| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08438939B1 |
Sample introduction system with mixing
A sample introduction system provides mixing of a sample and a diluent within the container via gas injection. In one or more implementations, the sample introduction system causes a probe of an autosampler to be inserted into a container containing a sample and a diluent so that an end of the probe is submerged beneath a surface of the diluent and the sample. Gas is then injected through the probe to mix the sample and the diluent within the container. An aliquot of the mixed sample and diluent is then withdrawn through the probe. |
| US08438937B2 |
Devices and methods for detecting rates of change of torque
Sensors for outputting signals indicative of a rate of change of torque experienced by a magnetized member in response to a change in torque experienced by the member are described. Such sensors include at least one sense element capable of detecting a change in a magnetic parameter of a magnetized region of the member positioned proximate to the sense element in response to a change in torque applied to the member. Devices for detecting and/or measuring rates of changes in or of torque that employ one or more of these sensors are also described, as are various applications for such devices. |
| US08438936B2 |
Sensor assembly including a collar for mounting sensors to a pipeline
A sensor assembly for use with a fluid transport system is provided. The sensor assembly includes at least two sensors that are configured to measure a rate of flow of a fluid channeled through a pipeline of the fluid transport system. Moreover, the sensor assembly includes an annular collar that is coupled to the two sensors. The collar includes at least a first opening and at least a second opening defined therein. The first opening and the second opening are each sized to receive the two sensors therein such that the two sensors are substantially coaxially aligned with each other. A first sensor of the two sensors is positioned downstream from a second sensor of the two sensors. |
| US08438934B2 |
Wriggler for gas meter endpoint
A wriggler device is provided for a gas meter endpoint or gas meter index as an interface with a gas meter drive mechanism. In general, the wriggler may include a base surface, at least one interface wall, and at least one guide wall. The base surface has a peripheral edge and a center point. The interface wall extends at an interface angle from the base surface, and may have an interface surface and a tip portion, with the tip portion spaced from the base surface. The at least one guide wall may extend between the base surface and the tip portion, and may have a guide surface. The guide wall may be configured to guide the drive mechanism along the guide surface to the base surface. Engagement of the interface surface by the drive mechanism causes the wriggler to rotate. |
| US08438930B2 |
Mechanical signal processing accumulator attenuation device and method
A liquid/gas interface pressure accumulator and mechanical filter device is especially adapted for use within a propellant utilization monitoring system of a space launch vehicle. The device provides a retrofit solution for overcoming problems associated with liquid entering a pressure sensing lines and pressure noises that collectively harm the ability to accurately measure fuel and oxidizer levels. One device is attached to each fuel and oxidizer tank of the launch vehicle. Each device includes a housing and an internal sensing chamber that is used to accumulate liquid before it can enter a pressure sensing communication line connected to a pressure sensing transducer. The construction of the device also allows filtering of undesirable pressure noises due to vibration, pressure pulsations, and other vibratory events that occur during operation of the space vehicle. The device is also selectively tunable to filter out certain frequencies and frequency ranges/bands. The invention in other aspects includes methods of improving pressure sensing applications in a propellant utilization monitoring system. |
| US08438924B2 |
Method of determining multilayer thin film deposition on a piezoelectric crystal
A method for accurately calculating the thickness of deposited thin film layers onto a piezoelectric crystal blank in which dissimilar materials can be utilized, enabling determinations for various applications employing exotic materials. Additionally, the specific acoustic impedance (or equivalent z-ratio) of an unknown deposited material can be determined. The exact analytical solution nearly eliminates thickness errors when several layers of different materials are sequentially deposited on the same monitor quartz crystal. |
| US08438921B1 |
Graduated measuring container and method for measuring and mixing material compounds
A measurement container with any number of graduated scales based upon total volume of application or based upon standardized consumer sized product vessels, with the adaptability to measure large or small amounts. The container will have a pour spout to ease introductions into batches. The measurement container will also include a handle and hand grab, to ease lifting and pouring with both hands. |
| US08438919B2 |
Systems and methods for liquid level sensing having a differentiating output
A liquid level sensing system including a housing configured to hold a liquid, a first temperature sensor connected to the housing and configured to output a first signal representing a first temperature measured at the first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor connected to the housing and configured to output a second signal representing a second temperature measured at the second temperature sensor, and a circuit configured to receive the first and second signals as input and to provide an output signal proportional to the time rate of change of the difference between the first signal and the second signal. |
| US08438917B2 |
Methods of long-term gravimetric monitoring of carbon dioxide storage in geological formations
Methods for long-term gravimetric monitoring of carbon dioxide stored in a geological formation are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods include the following: joining gravimetric sensors with sidewalls of boreholes in the geological formation at various vertical depths; using the gravimetric sensors, measuring a local gravitational field or a gravity gradient at a first time to develop baseline gravimetric data; reading and transmitting the baseline gravimetric data to a data recording device exterior to the boreholes; using the gravimetric sensors, measuring a local gravitational field or a gravity gradient after the first time to develop post-baseline gravimetric data; reading and; transmitting the post-baseline gravimetric data to the data recording device; and quantifying the carbon dioxide stored in the geological formation by comparing the baseline gravimetric data to the post-baseline gravimetric data to determine both vertical and horizontal positioning of the carbon dioxide stored in the geological formation. |
| US08438913B2 |
Clog resistant wing union pressure sensor
A clog resistant wing union pressure sensor is provided that includes a transmitter housing and a flange section. The flange section is coupled to the transmitter housing and has a pressure port formed therein that includes an open first end, a closed second end, and an inner surface that defines a bore between the open first end and the closed second end. The closed second end is defined by a pressure sensitive diaphragm and has a diameter. The pressure port has a depth defined between the open first end and the closed second end, the bore is tapered between the open first end and the closed second end, and is further defined by a rounded transition between the inner surface and the closed second end, and the diameter of the closed second end is greater than twice the depth of the pressure port. |
| US08438910B2 |
Shear valve with DLC comprising multi-layer coated member
A shear valve for use in a high performance liquid chromatography system, the shear valve comprising a first shear valve member and a second shear valve member, wherein at least one of the first and second shear valve members is adapted to be moved with respect to the other, one of the first and second shear valve members comprises a plurality of ports, and the other comprises at least one fluid path for fluidly coupling respective ones of the ports in dependency on a relative movement position of the first and second shear valve members with respect to each other, wherein the first shear valve member is at least partially coated with an adhesion-promoting layer and a diamond like carbon layer on the adhesion-promoting layer. |
| US08438902B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining a vapor signature based upon frequency
An apparatus for sensing analyte is provided. The apparatus may include a plurality of sensor array columns, each sensor array column including a plurality of sensors, each sensor being adapted for sensing one or more parameters in reaction to the presence of one or more analytes and output a current therefrom in accordance with level of the sensed parameter, a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) array including a plurality of VCOs, each VCO adapted to receive an output current from one of the plurality of sensors from each of the plurality of sensor arrays and for and generating an output oscillation frequency in accordance with the level of the received output current, and a counter array including a plurality of counters, each counter adapted to receive an output from a corresponding VCO and count a number of oscillations over a predetermined time. |
| US08438900B2 |
Electronic phantom and method for electronically controlling a phantom for a quantitative ultrasound device
An electronic phantom and method for electronically controlling a phantom for a quantitative ultrasound device are provided. The electronic phantom includes a housing, a first transducer element within the housing configured to receive an ultrasonic signal from a quantitative ultrasound device and a second transducer element within the housing connected to the first transducer element. The second transducer element is configured to transmit a modified ultrasonic sound wave to the quantitative ultrasound device based on the received ultrasonic signal. The first and second transducer elements are positioned in a back to back configuration within the housing. |
| US08438898B2 |
Calibrant infusion fluid source preparation
Methods and systems for preparation of calibrant infusion fluid sources are disclosed. In one embodiment, a precise volume of glucose is injected into a saline-solution filled calibrant infusion fluid source proximate in time to conducting a calibration procedure. The glucose concentration in the calibrant infusion fluid source is subsequently calculated based on the measured weight of the saline-solution, as determined prior to glucose injection, and the volume of glucose injected. This method provides a highly accurate and convenient manner for use in a hospital environment, for example, with an intravenous blood glucose sensor system. In another embodiment, a premixed calibrant infusion fluid source is provided that includes saline solution and a predetermined concentration of glucose. In such embodiments, shelf life problems related to water evaporation are mitigated by hermetically covering or otherwise hermetically containing the calibrant infusion fluid source up until the point of use. |
| US08438896B2 |
Endoscopic insertion portion and manufacturing method thereof
A method of manufacturing an endoscopic insertion portion with high manufacturing efficiency is provided. The endoscopic insertion portion includes a plurality of bending parts provided side by side with each other, a protruding portion provided in one of each two adjacent ones of the bending parts, and a receiving portion provided in the other of each two adjacent ones of the bending parts and into which the protruding portion is inserted rotatably. The method includes forming, in at least one plate material, a first bending part preparation portion for the formation of the one bending part and a second bending part preparation portion for the formation of the other bending part, connecting the first bending part preparation portion and the second bending part preparation portion by press processing, and forming the first and second bending part preparation portion into a cylindrical shape by press processing. |
| US08438893B2 |
Method of forming two-dimensional sheet material into three-dimensional structure
A two-dimensional sheet material is provided that is suitable for bending along a bend line to form a three-dimensional object. The sheet material is provided with a plurality of displacements in a thickness direction of the sheet material on one side of the bend line. A portion of the displacements shear adjacent the bend line and define an edge and an opposed face. The edge and opposed face configured to produce edge-to-face engagement of the sheet material during bending. Alternatively, sheet material is provided with a plurality of displacements in a thickness direction of the sheet material on one or both sides of the bend line, and with a plurality of corresponding and cooperating protrusions to improve structural integrity and/or to improve electromagnetic and radio frequency shielding. The sheet material may also be provided with a self-latching structure. A method of preparing and using these sheet materials is also described. |
| US08438891B2 |
Rolling mill with cooling device and rolling process
The invention deals with a rolling mill (1) for metallic products comprising at least one pair of work rolls and at least one cooling device (2) projecting a plurality of cooling jets under pressure on at least one work roll, the cooling device projecting also at least one scraper jet between the cooling jets and the metallic product to be rolled, the scraper jets being oriented in the desired flow direction following a re-entrant angle towards the perpendicular to the surface of the work roll, as well as with a rolling process using said rolling mill (1). |
| US08438887B2 |
Door lock assembly
A door lock assembly for a door. The door lock assembly includes a handle assembly, a latch bolt assembly disposed within a portion of the handle assembly and a mounting assembly that movably couples the handle assembly to a door panel member. The latch bolt assembly includes a movable latch bolt that translates relative to the handle assembly between an extended position and a retracted position. |
| US08438883B2 |
Washing machine improving washing efficiency
Disclosed herein is a washing machine that is capable of preventing the deformation of laundry due to spin-drying holes, increasing friction between the inner surface of a washing tub and laundry to improve the washing efficiency, and reducing wash water consumption. The washing machine includes a water tub, a washing tub mounted in the water tub, a drive unit to rotate the washing tub, and a wash water circulation unit to supply wash water in the water tub into the washing tub. The washing tub has a plurality of depressions formed therein and depressed outward from the inner surface thereof in the shape of a polygonal pyramid, and a plurality of spin-drying holes formed in a deep area of the respective depressions. |
| US08438882B2 |
Method and device for treating objects with at least one treatment agent in a household device, said household device, associated packaging and a dosing device
An arrangement for treating objects with a treatment agent in a household device, includes a household device for treating objects with the treatment agent, a packaging for a dosing device for dosing the treatment agent, a first part of an identification system that identifies data of a second part of the identification system, the data of the second part of the identification system including information on the dosing device, and the data of the second part of the identification system being associated with a packaging for the dosing device, and a device for adapting one of the treatment of objects by the household device and the dosing of the treatment agent based upon the identified data. |
| US08438881B2 |
Method and apparatus for dispensing treating chemistry in a laundry treating appliance
A laundry treating appliance and method for dispensing treating chemistry, where the laundry treating appliance includes a treating chamber, a single use dispenser and a bulk dispenser. Water may be supplied to the single use dispenser through a first water flow path, which directs a dose of treating chemistry dispensed from the single use dispenser into the treating chamber. Water may be supplied to the bulk dispenser through a second water flow path, which is configured to spray a dose of treating chemistry dispensed from the bulk dispenser into the treating chamber. The laundry treating appliance may determine the presence of treating chemistry within at least one of the single use dispenser and the bulk dispenser, and, based on this determination, supply water to the flow path associated with the dispenser which contains treating chemistry. |
| US08438880B2 |
Detergent dispensing unit
A detergent dispensing unit is provided that includes a dispensing shell; a dispensing connection permitting the entry of fresh water into the dispensing shell; and a trap being located fluidly between an interior of the detergent dispensing unit and an opening that leads to the exterior, the opening which leads to the exterior being an overflow. The trap is positioned in the dispensing shell downstream of the dispensing connection, a maximum filled level of the trap lies below a lower edge of the overflow and the trap is adapted to be filled by liquid from the dispensing shell. |
| US08438875B2 |
Glass manufacturing device
A glass manufacturing device includes a main body defining a working space, a fixing device and a grit blower in communication with the working space. The fixing device includes a first fixing assembly, a second fixing assembly, and a locking assembly. The first and second fixing assemblies are rotatably connected with each other and used for clamping a glass substrate. The first fixing assembly includes a number of shielding elements spaced from each other. The locking assembly is used for locking the first and second fixing assemblies. The grit blower is disposed opposite to the first fixing assembly and used for blasting grit on the glass substrate, and thus the portions of the glass substrate which are not shielded by the shielding elements are cut off during the process of grit-blasting. Remaining portions of the glass substrate shielded by the shielding elements are the desired product. |
| US08438874B2 |
Natural gas liquefaction plant and motive power supply equipment for same
Motive power supply equipment for a natural gas liquefaction plant includes gas turbine equipment having a compressor for compressing air, a combustor for generating combustion gases by burning a fuel and the compressed air from the compressor, and a turbine rotated by the combustion gases from the combustor. A low-temperature heat source supply system is provided which, during rated load operation of the gas turbine equipment, supplies carbon dioxide as a cooling medium to the gas turbine equipment in order to cool the gas turbine equipment. The carbon dioxide supplied is generated by separation from the natural gas in the natural gas purification equipment. |
| US08438871B2 |
Refrigerator door having dispenser
A refrigerator door having a dispenser is disclosed. The refrigerator door includes an outer case forming a front appearance of the refrigerator door, an inner case forming a rear appearance of the refrigerator door, and an insulation layer disposed between the outer case and the inner case. First and second mounting frames are installed at both side ends of the refrigerator door and have first and second mounting slots longitudinally formed in the first and second mounting frames in opposition to each other. The dispenser is detachably coupled to a front surface of the outer case and includes a housing, which forms an external appearance of the dispenser and is formed with a recess section. An external plate section is coupled to the front surface of the outer case except for an area in which the dispenser is installed, forming an external appearance of the refrigerator door. |
| US08438870B2 |
Refrigerator door vacuum preservation system
A refrigerator includes a hands-free vacuum preservation system mounted on a door of the refrigerator comprising a main body portion having a slot therein for receiving an open end of a plastic bag. Sensors within the slot detect the presence of the bag and a retaining device is actuated to punch holes in the bag and retain the bag in position for a vacuum sealing event. An intake port within the system communicates with a vacuum source to remove air from the bag, and a heat sealer seals the bag closed. In a preferred embodiment, once sensors located on the main body portion detect the presence of a consumer's hand, the retaining device releases the bag. The resultant vacuum sealed bag can be stored in a conventional manner, or by hanging the bag from hooks extending through the holes formed therein by the retaining device. |
| US08438869B2 |
Refrigerator with ice making room
Disclosed herein is a refrigerator having an ice-making chamber, and the refrigerator may include a refrigerator body and an ice-making chamber, and the ice-making chamber may include an ice-making chamber body one side of which is opened, a connecting duct provided in a first sidewall of the ice-making chamber to be connected to the refrigerator body, an ice-making chamber door provided at a second sidewall of the ice-making chamber to open and close the ice-making chamber, and a protrusion portion formed to be protruded at the first sidewall. Accordingly, the thickness of the ice-making chamber door can be secured without changing a cool air channel of the ice-making chamber, thereby increasing a cooling chamber. |
| US08438866B2 |
Defrosting apparatus of refrigerator
A defroster is provided in a refrigerator, in which a damper mounted to an inlet to a circulating duct controls air to flow in a reverse direction toward an evaporator to maximize a defrosting efficiency by using not only radiant heat but also convective heat. The defroster includes the evaporator, a heater that defrosts the evaporator by radiation, and a flow controller that controls air circulated by a fan to flow in a reverse direction toward the evaporator in defrosting. |
| US08438864B2 |
Transcritical heat pump water heater and method of operation
A method for increasing efficiency of a transcritical heat pump water heater system is provided, as well as the corresponding system. The refrigerant, such as CO2, is compressed to a supercritical point and passed through a gas cooler that is wrapped at least partially around a water storage tank, wherein the refrigerant transfers heat to water stored in the tank. The hot water is discharged from the storage tank proximate to a top of the tank, and cold water is introduced into the tank proximate to a bottom of the tank. The supercritical refrigerant is directed to flow through the gas cooler from a top point to a lowermost point in a flow direction such that the refrigerant exits the gas cooler proximate to the bottom of the tank at a location of the coldest water within the storage tank. |
| US08438861B2 |
Cooler / heater arrangement
The present invention relates to a device for heating and cooling an object in a controlled manner permitting a good thermal contact between the thermal block, the element for heating and cooling and the heat sink without the need for using a thermal interface material, an instrument comprising such a device and a method for conducting a thermal profile using the device. |
| US08438855B2 |
Slotted compressor diffuser and related method
A compressor diffuser for a gas turbine includes: a compressor diffuser having an upstream end and a downstream end, the downstream end defined by a peripheral annular edge, the annular edge formed with a plurality of substantially axially-oriented slots extending from an opening at the downstream edge in an upstream direction. |
| US08438851B1 |
Combustor assembly for use in a turbine engine and methods of assembling same
A fuel nozzle assembly for use with a turbine engine is described herein. The fuel nozzle assembly includes a plurality of fuel nozzles positioned within an air plenum defined by a casing. Each of the plurality of fuel nozzles is coupled to a combustion liner defining a combustion chamber. Each of the plurality of fuel nozzles includes a housing that includes an inner surface that defines a cooling fluid plenum and a fuel plenum therein, and a plurality of mixing tubes extending through the housing. Each of the mixing tubes includes an inner surface defining a flow channel extending between the air plenum and the combustion chamber. At least one mixing tube of the plurality of mixing tubes including at least one cooling fluid aperture for channeling a flow of cooling fluid from the cooling fluid plenum to the flow channel. |
| US08438843B2 |
Hydraulic system of work machine
A hydraulic system of a work machine with a hydraulically controlled implement includes: an operating oil flow passage for flowing operating oil from a main pump; a boost flow oil passage for supplying operating oil to the operating oil flow passage; a connection unit for connecting the implement which is provided downstream of the confluence on the operating oil flow passage; a controller for controlling the high-flow valve; and a high-flow switch which is connected to the controller and is configured to effect or cancel a command of the amount increase on a high-flow valve. Annunciation is made when the connection unit is connected to a high-flow actuator for the implement requiring an amount increase of the operating oil, and the amount increase is effected by the high-flow valve in accordance with an operation of the high-flow switch. |
| US08438841B2 |
Particulate filter regeneration in an engine
Systems and methods for controlling regeneration of a particulate filter positioned downstream of an engine in a vehicle are provided herein. One exemplary method includes, during combusting engine conditions, directing exhaust from the engine to a three-way catalyst and then to the particulate filter, and during non-combusting engine conditions and while the vehicle is in motion, directing fresh ram-air to between the particulate filter and the catalyst to regenerate the particulate filter. Thus, vehicle motion may be used to introduce the ram-air. |
| US08438840B2 |
Particulate filter regeneration in an engine
Systems and methods for controlling regeneration of a particulate filter downstream of an engine having a plurality of cylinders are provided. One exemplary method includes, during first conditions, spinning down the engine to non-combusting engine rest, and regenerating the particulate filter at least during engine rest. The method also includes, during second conditions, regenerating the particulate filter during combustion of at least one cylinder of the engine. By regenerating the particulate filter during engine shutdown and/or engine rest in some conditions, it is possible to reduce engine running regeneration, which can thereby lead to reduced engine running emissions. |
| US08438838B2 |
Fuel-fired burner and heat exchanger system for heating a NOx reducing agent supply tank
A fuel-fired burner in a vehicle exhaust system is used to heat up a frozen NOx reducing agent supply tank within a predetermined target amount of time. A method and apparatus are used to identify when a supply of agent is below a predetermined temperature, and the fuel-fired burner is activated for a sufficient amount of time to raise a temperature of the agent to at least the predetermined temperature with the predetermined target amount of time. |
| US08438837B2 |
Control of an exhaust gas aftertreatment device in a hybrid vehicle
The present invention involves a method for maintaining temperature in an exhaust gas treatment device for an internal combustion engine in a hybrid vehicle. The engine has a crankshaft and at least one cylinder. The hybrid vehicle has a fuel storage device and a fuel supply device. An exhaust gas treatment device is located downstream of the cylinder. The method comprises, in an engine off mode, pumping air to the exhaust gas aftertreatment device controlling the fuel supply device so that fuel is allowed to the exhaust gas aftertreatment device. Air flow to the exhaust gas aftertreatment device can be controlled by a throttle in an inlet duct to the engine and/or the fuel supply device to control the combustion and air-fuel ratio in the exhaust gas treatment device. |
| US08438836B2 |
Abnormality determination apparatus for electrically heated catalyst
An abnormality determination apparatus for an electrically heated catalyst provided in a plug-in hybrid vehicle having a battery that is charged by connecting an external charging device to an external electric power supply is equipped with an abnormality determination portion that makes a determination on an abnormality in the electrically heated catalyst when the external charging device is connected to the external electric power supply. |
| US08438828B2 |
Flow divider having breaking points for a fan engine
A flow divider (1) for a fan engine which forms an annular leading edge (4) simultaneously on the outer circumference of an annular core air duct and the inner circumference of an annular secondary air duct, protrudes into the fan airflow and has an aerodynamic profile. In order to avoid blockage of the core air and/or secondary air ducts in the event of destruction or detachment of the flow divider (1), the flow divider features separable parts (6) which, whatever their orientation, are capable of passing the vane passages of the core air duct and the secondary air duct. |
| US08438824B2 |
Combine harvester draper header with floor pan rearward of central draper
A harvesting header includes a header frame, a cutterbar assembly mounted to the header frame, and a conveyor assembly supported behind the cutterbar assembly to receive crop severed by the cutterbar assembly. The conveyor assembly includes a pair of side conveyors and a fore-and-aft draper located between the side conveyors. The header further includes a central crop-conveying member that overhangs the rear margin of the fore-and-aft draper and a floor pan that at least partly defines a transition area. The floor pan presents a forwardmost edge adjacent to and rearward of the rear margin. The forwardmost edge is located above a lower run of the draper to direct severed crop materials from the upper run of the draper and to facilitate crop material flow through the transition area. |
| US08438823B2 |
Flexible draper belt drive for an agricultural harvesting machine
An agricultural harvesting machine including a flexible cutterbar and associated draper belts for carrying cut agricultural material to a center location. The belts are guided by a drive rollers and idler rollers. The idler roller for each belt is pivotable about an axis generally at 90 degrees to the axis of the belt and the drive roller for each belt is translatable axially to minimize diagonal stresses caused by flexing of the elongated endless belt. |
| US08438820B1 |
Flower handling apparatus and method
A flower handling system includes loading, cutting, finishing, and boxing stations. Flowers are unloaded from dry-packed boxes at the cutting stations. Each cutting station includes a positioning arm that secures flower bundles and transports them from a first location adjacent a loading table to a second location above a conveyor. A bucket separating device deposits buckets one at a time onto the conveyor, and the buckets are filled with conditioning fluid. A cutting blade is positioned to cut flower stems as the positioning arm moves from the first to the second location. A clamping arm closes around the flowers and lifts them out of the positioning arm before lowering them into a fluid-filled bucket on the conveyor. The flower filled bucket is then transported through the finishing station to a boxing station where the bucket is deposited into a box for shipping to a wholesaler or retailer. |
| US08438818B2 |
Methods for packaging filled bags together, machines used in these methods, and the package of snack-filled bags thus obtained
A machine for forming a bale including a plurality of bags includes a conveyor for conveying each of the bags to an inlet opening. A film feeder is positioned adjacent the inlet opening, along with a former for forming a sleeve from the film adjacent to the inlet opening. Means for pushing, such as a pusher, is provided for pushing the bags into the sleeve. Related methods are also disclosed. |
| US08438817B2 |
Method for packaging of mass-fabricated custom items
A system for packaging mass-customized items includes a computer system including a database containing item identification information unique to each item; (2) outer container identification apparatus that applies the item identification information received from the database to each outer container in a plurality of outer containers; (3) inner pack identification apparatus that applies the item identification information received from the database to each inner pack in a plurality of inner packs; and (4) inner pack filling apparatus that fills each inner pack with a specific item matched to that inner pack by the item identification information received from the database. Each item is associated with its unique item identification information and is inserted into an inner pack with matching item identification information, and each outer container is presented for loading with one or more inner packs matched to that outer container by the item identification information received from the database. |
| US08438816B2 |
Composite panel
A composite panel comprises an outer skins and an inner core. The inner core includes a frame, an elastomeric material disposed between at least a portion of the frame and the outer skin, and a foamed polymer filler. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing the same. |
| US08438814B2 |
Floor covering
Hard panels formed from a wood-based material and having a decorative layer for floor coverings are provided, at least on two opposite edges, with coupling devices made in one piece with the panels wherein similar panels may be coupled together to form a floor covering, wherein these coupling devices provide for an interlocking in a direction perpendicular to the plane of coupled panels, as well as in a direction perpendicular to the edges concerned and parallel to the plane of coupled panels. These coupling devices are constituted of a tongue and a groove. The top side of the tongue has a protrusion that cooperates with a meshing recess located in the lower side of the upper lip of the groove of the coupling devices, and a portion extending generally parallel with the plane of the panel to form a contact surface cooperating with the lower side of the upper lip of the groove. |
| US08438810B2 |
Web or vapor retarder with tie-strap
A vapor retarder system includes a vapor retarder sheet. At least one and typically a plurality of parallel spaced-apart tie-straps are located adjacent an inner surface of the sheet, and the tie-strap extend across a width of the sheet and are connected to the sheet at multiple connection locations that are spaced from each other along a length of the tie strap. The sheet includes drape regions where the sheet is disconnected from the tie straps between successive connection locations. The tie-straps and drape regions ensure that the vapor retarder sheet is installed over roof purlins with the proper drape between the purlins to obtain the required insulation R-values. A fall-protection net or sheet can also be constructed and/or installed in the same manner. |
| US08438809B2 |
Wave ripple panel
Systems, apparatuses, and methods configured for installing a decorative feature having a wave-like appearance. For example, a system for installing the decorative feature can include one or more mounts configured to attach to a support structure and support one or more decorative panels. The system can also include a plurality of decorative panels configured to be disposed within or supported by the mounts. Each decorative panel can have a concave or convex configuration to produce a wave-like appearance. |
| US08438806B2 |
Composite cement panel
This invention relates to a composite panel for a rooftop surface having a core material board having a top surface and a bottom surface with a plurality of openings through said core material board extending from said top surface to said bottom surface; a rigid outer shell of solid material that encapsulates said core material board; a plurality of supports of said solid material wherein each of said plurality of supports extends through one of said plurality of openings in said core material board; and a plurality of legs on a portion of said rigid outer shell covering said bottom surface of core board material. |
| US08438805B2 |
Pedestal for ballast block decking
A deck system and pedestal for use in forming an elevated surface are provided. The pedestal for supports blocks, pavers, tiles, or panels a spaced distance above an underlying surface. The pedestal for supporting blocks, pavers, tiles, or panels a spaced distance above an underlying surface, includes a support, a sound-deadening pad, and a bosses and recess arrangement positioned between the support plate and pad. The support includes a support plate having an upper surface and a plurality of upstanding walls that define quadrants on the support plate. The sound-deadening pad is positioned on the support plate and is non-movable within the support to prevent any relative movement between the support plate and the pad. The bosses and recess arrangement includes a plurality of bosses are received by the plurality of recesses. |
| US08438804B2 |
Wall leadthrough for leading a line through a building wall
The present invention relates to a wall passage opening for passing a conduit through a through-penetration defining at least one reveal, of a building with a substantially vertical or horizontal orientation, wherein the conduit is covered with an insulation material (10) comprising an insulation shell (16), at least in the region of the passage opening, the diameter of the insulation element substantially corresponding to the inner diameter of the passage opening, wherein the insulation shell (16) includes a cavity for accommodating a conduit section (22) having an enlarged outer diameter and wherein the insulation shell (16) is made of mineral fibers, to accommodate the conduit section (22) having the enlarged outer diameter in a quick and easy manner. |
| US08438803B2 |
Cable protection sleeve for building framing
A sleeve for protecting a utility conduit or conduits passing through a hole in a stud used in building construction. A body portion forms a longitudinally extending hollow trough having side edges, wherein each said side edge portion has overlapable or interlockable fingers. The trough includes a circular side section, with a diameter defining a body width. This circular side section is changeable by compression with either the human hand or a conventional hand-tool to adapt the body width, and thus the sleeve, to coincide with a potential range of stud hole sizes. Engagement of the sleeve in the hole is achievable by placing an inserted end into the hole and pressing a worked end. A stop portion at the worked end stops insertion of the sleeve beyond the stud face, and a retention portion in the sleeve affirmatively retains the sleeve within the hole once thus inserted. |
| US08438800B2 |
Support structures on roofs
This invention provides support structures on roofs. Such support structure can be used to support a roof load, or a closure structure which closes an aperture in the roof, thus to provide access to the interior of a building through an aperture in the roof. The support structure can support a skylight to provide natural day-lighting, or a smoke vent, or a variety of other loads optionally relating to matter or energy communication between the inside and outside of the building. The support structure includes rails adapted to be supported by adjacent rib elevations on opposite sides of a flat of a roof panel, elevated above the water line of the panel flat. Where the support structure surrounds an aperture, a diverter seals a cut away portion of the rib structure and diverts water through the rib structure and laterally away from the rail and closure structure. |
| US08438797B2 |
Outer frame drainage structure of concentrator type solar cell module
An outer frame drainage structure of a concentrator type solar cell module, wherein, a drainage element having a predetermined height is disposed between a side board and a frame edge, hereby keeping a drainage slit between said side board and the corresponding frame edge, so that moisture will not remain inside the concentrator type solar cell module, thus the concentrator type solar cell module is able to operate in an optimal light-to-electricity conversion efficiency. In a structure mentioned above, a concave slit is formed through engaging and positioning an extended and bent positioning portion of the side board into a positioning slot of the frame edge, and the concave slit is linked to the drainage slit, thus facilitating exit of moisture and preventing intrusion of foreign objects effectively. |
| US08438796B2 |
Photovoltaic roofing elements including tie layer systems, and roofs using them, and methods for making them
The present invention relates generally to photovoltaic devices. The present invention relates more particularly to photovoltaic roofing products in which a photovoltaic element is joined to a roofing substrate. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a photovoltaic roofing element comprising: an encapsulated photovoltaic element having a top surface and a bottom surface, a top layer material at its top surface and a bottom layer material at its bottom surface; a roofing substrate having a top surface; and a tie layer system disposed between the encapsulated photovoltaic element and the roofing substrate and joining the bottom surface of the encapsulated photovoltaic element to the top surface of the roofing substrate. |
| US08438793B2 |
Structural systems
A structural system for use in areas in which space is valuable. The structural system has the ability to transform from a first object or shape into a self-contained meeting center. The structural system may be used for interior and exterior applications. The structural system may also include a mobile, micro-climate controlled chair system. |
| US08438789B2 |
Energy efficient scuttle cover kits
Insulated scuttle covers configured for placement within a building scuttle opening are provided. The insulated scuttle cover includes a scuttle panel configured to cover the building scuttle opening and further configured to be supported when positioned within the building scuttle opening. An insulative assembly is attached to the scuttle panel. The insulative assembly includes insulation material encapsulated by a jacket. The insulated scuttle cover is configured to prevent or substantially retard the flow of air passing through the building scuttle opening. |
| US08438787B2 |
De-iced gutter debris preclusion system
The invention includes a substantially rigid body providing underlying support for a filter screen. The invention further includes at least one heating wire disposed adjacent to the body, which is formed of heat conductive material. The body is configured with multiple ribs extending up from a floor so that heat transfer from the body to the screen can occur in a variety of different locations to keep the screen sufficiently heated. The body also includes a wing for interfacing with roofing and openings to allow water filtering through the screen to migrate down into the gutter. A cover overlies a channel, which contains one or more of the heating wires. The system includes a flange attached to the body and extends into the gutter enhancing the heat transfer from the body to within the gutter to keep the water flowing in gutter. |
| US08438786B2 |
Flexible venue system
A flexible venue system includes a system that can be configured in multiple ways depending on the type of event being hosted. This system can be applied in whole or in part to telescopic seating platforms or similar structures which may include multiple usable tiers, movable between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration, and the potential for at least one partially retracted configuration. The system may include any or both of a program support system integrated into or assembled to the system prior to retraction; and vertically adjustable seating configurations for use with the platform systems. The present invention is intended to aid in venue changeover and reduce overall cost, instructions and labor required to do so. |
| US08438783B2 |
Opening mechanism for coplanar doors with combined movement
An opening mechanism (1) includes a longitudinal guide (3) fixed to the frame of a furniture unit and, for each door (2), a first slide (4) sliding along the longitudinal guide (3), a second slide (5) which carries the door (2) and which slides transversally on the first slide (4) from a retracted position to an extracted position and vice versa and return elements to bring the second slide (5) back to the retracted position. The second slide (5) is able to rotate with respect to the first slide (4) and presents a curved space (8) in which guide elements (7), integral with the first slide (4). The first slide (4) further includes holding elements (10), controlled by a control surface (51) situated in the longitudinal guide (3), able to lock the second slide (5) in the extracted position when the door (2) is open to prevent the second slide (5) from being brought back to the retracted position by the return elements. |
| US08438781B2 |
Vertical planting module
The invention includes a box, vertical and horizontal dividers, a plant-growth mat, and a mounting bar. The dividers are permanently linked to form an insert, which slides into insert grooves inside the box. Insert grooves have upper and lower rails. At the insert groove openings rail ends feature upward bends. The plant-growth mat is secured against the box inner-back by the insert which is prevented from sliding out by the upward bends of the lower rails. A support mount and a fastener on the back of the box and compatible groove surfaces on the mounting bar prevent box movement when mounted. The invention increases the rigidity of the dividers and reduces their deformability. It facilitates inserting the integrated dividers into the box with convenient insert grooves. The plant-growth mat can store water, prevent soil erosion, and provide aeration to plant roots. The mounting bar stabilizes the module for easy installation. |
| US08438780B1 |
Bouquet making apparatus and method
A bouquet making apparatus comprises a plurality of bouquet forms movably supported at spaced locations along a conveying device. Each bouquet form includes fixed upper and lower stem supports that hold bouquet elements, such as flowers, at an angle with respect to vertical. As each bouquet maker travels along the conveying device, workers spaced along the conveying device sequentially insert sets of flowers into upper and lower stem supports until each bouquet maker hold a final bouquet set. Each of the final bouquet sets are removed from the bouquet form and secured with a fastener, thereby forming a plurality of twisted stem-type bouquets having a substantially identical design appearance. |
| US08438777B2 |
