosed is a network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising establishing a PCE protocol (PCEP) session with a PCE, and sending a TE information directly to the PCE without flooding the TE information. Also disclosed is a method comprising receiving a TE information, updating a first TE database (TED) using the TE information, and synchronizing the first TED with a second TED. |
| US08358659B2 |
Visual metering and response to maintain voice quality in a voice over internet protocol call
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for managing a voice over Internet Protocol call. A selected set of resources associated with a quality of the voice over Internet Protocol call in a data processing system is monitored during the voice over Internet Protocol call. A determination is made as to whether the quality of the voice over Internet Protocol call in a data processing has fallen below a desired level. A corrective action is performed with respect to the selected set of resources in response to the quality of the voice over Internet Protocol call falling below the desired level. |
| US08358656B2 |
System and method for communication of uncompressed visual information through a network
DisplayPort micropackets of uncompressed visual information are adapted to conventional network infrastructure with a switch having DisplayPort ports, network ports and a packet converter. The packet converter encapsulates DisplayPort packets for communication through network ports and extracts DisplayPort packets from network packets for communication through DisplayPort ports. An address resolution table associates the switch ports with each other and with a packet converter operation by using a control field that defines the packet converter operation for information received at each port, such as encapsulation, extraction or native switching. |
| US08358655B2 |
Computer system and network interface supporting class of service queues
A data processing system adapted for high-speed network communications, a method for managing a network interface and a network interface for such system, are provided, in which processing of packets received over the network is achieved by embedded logic at the network interface level. Incoming packets on the network interface are parsed and classified as they are stored in a buffer memory. Functional logic coupled to the buffer memory on the network interface is enabled to access any data field within a packet in a single cycle, using pointers and packet classification information produced by the parsing and classifying step. Results of operations on the data fields in the packets are available before the packets are transferred out of the buffer memory. A data processing system, a method for management of a network interface and a network interface are also provided by the present invention that include an embedded firewall at the network interface level of the system, which protects against inside and-outside attacks on the security of data processing system. Furthermore, a data processing system, a method for management of a network interface and a network interface are a provided by the present invention that support class of service management for packets incoming from the network, by applying priority rules at the network interface level of the system. |
| US08358653B1 |
Generating a pipeline of a packet processor from a parsing tree
A method or system for generating a packet processor inputs a first specification describing the packet processor, generates a parsing tree and generates a second specification describing a programmable compute pipeline. The parsing tree is generated from the actions of the first specification. The parsing tree has multiple levels and each level specifies one or more concurrent sets of elementary operations. The parsing tree also specifies for each level a respective bound on the elementary operations in the concurrent sets of the level. The programmable compute pipeline includes multiple stages for implementing the actions. Each stage corresponds to one of the levels of the parsing tree and includes one or more elementary components, with a number of the elementary components equaling or exceeding the respective bound for the level. The elementary components in the stage are programmable to concurrently perform combinations that include each concurrent set for the level. |
| US08358652B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for reliable, fast, and scalable multicast message delivery in service overlay networks
A method to organize nodes into an overlay network and to disseminate multicast messages within this overlay both through an efficient tree embedded in the overlay and through gossips exchanged between overlay neighbors. Regardless of the size of the system, this invention incurs a constant low overhead on each node. |
| US08358650B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for communicating calling name (CNAM) services for session initiation protocol (SIP) originated calls terminating in a circuit switched network
Methods, systems, and computer program products for communicating CNAM services for SIP originated calls terminating in a circuit switched network is described. In one embodiment, the method includes, at a SIP-SS7 gateway, receiving a SIP call setup message that includes a SIP calling subscriber identifier information, associating a temporary telephone number with the SIP calling subscriber identifier information, generating an SS7 call setup message associated with the SIP call setup message, wherein the SS7 call setup message includes the temporary telephone number, and communicating the temporary telephone number and SIP calling subscriber identifier information to a calling name interworking function (CIF) module. The method also includes, at the CIF module, storing the temporary telephone number and the associated SIP calling subscriber identifier information in a local cache, receiving a CNAM query message containing the temporary telephone number from a terminating switching office, and transmitting a CNAM response message to the terminating switching office including the SIP calling subscriber identifier information. |