Repeating live catch animal trap
A live catch animal trap has a trap floor positioned above an animal holding cage, a bait station positioned adjacent to the trap floor, and a mechanical trigger mechanism. The trap floor is rotatably moveable between a generally horizontal closed position and a downwardly inclined open position. The trap floor is normally biased toward its closed position by a return spring and/or its center of gravity location relative to its pivot point. The trigger mechanism is arranged to be tripped by an animal standing on the trap floor as the animal attempts to access the bait station. The trigger mechanism has a trip plate connected to a locking element that engages a spring-loaded latch on the trap floor. The trip plate and the locking element are arranged to automatically return the trigger mechanism to an untripped condition as the trap floor returns from its open position to its closed position. |
| US08438774B2 |
Pistol cocking assistive device
At least one cam lock and an opposing structure form a compression channel for receiving and engaging a pistol slide. When the pistol is moved in a certain direction through the compression channel, the one or more cam locks and opposing structure engage the pistol's slide and translate some of the forward motion force into a compressive force on the sides of the slide. At a point where the compressive force overcomes the force of the main spring of the pistol, the pistol frame driven by the user moves forward relative to the slide, thereby racking the slide of the pistol. |
| US08438770B2 |
Firearm handguard system
A firearm includes a receiver with a socket defined by a forwardly extending circumferential rim having an inner surface, a barrel extending from the socket of the receiver and terminating in a muzzle, and a cocking lever housing carried above the barrel. A partial tubular body is received over the barrel with a rearward end abutting the receiver at the forwardly extending circumferential rim. A clamp element is carried by the partial tubular body and is movable between a release position and an engaged position in which a clamp end of the clamp element frictionally engages the inner surface of the circumferential rim. |
| US08438767B2 |
Expanding projectile
An improved projectile having a penetrator and a body is disclosed. The penetrator is secured to the body. Upon impacting a target, the penetrator travels into the body and deforms the body. The body optionally has one or more portions, such as slots in the body, to promote deformation of the body upon the penetrator impacting the target. The body optionally has a bore extending at least partially therethrough that permits attachment of the penetrator at a second end of the body opposite the first end. |
| US08438765B2 |
Removable license plate protector
A removable license plate protector 10 has an outer impact plate 12, an impact bumper 14 and at least one permanent magnet 20. The impact plate 12 is the size of a license plate 22 or slightly greater. The impact bumper 14 is made of a resilient material permanently affixed to an inner surface of the impact plate 12. The at least one permanent magnet 20 is permanently affixed to an exterior surface of the impact bumper 14. The at least one permanent magnet 20 is positioned to attach magnetically to a metal license plate 22 thereby providing an easy attachment and detachment of the license plate protector 10 to the license plate 22. |
| US08438760B2 |
Mechanical attachment system and associated failure mechanism
An attachment system for connecting a first member such as a lip plate of a mechanical digging device to a second member such as a ground engaging tool. The first member has a lug attached thereto, and the second member has a recess which is located about the lug A stabilizing member is located within a slot in the recess. A clamping member is between the lug and the stabilizing member, and includes a resilient portion such as a compression spring. A compressive force supplied to the resilient portion restricts the movement of the second member relative to the lug. |
| US08438759B2 |
Vibration damping device and bucket for construction machine
A bucket for a construction machine including a side plate (11); a bottom plate (12), at least a portion of which is connected to the side plate (11); and a laminated plate (20) that is attached to an outside of the side plate (11). At least a part (16) of the portion where the side plate (11) and the bottom plate (12) are connected on an inside of the side plate (11) and the bottom plate (12) is reinforced. |
| US08438755B2 |
Laundry machine
A novel-structure laundry machine that is capable of washing laundry using steam is disclosed. The laundry machine includes a machine body constituting the external appearance thereof, a drum mounted in the machine body for receiving laundry, a steam supply unit mounted in the machine body for generating steam, the steam supply unit being constructed to receive water for steam generation through the water inlet port exposed to the outside while the water inlet port communicates with one side of the machine body, and a primary steam supply part for supplying the steam generated in the steam supply unit into the drum. |
| US08438752B2 |
Yankee cylinder for paper producing machine
The steel-made Yankee cylinder includes a cylindrical shell (11) joined to two ends (13, 15), to which are fixed respective-support journals (3). The cylindrical shell (11) is joined to the ends through a circumferential weld formed between opposing surfaces of each end and of the cylindrical shell. |
| US08438751B2 |
Dryer with heat recovery and method of operation thereof
A dryer is provided having a drying chamber for items to be dried and a process air duct in which are located a heater for heating the process air, a blower for driving the process air from the heater through the drying chamber, and a heat exchanger arrangement. Via the heat exchanger arrangement, heat can be withdrawn from the process air flowing away from the drying chamber, and the process air flowing toward the heater can be fed to the heat exchanger. The process air duct is divided into a main duct and a secondary duct, the secondary duct having an evaporator in which condensate that was separated from the process air in the heat exchanger arrangement can be evaporated into the process air flowing therethrough and is connected to the exhaust opening. |
| US08438750B2 |
Dryer having a lint filter and a cleaning device
A dryer has a drying chamber to receive damp items and a process air duct to feed process air into and extract process air out of the drying chamber. The process air duct has a heat source and a heat sink to heat the process air before the process air enters the drying chamber and to cool the process air after the process air leaves the drying chamber, respectively. A cleaning device has an accumulator for a liquid; a rinsing line connected to the accumulator; a control organ in the rinsing line; a distributor connected to the rinsing line to distribute the liquid conveyed through the rinsing line on a lint filter and to receive the lint caught by the lint filter; and a drain line to drain the liquid with the received lint away from the lint filter and towards the accumulator. |
| US08438748B1 |
Caliper mounting accessories
Caliper mounts are provided that include a shallow channel for receiving a caliper scale bar, a retainer with a stepped cone washer positioned adjacent one side wall of the channel, and one or more shelves cantilevered over an opposite side wall of the channel. The shelves and retainer cooperate to retain the scale bar of a conventional sliding caliper in the channel. One caliper mount is formed as a rectangular miter slot base configured for insertion into the miter slot of a saw or router table. Another caliper mount is formed as cylindrical housing that incorporates a permanent disc magnet. Container shells and molded platforms adapted to mount a sliding caliper perpendicular to an elongated miter slot are also provided. |
| US08438746B2 |
Coordinate measuring machine
A coordinate measuring machine includes: a probe for measuring an object; a movement mechanism for moving the probe; and a motion controller for controlling the movement mechanism. The motion controller includes: a current value detecting unit that detects a current value for moving the probe by the movement mechanism; and a load judging unit that judges a status of a load applied on the movement mechanism based on the current value detected by the current value detecting unit and a threshold that is set in accordance with a target speed for moving the probe by the movement mechanism. The target speed is in proportion to the threshold. |
| US08438739B2 |
Scissors
A scissors includes a pair of scissors constitution bodies which have a cutting portion and a holding portion formed continuously from the cutting portion. The cutting portion has cutter blades formed on both sides in a width direction. The pair of scissors constitution bodies are rotatably joined by a shaft portion in a base end portion of the cutting portion. The pair of scissors constitution bodies cross and rotate in both directions through the shaft portion. The holding portion includes a handle portion mounted therein so as to be visually unrecognized from the outside, the handle portion projected only in one width direction. A slider provided in the holding portion is operated to form a handle portion. |
| US08438738B2 |
Safety folding knife
The present invention is to provide a safety folding knife comprising a blade having an end pivotally coupled to an end of a handle, such that the other end of the blade can be rotated out of or into the handle. The handle includes an elastic stop plate therein, which has an end fixed onto the handle and the other end tilted and extended towards a side of the blade. When the blade is turned fully out of the handle, the other end of the elastic stop plate can be abutted against the end of the blade so as to maintain the blade in a fully opened state, and a resisting block installed inside the handle then moves and firmly blocks the elastic stop plate to avoid the blade from being accidentally turned backward to the handle. |
| US08438731B2 |
Method of using step flange catch basin adaptor
A method of mounting a grate adapter unit beneath a stormwater collection grate includes steps of providing a grate adapter unit having a plurality of outwardly extending mounting flanges, each mounting flange being adapted to fit a different size commercially common stormwater collection grate. The grate adapter unit is trimmed, either at the factory, at the contractor's facilities or at the installation site, at the desired location to select a desired one of the mounting flanges that is appropriate for the collection grate to which the grate adapter is being fit. The grate adapter unit is then mounted beneath the stormwater collection grate using the selected mounting flange. A stormwater remediation unit may be pre-mounted to a lower end of the grate adapter unit or mounted to the lower end after installation. |
| US08438728B2 |
Flat tube, flat tube heat exchanger, and method of manufacturing same
A number of flat tubes, flat tube heat exchangers, and methods of manufacturing both are described and illustrated. The flat tubes can be constructed of one, two, or more pieces of sheet material. A profiled insert integral with the flat tube or constructed from another sheet of material can be used to define multiple flow channels through the flat tube. The flat tubes can be constructed of relatively thin material, and can be reinforced with folds of the flat tube material and/or of an insert in areas subject to higher pressure and thermal stresses. Also, the relatively thin flat tube material can have a corrosion layer enabling the material to resist failure due to corrosion. Heat exchangers having such flat tubes connected to collection tubes are also disclosed, as are manners in which such tubes can be provided with fins. |
| US08438727B2 |
Multilayer printed circuit board and multilayer printed circuit board manufacturing method
A method of manufacturing a multilayer printed circuit board having interlayer insulating layers and conductor layers repeatedly formed on a substrate, via holes formed in the interlayer insulating layers, and establishing electrical connection through the via holes, including containing an electronic component in said substrate, forming a positioning mark on said substrate based on a positioning mark of said electronic component, and conducting working or formation based on the positioning mark of said substrate. |
| US08438726B2 |
Method of manufacturing printed circuit board
A resist film is formed on a conductor layer of a two-layered base material composed of a carrier layer and the conductor layer. Next, the resist film is exposed and developed, so that an etching resist pattern is formed. A region of the conductor layer that is exposed while not covered with the etching resist pattern is removed by etching. A conductor pattern is formed by removing the etching resist pattern. Then, an adhesive layer precursor is applied on an entire surface including an upper surface of the conductor pattern. The adhesive layer precursor is exposed and developed, so that an adhesive pattern is formed on the conductor pattern. After that, a base insulating layer is joined onto the conductor pattern with the adhesive pattern sandwiched therebetween. Finally, a carrier layer is separated from the conductor pattern, so that the FPC board is manufactured. |
| US08438723B2 |
Electromagnet battery handler
A device to transfer a tiny hearing aid battery to the battery compartment of a hearing aid. Pressure on a button at the top creates contact to a single AAA battery, thus energizing an electromagnet which then holds the hearing aid battery. When the pressure at the devices's top button is released, the AAA battery is turned off and the battery is released undisturbed in the hearing aid's battery compartment. |
| US08438719B2 |
Method for manufacturing antenna
Provided is a method for manufacturing an antenna which is minimized and used in a low frequency band. The method includes forming and preparing a radiator for an antenna, mounting the radiator inside a dam molding part including an upper dam molding part and a lower dam molding part, injecting a molding material into the dam molding part through an inlet provided at one side of the dam molding part, the molding material including a composite material with a controlled diameter and content, hardening the injected molding material, and separating the hardened molding material covering the radiator from the dam molding part. Accordingly, a miniaturized antenna can be provided, which can achieve a high integration density, prevent deformation of the radiator caused by external pressure generated in processes, and be used in a low frequency band by covering the radiator with a molding material having a high permittivity and a low-loss characteristic. |
| US08438718B2 |
Manufacturing method of combined sensor
A movable device of acceleration sensors and a vibration device of a gyroscope are formed on the same sensor wafer spaced apart from each other by a wall. A cap wafer having gaps corresponding to the movable mechanical components of the acceleration sensors and gyroscope is provided for the wafer and an adsorbent divided into a plurality of divisional portions is disposed in the gap for the gyroscope. After the sensor wafer and the cap wafer have been bonded together at a temperature of inactivation of the adsorbent and in an atmospheric pressure ambience of noble gas and activated gas, the adsorbent divisional portions are activated in sequence to adsorb the activated gas so as to adjust the pressure inside the gyroscope, thus manufacturing a combined sensor wafer. |
| US08438711B1 |
Tool and method for removing sweeper bristles from a railway track broom
Embodiments of a tool and method for removing sweeper bristles from a railway track broom are disclosed. An exemplary tool may include a tube member for insertion into a sweeper bristle gripped onto a nipple element, wherein two or more slits split a front portion of the tube member into flexible prongs each having outward-facing gripping elements near its tip. A plunger element, located inside the tube member, can be propelled forward into a front end of the tube member to cause the flexible prongs to substantially expand at least part of the front portion of the tube member, thereby loosening the sweeper bristle's grip on the nipple element. A hydraulic assembly coupling the plunger element to a hydraulic pressure source is controlled by a trigger mechanism to supply hydraulic pressure to propel the plunger element. |
| US08438706B2 |
Vacuum press fit zipper assembly
A vacuum press fit zipper assembly designed for watersports apparel and gear and other water related applications. Overmolding construction forms an effective seal around the entire perimeter of the fastener assembly, and a vacuum fit is created between the two mating portions of the zipper assembly. |
| US08438705B2 |
Double layer zipper with tadpole-shaped interlocking teeth
A double layer zipper includes two zipper tapes, each zipper tape having a seal strip covered on transverse top and bottom edges and one longitudinal side edge thereof and stitched with the associating interlocking series of teeth, and an interlocking series of teeth formed of a series of coils and respectively fastened to each of opposing top and bottom sides of each of the zipper tapes, each coil having a coil head and a coil body connected to the front side of the coil head, the coil body having a recessed face disposed adjacent to the associating coil head, two flank portions disposed at two opposite lateral sides of the recessed face and a neck connected between the recessed face and associating coil head so that each coil has a tadpole-shaped profile. |
| US08438701B2 |
Formed hybred floor glide
A furniture glide is provided that is mountable on the terminal end of a furniture leg having an outer surface. The furniture glide includes a cup having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a cavity for receiving the furniture leg. Matted material is molded into the outer surface of the cup. |
| US08438693B2 |
Electric cleaner
A vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner body capable of standing and inclining, an electric blower accommodated in the cleaner body, a floor nozzle capable of cleaning a surface while the cleaner body inclines, a mode detector detecting whether the cleaner body stands or inclines, and a controller controlling a power supplied to the electric blower. The controller is operable to supply a first power the electric blower if the mode detector detects that the cleaner body inclines, and to supply a second power lower than the first power to the electric blower if the mode detector detects that the cleaner body stands. This vacuum cleaner prevents the electric blower from overheating. |
| US08438690B2 |
Cleaning tool and cleaning element holder
It is an object of the invention to provide an elongate cleaning element holder which contributes to a smoother cleaning operation, for a cleaning tool in which a cleaning element for cleaning an object to be cleaned is attached to the cleaning element holder. The representative cleaning element holder 120 includes a holding element 132 to be inserted into an insert region of the cleaning element. The holding element 132 has an inclined part 136 wherein a height of the inclined part 136 in a direction transverse to an extending direction of the holding element 132 gradually increases toward the connection. |
| US08438689B2 |
Brush and broom bristle
A broom having a head part to which a first and a second plurality of bristles are coupled. The second plurality of bristles preferably comprising a hooking member positioned at an end of the bristle opposite the head part, wherein the hooking member preferably forms a cap on the second end of the body. Alternatively, a bristle device having a plurality of bristles each with a hooking member at one end, wherein the bristle device is releasably couplable to bristles or a head part of a broom. In operation, as the plurality of bristles with hooking members sweep over the debris or material to be swept along a surface, the bristle with hooking members catch, hook or hold onto the debris being swept. The row of bristles with hooking members preferably form a hooking barrier that traps the material being swept making sweeping very easy and effective. |
| US08438686B2 |
Device for removing insects with disposable paper
A device to remove pests from a living area that includes a disposable piece of paper attached thereto. Includes a flat flexible paddle-like head and an elongated handle. Attached to the head is a paper holding clip for holding the disposable paper. The disposable paper has lightly tacky adhesive glue on one side. The paper holding clip is squeezable to retain or release the paper. Connected to the paper holding clip is a trigger on the elongated handle to open the paper holding clip, thereby releasing the paper. To utilize the present invention, a user opens the jaws of the paper holding clip. The jaws are clamped down onto the paper. A user touches the tacky side of the paper to the pest. thereby adhering the pest. Utilizing the trigger and opening the paper holding clip, the paper having the adhered pest is dropped harmlessly into the trash. |
| US08438685B2 |
Floor treatment apparatus
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for cleaning or otherwise treating a floored surface that includes a platform adapted to support the weight of an operator. In addition, one embodiment of the present invention is capable of generally performing 360° turns to facilitate the treatment of difficult to access portions of the floored surface. |
| US08438683B1 |
Sliding fold out ramp
A ramp assembly is suitable for use in a vehicle to provide a transition surface from the vehicle floor to an alighting surface. The ramp assembly includes an inner panel fixedly associated with the vehicle floor and ramp support slidingly associated with the inner panel. The ramp support is reciprocal between (1) a retracted position when the ramp assembly is in a stowed position and (2) an extended position when the ramp assembly is in a deployed position. A ramp portion is rotatably coupled at a first end to a first end of the ramp support. An intermediate panel is coupled to the ramp support and extends from the inner panel to the ramp portion when the ramp assembly is in the deployed position. When the ramp assembly is in the stowed position, the ramp portion extends inwardly from the first end of the ramp support. |
| US08438680B2 |
Hospital beds with four corner braking
A vehicle for use in hospitals, and the like, giving better mobility, steering, braking and passenger handling while providing comfort to the passengers from the time they lay down until they are standing on the side through the rotation and tilting ability of the frame. |
| US08438679B2 |
Bedding system and the like having orientation means
An article for use on a mattress includes a bedding article and means for orienting the bedding article on a mattress. The means for orienting the bedding article on a mattress may be hidden from view when the bedding article is installed on a mattress. The means for orienting the bedding article on a mattress may be one or more of color contrasting sections, indicia, labels, or stitching. The bedding article has two sides, a top end, a bottom, an opening for seating around the bed, an edge around the opening, and four corners, with two corners being at the top end and two corners being at the bottom end. An article for use as a cover for an underlying item is also disclosed, with the article including a cover article and means for orienting the cover article on an underlying item. |
| US08438676B2 |
Seating unit convertible to bed
A seating unit containing a foldable bed includes: a seating unit frame having a pair of opposed arms; a housing including a storage cavity, the housing fixed to the arms of the seating unit frame; a seat section; an intermediate section; a head section; and a mechanism having pivotally interconnected links, the mechanism interconnecting the base with the head, intermediate and seat sections. The mechanism controls the movement of the head, intermediate and seat sections between a folded position, in which the head, intermediate and seat sections are positioned in vertically stacked relationship, with the head section below the intermediate section and the seat section above the intermediate section, the head and intermediate sections being positioned in the cavity of the housing, and the head and intermediate sections being generally horizontally disposed and the seat section having a pitch angle of between about 1 and 7 degrees to horizontal, and an unfolded position, in which the head, intermediate and seat sections are horizontally disposed and serially aligned to form a sleeping surface. |
| US08438675B2 |
Devices and methods for body elevation
Devices and methods are presented for elevating seat devices. The device allows a vertical and forward motion of a seat from a first position to a second position. Such motion more resembles a natural body motion during the standing motion. A similar but converse motion is also possible with movement from a standing position to a sitting position. |
| US08438674B1 |
Dishwashing pan
A dish washing pan constructed of a housing having a bottom and multiple sidewalls integrally formed with the bottom to provide a washing chamber, a plurality of legs attached at the underside of the housing bottom to support the bottom over a sink surface and a plurality of holes provided in each of the sidewalls at a location spaced downwardly from a top rim of the sidewall. The plurality of holes is disposed closer to the top rim than the bottom of the housing. An outlet is provided in one of the sidewalls that can be closed to retain water in the washing chamber or opened to enable the water to be discharged from the washing chamber. The outlet is disposed closer to the bottom of the housing than the top rim. |
| US08438671B2 |
Automated pool-deck lid lift system for below deck pool cover housing troughs
The present invention relates to a system for sequentially supporting, opening and closing a pool-deck lid covering below-deck troughs housing coordinated with the operation of powered pool cover systems housed in the troughs. In certain embodiments the system comprises in combination: a front, longitudinal seating structure, an upwardly movably, cantilever bracket structure, hydraulic/pneumatic means, and a hydraulic/pneumatic actuation control means. |
| US08438670B2 |
High performance siphonic toilet capable of operation at multiple flush volumes
A gravity flush toilet system is provides that includes a toilet bowl assembly having a toilet bowl and a tank, wherein the bowl includes a trapway extending from the bottom of the toilet bowl to a sewage line. The toilet system is capable of operating at multiple flush volumes without loss of siphonic function or significant change in the surface area of the water in the bowl. The multiple flush volumes allow the user to select appropriate water usages for the required waste removal without diminishing the performance of the toilet, resulting in significant water savings. |
| US08438669B2 |
Apparel incorporating a protective element
Protective components may include a plate element and a cushioning element that are secured together with a hook-and-loop fastening system. The cushioning element may include a pair of material layers and a plurality of pads located between the material layers. The plate element may include a polymer material and the pads may include a polymer foam material, with the polymer material of the plate element having greater rigidity and density than the polymer foam material of the pads. |
| US08438668B2 |
Occipital stabilization strap for helmets
A stabilization strap apparatus for a helmet having a shell with at least one chin strap having a left section and a right section connected to the shell, includes an adjusting assembly shaped to fit a rear occipital portion of a wearer's cranium; and a left occipital strap section and a right occipital strap section, each strap section having a first end securable respectively to the left section and the right section of the at least one chin strap, downwardly of and spaced-apart from the casket shell and a second end slidably attached to the adjusting assembly. |
| US08438666B2 |
Ear warmer with adjustability
An ear warmer includes a frame with a first band and a second band coupled to the frame. The first band includes a first ear portion coupled thereto. The second band includes a second ear portion coupled thereto. The first band and the second band can be adjusted relative to each other to adjust the overall length of the band and the distance between the first ear portion and the second ear portion. |
| US08438665B2 |
Hooded garment with adjustable hood side portions and method of adjusting the same
A garment includes a hood that can be adjusted by its wearer. The hood has opposite side portions and a face opening. The wearer can use the hood's drawstring to scrunch the face opening around the wearer's face with the side portions of the hood covering the wearer's ears. The wearer can also adjust the hood of the garment by folding the side portions of the hood back over a portion of the remainder of the hood in a manner such that the wearer's ears are exposed. |
| US08438664B2 |
Rapid intervention rescue harness
Rescue harness devices are designed for incorporation into protective coats of firefighter or other types of first responders such that when deployed, the rescue harness forms a closed loop that cinches around an upper torso region under the armpits of an individual donning the protective coat, to thereby positively secure the individual and pull directly on the individual's body. |
| US08438662B2 |
Face protector lens assembly and method of use
A lens assembly for securing in an opening in a face plate of a face protector has a first, retainer lens of shape and dimensions configured to be secured in the front opening of a face plate and having a curvature substantially matching the curvature of the face plate. A second lens of smaller dimensions is secured behind the first lens to provide a lens-in-a-lens configuration. The second lens extends across a wearer's eyes when the face protector is worn and the first lens has side portions which extend around at least part of the opposite sides of the face to provide peripheral vision. The lens assembly may be releasably secured in the face plate opening and one or both lenses may be interchangeable with sets of lenses having different properties such as lens shade. |
| US08443458B2 |
Method and device for detecting the opening of a cover enclosing the device
An object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for tamper detection of electronic devices (110) in closed units which is robust and low cost. The object is achieved by a method in an electronic device (110) for detecting if a cover (100) enclosing the electronic device (110) has been opened. The cover (100) comprises an enclosing assembly (250) which is adapted to fasten the cover (100) into a closed position. The electronic (device 110) comprises a non volatile memory (120). The non volatile memory (120) comprises a stored reference signature associated to the enclosing assembly (250) when the cover (100) was fastened into a closed position. The method comprises the following steps: (Creating 1003) a signature associated to the enclosing assembly (250). Comparing (1004) the created signature with the reference signature. Detecting (1007) that the cover 100 has been opened when the comparing (1004) results in a difference. |
| US08443457B2 |
System and method for controlling the use of a digital work in accordance with usage rights associated with the digital work
Methods, apparatus, and media for controlling the use of a digital work in accordance with usage rights associated with the digital work. An exemplary server-side method comprises storing a description file associated with a content file of a digital work, the description file including usage rights for the content file, the usage rights indicating a permitted use for the content file of the digital work, communicating with a rendering device, receiving a request to render the content of the digital work originating from the rendering device, processing the request to render including enforcing the usage rights by granting or rejecting the request to render in accordance with the usage rights, and performing closing transaction steps upon detecting that the rendering device has finished rendering the content of the digital work. |
| US08443455B2 |
Apparatus, method, and computer program for controlling use of a content
A content usage control apparatus prevents a content managed by an end user from being illegally used. To prevent a content from being used by an apparatus or user other than an authorized apparatus or user, a content usage control apparatus registers the authorized apparatus or user and determines, before providing the content, whether the content is going to be provided to the authorized apparatus or user. The content usage control apparatus also has the capability of imposing a limitation on rewriting of registration. The above-described capabilities of the content usage control apparatus make it possible to protect copyright of information to be provided. A specific example of the content usage control apparatus is a server which stores contents such as movie contents or music contents, and may be used in a system in which a content is provided in response to a request from a client such as a portable telephone, a TV set, or a personal computer, connected to the server. |
| US08443453B2 |
Ad hoc trust delegation in human based workflow systems using one time access key
A method of ad hoc trust delegation in human-based workflow systems using one-time access key is provided herein. The method may include the following steps: generating a unique access key to a workflow system in response to a delegation of trust to one or more users; associating the unique access key with a specified portion of a workflow within the workflow system; embedding the unique access key in a message sent to the one or more users; and providing the one or more users with a one-time access to the workflow system, such that the access is limited to the specified portion of the workflow, in response to applying the unique access key to the workflow system. |
| US08443452B2 |
URL filtering based on user browser history
A URL monitoring system may use a user's browsing history to generate a score for the user. The score may be used to permit or deny access to a URL. The score may be used to represent the user's intent when browsing, and based on that intent, the user may be allowed access to a URL with conflicting classifications. The score may be also be used as a trustworthiness score so that a user who browses responsibly may have their score increased over time, and a user who browses irresponsibly or inappropriately may have their score decreased. The scores may be calculated and maintained on a user's client device, edge device, or other device within a network. |
| US08443451B2 |
Manually controlled application security environments
Computer protection is weak with the methods currently available and there are risks of malicious users getting access to computers, corrupting important data, including system data. We are proposing a method for improving access protection, more particularly, by adding a device that will enable or disable protection for applications as required. The device supports one or more users, one or more user groups, none or one or more Application Security Environments for each user or user group and one or more states for each Application Security Environment. The state of the hardware is manually controlled by the users. Depending on the configuration, each hardware state corresponding to an Application Security Environment corresponds to a set of privileges for processes running in that Application Security Environment while that Application Security Environment is in that state. |
| US08443449B1 |
Silent detection of malware and feedback over a network
Upon detection of a suspicious file, a client computer sends feedback data to an anti-malware service over the Internet. Files that are not suspicious or that are known clean are not reported; files that are known malware are acted upon immediately without needing to report them to the anti-malware service. Upon detection, no alert or warning is provided to the user of the client computer. The anti-malware service correlates data from other detection engines on the client computer or from other client computers and determines whether the file is malware or not. A new virus pattern is generated if the file is malware and includes the virus signature of the file; the new virus pattern is distributed back to the client computers. If not malware, no action need be taken, or, the virus signature of the file is removed from existing pattern files. |
| US08443448B2 |
System and method for detection of non-compliant software installation
A system and method for performing a security check may include using at least one processor to periodically check a status of a flag, generate and store a baseline representation of modules stored on the device where the flag is determined to be set to a first state, and, where the flag is determined to be set to a second state, generate an active representation of modules stored on the first device, compare the active representation of modules to the baseline representation of modules, and, responsive to a determination in the comparing step of a difference between the baseline and active representations of modules, output an alert. The flag status may depend on an association of the device with one of a plurality of authorization policies, each mapped to one of the two states. Results of the comparison may be appended to an activity log of the device. |
| US08443446B2 |
Method and system for identifying malicious messages in mobile communication networks, related network and computer program product therefor
A system for identifying malicious messages transmitted over a mobile communication network includes: sentinel modules associated with respective mobile terminals in the network for monitoring messages passing therethrough, wherein the sentinel modules identify as a candidate malicious message, any message passing through the mobile terminals and failing to comply with a first set of patterns and issue a corresponding sentinel identification message; a set of probe modules for monitoring messages transmitted over the network, wherein the probe modules identify as a candidate malicious message any message transmitted over the network and failing to comply with a second set of patterns and issue a corresponding probe identification message; and preferably at least one client honeypot module for receiving and processing any messages sent thereto to produce corresponding processing results, wherein the client honeypot module identifies as a candidate malicious message any message producing a processing result failing to comply with a third set of patterns and issues a corresponding client honeypot identification message. |
| US08443443B2 |
Security system and method for detecting intrusion in a computerized system
In detecting the identity of a person currently using a computer (100) and in particular for detecting whether the person is the intended or authorized user of the computer previously established user patterns of users as stored in a database (4) are matched, in comparators (9), with data of the person's interactions through the computer. The interactions are detected by a monitoring module (2) that in testing modules (7) can process data of the interactions and storing them in buffers (8) to be used by the comparators. Such data can include data of interactions that happen directly after each other and can also include one or more time characteristic of each detected interaction. |
| US08443437B2 |
Method and apparatus for enforcing logical access security policies using physical access control systems
A method and apparatus for providing a security system. The method includes the steps of providing an identity card for use by a person entering a secured area of the security system, reading the identity card at an entry point to the secured area, randomly generating an alphanumeric key upon the occurrence of a predetermined event, writing the alphanumeric key into the identify card at the entry point, reading the card within the secured area as a request for access to a computer and granting access to the computer by the person, but only when an alphanumeric key is found on the card that matches the generated alphanumeric key. |
| US08443435B1 |
VPN resource connectivity in large-scale enterprise networks
A VPN handler of a client device is described that provides VPN connectivity by automatically creating multiple split VPN tunnels that provide direct access to different VPN concentrators of an enterprise based on specific resources requested by the client device. A local VPN concentrator normally used by the client device may provide the VPN handler with a resource list that provides a mapping of the resources of the enterprise network to the multiple VPN concentrators that have been deployed to provide secure access to those resources. The local VPN concentrator may dynamically update the resource list on the client device so as to control the construction and use of the split VPN tunnels by the VPN handler based on changes to the enterprise network. The split tunnel approach may be transparent to applications executing on the client device and may be easily deployed to the client devices of the enterprise. |
| US08443433B2 |
Determining a merged security policy for a computer system
Embodiments of the invention described herein are directed to a mechanism for determining whether at least one operation will be effective in view of at least one security policy. In exemplary implementations, determining whether at least one operation will be effective in view of at least one security policy may comprise determining a merged security policy for a computer system by merging security policies for the computer system from two or more sources. The security policies may be security policies set by a user and/or an administrator of the computer system, may be security policies of a computer network to which the computer system is connected, or may be security policies of one or more other computer systems that are above the computer system in a computer network hierarchy. |
| US08443428B2 |
Web based access to clinical records
A system and method for providing access to clinical data over the Internet. The system includes a server, and a database in communication with the server. The database stores clinical data sets. The system further includes a thin client, a communication link between the server and the Internet, and a communication link between the thin client and the Internet. Software executing on the server receives a request for one or more clinical data sets, retrieves the requested clinical data sets, and transmits the clinical data sets to the thin client. |
| US08443422B2 |
Methods and apparatus for a configurable protection architecture for on-chip systems
Various methods and apparatuses of protection mechanism are described. A target intellectual property block may field and service requests from an initiator intellectual property block in a system-on-chip network. The target intellectual property block has an associated protection mechanism with logic configured to restrict access for the requests to the target intellectual property block. The request's access is restricted based on access permissions associated with a region within the target intellectual property block and attributes of the request trying to access that region. |
| US08443419B2 |
Method, device, and system for pre-authentication
The present invention relates to mobile communications technologies, and discloses a method, device, and system for pre-authentication. A pre-authentication device receives a pre-authentication message that carries a pre-authentication option; determines a Mobile Node (MN) to be pre-authenticated according to the pre-authentication message; sends an authentication request message to an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server to request authentication of the MN; receives an authentication response message that is sent by the AAA server, where the authentication response message carries a pre-authentication key used between a Candidate Authenticator (CA) and the MN; and sends the pre-authentication key to the MN. Through implementation of the present invention, the pre-authentication key is obtained before the MN switches to the CA. In this way, security of communication is enhanced, and delay of switching and authentication is shortened. |
| US08443418B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing remote access authority in UpnP remote access service
A method for managing a remote access authority information of a remote access service server including receiving a remote access authority list from a remote access server for a first user and registering the remote access authority list, by the remote access service server; when the remote access service server receives a remote access authority addition request for a second user from a communication device of the first user, giving a remote access authority to the second user and renewing the remote access authority list; transmitting information of the remote access authority given to the second user to the remote access server of the first user in order to synchronize the renewed access authority list with the remote access server of the first user; notifying the communication device of the first user whether the remote access authority addition is successful. |
| US08443407B2 |
Facilitating placeshifting using matrix code
A method for providing a user of a target device with placeshifted content. The method includes detecting, utilizing the target device, a matrix code associated with an audio/visual program. Data encoded in the matrix code includes program identifying information and elapsed time information with respect to the program. The method further includes generating, utilizing the target device, a request for the program based at least in part on the encoded data. The method also includes transmitting, utilizing the target device, the program request across a network. |
| US08443402B2 |
Terminating enhanced television broadcasts
An enhanced television broadcast system may enable the transmission and reception of a real-time event when a new program is about to begin. The real-time event may control access to enhancements from the program that is ending. In some embodiments, these real-time events may constitute triggers that are included within packets transmitted in an Internet Protocol multicast. As one example, the trigger may include a Uniform Resource Locator in the form of a tv: protocol that automatically causes the television display to go to full screen television. |
| US08443401B2 |
Digital television signal, digital television receiver, and method of processing digital television signal
A digital television (DTV) signal for use in a DTV receiver includes an extended text table (ETT) which includes a header and a message body. The header includes a table identification extension field which serves to establish uniqueness of the ETT, and the message includes an extended text message (ETM). If the ETT is an event ETT, the table ID extension field includes an event identification which specifies an identification number of an event associated with the ETT. On the other hand, if the ETT is a channel ETT, the table identification extension field includes a source identification which specifies a programming source of a virtual channel associated with the ETT. A section-filtering unit included in the DTV receiver is able to use table identification extension fields of a plurality of ETTs for section-filtering a pertinent event or channel ETT from the ETTs. |