| US08358639B2 |
System and method for communicating over an 802.15.4 network
A method of reducing data transfer while increasing image information over an 802.15.4 network includes obtaining an image with a sensor, modulating a representation of the image using a first 802.15.4 modem, sending the representation of the image to a coordinator, demodulating the representation of the image using a second 802.15.4 modem, and digitally enhancing at least one of the representation of the image and the image. A system for communication over an 802.15.4 network includes a sensor for obtaining data, the size of the data being at least an order of magnitude greater than the size of an 802.15.4 packet, a first 802.15.4 modem coupled to the sensor, a buffer for temporarily storing the data to allow transmission of portions of the data; the buffer being coupled to the sensor, a coordinator coupled to the sensor, the coordinator being capable of communicating with a computer, and a second 802.15.4 modem coupled to the coordinator. |
| US08358637B2 |
Load balancing method for mobile communication system, base station and terminal
A method for preventing or correcting the imbalance in load among interlaces in communications based on CDMA whereby communication resources are allocated to the respective interlaces through an interlacing scheme. A base station measures load information on an interlace-by-interlace basis, and notifies the same to a terminal while the terminal filters the load information to utilize the same for making a decision on transmission timing. Or the base station notifies the terminal of load information on plural transmission timings, and the terminal selects an adequate transmission timing to be then utilized. Otherwise, the base station presents at least two probabilities of transition between interlaces, urging the terminal to update an interlace (transmission timing) on a probabilistic basis. |
| US08358634B1 |
Dynamic assignment of wireless communication overhead messaging resources
What is disclosed is a method of operating a wireless communication system, wherein a series of repeating overhead time cycles each comprise a plurality of time slots, and wherein the wireless communication system exchanges overhead information with wireless communication devices during individual ones of the time slots. The method includes assigning one of the overhead time cycles to one of the wireless communication devices, wherein the one of the wireless communication devices monitors the overhead time slots during the assigned one of the overhead time cycles and does not monitor the overhead time slots during the non-assigned overhead time cycles. The method also includes exchanging user communications with the wireless communication devices, monitoring loading information for the overhead time cycles, and monitoring movement information of the one of the wireless communication devices. The method also includes processing the loading information for the overhead time cycles and the movement information of the one of the wireless communication devices to assign the one of the wireless communication devices to another one of the overhead time cycles, and wirelessly indicating the other assigned one of the overhead time cycles to the one of the wireless communication devices. |
| US08358632B2 |
Method and apparatus for efficient sharing of communication system resources
A method for accessing a reverse channel for communication from a remote unit to a base station is disclosed. The method includes waiting a random period of time in response to determining that the reverse channel is available at a first time. The method also includes monitoring a forward channel after expiration of the random period of time to determine whether the reverse channel is available at a second time. The method further includes transmitting a first portion of data on the reverse channel in response to determining that the reverse channel is available at the second time. |
| US08358625B2 |
Method and apparatus for signaling neighbor cell transmission frame allocations
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method is disclosed that comprises receiving at a base station an indication of a first resource allocation in each of one or more neighbor base stations, and transmitting to at least one associated user equipment a message comprising a second indication of whether the first resource allocations of the one or more neighbor base stations are a subset of a second resource allocation of the base station. |
| US08358623B2 |
Active handoffs in a network
Techniques for transferring a communication connection for a client device from a source network device to a target network device include receiving first and second sequence numbers and applying a first processing technique to data segments associated with sequence numbers that succeed the first and the second sequence numbers. |
| US08358622B2 |
Method of resource allocation in a communication system
Resources are allocated in a communication system by setting specific time and frequency chunks within a band to provide localized and distributed resources for each of localized and distributed users. The signalling of resource allocation for each user is in the chunk at the same frequency range as the frequency range of the allocated resource, or a subset of the frequency range of the allocated resource. |
| US08358614B2 |
Method and apparatus for handling uplink transmissions using multiple uplink carriers
A method and an apparatus for uplink transmission using multiple uplink carriers are disclosed. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) selects a dedicated channel medium access control (MAC-d) flow with highest priority data to be transmitted and performs uplink carrier selection and enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) transport format combination (E-TFC) restriction and selection to select a carrier among a plurality of carriers and select an E-TFC based on a maximum supported payload, a remaining scheduled grant payload of the selected carrier and a remaining non-scheduled grant payload. The WTRU then generates a medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (PDU) for E-DCH transmission via the selected carrier based on the selected E-TFC. |
| US08358610B2 |
Method and system for channel estimation processing for interference suppression
Aspects of a method and system for channel estimation for interference suppression are provided. In this regard, one or more circuits and/or processors of a mobile communication device may generate and/or receive a first set of channel estimates and a second set of channel estimates. The one or more circuits and/or processors may modify the second set of channel estimates based on a comparison of a measure of correlation between the first set of channel estimates and the second set of channel estimates with a threshold. The first set of channel estimates and/or the modified second set of channel estimates may be utilized for cancelling interference in received signals. The first set of channel estimates may be associated with a first transmit antenna of a base transceiver station and the second set of channel estimates may be associated with a second transmit antenna of the base transceiver station. |
| US08358608B2 |
Method and apparatus for HARQ operation with network coding
For use in a wireless communication network, methods for encoding information bit streams at a relay station are provided. Each method includes receiving data packets from a base station and a mobile station. Each method also includes decoding the packets and re-encoding the packets. Each method further includes combining the re-encoded packets into another packet using an XOR operation, and transmitting the other packet to the base station and the mobile station. |
| US08358606B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing multicast frame
A method of processing a multicast frame in a wireless local area network (WLAN) and an apparatus supporting the method are provided. The method comprises receiving, at a station, a unicast frame from an access point (AP), the unicast frame including an unicast address indicating a single station which receives the unicast frame, receiving a multicast frame from the AP, the multicast frame including a group address indicating a group of stations which receives the multicast frame, determining whether the unicast frame is duplicated with the multicast frame, and discarding the multicast frame if the unicast frame is duplicated with the multicast frame. |
| US08358605B2 |
Method of transmitting and receiving channel quality identifier for sleep mode mobile station
A method of transmitting and receiving a channel quality indicator (CQI) for a sleep-mode mobile station is disclosed. When data to be transmitted to the mobile station is present, the mobile station which is in a sleep mode is directed to transition to a normal mode and simultaneously a temporary CQI channel is allocated thereto. Thus the mobile station which has transitioned to the normal mode from the sleep mode efficiently transmits the CQI, and data applying a proper modulation and coding scheme can be transmitted. |
| US08358602B2 |
Method and system for supporting packet data network communications
Methods and systems for providing network connectivity in wireless networks are provided. This network connectivity can involve a mobile node being able to connect with more than one network at the same time and supporting multiple protocol sessions. Additionally, modifications can be made to allow a mobile node to have multiple IP addresses. These modifications include using a packet data network identifier along with a network control protocol to allow a network device to provide to user equipment (UE) multiple packet data network connections. The network device can be a access gateway or HPRD serving gateway (HSGW) that sets up the PDN connections for the UE. The packet data network identifier can be used to distinguish between multiple PDN connections for a UE. |
| US08358601B2 |
Multi-antenna radio channel measurement system and method which generates time division duplex timing signal and measures two-way radio channel
The present invention relates to a multi-antenna radio channel measurement system and method which generates a Time Division Duplex (TDD) timing signal and measures a two-way radio channel. The multi-antenna radio channel measurement system which measures a probing signal for measuring a radio channel, the multi-antenna radio channel measurement system including: a baseband unit alternately transmits the probing signal for measurement and receives the received channel signal to be measured based on a TDD synchronization time; a synchronization unit which obtains time synchronization with the other radio channel measurement system, generates a transmission/reception synchronization signal, and provides the transmission/reception synchronization signal to the baseband unit; a transceiver unit which up converts the probing signal for measurement and down converts the received channel signal; and a radio frequency (RF) front-end unit which switches suitable antennas according to a timing control signal of the baseband unit. |