| US08443400B2 |
Digital television signal, digital television receiver, and method of processing digital television signal
A digital television (DTV) signal for use in a DTV receiver includes an extended text table (ETT) which includes a header and a message body. The header includes a table identification extension field which serves to establish uniqueness of the ETT, and the message includes an extended text message (ETM). If the ETT is an event ETT, the table ID extension field includes an event identification which specifies an identification number of an event associated with the ETT. On the other hand, if the ETT is a channel ETT, the table identification extension field includes a source identification which specifies a programming source of a virtual channel associated with the ETT. A section-filtering unit included in the DTV receiver is able to use table identification extension fields of a plurality of ETTs for section-filtering a pertinent event or channel ETT from the ETTs. |
| US08443397B2 |
Broadcast receiving apparatus
There is provided a broadcast receiving apparatus 10, comprising a reception unit 13 receiving a broadcast signal from a plurality of channels; a display unit 20 displaying video which corresponds to the broadcast signal; a touch panel 23 accepting handwritten input by a user; a character recognition unit 24 recognizing handwritten input onto the touch panel 23 as a character or a character string; a memory unit 21 storing for each channel a character or a character string specifying the channel; and a control unit 11 switching a reception channel, when a character or a character string recognized by the character recognition unit 24 corresponds to any one of characters or character strings stored in the memory unit 21 while video corresponding to a broadcast signal received at the reception unit 13 is displayed on the display unit 20, to a channel corresponding to the character or the character string. |
| US08443396B2 |
Differentiated PSIP table update interval technology
An apparatus, method and data structure for generating at least one table in a broadcast environment, are provided. The apparatus includes a generator to generate an event information table (EIT) and an extended text table (ETT). The ETT has program guide information for an n-hour span and has a transmission interval. The ETT has a transmission interval and program description information according to the EIT. The transmission interval of the EIT is shorter than the transmission interval of the ETT. |
| US08443395B2 |
Differentiated PSIP table update interval technology
An apparatus, method and data structure for generating at least one table in a broadcast environment, are provided. The apparatus includes a generator to generate an event information table (EIT) and an extended text table (ETT). The ETT has program guide information for an n-hour span and has a transmission interval. The ETT has a transmission interval and program description information according to the EIT. The transmission interval of the EIT is shorter than the transmission interval of the ETT. |
| US08443393B2 |
Differentiated PSIP table update interval technology
An apparatus, method and data structure for generating at least one table in a broadcast environment, are provided. The apparatus includes a generator to generate an event information table (EIT) and an extended text table (ETT). The ETT has program guide information for an n-hour span and has a transmission interval. The ETT has a transmission interval and program description information according to the EIT. The transmission interval of the EIT is shorter than the transmission interval of the ETT. |
| US08443387B2 |
Method and apparatus for delivering and displaying information for a multi-layer user interface
Techniques for transmitting multiple “slices” of information for a particular location of a user interface, which can be used to present more information to a viewer for a limited-size viewing area. Multiple slices can be associated with a particular slice location of a user interface. In a first slice delivery and presentation scheme, multiple slices for a particular location of an interactive program guide (IPG) page are transmitted from the head-end at different times, and the slices can be appropriately time stamped for presentation at the designated times. In a second scheme, multiple slices are concurrently transmitted for a particular location of an IPG page, and one of the multiple slices can be selected for processing and display. In a third scheme, one slice is transmitted for each slice location, and additional slices can be transmitted for a particular location upon receiving a request from the terminal. |
| US08443385B1 |
System and method for delivering statistically scheduled advertisements
A system and method for scheduling advertisements in a television service network environment. An ad scheduler prepares an ad insertion schedule based on channel change statistical information and avail time information. The scheduler evaluates the statistical information, time durations between adjacent avails in a presentation stream, and the relatedness of market segments assigned to a plurality of advertisements. It schedules the ads into presentation stream groups based on this evaluation. The statistical ad scheduling allows the system to eliminate “forced” switching between multiple presentation streams, whereby system wears and malfunctions can be decreased. |
| US08443380B2 |
Web services layer synchrony in relation to the business layer synchrony
A web services system provides web services interfaces to applications having native interfaces with different types of synchrony. The web services interfaces can have the same or different type of synchrony than the underlying application. The web services layer translates a web services request from a client to corresponding function calls to applications. Upon receiving a response from an application, the web services layer translates the response back to a web services format and forwards it to the client. A naming convention is used to define the names of the data types and operations in the web services interface corresponding with data types and functions of the application. A function prefix can be used to specify a namespace in the web services interface unique to the application. A web services namespace is assigned to tokens so that requests for asynchronous web services are diverted to a general web services routine. |
| US08443379B2 |
Peek and lock using queue partitioning
A queue management system may store a queue of messages in a main queue. When a message is processed by an application, the message may be moved to a subqueue. In the subqueue, the message may be locked from other applications. After processing the message, the application may delete the message from the subqueue and complete the action required. If the application fails to respond in a timely manner, the message may be moved from the subqueue to the main queue and released for another application to service the message. If the application responds after the time out period, a fault may occur when the application attempts to delete the message from the subqueue. Such an arrangement allows a “peek and lock” functionality to be implemented using a subqueue. |
| US08443375B2 |
Lockless queues
A method for passing data from a first processing thread to a second processing thread, wherein the first processing thread produces data to be processed by the second processing thread. The data from the first processing thread may be inserted into objects that in turn are inserted into a queue of objects to be processed by the second thread. The queue may be a circular array, wherein the array includes a pointer to a head and a pointer to a tail, wherein only the first processing thread modifies the tail pointer and only the second processing thread modifies the head pointer. |
| US08443374B2 |
Business application integration adapters management system
In an example embodiment, a system manages adapters and connectors used to integrate software applications. The example system includes a repository of connectors, where each connector includes one or more integration adapters. A connector generator communicating with the repository of connectors is adapted to selectively generate one or more connectors in response to detection of an event for which a corresponding connector is not found in the repository of connectors. In a more specific example embodiment, the connector generator is adapted to implement one or more generated connectors as a web service. The connector generator may be constructed in accordance with an Application Integration Architecture (AIA) integration framework. Additional tools are provided for monitoring connector runtime information and receiving and logging user feedback pertaining to connectors. |
| US08443371B2 |
Managing operation requests using different resources
Provided are a system and program for managing operation requests using different resources. In one embodiment, a first queue is provided for operations which utilize a first resource of a first and second resource. A second queue is provided for operations which utilize the second resource. An operation is queued on the first queue until the first resource is acquired. The first resource is released if the second resource is not also acquired. The operation is queued on the second queue when the first resource is acquired but the second resource is not. In addition, the first resource is released until the operation acquires both the first resource and the second resource. |
| US08443367B1 |
Federated management in a distributed environment
Methods, systems, and techniques that enable enhanced coordination and management of a plurality of servers cooperatively operating in a cluster of servers. In one implementation, a plurality of enhanced Virtual Desktop Management (VDM) Servers operating in a Federated Virtual Desktop Management (VDM) Cluster are provided. Each of the enhanced VDM Servers active in the Federated VDM Cluster use federated task information pertaining to and derived from various executing federated tasks. However, only a single selected one of the plurality of enhanced VDM Servers is executing a particular one of the federated tasks at a time so that each federated task is continuously running somewhere in the Federated VDM Cluster. |
| US08443365B2 |
Methods and systems to clone a virtual machine instance
In one embodiment, an initialization script including instructions to define a value of a parameter at a cloned virtual machine instance is generated and stored at a virtual disk of a source virtual machine instance. The value of the parameter at the cloned virtual machine instance is different from the value of the parameter at the source virtual machine instance. An image of the virtual disk is then sent to a virtual machine module. The cloned virtual machine instance is instantiated at the virtual machine module based on the image of the virtual disk. |
| US08443364B2 |
Virtual machine system and virtual machine control method
A user interface function for a virtual machine system based on a server or a PC is provided only by applying software without using SVP or the like. A control virtual machine is provided for controlling a virtual machine control screen which is displayed for defining virtual machines and instructing operations to the virtual machines. A virtual machine control program exclusively displays either a screen for each virtual machine or the virtual machine control screen in response to a screen switching instruction from an input device. |
| US08443362B2 |
Computer system for determining and displaying performance problems from first storage devices and based on the problems, selecting a migration destination to other secondary storage devices that are operated independently thereof, from the first storage devices
Provided is a computer system including a host computer, a storage system, and a management computer, in which the storage system receives data I/O request to virtual logical volumes and data I/O request to one or more real logical volumes, each of the virtual logical volumes is allocated to one of one or more pools, storage areas of physical storage systems are allocated to all storage areas defined as the pools, and when a performance problem has occurred in one of the virtual logical volumes, the management computer selects the one of the virtual logical volumes, and selects a pool other than the pool to which the selected virtual logical volume is allocated and the real logical volumes as a migration destination of the selected virtual logical volume, to thereby prevent a performance problem from being caused by interference among the virtual logical volumes sharing the pool. |
| US08443351B2 |
Parallel loops in a workflow
The subject disclosure pertains broadly to parallelization of workflow loops. More specifically, loop containers and related elements are cloned several times to match a desired number of parallel iterations or threads. The cloned containers are communicatively coupled or connected to a single enumerator component and can interact therewith to facilitate acquisition of collection elements. This arrangement, among other things, ensures that the correct number of iterations are executed as if the loop was processed sequentially. |
| US08443346B2 |
Server evaluation of client-side script
A facility is described for server-side evaluation of client-side script, such as to crawl and index dynamically generated links. In various embodiments, the facility provides an object that emulates a browser object. The provided object exposes a function for performing steps comprising receiving a first link and storing the received first link in a list of links to be processed. The facility receives a second link to be processed, loads a second document identified by the received second link, and assigns the provided object to a global variable so that a script associated with the loaded second document invokes the function exposed by the provided object instead of a function with a similar name that is exposed by the emulated browser object. The function with the similar name exposed by the emulated browser object handles the received first link without storing it in the list of links to be processed. |
| US08443344B1 |
Methods for identifying gating opportunities from a high-level language program and generating a hardware definition
Approaches for generating a hardware definition from a program specified in a high-level language. In one approach, a first set of blocks of instructions in the high-level language program is identified. Each block in the first set is bounded by a respective loop designation in the high-level language. For each block in the first set, an associated respective second set of one or more blocks of the program is identified. Each block in the second set is outside the block in the first set. A hardware definition of the program is generated and stored. For each block in the first set, the hardware definition specifies power-reducing circuitry for one or more blocks in the associated second set. The power-reducing circuitry is controlled based on a status indication from the hardware definition of the block in the first set. |
| US08443341B2 |
System for and method of capturing application characteristics data from a computer system and modeling target system
A system for, method of and computer program product captures performance-characteristic data from the execution of a program and models system performance based on that data. Performance-characterization data based on easily captured reuse distance metrics is targeted, defined as the total number of memory references between two accesses to the same piece of data. Methods for efficiently capturing this kind of metrics are described. These data can be refined into easily interpreted performance metrics, such as performance data related to caches with LRU replacement and random replacement strategies in combination with fully associative as well as limited associativity cache organizations. Methods for assessing cache utilization as well as parallel execution are covered. |
| US08443336B2 |
System and method for applying model-based testing to train control systems
A method for model-based testing of an industrial system includes modeling functionality of an industrial system using a modeling computer language, enhancing the model by adding functionality or refining existing functionality, generating test suites from the system model, and executing the test suites. The modeling computer language is the Unified Modeling Language (UML), wherein modeling includes defining UML use case diagrams to describe relationships among use cases specified for the system and actors who interact with the system according to the use cases, defining UML activity diagrams to model process logic of each use case, wherein the activity diagrams comprise a sequence of activities and transitions, and defining UML class diagrams to specify data categories and attributes that are inputs to the activities of the activity diagrams, wherein data categories relevant for a use case are modeled as test variables in the activity diagram. |
| US08443335B2 |
Apparatus and method for circuit design
A word processing or spreadsheet application is augmented by a plug-in and templates for computer aided design of electronic hardware entities. The plug-in utilizes the application programming interface to provide a menu system and executable code which inserts templates, reads and validates data entered into the template, computes addresses, annotates addresses and error messages back to a word processing document for display in the editor of the word processing document, and upon selection and request, generates output files for target simulators or synthesis tools. |
| US08443334B1 |
Method and apparatus for generating graphical representations of slack potential for slack paths
A method for designing a system to be implemented on a target device includes computing slack potential of paths between components on the target device after timing analysis. A graphical representation of the slack potential and slack for the paths is generated. The graphical representation identifies that a design change is required for a first portion of the system associated with a first path and that a change in placement is required for a second portion of the system associated with the second path. |
| US08443329B2 |
Trustworthy structural synthesis and expert knowledge extraction with application to analog circuit design
A system and method that does trustworthy multi-objective structural synthesis of analog circuits, and extracts expert analog circuit knowledge from the resulting tradeoffs. The system defines a space of thousands of possible topologies via a hierarchically organized combination of designer-trusted analog building blocks, the resulting topologies are guaranteed trustworthy. The system can perform a search based on a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm that uses an age-layered population structure to balance exploration vs. exploitation, with operators that make the search space a hybrid between vector-based and tree-based representations. A scheme employing average ranking on Pareto fronts is used to handle a high number of objectives. Good initial topology sizings are quickly generated via multi-gate constraint satisfaction. To explicitly capture expert analog design knowledge, data mining is employed on the sized circuits to: automatically generate a decision tree for navigating from performance specifications to topology choice, to do global nonlinear sensitivity analysis, and to generate analytical models of performance tradeoffs. |
| US08443328B2 |
Recursive hierarchical static timing analysis
A method for recursive hierarchical static timing analysis. The method includes accessing a lower-level netlist representing a lower-level block of a circuit design to be realized in physical form, and accessing constraints for the lower-level block. Static timing analysis is performed on the lower-level block. The method includes accessing an upper-level netlist representing an upper-level block of the circuit design to be realized in physical form, and accessing constraints for the upper-level block. Static timing analysis is performed on the upper-level block while incorporating results from the static timing analysis on the lower-level block. Subsequently, recursive static timing analysis is performed on the lower-level block and the upper-level block, wherein results from static timing analysis on the upper-level block are feedback for updating the constraints for the lower-level block, and wherein results from static timing analysis on the lower-level block are feedback for updating the constraints for the upper-level block. |
| US08443327B2 |
Reassembling scattered logic blocks in integrated circuits
Techniques for reassembling scattered logic blocks in an integrated circuit (IC) are provided. The techniques include identifying a virtual memory block to be reassembled in an IC design. The virtual memory block is formed by a plurality of memory blocks that are connected by a plurality of logic circuitry. The plurality of memory blocks and the plurality logic circuitry that connect the memory blocks within the virtual memory block are identified. The identified logic circuitry and memory blocks are removed from the virtual memory block. The virtual memory block is replaced with a custom memory block that is functionally comparable to the plurality of connected memory blocks in the virtual memory block. |
| US08443324B2 |
Routing and timing using layer ranges
A method, system, and computer program product for improved routing using layer ranges in the design of an integrated circuit (IC) are provided in the illustrative embodiments. Using an application executing in a data processing system, a score is computed for a net in a set of nets routed using a set of layers in the design. The set of nets is sorted according to scores associated with nets in the set of nets. A layer range from a set of layer ranges is assigned to a net in the sorted list such that a net with a higher than threshold score is assigned a high layer range. |
| US08443322B2 |
Using layout enumeration to facilitate integrated circuit development
A method for using layout enumeration to facilitate integrated circuit development includes defining an initial set of design ground rules represented in a notation compatible with a coarse placement grid, for a given layer(s) of an integrated circuit device; defining an initial region of interest for the integrated circuit device; enumerating, according to the initial set of design ground rules, each legal design layout for a given layer of the integrated circuit device in the initial region of interest; running a manufacturing simulation of the enumerated legal design layout data and, responsive to determining one or more failing layouts resulting therefrom, further determining whether the failing layouts may be eliminated by changes in technology parameters and/or updated ground rules. Upon eliminating the one or more failing layouts for the initial region of interest, expanding the initial region of interest and repeating the enumerating, manufacturing simulation, and triage assessment. |
| US08443321B1 |
Pessimism removal in the modeling of simultaneous switching noise
Methods for determining induced noise on a given victim by a set of aggressor signals are presented, and for identifying the worst case aggressor switching time alignment that causes the worst case victim noise. The method removes circuit analysis pessimism related to simultaneous switching noise (SSN) in a circuit design tool by determining physically impossible combinations of victim-aggressor input/output (I/O) pins in a circuit design and culling out the impossible combinations from the list of possible victim-aggressor combinations. The method further performs a switching window SSN analysis of the circuit design with a common uncertainty removal algorithm taking into consideration the list of possible victim-aggressor combinations, and determines the maximum voltage noise induced on I/O pins of the circuit design. The results of the noise analysis are displayed to the user. |
| US08443319B2 |
Method for preparing re-architected designs for sequential equivalence checking
This disclosure describes a method illustrated in FIG. 7 to prepare re-architected digital logic designs for sequential equivalence checking. This method initially begins with a description of an electrical design module that includes a plurality of ports, and a description of an electrical reference model that comprises a hierarchy of one or more reference modules where each said reference module comprises a plurality of internal signals. In addition, this method includes a configuration file with additional initial information. The method then processes 100 a configuration file. Then, the method 105 computes one or more output files. Finally, the method 110 writes the output files. |
| US08443317B2 |
Transformation of IC designs for formal verification
A non-transitory computer readable storage media, a computer-implemented method and apparatus for electronic design automation are disclosed. A reference integrated circuit (IC) design and a remitted IC design are received. Instances of cells of the reference IC design and the retimed IC designed are replaced with replacement circuits based on a description of moves of retiming associated with the reference IC design and the synthesized IC design. A comparison of the reference IC design and the retimed IC designed is performed to determine whether the retimed IC design is equivalent to the transformed IC design. |
| US08443315B2 |
Reset mechanism conversion
Methods, circuits, and systems for converting reset mechanisms in a synchronous circuit design into a corresponding asynchronous representation are described. These may operate to convert synchronous state holding blocks that include reset signals to corresponding asynchronous dataflow logic blocks. A replicated reset token at a fraction of the operational frequency of the reset signal may be distributed to the locations of the asynchronous dataflow logic blocks. Additional methods, circuits, and systems are disclosed. |
| US08443313B2 |
Circuit design optimization
A method comprises generating a first behavioral model of a circuit describing a physical circuit in a first configuration. The first configuration comprises a first master latch, a first fanout path, and a logic cone. The first master latch couples to the first fanout path and is configured to receive a first data input signal. The first fanout path comprises a plurality of output sinks, each coupled to the logic cone. The first behavioral model is modified to generate a second behavioral model describing the physical circuit in a second configuration. The second configuration comprises an error circuit and an abstract latch clone based on the first master latch. A configuration file is generated based on the second behavioral model. The configuration file comprises information representing a plurality of instantiated latch clones based on the abstract latch clone, each configured to couple to the first data input signal and to one or more output sinks of the plurality of output sinks. The second behavioral model and the configuration file are together configured for input to a synthesis tool. |
| US08443309B2 |
Multifeature test pattern for optical proximity correction model verification
A method for optical proximity correction (OPC) model accuracy verification for a semiconductor product includes generating a multifeature test pattern, the multifeature test pattern comprising a plurality of features selected from the semiconductor product; exposing and printing the multifeature test pattern on a test wafer under a process condition; generating an OPC model of the semiconductor product for the process condition; and comparing the test wafer to the OPC model to verify the accuracy of the OPC model. |
| US08443307B2 |
Methods and system for model-based generic matching and tuning
The present invention relates to a method for tuning lithography systems so as to allow different lithography systems to image different patterns utilizing a known process that does not require a trial and error process to be performed to optimize the process and lithography system settings for each individual lithography system. According to some aspects, the present invention relates to a method for a generic model-based matching and tuning which works for any pattern. Thus it eliminates the requirements for CD measurements or gauge selection. According to further aspects, the invention is also versatile in that it can be combined with certain conventional techniques to deliver excellent performance for certain important patterns while achieving universal pattern coverage at the same time. |
| US08443305B2 |
Chart analysis instrument
A geometric instrument for analyzing curves and charts is described herein. The instrument is utilizable to facilitate review of land surveys, including ALTA surveys, title surveys, boundary surveys, topographical surveys, etc. The instrument allows users thereof to quickly and thoroughly review land surveys and data relating thereto, for instance, for title insurance purposes. |
| US08443302B2 |
Systems and methods of touchless interaction
A contactless display system enables a user to interact with a displayed image by moving a finger, or pointer, toward a selected portion of the image. Images can be enlarged, or translated dynamically in response to detected movement. Operational methodology can be manually switched between contact-type and contactless operation to enhance flexibility. |
| US08443301B1 |
Inspection reporting including a 3D vehicle model
In one embodiment, a visual reporting system generates a 3-dimensional (3D) interactive vehicle inspection report comprising 3D model data and inspection data for a particular vehicle. The inspection data, such as recommended repair items, are associated with graphical vehicle sections in the 3D model. Further, additional inspection data, such as instructional videos or inspection photographs, can be provided to a user desiring additional detail. By providing an interactive visual representation of inspection data, the 3D inspection report provides a report that can be customized to provide different levels of detail to different users. In addition, the 3D model can provide a visually compact summary of the inspection data by marking on the 3D model the repair items for the vehicle. Use of the 3D inspection report can raise the likelihood that the vehicle owner understands the need for repair, leading to more repair orders for repair facilities. |
| US08443300B2 |
Three dimensional navigation of listing information
Computerized methods and systems for three-dimensional (3-D) displaying and navigating of search results are provided. In embodiments, a criterion may be received from a user of a publication system. A database associated with the publication system may be searched based on the criterion. Search results retrieved from the database may be displayed on at least one side of a 3-D interface object. At least one control may be displayed proximate to the three 3-D interface object. The control may be used to navigate the 3-D interface object. |
| US08443297B1 |
Dimming a window that is out of focus
Systems and methods for bringing a window into focus are provided. In some aspects, a method includes providing for display of a first window and a second window in a user interface. The first window is in focus. The second window is not in focus. The method includes receiving a user input for bringing the second window into focus. The method includes brightening at least a dimmed portion of the second window in response to the user input for bringing the second window into focus. The method includes gradually dimming at least a visible portion of the first window in response to the user input for bringing the second window into focus. The method includes pausing the dimming, after expiration of a time period, of the at least the visible portion of the first window. |
| US08443295B1 |
Graphical representation of definitions of statistics
Existing statistics reporting methods tend to be inflexible and difficult for operators to understand and use effectively. A graphical user interface is provided whereby operators are able to view a state/event model of an automated system and using that graphical user interface make changes to existing statistics, define new statistics and analyze existing statistics. As a result of user inputs made at this graphical user interface changes are effected in a statistics reporting application in order to generate actual values of the statistics. In some embodiments Unified Modeling Language (UML) is used to provide the state/event model and extensions to UML are described which improve the ability to create and modify definitions of statistics. |
| US08443294B2 |
Visual indication of alarms on a ventilator graphical user interface
This disclosure describes systems and methods for displaying alarms to a clinician in a ventilatory system. Specifically, embodiments described herein seek to optimize the informative presentation of alarms on a ventilator interface. Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide one or more selection elements, each selection element indicating a ranked alarm event. The ranking of an alarm event may be determined by alarm level. If two alarm events are associated with the same alarm level, the ranking of the alarm events may be determined by parameter priority. Alarm event ranking is communicated by display in a hierarchical structure. When an alarm event ranking changes, the alarm event may shift up or down the hierarchical structure, depending on whether the ranking increased or decreased. |
| US08443291B2 |
Apparatus and method for creating widget in portable terminal
Provided are an apparatus and a method for creating a widget of a portable terminal. The method includes: determining a building block that a user selects on a widget creating screen including building blocks necessary for widget creation; generating a tag of data corresponding to the confirmed building block; and generating a widget code including the building block and the tag. |
| US08443287B2 |
Interactive tool for visualizing performance data in real-time to enable adaptive performance optimization and feedback
An interactive tool is disclosed for visualizing performance data in real-time to enable adaptive performance optimization for an application running on a massively parallel computer system. The interactive tool may be used to visualize network congestion (and other) performance counters for an application as it runs on the parallel system in real-time. Further, a developer may use the interactive tool to experiment with various tuning options and optimization approaches on-the-fly. |
| US08443280B2 |
Method for sequenced document annotations
A method for sequenced document annotation is disclosed. The method includes linking a first annotation to a document, where the first annotation is defined by a first primary graphic and a first sequence identifier. Thereafter, a first value is assigned to the first sequence identifier, and the first primary graphic and the first sequence identifier are displayed. After incrementing the first value to a second value, a second annotation is linked to the document. The second annotation is defined by a second sequence identifier and a second primary graphic identical to the first primary graphic. The second sequence identifier is assigned an incremented second value, and the second primary graphic and the second sequence identifier are displayed. |
| US08443279B1 |
Voice-responsive annotation of video generated by an endoscopic camera
An image capture device in an endoscopic imaging system receives a video stream generated by an endoscopic video camera. In response to automatic recognition of a spoken utterance while the video stream is being received from the endoscopic video camera, the image capture device associates with the video stream an annotation that corresponds to the spoken utterance. The image capture device provides the video stream to a display device for display, such that the annotation can be overlaid on one or more frames of the video stream displayed on the display device. |
| US08443275B2 |
Lossy compression technique for video encoder bandwidth reduction using compression error data
A method, system and apparatus of lossy compression technique for video encoder bandwidth reduction using compression error data are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes storing an error data from a compression of an original reference data in an off-chip memory, accessing the error data during a motion compensation operation, and performing the motion compensation operation by applying the error data through an algorithm (e.g., determined by the method of storing the error data). The method may include generating a predicted frame in the motion compensation operation using a motion vector and an on-chip video data. In addition, the method may include determining the error data as a difference between a compressed reference data (e.g., is created by compressing the original reference data) and an original reference data (e.g., reconstructed from a prior predicted frame and a decompressed encoder data). |
| US08443273B2 |
Data dependent NPML detection and systems thereof
According to one embodiment, a data detection system includes a coefficient-and-variance engine for selecting which infinite impulse response (IIR) filter and prediction error variance to process and store at any time, and a maximum-likelihood sequence detector. The coefficient-and-variance engine comprises a filter bank storing a plurality of IIR filters that represent a plurality of data-dependent noise whitening or noise prediction filters; a least-mean square (LMS) engine for adapting each IIR filter to actual noise conditions: a variance hank storing a plurality of prediction error variance values; and a data-dependent prediction error variance computation unit which updates the plurality of prediction error variance values. The maximum-likelihood sequence detector includes a metric computation unit that employs the plurality of IIR filters in the filter bank and the plurality of prediction error variances in the variance bank to adaptively compute detector branch metrics. Other systems and methods are also described in other embodiments. |
| US08443270B2 |
Multiple input hardware reuse using LDPC codes
A network controller receives data substantially simultaneously from multiple client nodes. The network controller assigns to each client node one or more sub-carriers of an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing access frequency spectrum. The client nodes transmit substantially simultaneously M LDPC codewords that are encoded in a parity check matrix so that the number of rows m′ depend on the code rate and are mapped on its assigned sub-carriers. The network controller computes a bit log-likelihood ratio for each received bit of the codewords and arranges the bit LLR by codeword to align with an equivalent parity check matrix. The network controller decodes the codewords with the equivalent parity check matrix. |
| US08443268B2 |
Method of performing interleaving and data transmission apparatus
A method of performing interleaving and a data transmission apparatus are disclosed, in which interleaving is performed for input data streams using bit reverse ordering (BRO) operation. A method of performing interleaving for input data streams comprises writing respective bits of the input data stream in a row direction of a memory matrix in accordance with the input order, performing row permutation for index of each row of the memory matrix using an R-bit (R is an integer) bit reverse ordering (BRO) operation, performing pruning for a row which satisfies a given condition, performing column permutation using BRO operation for index of each column of the memory matrix, and reading to output each bit in a column direction of the memory matrix where the column permutation has been performed. |
| US08443267B2 |
Systems and methods for hard decision assisted decoding
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for data processing. For example, a data processing system is disclosed that includes a processing loop circuit having a data detector and a soft decision decoder. The data detector provides a detected output, and the soft decision decoder applies a soft decoding algorithm to a derivative of the detected output to yield a soft decision output and a first hard decision output. The systems further include a queuing buffer and a hard decision decoder. The queuing buffer is operable to store the soft decision output, and the hard decision decoder accesses the soft decision output and applies a hard decoding algorithm to yield a second hard decision output. The data detector is operable to perform a data detection on a derivative of the soft decision output if the soft decision decoder and the hard decision decoder fail to converge. |
| US08443266B2 |
Data processing method and data processor
A data processing method includes checking an error on a first header, and determining whether or not to correct the error on the first header based on an error correction count for an first error correction processing block including the first header. |
| US08443265B2 |
Method and apparatus for map decoding and turbo decoder using the same
A Maximum A Posteriori (MAP) decoder and a MAP decoding method are provided. The MAP decoder includes a first metric operation unit, a first bit-width control unit, a second metric operation unit, a Log Likelihood Ratio (LLR) operation unit, and a second bit-width control unit. The first metric operation unit outputs a first metric data using an input data. The first bit-width control unit controls a bit-width of the first metric data according to a modulation scheme of the input data. The second metric operation unit outputs a second metric data using the first metric data having the controlled bit-width. The LLR operation unit outputs LLR data using the second metric data. The second bit-width control unit outputs decoding data by re-controlling the bit-width of the LLR data. |
| US08443258B2 |
Memory device including memory controller
A memory device includes a semiconductor memory including a plurality of memory cells, and a controller including a buffer which temporarily stores data, a data pattern check circuit which checks a predetermined data pattern of data that are stored in the buffer and are to be stored in a plurality of neighboring ones of the memory cells, and sends an address in accordance with a result of the check, and a data correction circuit which corrects a value of data at the address that is sent, and sends the corrected value to the semiconductor memory. |
| US08443256B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) for a data message
A method of creatine a CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) code for a data message in a data communications system includes sequentially placing portions of the data message on a bus of width W bits consisting of an integral number N of segments of width S. An initial portion of the message fills n complete segments, where n |
| US08443252B2 |
Method and system of relaying data
A method and system of relaying data are provided. The data is encoded into a turbo codeword by using a convolutional turbo code encoder, and the turbo codeword is transmitted from a source to a relay and a destination after puncturing by a first puncturing operation. The first punctured turbo codeword which is received in the relay is de-punctured and regenerated in a decoding operation and the regenerated turbo codeword is transmitted from the relay to the destination in punctured form after puncturing by a second puncturing operation. The punctured turbo codewords received from the source and the relay by the destination are totaled together as a totaled single turbo codeword and the totaled single turbo codeword is completely decoded to recover the data. |
| US08443249B2 |
Systems and methods for low density parity check data encoding
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for encoding data. As an example, a data encoding circuit is disclosed that includes a first stage data encoder circuit and a second stage data encoder circuit. The first stage data encoder circuit is operable to provide a first stage output. The first stage data encoder circuit includes a first vector multiplier circuit operable to receive a data input and to multiply the data input by a first sparse matrix to yield a first interim value. The second stage encoder circuit includes a second vector multiplier circuit operable to multiply the first stage output by a second sparse matrix to yield a second interim value. |
| US08443248B2 |
Method for decoding data packets in a wireless communication system
A method is provided for decoding data packets in wireless communication schemes that use a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request technique, and a receiver for wireless communication that performs such a method. The HARQ memory incorporated in a receiver for wireless communication is minimized to a size which only reserves memory for an average number of erroneous sub-packets. Following decoding, an error check is performed on a per sub-packet basis, and only the softbits of those sub-packets for which decoding errors have been detected are stored in the HARQ memory. Correctly decoded sub-packets are stored in a separate memory. This significantly decreases the size of the HARQ memory required at the receiver which is beneficial in terms of both silicon area and power consumption. |
| US08443246B1 |
Control of clock gate cells during scan testing
A system and method for detecting transition delay faults decouples the test enable pins of the clock gating cells from other elements in the circuitry. The test enable pins are controlled during test mode by a unique signal, allowing the tester to independently control the clock gating logic of the circuitry. By being able to ungate the clock, the tester can ensure that the two clock pulses needed to check for transition delay faults will always be present. |
| US08443244B2 |
Blind and decision directed multi-level channel estimation
A read value that is read from a multi-level storage device is received, as are a set of bins having bin ranges. A set of amounts corresponding to the set of bins is received where each amount in the set indicates an amount of read values which fall into the corresponding bin. One or more of the bin ranges is adjusted, including by: in the event there is a first bin range that is less than the received read value, increasing at least the first bin range and in the event there is a second bin range that is greater than the received read value, decreasing at least the second bin range. |
| US08443241B2 |
Runtime dynamic performance skew elimination
For runtime dynamic performance skew elimination in a computer environment, an exemplary computer environment is configured for calculating a rank heats by utilizing a plurality of fine-grained statistics collected at an extent granularity, including considering bandwidth (BW) and input/outputs per second (IOPS) metrics. An adaptive data placement plan is generated to relocate the data. The data is placed among data storage ranks. The data storage ranks are balanced according to the adaptive data placement plan. |