| US08358598B2 |
Method and system for group call service
A method and system for group call services in a CDMA radio access network over a GSM-MAP or ANSI-41 core network are presented. The method and system provide for call setup, call notification, and call termination in the air interface of the CDMA radio access network. The necessary modification to the traffic and signaling channels for the CDMA radio network as well as new call flow messages are provided. |
| US08358597B2 |
Method for building scalable Ethernet switch network and huge Ethernet switch
A method for building scalable Ethernet switch network and huge Ethernet switch is provided. The switch network is composed of a plurality of tiers of Ethernet switches forming a fat-tree topology. The bottommost tier connects to the end-stations. All switches except those in the top tier are typical IEEE802.1Q switches configured purposefully such that all packets from the end-stations are forwarded upstream to the top tier and are tagged with ingress port information. The top-tier switches possess a novel learning and forwarding capability such that a received packet is forwarded downstream to the destination end-station through one of a plurality of possible paths selected by a load balancing algorithm. The method can also be applied to build an Ethernet switch of a large number of ports. |
| US08358595B2 |
Method for keeping the routing tables of an unstable dissemination network up to date
A method for keeping the routing tables of the nodes of an unstable dissemination network up to date, the nodes joining or leaving said network unpredictably. A node periodically sends a synchronization message to all other remote nodes. The period for sending a synchronization message to all other remote nodes increases when the network is tending to stabilize, the remote nodes all being synchronized and the local routing table not evolving. A node sends a synchronization message to another remote node particularly when the other node is desynchronized. |
| US08358590B2 |
System and method for dynamic data management in a wireless network
A node is configured for wireless communication with an access point according to a differentiated services control parameter. The node includes a controller configured to provide individualized control of the differentiated services control parameter setting corresponding to the node. The controller is further configured to receive data, assign a priority level to the data, and adjust the differentiated services control parameter setting for the node based on the priority level. |
| US08358588B2 |
Interference-cognitive transmission
Interference cognitive devices are described. An interference cognitive device can be collocated with a transmitter of an interference cognitive transmitter (ICT), as receive chains or portions thereof at the ICT. An interference cognitive device can also be remote with respect to the transmitter, which operates in an interference cognitive network and receives data directly or indirectly from the interference cognitive device. The ICT uses the data to mitigate interference while continuing to operate in accordance with a performance metric. |
| US08358586B2 |
Radio base station and channel allocation information transmission method
A radio base station includes: a propagation path characteristic acquisition unit which acquires propagation path characteristics between a radio communication terminal and a radio base station; and a channel controller which reports to the radio communication terminal that channel allocation information is transmitted by using a dedicated control channel if the acquired propagation characteristic satisfies a predetermined condition. After the channel control unit has reported to the radio communication terminal that the channel allocation information is transmitted by using an dedicated control channel, the channel control unit and a MAP processing unit transmit the channel allocation information by using an dedicated control channel instead of a broadcast control channel in the downstream frame. |
| US08358580B2 |
System and method for adjusting the window size of a TCP packet through network elements
A system for adjusting the window size of a TCP packet on a packet network including a sending network element in communication with a receiving network element for transmitting and receiving data packets between the sending network element and the receiving network element on the packet network, wherein at least one of the sending network element and the receiving network element is configured to determine network performance information of the packet network; concatenate the network performance information into the data packets; and adjust the window size of the TCP packet based on the network performance information. A method for adjusting the window size of a TCP packet on a packet network is also included. |
| US08358576B2 |
Techniques for determining local repair paths using CSPF
Techniques for computing a path for a local repair connection to be used to protect a connection traversing an original path from an ingress node to an egress node. The computed path originates at a node (start node) in the original path and terminates at another node (end node) in the original path that is downstream from the start node. A Constraint Shortest Path First (CSPF) algorithm may be used to compute the path. The computed path is such that it satisfies one or more constraints and does not traverse a path from a first node in the original path to a second node in the original path, wherein the first and second nodes are upstream from the start node in the original path and the second node is downstream from the first node in the original path. A local repair connection may then be signaled using the computed path. |
| US08358575B2 |
Methods and apparatus for generating and processing transmitter signals
Transmitter signals are modulated with one or more codes which may represent a pulse even though the code(s) are not shaped as pulses. The code(s) may be generated by defining a pulse by its Fourier components, and then adding random phases to the Fourier components. A time-domain signal may then be created, which may serve as the code to be modulated on a carrier wave. Upon reflection of the transmitter signal, the received signal may be processed by a receiver to recover the pulse. The time-of-flight of the transmitter signal can then be determined, enabling distance measurements to be made. |
| US08358572B2 |
Data storage device
A data storage device includes a first read mechanism, a second read mechanism, and a data storage medium movable with respect to the first read mechanism and the second read mechanism. A first reference patch containing reference bits is positioned near a first corner of the data storage medium. The first read mechanism is configured to read the reference bits of the first reference patch and the second read mechanism is configured to read the reference bits of a second reference patch. The storage device also includes a controller configured to determine whether the first read mechanism and the data storage medium are offset with respect to each other based upon the reference bits read by the first read mechanism and the reference bits read by the second mechanism. |
| US08358571B2 |
Optical pickup device
An optical pickup device has an astigmatism element which imparts astigmatism to reflected light of laser light reflected on a recording layer, and a spectral element into which the reflected light is entered, and which separates the reflected light. The spectral element is divided into four third areas by a first area having a certain width and formed along a straight line in parallel to a first direction, and by a second area having a certain width and formed along a straight line in parallel to a second direction. The spectral element is configured to guide the reflected light passing through the four third areas to respective corresponding sensors on a photodetector while making propagating directions of the reflected light different from each other, and to avoid guiding the reflected light entered into the first area and into the second area to the sensors. |
| US08358569B2 |
Highly adaptive recording method and optical recording apparatus
An optical disk recording method includes the steps of: providing a multi-pulse chain from a recording wave; independently changing the pulse rise timing and pulse fall timing (pulse width) of the first pulse in the multi-pulse chain in accordance with a preceding space length and a recording mark length; changing the pulse rise timing and pulse fall timing (pulse width) in accordance with a following space length and the recording mark length in a predetermined timing or in independence; and in relation to the smallest mark recorded by irradiation with mono pulse, changing the rise timing in accordance with the preceding space length and the recording mark length and the fall timing (pulse width) in accordance with the following space length and recording mark length, compensating various optical disks different in recording material without change of the fundamental waveform. |
| US08358566B1 |
Method and device for detecting a sync mark
A method and device for determining frequency error to extend the pull-in range of a timing recovery circuit for a storage device such as an optical disc drive. A code associated with a storage format of the storage device is detected, and the distance between occurrences of the code is determined. The calculated distance is compared with the expected distance to determine the difference. Based on the difference, the frequency error is determined. |
| US08358565B2 |
Thermally-assisted magnetic recording head having dummy waveguides for light beam alignment
A thermally assisted magnetic recording head includes a magnetic recording element part for writing, a main waveguide for assistance for receiving light, and a dummy waveguide component part provided in parallel to the main waveguide. The dummy waveguide component part includes a pair of waveguides having the same shape and dimensions including a first waveguide and a second waveguide that receive light from a back end surface opposite to an air bearing surface and guides the light toward the air bearing surface, and light emitting ends of the first waveguide and the second waveguide facing towards the air bearing surface have no shielding material, and are in a free condition so that the light intensity from the light emitting ends can be measured. |
| US08358561B2 |
Bayesian DHI for seismic data
A method of locating subsurface hydrocarbon reservoirs includes acquiring seismic data, extracting seismic data attributes from the seismic data, calculating exemplar data group probability density function values using distribution values associated with the seismic attributes and applying Bayesian inversion to determine the likelihood of subsurface hydrocarbons. |
| US08358555B2 |
Fuse circuit and control method thereof