| US08443240B2 |
Method in a gaming machine for providing data recovery
Disclosed is a gaming machine capable of data restoration. |
| US08443238B2 |
System and method for testing hard disk ports
A method tests hard disk ports located on a motherboard of a computing device. Each of the hard disk ports connects to a respective serial port of a test fixture. The test fixture includes a group of serial ports, a multiplexer and a storage device. Each of the hard disk ports is selected to be tested during the process of hard disk ports test. A data transmission path is formed by building a connection between the storage device and a channel of the multiplexer corresponding to the hard disk port. Data are written to the storage device and read from the storage device through the data transmission path. The hard disk port is working normal if the written data are identical to the read data. The hard disk port is not working normally if the written data are not identical to the read data. |
| US08443231B2 |
Updating a list of quorum disks
A node in a server cluster is designated as a quorum disk. The node stores a list of other nodes in the server cluster also designated as quorum disks. The node can replace the first list with a second and more recent list of quorum disks only if the second list is updated on at least a simple majority of quorum disks on the first list. |
| US08443230B1 |
Methods and systems with transaction-level lockstep
Methods and systems for redundant operation of a first and second processor are provided. A set of instructions is executed in parallel on the first and second processors. In response to a first access transaction for a peripheral device being issued from execution of an instruction by the first processor, the first processor suspends operation. In response to the first access transaction being a write transaction, the write transaction is not issued to the peripheral device until the second processor executes the instruction and issues a second access transaction that is equal to the write transaction. In response to the first access transaction being a read transaction, the read transaction is not issued to the peripheral device until the second processor executes the instruction. |
| US08443226B2 |
Systems and methods for diagnosing and fixing electronic devices
Systems and methods for reducing the cost and time required for diagnosing and fixing electronic devices are provided. A host electronic device may be configured to generate a log of events that it experiences. A help component may access the generated log and analyze the log to detect if the host device has experienced a problem. Data may then be exchanged between the help component and the host device in order to fix the detected problem. |
| US08443225B2 |
Method and apparatus synchronizing integrated circuit clocks
Embodiments described herein include a method and system for synchronizing clocks between coupled integrated circuits (ICs) in a computer system. According to an embodiment, a dedicated timing pin is provided on a first IC. The first IC configures a second IC to change a pin assignment, so that the second IC interprets a signal sent on the timing pin by the first IC and received on the reassigned pin as a request to transmit a return signal. The return signal is received on the timing pin. The return signal is used to determine whether timing should be adjusted by the first IC. In an embodiment a clock and data recover (CDR) circuit compares the signal sent to the signal received in order to make the determination. In an embodiment the first IC is a processor-based device, and the second IC is a memory device controlled by the first device. |
| US08443221B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for advanced power management for serial advanced technology attachment (SATA)-based storage devices
Methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable media for advanced power management for serial advanced technology attachment (SATA)-based storage devices are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for advanced power management of SATA-based storage devices. The method includes, at a SATA-based storage device having a controller, a non-volatile memory for storing data, and a communication interface for communicating with a host, receiving from the host a command to enter a quiescent mode. In response to receiving the command to enter a quiescent mode, the storage device enters a quiescent mode. The storage device receives from the host an indication that the storage device should enter a low power mode. In response to this indication, the storage device puts at least a portion of the non-volatile memory into a low power mode while maintaining at least a portion of the controller in normal power mode. The storage device optionally puts a physical layer interface of the storage device into a low power mode for additional power savings. |
| US08443214B2 |
Method and system for optimizing power consumption in a mobile environment
The present invention relates to a system and method adapted to optimize power consumption in a communication system used in a Gigabit Ethernet environment. The method comprises determining at least one power mode of a host from a plurality of possible host power modes. The method further comprises selecting at least one network interface power management state from a plurality of possible network interface power management states based, at least in part, on the determined power mode. |
| US08443212B2 |
Automated battery calibration
A computing device executes a boot process. During boot process execution, the computing device initiates automatic calibration of a battery connected to the computing device. |
| US08443208B2 |
System, method and device for playing back recorded audio, video or other content from non-volatile memory cards, compact disks, or other media
A secure software package for original equipment manufacturers to run in electronic devices in order to access and dynamically decrypt encrypted audio video or other content from a memory storage device such as a memory card, optical or hard disk such that the user interface of the device need only send simple commands and the decrypted content is output. |
| US08443205B2 |
Secure function evaluation techniques for circuits containing XOR gates with applications to universal circuits
An embodiment of the present invention provides a method that minimizes the number of entries required in a garbled circuit associated with secure function evaluation of a given circuit. Exclusive OR (XOR) gates are evaluated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention without the need of associated entries in the garbled table to yield minimal computational and communication effort. This improves the performance of SFE evaluation. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method that replaces regular gates with more efficient constructions containing XOR gates in an implementation of a Universal Circuit, and circuits for integer addition and multiplication, thereby maximizing the performance improvement provided by the above. |
| US08443202B2 |
Methods and systems for authenticating users
A method of authenticating users to reduce transaction risks includes indicating a desire to conduct a transaction and determining whether the transaction requires access to protected resources. Moreover, the method determines whether inputted information is known, determines a state of a communications device when the inputted information is known, and transmits a biometric authentication request from a server to an authentication system when the state of the communications device is enrolled. Additionally, the method includes validating the communications device, capturing biometric authentication data in accordance with a biometric authentication data capture request with the communications device, biometrically authenticating the user, generating a one-time pass-phrase and storing the one-time pass-phrase on the authentication system when the user is authenticated, comparing the transmitted one-time pass-phrase against the stored one-time pass-phrase, and granting access to the protected resources when the transmitted and stored one-time pass-phrases match. |
| US08443193B1 |
State-maintained multi-party signatures
A hash module of a mail sender creates a hash data context structure. The hash module processes the headers and the body of an e-mail message in the order required, for example by the DKIM specification, until the data to be hashed has been input. The hash module converts the context structure into printable characters and the encoded structure is transmitted over the Internet or other network to the next participating system. The token authority's hash module decodes the context back into binary form. After ensuring business logic is satisfied, it generates additional headers required for signature, which are then added to the developing hash. The hash module finalizes the hash function and creates the hash value. The authorization module creates the signature and returns it to the e-mail module, which attaches the signature to the message and transmits it to the destination mailbox provider, which verifies the token. |
| US08443183B2 |
Pre-boot loader for reducing system boot time
A pre-boot loader reduces the boot time of an operating system (OS). An OS is typically loaded by its own OS loader. A pre-boot loader is typically a software module in the system firmware or the pre-boot environment that loads the OS loader, which in turn loads the OS. In one embodiment, the pre-boot loader bypasses part or all of the steps performed by the OS loader, which shortens the loading time of the OS loader and the OS. In another embodiment, bypassing the steps of the OS loader reduces dependency on the system firmware functions. The system firmware takes advantage of this to further reduce boot time, by executing the pre-boot loader earlier instead of waiting until the full completion of system initialization by the system firmware. |
| US08443182B2 |
Media data playback device and reboot method thereof
A media data playback device comprises first and second nonvolatile memories. The first nonvolatile memory stores a boot loader and a kernel of an operating system in a compressed format. The second nonvolatile memory serves as a main memory of the device. A processor executes the boot loader to load and decompress the kernel from the first nonvolatile memory to the second nonvolatile memory in response to a boot command. When receiving a shutdown command, the processor determines whether to perform a portion of bootstrapping processes of the device in response to the shutdown command before actually shutdown the device. |
| US08443179B2 |
Method and system for unified audio control on a personal computer
A system and method for improved audio controls on a personal computer is provided. The system and method provide a unified architecture for audio controls across hardware and software interfaces of the personal computer. An intelligent facility may automatically change audio controls for users to simply interact with various communications and media applications. To this end, a configurable audio controller intelligently handles various aspects of the system's audio devices by following various rules that may be based at least in part on user-configurable settings and a current operating state. The present invention also provides audio controls so that a user may easily change audio settings such as the volume of an audio output device. There are many applications that may use the present invention for automatic control of audio devices based upon the user's context. |
| US08443178B2 |
Operating system image shrinking apparatus and method and computer readable tangible medium storing a program for operating system image shrinking
An OS image shrinking apparatus for shrinking a size of at least one OS image stored in a computer. The OS image shrinking apparatus includes an execution history management unit that operates a predetermined application program on the computer for a predetermined time and manages an execution history of a function by monitoring the function executed during operation of the application program, a saved function management unit that refers to the execution history managed by the execution history management unit and manages the function existing in the execution history, as a saved function, among functions included in the OS image, and an unused function processing unit that performs a processing to delete from the OS image a function not managed by the saved function management unit, as an unused function, among the functions included in the OS image. |
| US08443177B2 |
Bad branch prediction detection, marking, and accumulation for faster instruction stream processing
An apparatus for extracting instructions from a stream of undifferentiated instruction bytes in a microprocessor having an instruction set architecture in which the instructions are variable length. Decode logic decodes the instruction bytes of the stream to generate for each a corresponding opcode byte indictor and end byte indicator and receives a corresponding taken indicator for each of the instruction bytes. The taken indicator is true if a branch predictor predicted the instruction byte is the opcode byte of a taken branch instruction. The decode logic generates a corresponding bad prediction indicator for each of the instruction bytes. The bad prediction indicator is true if the corresponding taken indicator is true and the corresponding opcode byte indicator is false. The decode logic sets to true the bad prediction indicator for each remaining byte of an instruction whose opcode byte has a true bad prediction indicator. Control logic extracts instructions from the stream and sends the extracted instructions for further processing by the microprocessor. The control logic foregoes sending an instruction having both a true end byte indicator and a true bad prediction indicator. |
| US08443176B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for reducing cache memory pollution
A method for reducing cache memory pollution including fetching an instruction stream from a cache line, preventing a fetching for the instruction stream from a sequential cache line, searching for a next predicted taken branch instruction, determining whether a length of the instruction stream extends beyond a length of the cache line based on the next predicted taken branch instruction, continuing preventing the fetching for the instruction stream from the sequential cache line if the length of the instruction stream does not extend beyond the length of the cache line, and allowing the fetching for the instruction stream from the sequential cache line if the length of the instruction stream extends beyond the length of the cache line, whereby the fetching from the sequential cache line and a resulting polluting of a cache memory that stores the instruction stream is minimized. A corresponding system and computer program product. |
| US08443175B2 |
Microprocessor with first processor for debugging second processor
A microprocessor integrated circuit includes first and second processors, an internal memory accessible by the first and second processors, and a bus interface unit configured to interface to a bus external to the microprocessor for providing access to a memory external to the microprocessor. The bus interface unit, external bus, and external memory are accessible by the second processor but are inaccessible by the first processor. The first processor writes debug information to the internal memory. The first processor detects an event and provides a notification of the event to the second processor. The second processor, coupled to the bus interface unit, executes microcode in response to the event notification received from the first processor. The microcode reads the debug information from the internal memory and writes the debug information to the external memory via the bus interface unit and external bus for use in debugging the second processor. |
| US08443171B2 |
Run-time updating of prediction hint instructions
The present invention provides a system and method for runtime updating of hints in program instructions. The invention also provides for programs of instructions that include hint performance data. Also, the invention provides an instruction cache that modifies hints and writes them back. As runtime hint updates are stored in instructions, the impact of the updates is not limited by the limited memory capacity local to a processor. Also, there is no conflict between hardware and software hints, as they can share a common encoding in the program instructions. |
| US08443169B2 |
Interconnection network connecting operation-configurable nodes according to one or more levels of adjacency in multiple dimensions of communication in a multi-processor and a neural processor
A Wings array system for communicating between nodes using store and load instructions is described. Couplings between nodes are made according to a 1 to N adjacency of connections in each dimension of a G×H matrix of nodes, where G≧N and H≧N and N is a positive odd integer. Also, a 3D Wings neural network processor is described as a 3D G×H×K network of neurons, each neuron with an N×N×N array of synaptic weight values stored in coupled memory nodes, where G≧N, H≧N, K≧N, and N is determined from a 1 to N adjacency of connections used in the G×H×K network. Further, a hexagonal processor array is organized according to an INFORM coordinate system having axes at 60 degree spacing. Nodes communicate on row paths parallel to an FM dimension of communication, column paths parallel to an IO dimension of communication, and diagonal paths parallel to an NR dimension of communication. |
| US08443165B2 |
Data management in a data storage system
An exemplary method includes receiving a command for storing data to a plurality of data storage resources, storing the data in a set of buffer storage locations, defining a plurality of jobs for the command, each of the plurality of jobs having an associated data operation with at least one of the data storage resources, and reallocating a subset of the buffer storage locations that stored the data for a completed job prior to completion of at least one other job. |
| US08443163B1 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable medium for tier-based data storage resource allocation and data relocation in a data storage array
According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for tier-based slice allocation and data relocation in a data storage array. The method is performed at a data storage array including physical data storage capacity being logically divided into one or more logical units (LUs) and each of the one or more LUs being further subdivided into one or more slices, where the data storage array includes a resource pool being divided into a plurality of resource groupings, where each resource grouping includes one or more resources of a common type. The method includes receiving a slice allocation request for allocating a slice from the data storage array, where the slice allocation request includes at least one constraint. In response to receiving the slice allocation request, a slice that honors the at least one constraint is allocated. |
| US08443162B2 |
Methods and apparatus for dynamically managing banked memory
Techniques for controllably allocating a portion of a plurality of memory banks as cache memory are disclosed. To this end, a configuration tracker and a bank selector are employed. The configuration tracker configures whether each memory bank is to operate in a cache or not. The bank selector has a plurality of bank distributing functions. Upon receiving an incoming address, the bank selector determines the configuration of memory banks currently operating as the cache and applies an appropriate bank distributing function based on the configuration of memory banks. The applied bank distributing function utilizes bits in the incoming address to access one of the banks configured as being in the cache. |
| US08443160B2 |
Computer system and data migration method
With a computer system having a host computer and first and second storage apparatuses, the second storage apparatus virtualizes first logical units in the first storage apparatus and provides them as second logical units to the host computer, collects configuration information about each first logical unit, and sets each piece of the collected configuration information to each corresponding second logical unit. The host computer adds a path to the second logical units and deletes a path to the first logical units. The second storage apparatus copies data stored in the first logical units to a storage area provided by the second storage device and associates the storage area with the second logical units. |
| US08443159B1 |
Methods and systems for creating full backups
A computer-implemented method may include creating a first full backup of a set of data units at a first time. The computer-implemented method may also include identifying one or more data units in the set of data units that have been modified since the first time. The computer-implemented method may further include creating a second full backup of the set of data units by providing copies of the one or more data units that have been modified since the first time and storing references to copies of one or more data units in the set of data units that have not been modified since the first time. The references may be configured such that the second full backup is a standalone backup that is independent of any other backups. |
| US08443158B2 |
Mobile wireless communications device providing data management and security features and related methods
A mobile wireless communications device may include a wireless transceiver, a series of processing modules, a shared memory connected the plurality of processing modules and to the wireless transceiver, and a memory manager module for generating respective data location indices for data stored in the shared memory. The processing modules may cooperate with the shared memory and the memory manager module so that an upstream processing module stores given data in the shared memory, and so that a downstream processing module receives the data location index for the stored given data and processes the stored given data based thereon. The device may further include a security module for selectively purging data from the shared memory. |
| US08443157B1 |
Data storage system having associated situational analysis framework for automatic response to movement in a state space
The operation of a data storage system is controlled by determining dimensions of a situational state space characterizing operating conditions of the data storage system, associating policy sets with respective states of the state space, monitoring system operation in the state space, selecting a particular one of the policy sets based on an identified current state in the state space, and controlling the operation of the system in accordance with the selected policy set. These operations are performed by a processing device incorporated in or otherwise associated with the system, with the processing device implementing a situational analysis framework comprising a learning module coupled to a production module. The situational analysis framework may be part of a policy engine. The dimensions of the situational state space in an illustrative embodiment may comprise two or more dimensions selected from one or more dimension categories such as load, performance, time and event state. |
| US08443149B2 |
Evicting data from a cache via a batch file
In an embodiment, a plurality of keys are evicted from a first cache at a primary server. A first key is evicted from the first cache because the first key satisfied a first evict policy during a first time range. A second key is evicted from the first cache because the second key satisfied the first evict policy during a second time range, but the second key did not satisfy the first evict policy during the first time range. The plurality of keys are added to a batch file. If the batch file is full, the batch file is sent to a replica server, and the batch file requests the replica server to evict the plurality of keys from a second cache at the replica server. If the batch file is not full, the batch file is not sent to the replica server. |
| US08443148B2 |
System-wide quiescence and per-thread transaction fence in a distributed caching agent
Methods and apparatus relating to system-wide quiescence and per-thread transaction fence in a distributed caching agent are described. Some embodiments utilize messages, counters, and/or state machines that support system-wide quiescence and per-thread transaction fence flows. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08443143B2 |
Information processing apparatus connected to a network and control method for the same
An information processing apparatus capable of connecting to a plurality of terminal devices over a network includes a recording/reproducing unit configured to receive a removable memory medium, a detector configured to detect insertion and removal of the removable memory medium in and from the recording/reproducing unit, and a controller configured to acquire first information identifying a terminal device which is recorded in the removable memory medium when the detector detects the insertion of the removable memory medium and to control permission and prohibition of access to the removable memory medium from the terminal devices based on the first information. |
| US08443142B2 |
Method and system for grouping storage system components
Methods and systems are provided for associating a storage system component, e.g. a server, client, machine, sub-client, or other storage system component, with one or more other storage system components into a group. Storage preferences are defined for the group which is automatically associated with each component in the group. The storage preferences define how storage operations are to be performed on the storage system components. |
| US08443140B2 |
Apparatus, computer-readable recording medium and storage system
A apparatus for controlling a first storage and a second storage, has a controller for receiving a write command and a read command sent out from a host and for sending out the write command and the read command to the first storage and the second storage, a determining unit for sending out a request corresponding to the write command to the first storage and the second storage, for receiving a first response corresponding to the request from the first storage and a second response corresponding to the request from the second storage, and for determining one of the storages on the basis of each of response times, a first writing unit for writing data into the determined storage, and a second writing unit for writing the data written in the determined storage into the other storage after writing the data into the determined storage by the first writing unit. |
| US08443136B2 |
Method and apparatus for protecting data using variable size page stripes in a FLASH-based storage system
Methods and apparatuses for enhanced protection of data stored in a FLASH memory system involve a controller capable of using variable size page stripes in the memory system. The controller is configured to store data such that each page stripe comprises a plurality of data pages, with each data page in the page stripe being stored in a different FLASH memory chip. The controller is also configured to maintain one or more buffers containing information reflecting blocks of memory within the FLASH memory chips that have been erased and are available for information storage, and to dynamically determine the number of data pages to be included in a page stripe based on the information in the one or more buffers such that a first page stripe and a second page stripe can have different numbers of data pages. |
| US08443127B2 |
Cradle for portable content playback apparatus and amplifying device to which the same cradle is connected
A cradle comprises a first connecting unit to which a portable content playback apparatus is connectable; a second connecting unit to which a computer is connectable; an output unit that outputs content data; a controller that controls the portable content playback apparatus; a hub that is connected to the second connecting unit, a first switch, and a second switch; the first switch that switches between connection of the first connecting unit to the controller and connection of the first connecting unit to the hub; the second switch that switches between connection of the output unit to the controller and connection of the output unit to the hub; and a switch control unit that controls switching of the first switch and the second switch. |
| US08443125B2 |
Single pin read-write method and interface
A method of communicating on a single serial line between two devices is disclosed. The method includes combining a data stream and a clock to form a three-voltage level stream such that the third voltage level records the transitions of the clock while the serial data is either high or low. Either the first or the second device can send a combined stream on the line. The method further includes, in some embodiments, the second device driving the same voltage levels as those transmitted by the first device and the first device sensing current on the single serial line to determine that the second device has received data from the first device. |
| US08443124B2 |
Physical layer device having an analog SERDES pass through mode
A physical layer device (PLD) includes a first serializer-deserializer (SERDES) device and a second SERDES device. Each SERDES device includes an analog portion with a serial port that is configured to communicate serial data with various network devices, and a digital portion that is configured to communicate parallel data with other various network devices. The PLD includes a first signal path that is configured to route serial data signals between the analog portions of the SERDES devices, bypassing the digital portions of the SERDES devices. Therefore, the SERDES devices can directly communicate serial data without performing parallel data conversion. A second signal path is configured to route recovered clock and data signals between the analog portions of the SERDES devices, but still bypassing the digital portions of the SERDES devices. The recovered clock and data signals are then regenerated before being transmitted over a network device. |
| US08443123B2 |
UPnP control point and UPnP device based on the UPnP network and connecting method using the same
Disclosed herein are a UPnP control point and a UPnP device based on the UPnP network and a connecting method using the same, in which a service connection is performed. The service connection is restrictedly performed using a configuration file defined to allow or deny a connection with a specific device on the UPnP network, so that only devices specified by a user can be connected. |
| US08443117B2 |
Connection expansion device, storage system, connection expansion control program, and connection expansion control method
A connection expansion device connected to devices includes a plurality of ports to which devices are connected, a storage unit configured to record device information obtained from each port, and a processing unit configured to specify, based on the device information, a port in which an abnormal device exists, invalidate device information belonging to the port, and cause the storage unit to hold device information of a normal device. |
| US08443114B2 |
System and method for mapping a logical drive status to a physical drive status for multiple storage drives having different storage technologies within a server
An information handling system includes a backplane, a storage drive, and a board management controller. The board management controller is configured to discover a physical drive status of the drive from a storage enclosure processor, to receive a logical drive status of the drive, to read a backplane bay identification for the drive from a peripheral connector interface express extender or serial attached small computer system interface chipset logical drive number, and to construct a routing table for the drive to map the logical drive status with the physical drive status of the drive. |
| US08443111B2 |
Communication method to transfer user operation information between electronic device and host device and electronic device using the same
A communication method to transfer user operation information includes, if a user's operation is input through the electronic device, and if the electronic device then receives a command from a host device while the electronic device is connected to the host device, transmitting information to the host device notify the host device of the user's operation. Therefore, it is possible for a user to command the host device to perform a frequently used function through a simple operation of the electronic device, without a need to be aware of the complex usage of an application. |
| US08443109B2 |
Selection of a communication device for a user by a base station in response to receiving a communication session hand-off
A first base station wirelessly transmits media to a first communication device for a communication session. The first base station hands off the communication session to a second base station. The second base station wirelessly transmits the media to the first communication device for the communication session. In response to the hand-off, the second base station selects a second communication device based on the type of media and transmits a prompt to the first communication device to transfer the communication session to the second communication device. In response to a user instruction, the second base station transmits the media to the second communication device for the communication session. |
| US08443108B2 |
Centrally controlled backup functionality
A method and mobile device are presented for centrally controlling backup functionality, so that parties such as backup devices will efficiently be informed how data content should be backed up from or restored to the mobile device. The mobile device exposes to a party rules for backing up or restoring data content, and those rules are not just for the party, but also are for other parties including the mobile device itself. The rules are contained in a list formatted in extensible markup language (XML). If the party is an external party, the mobile device provides an object exchange protocol (OBEX) capability object in response to the party fetching that object. The OBEX capability object describes capabilities of the mobile device, and is for use by the external party in order to access the list of rules via the mobile device exposing those rules to the external party. |
| US08443106B2 |
Content restriction compliance using reverse DNS lookup
A method for alerting Internet content providers of the age or other personal information of a computer user, which includes receiving a reverse DNS lookup query from an Internet content provider; and providing the age information of the computer user, in addition to a host name, from a reverse map zone file in response to the request. The personal information may be used by the content provider to select appropriate content for the requesting host, for example for complying with content restrictions. A system of alerting an Internet content provider of the age or other personal information of a computer user is also provided. |
| US08443101B1 |
Method for identifying and blocking embedded communications
A method and system for steganography and steganalytic techniques are provided for effecting embedded communications in a variety of communication environments. One aspect may include an embedded transmitter for inserting embedded data into a packet and an embedded receiver for receiving the packet via, for example, a packetized communication network such as the Internet. Various aspects of the present invention provide robust communications with optimized throughput and may include various error handlers to maximize performance and ensure transfer of incorrupt data. A method for identifying and blocking embedded communications is also provided. |
| US08443098B2 |
Memory management unit
A memory management unit (MMU) may buffer media stream samples of one or more media streams, such as audio and/or video streams, in a buffer. The MMU may determine how much time a media stream sample is to be buffered by comparing a value of a real-time clock with a timestamp associated with the media stream sample. The MMU may determine a target output block in the buffer for the media stream sample based on the period of a media clock and on the amount of buffer time that the media stream sample is to be buffered. The target output block is determined relative to an output block identified by a read address. The MMU may store the media stream sample in the target output block. The MMU may increase or decrease the read address at a rate determined by the media clock. |
| US08443096B2 |
Accessory identification for mobile computing devices
Embodiments disclosed herein provide for identification processes and/or procedures for accessories coupled with a mobile computing device. During identification an accessory can communicate lingo information that includes only those lingoes the accessory can use while coupled with the mobile computing device. The accessory can also communicate accessory protocol information to the mobile computing device during identification. The accessory can be limited to using only those lingoes and/or those protocols identified during identification. Various other accessory information, capabilities, preferences, etc. can also be communicated to the mobile computing device during identification. |
| US08443094B2 |
Computer system comprising a communication device
In a system, a communication device capable of exchanging messages through a local network, such messages being exchanged according to a given network protocol; a discovery agent capable of sending a first message according to the network protocol through the communication device, the first message comprising an identification data and a first message content satisfying a second protocol, and the second protocol implying a response from another computer to the first message; an analysis agent capable of recovering a second message received in response to first message, and of extracting from the second message a second message content according to the second protocol, the second protocol implying a further response to be sent to the second message; and a controller capable of operating said discovery agent and the analysis agent over a selected period of time, while refraining the computer system from sending a response to the second message. |
| US08443093B2 |
Connection management system for multiple connections
In one embodiment a computing system comprises one or more processors, a display device coupled to the computing system, a connection client module, at least one remote access client module, a memory module communicatively connected to the one or more processors and comprising logic to; receive a service request from a user via a remote connection client coupled to the connection server, wherein the service request comprises at least one user credential, authenticate the at least one user credential, retrieve at least one user profile associated with the user, connection data for at least one remote system and at least one policy associated with the at least one user profile, transmit the at least one user profile, at least one remote system and the connection data for at least one remote system and at least one policy associated with the at least one user profile from the connection server to the remote connection client. |
| US08443092B2 |
Presentity filtering for user preferences
The adjustability of a watcher's level of access to a presentity's presence information is enhanced by providing for the filtering of the presence information based on information that is provided by a source other than the watcher. |
| US08443086B2 |
Decentralized structured peer-to-peer network and load balancing methods thereof
An approach is provided for reassigning and sharing loads to peers with a same identity, which is based on a threshold. The peers are configured to store indexes of a key and to share the same loading (i.e., indexes) of the key to the peers with same secondary identities in different zones. The secondary identity is derived and has a modulo relationship with a first identity of the peer. The threshold indicates maximum number of indexes stored in each peer. Therefore, the loading are distributed evenly to peers in different zones, which achieves load balance to a decentralized structured peer-to-peer network. |
| US08443081B2 |
User configuration file for access control for embedded resources
Multimedia content is featured on user pages of an online social network using embed codes that are generated using a configuration file associated with the source ID for the multimedia content and a content ID for the multimedia content. The configuration file, the source ID and the content ID are stored locally by the online social network so that any changes to the embed codes can be made by changing the configuration file associated with the source and regenerating the embed codes. By managing multimedia content in this manner, greater control can be exercised by the online social network over the multimedia content that are featured on its user pages. |
| US08443080B2 |
System and method for determining application dependency paths in a data center
A method and a system are disclosed for determining application dependency paths in a data center. The method and the system captures application traffic volume data on the servers with switches and monitoring agents; generates an application traffic matrix of all the components of the applications based on the application traffic volume data; estimates the number of the applications in the data center from the traffic matrix with a Rank Estimation via Singular Value Decomposition or Power Factorization Residue Errors process; and decomposes the traffic matrix into a first matrix and a second matrix with a non-negative matrix factorization process using the estimated number of applications. The first matrix represents a set of the components belonging to each of the applications and the second matrix represents the amount of traffic generated by each application over time. Any noise in the first and second matrices is removed with a concurrent volumes ratios based correlation process. |
| US08443079B2 |
Mixed integer programming model for minimizing leased access network costs
A device receives network configuration information from a network, determines a logical network based on the network configuration information, and constructs a mixed integer programming (MIP) model based on the logical network. The device also calculates an optimal solution, which minimizes network costs, using the mixed integer programming (MIP) model, performs a post-optimization mapping procedure on the optimal solution to produce an optimal network configuration mapping, and outputs the optimal network configuration mapping for implementation. |
| US08443078B2 |
Method of determining equivalent subsets of agents to gather information for a fabric
Techniques for identifying and selecting equivalent sets of agents with defined capabilities to perform certain actions are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, determining agents to gather information for a storage area network fabric may be performed through the use of fabric discovery operations which identify agents capable of performing various actions within the fabric. From the determined capabilities of the agents, a dynamic capability grid may be populated to assist with the generation of a list of equivalent subsets to perform the various actions. The most efficient set of agents from each equivalent subset may then be selected to perform actions, with other sets of agents in the equivalent subset available as secondary choices in case of an unexpected failure. For example, a fabric probe may be executed in a storage area network using discovered agents from a list of equivalent subsets to most efficiently accomplish network operations such as zoning and topology. |
| US08443075B2 |
Transaction storage determination via pattern matching
A network analyzer, system and method determine whether or not network transaction data derived from network analysis should be stored, based on a configuration. Configuration strings (patterns) are entered via a configuration file, including specifying whether the string should be a prefix, suffix, other location or exist anyplace in the data. Storage enabling/disabling is provided for network transaction data. Configuration strings (patterns) can be specified for request/response summary/detail, and for specified parameters. |
| US08443066B1 |
Programmatic instantiation, and provisioning of servers
A networked computing system is taught that may be operated as one or more provisioned servers, each of the provisioned servers including capabilities as identified by a corresponding set of specifications and attributes, according to various embodiments. Typically the specifications (or constraints) and attributes are specified with a Server Configuration File. The networked computing system may be provisioned into any combination and number of servers according to needed processing and I/O capabilities. Each of these servers may include distinct compute, storage, and networking performance. Provisioned servers may be managed similar to conventional servers, including operations such as boot and shutting down. |
| US08443064B2 |
Method for network device configuration
A network device initially has no configuration data and is permitted only to query a known network address. From this address a server verifies the connection and authorizes another server to download to the network device the necessary configuration to carry out its purpose. This configuration may not be amended and is not retained on power loss. Any updates are carried out by a complete reload of configuration data. |
| US08443060B2 |
Remote creation of printer instances on a workstation
Remotely installing a new printer on a client workstation that communicates via a network with a control point terminal by, in the control point terminal, performing an operation to add the new printer on the client workstation, and in response to the operation being performed, the control point terminal transmitting identification information of the new printer being added to an agent in the client workstation, and in the client workstation, the agent receiving the identification information from the control point terminal, in response to receiving the identification information of the new printer, the agent automatically obtaining printer configuration information and print driver information based at least in part on the received identification information, the agent automatically configuring the printer and installing a print driver based on the obtained printer configuration information and print driver information, and the agent creating a locally managed instance of the printer. |
| US08443059B2 |
Configuring a client application
A method and apparatus for configuring an application at a device in a communications network. A server receives a request message from the device. The request message includes information that identifies the application, and further information relating to either or both of the device type or a network operator associated with the device. The further information is sued by the server to obtain specific configuration information relating to the application. A response is sent to the device, the response including the obtained specific configuration. The specific configuration information is subsequently be used by the device to configure the application. |
| US08443057B1 |
System, method, and/or apparatus for establishing peer-to-peer communication
Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, devices and systems associated with peer-to-peer communications are disclosed. |
| US08443055B2 |
System and method to provide device control service, and computer product
A device control service providing system includes a service request receiving unit that receives, via a network, a device control service request for controlling a group of electronic devices, and a process execution requesting unit that requests respective device control servers to execute device control processes for controlling an operation of the electronic devices in the group based on the request received, where one of the device control servers executes the device control processes corresponding to one group of the electronic devices. |
| US08443054B2 |
Method, system, and scheduling server for content delivery
The present disclosure discloses a method, a system, and a scheduling server for content delivery, and pertains to the field of multimedia technologies. The method includes: receiving a service request for accessing content; selecting, according to service processing information of one or more devices storing the content, one device to respond to the service request, where the service processing information includes at least one of the number of services successfully processed, a percentage of services successfully processed, the number of services unsuccessfully processed, and a percentage of services unsuccessfully processed; and base upon the selection, sending the received service request to the selected device. The present disclosure may not only improve the percentage of services successfully processed, but also prevent waste of resources and reduce unnecessary service loss, therefore serving users better. |
| US08443052B2 |
Topology aware cache storage
A content distribution network (CDN) comprising a hierarchy of content storage nodes (CSNs) or caches having storage space that is allocated between local space for storing locally popular content objects and federated space for storing a portion of the less popular content objects. Local space and federated space based upon changes in content object popularity and/or other utility factors. Optionally, parent/child (upstream/downstream) communication paths are used to migrate content between CSNs or caches of the same or different hierarchical levels to avoid utilizing higher price top hierarchical level communications channels. |
| US08443051B2 |
Direct memory access buffer management
Disclosed are systems and methods for reclaiming posted buffers during a direct memory access (DMA) operation executed by an input/output device (I/O device) in connection with data transfer across a network. During the data transfer, the I/O device may cancel a buffer provided by a device driver thereby relinquishing ownership of the buffer. A condition for the I/O device relinquishing ownership of a buffer may be provided by a distance vector that may be associated with the buffer. The distance vector may specify a maximum allowable distance between the buffer and a buffer that is currently fetched by the I/O device. Alternatively, a condition for the I/O device relinquishing ownership of a buffer may be provided by a timer. The timer may specify a maximum time that the I/O device may maintain ownership of a particular buffer. In other implementations, a mechanism is provided to force the I/O device to relinquish some or all of the buffers that it controls. |
| US08443048B2 |
Method, system and program product for assigning a responder to a requester in a collaborative environment
A method, system and program product for assigning a resource to a client in a collaborative environment. The method includes defining, using a tool, a threshold value for collaborative attributes for each resource responding to one or more clients and calculating on a periodic basis, using the tool, an updated value for the collaborative attributes for each resource. The method further includes comparing, upon receipt of a collaboration request, the updated value with the threshold value defined for collaborative attributes for a first resource and, if the updated value is less than the threshold value for the first resource, connecting the client to the first resource for establishing a collaborative session. If not, repeating comparing the updated value with the threshold value for the collaborative attributes defined for a next resource and connecting the client to the next resource whose updated value is less than the threshold value. |
| US08443047B2 |
System and method for selecting messaging settings on a messaging client
A system and method of selecting messaging settings on a messaging client are provided. A data store configured to operate in conjunction with the messaging client stores records comprising messaging settings or characteristics for previously received and/or sent messages. The messaging client is configured to send outgoing messages, each of the messages having message characteristics, to determine whether a record for an addressed recipient of an outgoing message exists in the data store, and to select messaging settings to control the message characteristics of the outgoing message based on the record where a record exists. |
| US08443046B2 |
Automated content delivery to distributed media outlets
A method can include sending a request to a media content provider requesting media content and receiving the media content and instructions from the media provider. The instructions can be utilized by the media provider to broadcast the media content. The media provider can store the received media content in a database process the instructions then distribute the media content and the instructions to distributed media outlets. The media content provider can receive information indicating that the media content was broadcast by the distributed media outlets according to the instructions. |
| US08443044B2 |
Network-aware communications
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to detect a device connecting to a network, determine the identity of the network, and publish at least a portion of a list of active contacts to a display, while hiding a list of inactive contacts.The list of active contacts may be selected from an original list of contacts, based on the Identity of the network and a personal rule set associated with a user of the device. The list of inactive contacts is included in the original list and not included in the list of active contacts. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US08443043B2 |
Content sharing system and content sharing method
A content sharing system shares contents following a free will of a user through belonging to a plurality of groups. A group stores identification information on each of one or more groups to which respective users belong while being associated with identification information on the user. A file stores a download history of the content via user terminals by respective users while being associated with the identification information on the users. A group determination unit determines a group to which the user accessing via the user terminal. A file determination unit determines whether a content already primarily downloaded by another user belonging to the group determined by the group determination unit exists on the basis of the download history. If the content already primarily downloaded by the another user exists, secondary download to the user terminal accessing the above-mentioned content is permitted. |
| US08443038B2 |
Network media device
A network media device is described that pulls multimedia data from one or more sources (e.g., a multimedia website or a multimedia server computer) at a first time, stores it to long-term storage within the device and transmits the stored multimedia data to one or more designated multimedia playback devices at a second time. |
| US08443037B2 |
Computer interconnection system
A computerized switching system for coupling a workstation to a remotely located computer. A signal conditioning unit receives keyboard and mouse signals generated by a workstation and generates a data packet which is transmitted to a central crosspoint switch. The packet is routed through a crosspoint switch to another signal conditioning unit located at a remotely located computer. The second signal conditioning unit applies the keyboard and mouse commands to the keyboard and mouse connectors of the computer as if the keyboard and mouse were directly coupled to the remote computer. Video signals produced by the remote computer are transmitted through the crosspoint switch to the workstation. Horizontal and vertical sync signals are encoded on to the video signals to reduce the number of cables that extend between the workstation and the remote computer. The signal conditioning units connected to the workstations include an onscreen programming circuit that produces menus for the user on a video display of the workstation. |
| US08443036B2 |
Exchanging project-related data in a client-server architecture
Techniques are described for exchanging data between software applications, such as project-related data between a project management software application (“PMSA”) and an unaffiliated organizational project tracking software application (“OPTSA”). A computing architecture with multiple interacting computer systems, such as a client-server architecture, can be used to allow users of remote computing systems to access project-related data and/or functionality from other computing systems, such as a thin client computing system with limited or no local capabilities to execute software applications and/or store associated application data accessing a remote central server computing system in order to interact with a PMSA executing on the server, to interact with an OPTSA executing on the server, and/or to invoke data exchange functionality available at the server for exchanging project-related data between the PMSA and OPTSA. |
| US08443034B2 |
Input vector selection for reducing current leakage in integrated circuits
Techniques are generally described for selecting input vectors that reduce or minimize leakage current for a plurality of integrated circuits (ICs) with the same design, but that differ due to manufacturing variability. In various embodiments, the techniques include determining at least one starting input vector that reduces leakage current in a respective one of N instances of the ICs, and selecting from the determined at least one starting input vector of each respective one of the N instances, a set R of representative input vectors. Some of the embodiments then use each of the representative input vectors in the set R to determine at least a particular input vector to apply to input terminals of an IC in the plurality of ICs to reduce or minimize leakage current in the IC. Additional variants and embodiments may also be disclosed. |
| US08443032B2 |
Multiplication circuit and de/encryption circuit utilizing the same
A multiplication circuit generates a product of a matrix and a first scalar when in matrix mode and a product of a second scalar and a third scalar when in scalar mode. The multiplication circuit comprises a sub-product generator, an accumulator and an adder. The adder is configured to sum outputs of the accumulator to generate the product of the first scalar second scalar and the third scalar when in scalar mode. The sub-product generator generates sub-products of the matrix and the first scalar when in matrix mode and sub-products of the second scalar and the third scalar when in scalar mode. The accumulator is configured to generate the product of the matrix and the first scalar by providing save of the multiplication operation of the outputs from the sub-product generator. |
| US08443022B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating random number
A random number generating apparatus and method for generating a metastable state signal by using logic gates include a metastable state generating unit generating and outputting a metastable state signal; an amplifying unit receiving the metastable state signal from the metastable state generating unit, amplifying the received metastable state signal, and outputting the amplified metastable state signal; and a sampling unit receiving the amplified metastable state signal and a sampling clock, and sampling and outputting the amplified metastable state signal according to the sampling clock. |
| US08443021B2 |
Method of generating random numbers
A method of obtaining uniform and independent random numbers is given (a) comprising two distinct odd primes p1, p2 that give mutually coprime integers q1=(p1−1)/2 and q2=(p2−1)/2 with different parity to form the modulus d=p1p2; (b) comprising primitive roots z1, z2 of primes p1, p2, respectively, giving congruence relations z≡zj mod(pj) for j=1, 2 that determine the multiplier z; and (c) comprising the initial value n coprime with d=p1p2. The method generates the coset sequence n |
| US08443019B2 |
Method and apparatus having a measured value input for applying a measured value
The invention pertains to a device such as a sensor, operator device, communication device, or a liquid level metering device, with a measured value input to apply a measured value. The device includes at least a first memory region to provide for an adjustment factor, and a computer, which is designed and/or controlled to multiply a first whole number by a floating-point number to obtain a product of the multiplication, while the first whole number corresponds either to the applied measured value or the provided adjustment factor; and, the floating-point number corresponds to the other measured value or to the adjustment factor. The computer has a second memory region for the storing of the floating-point number in a format of a second whole number, and the computer is designed and/or controlled to carry out a multiplication of the first whole number and the second whole number. |
| US08443016B2 |
Method and apparatus for approximating an upper-bound limit for an absolute value of a complex number or norm of a two-element vector
A method for approximating an upper bound limit for the absolute value of a complex number or the norm of a two-element vector is disclosed. An upper bound approximation algorithm is used to minimize software implementation efforts and make the hardware implementation less expensive. The hardware implementation of the upper bound approximation algorithm only requires a multiplier element and an adder element. Therefore, this algorithm can be implemented anywhere in a digital signal processing apparatus without increasing cost significantly. Moreover, the hardware employing the present invention can be implemented in a pipeline architecture configuration to achieve a real time function in digital audio or digital video applications. |
| US08443013B1 |
Predictive analytical modeling for databases
A computer-implemented method includes obtaining a database table, the table including multiple rows and multiple columns, in which one or more rows are missing at least one column value, executing a script, using a script engine, in response to obtaining the table, in which executing the script causes one or more values from the rows to be provided as input data to a first predictive model, and processing, using the first predictive model, the input data to obtain output data, the output data including a predicted value for at least one of the missing column values, and populating one or more of the missing column values with the output data to provide a revised database table. |
| US08443012B2 |
System and method for non-programmers to dynamically manage multiple sets of XML document data
A system and method for dynamically retrieving, manipulating, updating, creating, and displaying data from sources of Extensible Markup Language (XML) documents. The program memory comprises system-user entered data definitions and business rules. The system imports XML document data into the system data definitions, processes the data using the business rules definitions and exports XML documents. The system can automatically create XML document formats from its data definitions and can automatically create its data definitions from XML document formats. The system-user can also define the mapping between XML document formats and the system data definitions. The system data definition is the combination of a Relational data model, an Object data model, and an XML data model. |
| US08443011B2 |
Graphical storage system visualization, timeline based event visualization, and storage system configuration visualization
A method and system for visually displaying and navigating a computer storage system are disclosed. The storage system can be graphically browsed to select a particular entity in the storage system. A graphical timeline of events relating to the selected entity is displayed. Selecting an event from the timeline displays a graphical representation of the storage system at a time relating to the selected event or additional graphical detail about the selected event. Based on the selected event, configuration information for the entity in the storage system that experienced the event can be displayed and compared against the configuration of the entity at a different time or against a predefined template. |
| US08443010B2 |
Delivery operations information system with route and unit maintenance feature and methods of use
The present invention provides a system for managing information related to a delivery service provider and systems of using such a system. The system and systems provided herein allow a delivery service provider to coordinate with efficiency the volume of mail or packages to be delivered with the carrier resources available to deliver them. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the delivery operation information system tracks quantities of articles, schedules their distribution, and schedules and tracks the work force that distributes the articles. |
| US08443004B2 |
System and method for storing and computing business data and logic
A computer system and method is to manage business data and logic in a uniformed manner. It is based on the theory of total recursive functions. As a result, it is a monolith consolidating the multiple-component architecture of traditional technologies in the fields of programming language and database management. Secondly, the properties of the theory of total recursive functions are uniquely demonstrated by a set of built-in operators of the system. Therefore, it offers novel approaches to many challenges in the fields of artificial intelligence and knowledge management facing the traditional technologies. |
| US08442998B2 |
Storage of a document using multiple representations
Some embodiments provide a method for storing a document. The method stores a content stream representation of the document that includes an ordered stream of code representations for primitive elements of the document. Each code representation of a primitive element has an index that indicates the order in the content stream of the primitive element representation. The method stores an object representation of the document that includes a set of object nodes arranged in a tree structure. Each object node references a range of indices in the content stream. |
| US08442994B1 |
Custom search index data security
A system includes a server to store content and a content searching system. The content search system includes an application programming interface to receive user-selected metadata uploaded from a first user, where the metadata includes data that describes content stored at a server. The content searching system further includes an indexer to index the metadata to produce a metadata search index, a search engine to search the metadata search index based on a search query received from a user to produce metadata search results, and a delivery engine to send the metadata search results, and a link to the remote server, to the user to permit the user to access the content stored at the remote server. |
| US08442991B2 |
Information access device and network
An information access device is disclosed comprising an interface for connecting the information access device to a network; a further interface for providing the information access device with a string of information request indicators; an interpretation layer for extracting an information source from the string and for generating an instruction for triggering a different application of the device to retrieve the information from the information source; and a processor for executing the generated instruction. |
| US08442988B2 |
Adaptive cell-specific dictionaries for frequency-partitioned multi-dimensional data
A cell-specific dictionary is applied adaptively to adequate cells, where the cell-specific dictionary subsequently optimizes the handling of frequency-partitioned multi-dimensional data. This includes improved data partitioning with super cells or adjusting resulting cells by sub-dividing very large cells and merging multiple small cells, both of which avoid the highly skewed data distribution in cells and improve the query processing. In addition, more efficient encoding is taught within a cell in case the distinct values that actually appear in that cell are much smaller than the size of the column dictionary. |
| US08442984B1 |
Website quality signal generation
Systems and methods relating to website quality rating are disclosed. Websites are rated, relationships between ratings and website signals are identified, models are generated and modeled ratings are assigned to unrated websites by applying the models to the website signals of the unrated websites. |
| US08442982B2 |
Extended database search
Methods, program products, and systems implementing integrated repository of structured and unstructured data are disclosed. An integrated environment is provided for accessing structured data (e.g., data of a relational database) and unstructured data (e.g., data stored in a text or binary file), including creating, managing, modifying, and searching the structured data and unstructured data. The integrated environment can include an integrated user interface, a set of commands and application programming interface (API), and storage for a relational database and a document repository. The integrated environment can include a database abstraction layer that allows database operations on both the structured data and the unstructured data. |
| US08442975B2 |
Image management apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes a designator which designates each of one or more characteristic images included in a scene image as a reference characteristic image. A searcher searches for a specific folder in which a dictionary image adapted to the reference characteristic image is associated with, from among one or more folders in which one or more dictionary images are respectively associated with. A first storage stores the scene image noticed by the designator into the specific folder discovered by the searcher. A first creator creates a folder in which a dictionary image equivalent to the reference characteristic image is associated with, corresponding to non-discovering the specific folder by the searcher. A second storage executes a process of storing the scene image noticed by the designator into the folder created by the first creator, in association with a creating process of the first creator. |
| US08442973B2 |
Real time implicit user modeling for personalized search
A method and apparatus for utilizing user behavior to immediately modify sets of search results so that the most relevant documents are moved to the top. In one embodiment of the invention, behavior data, which can come from virtually any activity, is used to infer the user's intent. The updated inferred implicit user model is then exploited immediately by re-ranking the set of matched documents to best reflect the information need of the user. The system updates the user model and immediately re-ranks documents at every opportunity in order to constantly provide the most optimal results. In another embodiment, the system determines, based on the similarity of results sets, if the current query belongs in the same information session as one or more previous queries. If so, the current query is expanded with additional keywords in order to improve the targeting of the results. |
| US08442970B2 |
Creating and editing user search queries
Systems and methods are provided for creating and modifying search queries. A query can be constructed by allowing a user to select from categories, facets, and/or facet values for addition to a query. A user can optionally supplement the categories, facets, and/or facet values with additional search terms entered by the user. The constructed query can then be submitted to a search engine to identify documents that match the search query. The systems and methods can allow a user to construct a search query using a reduced number of user input actions while still providing a user with the flexibility to enter any search terms desired by the user. |
| US08442969B2 |
Location based news and search engine
A search engine and/or news aggregator considers temporal qualities of electronic documents, a location of a searcher/reviewer, and a situs associated with content of the document to determine how/if they should be presented to users. |
| US08442966B1 |
System and method for universal storage and presentation of data
A method includes receiving, on an electronic device, one or more logical entities from a storage system having a universe of data. The one or more logical entities encapsulate data from the universe of data on the storage system. Each of the one or more logical entities belong to one of a plurality of logical-entity types defined by a universal representation format. The method additionally includes, for each of the one or more logical entities, rendering a representation of the logical entity on a spatial interface, the spatial interface comprising a plurality of spatial components. |
| US08442960B1 |
Systems and methods for process self-elevation
A computer-implemented method for elevating privileges for a process may comprise: 1) determining that the process requires elevated privileges for proper execution, 2) attempting to elevate privileges for the process, 3) determining whether privileges for the process were elevated, and 4) concluding execution of the process. In one example, each step of the method may be performed by the process itself. Corresponding systems and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08442959B2 |
Methods and systems for automated processing of fallout orders
A system and method may include receiving an order and an error identifier, indexing a database based on the error identifier to identify a rule identifier, and indexing the database based on the rule identifier to identify a rule. The system and method may further include applying the rule to modify the order to generate a modified order, and submitting the modified order for processing. |
| US08442957B2 |
Efficient management of large files
An object management system comprises a computer system configured to store an object (72), which may be a file. The computer system is configured to divide the object (72) into partitions (70), select partitions, and provide the selected partitions to a storage device (14) for storage. The partitions are selected by determining which partitions need to be migrated device, based on whether the partitions have been modified. The system determines this by examining a data object associated with the object. The computer system may be configured to retrieve a selected partition from the storage device. |
| US08442956B2 |
Sampling based data de-duplication
Example apparatus, methods, and computers perform sampling based data de-duplication. One example method controls a data de-duplication computer to compute a sampling sequence for a sub-block of data and to use the sampling sequence to locate a stored sub-block known to the data de-duplication computer. Upon finding a stored sub-block to compare to, the method includes controlling the data de-duplication computer to determine a degree of similarity (e.g., duplicate, very similar, somewhat similar, very dissimilar, completely dissimilar, x % similar) between the sub-block and the stored sub-block and to control whether and how the sub-block is stored and/or transmitted based on the degree of similarity. The degree of similarity can also control whether and how the data de-duplication computer updates a dedupe data structure(s) that stores information for finding groups of similarity sampling sequence related sub-blocks. |
| US08442952B1 |
Recovering in deduplication systems
A method is used in recovering in deduplication systems. Metadata of a data object is evaluated for determining deduplication status for the data object. Based on the deduplication status, the data object is recovered. |
| US08442947B2 |
Management of performance data
A method of handling performance data comprising a set of events is described. An event record for each event is stored as a set of blocks, each block containing one or more attributes of the event. The storage space occupied by each event record in is then reduced in discrete steps, each step including a reduction process that reduces the size of one of the set of blocks. This enables the provision of intermediate records between events and counters so that new event records contain complete details of their event, older event records contain less information, and even older event records may contain only high-level (counter) information. |
| US08442933B2 |
Web-based visualization mash-ups for industrial automation
A visualization system that generates visual mash-ups for industrial automation includes a mash-up component that combines output from a subset of disparate sources into a common interface. The disparate sources include at least one of equipment, computers, or devices within an industrial automation environment. A visualization component generates and displays a mash-up visualization that includes information associated with the common interface. |
| US08442928B2 |
Method and apparatus for employing rules to filter streaming data
Content filtering of data containers is based on defining content types, receiving identifiers of a set of rules applicable to each content type, and determining dependence of at least one rule on other rules. The identifiers are sorted into rule strata where rules within each rule stratum are independent of each other and rules within each rule stratum beyond a first stratum depend on at least one rule of at least one preceding rule stratum. Upon receiving a data container of multiple components from a network, a content type is determined for each component. Rules of rule strata specific to a content type of a component are applied starting with rules of a first rule stratum and proceeding sequentially to selected rules of succeeding rule strata. An apparatus for content filtering stores processor-executable instructions for arranging rules in rule strata and sequentially applies successive rules to data containers. |
| US08442924B2 |
Systems and methods for detecting the presence of a biological status using clustering
A method for determining the presence of a biological entity. The method may include entering into a digital computer, at least a plurality of first input values associated with a first genetic element (e.g., mecA), a plurality of second input values associated with a second genetic element (femA), and a plurality of third input values associated with a third genetic element (e.g., orfX) associated with a plurality of samples. Each sample includes a first input value in the plurality of first input values, a second input value in the plurality of second input values, and a third input value in the plurality of third input values. The method also includes determining a threshold value associated with the third genetic element, separating the samples using the threshold value into a first set of samples and a second set of samples, clustering the first set of samples in a feature space defined by the first genetic element and the second genetic element, defining a first boundary space using the first set of samples, and defining a second boundary space using the second set of samples. The first and second boundary spaces differentiate a biological entity from other biological statuses. Other embodiments may also include the use of a genetic element such as SCCmec. |
| US08442918B2 |
Cashbox coupon for a gaming machine
The present invention provides a method for an additional security feature on a gaming machine regarding the content of a cashbox positioned within the gaming machine through the printing of a coupon. The method involves transferring information from a bill validator to a printer all within a gaming machine wherein the transfer of the information is achieved by a serial port connection between the bill validator and the printer.The present invention also provides a system for an additional security feature to a gaming machine through the printing of a coupon containing information relating to the content of a cashbox positioned within the gaming machine. The coupon is produced by information retrieved from the bill validator. The transfer of the information from the bill validator to the printer is achieved through a serial port interconnection between the bill validator and the printer. |
| US08442912B2 |
Method and system for facilitating creation and promotion of creative works
A method and system for facilitating the creation and promotion of creative works involves displaying or providing information about one or more undeveloped creative works, and receiving and processing requests for purchases of benefits relating to selected ones of the undeveloped creative works. Patron information is stored in a manner associated it with work under development selected by the user. Monetary amounts received from patrons relating to the undeveloped works are aggregated and, at a certain point, made available to the producer of the work to be developed. Patrons may be notified concerning availability of the selected and previously purchased benefits relating to the patron's sponsorship of the particular work. The benefit may be redeemed or obtained in a variety of different manners, depending upon the nature of the benefit. |
| US08442910B2 |
Systems and methods for using verified information cards in a communications network
Digital information cards associated with verified information about users are described. The cards can be used to optimize a network communications experience or interaction for a user and a commercial entity, such as a website provider. The cards can be user-centric in that the user can control access to information associated with the card. A website can access the information claim using a link of the information card and can customize a user's website experience based on the verified information claim. |
| US08442908B2 |
Systems and methods for asset valuation
Systems and methods for asset valuation, whole loan processing and inventory management is described. The systems and methods may include modules. An asset valuation tool may use multiple data sources for producing current and predicted future values and historical and intermediate data points on a requested timeline. A loan information pricing tool may perform unlimited volumes of loan program eligibility and multi-variable pricings on a user desktop. A workout activity tracking tool may capture, monitor, measure and report on a loan workout process including direct hosting and integration of the asset valuation tool and the loan information pricing tool. The present invention may offer diverse and competitive modular components as well as an integrated and innovative platform that does not exist in the market. |
| US08442906B1 |
Computerized process to, for example, automate the home sale, mortgage loan financing and settlement process, and the home mortgage loan refinancing and settlement processes
In some embodiments, a comprehensive computer system and method (See FIGS. 1, 1a, 2) for automating and facilitating the performing and processing of tasks, information transfer, and information storage associated with the home sale (See FIG. 3a), mortgage origination (See FIG. 3b), and settlement process (See FIG. 3c), and the home mortgage refinancing origination and settlement process (See FIGS. 1b, 1c, 2a) (or performing other business processes), over a distributed computing network are disclosed. |
| US08442905B2 |
System and method facilitating whole loan tri-party repurchase agreement transactions
A system and method facilitates tri-party repurchase transactions for whole loans. The system and method obtain details regarding a whole loan to be used for collateral in a tri-party agreement transaction with an investor, from both the dealer or trader offering the whole loan as collateral and one or more third parties with access to those details. Based on the received details, the system formulates a valuation of the whole loan collateral and posts a whole loan collateral entry to facilitate tri-party repurchase of the whole loan collateral. |
| US08442904B2 |
Determination of implied orders in a trade matching system
A computer implemented method for determining implied orders in an electronic trading system is provided. The method comprises receiving a first set of one or more real orders, wherein the orders are not tradable against each other. One or more implied orders are identified within the first set of real orders. Market data corresponding to the implied orders can also be identified. At least one additional order is received and the tradability of the additional order is determined against the real or implied orders within the first set of real orders. A resting set of orders is determined from those real and implied orders within the first set of orders not affected by the tradability of the additional order. Implied orders are determined from within the set of resting orders. |
| US08442899B2 |
Systems and methods for issuing and maintaining a bond
According to some embodiments, a bond is issued to an investor in exchange for value. The bond may be, for example, a tax-free municipal bond associated with (i) a spread to a pre-determined index, (ii) a nominal maturity date, (iii) an initial mandatory tender date prior to the nominal maturity date, and/or (iv) an option for the investor to extend the initial mandatory tender date during an initial decision period. According to some embodiments an indication is received, during the initial decision period, indicating that the investor will extend the initial mandatory tender date. It may then be arranged for the initial mandatory tender date to be extended such that the bond will be associated with a subsequent option for the investor to extend an extended tender date during a subsequent decision period. |
| US08442897B2 |
Securitization of sales participation certificates
The invention relates to financial products that provide a return that is a function of future sales/revenues, preferably gross sales/revenue, over a specified period of time. One embodiment of a method for creating such a financial product includes providing standard forms to an issuer and underwriter and standard terms to an issuer and investors. The terms to the issuer include providing capital to the issuer in exchange for a return that is a function of future sales over a specified period of time. The process further includes creating instruments representing investment in the financial product. The process creates the instruments in sufficient numbers and in appropriate denominations to facilitate trading in the financial product. |
| US08442896B2 |
System and method for flexible spread participation
A system and method for risk analysis of a portfolio of derivative products is disclosed which is conducted based on a set of flexible rules. The system and method allow creating predefined sets of products for the purpose of future risk offsets. If a futures trade as a subset of that set of products that met a threshold level, then the subset is assigned the offset value (or a pro rata or other portion of the offset value) of the predefined set. For example, assume that the predefined set consists of one S&P 500 futures, one NASDAQ futures, one S&P Midcap 400 futures and one Russell 1000 futures and the threshold is three. If the futures trader holds any three of those four futures, the three futures can be grouped, assigned an offset value, and this group can be used as one asset for purpose of further risk offsets. |
| US08442894B2 |
Guaranteed merchant payment in a card-not-present transaction
Embodiments of the invention provide for systems, devices, apparatus, methods and computer program products for payment card-issuing entities to guarantee merchant payment in card-not-present-transactions and, more specifically, automatically guaranteeing merchant payment in card-not-present transactions based on the payment card-issuing entity authenticating the customer prior to the transactions. By guaranteeing merchant payment in card-not-present transactions, the merchant's risk associated with such transaction is greatly reduced. |
| US08442893B2 |
Apparatuses, methods and systems for providing a risk evaluation product builder user interface
The present disclosure describes an approach to constructing and implementing risk rating products that provides a number of advantages. Instead of hard-coding attributes of a risk rating scheme, which requires the assistance of a trained programming specialist for any modifications, adjustments, or new products, the present invention provides a set of modular tools that assist non-specialists in on-the-fly generation and implementation of risk rating products. The modularity of this approach facilitates the modification and/or updating of a system component without affecting the operation of other components. Described herein are embodiments of a risk evaluation product builder, which allows users to manipulate visual tools to generate a data-structure comprising an embodiment of a risk rating scheme and insurance quoting product. |
| US08442890B2 |
System and method for trading and displaying market information in an electronic trading environment
A system and method for trading and displaying market information along a static axis are described to ensure fast and accurate execution of trades. The static axis, whether is a straight axis or a curved one, can be oriented in any direction. Regardless of how the axis is oriented, a first region may display price levels that are arranged along the static axis. A second region, which overlaps the first region, may display one or more indicators for highlighting one of the price levels associated with the lowest offer and one of the price levels associated with the highest bid. Moreover, a third region, which overlaps the first region, may be included for initiating placement of an order to buy or an order to sell the tradeable object through an action of a user input device. Other overlapping regions may also be displayed so that additional market information may be viewed by a trader. |
| US08442887B2 |
Method and system for providing services to vacation homeowners
A method and system for providing services to vacation homeowners facilitates the cost-effective administration of a variety of services required by vacation homeowners in a fashion that frees the homeowner from undue expense, time or effort. In one embodiment the method includes: setting up a real estate property on a system via capturing by a computer processor a complete image inventory of the property, creating a unique CRM record along with detailed information on the property; provisioning a new user account formatted into an online, user-accessible, self-care portal; conducting predetermined inspections of the property; assigning each property a unique identifier to ensure high quality case management of the property; tracking the inspections using the identifier; providing automatic alerts to the property owner at the initiation of specific workflow steps; providing alerts and updates; and measuring ongoing customer satisfaction by prompting for specific feedback. |
| US08442883B2 |
Relationship management in an auction environment
A system for providing relationship management in an auction environment can include a relationship management system and an auction system. The relationship management system and the auction system are communicatively coupled to one another. The relationship management system is configured to provide a relationship management function in conjunction with access to the auction system. |
| US08442880B1 |
Systems, methods and computer readable medium providing automated third-party confirmations
Systems and methods are defined for facilitating the audit process involving a business client, an auditor, and a third-party providing confirmations for the client upon the auditor's request. More specifically, an auditor receives an audit number from the audited client as evidence of authorization for requesting confirmation from a third-party, such as a bank or related business entity. The confirmation request submitted by the auditor will be stored in a network-based computer system and transmitted to the relevant third-party. The third-party then provides necessary confirmation data in response to the request and has the confirmation data transferred to the auditor through the computer system over the Internet. The involved third-party can be a bank or financial institution, another entity in business relationship with the client, or any other entity that ahs access to the requested data associated with the client. |
| US08442879B2 |
Methods and systems for processing packages
Methods include, prior to arrival of the incoming shipment of packages at a distribution facility, automatically determining an unload score for the incoming shipment based on electronic shipment data, the electronic shipment data including and the unload score being at least partially based on at least two or more of: a total number of packages in the incoming shipment, a number of products in the incoming shipment, and a conveyability of the packages in the incoming shipment, automatically comparing the unload score to a threshold unload score, sending instruction for directing a truck carrying the incoming shipment to at least one automated or manual receiving door when the unload score is at least equal to the threshold unload score, and sending instruction directing a truck carrying the incoming shipment to the other of the automated or manual receiving door when the unload score is less than the threshold unload score. |
| US08442877B2 |
Simplification of inventory management
A simplified inventory management method. The method employs a plurality of stock-keeping unit labels, with each of the plurality of stock-keeping unit labels having a same stock-keeping unit number. Individual ones of the plurality of stock-keeping unit labels are utilized to track individual items of a plurality of items. A sale price of individual ones a first set of the plurality of items is different from a sale price of individual ones of a second set of the plurality of items. |
| US08442869B2 |
Methods for optimization of business transactions between a selling vendor and a shipping vendor
A method is disclosed for optimizing a business transaction between a selling vendor and a shipping vendor. The method includes receiving a query from a selling vendor. The query includes customer order data. The method also includes identifying at least one possible shipping vendor based on the customer order data and determining shipping information for each of the at least one possible shipping vendors. The method further includes selecting a preferred shipping vendor from among the at least one possible shipping vendors and completing the transaction between the selling vendor and the shipping vendor. |
| US08442868B2 |
Related party payment system
Systems and methods are disclosed herein which that enable a first party, such as a child, to selected one or more items offered by an online retailer and to send a request to a second party, such as a parent or guardian, to request that the second party purchase the item or items for the first party. The systems and methods provide the second party with the ability to view requests received from the first party, to set limits on the number of requests and the amounts of the requests that the first party may make. The second party may also designate the parties to whom the first party may submit purchase requests. The child may also submit request to one or more non-parental contributors who may contribute money toward the purchase the one or more items for the child. |
| US08442865B2 |
Ecommerce marketplace integration techniques
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for integrating ecommerce marketplaces. An ecommerce integration framework has definitions for common data entities that are commonly used by multiple ecommerce marketplaces for listing items. Definitions for common operations that can manipulate the common data entities are provided. An application programming interface is provided that uses the common data entities and common operations to enable enterprise resource planning systems to exchange data in a standardized format with ecommerce marketplaces. Catalogs of items to be sold in ecommerce marketplaces can be created and managed using a customizable structure. The customizable structure enables catalogs to be created in a hierarchical manner with at least one parent catalog and zero or more child catalogs. Data values specified in a respective child catalog override data values specified in the parent catalog. A method for communicating with a particular ecommerce marketplace using an ecommerce integration framework is described. |
| US08442863B2 |
Real-time-ready behavioral targeting in a large-scale advertisement system
A “Real-Time-Ready Analyzer” combines a data stream management system (DSMS) with a map-reduce (M-R) framework to construct a streaming map-reduce framework that is suitable for real-time Behavioral Targeting (BT) (or other temporal queries). The Real-Time-Ready Analyzer allows users to write “dual-intent” temporal analysis queries for BT. These queries are succinct and easy to express, scale well on large-scale offline data, and can also work over real-time data. Further, the Real-Time-Ready Analyzer uses the aforementioned streaming map-reduce framework to provide dual-intent algorithms for end-to-end BT phases. Experiments using real data from an advertisement system show that the Real-Time-Ready Analyzer is very efficient and incurs orders-of-magnitude lower development effort than conventional systems. |
| US08442860B2 |
Client system displaying reciprocal link
A computer client system includes a computer hardware system associated with a first user. The computer hardware system is configured to perform receiving, from a webpage implementation system, a first website associated with the first user; and receiving, from the webpage implementation system, a second website associated with a second user. The first website includes a first functional marketing element associated with a second user. The second website includes a second functional marketing element associated with the first user and reciprocally inserted, by the webpage implementation system, into the second website based upon the first functional marketing element being inserted within the first website. |
| US08442859B1 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for optimizing liquidity and price discovery in advertising markets
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for optimizing liquidity that an Audience Producer can access for the sale of audience profile access rights by having each individual audience profile access right listed using symbology that can gamer the highest price discovery and depth of market. This is accomplished, in part, by providing multiple listing symbologies for a single asset, allowing for a determination of an optimized or improved symbology for obtaining a best purchase or sale price for a structured advertising asset. |
| US08442857B1 |
Pulp and paper high performance capability assessment
A high performance capability assessment model helps a pulp and paper business meet the challenges of the global marketplace. As a result, the pulp and paper business can achieve the clarity, consistency, and well-defined execution of core processes that reduce inefficiencies and waste that result from unnecessary process complexity and exceptions. In addition, the high performance capability assessment model helps the pulp and paper industry business to identify specific areas in which improvements may be made and understand how to make the improvements, and establishes levels of capability along the way to reaching an ultimate capability goal. |
| US08442854B2 |
System and method for estimating residual lifetime value of a customer base utilizing survival analysis
The present disclosure describes novel systems and methods that can be utilized to evaluate and/or direct an interaction with a consumer database and/or evaluate a consumer database, where the consumer database contains information about consumers and particular products and/or services held or used by the consumers. The interactions may be, for example, determining a strategy for sales, marketing, cross-selling, and/or retaining one or more of the consumers. The evaluations may include, for example, hierarchically ranking the consumers and/or determining a clustering of the consumers. |
| US08442852B2 |
Workflow auto generation from user constraints and hierarchical dependence graphs for workflows
A system and method of modeling and evaluating workflows that provides workflow auto generation and Hierarchical Dependence Graphs for workflows. Modeling and evaluation of workflows is accomplished by accessing a knowledge database containing service descriptions, generating valid workflows models, simulating workflow and obtaining customer requirements through a Graphical User Interface. This system and method generate and display workflows that satisfy a users requirements. In addition, Hierarchical Dependence Graphs provide abstract views that provide additional analysis and control of workflow. |
| US08442845B2 |
Systems and methods for determining cost of insurance rates
According to some embodiments, a current net amount at risk associated with a life insurance policy is determined. The life insurance policy may, for example, have been previously issued to a consumer for a given face death benefit amount. At least one applicable cost of insurance rate may then be automatically selected based at least in part on the determined net amount at risk. The applicable cost of insurance rate can then be applied to the current net amount at risk for the policy. For example, a first cost of insurance rate may be applied to a first portion of the current net amount at risk, and the applicable cost of insurance rate may be applied to a second portion of the current net amount at risk. |
| US08442843B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling a warming therapy device
An apparatus and method for controlling a warming therapy device (e.g., incubator, warmer, etc.) is described. In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a Graphical User Interlace (GUI) coupled to the warming therapy device for monitoring patient medical information, and for controlling various aspects of the warming therapy device accordingly. |
| US08442842B2 |
Pharmaceutical clearinghouse for institutions
A pharmaceutical clearinghouse establishes relationships with a network of FNA Agents servicing requests from patients under institutional patient assistance programs, and with a network of pharmaceutical providers. In response to the clearinghouse receiving a patient request for a pharmaceutical from an FNA Agent, the clearinghouse obtains a subsidy from at least one in-network pharmaceutical provider and provides the subsidy to the FNA Agent; the subsidy may be cash, in-kind pharmaceutical or a combination thereof. |
| US08442838B2 |
Bitrate constrained variable bitrate audio encoding
A hybrid audio encoding technique incorporates both ABR, or CBR, and VBR encoding modes. For each audio coding block, after a VBR quantization loop meets the NMR target, a second quantization loop might be called to adaptively control the final bitrate. That is, if the NMR-based quantization loop results in a bitrate that is not within a specified range, then a bitrate-based CBR or ABR quantization loop determines a final bitrate that is within the range and is adaptively determined based on the encoding difficulty of the audio data. Excessive bitrates from use of conventional VBR mode are eliminated, while still providing much more constant perceptual sound quality than use of conventional CBR mode can achieve. |
| US08442837B2 |
Embedded speech and audio coding using a switchable model core
A method for processing an audio signal including classifying an input frame as either a speech frame or a generic audio frame, producing an encoded bitstream and a corresponding processed frame based on the input frame, producing an enhancement layer encoded bitstream based on a difference between the input frame and the processed frame, and multiplexing the enhancement layer encoded bitstream, a codeword, and either a speech encoded bitstream or a generic audio encoded bitstream into a combined bitstream based on whether the codeword indicates that the input frame is classified as a speech frame or as a generic audio frame, wherein the encoded bitstream is either a speech encoded bitstream or a generic audio encoded bitstream. |
| US08442836B2 |
Method and device of bitrate distribution/truncation for scalable audio coding
Embodiments of the invention provides a method and device for assigning bitrates to a plurality of channels in a scalable audio encoding/truncation process. Different bitrates are assigned to different channels in the scalable audio encoding/truncation process. |
| US08442834B2 |
System and method of providing a spoken dialog interface to a website
Disclosed is a method for training a spoken dialog service component from website data. Spoken dialog service components typically include an automatic speech recognition module, a language understanding module, a dialog management module, a language generation module and a text-to-speech module. The method includes selecting anchor texts within a website based on a term density, weighting those anchor texts based on a percent of salient words to total words, and incorporating the weighted anchor texts into a live spoken dialog interface, the weights determining a level of incorporation into the live spoken dialog interface. |
| US08442830B2 |
Cross-lingual initialization of language models
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for initializing language models for automatic speech recognition. In one aspect, a method includes receiving logged speech recognition results from an existing corpus that is specific to a given language and a target context, generating a target corpus by machine-translating the logged speech recognition results from the given language to a different, target language, and estimating a language model that is specific to the different, target language and the same, target context, using the target corpus. |
| US08442829B2 |
Automatic computation streaming partition for voice recognition on multiple processors with limited memory
Speech processing is disclosed for an apparatus having a main processing unit, a memory unit, and one or more co-processors. Memory maintenance and voice recognition result retrievals upon execution are performed with a first main processor thread. Voice detection and initial feature extraction on the raw data are performed with a first co-processor. A second co-processor thread receives feature data derived for one or more features extracted by the first co-processor thread and information for locating probability density functions needed for probability computation by a speech recognition model and computes a probability that the one or more features correspond to a known sub-unit of speech using the probability density functions and the feature data. At least a portion of a path probability that a sequence of sub-units of speech correspond to a known speech unit is computed with a third co-processor thread. |
| US08442827B2 |
System and method for customized voice response
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for approximating an accent source. A system practicing the method collects data associated with customer specific services, generates country-specific or dialect-specific weights for each service in the customer specific services list, generates a summary weight based on an aggregation of the country-specific or dialect-specific weights, and sets an interactive voice response system language model based on the summary weight and the country-specific or dialect-specific weights. The interactive voice response system can also change the user interface based on the interactive voice response system language model. The interactive voice response system can tune a voice recognition algorithm based on the summary weight and the country-specific weights. The interactive voice response system can adjust phoneme matching in the language model based on a possibility that the speaker is using other languages. |
| US08442825B1 |
Biomimetic voice identifier
A device for voice identification including a receiver, a segmenter, a resolver, two advancers, a buffer, and a plurality of IIR resonator digital filters where each IIR filter comprises a set of memory locations or functional equivalent to hold filter specifications, a memory location or functional equivalent to hold the arithmetic reciprocal of the filter's gain, a five cell controller array, several multipliers, an adder, a subtractor, and a logical non-shift register. Each cell of the five cell controller array has five logical states, each acting as a five-position single-pole rotating switch that operates in unison with the four others. Additionally, the device also includes an artificial neural network and a display means. |
| US08442824B2 |
Device, system, and method of liveness detection utilizing voice biometrics
Device, system, and method of liveness detection using voice biometrics. For example, a method comprises: generating a first matching score based on a comparison between: (a) a voice-print from a first text-dependent audio sample received at an enrollment stage, and (b) a second text-dependent audio sample received at an authentication stage; generating a second matching score based on a text-independent audio sample; and generating a liveness score by taking into account at least the first matching score and the second matching score. |
| US08442815B2 |
Adaptive recognition dictionary update apparatus for use in mobile unit with a tuner
An information apparatus for use in mobile unit, which is mounted on a mobile unit, includes a broadcast receiver receiving a signal containing a station name; a recognition dictionary registering the station name; and a recognition section that, referring to the dictionary, tunes to the station associated with the station name. The apparatus further includes a recognition dictionary update section updating the dictionary in response to signal reception; and a dictionary update deciding section that decides, based on the update mode of the dictionary during updating, if any change occurs between the station transmitting the signal and the update mode, and alters, if change occurs, an update frequency of the dictionary by the dictionary update section in response to a traveling condition of the mobile unit or to a receiving condition of the signal. |
| US08442812B2 |
Phrase-based dialogue modeling with particular application to creating a recognition grammar for a voice-controlled user interface
The invention enables creation of grammar networks that can regulate, control, and define the content and scope of human-machine interaction in natural language voice user interfaces (NLVUI). The invention enables phrase-based modeling of generic structures of verbal interaction to be used for the purpose of automating part of the design of such grammar networks. Most particularly, the invention enables such grammar networks to be used in providing a voice-controlled user interface to human readable text data that is also machine-readable (such as a Web page, a word processing document, a PDF document, or a spreadsheet). |
| US08442811B1 |
Contextual translation of digital content
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for translating digital content from a source language to a target language. A message is displayed to a user. The message contains digital content to be translated from the source language to the target language, as well as the context of the digital content in the source language and/or a reference to a context in which the digital content occurs. A proposed translation of the digital content into the target language is received from the user. The proposed translation is submitted to a translation server. |
| US08442807B2 |
Systems, methods, and computer program products for estimating crowd sizes using information collected from mobile devices in a wireless communications network
Systems, methods, and computer program products are for estimating crowd size at a location. An exemplary method includes determining, at a crowd size analyzer, a number of wireless service users at the location, and estimating, at the crowd size analyzer, a total number of people at the location based upon the number of wireless service users determined to be at the location. |
| US08442802B2 |
Method of diagnosing air conditioner and mobile terminal equipment for performing method
A method of diagnosing an air conditioner and mobile terminal equipment for performing the method are provided. The method of diagnosing the air conditioner using mobile terminal equipment includes beginning diagnosis of the air conditioner, displaying a diagnostic result of the air conditioner on a screen, and displaying a countermeasure for the diagnostic result. |
| US08442800B2 |
Method and system for detecting events
The system according to the invention interprets sensor observations by tracking objects and by collecting information about the objects by means of the tracking and by using this information for affirming events linked to the objects and in producing information describing the events. The system detects events according the conditions defined for them, on the basis of sensor observations. The conditions can relate to the essence of the objects, e.g. to the strength of the observations linked to the object, to the size and/or shape of the object, to a temporal change of essence and to movement. The event conditions used by the system can comprise conditions applying to the location of the object. The system according to the invention can be used e.g. for detecting the falling, the getting out of bed, the arrival in a space or the exit from it of a person by tracking an object with a dense sensor field, and for producing event information about the treatment or safety of the person for delivering to the person providing care. |
| US08442798B2 |
Hand held pointing device with roll compensation
A pointing device includes accelerometers and rotational sensors that are coupled to a processor. The processor samples the accelerometers and rotational sensors to detect gravity and pointing device motion and uses algebraic algorithms to calculate roll compensated cursor control signals. The processor transmits the cursor control signals to a receiver that is coupled to an electronic device that moves the cursor on the visual display. |
| US08442795B2 |
System and method for performing processing in a testing system
Test systems and methodologies are provided and may include platforms for developing test programs for automated testing. In one example, tester and instruments are isolated from the tester OS, permitting any OS to be used. In another, a user layer is isolated from the physical layer, permitting hardware-independent development and usability among different tester platforms. In another, test program execution is isolated from a tester platform OS, permitting test program function independent from tester platform. In another embodiment, functions are only added, existing links to functions are not broken, ensuring continued operation with new software, hardware and/or features. Systems may be non-deterministic. In one example, the non-deterministic computer is required to execute computer instructions within a constant execution time. A deterministic engine, may be used to wait a variable amount of time to ensure constant execution time. Execution over constant time is deterministic permitting applications requiring deterministic behavior. |
| US08442793B2 |
System for determining quality of a rotating position sensor system
A method for improving a position sensing system which measures a rotating object is presented. In one embodiment, the method outputs the position of the rotating object while the object is rotating, and the method follows an external command on the sensor output line when the object is not rotating to output information other than the position information. |
| US08442789B2 |
Method and device for determining a frequency mask for a frequency spectrum
A method and a device for determining a frequency mask disposed above or below a frequency spectrum of a detected signal determines every individual ordinate value of a first envelope curve disposed completely above or below the frequency spectrum as the maximum value or minimum value of a given number of respectively adjacent ordinate values of the frequency spectrum linked to a window function. Following this, each individual ordinate value of a second envelope curve disposed completely above or below the frequency spectrum and completely above or below the first envelope curve is determined as the maximum value or minimum value of a given number of respectively adjacent ordinate values of the frequency spectrum linked to a window function. Finally, a minimum number of ordinate values of the frequency mask from ordinate values of the first and/or second envelope curve disposed completely between the first and second envelope curve is determined, wherein in each case two successive ordinate values of the frequency mask with a maximum horizontal spacing distance within the first and second envelope curve can be reached in a linear manner relative to one another. |
| US08442787B2 |
Apparatus, sensor circuit, and method for operating an apparatus or a sensor circuit
An apparatus is described, including: a signal processing circuit adapted to process an input signal to obtain an output signal; a sensor element for sensing a predetermined physical quantity, wherein the sensor element is adapted to generate a sensor signal in response to the predetermined physical quantity; wherein the signal processing unit is adapted to process the input signal to obtain the output signal depending on the sensor signal; and wherein the apparatus further comprises an evaluation circuit adapted to evaluate the sensor signal and to generate an indication signal indicating an abnormal operating condition in case the sensor signal does not fulfill a predetermined normal operation criterion. |
| US08442786B2 |
Flexible power reporting in a computing system
A system and method for efficient reporting of power usage. A power reporting unit within a processor receives a power consumption number once every sample interval from a power monitor. The power monitor determines a power consumption number based on sampled signals within one or more functional blocks in the processor, rather than based on temperature. An average power consumption number is computed based on received power consumption numbers for a running time interval, wherein the running time interval is larger than the sample interval. This value is conveyed to an external agent. Responsive to receiving and processing the average power consumption number, the external agent may cause changes in a cooling system. |
| US08442784B1 |
Adaptive power control based on pre package characterization of integrated circuits
A method and system of adaptive power control based on pre package characterization of integrated circuits. Characteristics of a specific integrated circuit are used to adaptively control power of the integrated circuit. |
| US08442780B2 |
Material property identification system and methods
The distributive elastic properties in nonlinear structures is characterized using an inverse elastostatic approach of stress analysis using assumed elastic models without knowing the realistic material parameters. Stress distributions are computed independently of strain measurements. A database of pointwise stress and strain data in regions of the nonlinear structure permits the elastic properties of the structure to be characterized point-by-point to provide the property distribution. |
| US08442776B2 |
Structure of compstatin-C3 complex and use for rational drug design
The structure of C3c in complex with the complement inhibitor, compstatin, and use of this information for rational design or identification of complement-inhibiting drugs are disclosed. |
| US08442775B2 |
System and method for monitoring dissolved gases in insulating oil of high voltage equipment
A system and method for monitoring dissolved uses in insulating oil of power transformers and other high voltage equipment includes an orifice for accessing the insulating oil, and using a monitoring system to sample the oil and measure the concentration of different gases dissolved in the oil to determine what is going on inside the high voltage equipment. |
| US08442772B2 |
Compositions and methods for defining cells
Disclosed are compositions and methods for classifying stem cells. The disclosure provides a way to define cells using a computational analysis. |
| US08442767B2 |
Method of operating a navigation system to provide route guidance
A method of operating a navigation system to provide a route guidance message for traveling a route is disclosed. A preferred name of a feature visible from a road segment is obtained from a geographic database associated with the navigation system. A guidance message stating the preferred name of the feature visible from the road segment is determined. The preferred name includes at least one visible descriptor selected from a group consisting of a color of the identified feature, a building material of the identified feature, a shape of the identified feature, an architectural style of the identified feature, and a decorative element of the identified feature. |
| US08442760B2 |
Mobile object positioning device and navigation apparatus
A GPS receiver is used to receive a signal from GPS satellites, and a current vehicle position is detected based on the received signal. A control unit estimates the current vehicle position based on a travel speed of a vehicle from a vehicle speed sensor and a travel direction of the vehicle from a direction sensor. After correcting the estimated current vehicle position based on the current vehicle position from the GPS receiver, a power supply to the GPS receiver is turned off, and thereafter an error of the estimated current vehicle position is calculated based on an error accumulated for a certain time period regarding the speed and the direction. When the error of the estimated current vehicle position exceeds an error tolerance, the power supply for the GPS receiver is restarted to correct the estimated current vehicle position. |
| US08442757B2 |
Navigation device
When setting a spot by designating a desired position on a map displayed on a display unit, a spot setting menu picture is displayed in the vicinity of the designated position, thereby improving the visibility of a positional relation to improve operability. A navigation device (1) is provided with an input unit (13) which designates a spot on the displayed map, a spot position detection unit (16) which identifies the spot designated by the input unit (13), a menu display position determination unit (17) which determines the display position of the menu picture (38) for selecting an item for setting the spot identified by the spot position detection unit (16), and a mark display unit (18) which displays a spot setting mark (36) which indicates a touch-operated position on a display screen. The menu display position determination unit (17) detects the display position of the spot setting mark (36) and determines the display position of the menu picture (38) in accordance with the display position of the spot setting mark (36). |
| US08442752B2 |
Climate control head with fuel economy indicator
A climate control system having a control head including a display providing at least one comfort level indicator and a fuel economy indicator is provided. The comfort level indicator displays a plurality of comfort level settings corresponding to relative thermal comfort in all weather conditions. Each comfort level setting corresponds to a range of temperatures so that once a comfort range is obtained, the climate control system will be reluctant to consume additional energy, thereby maintaining or improving the current fuel economy state. The fuel economy indicator provides for direct communication of the impact of comfort level settings on fuel economy. |
| US08442748B2 |
Method for starting an engine
A method for improving starting of an engine that may be repeatedly stopped and started is presented. In one embodiment, the method disengages a starter in response to a first predicted combustion in a cylinder of the engine. The method may reduce one-way clutch degradation of a starter. Further, the method may reduce current consumption during engine starting. |
| US08442743B2 |
Parallel sequential turbocharger architecture using engine cylinder variable valve lift system
A system includes: a cylinder head for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine where the cylinder head includes, per cylinder, a first exhaust valve and a corresponding first exhaust port and a second exhaust valve and a corresponding second exhaust port and where, for simultaneous control of the first exhaust valve and the second exhaust valve of a cylinder, for that cylinder, the cylinder head delivers a quantity of exhaust via the first exhaust port and a different quantity of exhaust via the second exhaust port; a first exhaust turbine in fluid communication with the first exhaust ports of the cylinder head; and a second exhaust turbine in fluid communication with the second exhaust ports of the cylinder head. Various other devices, assemblies, controllers, etc., are also disclosed. |
| US08442740B2 |
Passing from a non-synchronized state between an engine and a rotor to a synchronized state
In order to regulate a power plant (105) having a gas generator (1) and a free turbine (3) to drive a rotary wing, a first speed of rotation (NTL) of the free turbine (3) is regulated on a first setpoint value (NTL*) equal either to a regulation term (NRc) or to a predetermined setpoint threshold (NTL*). The regulation term (NRc) is a function of a third speed of rotation (NR) of said rotary wing in accordance, where NRc=NR*(1−d), “d” representing a non-zero constant lying in the range 0 to 1. |
| US08442739B2 |
Vehicle driving assist system
A vehicle driving assist system is provided that calculates a risk potential indicative of a degree of convergence between the host vehicle and the preceding obstacle. A first driving assistance control system controls at least one of an actuation reaction force exerted by a driver-operated driving operation device and a braking/driving force exerted against the host vehicle based on the risk potential calculated. A second driving assistance control system controls the braking/driving force of the host vehicle such that a headway distance is maintained between the host vehicle and the obstacle. A transition detecting section detects a transition of operating states of the first and second driving assistance control systems. The control adjusting section adjusts the control executed by the first and second driving assistance control systems when a transition of operating state is detected. |
| US08442736B2 |
System for enhancing cornering performance of a vehicle controlled by a safety system
A system for controlling a vehicle having a brake assembly for exerting braking force on at least one wheel on the basis of a number of control parameters is provided. The system has a safety system configured to generate the control parameters as a function of a control quantity associated with the braking force to be exerted on the at least one wheel; and a vehicle handling enhancement system configured to: calculate a reference vehicle yaw acceleration on the basis of at least the longitudinal speed of the vehicle and the steer angle of the vehicle; and adjust the control quantity to zero the difference between the actual yaw acceleration and the reference vehicle yaw acceleration. |
| US08442725B2 |
Occupant protection device for vehicle
An occupant protection device includes: a controller; first and second bus lines; a first collision sensor arranged on a side of the vehicle, and transmitting a first signal to the controller via the first bus line; a second collision sensor arranged on a center of the vehicle, and transmitting a second signal to the controller via the second bus line; and a third collision sensor arranged on a front side from the first collision sensor, and transmitting a third signal to the controller via the second bus line. The controller determines the collision on the side of the vehicle based on the first and second signals. The controller determines the collision on a part of the vehicle based on the third signal, the part disposed on the front side from the first collision sensor. The controller activates an occupant protection element. |
| US08442719B1 |
Field superposition apparatus, system and method therefor
Wireless communications between a vehicle base station and transponder is authenticated. Two or more antennas including at least one within a vehicle are respectively driven using driving currents multiplied by different superposition factors for at least two iterative cycles. Separate vector components of the respective fields emitted by the antennas are used for calculating superposition factors. For each cycle, each antenna is concurrently driven using the same phase respectively using the driving currents multiplied by the superposition factors, and superposed vector components are detected for a superposed signal including signals from both antennas. Communications are authenticated via the detected superposed vector components for each for the superposed signal of each cycle being within a system error-based range of the sum of the vector components for each of the antennas as multiplied respectively by the superposition factors for the antenna from which the vector components are received. |
| US08442718B2 |
Battery charging system for vehicle and control method of the same
A battery charging system for a vehicle includes a generator, a battery, a DC/DC converter converting the electrical power generated by the generator and supplying the converted electrical power to the electrical device of the vehicle and supplying the electrical power to an electrical device, and charging the battery, an energy storage device storing the electrical power generated from the generator and providing the stored electrical power to the DC/DC converter, and an engine control unit controlling the generator to charge the energy storage device by providing regenerative power generated by the generator in a deceleration driving section of the vehicle, calculating a low-voltage control amount determined to correspond to a state of the battery connected to the DC/DC converter and whether the electrical device of the vehicle operates, and controlling the DC/DC converter to charge the electrical power in the battery based on the calculated low-voltage control amount. |
| US08442714B2 |
Autonomous mobile device, and control device and program product for the autonomous mobile device
An autonomous mobile device has its movement controlled by a control device and includes a first sensing unit for sensing an obstacle. The control device includes a first storage unit for storing information as to a temporary positional fluctuation of the obstacle and sets as a virtual obstacle region a region where it is predicted that the obstacle sensed by the first sensing unit travels following a predetermined time passage based on the information as to the temporary positional fluctuation of the obstacle stored in the first storage unit. |
| US08442713B2 |
Steering method for vehicle and apparatus thereof
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for steering a vehicle, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method for steering an autonomous vehicle. One aspect of the present invention provides a method of steering a vehicle in an apparatus for steering the vehicle, the method comprising: (a) determining a first path by using a starting point and a destination of the vehicle; (b) generating an obstacle position signal when a plurality of obstacle sensors mounted on the vehicle detect an obstacle during an operation of the vehicle; (c) generating a parallax information using the obstacle position signal received from the plurality of the obstacle sensors; and (d) determining a second path avoiding the obstacle by using the parallax information. According to the method and the apparatus for steering a vehicle of the present invention, a vehicle may avoid obstacles in real-time in complex environments. |
| US08442711B2 |
Hybrid vehicle and method of control for engine transient mitigation
A hybrid vehicle and method of control are associated with the following operation. A quantized previous engine power command based on a previous engine power command is obtained. A current engine power command is quantized. The quantized current engine power command is maintained if the magnitude of the difference between the current engine power command and the quantized previous engine power command is larger than a threshold. The quantized current engine power command is set equal to the quantized previous engine power command if the magnitude of the difference between the current engine power command and the quantized previous engine power command is smaller than the threshold. An output engine power command based on the quantized current engine power command is generated. An engine of the hybrid vehicle is operated based on the output engine power command. |
| US08442708B2 |
System and method for pacing a powered system traveling along a route
A system is provided for pacing a powered system traveling along a route separated into a plurality of block regions. Each block region has a respective signal. The system includes a controller configured to receive a status of the signal in an adjacent block region to a current block region of the powered system. The controller is configured to determine a time duration between a change in the status of the signal in an adjacent block region. The controller is further configured to determine an expected status of the signal to be experienced by the powered system in the plurality of block regions, based upon the time duration and a route parameter of the plurality of block regions. |
| US08442707B2 |
Implementing continuous descent approaches for maximum predictability in aircraft
The present invention relates to continuous descent approaches that ensure the greatest certainty in arrival time. The continuous descent approach is flown by maintaining an aerodynamic flight path angle, thereby allowing a ground speed to be followed with greater accuracy. An improvement is described that accounts for turns made during continuous descent approaches that may otherwise cause a drift away from the desired ground speed, and hence arrival time. A correction to the aerodynamic flight path angle is used that produces a compensatory change in the potential energy of the aircraft upon completing the turn to balance the anticipated drift in kinetic energy. |
| US08442704B2 |
System and method for computing an equi-distance point (EDP) for aircrafts
A method for dynamically computing an equi-distance point (EDP) for an aircraft includes receiving at least two reference points for landing the aircraft upon an occurrence of an emergency, determining a remaining flight path for the aircraft based on a current location of the aircraft and a flight plan serviced by a flight management system (FMS) of the aircraft, and generating the EDP for the aircraft by locating a point on the remaining flight path which is equidistant from the at least two reference points. |
| US08442701B2 |
Dynamic roll angle stall protection for an aircraft
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are present for operating an aircraft. A roll angle limit is identified using a load factor selected to allow a lateral maneuvering capability of the aircraft by forming an identified roll angle limit in response to vertical maneuvering of the aircraft. The vertical maneuvering of the aircraft is performed using the identified roll angle limit. |
| US08442697B2 |
Method and apparatus for on-demand power management
Embodiments of a method and an apparatus for on-demand power management of a processing system have been presented. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a power management unit (PMU) to provide power to an electronic system. The apparatus further includes a power management controller (PMC) coupled to the power management unit, to control values of one or more parameters of an operating state of the PMU in response to the operating conditions of the electronic system. The PMC may execute a power management algorithm (PMA) to determine the values of the parameters. Further, the PMU and the PMC may reside on different integrated circuit substrates. |
| US08442694B2 |
Distribution of airflow in an HVAC system to optimize energy efficiency and temperature differentials
An air conditioner and a method of controlling the same are disclosed herein. The method of controlling the air conditioner includes receiving an electric power rate information, and distributing an internal air from a first indoor room to a second indoor room to reduce a temperature difference between a plurality of indoor rooms. During periods of peak power rates, costs associated with operating the air conditioner may be reduced by limiting operation of the indoor and outdoor units, while adjusting the temperatures of the indoor rooms by distributing air among the plurality of the indoor rooms. |
| US08442693B2 |
System and method of use for a user interface dashboard of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning network
The disclosure provides systems and methods of use of an HVAC graphical interface dashboard. In various embodiments, the dashboard includes a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen. The dashboard also includes an indoor humidity tab, wherein invoking the indoor humidity tab advances to a humidity screen which displays at least a current indoor humidity, wherein the humidity screen interprets a percentage of humidity for a user. A programs tab and a home tab are also provided. At least one attribute of a presentation of the home screen is selectable by a user. |
| US08442691B2 |
Light source luminaire system light element control by symbol tag interpreter
Light source having a plurality of light elements (207) and a control system for controlling the light elements. The control system comprises a plurality of light element controllers (213), each connected to a respective light element (207), and arranged to obtain light element data; and a bus interface (203), which is connected to the light element controllers (213) via a light source bus (209). The bus interface (203) provides the light element controllers (213) with a general command, and the light element controllers generate light element drive signals on basis of the general command and the light element data. |
| US08442690B2 |
Vehicle system monitoring and communications architecture
Systems, methods and devices are provided that allow more efficient transfer and processing of sensor information in a hierarchical data system. The system provides for a plurality of component area managers (CAM), each of the CAMS being in operable communication with at least one of a plurality of transducers that monitors a phenomena of a component and in operable communication with a data bus. A CAM comprises a processor in operable communication with the at least one transducer of the plurality of transducers, wherein the first processor is configured to record data generated by the at least one transducer of the plurality of transducers, to reduce the recorded data, to place the reduced data on the data bus. The system also includes a transducer selection module controlled by the first processor by which the first processor selects one of the plurality of transducers to record and a rolling buffer in operable communication with the first processor and in operable communication with the at least one transducer by which to record the data generated by the at least one transducer of the plurality in a first-in-first-out manner. |
| US08442689B2 |
System for flexibly representing and processing assay plates
A flexible instrument control and data storage/management system and method for representing and processing assay plates having one or more predefined plate locations is disclosed. The system utilizes a graph data structure, layer objects and data objects. The layer objects map the graph data structure to the data objects. The graph data structure can comprise one node for each of the one or more predefined plate locations, wherein the nodes can be hierarchically defined according to a predefined plate location hierarchy. Each node can be given a unique node identifier, a node type and a node association that implements the predefined plate location hierarchy. The layer objects can include an index that maps the node identifiers to the data objects. |
| US08442688B2 |
System for monitoring plant equipment
A system for monitoring plant equipment is provided. Another aspect provides an automated analysis system wherein software instructions operably compare sensor data to predefined valves and determine mechanical problems in multiple machines. In another aspect, a cement manufacturing system includes sensors for sensing movement conditions of cement making machines. A further aspect provides a central computer connected to vibration sensors associated with cement making machines, where software instructions perform real-time comparisons and machine performance determinations, based at least in part on sensed signals. |
| US08442685B2 |
Robot control apparatus
In an embodiment of the present invention, with the purpose of more accurately calculating a disturbance torque generated by an external force acting on a robot, friction parameters contained in algorithms, such as a friction coefficient and a dead-zone threshold value, are dynamically changed based on the mode of operation, the operation speed, and the like. In this manner, a drive torque is estimated with high accuracy. |
| US08442684B2 |
Integrated high-speed torque control system for a robotic joint
A control system for achieving high-speed torque for a joint of a robot includes a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) having a collocated joint processor and high-speed communication bus. The PCBA may also include a power inverter module (PIM) and local sensor conditioning electronics (SCE) for processing sensor data from one or more motor position sensors. Torque control of a motor of the joint is provided via the PCBA as a high-speed torque loop. Each joint processor may be embedded within or collocated with the robotic joint being controlled. Collocation of the joint processor, PIM, and high-speed bus may increase noise immunity of the control system, and the localized processing of sensor data from the joint motor at the joint level may minimize bus cabling to and from each control node. The joint processor may include a field programmable gate array (FPGA). |
| US08442681B2 |
Desired motion evaluation apparatus of legged mobile robot
A desired motion evaluation apparatus of a legged mobile robot uses virtual surfaces (S3a, S2a, S2b) to approximate a plurality of surfaces to be contacted (FL, WL1, WL2) in an operating environment of the robot (1), and calculates translational forces (required virtual surface translational forces) to be applied from virtual surfaces (S3a, S2a, S2b) to the robot (1) in order to implement a translational motion of the desired motion of the entire robot (1). The desired motion evaluation apparatus evaluates the desired motion on the basis of the required virtual surface translational forces. |
| US08442680B2 |
Motion state evaluation apparatus of legged mobile robot
A motion state evaluation apparatus of a legged mobile robot uses virtual surfaces (S3a, S2a, S2b) to approximate a plurality of surfaces to be contacted (FL, WL1, WL2) in an operating environment of the robot (1), and calculates translational forces (required virtual surface translational forces) to be applied from virtual surfaces (S3a, S2a, S2b) to the robot (1) in order to implement a compensating total translational external force related to a translational motion of the robot (1). The motion state evaluation apparatus evaluates the motion state of the robot on the basis of the required virtual surface translational forces. |
| US08442677B2 |
Verification system for robot pose
An apparatus and method for assuring effective backup for sensor failure in robots, by utilizing a single extra sensor attached between the end actuator and the base. The single extra sensor provides absolute back-up for any single encoder failure that may occur in the system, and statistically significant back-up for any double encoder failure. A single additional sensor effectively provides the robotic system with one redundant information input to the robot control algorithm, which can be used in order to determine whether any of the other control sensors, or even the additional sensor itself, has failed and is delivering an erroneous reading, and hence to warn the operator of the failure. A single additional sensor also provides useful warning of the simultaneous failure of two sensors, since the likelihood that two sensors fail simultaneously in a mode that makes the failures undetectable, can be regarded as statistically insignificant. |
| US08442676B2 |
Medication storage
A medication storage for storing medications while cooling down them is constituted so as to allow a medication based on prescription data to be certainly taken out. The medication storage cools down inside a storeroom for storing the medications to a predetermined temperature by a cooling unit. The medication storage, includes: a plurality of shelves rotatably provided in the storeroom; a plurality of storage partitions which are respectively constituted on each shelf and store the medications; a motor for rotating the shelves; a plurality of openings provided respectively for being arranged to correspond to each of the shelves thereby allowing only medication in any one of the storage partitions to be taken out; a plurality of doors for openably closing each opening, respectively; a plurality of lock solenoids for locking each door, respectively; and a control unit for controlling the motor and the lock solenoid. The controller permits the shelves to be rotated based on the prescription data so as to bring a predetermined storage partition to a position corresponding to the opening and then to permit the lock solenoid to be unlocked. |
| US08442669B2 |
Self-feeding device for an individual
A self-feeding device for a user and method operating is provided. The self-feeding device includes a base assembly having a housing with an upper wall, a lower wall and a sidewall extending therebetween the upper wall and the lower wall. A plate is disposed on the upper housing wall of the base assembly, and the plate includes a food compartment having a food item located therein. A feed arm assembly located on the base assembly includes an arm moveable with a predetermined degree of freedom, and a feeding utensil is coupled to the feed arm. A controller actuates the feed arm assembly to obtain the food/drink item from the food compartment via the feed utensil, and to transfer the food item to the user. The methodology includes software to control operation of the self-feeding device within a STORAGE mode, a SELECT mode, and a RETRIEVE food and drink mode. |
| US08442664B1 |
Integrated wire harness batch production systems and methods
Virtually-integrated wire harness design and automated production systems and methods that achieve completely integrated data management by automatically producing scripts to dynamically propagate production commands and data to various subsystems for handling assembling necessary circuits and wire harness layout boards to produce corresponding batches of wire harnesses while script-based methods control configuring, testing, and using wire harness layout boards, and assembling, testing, reworking, and delivering wire harnesses. As derived from CAD-created specifications, the production system uses a programmable, automated wire C&C center prepares individual wire circuits. While automatic wire indexing, sorting, and delivery systems transfer circuits into, and retrieve circuits from, a transportable programmable, automated, indexed storage system equipped with an array of individual circuit tubes, and a script-controlled assembly system sends visual, aural, and other cues to help an assembler populate and configure a wire harness layout board with connector blocks and turn posts, and guides the assembler in building, testing, reworking, and delivering the corresponding batch of wire harnesses. |
| US08442660B2 |
Intelligent electronic device having audible and visual interface
An intelligent electronic device having an audible and visual interface for providing audible and visual instructions to a user in an event of an alarm or trouble indication in the electrical power system. The intelligent electronic device includes at least one sensor configured for measuring at least one power parameter of an electrical circuit and generating at least one analog signal indicative of the at least one power parameter; at least one digital to analog converter for receiving the at least one analog signal and converting the at least one analog signal to at least one digital signal; a processor configured for receiving the at least one digital signal and detecting at least one event occurring in the electrical circuit; and an interface configured for providing instructions associated to the at least one detected event. The instructions may be in the form of text, audio and/or video. |
| US08442656B2 |
Cardiac lead having implantable stiffening structures for fixation
A cardiac lead adapted for fixation at least partially within a cardiac vessel. The lead includes, in one embodiment, an elongate lead body defining a proximal region and a distal region including a distal end region having at least one electrode and a distal tip. The distal end region is configured such that the electrode and the distal tip can be implanted in the cardiac vessel. Stiffening structures in the distal region of the lead are adapted to stiffen selected portions of the lead for fixation of the electrode within the cardiac vessel. In some embodiments, the stiffening structures include an implantable member adapted to be implanted in a lumen of the lead. In other embodiments, the stiffening structures include a sheath adapted to be deployed over the lead body. In still other embodiments, the stiffening structures are integral to the lead and/or the lead body. |
| US08442654B2 |
Electrode array with electrodes having cutout portions and methods of making the same
A lead for brain stimulation includes a lead body having a distal end. At least one cable extends within the lead body, each cable comprising at least one conductor. The lead further includes a plurality of electrodes coupled to the at least one cable. Each of the plurality of electrodes defines a cutout portion that receives and attaches to a one of the at least one cable. |
| US08442653B2 |
Brain electrode
An electrode, in particular a deep brain stimulating (DBS) electrode or a deep brain lesioning electrode, a method for manufacturing an electrode and use of the electrode, and a directional electrode. |
| US08442652B2 |
Medical implantable lead and method for connecting a medical implantable lead to an organ
In a medical implantable lead of the type adapted to be implanted into a human or animal body for monitoring and/or controlling of an organ inside the body and a method for connecting such a lead to an organ in the human or animal body. The lead has a fixation arrangement at a distal end, and the fixation arrangement is adapted to penetrate into the tissue of the organ to fixate the lead to the organ. An electrode member is provided to receive and/or transmit electrical signals from or to the organ. The electrode member is resiliently pre-strained toward the distal end of the lead and is provided with an electrode surface such that the electrode surface will resiliently abut toward the outer surface of the organ when the fixation arrangement is fixed to the tissue. |
| US08442649B2 |
Systems and methods for anchoring leads of electrical stimulation systems in and around bony structures
A lead assembly includes a nerve stimulation lead and at least one anchoring unit. The nerve stimulation lead includes electrodes disposed at a distal end that are electrically coupled to terminals disposed at the proximal end by a plurality of conductive wires. The at least one anchoring unit includes at least one elongated member and at least one fastener. The at least one elongated member extends along at least a portion of the nerve stimulation lead with a distal end of the at least one elongated member extending outwards from the nerve stimulation lead in proximity to the distal end of the nerve stimulation lead. The at least one fastener is attached to the distal end of the at least one elongated member and is configured and arranged for anchoring the at least one elongated member against a bony structure or against soft tissue abutting a bony structure. |
| US08442648B2 |
Implantable medical lead having reduced dimension tubing transition
Lead body designs for forming a fluid tight seal between a multilumen tube and other portions of a lead body are provided. One lead body design has a multilumen tube having a first portion defining a first number of lumens and a second reduced dimension portion defining a second number of lumens, the second number of lumens being smaller than the first number of lumens. The reduced dimension portion is attached to a distal tip portion of the lead body, forming a fluid tight passageway through the multilumen tube to the distal tip portion. Also provided are methods for forming such multilumen tubes and incorporating such multilumen tubes into a lead body. |
| US08442643B2 |
Medical device programmer with reduced-noise power supply
A programmer for a medical device, such as a neurostimulator, includes a reduced-noise power supply that converts dc power provided by a battery source to power for components within the programmer. The power supply includes a pulse-skipping dc-dc boost converter. The programmer provides an input circuit for selectively inhibiting pulse-skipping to reduce switching noise that could otherwise undermine wireless telemetry performance between the programmer and a medical device. |
| US08442641B2 |
Retinal prosthesis techniques
Apparatus for use with an external non-visible light source is provided. The apparatus comprises an intraocular device configured for implantation in a human eye, and comprising an energy receiver. The energy receiver is configured to receive light emitted from the external non-visible light source, and extract energy from the emitted light for powering the intraocular device. The intraocular device is configured to regulate a parameter of operation of the intraocular device based on a modulation of the light emitted by the external non-visible light source and received by the energy receiver. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08442637B2 |
Self-sealing septum assembly
Exemplary septum assemblies include first and second housing components each defined by at least an inner surface, at least one sealing strip disposed at least partially on at least one of the inner surfaces of the housing components, and a compression member at least partially surrounding the housing components. |
| US08442636B2 |
Septum for covering a fastener assembly on a connector of an implantable electric stimulation system and methods of making and using
A connector for an electrostimulation lead includes a connector housing defining a fastener aperture, a septum disposed over the fastener aperture, and a fastener for mating with the fastener aperture to secure a received lead to the connector housing so that at least one terminal disposed on the received lead electrically couples with at least one conductor contact disposed in the connector housing. The septum includes a septum flap and an attachment cuff. The septum flap is configured and arranged for extending over the fastener aperture and for receiving a tool for folding the septum flap open to expose the fastener aperture. The attachment cuff is configured and arranged for coupling the septum flap to the connector housing. The fastener is configured and arranged to be disposed in the fastener aperture and to be tightened against the lead to hold the lead within the connector housing. |
| US08442634B2 |
Systems and methods for controlling ventricular pacing in patients with long inter-atrial conduction delays
Techniques are provided for use by implantable medical devices for controlling ventricular pacing. In one example, optimal atrio-ventricular and interventricular pacing delay values are determined for pacing the heart of the patient based, in part, on a measured inter-atrial conduction delay. Atrio-ventricular conduction delays are then measured within the patient. The atrio-ventricular pacing delays are compared with the measured atrio-ventricular conduction delays. If the atrio-ventricular pacing delays are less than the measured atrio-ventricular conduction delays, biventricular pacing is delivered using the atrio-ventricular pacing delay and the interventricular pacing delay. However, if the atrio-ventricular pacing delays are not less than the corresponding atrio-ventricular conduction delays, as can occur if the inter-atrial conduction delay is large, then alternative pacing regimes are selectively enabled, such as monoventricular pacing in the chamber having the longer conduction delay value, biventricular pacing with negative hysteresis, or biventricular pacing with pacing delays reduced using predetermined offset values. |
| US08442633B2 |
Cardiac cycle synchronized sampling of impedance signal
A system comprising implantable device, the implantable medical device including an intrinsic cardiac signal sensor, an impedance measurement circuit configured to apply a specified current to a transthoracic region of a subject and to sample a transthoracic voltage resulting from the specified current, and a processor coupled to the intrinsic cardiac signal sensor and the impedance measurement circuit. The processor is configured to initiate sampling of a transthoracic voltage signal in a specified time relation to a fiducial marker in a sensed intrinsic cardiac signal, wherein the sampling attenuates or removes variation with cardiac stroke volume from the transthoracic voltage signal, and determine lung respiration using the sampled transthoracic voltage signal. |
| US08442632B2 |
Method and apparatus for affecting the autonomic nervous system
A method and apparatus for affecting the autonomic nervous system of a subject using stimuli based on separate analysis of the sympathetic and/or parasympathetic branches of the subject's autonomic nervous system. The present invention also relates to a method and apparatus for affecting the autonomic nervous system, wherein stimuli is applied in coordination with cyclical activities of the subjects body such as respiration or cardiac cycle. |
| US08442631B2 |
System and method for determining the origin of a sensed beat
A method for monitoring a biological cardiac pacemaker. The method may include stimulating a heart at a region selected for implantation of a biological pacemaker and sensing at least one electrical signal indicative of a cardiac depolarization originating in the region selected for implantation of the biological pacemaker. The method may further include sensing at least one subsequent electrical signal produced by the heart and determining if the subsequent electrical signal originated in the region selected for the biological pacemaker or another region of the heart. |
| US08442627B2 |
Advanced thoracic fluid monitoring capability with impedance
An implantable medical device used for thoracic fluid monitoring by detection of changes in impedance in a patient. The device measures impedances of the patient in a supine position and in an upright position. The device determines impedance differences between the supine and upright positions which correspond to a diurnal delta value, which may in turn be employed as a diagnostic parameter. |
| US08442625B2 |
Determining and illustrating tracking system members
A volume of a patient can be mapped with a system operable to identify a plurality of locations and save a plurality of locations of a mapping instrument. The mapping instrument can include one or more electrodes that can sense a voltage that can be correlated to a three dimensional location of the electrode at the time of the sensing or measurement. Therefore, a map of a volume can be determined based upon the sensing of the plurality of points without the use of other imaging devices. An implantable medical device can then be navigated relative to the mapping data. |
| US08442624B2 |
System for cardiac medical condition detection
A system for heart performance characterization and abnormality detection processes a heart electrical activity signal in determining multiple first signal characteristic values over multiple heart cycles. A first signal characteristic value substantially comprises a time interval between a peak of a P wave to a peak of a succeeding R wave representing a repolarization time interval in an individual heart cycle and the signal processor uses a peak detector and time detector for identifying the peaks and detecting a time difference between the identified peaks. A comparator compares at least one of the multiple first signal characteristic values or a value derived from the multiple first signal characteristic values with a threshold value to provide a comparison indicator. A patient monitor in response to the comparison indicator indicating a calculated signal characteristic value exceeds the threshold value, generates an alert message associated with the threshold. |
| US08442621B2 |
Surgical trajectory monitoring system and related methods
Systems and methods for determining a desired trajectory and/or monitoring the trajectory of surgical instruments and/or implants in any number of surgical procedures, such as (but not limited to) spinal surgery, including (but not limited to) ensuring proper placement of pedicle screws during pedicle fixation procedures and ensuring proper trajectory during the establishment of an operative corridor to a spinal target site. |
| US08442613B2 |
Mapping probe assembly with skived tube body frame
An embodiment of a mapping probe assembly includes a body frame with a lumen therein. The body frame includes a catheter shaft region, a loop section and a transition region between the catheter shaft region and a loop section. A plurality of mapping electrodes are attached around the loop section. Electrical conductors extend through the lumen of the body frame to the mapping electrodes. In some embodiments, the loop section is skived, where a portion of the body frame is removed toward the interior of the loop section. The loop section has a generally planar loop, and further has a loop center. In some embodiments, the catheter shaft has an alignment generally perpendicular to the loop section where the alignment of the catheter shaft is along a line that intersects the planar loop proximate to the loop center. |
| US08442611B2 |
Medical device with reservoir-based sensors
A medical device is provided which may include a reservoir which has an opening and contains a sensor; a reservoir cap closing off the opening to isolate the sensor from an environmental component outside the reservoirs, the reservoir cap being impermeable to the environmental component and adapted to selectively undergo a phase change to disintegrate the reservoir cap and thereby expose the sensor to the environmental component. A method of use may include (i) selectively disintegrating a reservoir cap to expose a sensor which is disposed inside a reservoir of a device implanted in a patient, the disintegrating comprising inducing a phase change in the reservoir cap; and (ii) using the sensor to generate an output signal, wherein the output signal is recorded and stored in a writeable computer memory chips, directed to a microprocessor for immediate analysis and processing, or sent to a remote location away from the device. |
| US08442610B2 |
System and methods for processing analyte sensor data
Systems and methods for processing sensor analyte data, including initiating calibration, updating calibration, evaluating clinical acceptability of reference and sensor analyte data, and evaluating the quality of sensor calibration. During initial calibration, the analyte sensor data is evaluated over a period of time to determine stability of the sensor. The sensor may be calibrated using a calibration set of one or more matched sensor and reference analyte data pairs. The calibration may be updated after evaluating the calibration set for best calibration based on inclusion criteria with newly received reference analyte data. Fail-safe mechanisms are provided based on clinical acceptability of reference and analyte data and quality of sensor calibration. Algorithms provide for optimized prospective and retrospective analysis of estimated blood analyte data from an analyte sensor. |
| US08442609B2 |
Oral health measurement clamping probe, system and method
Devices, systems, and methods determine the health of oral objects by providing objective measurements using a detachable probe body. The detachable probe body may isolate reusable system components (including an electromagnetic signal detection, signal transmission, energy generation, and or energy transmitting components) from the oral cavity, optionally by encasing at least a portion of one or more of these components in a sheath or the like. A window of the probe body maintains sterile isolation and transmits electromagnetic energy to and/or signals from the oral object. Accuracy can be enhanced by a clamp or other structure for engaging a surface of the oral object so as to maintain a fixed alignment between the signal receiver and the oral object. |
| US08442608B2 |
System and method for estimating physiological parameters by deconvolving artifacts
There is disclosed a system and methods to estimate physiological parameters. In accordance with embodiments a method is disclosed which includes generating distribution data for a plurality of signals. The method may also include deconvolving one of the plurality of signals from the other plurality of signals to produce clean signals. The clean signals may then be used to calculate physiological parameters. |
| US08442604B1 |
Camera ring for smartphone case to reduce flash glare
A case for portable electronic devices including smartphones includes a feature to prevent glare from a flash from affecting images and video captured by a camera lens. Smartphones have telephony, Internet connectivity, and camera and video features. Photos and video can be uploaded through the Internet or sent to other phones. A case has a hole for a camera flash of the smartphone to pass through. The edging of the hole is colored black or another dark color to prevent glare from appearing in the photos or video taken by the smartphone when using the camera flash. |
| US08442602B2 |
Radiation redirecting external case for portable communication device and antenna embedded in battery of portable communication device
An antenna or set of antennae for a wireless device is provided by embedding the antennae into the battery case or generally the surface area of a wireless phone. The antenna connections are through the battery's connections to the wireless device. The antenna can be located at the back surface of the battery or the rear surface of a wireless phone, facing away from the user. An RF shielding device can be embedded into the battery and configured in relation to the antenna such that the RF field intensity and the consequent specific absorption rate for the user is lowered while the outgoing signals of the wireless device remain fully adequate for the function of the wireless device. This feature is preserved for a multi-band operation because a digital phase shifter is used between two radiating antennae. An external case is used as a complement to the wireless phone. |
| US08442595B2 |
Adaptive ring signal level device and method
The present invention relates a method and a mobile communication device for generating an adaptive ring signal level in the mobile communication device in response to the surrounding environmental condition of said mobile communication device and also in response to the way the mobile communication device is stored away. By comparing a transfer that is determined based on the relation between an emitted signal from the loudspeaker and a response recorded by the microphone and an ideal transfer function a calculated response function is obtained. The calculated response function is compared with predefined response functions stored in a look up table to find a match that is then selected. The ring signal is thereafter adjusted to a level that corresponds to the values associated with and stored together with the selected predefined response function. |
| US08442594B2 |
Communication device and method for processing incoming calls
A communication device includes a receiving unit, a number obtaining unit, and a reminder unit. The incoming receiving unit receives an incoming call request from a caller. The number obtaining unit obtains a phone number of the caller from the incoming call request. The reminder unit includes a reminder state, and a non-reminder state which is default. The reminder unit generates a prompt to remind a callee to accept the incoming call when in the reminder state, and does not generate a prompt for the incoming call when in the non-reminder state. The reminder unit changes into the reminder state from the non-reminder state when the phone number of the caller is not listed in a phonebook of the communication device and request duration of the incoming call reaches a predetermined value. |
| US08442591B1 |
Blind source separation of co-channel communication signals
A method and system are shown and described for separating, on a communication channel, multiple complex communication signals originating from corresponding multiple communication sources. The method includes estimating separate complex communication signals using an unmixing matrix. The unmixing matrix is recursively updated by transforming the estimated complex communication signals into real numbers for use with a gradient-based training module. The gradient-based training module is configured to use the real numbers to calculate learning rule updates to apply to the unmixing matrix. The gradient-based training module is configured to minimize error in the signal estimation obtained by application of the unmixing matrix. The transformation of the estimated complex communication signals into real numbers may include applying the complex communication signals to a hyperbolic tangent function. |
| US08442589B2 |
Measurement of LTE cell attach delay
A base station has a wireless interface, a processor, and a management interface. The processor determines a delay before an attach request was successful, the processor also being arranged to determine a cumulative distribution of the delay values of different attach requests, and a compressed representation of the cumulative distribution. The management interface is used to send the compressed representation to a management system. The cumulative distribution is simpler, having no change in a sign of its gradient, and so can be approximated and represented in compressed form with much less risk of loss of relevant information. |
| US08442585B2 |
Wireless device grouping via common attribute
The present invention enables users of wireless devices to configure a service by automatic connection through the use of a local environmental indication of an identification code such as a barcode. The identification code represents a service that is a labor carried out among a group of two or more devices for the benefit of one or more devices in the group. An indication of an identification code is input to at least one device representing a service over a wireless link among at least a first and second device. At least one service relationship such as sender, receiver, transceiver, or relay is identified for each of a first and second device, and the devices are automatically configured into their respective service relationships utilizing the identification code. |
| US08442583B1 |
Communication device
The communication device comprising a voice communication implementer, a calculation implementer, an icon software implementer, a multiple language implementer, and a remote control implementer. |
| US08442576B2 |
Mobile telecommunication device and event processing method using the same
A mobile communication terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one other terminal, an application driving unit configured to implement a chatting session with the at least one other terminal using the wireless communication unit, a display unit configured to display chatting information according to an operation of the application driving unit, and a controller configured to control the display unit to display a chatting screen including information on an event external to the chatting session that occurs during the chatting session and to maintain displaying the chatting screen. |
| US08442575B2 |
Radio communication method and radio base station
The present invention is summarized as a radio communication method including the steps of: calculating a transmission power difference between transmission powers of a first carrier and a second carrier; determining whether or not the transmission power difference exceeds a threshold set on the basis of a maximum transmission power difference allowable between the first carrier and the second carrier; and when the transmission power difference exceeds the threshold set on the basis of the maximum transmission power difference, assigning a first time frame used for transmitting reverse link data by using the first carrier and a second time frame used for transmitting reveres link data by using the second carrier in a manner that the two times frames do not overlap with each other on the time axis. |
| US08442573B2 |
Best-effort macro diversity
The present invention relates to a network node and a method for providing macro diversity in a radio telecommunications network comprising a radio base station providing a radio link to a mobile terminal, the radio base station comprises communication resources for supporting the radio link to the mobile terminal and for supporting transmission of data between the mobile terminal and a network node. The invention comprises: —receiving a signal from the mobile terminal; estimating a signal quality parameter for the received signal; sending a first message to the mobile terminal instructing the mobile terminal to adjust at least a first transmission parameter if the signal quality parameter is below a quality target; and if the signal quality parameter is above the quality target, and if lack of the resources prevents the radio base station to relay data between the mobile terminal and the network node, sending the first message to the mobile terminal instructing the mobile terminal to adjust the at least one transmission parameter. |
| US08442570B1 |
Wireless tune away based upon wireless device state
What is disclosed is a method of operating a wireless communication device. The method includes entering an active state in a first wireless communication mode that requires tuning to a first frequency spectrum, and in response, setting a timer for monitoring a second wireless communication mode. If the timer expires during the active state in the first wireless communication mode, then the method includes tuning away from the first frequency spectrum to a second frequency spectrum for the second wireless communication mode and monitoring information for the second wireless communication mode. If the wireless communication device transitions from the active state to an idle state in the first wireless communication mode before the timer expires, then the method includes tuning away from the first frequency spectrum to the second frequency spectrum for the second wireless communication mode and monitoring the information for the second wireless communication mode. |
| US08442563B2 |
Automated text-based messaging interaction using natural language understanding technologies
Automated text-based messaging interaction using natural language understanding technologies enables text-based messages to be received from users and interpreted by a self-service application platform so that the self-service application platform can respond to the text-based messages in an automated manner. The characters and strings of characters contained within the text message are interpreted to extract words, which are then processed using a natural language understanding engine to determine the content of the text-based message. The content is used to generate a response message from static and/or dynamic grammars to automate the process of interacting with a user via text-based messages. Multiple text-based message formats are supported, including text messages transmitted using Short Messaging Service (SMS), instant messaging, chat, and e-mail. |
| US08442562B2 |
End to end acknowledgment of SMS messages
End to end acknowledgment of SMS messages based on sending an acknowledgement back to the sender of the SMS that the message was received after successful delivery. |
| US08442560B1 |
Mode switching user device
An item-providing system supplies items to a user device for consumption at the user device via communication infrastructure. In one representative implementation, a user device includes a mode switching wireless communication module. The mode switching wireless communication module is adapted to receive a first paging signal via a first communication protocol when in a first mode of operation and adapted to receive a second paging signal via a second communication protocol when in a second mode of operation. The user device also includes a to-do list processing module. In response to receiving one of the first or second paging signal, the to-do list processing module sends a request to a remote network device. The request requests that one or more instructions be sent from the remote network device. |
| US08442559B1 |
Methods and systems for paging in a communication system
Disclosed herein is a method of operating a communication system, wherein the method comprises receiving entity historical performance information including a paging delay value and a paging cost value for each of a plurality of past call periods; receiving target performance information indicating a paging delay goal and a paging cost goal; processing the historical performance information and the target performance information to determine a past call period wherein the past call period comprises one of the plurality of past call periods having a paging delay value that is within a predetermined proximity of the paging delay goal and a paging cost value that is within a predetermined proximity of the paging cost goal; processing call history information associated with the entity to determine a plurality of locations where the entity was located during the past call period; receiving a call for the entity; and in response to the call, transferring a plurality of paging messages to page the entity at the plurality of locations. |
| US08442558B2 |
Detecting, identifying, reporting and discouraging unsafe device use within a vehicle or other transport
A system, method and computer readable medium comprised of in-vehicle passive monitoring and information management system elements which together detect, identify, report and discourage unsafe wireless device use by the operator of a vehicle. An in-vehicle monitoring device determines the vehicle's operational state and location, identifies wireless device transmitter emissions within the vehicle and communicates to a remote information management system using a wireless network, or after-the-fact, using a local network to a locally-installed software version of the information management system. The information management system collects information retrieved from in-vehicle devices and correlates this information with other database information to provide users with timely alerts, tracking, and records of unsafe wireless device use. |
| US08442556B2 |
Detecting mobile device usage within wireless networks
A device sends, to a mobile device, instructions to collect location-based data associated with calls conducted by the mobile device over a wireless access network and receives, from the mobile device, the location-based data, where the location-based data includes a three-dimensional location and a time associated with each of multiple calls conducted by the mobile device over the wireless access network. The device combines the location-based data with other location-based data from other mobile devices and identifies, based on the combined location-based data and other location-based data, a localized area of congestion for the wireless access network. |
| US08442555B2 |
Fleet management system and method employing mobile device monitoring and research
Systems, apparatuses and methods for monitoring wireless communication performance. A fleet of moving vehicles equipped with communication devices communicate data call records, including a geographic location of the vehicle when the communication was attempted, to a central office. Indications of successful and unsuccessful call record communications attempts are aggregated by geographic area using the geographic location data from the vehicles. Call success rate levels for the geographic areas are determined based on the aggregated indications of successful and unsuccessful call record communication attempts. These levels may be presented on geographical maps or otherwise, and/or used for network analysis purposes. |
| US08442554B2 |
Method for identifying location of mobile device in wireless communication network
A method and system for identifying the location of a mobile device in a wireless communication network includes identifying Hierarchical Cell Structure (HCS) priority number of a cell in which the mobile device is currently camped. A first positioning method is selected to identify the location of the mobile device when the HCS priority number is greater than a first predefined number, and a second positioning method is selected when the HCS priority number is smaller than a second predefined number. The method also performs a probabilistic method to select a positioning method from the first posting method and the second positioning method when the HCS priority number is between the first predefined number and the second predefined number. |
| US08442552B2 |
Method and system for radio frequency coverage prediction in a multi-level wireless network
A method and system for predicting radio frequency (RF) coverage in a multi-level wireless network is described herein. The multi-level wireless network includes the network management server and a plurality of wireless devices, where each of the wireless devices includes an RF transmitter. A two-dimensional wireless network configuration model of a vertical level of the multi-level wireless network is determined. A path loss in a propagation path of an RF signal from an RF transmitter of a wireless device to a grid point in the vertical level is determined. The path loss may be based on a plurality of path loss exponents. A signal strength loss due to one or more obstacles that intersect the propagation path is determined. A strength of the RF signal is predicted based on the path loss and the signal strength loss. |
| US08442551B2 |
Method and device for authentication and authorization checking on LBS in Wimax network
A device for performing authentication and authorization checking on Location-Based Service (LBS) in a WiMAX network is provided. This device strengthens security for LBS in a WiMAX network, and protects privacy right of subscribers to LBS. The device includes a Location Assessment module (LA) for performing the location assessment, a Location Coordination and control module (LC) for controlling LBS assessment and calculation of a location of a mobile terminal. The device also includes an Authentication/Authorization/Accounting module (AAA) that includes a memory storing authentication and authorization information. The AAA also includes an authentication processing module for authenticating an LBS, and an authorization checking processing module for checking whether an LBS client and a Mobile Station (MS) requesting services from the LBS are authorized to request the location of a target MS. |
| US08442544B2 |
Method and system for mitigating interference among femtocells via intelligent channel selection
Aspects of a method and system for mitigating interference among femtocells via intelligent channel selection are provided. In this regard, signals which may interfere with cellular communications between a femtocell and a cellular communication device may be detected via the femtocell. Based on the detection, the femtocell may be configured to transmit and/or receive signals on one or more frequencies and/or channels. The one or more frequencies and/or channels may be determined in the femtocell and/or in a network management entity. Detecting interfering signals and configuring the one or more femtocells may occur periodically, upon installation of a femtocell, upon power-up of a femtocell, and/or upon command from a network administrator. The results of the detection may be communicated to one or more other femtocells and/or to a network management entity. |
| US08442541B2 |
System and method for inter-cell interference avoidance in co-channel networks
Systems and methods are provided for a distributed inter-cell interference avoidance (ICIA) technique for avoiding co-channel interference between femtocell networks and macrocell networks. At the macrocell, user equipments sense the downlink (DL) spectrum and detects whether there are any nearby interfering femtocells. If there is any interference, a macrocell base station appropriately re-schedules the DL resources and also uses a mapping function to re-schedule uplink (UL) resources based on the re-scheduled DL resources. At the femtocell, a femtocell base station senses the UL spectrum to detect for interference from nearby macrocell users. If there is interference, femtocell gives priority for use of the resources to the macrocell by releasing UL resources. Femtocell may also use the same mapping function to obtain the DL resources used by the macrocell and to re-schedule DL and UL resources of the femtocell to avoid using the DL and UL resources of the macrocell. |
| US08442539B2 |
Techniques for supporting low duty cycle mode of base station
A Mobile Station (MS) apparatus and method, to search for a Base Station (BS) in a Low Duty Cycle (LDC) mode in a wireless communication system, and a network entity apparatus and method, assist or support the MS, are provided. The method for the MS to search for the BS in LDC mode in the wireless communication system includes obtaining LDC information of one or more BSs in LDC mode, determining the LDC patterns of the one or more BSs in LDC mode based on the LDC information, the LDC patterns comprising at least one of an Available Interval (AI), an UnAvailable Interval (UAI), a starting time of the AI, an ending time of the AI, a length of the AI, a starting time of the UAI, an ending time of the UAI, a length of the UAI, and a cycle of the LDC, searching for any of the one or more BSs in LDC mode during their respective AI, and if a BS is found, performing a follow-up operation based on the found BS. |
| US08442530B2 |
Mobile device handover supporting method, radio network control device, radio base station and computer program
The present invention relates to a device that includesa radio network control device operable to control a plurality of radio base stations. Also included is a grouping processing unit operable to group into a same group many mobile devices that perform handover to a specific radio base station in a predetermined period. Furthermore, the device includes an identification information notifying unit operable to, when a mobile device performs handover to the radio base station, notify the radio base station of identification information of the mobile device and identification information of one or more other mobile devices belonging to the same group. |
| US08442523B2 |
Location positioning method in handover between networks
A method according to one embodiment includes: transmitting, by a mobile terminal, a secure user plane location (SUPL) position initiation message to a home-SUPL location platform (H-SLP); receiving, by the mobile terminal, a SUPL end message from the H-SLP, the SUPL end message including a parameter indicating that the mobile terminal is outside of a coverage of a visited-SUPL location platform (V-SLP); transmitting, by the mobile terminal, a SUPL triggered start message to the H-SLP, the SUPL triggered start message including a cause for re-sending the SUPL triggered start message; and receiving, by the mobile terminal, a SUPL triggered response message from the H-SLP, the SUPL triggered response message including at least one trigger parameter. |
| US08442519B2 |
Spectrum sharing between an aircraft-based air-to-ground communication system and existing geostationary satellite services
The present Spectrum Sharing System implements spectrum reuse between aircraft-based Air-To-Ground (ATG) communication systems and Geostationary Satellite Service systems. This is accomplished by managing the radio frequency transmissions in the volume of space in which the aircraft operates, with interference between the Spectrum Sharing System and the Geostationary Satellite Service system being reduced by implementing reversed uplink and downlink radio frequency paths in the common spectrum. The Spectrum Sharing System also avoids interfering with Geostationary Satellite Services' earth stations which are pointed towards the satellites' orbital arc by relying upon a combination of the earth stations' highly directive antenna patterns and the Spectrum Sharing System ground station antenna pattern, and to avoid interfering with satellites in their orbital arc by assuring that power levels radiated in that direction by the Spectrum Sharing System ground stations are below the level that would create interference. |
| US08442518B2 |
ADS-B link augmentation system (ALAS)
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to aircraft communication, and more particularly to a non line-of-sight communication path to augment a line-of-sight communication path. |
| US08442515B2 |
Management system for monitoring and controlling remote sites and equipment
A monitoring unit for a remote site includes a processor and memory configured to receive definitions of measurements and alarms to be collected at the remote site and to store the definitions of the measurements and alarms, a plurality of port connectors for communicating the processor with downstream collection devices that collect the measurements and alarms at the remote site, and a communication system for reporting the collected measurements and alarms to upstream systems. The definitions for the alarms and measurements can be provided from the port connections, stored script processes, and SNMP proxy. The memory is configured to automatically store a history of the measurements and alarms collected which can be exported to the upstream systems. The processor is configured to collect derived measurements not directly collected from the downstream collection devices. |
| US08442514B2 |
System and method for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of a mobile conveyance
A system for facilitating diagnosis and maintenance of a control networks on a mobile conveyance comprises one or more wireless ground stations configured to communicate over a wireless communication channel with the control network. A local area computer network receives and responds to messages to or from the control network via the wireless ground stations. The local area computer network may have user terminals, a server computer, a database comprising diagnostic information relating to said control network, and a replacement parts database and/or job auction database. The local area network may also include a wide area network interface, allowing diagnostic information for the control network to be retrieved or parts to be ordered from remote vendor sites. The system may also include wireless handheld, portable equipment for allowing service personnel to perform diagnostic analysis, maintenance, and testing of the mobile conveyance control network. |
| US08442512B1 |
Determination of wireless communication device types associated with below-average call durations
A method of operating a call duration analysis system comprises receiving a plurality of call detail records (CDRs) comprising information associated with a plurality of calls over a wireless communication network, processing the CDRs to determine an average call duration for the wireless communication network, processing the CDRs with the average call duration for the wireless communication network to determine at least one wireless access node associated with a below-average call duration, processing the CDRs associated with the wireless access node to determine a first set of the CDRs associated with the wireless access node exhibiting a good RF status and a second set of the CDRs associated with the wireless access node exhibiting a bad RF status, and processing the first set of the CDRs to determine a wireless communication device type associated with the below-average call duration. |
| US08442506B2 |
System and method for communications in a multi-platform environment
A radio networking system includes at least a first communication port operable to facilitate communication between the radio networking system and a first communication platform. The system further includes at least a second communication port operable to facilitate communication between the radio networking system and a second communication platform. Additionally, a call control software module is operable to automatically and intelligently switch an incoming call from the first communication platform to the second communication platform which is controlled by a processor operable to execute the call control software module according to the information contained in a system configuration database. The call control software module further manages the configuration of call connections and conferencing services and supports real time user control of desired communication services. |
| US08442504B2 |
Method and apparatus for distributed data transfer over multiple independent wireless networks
Embodiments of the invention provide for methods and apparatus for fragmenting a single message and sending the message fragments over multiple independent networks to a single receiving unit. The receiving unit then reassembles the message fragments to generate the original message. One embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention is a wireless radio frequency modem that can both receive and transmit fragmented messages over multiple independent networks. |
| US08442501B1 |
Dynamically configurable IP based wireless devices and networks
A wireless communication and control system including a wireless device. There is a central server for storing communication protocols and control protocols and communicating the communication protocols and selectively communicating the control protocols between the wireless device and the central server. A communication protocol configures the system for communication and control protocols configure the system as one of a selection of intelligent appliance controllers. Alternately the control protocols configure the system as one of a selection of Internet terminals. The wireless device is any hand-held communication device, such as a hand-held computing device, wireless telephone, or cellular phone. |
| US08442492B2 |
System and method for reliable mobile communication in areas with sporadic signal reception
A method of operating a cellular telephone comprises presenting a user with an option of a first rule or a second rule, and accepting a selection of the first rule or the second rule. The first rule relates to a voice message, and the second rule relates to a text message. The method determines that reception is not sufficient to establish communication, and stores an address of an intended recipient. The method also stores the voice message if the first rule was selected or the text message if the second rule was selected. When reception is sufficient to establish communication, the stored message is sent to the address. |
| US08442485B2 |
System and method for measuring and reporting service usage
Systems and methods for measuring and reporting prepaid service usage are provided. More particularly, monitoring and reporting packet data session usage for purposes of charging for service usage are provided. In some embodiments, layer-3 data packet monitoring is used to determine usage. In other embodiments, the start and end of a packet data session are used to determine usage. The usage can be determined from the duration of the packet data session or from the size or amount of packets sent and received by a mobile node. |
| US08442484B2 |
Mobile device-based bandwidth throttling
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for implementing mobile device-based bandwidth throttling. In one aspect, a method includes receiving policy from a wireless carrier that specifies one or more data usage thresholds allotted by the wireless carrier for data transferred over a wireless carrier network during a predetermined period of time, determining an amount of data that has been transferred by the mobile device over the wireless carrier network during the predetermined period of time, determining that the amount exceeds one or more of the data usage thresholds, and throttling the bandwidth of a mobile device over the wireless carrier network based on determining that the amount exceeds one or more of the data usage thresholds. |
| US08442478B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling voice call quality in portable terminal
A method and apparatus is disclosed that controls voice call quality by networks and maintains the optimal voice call quality in a portable terminal. The voice call quality control method includes: identifying a network, connected to the portable terminal when the portable terminal enters a voice call mode, and a value for applying voice call quality of the network; changing a value for setting voice call quality, performed in the network, by the value for applying voice call quality; and controlling voice call quality of a voice call mode in the network by the altered value for setting voice call quality. |
| US08442472B2 |
Technique to generate divide by two and 25% duty cycle
A frequency divider with a twenty-five percent duty cycle is disclosed. A frequency divider may include an input configured to receive a clock signal, each cycle of the clock signal including a first phase and a second phase, a plurality of latches, and a plurality of three-state circuits wherein a first of the plurality of three-state circuits is configured to drive a first twenty-five percent duty cycle signal from within the first three-state circuit high during a first phase of a first of two clock cycles. |
| US08442471B2 |
Broadband tuner for very wide signal conversion
An agile RF tuner circuit capable of converting a wide portion of RF signal into an IF signal suitable for analog-to-digital conversion. The circuit up converts a received RF signal to a high IF signal and then down converts the high IF signal to a low IF signal. Embodiments of the RF circuit incorporate harmonic reject mixers to suppress harmonics and intermodulations typically associated with the frequency conversion process. |
| US08442468B2 |
Omni-directional sensing of radio spectra
Multiple antennas used for data transmission and/or reception are also used to achieve omni-directional antenna functionality. Signals from the antennas are converted to baseband and stored. Phase shifts are applied to the stored signals to steer the effective reception beam in one of a number of directions. A process of interest (e.g., white space sensing) is applied to the beam to produce a result for the given beam direction. By scanning the beam over a number of representative directions, a spatial receiver range equivalent to that of an omni-directional antenna is achieved. |
| US08442467B1 |
Wireless communication device with a multi-band antenna
In a wireless communication device, circuitry selects a first frequency band for a first wireless communication and transfers a pair of radio frequency signals at the first frequency band. An antenna receives and orthogonally transmits the radio frequency signals over a first patch antenna element that is resonant at the first frequency band. The circuitry selects a second frequency band for a second wireless communication and transfers a pair of radio frequency signals at the second frequency band and including a voltage component. The antenna receives the radio frequency signals including the voltage component, couples a second patch antenna element to the first patch antenna element in response to the voltage component, and orthogonally transmits the radio frequency signals over the coupled patch antenna elements that together are resonant at the second frequency band. |
| US08442466B2 |
FM transmitter with a delta-sigma modulator and a phase-locked loop
A frequency modulation (FM) transmitter implemented with a delta-sigma modulator and a phase-locked loop (PLL) is described. The delta-sigma modulator receives a modulating signal (e.g., an FM stereo multiplex (MPX) signal) and provides a modulator output signal. The PLL performs frequency modulation based on the modulator output signal and provides an FM signal. The FM transmitter may further include a gain/phase compensation unit and a scaling unit. The compensation unit may compensate the modulating signal for the closed-loop response of the PLL. The scaling unit may scale the amplitude of the modulating signal based on a gain to obtain a target frequency deviation for the FM signal. The PLL may operate in a transmit mode or a receive mode, may perform frequency modulation in the transmit mode, and may provide a local oscillator (LO) signal at a fixed frequency in the receive mode. |
| US08442462B2 |
Modular frequency divider and mixer configuration
A system including a first frequency divider, a plurality of second frequency dividers, and a control module. The first frequency divider includes a first plurality of components and is configured to divide an input frequency of an input signal to generate a first signal having a first frequency and a first phase. Each of the plurality of second frequency dividers includes a second plurality of components and is configured to divide the input frequency of the input signal to generate a second signal having the first frequency and a second phase. The control module is configured to connect the second plurality of components of one of the second frequency dividers to the first plurality of components of the first frequency divider. |
| US08442461B2 |
Transmitter and semiconductor integrated circuit available for it
The transmitter synthesizes amplitude and phase components and calibrates a delay mismatch between amplitude and phase components with high accuracy at high speed. The transmitter has: a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and a low-pass filter (LPF) in its amplitude-signal path; and a phase modulator operable to convert up a phase component into an RF component in its phase-signal path. In an operation of delay calibration, a test input signal is supplied to a delay-calibrating unit in the amplitude-signal path, and the delay-calibrating unit provides a test input signal to DAC. Then, LPF generates a test output signal. The delay-calibrating unit detects a delay of the test output signal relative to the test input signal, calibrates an amplitude signal delay in a range from the input of the delay-calibrating unit to the output of LPF, reduces the difference between amplitude and phase signal delays of the phase modulator in the phase-signal path. |
| US08442459B2 |
Transmitter and communication apparatus using the same
A signal generating section 10 outputs an amplitude signal and a frequency signal by conducting a signal processing on inputted data. A regulator 31 outputs a signal that is proportional to a magnitude of the amplitude signal. The signal outputted from the regulator 31 passes through a low pass filter 41, and is inputted into a power amplifier 51. The power amplifier 51 conducts an amplitude modulation on a frequency signal on which an angle modulation is conducted by an angle modulation section 20, using a signal outputted from the low pass filter 41. A controlling section 60 controls an amount of attenuation of a radio frequency component at the low pass filter 41 based on information such as: a modulation method of the inputted data; a modulation condition of the inputted data; a reception band; an output power of a modulation signal; and a frequency of the modulation signal. |
| US08442457B2 |
System and method for adaptive beamforming for specific absorption rate control
A system may include a modifiable mobile device having at least two antennas coupled to fractional amplifiers, with returned power detectors. A beamformer unit provides adaptive beam shaping pattern, and a baseband processor provides beam pattern requirements, wherein the beamformer unit modifies the beam pattern requirements with return loss sampling information to shape the adaptive beam pattern so that a transmitted beam pattern minimizes transmitted power reflected back to the mobile device. A method may include regularly measuring a return power level, if output power is greater than a specific absorption rate level, comparing the return power level to a first threshold, else implementing mobile transmit diversity (MTD), and repeating. If the return power level is greater than the first threshold, implementing a MTD combined with reflection-based beamforming that modifies beam pattern requirements of the mobile device with return loss sampling information to create an adaptive beam pattern. |
| US08442456B2 |
Wireless communication unit, integrated circuit and method of power control therein
A wireless communication unit comprises a transmitter having a power amplifier and a feedback path operably coupled to the power amplifier. The feedback path comprises a coupler for feeding back a portion of a signal to be transmitted and a detector for detecting a power level of the fed back signal. A controller provides a ramp signal to the power amplifier that controls an amplitude characteristic of the signal to be transmitted. Averaging logic is operably coupled to the detector and arranged to average the detected power level over a first period. Comparison logic is operably coupled to the averaging logic and arranged to compare the average detected power level with a reference value. The controller is operably coupled to the comparison logic and arranged to scale a ramp signal applied to the power amplifier in response to the comparison. |
| US08442446B2 |
Radio communication device
A radio communication device and multifunction device are provided. The radio communication device includes a radio communicating unit which receives data according to a radio communication method using one of a plurality of radio channels provided in a frequency band and changes the radio channel according to a period; a data processing unit which performs processing using the data; a communication status determining unit which determines, for each channel, whether a communication status of the radio channel is good; a ratio changing unit which changes a ratio of setting a good channel whose communication status is determined as good, and a ratio of setting a not-good channel whose communication status is determined as not-good; and a setting unit which sets either the good channel or the not-good channel as the radio channel in the radio communication method according to the ratios changed by the ratio changing unit. |
| US08442444B2 |
Method of transmit power control and device thereof
A method of transmit power control to allow a transmission side to execute transmit power control so that a signal to interference ratio (SIR) measured at a reception side is matched with a target SIR, the method includes digitizing a reception environment at the reception side, and setting the target SIR corresponding to an error rate of reception data for each of the reception environments; and changing the target SIR in accordance with the reception environment measured at the reception side or the reception environment selected at the reception side. |
| US08442441B2 |
Traffic interference cancellation
A method and system for interference cancellation (IC). One aspect relates to traffic interference cancellation. Another aspect relates to joint IC for pilot, overhead and data. Another aspect relates to improved channel estimation. Another aspect relates to adaptation of transmit subchannel gains. |
| US08442439B2 |
Method of allocating radio resources in multi-carrier system
A method of allocating radio resources in a multi-carrier system is disclosed, by which a signaling message can be efficiently transmitted according to necessity of a user equipment. In a user equipment of a mobile communication system transceiving data using a plurality of subcarriers, the present invention includes the steps of if the signaling message to be transmitted is generated in the user equipment, generating a preamble sequence according to a user equipment identifier to identify the user equipment, transmitting a preamble signal including the preamble sequence and the signaling message to a base station, and receiving an acknowledgement signal for the preamble signal generated according to the user equipment identifier. |
| US08442433B2 |
Method and apparatus for provisioning a device
An article (100) has a device (122), and a radio frequency identification (RFID) module (102) coupled to the device. The RFID module is programmed to receive (210) provisioning instructions from a wireless source (142), and transfer (212) to the device the provisioning instructions when said device is enabled. |
| US08442430B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing signals in a distributed antenna system
An apparatus and method for processing signals in a distributed antenna system. The method includes receiving, by a Base Station (BS), Channel State Information (CSI) from Mobile Stations (MSs) located within a coverage area of the BS or a coverage of Relay Stations (RSs) connected to the BS; multiplying signals for transmission to the MSs by beamforming vectors by using the CSI; and transmitting the multiplied signals to the MSs. |
| US08442428B2 |
Wireless sharing of audio files and information for streamlined purchasing
A system and method are disclosed for capturing information associated with wireless audio sounds among a plurality of users. When a user encounters audio sound files of interest, the user can capture information regarding the audio sounds, such as title, artist, collection, genre, year, encoding rate, size, playlist, a unique identifier, or other desired information. The information can be used to seamlessly purchase the sound files from a remote digital repository. |
| US08442427B2 |
Apparatus for viewing full version of content contained therein on a nearby display screen
An apparatus is provided for viewing full content on a display screen. The apparatus includes a portable device adapted to allow viewing of full content on a nearby display screen which is not physically connected to the portable device. The portable device includes a memory that stores the full content; a display screen that displays only a portion of the full content; a button which facilitates communication of the full content between the portable device and a local control device connected to the nearby display screen; and a wireless transmitter that communicating the full content from the portable device to the local control device via a signal sent by the wireless transmitter upon selection of the button. The signal is received by the local control device which provides the full content to the nearby display screen for display thereon. |
| US08442423B1 |
Testing within digital media items
A digital media item, such as an electronic book (eBook), may include testing content. The testing content may include questions about the content of the digital media item. When is user is viewing the digital media item on an electronic device, such as an eBook reader, the user may be allowed to select whether the testing content is displayed. The user may also be allowed to select a particular mode of testing, such as automatic testing, selective testing, etc. If the user chooses to display the testing content, the user may also be allowed to provide answers to the testing questions. |
| US08442419B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method for controlling same
In full-color printing, one of first and second rotary members is activated with a time lag after the other of the first and second rotary members is activated such that the phase difference between the first and second rotary members is an adjusted phase difference. In addition, every time monochrome printing is performed, the time lag is changed. |
| US08442418B2 |
Image forming apparatus having door to access jammed sheets
An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance unit configured to convey a sheet, a first door that can make the conveyance unit accessible, a rotation shaft configured to rotatably support the first door, and a second door which is provided to the first door in an openable/closable manner, wherein the second door can make the conveyance unit near the rotation shaft accessible. |
| US08442414B2 |
Seal member, developing device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
A seal member covers a space between a developing roller and a casing of a developing device. The seal member includes a flexible sheet and a reinforcing member fixed to the sheet. The reinforcing member is fixed to the casing. Notches are provided in the reinforcing member in a direction perpendicular to the length of the reinforcing member. |
| US08442413B2 |
Bearing seal unit, and developing device and image forming device using bearing seal unit
A bearing seal unit comprises: a bearing member that supports a rotating shaft so as to freely rotate; a seal member provided integrally at one side along an axial direction of the bearing member to seal the rotating shaft; a connecting part extended along the axial direction from one member to the other member of the bearing member and the seal member and having an end side in the extending direction which protrudes more in the direction intersecting the axial direction than a base end side to connect the bearing member integrally with the seal member. |
| US08442408B2 |
Sensor system and apparatus for identifying recording medium
A sensor system includes an LED configured to emit light to a recording medium and a light-receiving sensor configured to receive a transmitted light that has passed through the recording medium after having been emitted from the LED to the recording medium. An emitting optical axis of the LED is away from a perpendicular receiving optical axis of the light-receiving sensor. |
| US08442407B2 |
Methods, apparatus and systems to control the tribo-electric charge of a toner material associated with a printing development system
Disclosed are printing methods, apparatus and systems for developing a latent image recorded on a surface, for example, a photoreceptor with developer material. According to an exemplary embodiment, the development method applies a development field voltage between a development station donor member and a development station transport member as a function of a humidity measurement associated with the developer material, the humidity measurement providing a surrogate tribo measurement of the developer material. |
| US08442398B2 |
Performance monitoring in passive optical networks
One embodiment provides a system for performance monitoring in a passive optic network (PON). The system includes an optical line terminal (OLT) and an optical network unit (ONU). The OLT includes an optical transceiver configured to transmit optical signals to and receive optical signals from the ONU, and a performance monitoring mechanism configured to monitor performance of the PON based on received optical signals. |
| US08442395B2 |
Lens barrel, driving method thereof, and image pickup device
A lens barrel which is capable of increasing the total length of the lens barrel in a shooting state even in a case where the collapsed lens barrel length is short, with a simple construction. A shooting optical system is disposed movably in an optical axis direction. A lens barrel driving member moves the shooting optical system in the optical axis direction while rotating around the optical axis. A lens barrel driving member moving unit moves the lens barrel driving member in the optical axis direction in a transition region during which the lens barrel moves between a shooting state and a non-shooting state while the driving member rotating. |
| US08442393B2 |
Shake correction apparatus in digital camera
A shake correction apparatus for correcting shake of a camera includes: a lens support plate including a correction lens and driven in a perpendicular direction with respect to an optical axis; and a position fixing member that decouplably couples with the lens support plate and fixes a position of the lens support plate according to a rotation of the lens support plate.The shake correction apparatus performs a correction operation for offsetting shake when an optical image stabilization (OIS) function is turned on, and performs a centering operation for fixing the correction lens to an original position when the OIS function is turned off. The shake correction apparatus is advantageous for low power operation, being miniaturized, and being light-weighted. |
| US08442392B2 |
Method and apparatus for operating the automatic focus or the optical imaging stabilizing system
In accordance with an example embodiment, an apparatus comprises a printed wiring board. The printed wiring board comprising a coil and being coupled to an image sensor. 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 a gimbal pivot system to operate an optical imaging stabilizing system. 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. An apparatus comprises a lens barrel comprising at least four coils. The at least four coils each configured to interact with respective magnet circuitry. The at least four coils and respective magnetic circuitry capable designed to tilt the lens barrel in such a manner as to correct an imbalance. |
| US08442390B2 |
Pulsed aerosol generation
An aerosol generator periodically forms aerosolized fragrance material by repeatedly supplying a liquid fragrance material to a capillary passage via only capillary action and heating the capillary passage, such that the liquid fragrance material at least partially volatilizes and is driven out of an outlet of the capillary passage. A wick feeds the liquid fragrance material to an inlet of the capillary passage by capillary action. An apparatus and method for generating such an aerosolized fragrance material, as well as the methods of heating, are disclosed. |
| US08442382B2 |
Stream generation apparatus, stream generation method, coding apparatus, coding method, recording medium and program thereof
A stream generation apparatus generates a stream including coded pictures and a command for managing a buffer which holds a decoded picture, the command being added to one of the coded pictures as a reference picture. A judging unit judges whether or not the coded picture to which the command is added is skipped at the time of trick-play, and an adding unit adds, in the case where the coded picture is judged to be skipped, repetition information indicating the same contents as the command to another coded picture that follows, in decoding order, the coded picture judged to be skipped and that is not skipped at the time of the trick-play. A generating unit generates the stream including the coded pictures, the command and the repetition information. |
| US08442379B2 |
Broadcast reception apparatus
According to one embodiment, a broadcast reception apparatus includes a first receiver, second receivers, a first controller, and a second controller. A first receiver is configured to switch to a channel as a target and receive a broadcast signal. Second receivers are configured to receive broadcast signals from channels which are set for the second receivers, respectively. A first controller is configured to perform display control to display a video on the basis of the broadcast signal received by the first receiver. A second controller is configured to switch between a first mode performing drive control of operation of the second receivers and performing record control based on the broadcast signals received by the second receivers, and a second mode performing control to stop operation of at least one of the second receivers and performing record control based on any remaining one or ones of the second receivers. |
| US08442367B2 |
Grating for VCSEL coupling to a heat assisted magnetic recording head
An apparatus includes a waveguide including a core layer having curved edges shaped to reflect light to a focal point, and a grating positioned adjacent to or imbedded in the core layer, wherein at least a portion of the grating is positioned between the curved edges and adjacent to or imbedded in a portion of the core layer that is not traversed by light reflected from the curved edges. A data storage device that includes the apparatus is also provided. |
| US08442361B1 |
Apparatus and method of linearization in an optical modulator
An optical modulator apparatus and linearization method are disclosed. The optical modulator may include a buffer layer disposed proximate the electro-optical material substrate. The optical modulator may also include physically asymmetric waveguide elements, which may have physically asymmetric waveguide arms or physically asymmetric hot electrodes. The waveguide arms may include first and second waveguide arms having different dimensions, and the hot electrodes may include first and second hot electrodes having different dimensions. Modulator linearization may be achieved by the above-described modulator structure. Modulator linearization may also be achieved by asymmetric external driving of electric fields applied to the waveguide elements, where the waveguide or electrode dimensions may or may not be symmetric. |
| US08442358B2 |
Presentation and manipulation of high depth images in low depth image display systems
High depth grayscale images, (e.g. <8 bits per pixel) are losslessly cross channel encoded to multi-channel image formats for transformation and display by display devices not capable of displaying high depth grayscale. DICOM and other images may be encoded and provided to web browser based client image viewers that leverage native code for handling multi-channel images. Transformations are applied to reconstitute the high depth grayscale images. |
| US08442353B2 |
Incorporation of mathematical constraints in methods for dose reduction and image enhancement in tomography
A system and method for creating a three dimensional cross sectional image of an object by the reconstruction of its projections that have been iteratively refined through mathematical transformations and modifications in object space and Fourier space is disclosed. A primary benefit of the method is radiation dose reduction since the invention can produce an image of a desired quality with a fewer number projections than seen with conventional methods. |
| US08442349B2 |
Removal of artifacts in flash images
The present invention relates to a method, a computer-readable medium, a computer program and apparatuses for removal of artifacts in flash images. Image data of a reference image captured using a first level of flash energy and image data of a main image captured using a second level of flash energy that is higher than said first level of flash energy is received. Image data of a third image is then determined based on said image data of said reference image and said image data of said main image, wherein said third image is a representation of said main image with removed artifacts. |
| US08442340B2 |
Method of generating a multiscale contrast enhanced image
At least one approximation image is created of the image at one or multiple scales. Translation difference images are created by pixel-wise subtracting the values of an approximation image at scale s and the values of a translated version of the approximation image. A non-linear modification is applied to the values of the translation difference image (s) and at least one enhanced center difference image at a specific scale is computed by combining the modified translation difference images at that scale or a smaller scale with weights Wi,j. An enhanced image is computed by applying a reconstruction algorithm to the enhanced center difference images. The non-linear modification of the values of the translation difference images is steered by the values of an orientation map which comprises for each pixel a local direction of interest. In addition or alternatively, at least one enhanced center difference image is computed by anisotropic weighing of the enhanced translation differences with weights steered by the orientation map. |
| US08442336B2 |
Image processing apparatus, compression method, and extension method
Disclosed is an image processing apparatus comprising an image compression conversion unit to quantize an image having attribute data for each pixel, wherein when a region has the attribute data of a photographic image, the image compression conversion unit quantizes the region by a BTC method, wherein when a region has the attribute data of other than the photographic image, and the region is a halftone region, the image compression conversion unit quantizes the region by the BTC method, and wherein when a region has the attribute data of other than the photographic image, and the region is a high resolution region, the image compression conversion unit generates a density pattern for the region to quantize the region according to the generated density pattern. |
| US08442335B2 |
Method for modifying a reference block of a reference image, method for encoding or decoding a block of an image by help of a reference block and device therefore and storage medium or signal carrying a block encoded by help of a modified reference block
A method for modifying a reference block of a reference image, the method includes transforming the reference block into a first set of coefficients, modifying the first set of coefficients by help of one or more weights and inverse transforming the modified first set of coefficients wherein the weights are determined by help of one or more further pixels of the current image and by help of one or more further reference pixels of the reference image. |
| US08442333B2 |
Parallel processing image encoding device with variable length coding
The present invention provides an image encoding device which does not necessitate reference of a quantization parameter between consecutive macroblocks across a parallel processing area boundary without forming slices. The image encoding device encodes a macroblock of an encoding target image by parallel processing sequentially from the top of a parallel processing area, and possesses an encoding element for every parallel processing area. When all the quantized orthogonally-transformed coefficients of a top macroblock of the parallel processing area are zero, the encoding element adds a non-zero coefficient to a part of the coefficients, making the coefficients non-zero. Accordingly, generation of a skip macroblock in the top macroblock of each parallel processing area is suppressed. Since slice formation is not necessary, the prediction over a parallel processing area boundary is applied, and encoding efficiency improves. Errors are not generated in decoding and the decoded image quality does not deteriorate. |
| US08442322B2 |
Image processing apparatus and non-transitory storage medium storing image processing program
An image processing apparatus executes acquiring, on a first image having a pattern having first areas and second areas that have a different color from the first areas, center position of the pattern where the first areas and the second areas cross, acquiring boundary positions between the first and second area, converting the first image to a second image having its image distortion corrected by using the center position and the boundary positions, acquiring, by scanning on the second image, expectation values which are areas including the point where the first and second areas cross excluding the center position, acquiring a intersection position of the intersection on the second image based on the expectation values, acquiring the center position and the positions on the first image corresponding to the intersection position by inverting the second image to the first image, determining the points corresponding to the acquired positions as features. |
| US08442319B2 |
System and method for classifying connected groups of foreground pixels in scanned document images according to the type of marking
Methods and systems for classifying markings on images in a document are undertaken according to marking types. The document containing the images is supplied to a segmenter which breaks the images into fragments of foreground pixel structures that are identified as being likely to be of the same marking type by finding connected components, extracting near-horizontal or -vertical rule lines and subdividing some connected components to obtain the fragments. The fragments are then supplied to a classifier, where the classifier provides a category score for each fragment, wherein the classifier is trained from the groundtruth images whose pixels are labeled according to known marking types. Thereafter, a same label is assigned to all pixels in a particular fragment, when the fragment is classified by the classifier. |
| US08442318B2 |
Method and apparatus for modifying a moving image sequence
A moving image sequence is automatically reframed for a small display. The framing is adjusted in dependence upon foreground and background segment weights derived for pixels in images in the sequence. Reframed images are formed from only those input pixels which fall within a reframing window within the input image area and the position or size of the reframing window is adjusted so as to maximize a weighted total of the sum of the foreground weights of pixels within the window and the sum of the background weights of pixels outside the window. |
| US08442317B2 |
Method, apparatus and computer program product for compensating eye color defects
Method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided. The method includes computing a first difference image for a first eye region based on a difference of red pixel intensity and green pixel intensity of each of a first set of pixels associated with the first eye region. The method further includes determining a first eye color defect region by computing a neighborhood processed first difference image by processing the first difference image, computing a first central point of the neighborhood processed first difference image based on a weighted centroid of red pixels associated with the neighborhood processed first difference image, and thereafter computing the first eye color defect region based on the first central point, and the red pixels associated with the first difference image. |
| US08442308B2 |
Method and apparatus for preparing image representative data
Apparatus for processing a digital mesh representing a three-dimensional subject automatically filters out portions of a predetermined color to simplify further processing. |
| US08442306B2 |
Volume-based coverage analysis for sensor placement in 3D environments
Coverage of sensors in a CTV system in a three-dimensional environment are analyzed by partitioning a 3D model of the environment into a set of voxels. A ray is cast from each pixel in each sensor through the 3D model to determine coverage data for each voxel. The coverage data are analyzed to determine a result indicative of an effective arrangement of the set of sensors. |
| US08442303B2 |
Constructing three-dimensional model apparatus
Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for constructing an accurate three-dimensional model. The apparatus includes a plurality of light sources, an image-capturing element and an image-processing unit. The present invention is used to integrate the two-dimensional images from different views of an object into a high accurate three-dimensional model. Compared with conventional apparatuses, the apparatus of the present invention is useful without safety problems, relatively easily manipulated, and capable of quick image reconstruction. |
| US08442299B2 |
Evaluation of image processing algorithms
One exemplary aspect of this invention pertains to a method to evaluate an image processing algorithm. The method includes varying a parameter of a model of an imaging system and, for each variation of the parameter, calculating with a data processor a corresponding image of a sample; applying an image processing algorithm to the calculated corresponding images of the sample; and determining an ability of the image processing algorithm to detect the variation in the parameter. |
| US08442295B2 |
Anti-counterfeiting / authentication
A system includes an imager that images an object, which includes a marker that is visually obscured, a marker identifier that identifies markers in the image of the object, and an image processor that combines the image of the object and a visual representation for the identified marker into a combined image, wherein a presence of a visual representation for the marker included with the object in the combined image indicates the object is authentic. A method includes imaging an object that includes a visually obscured marker and generating an image of the object, identifying the marker in the image of the object, generating a combined image that includes the image of the object and a visual representation of the identified marker, presenting the combined image, wherein the object is authenticated as not counterfeit in response to the visual representation of the marker corresponding to a reference authentication marker for the object. |
| US08442294B2 |
Motion artefact reduction in CT scanning
An example of sporadic motion that causes difficulty in CT scanning is gas pockets moving around the rectum. The invention allows the automatic detection of such movements, by enhancing low density features around the prostate in the individual X-ray images, projecting these features on the cranio-caudal axis (assuming that the gas predominantly moves in this direction) to form a 1-dimensional image, and combining successive ID projections to form a 2D image. Moving gas will produce tilted lines in this image, identifying an angular range that needs to be discarded. Such a process can be used in an image processing apparatus of a CT scanner. |
| US08442290B2 |
Simultaneous dual window/level settings for display of CT colonography images
A method for processing and displaying colonography image data. First distance tissue pixels representative of tissue within a first distance of gas pixels representative of gas are processed with a first window/level setting to generate a first setting set of image pixels. Second distance tissue pixels representative of tissue within a second distance of the gas pixels are processed with a second window/level setting to generate a second setting set of image pixels. The second distance is a distance greater than the first distance. A colonography image including both the first and second setting sets of image pixels is then displayed. |
| US08442284B2 |
Swept source OCT apparatus
A method of performing spectral OCT imaging on a target involves repeatedly scanning said target along a transverse scanning line with an object beam derived from an OCT interferometer having a narrowband source. The wavelength of the narrowband source is modulated over a range of wavelengths at a rate that is slow relative to the rate of scanning the target. The object beam returned from the target is detected to produce a set of data obtained from multiple scans along said scanning line over the entire range of wavelengths. The data is then processed to extract an OCT image (typically a B-scan) of the target containing depth information. |
| US08442279B2 |
Assessing biometric sample quality using wavelets and a boosted classifier
A biometric sample training device, a biometric sample quality assessment device, a biometric fusion recognition device, an integrated biometric fusion recognition system and example processes in which each may be used are described. Wavelets and a boosted classifier are used to assess the quality of biometric samples, such as facial images. The described biometric sample quality assessment approach provides accurate and reliable quality assessment values that are robust to various degradation factors, e.g., such as pose, illumination, and lighting in facial image biometric samples. The quality assessment values allow biometric samples of different sample types to be combined to support complex recognition techniques used by, for example, biometric fusion devices, resulting in improved accuracy and robustness in both biometric authentication and biometric recognition. |