A fuse circuit includes a plurality of fuse sets configured to perform fuse programming and generate fuse signals in response to fuse programming signals and a fuse control unit configured to generate the fuse programming signals depending upon a level of a programming voltage. |
| US08358550B2 |
Memory Program Discharge Circuit of bit lines with multiple discharge paths
A memory integrated circuit has an array of nonvolatile memory cells, bit lines accessing the array of nonvolatile memory cells, and bit line discharge circuitry. The bit lines have multiple discharge paths for a bit line at a same time, during a program operation. |
| US08358543B1 |
Flash memory programming with data dependent control of source lines
Techniques for programming a non-volatile memory device, such as a Flash memory, include floating source lines of memory cells based on a data pattern that is being programmed to the memory device. The source lines to float are selected such that a distance between drain bit lines and source bit lines of different memory cells in a row is maximized. In this manner, leakage current between these drain bit lines and source bit lines can be decreased. |
| US08358541B1 |
Write pre-compensation for nonvolatile memory
A system including a programming module and an interference module. The programming module is configured to determine a programming value to which a state of a target cell is to be programmed, wherein the programming value is determined based on states of one or more cells near the target cell. The interference module is configured to generate interference values based on (i) the state of the target cell and (ii) the states of the one or more cells near the target cell. The programming module is further configured to determine the programming value based on at least one of the interference values selected according to (i) the state of the target cell and (ii) the states of the one or more cells near the target cell. |
| US08358539B2 |
Non-volatile semiconductor storage device
At least some of the memory transistors included in a first memory string are commonly connected to first conductive layers that are connected to at least some of the memory transistors included in a second memory string connected to the same third and fourth conductive layers as the first memory string. At least one of either the memory transistors or the back-gate transistor in the first memory string and at least one of either the memory transistors or the back-gate transistor in the second memory string are connected to the independent first or fifth conductive layers, respectively. |
| US08358538B2 |
Erase cycle counter usage in a memory device
Memory devices to facilitate adjustment of program voltages applied during a program operation based upon erase operation cycle counter values stored in the memory device. In one such embodiment, an erase cycle counter is maintained for each block of a memory device and is stored in the associated block of memory. Programming voltage levels utilized during program operations of memory cells are determined, at least in part, based upon the value of the erase cycle counter stored in a memory block undergoing a programming operation, for example. |
| US08358537B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to one embodiment includes: a memory cell array; word lines each connected to nonvolatile memory cells; and a control circuit. When executing the data reading operation, the control circuit applies to a selected word line connected to a selected memory cell a first voltage obtained by adding a first adjusting voltage to an intermediate voltage between adjoining two of the threshold voltage distributions; applies to first non-selected word lines adjoining the selected word line a second voltage obtained by subtracting a second adjusting voltage from a reading pass voltage; applies to second non-selected word lines adjoining the first non-selected word lines a third voltage obtained by adding the second adjusting voltage to the reading pass voltage; and applies to third non-selected word lines, the third non-selected word lines being non-selected word lines except the first and second non-selected word lines, the reading pass voltage. |
| US08358536B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and method with multiple verification pass voltages
A nonvolatile memory device includes an operation voltage generation unit configured to generate a first pass voltage when a verification voltage is higher than a reference voltage and to generate a second pass voltage lower than the first pass voltage when the verification voltage is lower than the reference voltage. |
| US08358535B2 |
Semiconductor device including sub word line driver
A semiconductor device includes a sub word line driver. A first sub word line and a second sub word line transmit an operation signal to a memory cell. A main word line optionally sends the operation signal to the first sub word line and the second sub word line. A switching transistor is disposed between the first sub word line and the second sub word line. A gate of the switching transistor is connected the main word line. |
| US08358532B2 |
Word-line driver including pull-up resistor and pull-down transistor
Embodiments include but are not limited to apparatuses and systems including a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell including a selector and a storage element coupled to the selector. A word-line may be coupled to the memory cells and may have a word-line driver including a pull-up resistor coupled to the selectors for the memory cells to access respective storage elements of the memory cells. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |